School nut allergy policy

[PigeonPairinSomerset]

I’m fully prepared to back down on this one but keen to know if anyone supports my view - our school has a nut free policy which I know is common. I am aware how severe these allergies can be in some cases. At our school however , there are children who would only have an allergic reaction if they actually ate food containing nuts. Some of my children’s favourite foods are peanut butter and houmous, which they can’t have in their packed lunches. AIBU to think that the school could just encourage kids not to share food? And for the parents of those affected kids to teach their kids not to eat their friends’ food?! I feel like some really healthy options for my kids are now off the table.

I know its frustrating - as a ceoliac I sometimes have a choice of nuts or chocolate for snacks when out and about.

But its too risky - its not even about sharing food - my son's friend has a diary allergy and leaned on a counter which must have had spilt milk on it and came out in hives. His mum thought it was only when he ate dairy.

Its just not worth it because some of these kids could die for the sake of our kids avoiding some of their favourite foods during the school day...

I think if a child in school has an anaphalactic reaction to anything packed lunches need to be banned and everyone needs to be on school dinners for their safety.

This! I’m confused by no hummus and also panicking because my little one loves hummus and I want her to take some to school when she’s older.

Houmous is made with tahini
Tahini is made of sesame seeds
Sesame seeds are often banned in nut free environments

That being said you can make your own without the tahini
It won't happen quite the same texture but could work well enough for lunches.

ARFID kid here and so we are already so massively limited so I can share your frustration as several of the foods DC does eat can't be taken to school and that doesn't leave many options left and I do sometimes wish there was an option for us to be able to send those foods but I wouldn't want to take the risk if mine had allergies and I do agree with school policies

Whatever happened to kids going home for lunch
Is this no longer an option?

Nope.

They stagger lunch times in many schools.

Plus in London they give state primary school pupils free school meals and the schools really encourage children to have them.

Anaphylaxis is really common these days, that would mean next to all children on school dinners for their whole time in school, which of course not everyone could afford (or want).

Do you know many families who would be able to bring a DC home for lunch and back again?

If the school has decided that the best way for them to keep an anaphylactic child safe is by banning certain foods, then follow their rules ffs. I just don't understand why you would do anything else.

And "panicking" because your child can't have hummous in their lunch box is a little.....extreme.

“Simonjt · Today 15:57
It isn’t about having a bite of someones sandwich, its about that child touching a pencil, desk etc and the child with the allergy touching that and then their face.”

This.

I haven't rtft but my youngest has peanut allergy.

All I can say is, please don't think so selfishly. You have no idea the stress that goes on when you have a child who is at risk of anaphylaxis. Literal touching anything. Children are not known for their impeccable hand washing skills!
My eldest is an extremely fussy eater and ate peanut butter daily in wraps, with weetabix etc but the moment I discovered my son's allergy, she never had it again and we found a plant based alternative.

Our school also haven’t said anything about nuts at home, or said anything about breakfast. I’m assuming peanut butter will be ok for breakfast as long as we don’t take it in to school? They would have said if not.

Why is it always nuts? There are many, many other things people can be allergic to. I can't see schools completely banning the top 14 for instance (gluten, nuts, lupin, sesame, milk, molluscs, crustaceans, celery, sulphites, mustard, sesame, soya, fish and peanuts). Its almost like there is an allergy hierachy where nuts are at the top and any other allergens aren't taken as seriously. Milk in primary schools is a complete PITA for instance. Besides, who knows what arachis (oil) is?

I'm talking as someone who HAS experienced anaphylaxis to several weird, wonderful and random things. One of them being macadamia nuts, another being bananas. Even though I am a sample size of 1, when someone declares they are a 'free from nuts' environment I hate this. A lot of people seem to think that this is sufficient when this comes to being allergy aware and then become complacent. 9 times out of 10 they forget about the bloody fruit bowl!

Then school need to pay for the dinner. I can do a pack up for less than their school dinners are.

A kid has peanut butter for lunch. Doesn't wash their hands. Touches the classroom table, pencil, toy, whatever. Allergy kid walks in picks toy/pencil up. Then as kids do they shove their fingers in their mouth. Poor kid. They then suffer for a long time.

My daughter has... I actually don't know the number now, but over 15 allergies. These include nuts. She is two and is aware she can not share food with anyone and her five year old brother is amazing with understanding. However, we are lucky her nursery have taught the children to all wash their hands before and after food which has really helped. However, I ate a dish sprinkled with a couple of peanuts one day. About an hour later my daughter came home and I kissed her. Immediate reaction which was scary, way worse than any previous reactions. Her peanut reaction is by far worse that her other allergies. Never mind her almond and several other nuts. I dread her starting school as her allergies are extensive but she has the right to be safe, and I am realistic not to expect everything banned. However, nuts are easy to miss one meal a day for and there are alternatives as already mentioned. Quite frankly one meal versus life threatening consequences... Your response is selfish.

@randomiteminthenaggingarea yes the fruit bowl is a nightmare for my little one! Bananas for her too!
And then the allergy option is always a jacket potato... No good, she's allergic to potato 😂

I'm allergic to cashew nuts.

It's put in things that have a particular nut e.g. pine nuts as it is a cheap nut substitute.

Apparently I can't eat pistachios but as I don't like them I've always avoided them.

Do you avoid coconut? As that's what is likely to trigger a reaction if you have an allergy to macadamia nuts.

Mum of a son in year 2 with an anaphalactic nut allergy here.

One of the kids in his classroom had a Nutella sandwich in his lunch, had it on his hands and touched my son's arms. His arm then came out in loads of hives and swelled up, and I'm thankful that's all it was. His school are amazing at understanding his allergy and gave him his piriton straight away before calling me and telling me.

What bothers me is the lazy narrow minded parents who despite the school writing about this episode, still sent their kids in with Nutella again.

Another time and it could have been worse.

Not worth the risk OP

We are a vegetarian family and I found the no-nuts-and-seeds rule a nuisance as it cut down the variety of protein sources that I’d usually use for their lunches, so I can see where the OP is coming from.

I made our own hummus without tahini, and relied on pulses, cheese or egg for protein at lunch.

I actually know vegetarians with nut and seed allergies so I know it can be managed. One is also allergic to egg. I was shocked as first as my family members who have allergies and intolerances from young childhood eat meat. However as the vegetarians were adults when they were diagnosed they manage.

Ffs your kids will cope without peanut butter for their lunch

Reugny..

For some reason I can't tag you.
No, I don't avoid coconut but I really, really hate the taste of the stuff. Both true coconut (which isnt sweet) and the nasty sweet artificial coconut flavour in things. I have had a lips tingly thing from a Brazil nut when I rubbed it against my lips. I don't plan on eating brazils any time soon either.