I know Thanksgiving is a North American thing and just to fragment that
a little bit more, Canadian Thanksgiving is over a month before American
Thanksgiving. Personally, that works well for us since coast-to-coast, Canada
is stunning in autumn. Yup, there’s rain. But there are also gloriously sunny
days when the weather is crisp, the air smells smoky and all the leaves are
turning orange, yellow and (my favourite) red. It’s weather that makes you want
to take a walk, visit a winery, go trick-or-treating and just generally get
what you can out of the weather before you have to don a heavy coat and gloves.
As someone with food allergies and all atopic conditions, you’d think
that Thanksgiving might be a difficult time for me. The thing is, that I’m grateful
for the allergies that I do have. I could have more. I could have ones that are
more difficult to handle. As it is, it’s pretty easy for my family to create an
allergy-free meal that we can all eat without feeling like they’re missing out
anything. There are often some dishes with butter (but I get my own version) or
desserts I can’t share in, but since we spend Thanksgiving in Ottawa, I have
two great bakeries to choose from – Auntie Loo’s (vegan with gluten-free
options) and Thimblecakes (nut-free bakery with vegan and gluten-free – and
more – options). So, I’m never at a loss and I don’t have to make my own
dessert, though I’ve been eyeing an allergy-friendly plum tart I saw in the
Globe and Mail a while back.
I don’t want to say that you should be thankful because “things could
be worse”. That’s not all that optimistic. I’ve never loved the rationale that
everyone in North America should be thankful because at least we’re not
starving in Africa. There’s poverty throughout this continent and on every
other continent, except Antarctica. Though at the rate we’re going, I’m a
little worried about the penguin’s food supply.
So, as people with food allergies, let’s consider all the people who
don’t have the money to buy things like gluten-free products, dairy-free
products and nut-free products. Food allergies are not a problem limited to
those of middle- and upper-incomes. Children, adolescents and adults who can’t
afford to eat both well and allergy-free need our help, our knowledge and our
compassion.
I really hope you contact your food bank and find out what food allergy-friendly food they can use throughout this year and contribute accordingly. Sometimes, that may mean simply donating money they can use to buy what’s needed.
I really hope you contact your food bank and find out what food allergy-friendly food they can use throughout this year and contribute accordingly. Sometimes, that may mean simply donating money they can use to buy what’s needed.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Just to get you started, here are
a few webpages to find out more. No time like the present!
Food Banks Canada (http://www.foodbankscanada.ca/)
Find a Food Bank (http://www.foodbankscanada.ca/utility-pages/find-a-food-bank.aspx)
