AJ stands for Andrew Jackson, our 7th president. His reputation for toughness earned him the nickname "Old Hickory." A hero of the War of 1812, Jackson has appeared on the $20 bill since 1928.

Just say "no thanks"

When someone asks if I want a peanut butter cookie I usually say, "No thanks," but sometimes I answer in different ways. Sometimes I say, "I can't," or "Thanks, but I am allergic to peanuts."

The one thing I always remember to say is that I can't have food in a polite way.

Party time!
Party Time!

Let's see...what I can I eat?

When I go to parties and there are snacks, I stay away from the snacks I can't have, like Chex Mix.

If there is something I am not sure about, then I just ask the person who made it if the food has peanuts in it or not.

Sometimes at family get- togethers, I will get a couple cookies on a tray just for myself.Close

Go Twins!

When I go to a Minnesota Twins baseball game, there are a lot of foods that can give me an allergy attack:

• Peanuts
• Sunflower seeds
• Stuff that has touched peanuts

Many times there are people right next to me eating peanuts or candies with peanuts. I also cannot have most cotton candy and snow cones because of the possible contact with peanut products.

Sometimes I bring small pouches of candy like Skittles and Starburst that I can have. Baseball games are one of my most at-risk areas to have an allergy attack because things I can't have are all around. 

Visiting friends

Most of the time when I go to a friend's house, I eat. Sometimes it is just a snack, but sometimes it is a whole meal or two. It's not that easy:

• Some of my friends' parents don't know about my allergy to peanuts.
• Sometimes don't know who is aware of my allergy or not.

When there is something that I can't have, I just won't have anything. I will usually get something else in place of the thing that I can't have.

When I don't get anything else I feel left out.

Comparisons

Checking the ingredients...Checking the Ingredients
Reading the ingredients

I look for words like:

• Peanuts
• Peanut oil
• Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts

Any of those mean I definitely can't eat it!

Close

Compared with some allergies, a peanut allergy might be horrible. But some people might want to switch places with me and the allergy they have.

I wouldn't want to be lactose-intolerant instead of being allergic to peanuts because there are more foods you can eat when you have a peanut allergy. Some of them are milk, cheese, and yogurt.

Some people might rather be allergic to peanuts. It's just a matter of opinion.

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