HomeFree Allergy Free Cookies
According to the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, a national advocacy group, it is estimated that food allergies affect about 3 million children and 1-2% of adults nationally (about 13 million people). Such food allergy reactions result in over 30,000 emergency room visits each year with nearly 200 people dying in the U.S. annually from anaphylactic reactions to foods, the group says.
Food allergies can be hard for a parent to deal with, especially if you want to treat your child to the occasional snack. Many products are created in facilities that handle peanuts, which makes it even more difficult.
HomeFree has launched a line of whole grain cookies and coffee cakes made with organic ingredients and free of common food allergens including peanuts, tree nuts, dairy and eggs. HomeFree was founded by Jill Robbins, a clinical psychologist and author of Allergen Free Baking, who turned to baking when her son was diagnosed with severe food allergies. Jill’s goal was to create delicious, wholesome treats that her son and everyone, with or without food allergies, can enjoy together. Today the company makes a variety of cookies and coffee cakes in a dedicated baking facility, where it conducts allergen testing on ingredients and random product batches to ensure that each product is free of common food allergens.
Cookies come in three flavors: Organic Chocolate Chip Cookies, Organic Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Organic Oatmeal Cookies. Each flavor comes in full size cookies and mini cookies. My personal favorite is definitely the chocolate chip cookies (which I tried in the mini variety). Talk about addicting! I keep finding myself sneaking a cookie or two while making dinner.
The mini chocolate chip cookies from HomeFree remind of Famous Amos cookies. The oatmeal cookies are pretty good, soft and tasty, but I can’t help but think they need raisins! Maybe just because that’s how I’m used to eating oatmeal cookies :) The chocolate chocolate chip cookies in full size have a really great, soft texture. I would love to be able to try the chocolate chocolate chip cookies and the oatmeal cookies in the mini version. I’m wondering if the size of the chocolate chip cookies was the reason I loved them best…
HomeFree cookies are available on their website, as well as in more than 200 stores nationwide, including Whole Foods and Shaw’s. HomeFree coffee cakes, available in apple or cranberry, are available on their website. The website also offers an Allergen-free Baking Cookbook, as well as a few baking supplies to get you started.
