tips on where to find certain Easter Eggs and how many are left on the shelves.
In fact, exactly the same scenario as every other year. I pity anyone who does not belong to an allergy network at this time of the year as otherwise you would end up eggless.
Last year, after doing several reconnaissance missions to K-Mart to see if they had yet stocked the elusive Kinnerton chocolate Easter egg, a group of us hit the jackpot. These chocs had just been stacked on the shelves.
After buying our booty, we let our network know and within a couple of hours there was not a single Kinnerton choc egg left.
(I have to add here that each of us was very responsible and only bought one per family.)
We were all very happy - especially when we discovered Heritage chocolates that made peanut and nut-free eggs.
A couple of days before Easter I hit the same aisles to get eggs for the rest of the family and overheard a mother talking to her daughters. She was looking for peanut/nut-free eggs and they were all gone. I felt so sorry for her, and made me appreciate my network all the more.
This year, our network has been keeping a steady stocktake - letting us know that there were three eggs left at one Warehouse store, or two at K-mart way out somewhere. It would be quite entertaining if there wasn't the stress of getting that egg!
People have asked why Allergy New Zealand doesn't import Kinnerton chocolate and it is not for want of trying. We contacted them last year (after Easter) and we would have to order it by the refrigerated container load, and one container contains a lot of chocolate. A bit too much for a very small organisation to handle.
Now we have more drama on the Easter egg front with Lindt recalling 11 of their products because some of them have been filled with peanut butter and not labelled as such. Hopefully no one here with a peanut allergy has had one of these.
Does this mean there will be an Easter egg shortage all round, and will there be a backlash again those with peanut allergy if there is?
What lengths have you gone to to get Easter Eggs for your kids - or for yourself? And do you have any alternatives?
Inga Stünzner
Allergy New Zealand
