Inspired by her son, whose medical condition prevents him from eating several foods, a mom founded an Eden Prairie meal service that's free from top allergens.
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EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Angie Nelson and her husband have always known their way around the kitchen, but she never imagined she'd have to revamp her entire cooking repertoire for the safety of her family. The birth of her first child, Liam, changed everything.
When Liam was six months old, he was diagnosed with allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, and milk.
"That was a really overwhelming and difficult time for my husband and I," said Nelson. "We typically love to cook, but [it was hard] with those restrictions, and trying to make the food delicious and exciting."
Nelson said the experience was isolating, but she soon realized she wasn't alone. Liam is one of the 32 million Americans who live with food allergies, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
Nelson found comfort in what she describes as a "tight-knit" community of other families experiencing the same thing--many, for whom eating out, ordering take-out, or ordering from a meal kit delivery services wasn't an option.
"There’s really no easy button for food allergy families, managing these things," Nelson said. "It is really straining on the family. It’s overwhelming. And we really want to give families just the opportunity to press that easy button and get food delivered to their door that’s safe and delicious."
That's how Safer Plate was born. Nelson partnered with her father-in-law, COO Tom Nelson, Executive Chef Gilbert Junge, and a nutritionist to create a variety of flavorful meals that are free from the top nine allergens: peanuts, tree nuts (except coconut), egg, soy, milk, wheat, sesame, shellfish, and fish. Those ingredients never even enter the kitchen.
This month, the business expanded from Minnesota to also serve families in Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Dakotas. Within weeks, they will serve Illinois as well.
Families can order from the Safer Plate website to choose what they'd like to order from week-by-week menus, that come in 2- or 4-serving packages. Families can order as much or as little as they want, and the meals will be shipped to them via FedEx.
YUM! Pork Bibimbap from the Safer Plate kitchen!
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