I’m working with a transition consultant whose family is going through a difficult time. She’s been very compassionate and helpful to us and our young adult son, and also sent us a box of wonderful cookies when I was experiencing the closely spaced deaths of two younger siblings. I’d like to have a gift box delivered with treats her whole family can enjoy.
The family is two adults, a five-year-old, and a three-year-old. The five year old has life-threatening dairy and egg allergies, and I’m having trouble coming up with possibilities. I could ask her, of course, but she has enough going on right now. I’ve found lots of gift boxes that can be delivered, but none suitable for dairy and egg allergies. There may also be a nut allergy; I’m not sure. Thanks for any ideas or sources!
Vegan is a great idea. Also how about fruit? My very picky friends were gifted fruit from Tropical Fruit Box and now get it for themselves. They love the pink pineapples.
Here are a few ideas from Google searches - no firsthand experience, though.
Also, if you want to put something together yourself, Wegmans does a great job of labeling their products and has a wide selection of allergen-safe items (typically all in the gluten-free aisles, but also interspersed in with regular products). I recommend reading labels carefully because sometimes products with no allergens on the ingredient list are produced in places where those allergens are used - this has to be disclosed, fortunately.
Finally, when your friend is ready to restart baking at home, I’d refer her to the Loopy Whisk blog and the author’s newest cookbook “The Elements of Baking,” which teaches you how to adapt recipes to be whatever-free.
Given the allergies and the ages of the kids, I’ll go off-script and suggest non-food treats.
At those ages, there are so many wonderful books and games still to be discovered that I like to comb through my favorites (from my nephews at those ages) and gift those.
Perhaps you could do a hamper that has books & puzzles / toys for the kids, and some adult treats for the parents (a nice bottle of bubbly or some fancy chocolates they might not otherwise indulge in).
I like the fruit box idea too – someone sent my family a box of special CA avocados and they were amazing! Or citrus, in season now. Somewhere like this or this perhaps.
Thanks so much for all the helpful advice. I realized that with the severe allergies, I needed to consult with the mom before ordering anything, and she says all four of them, including her little boys, and her mom/their grandmother, who is moving to memory care tomorrow, all love fruit. And could use a burst of tropical taste with the frigid Boston temps we’ve been having.
So I’ll send them a box from Tropical Fruit in Florida. I sent a box from them to a bereaved family in Greater Boston last month and that family really appreciated it.
I’ll keep all the other great ideas in mind for future occasions. Thanks again. This group always comes through!
