Eating Out

The easiest place to take Sam out to eat is, sadly, McDonald's. She can have the apple pies and most of the buns there, and any hamburger that has no cheese, tomatoes (ketchup is O.K.) or sesame seeds. (Update 4/02/07: McDonald's fries are no longer allowable.)

At other restaurants, a safe bet is a baked or grilled chicken breast, but ask what they are cooking it in. Also, grilled steak is usually safe. She loves shrimp, so shrimp cocktail is good, too. (Also closer to the amount she will actually eat!) If they do grilled shrimp, make sure it is basted with oil, not butter; and I usually don't take a chance on breading, so we don't order her fried shrimp. Tacos, with no cheese, tomatoes or salsa, are good; she can have avocado on it, but guacamole only if it has no tomatoes or sour cream. Fajitas are usually good, too (as long as they cook the meat in its own fat or in oil, and not butter) as she can have onions and bell peppers.

For side dishes, pasta with no sauce, plain baked potatoes, and steamed rice are good bets. (We usually bring Sam-safe margarine with us, which widens the possibilities.) Breads are usually NOT safe (though the buns at Micky-D's are).

Steamed veggies such as carrots, green beans or broccoli are usually safe.

Angel food cake is usually safe, though you have to make sure they don't put whipped cream (even the fake stuff) on it. Cherries or strawberries on it are O.K. Fresh (allowed) fruits are good, as is most jello.

Pehaps, when she is older, we will convince her to eat salads, as salad bars would be good choices for her, but for now, she refuses to eat "leaves". :-)

Pigs in a Blanket

Not the healthiest of meals, but she loves it, and it's quick and easy.

1 tube Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, original
4 Hebrew National Hot Dogs

Cut hot dogs in half, then roll one piece up in each crescent roll. Bake as directed.

Foods Not Allowed

These are foods that we have been told have too high a galactose content to be safe for Sam to eat. If something on this list is an ingredient in a packaged food, please consider that food forbidden. If one of these things is an ingredient in a dish you are making, please contact us about possible Sam-safe substitutions.

MEAT/PROTEIN
sausage
liver or other organ meats (e.g. brains, kidneys)
tofu
soy meat-substitute

FRUITS
dried figs
European grapes (red?)
persimmons
papaya
honeydew
blueberries
pineapple
watermelon
dates
raisins
cranberries

VEGGIES
tomatoes
legumes (includes kidney beans, chick peas/garbanzos, navy beans, white beans, red beans, pinto beans, black turtle, great northern beans, lima beans, lentils)
most peas (blackeyed, split, pigeon, dry field)
yams

SEEDS, NUTS, and SPICES
sesame seeds
hazelnuts
safflower seeds
cayenne pepper
coffee

DAIRY
milk (human, cow, soy, goat)
casein
whey
cream
yogurt
cheese (cottage, cream, cheddar, jack, American, Swiss, pretty much any kind)
butter

FATS/OILS
butter
any margarine containing soy protein (unless it is hydrolyzed), whey, or milk

Allowable Foods

This is a list of foods that we consider allowable. Those marked with an asterisk are those Samantha has not yet had, so we don't know if she likes them. (Though in general she is not a picky eater, she often doesn't eat much.)

MEAT/PROTEIN
beef
chicken
ham
bacon
pork
fish
hydrolyzed soy protein
peanuts and peanut butter (watch out for soy, particularly in “light” products)
almond butter

FRUITS
avocados
apricots
cherries
green grapes
mangos*
red or purple plums*
grapefruit*
cantaloupe
oranges
strawberries
peaches
Canadian or Californian raspberries*
pears
apples
banana
kiwi*
lemons
limes

VEGGIES
corn
peanuts and peanut butter (watch out for soy, particularly in “light” products)
sweet potatoes
broccoli
green/string beans
bell peppers
spinach
lettuce
cabbage
celery
pumpkin
brussel sprouts*
carrots
onions
sweet peas/baby green peas
turnips*
eggplant
cauliflower*
green bean sprouts*
cucumber
zucchini
kale*
asparagus*
white potatoes
red beets*
red radishes*
spinach
artichoke
common mushrooms
green olives*

SEEDS, NUTS and SPICES
peanuts
walnuts
pecans
almonds
coconut
cocoa powder

DAIRY
eggs
rice milk
almond milk
soy baby formula (dry or liquid; can be used as a substitute for milk, though may affect the taste)

FATS/OILS
Fleishman’s Unsalted Margarine (NOT regular Fleishman’s
Nucoa
Smart Balance Light (not regular Smart Balance)
vegetable oil (including olive, sesame, safflower, and soy)
lard

If something is not on this list, please consider it inelegible, unless you check with Bruce or I.