Rescue Chocolate's Vegan Egg

With Easter and Passover approaching (don't look at me: the only holidays whose dates I know are the Fourth of July and Cinco de Mayo), a company that brags about vegan Easter eggs and Passover Bark has to get my attention. Mostly because I don't know what Passover Bark is. (If you don't either, the picture is below.)



The news comes from a handy press release telling us the story behind Rescue Chocolate.

The newest do-good gourmet chocolate company, Rescue Chocolate, recently launched two boundary-breaking sweets for the spring holidays.

Candy Easter eggs are a dime a dozen, sometimes literally. The Good Egg from Rescue Chocolate changes that notion. This is a dairy-free "cream"- filled chocolate egg perfect for the Easter basket or Passover table. It breaks bounds in the dairy-free confection world in that it's the country's only vegan chocolate egg actually made with a creamy filling. Those who no longer eat a diet with milk or egg products can now relive that traditional holiday treat from Easters past. This writer was able to try a taste, and the egg did not disappoint. The chocolate cream filling tasted sweet, airy and light; while the chocolate egg shell was dark and smooth as can be.

As with all of the Rescue Chocolate products, this egg has its own mission. The company emphasizes that an unruly pet is not a "bad egg," and instead of giving up said animal, a person needs only to seek out no-cost or low-cost solutions from a vet or animal shelter professional. The egg's presentation, nestled in a cozy wood nest, makes The Good Egg a shoo-in gift for the spring holidays.

As Passover approaches, many observant Jews find themselves dreading the bland food which they annually resign themselves to in the name of tradition. "It's only eight days," they tell themselves, "you can go without the good stuff for eight days." No longer. Rescue Chocolate is offering a limited edition Kosher for Passover-certified chocolate bark. Called Don't Passover Me Bark, it features a matzoh-textured slab of Belgian chocolate with a sprinkling of whole almonds. It's the perfect finish for any Seder meal, and it would make quite a welcome Passover hostess gift.

Both products are cruelty-free, vegan, and certified as Kosher Pareve (with the bark only certified for Passover). And, as with all of their products, consumers feel good shopping because 100% of the net proceeds are donated to non-profit organizations working on animal rescue issues. For the month of March, the United Animal Nations is the beneficiary group for their international animal welfare programs.

Contact information:

Rescue Chocolate
Sarah Gross
917-767-7283
info@rescuechocolate.com
www.rescuechocolate.com

Thanksgiving Instruction: Enjoy

The traffic's a hassle, the families are loud and trying, the food's a trap with every mouthful.

What to do? Surround yourself with people you want to be with over a holiday. Select a few favorite foods and make them your feast. Carry lactase pills everywhere you go. Eat light, save room for a small dessert. Get home safely. Do something fun.

Kiss whoever you love.

That's my Thanksgiving. Hope it works for you.

Halloween Allergy Anxiety

Which would be a bigger surprise to you? That 80% of mothers with allergic children "say Halloween causes a great deal of anxiety"? Or that 20% of mothers don't?

The survey, conducted by the MomCentral.com website, also found that 20% of moms get so hyper about the holiday that they are thinking about having their children give up trick-or-treating entirely.

Why? Probably because they are uncertain about how much they know and about what to do. As the survey found:

•61 percent of children have been prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector; however, only 23 percent of them carry it with them at all times.

•One in five moms is unsure how they feel about their school's emergency plans in place to deal with a severe allergic reaction.

•While many moms feel they have good information on food allergies, they also expressed a clear desire for more: 78 percent of survey respondents say they would benefit from additional information on food allergies and how best to prepare for and treat allergy-related medical emergencies.

I've mentioned before that children and teenagers tend not to carry their auto-injectors with them. This is one of those parenting challenges that no outsider can solve. Getting your kids to carry reminders that they are different is a constant battle.

By now you may be guessing that I'm quoting from a press release that is related to injectors. You are quite correct. This one is by the maker of EpiPens.

Unlike all too many press releases, fortunately, they tone down the hype and focus on helpful advice.

Tips for an Allergy-friendly Halloween

For parents of children with food allergies, monitoring Halloween candy is just one way to avoid an accidental allergic reaction. Stacy DeBroff from Mom Central offers additional tips for enjoying an allergy-free holiday:

•Find Allergy-Free Activities: With a little research, you can find many festive activities right in your own backyard. Take the family pumpkin picking, on a hayride or for a scavenger hunt.

•Bring the Fun to Your Child: Consider hosting your own costume party for your child's friends. Invite everyone over for pumpkin carving, bobbing for apples, spooky stories, a scavenger hunt and other Halloween-themed games. This way, your child can still have fun and you can control all the goodies that are being passed out.

For those children who do go trick-or-treating, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) offers these helpful tips:

•Never Go Alone: Always accompany younger children trick-or-treating and have older children go out with friends.

•Inform Others: Make sure all the adults and friends in your group know about your child's food allergies and what to do in an emergency.

•Pack Medication: While out for Halloween, make sure you or your child is carrying an epinephrine auto-injector. Make sure your child's friends or other adults know how to administer this medication.

•Provide Safe Snacks: Provide your close neighbors and even your child's teacher at school with safe treats or even non-food items like stickers that can be given to your child.

•Check the Goodies: Carefully read labels or check the candy company's Web site to make sure the product doesn't contain something that can cause an allergic reaction. It's important to remember that the ingredients of 'fun size' candy bars may differ from the regular-size bars.

•When in Doubt, Throw It Out: If you can't find information on a treat's ingredients or are simply not sure if it's safe, then throw the candy away or stick it in a treat jar that is out of the reach of the child.

•Avoid Snacking: Eating dinner before trick-or-treating might curb your child's urge to sneak goodies from the bag.