Nuts.

[goodbeans]

DS had this message in his nursery diary: 'Please can you avoid pesto because of nut allergies within the nursery'.

This was in reference to him having been sent in with pasta and green pesto (DH on lunch duties, he forgot the rule). I did find it annoying though, as pesto is made with pine nuts, which are seeds and not nuts, despite the misleading name. (I know that some red pesto is made with cashews, and so I would never use that in food intended for nursery, although I suspect that most staff wouldn't question it as it could easily be mistaken for a regular tomato sauce...)

Anyway, I would like to send a note to the following effect back: 'We always avoid sending any food into nursery that contains nuts. However, pine nuts are seeds (despite the misleading name!) If there is a child with a seed allergy at nursery then we will of course be careful to avoid sending any seed containing foods in DS's lunch.'

AIBU to reply like this to nursery? Or is this weird kind of blanket ban (based on a misnomer) normal?! If it is then I will just suck it up, but it is frustrating given that it doesn't seem to have much basis in common sense.

Our school is nut free as several children with severe nut allergies. Due to this there are no bake sales either. Pine nuts,almonds and coconut are on this list.

I hadn't realised how many pestos contain cashews. Yet you were all set to sent in a snotty note to "educate" them on the fact that it didn't contain nuts?
Just stop sending it.

Seriously, how hard is it to just not send pesto in if the school have specified no pesto?
They weren't 'telling you off' or doing it just for the laffs.
They obviously have said it for a valid reason, in that they know a child could be put in danger for your love of pesto.
Knock yourself out eating pesto by the bucketload at home if you wish, but when it comes to school you DON'T take it in.
Honestly, some of the attitudes and/or ignorance around allergies is terrifying.

My child is allergic to nuts. He's also obviously allergic to seeds as you call them cos he cant eat pine nuts or almonds.

Oh, and hes allergic to peas - which are a vegetable!!!!

But of the same "family" as nuts.

Biologist or not, your child not having pesto wont kill them. My child, however, could die!!!

Stop being a git & do what the school asks

No nuts or pine nuts at dds school. As others have mentioned, people allergic to nuts are also potentially allergic to pine nuts, almonds etc.

To ask the question again - why are you providing food at nursery?

There is no excuse for giving nuts as it isn't just as simple as not sharing food. Some people are so reactive, they can get anaphylaxis from touching an object another person has contaminated. E.g. A door handle or play equipment.

Children have to have epipens at all times. It's very serious.

Pesto is a basic common food. I would assume all kids eat pesto.

Wow. I only tasted pesto for the first time about a year ago. Didn't like it and I can live without it. I certainly don't think it's a basic common food

OP, as the mother of a child with a nut allergy I'd say YABU as some pestos do indeed contain nuts (you may not use them but nursery/other parents aren't to know that)

Only dh likes pesto in this house...disgusting stuff.

You are assuming the child does not have a pine nut allergy and that if they did the mother would know pine nuts are not a nut as well.

As an aside peanuts aren't nuts either they are legumes.

Pesto is disgusting. And it's not vegetarian, either. There are loads of great recipes for vegan pesto, though. I make with nutritional yeast.

Plenty of pesto is vegetarian. For example Sacla classic pesto is not but the organic one is.

Personally, I wouldn't say a word as it looks rather petty and as though you have something of a superiority complex. Suck it up. You weren't sending pesto before, and you claim that today's note was because 'DH forgot the rule' - so you've abided by it prior to this, but are now determined to take a stance on the sunset? All seems rather unnecessary and potentially embarrassing.

It reminds me of when I was at uni in the early nineties, and there were demonstrations about grants cuts (those were the days). A very worthy young lady appeared on BBC news representing the Student Union, and argued that students could no longer afford 'basic foodstuffs' such as cheese and pesto. My housemates and I looked at one another and simultaneously wondered aloud "What's pesto?"!

Sunset? Subject! Although sunset does seem to be earlier these days, so I'll back you up if you want to take a stance on that!

If you send the note, you will forever be known as that mum.

Pine nuts may not technically be nuts but some (not all) nut allergy sufferers do react to pine nuts. Another example is peanuts, also not technically a nut but actually highly dangerous to some nut allergy sufferers. As a biologist you will know that what makes a person react is not a pretty philogenic tree but rather the specific proteins etc that cause the reaction. Some sufferers react only to a very specific protein, some to a whole range and some react when their immune system is compromised (ie post virally) but not at other times. As the child (allergy sufferer) is young the extent of their allergy may not be defined. Often nursery settings would prefer children encountering possible allergens do so while not in their care. They also may not be able to share another child's health issues with you. For this reason I would try to accommodate nursery requests as this is the best way you can insure you don't inadvertently harm another child rather than trying to make some "I'm a biologist" point.

Yes there is an argument not to have total nut bans in schools so that nut allergy children do not grow up thinking they are safe but learn to have caution around food. However, this is not great with nursery age children as they are too young to understand.

gahh! phylogenetic

pmsl at this thread.

So, according to the Law Of MN....

1. Pesto is a basic kids food that ALL kids love

1. Hummus is almost impossible to avoid

1. NO nursery EVER asked for lunch to be provided

And I have learned that coconut, pine nuts and almonds are seeds.

Just wanted to say thank you for the wow Peanut butter recommendation. I prefer not to send meat or dairy sandwich fillings in hot weather, so I might give it a try.

I put a small ice pack in with the packed lunch to keep everything cool.

The nut ban confuses me slightly as my son has a severe dairy allergy but they don't ban dairy 😕. I would never send anything in if I'd been asked not to and I wouldn't question it. The parents of the child would of explained what s/he can and cannot have so they have asked you not to send it in. It's been so difficult finding a nursery for my son as I'm so worried about him having dairy and being really poorly. Just don't send in pesto and all is fine 😏

For God's sake. Stop being so precious. There is some poor parent/s sending their allergic child to nursery trusting them to be as vigilant as they would be. You are arguing the most ridiculous point, for the sake of pedancy and forgetting that there is potentially a child'a life at risk. All because you want one meal a day to be varied. Kids like repetition and consistency, your child will probably thank you for it.

Don't argue it, you will be cast as 'that' mother.

Or is it that, as a biologist (which I imagine to be a highly qualified position), you have taken umbrage at the fact that the lowly nursery staff have dared to question your behaviour?

(Tucks wooden spoon behind back and smiles sweetly)

I think it's entirely fair enough to ask if all seeds are banned

I have nut allergies and react to pine nuts. I also react to pumpkin seeds. Surely it's not so difficult to exclude pesto from lunches? What's the kind and reasonable thing to do? Personally I would accommodate the request as anything I can do to prevent a child having a potentially life threatening allergic reaction is an acceptable inconvenience.