How to modify recipes for food allergies
It is important to make allergy free meals look and taste similar to meals served to the rest of the children at the service. Many favourite recipes can be modified to be suitable for children with allergies by swapping allergenic ingredients with ingredients that are allergy free.
The table below outlines common ingredients used in many recipes and appropriate alternatives for children with allergies.
Alternative ingredients for common food allergens
|
Ingredient to avoid |
Allergy free alternative |
|---|---|
|
Eggs
These are used to bind or aerate a recipe so the option you choose will depend on the recipe. |
1 egg = any of the following options:
|
|
Egg yolks only |
1 egg = 1 teaspoon egg replacer (e.g. Orgran) + 1 tablespoon water |
|
Egg whites |
Beat egg replacer (e.g. Orgran) with water until stiff |
|
Cow’s milk |
Soy or rice drink |
|
Plain wheat flour |
1 cup plain wheat flour = any of the following options
|
|
Self raising wheat flour |
1 cup self raising wheat flour = any of the following options
|
|
Wheat based baking powder |
Use a wheat free alternative (e.g. Wards) |
|
Margarine |
Milk free margarine (e.g. Nuttelex, Becel, Sundew) |
|
Cooking oil |
Sunflower oil, safflower oil |
Recipe modification example
The following examples demonstrate how common recipes can be adapted to allergy free alternatives by swapping some ingredients.
Custard
A standard custard recipe uses custard powder and cow’s milk. An allergy free alternative uses a rice flour and corn flour combination, with rice drink and soy drink.
|
Standard ingredients |
Allergy free alternative |
|---|---|
|
1–2 tablespoons custard powder |
1–2 tablespoons rice flour or corn flour |
|
½ tablespoon sugar |
Same |
|
1 cup milk |
1 cup rice or soy drink (use calcium fortified) |
|
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence |
Same |
Carrot muffins
Our carrot muffin recipe uses flour, milk and eggs. The allergy free alternative uses Orgran flour, rice bran, rice milk and egg replacer.
|
Standard ingredients |
Allergy free alternative |
|---|---|
|
1 cup white self raising flour, sifted |
1 ½ cups Orgran self raising flour |
|
1 cup wholemeal self raising flour, sifted |
½ cup rice bran |
|
Brown sugar |
Same |
|
Cinnamon, ground |
Same |
|
Carrots, medium, grated |
Same |
|
Apple, medium, grated |
Same |
|
1 cup milk |
1 cup rice drink (use calcium fortified) |
|
2 eggs, lightly beaten |
2 teaspoons egg replacer (e.g. Orgran) + 4 tablespoons water |
|
Canola or vegetable oil |
Same |
|
Vanilla essence |
Same |
Adapted with permission from: Modifying recipes for food allergy, Department of Nutrition and Food Service, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, 2013
