Mamacita is allergic to pumpkins. She can touch them and help carve them, but she cannot ingest anything pumpkin related. It is one of her MANY food allergies. I didn’t even know, before having her, that a person could have a pumpkin allergy, but guess what THEY CAN! OH YES, THEY CAN!! And Mamacita gets to claim this rare allergy as part of her uniqueness. So, for her at this time of year with all the Thanksgiving and Fall feasting there will be none of my Mother’s mouthwatering pumpkin pies, none of my Mother-in-law’s heavenly pumpkin bread, and none of my own world famous (by world I mean Hubby adores them) pumpkin muffins.
In previous years she really didn’t notice other people eating things she couldn’t have. However, this year she notices. Plus, seeing others eating all these things right in front of her while exclaiming how delicious they are is making her more curious. And so it’s getting more challenging for her to understand the WHYS behind it–like the whole “face blowing up like a balloon & breaking out in hives” thing.
Mamacita also LOVES food & would eat all yummy things before her. It’s made harder when some folks point out how she can’t have certain foods as though she’s GOING TO DIE. As if her life without eating all-things pumpkin means her life IS OVER!! All most like how high school felt–you remember the whole “MY LIFE IS OVER” feeling because you had a bad hair day or somebody didn’t say “Hi” to you right away so you knew there was NO point to go on anymore. Yep, that’s how it is when people look in shock & horror over Mamacita being unable to eat pumpkin pie. Seriously, the woman at the grocery store the other looked like she was going to DIE in absolute horror for my little girl.
But really people not everyone even likes pumpkin. She’ll survive I promise, right? I’m sure it’s not going to scar her for life or is it? Great now I’m starting to wonder if it will scar her for life & I’m going to have pay for therapy over Thanksgiving food. She’ll be unable to enjoy Thanksgiving because of the horrors of pumpkin pie. Or maybe it’s not really that deep. Like perhaps she could feast on some delicious apple pie, a nice spice bread, or scrumptious non-pumpkin muffin? Maybe it’s time to rethink the idea that if somebody is unable to have something they are “missing out” and their LIVES ARE OVER AS WE KNOW IT!! Instead maybe we could look at it as a way to open up to adding different foods into family traditions. But on the safe side I’m thinking I could start to save up for that therapy & plan a Chinese food Thanksgiving as a back-up plan.
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
All of Mamacita’s yummy pumpkin related items can be forwarded to me. It’ll be a tough task, but I will somehow manage to ingest them and enjoy them for her.
I’m always thinking of the children.
You are a very thoughtful person, thinking of the children like you do.
Is she allergic to sweet potatoe? Alot of recipes can be changed to sweet potatoes and they taste almost the same as pumpkin.Just a suggestion.
She can have sweet potato, but it seems like it’s less common to use it around us. We use it in things though, hmmm…sweet potato fries.
A world without pumpkin is still an ok world! Cherry pie is even better!
Fresh cherry pie, is SO good.
Why did I not know this? Have you discussed allergies before? Aww…. poor baby. I can totally relate bc of our son’s allergies and how they begin to feel left out. I don’t think it is about the food at all…it’s more about feeling normal and fitting in. Maybe you can come up with alternative recipes for her that look just like the real thing and she can have that instead or…talk to your family and share how left out she feels and just ask if they can make something other than pumpkin? I bet they would!!! Hope this helps somehow
Yep, Mamacita has her food allergies. She can also can’t handle lactose in cow’s dairy, so we do lactose free milk products or soy. My oldest also has a low-gluten diet, we usually have a gf set of things for him that he can have for school (like pretzels) & for her lactose free that all look the same as what others have around them but are specific to their needs.
Besides, chocolate is way better anyhow
Chocolate is really good, but she can only eat small amounts of it.
I’d love that pumpkin muffin recipe!
I should make them. I’ll pull the recipe.
She’ll survive without pumpkin.
She can still have chocolate after all…
Not much of it, but some.
People need to shut their big pumpkin holes and quit pointing out what she can’t have.
LOL
I’m going to have to try not to picture people walking around with giant pumpkin heads now.
LOL. My mom makes excellent pumpkin bread, but she always makes banana, date-nut, and cinnamon bread to go with it. And my grandma makes great pumpkin pies, but there’s always peacan and apple or cherry depending who earned her favortism, my dad or my baby brother. So yes, there are ways to enjoy the holiday without a taste of pumpkin. Besides pumpkin soup is just gross.
Yea, there are other foods out there she can have. Not banana, but lots of others that are good & usually our family gatherings have different selections to choose from. Both my Mom & Mother-in-law try to have options for her.
A world without pumpkin is ok. A world without peanuts and peanut butter, well I think that’s harder. My son has the nut allergy and it just SUCKS.
Ugh, the dreaded nut allergy. I really feel for you having to handle that one, it’s a rough allergy.
Oh, that would bite. Jack was horridly allergic to apricots for the longest time. He still can’t have too many or the whole hive thing and lots of benadryl routine commences. Instead of telling him he was allergic, I told him he didn’t like them. Worked like a charm until the school nurse called up! He loved them so much, he ate his, his neighbors, his other neighbors…that was bad.
Oh no! What a call that must have been :0
You’re right, I’ve never heard of someone being allergic to pumpkin. But, then again, I had never heard of someone being allergic to onions either and yet, one of my best friends is and we’ve all, friends and family, have rushed her to hospitals via ambulances….oh so not fun. And I never thought I would have a household that has a gluten, casein (the protein in dairy), and msg free house that also avoids soy, refined sugars, chemicals, preservatives, and dyes. But, we do and it works. Every time I see my son turn down candy when kidlets offer it to him, I’m always shocked….pleased, but shocked. He says that he can’t have it, its not a part of his diet, and that his Mom, me, has something really good for him at home. And I do! At holiday gatherings, there are always foods on the table that he cannot have, and that’s okay. Your baby girl will not miss out not being able to have pumpkin. I personally love it, but I’ll bet there are lots of other stuff that she loves, right? I wish you and your baby girl a fantastic holiday, without the pumpkin!!! :>:>:>