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Original poster

Cooking Class with Allergies

98 replies

MidniteScribbler · 14/02/2018 12:18

If you had a child who had allergies to egg, wheat, shellfish, any nut product, milk, and sesame, and they also have a vegetarian diet, would you sign them up for a cooking elective at their school? They would like to do cooking, but there are also 39 other activities on offer at the same time by the school. Would you let them sign up for cooking?

OP posts:
orangesticker · 14/02/2018 16:49

It's easier to get your head round when described as gluten free, nut free, vegan.

LittleCandle · 14/02/2018 16:50

No, definitely not. I had this with DD1 and the school assured me there was no risk. Yet on inspecting the cooking classroom, they found crap all over one table that hadn't been cleaned up properly and they weren't sure what it was. That was the end of the conversation and DD1 did something else during those lessons.

orangesticker · 14/02/2018 17:07

I advised DS not to do GCSE food tech as it is ALL about cooking different versions of one dish Thankfully that is not the case for all exam boards in the UK - ds does GCSE Food tech and takes home dinner once a week - they've learnt to joint a chicken, make puff pastry, bone a fish....I am seriously impressed with our GCSE Food Tech Syllabus.

BalloonSlayer · 14/02/2018 17:09

Ah well just the one at DS's school then. Smile

orangesticker · 14/02/2018 17:19

@Balloon, our school deliberately avoided the exam boards that taught 10 different ways to make a chocolate brownie and I'm glad they did because my dcs are genuinely learning how to cook good food and they are being encouraged to practice their skills at home - which I'm clearly a big fan of Wink

ImAPeppermintNightmare · 14/02/2018 19:46

No way. It's not fair on the children or staff to limit the cooking class to that extent. And I say that as someone who avoids several of those foods myself. If it was nuts, yes, if it was gluten, possibly, but the combination of all of those allergies and dietary choices is going to make it a nightmare, frankly.

I feel for the family, not an easy life for them. But this activity is not suitable for their child.

Chattymummyhere · 14/02/2018 20:02

I wouldn’t.

Does the school provide the ingredients or the parents? Because if it’s the parents your asking them to spend the time and extra money looking out for specialist versions of something they might pick up for pence otherwise and trusting them to care enough/have enough money to do that.

I wouldn’t trust that parents would do that look at the bag of nuts on a plan arguments.

nokidshere · 14/02/2018 20:10

I wouldn't let my child do it. The potential for harm is huge with that many allergies - especially airborne ones.

No-one could guarantee the safety of a classroom that so many children are bringing so many different products into. Or If they have cleaned equipment properly.

No-one could guarantee that every child who uses that space will remember to check all their ingredients every time.

Just because reasonable adjustments have to be made it doesn't mean it would be in the child's best interest to attend the class.

As a parent the risk would outweigh the benefits

Original poster
MidniteScribbler · 14/02/2018 21:40

Who are you in this scenario @MidniteScribbler ?

I'm actually the teacher, who has volunteered to run a club (there are 40 clubs in total). All ingredients will be supplied by me, and the equipment will be all from my home kitchen. It's a primary school club. Parent has been told by the Principal that it's not the right choice for their child, but are kicking off that they want their child to participate and that all meals must be suitable (as in, I can't have a separate recipe for their child, they don't want them to feel 'different'). I'm terrified of something going wrong and want to cancel the club as I don't feel I can provide an adequate safe environment. We are also using the staff room kitchen for the activities which is not an area which has food restrictions so there could be allergens present.

OP posts:
Iluvthe80s · 14/02/2018 21:45

if my child had severe allergies like that, I wouldn't risk it.

Iluvthe80s · 14/02/2018 21:48

MidnightScribbler I feel you are being put in a very unfair position tbh. I would refuse-too much responsibility and I feel unfair and unrealistic expectations of the parent

Lovelydovey · 14/02/2018 21:55

No and I didn't feel it was fair to ask the after school cooking club to accommodate DS1 with allergies to milk, eggs and nuts.

GummyGoddess · 14/02/2018 21:56

If this has been explained to the mother and she's still kicking off about it then I would cancel the class. It's very unfair on the other children but you can't allow her to insist her DC be put in danger like that.

You know she'd blame you and want you sacked when something happened.

ginnybag · 14/02/2018 21:57

Primary school kids, arsey parent, 1 member of staff and multiple serious airborne allergies....?

Cancel it. It's a disaster waiting to happen, and the fact that the head hasn't already said no means they won't back you up if something does go wrong.

Lovelydovey · 14/02/2018 21:57

I would refuse to run the club. At our school they are optional for staff to run (though staff are paid) and they would sooner not run this than offer a service they are not comfortable with.

AdaColeman · 14/02/2018 22:07

That's a disaster waiting to happen Midnite, and you would be the one to take the blame.

Step away and don't run the club.
Primary age children can easily cook at home.

Rooberoobe · 14/02/2018 22:31

It’s not something I would want to take on personally and would probably cancel the club.

However if you don’t want to/ can’t cancel the club could you make it into a health and safety with food club rather than cooking? Eg how to prepare veg, salads, wash hands correctly, even clean pots and pans carefully (depending on age of children) etc? Not as much fun as making meals but much less risk.

I still think it’s a big risk with child having airborne allergies and using the staff room. Or if you did the health and safety club could you use a classroom area instead?

Forgeteverythingandremember · 14/02/2018 22:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PurpleCrazyHorse · 14/02/2018 22:42

Airborne allergies, staff kitchen, unhelpful parent... no, I wouldn't do it. I think it's probably too risky even to play pretend cooking in the staff kitchen.

UrgentScurryfunge · 14/02/2018 22:43

That is a massive set of restrictions in difficult circumstances to make reasonable adjustments around (e.g. seperate food preparation areas and equipment). The potential consequences of any potential cross contamination/ airborn particles could be disasterous.

I think you'd be better off cancelling the club in the light of an unsupportive parent. Fortunately my DCs outgrew their allergies when they were young, but I did end up catering for a week long camp with my child's and another's multiple allergies and had to be very careful that their incompatible substiutes didn't trigger the other's allergies.

If it was my own child in that position, I'd rather that they learned to cook in the safety of our own kitchen with safe ingredients and equipment rather than taking the risk of a more open environment.

TefalTester123 · 14/02/2018 22:43

I would respond by saying you might be able to run it if the parent of the child supplies 10 easy recipes illustrating different cooking techniques which are suitable for her child and which the other children will enjoy cooking and eating.

PurpleCrazyHorse · 14/02/2018 22:50

Also, even if you wanted to run the club with the child in question, what exactly are you going to cook that's vegan, gluten free and no nuts that doesn't cost a fortune in suitable ingredients for the whole group? I'm presuming the club also needs to be financially viable.

Allthewaves · 14/02/2018 22:51

I'd cancel the club in your position.

It's utter madness the mother is pushing this. You cannot guarentee an allegen free environment.

Allthewaves · 14/02/2018 22:53

My kids are dairy and wheat free - it costs a fortune

Allthewaves · 14/02/2018 22:53

Baking without eggs is a bit of a pain