Welcome!

Welcome to Allergy Free & Cheap Like Me!

gluten, dairy, egg & soy free

I’m so happy you are here! I hope to create a place for you to find lots of information about food allergies, as well as, lots of goodies to help you not only eat better, but more affordably! Please feel free to share all of your own tips, tricks, and recipes too! Thank you for stopping by and I hope to see you again very soon! You can read more about my allergy story here.

My Story

My allergy story starts in May 2009 when I found out I was allergic to a number of different foods. I had gone to see my ND (naturopathic doctor) about my seasonal allergies I have suffered from for years.  My doctor suggested we test for food allergies that could be affecting my body’s response to outside allergies. When the test results came back we found out I have a TON of food allergies!  The big ones are gluten, dairy, eggs & soy… and a few in between! :)  I was shocked! I had absolutely no idea!

After recovering from my initial shock I decided to do some research.  I found it to be very daunting and overwhelming looking from site to site, book to book, for tips, tricks and recipes for things I actually wanted to eat - normal things!  Or what about a safe place to eat out when I didn’t feel like cooking? I found some information and help about my allergies separately but when I took into consideration all of them it seemed there was very little to nothing out there to help me. 

This struggle is what inspired me to create Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me. I not only wanted to be able to share things I have learned but also wanted a place for others who may be in the same situation to share what they have learned.  I hope you find Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me useful and please feel free to share your experiences. I also hope to incorporate into Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me the cost of eating on a special diet. If you have recently looked at some of the allergy free products out there you know it can become very expensive very fast.  I hope to share with you some of the cost saving tips my husband and I use to stay within our food budget. 

The newest hurdle in my allergy world has been my husband and my recent move to Fairbanks, Alaska!  Fairbanks has limited places to buy groceries and places to eat out and it’s expensive! It has been a new challenge to figure out how to eat the way I need to and have it fit into our budget.  

***Disclaimer: I am in no means an expert on allergies or any other topic for that matter. :)  Recipes I share although I have found them safe for me may not be safe for another person with the same allergies. All of our bodies react differently to different levels of allergens, so please take caution. None of my allergies cause me an anaphylactic reaction, a trace amount of an allergen found in one product or another may not affect me the way it would affect someone who has a higher sensitivity.  Having said this I really do try very hard to find products that are guaranteed completely safe. But given the current regulations on labeling, labels are not always complete and companies do not have to list trace amounts of allergens, it is not always possible.  Also, although a product may not list an allergen in their ingredients list it may come into contact with an allergen during the production process. So please keep this in mind! 

8 comments:

  1. I lived in Alaska also. But, I lived near Anchorage which was much easier to shop Gluten Free. I do love Fred Meyers. But, I wanted to let you know about vitacost.com. That really saved me and shipping was not too bad. Enjoy your time up there. We lived in Alaska for five years and are now back in North Carolina due to the military.

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  2. Kelly, thanks so much for letting me know about viacost.com. The cost of shopping allergen free can really take a toll on the budget especially up here in Alaska. I will definitely check it out!

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  3. Hello! My name is McKenzie and I am from Oklahoma, I found your blog from your Pinterest page that I also stumbled upon! I was reading about your story and wanted to let you know of some great products that are gluten free and vegan certified. I am an Arbonne International consultant and we have a line of healthy living products that are all gluten free (absolutely no whey is used). Including a lean protein mix made from cranberry and green pea extract. I would love to send you a link with more information; I think our products will be a great option for you! please email me at mckenzie.arbonne@yahoo.com I axiously await to hear from you :)

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  4. Hello Elizabeth,
    I work for BiPro USA. We manufacture and sell a Whey Protein Isolate that is 100% Natural, Gluten Free, Unflavored Protein. BiPro Whey Protein Isolate contains 0g Carbs is Fat Free, Sugar Free and Lactose Free.
    Our protein is also NSF certified, this allows our customers to know when we say it is 100% natural we are telling the truth. We have had wonderful feedback from customers whom are Gluten Free and would like to have the opportunity for others within the community to learn of our product.
    We also have monthly promotions and drawings. We are aware of the importance that Bloggers have and would love to learn if you would be interested in allowing us to have a banner ad on your blog, send you samples for your use, or a mention of BiPro Whey Protein.
    Please feel free to reach out to me at your earliest convenience: aimee@biprousa.com
    Thank you

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  5. I love your story and what your doing. I believe we can change the world one bite at a time. I have the same passion for food and have a cooking show and Gluten Free Living Docu-Series.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4HkAh7Fsm8

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  6. I just found out that my eight year old son has a sensitivity to wheat and an allergy to sesame seed, he has always been a little guy severe asthmatic and adhd. We did the testing because of his asthma and adhd because it is hard to get him to gain weight. I am so frustrated with the whole situation because he is already a picky eater but the problem I have is finding foods he can eat but foods that have the vitamins that every growing child needs. I have yet to find a gluten free multi vitamin for him. I have taken out the wheat in his diet and the results he is getting is amazing, I am just a single mom though and I can't afford much. On top of this I have a 15 yr old Type I diabetic so I am struggling to find foods and recipes that they both can eat so I am not making 3 suppers a night. Do you have any suggestions on where I can go and get recipes or cheap products for him. Thank you so much a mom flying solo

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  7. You don’t have to be an expert; your concern for people with allergies is enough to be thankful for dedicating this blog for them. Having been around for three years, I’m sure your posts have helped a lot of people suffering from this condition. =D Diane @ AllergyArizona

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  8. Grammar, vocabulary, tenses, indirect speech, passive sentences must always be keep in mind while writing a blog. Everyone must read this blog. This is going to help everyone. food allergy test

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