Parenting Toddlers

I’m sure most of you have heard by now that there is a massive recall of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter going on. In case for some reason you haven’t heard about this, if you buy Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter, check the lids. If the product code stamped on the lid begins with “2111″ THROW IT OUT. This batch, manufactured by ConAgra Foods in a single factory in Georgia, has been shown to contain salmonella bacteria and IT WILL MAKE YOU SICK. If you want to find out more about this, check it out straight from the FDA at this site.

This is of special concern to those of us with toddlers, since peanut butter ranks right up there with hot dogs in the toddler “I want” diet. Suddenly as parents we find ourselves wary of everything our kids put in their mouths (other than random toys, dirt and whatever might be found on our kitchen floor). I know I for one am thinking … if this can get through to the stores, indeed to our very kitchens, and no one catches it until AFTER it’s made hundreds of people sick, what ELSE could be contaminating our foods that we don’t know about?

Of other special concern is a recall of Earth’s Best Organic Baby Food. Most toddlers are completely off baby food by this point, but in case you have younger kids or still give this as a treat every so often, here’s more information.

The FDA is also currently working on some issues with a new asthma medicine, Xolair. They want an insert put in the package to mention that some people may have an allergic reaction to the medicine causing anaphylaxis. ANAPHYLAXIS?? Are you kidding me? My kid has asthma. He’s never been on Xolair, thank goodness, and I understand that only “some” people “may” have such a reaction, but to me that’s just too much of a chance to take!!

Unfortunately, until we are all self-sufficient organic farmers, and can magically destroy any and all bacteria and unwanted organisms along the way, we’re stuck with the way things are. So appaerently we simply have to wait for people to get sick, or have massive reactions to medication.

In the meantime, keep your eye on the FDA recalls page for breaking news on the food and medicine front.

peanut butter recall, FDA, toddler foods, Earth’s Best Organic Baby Food, Xolair