Nut-free packed lunches

[ThePonderer]

My DD has just started at a 6th form college which is has a nut-free packed lunches policy. That's all it says in the handbook, no specifics on how thoroughly it is enforced. As this is only her second day she doesn't know yet whether anybody in her year has a nut allergy (or any other kind of allergy.)

I have looked up various nut allergies and I just feel a bit confused as to what she should cut out. For example she likes spinach and pasta salad with pine nuts. As far as I can see pine nuts aren't actually quite the same as nuts, so a person with a nut allergy might or might not have a reaction. (But they look like nuts, so I guess they might cause concern?)

While it seems fairly clear that a sesame bagel, or salad containing sesame oil is a bad idea, what about hummus?

Should she just avoid obvious actual pieces of whole nut and not worry about the rest? (Unless she discovers that another pupil has a specific allergy?) Should I get clearer guidelines from the school?

[pashmina696]

It might be worth contacting the school, but to be safe (to the kids with allergies) I wouldn't send in peanut butter, any other nut butter, nutella, pesto or hummus in addition to any whole seeds or nuts.

Hummus is far worse to a sesame allergy sufferer than a stray sesame seed unfortunately.

[ThePonderer]

Thanks, that's useful to know. I also hadn't even thought about pesto!

[ukey]

best bet is to avoid all nutty things they clearly have the ban in place for a reason, perhaps the allergic student has had reactions to others eating nut products in the past. if you are worried about what u can and cant send then contact the school.

[SavoyCabbage]

I'm surprised too. My dd has a peanut allergy and there is a airborne anaphylactic in our school, actually I think he's in her class this year, and we have no nut ban.

It will be tricky for you as it was tricky for us when dd got her diagnosis and really you are going the same thing! I had no idea peanuts weren't a nut. Nor are coconuts.

I would be asking for more information as you don't want to cut things out unnecessarily.

[ThePonderer]

Thanks. I admit I looked at the Anaphylaxis Campaign website and saw that they don't support this kind of ban. But then, my DD is new and she wants to fit in (and not harm anybody!) so I thought we should get to grips with it.

I will get on to the college and see what their advice is. Thanks for all the answers.

[ukey]

every allergic individual is different and has their own way of managing their allergy. if the person is airborne allergic to nuts then best to avoid being around others who are consuming them. prob why the ban has bn enforced, really its not the end of the world to avoid them for one meal a day. x