What to do with an orange in "The Allergy Safe Kitchen"

Sometimes fruit gets treated a little differently in the kitchen of a food allergic family.  In our house, the oranges better look out.  They are a delicious fruit and so useful for juices, keeping poultry moist, and having on hand as a healthy snack.  But here's a secret about the bright and cheerful orange: it can be used to train people to save lives!  Yes, that's right!  The humble orange can help you teach care givers, grandparents, and even your children how to use an Epi-pen correctly. 

Epi-pens come with a needleless trainer, and we have used them to train others in the proper technique of administering the Epi-pen, but there's nothing like practicing with the real thing.  Before you throw away that expired Epi-pen, or the one you left in the car, (heat or cold - we've all been there), grab and orange and someone to train!  The skin and flesh of the orange are a good mimic for what it might be like to administer the Epi-pen through a pair of pants.  This little training experience has helped our babysitters, grandparents and instructors feel more knowledgable about Epi-pen administration.  When our son Aidan started carrying his own Epi-pen in a belt, we had him practice on an orange or two, and I think it has helped him to understand a little bit more about what the Epi-pen is and how it works. 

So the next time you find yourself ready to replace an unused Epi-pen with a fresh one, head to the store and get an orange!  Train someone to save a life! 

As always, I wish you "Good Cooking, and Safe Eating"! 

Oranges - training everyday heros in your kitchen!