My kids love eggs.

My (almost) two year old will vacuum up a plate of scrambled eggs in a matter of minutes. On those days when we're all tired and just can't face preparing and cooking a huge meal, it's eggs on toast or scrambled eggs.

The good thing is - they are healthy (pheww, don't feel like a bad parent for skimping on the meat and three veg once in a while). My eldest had a a very short lived reaction to eggs as a baby. They gave him a mild rash around his mouth.

From my own research I have found that egg allergy or intolerance is the one of the most common food allergies which affects about 1-2% of preschool age children. It is usually due to allergy (IgE) antibodies against egg proteins.

Many infants and young children will grow out of their egg allergy. Approximately 2 out of 3 will grow out of their allergy by 5-10 years of age. Those children who have had milder allergic reactions with only skin reactions are more likely to outgrow their allergy than children with more severe reactions.

If you would like more information on egg allergy you can visit the Kid's Health section of the Westmead Children's Hospital website which is a fabulous resource for parents, with a wide variety of fact sheets covering children's health topics. Just a note - don't rely on my word or a website when it comes to medical situations - always seek advice from a health professional.

My son was one of those children who outgrew his intolerance. Thank goodness because, amongst other things, eggs are in (most) cakes, biscuits and other yummy things! But they are also fantastic on there own.

Some nutritional facts about eggs:

- Two average eggs provide two thirds of the day's requirements for selenium, around one third of the day's requirements for vitamin B12, iodine, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), riboflavin, vitamin A and vitamin E and 20-25% of the day's requirements for protein, folate, iron and phosphorus.

- Eggs also provide  zinc, are one of the only food sources of vitamin D and are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly the long chain DHA and DPA.

So with the kids heading back to school I won't be able to whip up eggs on toast for lunch and I am not sure they will win many friends with a stinky boiled egg in their lunch box. The Australian Egg Coorporation has come up with a super yummy Carrot and Muesli Muffin recipe which makes a perfect lunch box treat.

As well as being lower in saturated fat and sugar* than an average muffin, these lunch box goodies contain nutritious eggs and are also high in fibre thanks to their wholegrain ingredients - wholegrain flour, muesli and carrots, which help kids maintain a healthy digestive system.

In fact one serving will provide your child with**:

- 17% RDI for dietary fibre

- 17% RDI for iron

- 17% RDI for protein

These muffins in your children's lunch box means you know exactly what they're eating and they're also less likely to eat other not-so-healthy snacks. You can download the recipe here.

For more inspiring egg ideas you can visit www.eggs.com.au

* Daily intake and recommended dietary intakes for labelling puposes.

**One carrot and muesli muffin is 28% lower in saturated fat and 34% lower in sugar compared to a commercial style muffin (NUTTAB 2010)

The following guest blog is written by Chris Clark.

Chris has worked in health, fitness and education in varying roles for the last 21 years and is the resident nutritionist with The Contented Body (www.thecontentedbody.com)

Chris Clark

Is your child suffering from food intolerances?

Does your baby suffer from unsettled sleep, frequent regurgitation of food, colic, hiccoughs, excessive crying, poor appetite, flatulence, stuffy nose, watery eyes, frequent colds, noisy breathing, scratching, diarrhoea or constipation? 

Or does your toddler suffer from frequent night waking, vomiting, poor appetite, bloating, flatulence, sore tummy, headaches, hyperactivity, stuffy nose, watery eyes, frequent colds, asthma, skin problems, glue ear,  frequent coughing/sneezing,   diarrhoea, constipation, aching joints or muscles.

Are you aware that undetected food intolerance can be the trigger for all of these health concerns? It’s not the first thing that springs to mind when you are dealing with a sick or unsettled child but it is far more common than most people realise.

You are probably wondering how it is possible for your young child to have developed food intolerances.  Food intolerances are almost always the result of leaky gut syndrome, in which the ability of the intestinal wall to keep out large and undesirable molecules is reduced, allowing partially-digested food molecules to leak through these gaps between the cells and into the bloodstream.  Intolerance reactions are triggered in response to foods leaking into the bloodstream through this permeable gut lining.

Babies can become intolerant to food even before they are born, because a few food molecules from the food you eat as a mother, can reach your unborn baby.  Furthermore, when you are breast feeding, food molecules can get into your breast milk and your baby can become ill because of the sort of food that you are eating.  Interestingly the foods that we eat the most of are the ones that we develop intolerances to.  Which foods did you eat a lot of throughout your pregnancy? Which foods do you crave and which foods or drinks do you eat on a daily basis?  These are all good indicators of possible intolerances in your baby or young child.

Early weaning, certain medications (such as antibiotics, birth control pills and steroids), chronic stress (including physical stress), environmental contaminants (e.g. pesticides, chemicals etc.) and poor food choices (either for the breast-feeding mother or for your child) all increase the chances of your child developing food intolerance. 

But if you cure the food intolerance, then you cure or at the very least, manage the health condition, often without the need for medication. Whilst most GP’s won’t make the connection between health conditions and food intolerance, a growing body of evidence is emerging which should not be ignored. Many people have cured their babies and children of eczema, headaches, asthma and many other conditions by identifying their hidden food intolerance and curing it.

We are the only company that has a specific food intolerance  I.D. Kit for younger children, toddlers and breastfeeding mums. You can do it at home and it’s inexpensive. Visit www.thecontentedbody.com  for our home test kits. Once you’ve identified food intolerance, we can help you make the changes you need to make, find substitute foods, know where to shop and learn how to cook over 200 recipes which avoid your specific problem foods. We can also provide advice, support and contact with our online nutritionist – topics like what to do when dining out or travelling with food intolerance. Choose the health program for your symptoms/food intolerance and it’s downloaded to you every week in a 12 week, step-by-step program.

Taryn Hall-Smith (founder of The Contented Body) and her son.

Read all about why Taryn created The Contented Body here.