Children are at a higher risk of developing eczema and food allergies. Parents have to take precautions to reduce the symptoms and ensure no additional flare-ups occur, especially due to food. Hives and bumps can be itchy, leaving children irritated and upset. An episode could last 2-4 days before the symptoms start improving. As the child recovers, most parents pamper them with their favorite food.

However, not all types of foods are healthy. With dairy off the chart, many ingredients to create desserts are no longer usable. Thankfully, today there are non-dairy milk, alternative flours to refined flour, and natural alternatives to sugar.

Here are some easy-to-make recipes that use these alternatives to create dessert recipes for children prone to eczema and atopic dermatitis:

1. Gingerbread man
Rub 100gm margarine (soy/dairy-free) into 250gm gluten-free flour until you get a breadcrumb-like consistency. Mix 1 teaspoon of ginger, 2 tables of golden syrup, and 100 gm of brown sugar to make soft dough. Cover it in cling wrap and set in the fridge for half an hour. Roll the dough into a circle of one-centimeter thickness.

Next, using a gingerbread man biscuit cutter, cut out the biscuits and place them on parchment sheets on a baking tray. Bake them for 10-20 minutes. Cool them and decorate with sugar-free decorations.

2. Berry smoothie
Blend 1-cup fresh or frozen cherries, ½-cup blueberries, ½-cup strawberries, and 1 handful of spinach with 1 cup of non-dairy milk. Add some honey to taste and serve immediately.

3. Strawberry and coconut milk popsicles
Combine and blend one can of full-fat coconut milk, 12 oz. of strawberries, 1 ripe banana, 1-2 teaspoon vanilla essence, and 1-2 tablespoon of honey or stevia until the mixture is smooth. Pour this into popsicle molds and freeze them. Remove after four hours and enjoy it. This is another recipe that children can enjoy without having to worry about flare-ups.

4. Banana pancakes
In a bowl, beat 2 eggs; add 2 ripe and mashed bananas, ½ tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of baking powder. In a skillet, make pancakes. Use raw honey and chopped fruit for toppings and serve for breakfast.

It is essential to include foods like bananas, papaya, bone broth, sweet potatoes, buckwheat, oats, flaxseed, beetroot, and spring onions in your child’s diet.

Avoid dairy products, grapes (including raisins), oranges, kiwi, soy sauce, avocado, dark green vegetables (broccoli, spinach, and kale), dried fruits, deli meats, eggs, corn and kind of fast food.