nestle\'s now has a butterfinger flavored hot chocolate

I feel your frustration but in all fairness I would have been all about this kind of hot chocolate prior to having my PA son. It is probably pretty tasty.

I know-I was telling my dh the same thing. It's so frustrating though, that they all seem to think every food needs to be made in a pb or other nut flavor.

Gale

I'm with AJSMAMA on this one! I get a bit frustrated when a new peanutbutter item makes a previously safe item, unsafe. But I can't get too upset because I used to LOVE peanutbutter! If a new peanutbutter product came out, I would jump at it! This product I would have pounced on!! Of course, now with dd's PA, I won't touch the stuff but I kind of have to chuckle when I find myself getting upset about a new peanutbutter product because before PA I would have been celebrating them!
kcmom

Point taken. But I was just posting this partly as a heads up in case anyone did use the nestle brand hot cocoas and maybe didn't see the butterfinger flavor in their store and didn't know about the new flavor.

Gale

Do we know if this new flavor is made in the same place / same line? I guess my question is regarding the saftey of regular Nestle stuff now.

We don't use the chocolate but have used the strawberry mix.

Quote:Originally posted by Chicago:
[b]Do we know if this new flavor is made in the same place / same line? I guess my question is regarding the saftey of regular Nestle stuff now.

We don't use the chocolate but have used the strawberry mix.[/b]
I'm not sure-you should call Nestle to find out if you use other nestle products. I have gotten too many conflicting answers in the past about whether or not they label for cross contamination and I do know that on some foods they do not label for it. I have completely boycotted nestle usa and don't use any of their non-nestle branded products either.

Gale

What a coincidence! I saw this product on the shelf yesterday at the grocery store and, out of curiosity, checked out the ingredient statement. Would you believe that peanut was not one of them!?! However, they did say "natural and artificial flavors" with soy being mentioned somewhere in the statement too. I thought this was bizarre and told my husband about it. It just made me think, "Gee, what IS in there if it's Butterfinger flavored and peanuts are not part of the ingredient listing.

I was not interesting in buying this stuff, but was really curious as to what was on the ingredient label and if the other flavors were listed for cross contamination if peanuts were actually in the label for the Butterfinger-flavored one.

okay...i have to admit that i did buy this stuff....i saw it in the store and was really ticked off at first. i read the label (and the whole entire box) there was no mention of peanuts or any allergy warning. i was thinking (probably unwisely), "here is something fun my girls might be able to have! i'll take it home and surpise them!" when i brought the butterfinger flavored hot chocolate home, my husband (to his credit) said, "you aren't giving that to the girls!" i said, "but it's not even a may-contain apparently. i'll call the company and make certain first." he said, "so what. do you want them to get confused and eat a butterfinger next week when you're not around?" i had to give him credit for that. (they are only 4 and 7) it is usually the other way around; me being the strict, sensible, overprotective one and him wanting the girls to be able "to live a little." i felt so stupid for having bought the hot chocolate. now that i reflect on the whole incident, it is so unlike me to buy something that mentions peanuts or peanut butter in any way; even if it's not an actual ingredient. i felt like i was a bad mother when the initial intent was to surprise them with something they wouldn't normally be able to have. my older daughter had friends over who used it all up late that night when the little girls were asleep. i did taste the hot chocolate and it tasted exactly like butterfinger. i am still trying to figure out how they can make something taste just like peanut butter without actually using any peanut ingredients.

also, i wanted to comment how frustrated i am that some of our favorite "safe" companies are now adding peanut butter flavored (and containing) products to their line. (all the new peanut butter brownie mixes, peanut butter oreos, the hot chocolate, crackers, etc..) sometimes i worry there won't be much left for us to safely buy. joey

an update on this thread...(Oct 2005)

I saw the butterfinger hot cocoa for the first time in the grocery store today...I guess it's been out a few years.

Anyhoot - I called Nestle USA (beverage division) and talked to a very helpful CS rep. In the butterfinger and smore's flavor hot cocoa, it is artificial flavoring. There are no nuts or peanuts in those hot cocoas.

He went to explain that Nestle does not "hide" any of the top 8 allergens under "natural flavorings". He said that if there were any of the top 8 allergens (of which tree nuts and peanuts are in) in a "natural flavoring" it would be listed in the ingredient list and would have their standard bold allergen warning. Additionally, he claims that they (Nestle USA) labels for any and all shared equipment and facilities and trace amounts of allergens.

I went on to inquire about the labeling differences for Canada and USA, and he said that even though the Canadian laws are more stringent, their (Nestle in general) labels to that standard in every country irregardless of how slack the labeling laws may be in that country.

So...I won't be having the Butterfinger or Smores cocoas (he said the Smores has artificial peanut flavor), but I know the regular ones are safe if they are not labeled with a warning.

...and...I trust Nestle that much more.

Adrienne :-)

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30-year old survivor of sever peanut/tree nut allergy

reraising