Hi, does anyone have any ideas or experience with an elimination/rotation diet while on a limited budget? I have $30 (doesn't buy much in our area) a week for grocheries, plus we are on WIC. I just don't know how we can afford to try an elimination diet on our limited budget. Most of the stuff that WIC provides is high on the allergy/eliminate list (Milk, cheese, eggs, peanut butter, cereals, etc..), but I just don't know how to feed a family of four without it.

We eat a lot of pasta, potato, and grain products because they are cheap. What else can I buy that is inexpensive, that isn't known to aggrivate allergies?

I feel that my 17 month old has food/environmental sensitivities, but I haven't really narrowed anything down yet. I'm suspecting milk, as that is the most obvious choice. Eggs are also on my suspect list. I'm also thinking he is sensitive to mold and dust, because I have a problem with both of those. I have the book "Is This Your Child," but have only had time to skim it for now.

He cried 3-10 hours a day for the first 5 months of his life, and spit up almost constantly until he was about 8 months old. He started walking at 9 months, is extrordinarily active, and compelled to climb everything and everyone. He almost never takes naps, and if he does, it is very short. He has a hard time falling asleep, and is very restless while sleeping. He often writhes and cries for no apparent reason, and has a horrible temper. He cries and fusses over everything--it is like he is always teething. I rarely ever give him medicines of any kind besides an occastional pain reliever--which doesn't seem to help anything.

What about beans? Frozen veggies are also usually cheap. Fruit as well.

If you went to WIC and told them that your DS was allergic to dairy and eggs would they help you out?

Here's a link on the $10 shopping list for some ideas. They aren't allergy friendly but it is a start: http://budget101.com/$10_grocery_list.htm
Perhaps if you were able to modify it and skimp on some areas, you'd be able to spend more in the fruit and veggie dept.

Watch for whole turkies on sale right now, I did that on my TED. It took me alone about 2 wks to eat a 10-12# turkey (this was my only meat). Also, do you get carrots on WIC, I know I did w/ AJ. Those are cheap and low on the allergen scale. I ate turkey, carrots, rice, and pears on my TED. Mostly canned pears and rice in boil bags, but the normal bags of rice are cheaper. Potatos are good, Evan reacted to those, but does well w/ them now. WIC is not allergy friendly at all. We stayed on it for a while b/c it was too hard to start the process over if we needed to later. You can also get wheat free cereals on WIC and stick w/ plan juices like apple. Pasta is wheat and is a big allergen, you can find rice pasta, but it's more expensive. Tinkyada is the best. IT's hard, I know. I'm dairy, soy, egg, and wheat free and Evan is dairy and soy free and AJ can drink Lactaid now (we tried it b/c we got back on WIC), but he hates it and prefers his rice milk. Maybe try lactaid instead of regular milk too if you guys drink it at all, it may be a little easier on the tummy.