Peanut allergy???

Question

My son is in grade one this year, and a child starting prep has anaphalaxis??? (severe peanut allergy). The school has banned all kids bringing nut based foods and also those with even traces of nuts. I am going mental trying to vary his lunch box each day, does anyone have any ideas on what I could pack??? Thanks.

Answer 1

When my oldest was in kindergarten he had a boy in his class that was allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and seafood. Applesauce, goldfish and bagels.

Answer 2

I have a nut allergy also, remember anything made with oats more than likely have a nut trace. So no granola bars etc. I would stick to fruit, fruit snacks, chips, pudding

This website is very helpful.

Answer 3

Hi!  

I first want to say... THANK YOU for posting a question to aks for help.  I think that is amazing that you are willing to work with the parents of allergic children.  I understand your frustration.  It is so hard!!!!  There are so many hidden foods!!!!

This is a topic very near and dear to me! My son is 5 and has a severe peanut allergy.  It is very difficult to make everyone happy - but the bottom line is the safty and health of a child.  Having Peanut Free Schools is so important.  It's not hard to do... as long as you have willing and coooperative parents.  

Again, I commend you for reaching out and trying!  So many others would just take the easy way out and so - it's not my kid.  But the truth is - it could be you kid with something else that would threaten thier life.  Being Peanut Free is the only way to safe gaurd a child.  Of course we all make mistakes - but as long as we try - a parent of an allergy child will understand - we are only human.  Being peanut free is like weaing a seat belt!  It's preventative! I am sure that a parent would not risk driving on a turnpike - or some very busy highway withour putting thier child in a carseat/booster seat or seatbelt.  That is what the world is like for those that have allergies.  Everyday - you just never know.  So, if everyone can learn and be more informed and willing to try - we could help to protect our children.

To help you and others... there are some fantasic website that assist parents and friends of an allergic child.

www.allergicchild.com  *** I highly recommend this site to everyone!!!  There are books for children to read and take to school to help thier classmates or other friends understand thier allergies.  Once a friend understands I can bet that they will not want to risk getting thier friend sick!!!!  So, they will learn to be careful!!!!!!

www.peanutnutfreeplanet.com ****  snacks and foods that anyone can get online that are safe!!!!

www.vermontnutfree.com *****  Love their Holiday Candy - they even have safe jelly beans - Most Jelly beans (like Jelly Bellys) are not safe!!!!  LOVE thier choc chips for baking!  They even hve white choc chips - b/c every White CHoc Chip brand i know is not safe!  Stay away from TollHouse and Gerardelli!!!!

Lunchables might be safe - but some have snacks in there that are not safe!!!!

A great cookbook - Deceptively Delicious - Jessica Seinfeld - she has ways to get your child eating great - of course there are some receipes that have peanut butter in them - but, you can always save those for meals inside your home. :-)  But, i have tried the cookbook and my kids LOVE it.  It has taught me to be creative.  Because with my son's allergy - i have gotten in slump - and make the same things because I know they are safe - now we are expereimenting with new ways to make food fun and they are loving it and staying safe.  :-)

Good luck with the rest of your school year.   I hope this helped.  

Once again... thank you for trying!!!!!

Answer 4

There are still tons of things to pack and avoid peanuts.

Any deli meats and cheese. Ham and cheese wraps,

Fluff and Jelly

Lunchables (unlimited varieties, from meats and cheese, to chicken nuggets with ketchup, and mini pizzas, and hot dogs)

Apples, grapes, any fruits

String cheese

Raisins

grahm crackers

if he likes carrots, or celery.

yogurt if he likes it,

Bagel and cream cheese

Different flavors of juice boxes each day.

Hope this gives you a few ideas

Answer 5

Our school tried to do this too.  I feel for the ones with the allergies, but I certainly don't think it is fair to ban all peanut products from the school because of a few kids.  My kids school finally got so much resistence from the parents that they made a special table where the allergy kids can sit and anyone who sits there with them must not have anything with peanuts.  They also could not serve anything from the cafeteria with peanuts, but the kids were allowed to bring whatever they wanted in their lunch box.  There are many other types of allergies, eggs, wheat, etc., that kids have, but you don't see them banning those things!  It's ridiculous when they try to keep peanut butter (a staple in our house) out of the schools.  Things I can recommend for you are ham and cheese, turkey, applesauce, fruit, yogurt, carrots and dip.  My son has a small thermos and he takes soup, Raman noodles, spaghetti O's, etc.  Good luck!

Answer 6

you can try soy butters if your child likes peanut butter (just check labels, because some brands of soy butter have traces of peanuts.  we use the I.M. Healthy brand, which is peanut-free).

most bread that you can get at the grocery store is nut-free, but bakery bread may have traces of nuts from the way they prepare it, and some types of multi-grain have traces of nuts.

my daughter has a life-threatening peanut and nut allergy, so we don't have any products with nuts or traces of nuts in the house.  i send for their lunches:  pasta or soup in a thermos; soy butter and jam sandwiches; turkey, roast beef, ham, chicken, or salami sandwiches; yogurt w/ cereal and berries (most cereals do not have nut traces but some do -- e.g. regular cheerios is fine but multigrain cheerios is not ... you have to check labels); chicken drumsticks; ravioli; spaghetti or soup.  most crackers and some cookies are fine; goldfish are fine; don't send ritz bits because they have traces of nuts.

virtually anything from a bakery is off-limits; so are most candies (hersheys makes some nut-free varieties); and even many foods you wouldn't expect like some salsas, jellybeans, etc.  a friend just brought us some tomato soup from a box that it turned out we couldn't eat because it has traces of nuts.  since you never can tell, it's best to always read the label, even if it's a food that seems like it would be safe.

as someone who ate pb&j all through my school years, i know it's a huge pain to have to be so careful about reading labels.  but as the parent of a kid who could die if she accidentally ingested somebody else's crumbs, i can tell you i'm desperately grateful to parents like you who are being careful even though it's a huge hassle.  thanks.

Answer 7

My son attends a "nut free" kindergarten. All foods containing nuts like muesli bars, nutella and peanut butter are banned. They are also not allowed to bring any junk food or anything in individual packets except for yoghurt. It's not too hard to come up with ideas. When I was a kid I ate the same thing everyday for years at a time, vegemite, then progressed to vegemite and cheese. What about ham or other cold meat and salad ingredients. Honey or vegemite or other spreads. You can buy nut free peanut butter apparently. Extras can include biscuits, rice crackers, cheese, fruit, dried fruit. My son often takes banana chips, dates, sultanas, sliced cucumber and he adores biscuits with cheese. If he gets sick of sandwiches, wraps with salad and meat are good too.

EDIT If you think it's a hassle trying to come up with nut free lunches imagine the families with allergies who have to come up with a nut free existence. Then imagine the fear of sending your child to school and fearing they could die just because some parents are too selfish to ensure that their child has 1 nut free meal a day. Come on people, put yourself in their shoes, what would you want for your child's safety? I know some children have allergies to other foods but I have heard of people with nut allergies who only need to smell peanuts to have a reaction, this is very rare with other substances.