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The Washington Post

Back-to-school time is stressful on its own. Add in the spectre of food allergies – of your own kids or their friends – and the stakes can feel even higher.
What to put in the lunchbox? What’s safe to share with the class? What can the kids grab between practices? What can you offer that’s not a packaged food? And so on.
According to Kids With Food Allergies, part of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, one in 13 kids has a food allergy.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, 90 per cent of food-related allergic reactions come from eight foods: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans.

With the exception of seafood, those allergens are pretty typical ingredients when it comes to snacks aimed at children.
Snacks at school can be particularly problematic, as “most allergic reactions on school campus happen in the classroom, not the cafeteria,” says Melanie Carver, vice-president of community health for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
The reasons are unclear, but possibilities include kids being more likely to eat food not prepared by their own parents, substitute teachers not being aware of student needs and cross-contamination occurring with less rigorous handwashing.
Here are a few tips for smart, safe eating at school and at home.




1. Help your child understand their allergies
They need to be able to communicate what they’re allergic to, and Carver says they should be comfortable asking questions of other adults. She suggests parents role-play with their kids to practise.
And even if the kids do not have any food allergies, they should be aware that some of their friends might and they should avoid sharing food with others.

2. Know what’s in your food
Packaged food must be labelled. Be sure you read the packaging for the eight ingredients listed above and any other ingredients that could cause a reaction (such as sesame seeds), and teach kids how to read labels.
Also look for voluntary disclaimers about potential cross-contact in a facility that produces multiple types of food.

3. Be sure others know what’s in the food
If you’re sharing snacks with your children’s class, include a label or recipe. Try to get a list of safe foods from the teacher, too.
If you are hosting a group at home, double-check with the kids that they can eat what you’re serving, or, better yet, check with their parents first.
4. Emphasise what your kid can have, rather than what they can’t
Be sympathetic if they feel deprived or left out. At school, Carver suggests parents ask that teachers stock allergy-friendly snacks, such as muffins, for their kids in the freezer for unexpected situations, such as an impromptu party.
Keto and paleo diets: know health impacts before you start
Attitude helps, too. Come up with alternatives that are just as tasty, pretty or colourful – if not more so – than the problematic foods. Think of it as an opportunity to explore new foods, Carver says.

5. Try to hit a variety of food groups and compensate for what’s being left out
Good snacks, individually or in combination, will cover a wide swathe of nutrition. Thankfully, fresh fruit, as well as dried or freeze-dried, and vegetables are generally safe bets.
Is soy good or bad for health? Common concerns addressed
As to other types of foods, Kids With Food Allergies offers some alternatives to consider. If dairy is out, non-dairy milks are an option, and you can pick up calcium in many greens.

No nuts? Consider olives, pumpkins seeds (pepitas), sunflower seeds and avocados. The ballooning gluten-free market means finding substitutes for wheat foods (pretzels, crackers, bread and more) is not hard these days.
Oats, if certified gluten-free, are a great snacking option, and so is the classic rice cracker. Kids With Food Allergies recommends quinoa as a high-protein grain.


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What to put in the lunchbox? What’s safe to share with the class? What can you offer that’s not a packaged food?
Here are some top tips for smart, safe eating at school and at home



What to put in the lunchbox? What’s safe to share with the class? What can you offer that’s not a packaged food? Here are some top tips for smart, safe eating at school and at home.


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Five ways to help schoolkids tackle their food allergies, and snack smarter

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} What to put in the lunchbox? What’s safe to share with the class? What can you offer that’s not a packaged food? Here are some top tips for smart, safe eating at school and at home

What to put in the lunchbox? What’s safe to share with the class? What can you offer that’s not a packaged food?

Here are some top tips for smart, safe eating at school and at home