As the fall approaches, families are bracing themselves to return to school/daycare, adjust nap schedules, and trade swimsuits for sweaters. Fall often brings a welcome sense of structure, but amid the busyness of drop-offs, lunch-packing, and re-establishing routines, many parents ask me the same question:
“How do I keep up with allergen feeding now that we’re back in a different routine—or starting daycare for the first time and they don’t allow nuts?”
As a pediatric allergy nutrition specialist, I want to offer reassurance and simple guidance: Allergen feeding doesn’t have to stop with the end of summer. In fact, fall is the perfect time to build it into your family’s rhythm. Here’s how.
Why Early and Ongoing Allergen Exposure Matters
We now know that introducing allergens like peanut, egg, cashew, walnut, sesame, and milk early—starting around 4–6 months—can help train the immune system to accept allergens as friends and a normal part of the diet.
Just as important as starting early is keeping it going. Research shows that offering each allergen 2–3 times per week helps maintain tolerance over time. For families with young children, that might sound like a lot, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
Routines Change, but Allergen Feeding Can Stay Simple
Whether your little one is starting a new daycare, going back to preschool, or staying home with a new schedule, here are a few strategies to help you keep allergen exposure going—even on busy days.
1. Anchor Allergen Feeding to Daily Moments
Look for the natural “anchor points” in your child’s day—mealtimes that happen consistently, whether at home or in care.
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Morning feeding at home: Add a spoonful of ImmunoButter to your baby’s oatmeal or homemade fruit puree before heading out. Plus our ImmunoButters provide 2g of protein to sustain your child for the morning!
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Snack at daycare or school: Many schools do not allow food allergens, particularly peanut, given concerns over the wellbeing of students with allergies. That’s one of the reasons why we are so focused on the morning or late afternoon snack opportunities.
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After-nap snack at home or post daycare: Stir our cashew or sesame ImmunoButter into yogurt or smoothies for your pre-dinner snack.
By tying allergen feeding to consistent parts of your daily rhythm, it becomes second nature for you—and your child.
2. Make It Seasonal (and Tasty!)
Fall flavors offer fun and nutritious ways to mix in allergens. Here are a few age-friendly ideas that work for daycare or home:
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Pumpkin oatmeal + Peanut or Walnut ImmunoButter
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Sweet potato mash + Sesame ImmunoButter
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Apple slices or toast strips + Cashew ImmunoButter
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Mini muffins with one of our nut or seed ImmunoButters mixed into the batter
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No Bake Egg ImmunoButter Cinnamon Cookies using our egg packet
These pair comfort with immune training—and can be batch-prepped for the week.
