What are Top 9 Food Allergens?

The top 9 food allergens include eggs, dairy, peanut, tree nut, sesame, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish. These account for 90% of all food allergies. However, anyone can have an allergy to anything. The FARE fact sheet notes that “40 percent of children with food allergies are allergic to more than one food.”

*Sesame joined the list of top 8 food allergens in January of 2023. Some of the items on this list may be free from the top 8, but include sesame. 

What is FALCPA?

The Food Allergen Labeling Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) requires brands to label for these top 9 allergens. This must declare this in the ingredients OR a contains statement. “Contains” statements are not required. Also know that “may contain” statements are not required nor regulated by the FDA. They are not a good predictor of whether a product actually contains an allergen / gluten.

Wheat vs. Gluten

FALCPA declares wheat as an allergen, but not gluten. Please note that rye and barley are not required to be labeled. Therefore always read labels for words such as rye, barley, malt and Brewer’s Yeast. (Brewer’s Yeast is often spent material after making regular beer.) Always, always  read food labels.

Below is a list of products that contain none of the top 9 allergens as ingredients. Most products bear a gluten free certification logo. Certifying organizations in this list include GFCO and the National Celiac Association. This post includes Amazon affiliate links, which gives me part of the sale for advertising. It does not impact the price you pay.

Top 9 Allergen Free Spreads

• Sunbutter – made from Sunflower seeds (Trader Joe’s sells a cheaper version)
• 88 Acres – made from sunflower seeds
• Finally Nut Free Spreads – made from chickpeas
• The Amazing Chickpea – made from chickpeas
• Oat Haus – made from oats, free from top 9 allergens EXCEPT 1 product made with dairy
• Paradise Spreads (Sweet) – made from pea protein

Top 9 Allergen Free Snacks – Seeds and Such

Super Seedz

SuperSeedz come in various flavors, including Sea Salt, Cinnamon & Sugar and Cocoa Joe. They undergo third party testing to verify they are gluten free. Find SuperSeedz on Amazon 

That’s It Snacks

That’s It Snacks are free from the top 12 food allergens. They offer fruit snacks bars, a dried fruit and seed snack mix, and dried fruit truffles. All gluten, dairy, and soy free! Shop directly from their website, or Amazon. 

Greater Knead Bagel Chips

Possibly best known for their bagels, The Greater Knead also makes gluten free bagel chips. They maintain a strict gluten free facility and products go through ELISA testing for gluten. Find the Greater Knead Bagel Chips on Amazon and on the Greater Kneads website.

FitJoy

I finally tried FitJoy Pretzels and Crackers at the Sweets and Snacks Expo in 2024. I’ve heard everyone rave about them, and now I know why! I really loved their Honey Mustard Pretzels. All of their products are gluten free and grain free. Use their store locator to find them near you, or order them through Amazon.

*Note – They now have peanut butter in their production facility.

CHOMPS

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that CHOMPS meat sticks are free from the top 9 allergens. They’re also pork free! Use their store locator to find them near you, or order them on Amazon.

*Note – “While the product itself is allergy-friendly, our sticks are produced in a facility where soy, milk and sesame are also present. The facility is SQF Certified and a strict allergen control process is in place to prevent cross-contamination.”

Top 9 Allergen Free Snacks – Cookies

Partake Foods

Partake Foods recently made news with a large investment from Jay Z. These cookies are certified thru GFCO, and do contain oats. You can order Partake Foods on Amazon or thru their website.

Cybele’s Free to Eat Cookies

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Cybele, the owner of Cybele’s Free to Eat, for years. Her snickerdoodles are amazing! They are certified thru GFCO. Find her cookies (and pasta!) on their Amazon landing page. The cookies are available at many Walmart stores, and the pasta is available at Kroger.

Rule Breaker Snacks*

On the Rule Breaker Snacks website, they state that they do not use soy. However, their FAQ page warns that when they tested for soy, results came back at 274 parts per billion of soy. (Testing rules are usually PPM, not PPB.) Therefore families who restrict soy may want to consider this info. Order Rule Breaker Snacks on Amazon or thru their website. They are certified gluten free thru GFCO.

Allergy Smart Cookies

I actually met the owner of Allergy Smart many years ago at a House Wares show. These cookies are gluten free and free from the top 9 allergens. Please know that they do contain oats. Use their store locator (I’ve recently seen them at Fresh Thyme) or order them on Amazon.

Top 9 Allergen Free Snacks – Other Baked Goods

All Free Bakery

For those who love O’Dough’s bread, they started a new gluten free brownie line called All Free Bakery. Like their breads, they are certified gluten free thru GFCO. Order directly from the O’Dough’s website or buy at Fresh Thyme.

Red Plate Foods

Red Plate Foods products are gluten free, vegan, and free from the top 9 food allergens. They offer whoopie pies, cupcakes, cookies, muffins and more. In Michigan you can find their products at Better Health, Fresh Thyme, Meijer, and even NCG cinemas! You can order Red Plate cookies on Amazon, as well as their vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate granola.

Paradise Spreads

I met the owner of Paradise Spreads at the Sweets and Snacks Expo in 2024. I loved that her snack packs contain gluten free pretzels. Spreads come in different flavors such as chocolate, salted caramel, and strawberry.

Right now they’re available at some stores in Indiana. You can also order from them directly their website.

Top 9 Allergen Free Snacks -Frozen Treats

Better Bites Bakery

Better Bites Bakery, based in Austin Texas, started due to their own food allergies. Their  cupcakes, Do Bites, and cake balls are certified thru GFCO. Order directly from the Better Bites Bakery website or buy at Whole Foods or Super Target. They are now also available on Amazon. Temporarily Not in Production.

Top 9 Allergen Free Bars and Other Treats

Free Yumm Foods

Free Yumm Foods products do not bear a separate gluten free certification label. However, they are produced in a dedicated gluten free facility. The Free Yumm website states that they use purity protocol oats in their bars. Find Free Yumm on Amazon.

Made Good Foods

Made Good Foods is another faithful camp contributor. Certified thru GFCO, they make crispy rice treats, mini cookies and granola products. They state that they use purity protocol oats. Find Made Good Foods on Amazon and in stores.

Blake’s Seed Based

My cousin’s husband bought these Blake’s Seed Based Crispy Treats while we were in Seattle, and I LOVED them. Blake’s also sells sunflower seeds, seed bars and granola bars. Their products are free from the top 9 allergens, including sesame. Find them in stores, or on Amazon. 

88 Acres

88 Acres products are free from the top 9 allergens, and them some! They also contain no sulfites, no corn, no GMOs, no palm oil, and no artificial sweeteners. They make snack bars and nut free spreads. Their chocolate sunflower seed spread is my FAVORITE. Find them in stores, and on Amazon. 

Friendly Grains

I’ve always loved these Crunchy Rollers, unaware that they’re free from the top 9 allergens. And I had no clue that they came in various flavors! The Cinnamon Churro ones are pretty tasty. You can order directly from their website, or they’re also available on Amazon.

Top 9 Allergen Free Candy and Chocolates

Yum Earth

Yum Earth has been offering top 9 allergen free snacks for many years now. While their licorice isn’t quite like Twizzlers Pull-And-Peel, it’s still a fun and chewy snacks. They also make suckers, Giggles (similar to Skittles), fruit snacks, lollipops, and more. You can order directly from their website, or from Amazon.

Yum Earth has recently disclosed that they use gluten free wheat starch to shape their candies.

The Froot Thief

The Froot Thief is a fun fruit roll-up kind of snack. Right now they come in three flavors – strawberry, apple, and mango. The Strawberry flavor is currently available at Costco, Plum Market and Fresh Thyme. You can order them on Amazon.

Free 2 B

Free 2 B makes top 8 allergen free chocolate dessert cups, chocolate chips, and more. Famous for Sun Cups, they also make a dairy free caramel cup! They are certified thru the National Celiac Association. Order directly from the Free 2 B website. They are now also available on Amazon. Can’t wait for delivery? Find them near you with their store locator.

No Whey Chocolate

I previously mentioned No Whey Chocolates in my Easter Candy blog post. Their products are made in a top 8 allergen free and gluten free facility, per their website. Order thru there of find No Whey Chocolates on Amazon

Pascha Chocolate

Pascha Chocolate makes a large line of top 8 allergen free chocolate bars, certified thru GFCO. Their website states soy is present in their facility, but not in their products. Order directly from the Pascha Chocolate website. Find their entire product line on Amazon.

Top 9 Allergen Free Pantry Staples

Little Northern Bakehouse

Fun Fact- Based on ingredients, I’m fairly certain Little Northern Bakehouse makes the gluten free bread for Aldi. Made in Canada, they’re available at Fresh Thyme stores. Little Northern Bakehouse doesn’t have direct order on their website, but you can order the full range of their products, including bagels and pizza crusts, on Amazon.

Queen’s St Bakery

Made in Canada, and available at Whole Foods and Meijer stores, Queen St. Bakery offers assorted bagels and breads. They’re free from the top 9 allergens, including sesame. Use their store locator to find them near you. You can order directly from their website.

Looking for more than just snacks? Check out my post of easy top 8 allergen free meals, sides and desserts! From chili, to buddha bowls, to donuts, you’ll find something that everyone can indulge in! Know of any top 8 free snacks I missed? Please leave a note in the comments! 

Originally Published 2022

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Taking a break from baking today to share some of my favorite card games. I earned a degree in Elementary Education, and worked as a nanny for two years. While I love baking and Celiac Disease advocacy, I miss sharing about educational things, like language arts and mathematics. Many of these games reinforce those skills, while some simply help with coordination, strategy and team building. I hope you’ll find some new favorites on this list!

Card Games for Ages 5-85

Happy Salmon

Want to play a card game that also helps to get the wiggles out? This hilarious game keeps kids and adults on their feet, literally and figuratively. Match your card, perform the action, and discard quickly to win the game! Be prepared for lots of laughs! The kids in our after school program ask to play this again and again! Find Happy Salmon on Amazon.

Spot It

Imagine playing “I Spy,” but with a card deck. This fast paced game comes in a tin, and is easy to transport in a purse or bag. Great game when you have time to kill, especially with children ages 5 and up. This games comes in many varieties, including a Spanish and French version. However, the original version still wins the hearts of all ages! Find Spot It on Amazon.

Fast Flip

We bought Fast Flip to use in our after school program and the kids LOVE it. Similar to Spot It, you need to find the matches between cards. However, this version adds math to the “equation,” getting kids to look for items in multiples. Be the first to find the match for the chip that’s flipped, and you win that round. Easily portable to take on vacation or to a sleep over.

Sleeping Queens

Do your kids wish they could create a game? They can, because a 6 year old invented Sleeping Queens! This game features kings, queens, knights and dragons. Even a queen of pancakes! This game reinforces math skills, which is always a “plus” with me! Even though the box says ages 8 and up, many parents report even their 4 and 5 year olds love playing this game. Find Sleeping Queens on Amazon now!

Games for Ages 8 – 88

Apples to Apples

My teenage nephew loves to be on his computer. He rarely even comes to the dinner table. However, if you ask if he’d like to play Apples to Apples, he’ll drop what he’s doing! I personally own the adult version of Apples to Apples. However, the Junior version ditches the celebrity names and historical dates that can be a hindrance to young players. Don’t think for a minute that adults won’t love the Apples to Apples Jr version. My 70+ year old mother in law loves it too!

Exploding Kittens

I first played the family friendly version of Exploding Kittens card game with my dear friend Cindy and her family. (There is an adult only version, so be warned.) I will admit I don’t remember much about how the game is played, but I do remember we had a HILARIOUS time. Also, I can never think of the word “NOPE” again without thinking of cats. This card game gets rave reviews, and I’m sure your family will love it! (Psst, if you already own it, they have an EXPANSION PACK!)

Fluxx

Love being a rebel? Like changing the rules of the game? This card game is for you! Start with simple rules and a simple goal, then switch them out and confound your fellow players. A round of Fluxx can last as short as 5 minutes or as long as 55. Other versions exist, like Star Fluxx and Pirate Fluxx, for a more “themed” game.

Card Games for Ages 13 and Up

Munchkin

The series of card games from Steve Jackson rank as my favorite of ALL TIME. How much do I love it? I organized an entire Munchkin themed dinner party! If you like the idea of Dungeons and Dragons, but don’t want to take role playing quite so seriously, this is the game for you. You build a character with attribute cards, defeat monsters, and steal their treasure. And the puns, oh the puns! You’ll be laughing hysterically before the night is over! I link to the original Munchkin game here, but the creators also make other versions. We own the Super Munchkin version, because who DOESN’T want to be their own superhero?!

Once Upon a Time

I played this card game once at a friend’s house. Since then, it has stood out in my as an amazing night of entertainment. You use cards to build a story, with a goal in mind. However, people can play cards that totally change the direction of your story, as they try to complete their own adventure. The Language Arts teacher in me loves every second of this game. The original Once Upon a Time set contains fairytale elements, but other sets focus on Animal and Seafaring Tales, which may appeal more to boys.

Uno

Uno is timeless. I asked my husband, a middle school teacher, what card games his students like. He immediately stated Uno. I mean, it’s timeless, right? Anyone can play, it requires very little reading, and you can cause your best friend to lose. While you can find the original version on Amazon, Uno Attack is another fun buy. My young niece and nephew loved pushing the button and watching the cards pop out! (Although the attack version requires batteries.)

What are your favorite family games to play? Feel free to comment below with suggestions!

**Please note that this post contains Amazon Affiliate Links. It in no way impacts the price you pay. It simply helps provide a small source of revenue to add in the running of my website. Thanks for supporting my blog!**

Originally published November 2018

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Electric Kitchen Appliances

Electric Kitchen Appliances

Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, 6 Quart

I purchased this Instant Pot in 2019, and I use it weekly. I love the ability to cook meat from frozen, make porridge overnight, and other amazing things.

Amazon Affiliate Link

KitchenAid Artisan 5 Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer

It’s true. One doesn’t NEED a KitchenAid stand mixer. However, they make cooking dramatically easier. I seriously don’t know how I lived without one for so long.

Amazon Affiliate Link

Gourmia 7 Quart Air Fryer

My husband and I bought a Gourmia 7 qt air fryer from Costco and we LOVE it. I’ve used it to cook nuggets and fries, but also roast whole chickens.

Amazon Affiliate Link

Ninja SP101 Digital Air Fry Countertop Oven

From Amazon- "8-IN-1 VERSATILITY: The ultimate meal-making machine with 8-in-1 functionality: Air Fry, Air Roast, Air Broil, Bake, Bagel, Toast, Dehydrate, and Keep Warm all in one powerful, 1800-watt appliance. The height of the interior of this machine is approximately 3".

Amazon Affiliate Link

Kitchen Appliances – Waffle Makers

Waffle Makers

DASH Mini Maker for Individual Waffles, 4 Inch, Red

I can’t begin to tell you how much I LOVE this little waffle maker. Make homemade “eggo” waffles for a fraction of the prize of frozen. P.S. Use it to waffle brownie batter and thank me later. (And now I want their Mini Pizzelle Maker!)

Amazon Affiliate Link

Cuisinart WMR-CAP2 Round Classic Waffle Make

Looking to make larger waffles? This Cuisinart model makes large waffles the size of your plate. I also use this waffle maker to cook breaded chicken!

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Presto 03510 Ceramic FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker,Black

This was actually the first waffle maker I ever owned. My grandmother gifted it to us years ago, and we still use it. I love to use it to make easy gluten free cornbread!

Amazon Affiliate Link

CucinaPro Piccolo Pizzelle Baker

Use this pizzelle maker to make pizzelle, cannolis, and your own homemade ice cream cones. Visit GF Jules for her Gluten Free Pizzelle recipe for more ideas!

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Favorite Kitchen Cookware

Favorite Cookware

STAUB Braiser with Glass Lid, 3.5-Qt, Cherry

I received a 4 qt Staub Universal Pot years ago as a birthday gift. Their newer 3.5 qt Brasier is a great option, as well. My Staub has quickly become a workhorse in our kitchen. Can be used on the stovetop, in the oven, and is striking as a serving dish.

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Lodge 12 inch Cast Iron Skillet

For years we only owned the large skillet. This updated model has a an additional handle, which I wish ours had. Recently, we were gifted a small one and I use it daily. I also recently bought their red silicone handle separately, and it’s been a game changer.

Amazon Affiliate Link

Cuisinart 1-Quart Saucepan

Living in a household of two, I use this daily. I cook small batches of rice, prepare Full Flavor Foods gravies and cheese sauce mixes, or boil 2 or 3 eggs.

Amazon Affiliate Link

Wilton Non-Stick 6-Cavity Donut Baking Pans, 2-Count

I “donut” know anyone that doesn’t like a good doughnut. I’ve owned these Wilton donut pans for years and can’t recommend them enough. Perfect for this basic gluten free donut recipe.

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Kitchen Appliances – Baking Gadgets

Baking Gadgets

Wilton Cookie Cutters Set, 101-Piece

I bought this cookie cutter set when my niece and nephew were 4 years old. They’re now 22! Durable and color organized by season, this cookie cutter set will have you baking up a storm.

Amazon Affiliate Link

Totally Bamboo Rolling Pin, 20.5-Inch

I bought this a few years ago and I LOVE it. Despite its length, it is lightweight and easy to use.

Amazon Affiliate Link

OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Steel Food Scale with Pull-Out Display

If you hate doing dishes, you need a kitchen scale. (Imagine all the measuring cups you won’t have to wash!) This allows precise measurements for perfect baked goods.

Amazon Affiliate Link

Talisman Designs Baking Pie Crust Shield Protector

I never successfully keep my pie crusts from over cooking. We all need to add this adjustable pie shield to our wish list. I know I am!

Amazon Affiliate Link

Small But Mighty Kitchen Accessories

Small But Mighty Kitchen Gadgets

Dreamfarm Mini Supoon

I’m sure you’re thinking, “it’s just a spoon.” But this spatula / spoon combo cleans the remnants in your peanut butter jar with ease. Waste not, want not. The larger Supoon also has tsp and tbsp markings.

Amazon Affiliate Link

Planit Toast A Bags

These bags are perfect for “gluten free on the go.” It prevents cross contact from crumbs in toasters. Toast your bread and bagels, and even use them to reheat pizza slices!

Amazon Affiliate Link

HIC Kitchen Snap Ball Tea Infuser

Confession. I don’t use this for tea. I use it dust muffin pans with flour, or sift powdered sugar on top of desserts. Of course, you can also use it to make tea. I like organic Fraser Teas!

Amazon Affiliate Link

Bodum Chambord French Press 1 Liter, 34 Ounce,

As we look towards good ecology practices, this coffee pot makes coffee without filters. This La Colombe video also shows how to use the plunger as a milk frother. My husband takes this on all our trips!

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Hopefully this give you some tips for your own kitchen, or others on your shopping list. If you’re looking for what to cook, check out my list of my favorite gluten free cookbooks, many which accommodate additional food allergens.

**All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not paid to mention these brands. However, this post does contain affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. For more of my favorite products, visit my Amazon Storefront. Thank you for your continued support!**

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