Some holidays are tastier than others, wouldn’t you agree? One of the upcoming ones you’ll want to add to your calendar is National Gingerbread House Day. This is the perfect day to sit down with your loved ones, a kit, and enjoy some tasty architecture. How best to celebrate the matching gingerbread decorating day, though? One tip is to include advanced allergy and intolerance testing so that you know what kits to stay away from. Another tip is to focus on proper construction techniques. We’ve covered all the bare essentials below to get you started!
What are common gingerbread house allergies?
If you’re hearing about gingerbread allergies for the first time, you’d most likely assume that ginger is the primary allergen. Of course, ginger can be an allergy and is included in gingerbread houses. But other spice allergies are also common dangerous food allergens. These include allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Depending on someone’s allergy strength, they could react to many spices in a gingerbread house kit. Spice allergies can be tricky to isolate. Many are used in combinations and don’t always have to be listed on the packet labels. One of the best things to do is use advanced allergy and intolerance testing results and cross-reference those with the kit you are considering.
Are there cross-contamination allergies possible?
Cross-contamination and processing allergies are also possible. These are common if you or someone you love is allergic to any of the big allergens. The main ones to check the label for include egg, milk, and soy. These can be active ingredients in the food or potential cross-contamination.
Other conditions to be aware of
There are some other possible dangers to be mindful of, too, when it comes to creating the perfect gingerbread house. These include chemical sensitivities and food intolerances.
Chemical sensitivities
Some people are sensitive to salicylates, which occur in vegetable and fruit skins. Sometimes, they are also in tea, honey, ginger, other spices, and aspirin. Since many spices are used in a gingerbread house kit, those with these sensitivities should watch for any sensitivity effects. The most common effects include wheezing and hives.
A chemical sensitivity doesn’t have the same immune system connection as a food allergy. It is closer to a food intolerance, which we will discuss next.
Food intolerances
While different from food allergies, food intolerances are still essential to learn about and take seriously for a healthy relationship with your body and food. You can be intolerant to common food allergens. Where food allergies often have pronounced reactions, food intolerance symptoms can often be subtle and, as a result, very easy to miss. Advanced allergy and intolerance testing will help you get the information needed for allergies and intolerances. This will keep your gingerbread decorating day as safe and as fun as possible!
Tips for the best gingerbread house 
Now that we’ve got the essentials out of the way let’s dive into how to make your gingerbread house adventure as fun as possible. Below are some tips to help make National Gingerbread House Day a success in your home.
Be patient
This goes for building your gingerbread house, of course, but also letting your house get its structural integrity needed. You can use tools like a bowl to offer structural support for your walls, but that does take patience. Also, try not to eat the gingerbread house while building it — the result will be worth it!
Involve everyone
The whole household is going to look forward to gingerbread decorating day. So, involve each member! Little ones can be in charge of candy separation and design. Older ones, including adults, can help with the structural design of the gingerbread house. Don’t forget to choose a photographer, too!
Plan ahead for especially young ones
Little ones may have a hard time waiting for the curing process of your gingerbread house (more on that below). To ease the process, consider doing that part ahead of time so that your little ones can get to work with gumdrop decorating!
Use plenty of frosting
When creating the actual structure of your gingerbread house, you’ll need to let the frosting (aka glue) cure or dry for a few hours (4). This takes patience and planning, but the results will impress you! On that same note, use plenty of frosting — don’t skimp. It’ll taste better and make for a stronger gingerbread house.
Toss perfection out the window
There’s no rule of what a gingerbread house has to look like. While you will want to plan certain parts of it (like the house’s structure), ease up and let creativity take its own form for the decorations. It’ll be a fantastic, beautiful final result that will make great memories.
There is a lot of fun and creativity when celebrating National Gingerbread House Day with the whole family. This tips and reminders will help you make the most out of it while prioritising safety and health. With these in mind, grab your baking supplies and get to work.
