Cool Products and Stuff Blog for Canadian Moms

Peanut Free Halloween Treats

With Halloween just around the corner kids are planning the feast they will enjoy from all of the goodies they collect on this special night.  However, many Canadian moms and their kids have to be extremely cautious, checking each candy individually or choosing to opt for treats purchased themselves.  These are the families who have a member with a food allergy.  An ever increasing number of kids are suffering from food allergies and peanuts and other nuts are top of the list.  This type of allergy can be incredibly dangerous and kids inflicted with them carry life-saving medicine with them at all times. 

What can the rest of us do to help make Halloween safer for all kids?  I checked with two urbanmoms.ca members whose kids have peanut allergies to find out.  Both of them agreed that there is still a lot of education needed around this issue to keep all children safe but they recommended the Neslte Snack-Size Halloween Treats as a safe option for their children.

I have spent lots of time on the phone with Nestle regarding these products.  I feel safe giving my son the mini chocolates that are clearly labeled "made in a peanut free facility".  These are the ones sold in big boxes or bags.  No other Smarties, KitKat, Coffee Crisp or Aero bars, although  the same brand, has the same claim.  They may be nut free but there is no guarantee as far as I can conclude from my "research".  I feel a big education campaign is needed around this issue.  This being said,  I am a supporter/ user of the mini, clearly labeled nut free chocoate bars!  In my opinion, a safe Halloween treat. ~Britta, mom to a 5 year old with nut allergies.

Yes, we buy the Nestle snack-size treats.  They are safe for my kids. ~Bridget, mom to a 6 year old and an 8 year old with nut allergies.

Have a safe and fun Halloween!

Ahh...Laundry Never Felt So Good!

OK.  I know this sounds outrageous...I LOVE my new front loading washing machine!  Not because it is sleek and efficient.  Not because it has a setting for Sports clothes and barely makes a sound.  I love my new washing machine because my clothes have never felt (or smelled) so clean!

When my new washer (a Frigidaire Model #GLTF2940ES pictured to the left) and dryer were delivered I was thrilled to get rid of my old clunkers but let's face it, laundry is ALWAYS a burden.  I actually resent laundry or at least the time it takes.  From gathering to sorting, to hanging or drying, to folding and putting it all away, laundry ain't fun.  And I wasn't going to buy my friends' claims that the front loading, high efficiency washer makes a difference...until I got one myself.

I feel that not only do my clothes undergo far less abuse from spinning and turning and wrenching but they come out cleaner.  Because they are no longer sitting (or stewing as a friend likes to call it) in the dirty water in the laundry tub but being continually "swished" with fresh water, they get cleaner.  It is true!  The biggest difference I found was in my towels.  They were like brand new!  They were fluffy and soft again.

The truth is, laundry is still a burden and a necessary evil in a house of 5.  However, it doesn't seem quite so bad with my new dynamic duo.  The only down side?  They are so sleek and cool looking that I feel like I need to re-paint the laundry room to live up to them!

In a recent urbanmoms.ca poll we found that the majority of you don't currently own a front loading washer but would like to.  Congratulations to urbanmoms.ca member, Joanne, who won a Frigidaire front loading washer and matching dryer from urbanmoms.ca and Frigidaire!