As you gear up for the next school year, understanding the differences between fact and fiction about food allergies can help you serve menus that are versatile, affordable, compliant, and sustainable.
Myth: Banning a food allergen on your school menu elimin - ates the food aller- gen from entering the school doors and keeps students safe. Fact: Banning is not a safe idea, as this pro - vides a false sense of security for parents. Based on research, epinephrine usage did not decrease for schools with a food allergen ban. 3
Myth: Students who come in contact with a food allergen will immediately react.
Myth: Food allergens stay on surfaces and will cause a reaction. Fact: Current research debunks this myth by concluding that washing hands or surfaces with soap and warm water can safely remove the food allergen. 2
Fact: Casual contact means students who
smell the food allergen or come in contact with the food allergen on their skin (think hands on a table that had a peanut butter sandwich on it two hours ago). Based on research, students who were near or exposed to a food al - lergen did not experience an extreme food allergy response, including an - aphylaxis. 1
You and your team can be confident when serving peanuts (and any other food allergen) in your school, thanks to the training and resources available on our website . Focusing on communication will ensure clear messaging to families and identify specific steps to gather all necessary information to ac - commodate each student adequately. Our Peanuts in Schools blog offers a proactive approach to managing food allergies in every school, focusing on educating and empowering stu - dents. To help schools navigate food allergy concerns , the National Peanut Board has developed budget-friendly school nutrition recipes and resources to make every school cafeteria a nutri - tion hub. The Something’s Missing campaign provides these resources, along with much more, right at your fingertips. Citations: 1 Simonte S, M.S. (2003). Relevance of casual contact with peanut butter in children with peanut allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunology, 180-182. 2 Perry T, e. A. (2004). Distribution of peanut allergen in the environment. J of Clin Immunology, 973-976. 3 Bartnikas L., H. M. (2017). Impact of school peanut-free policies on epinephrine administration. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 467-473.
Did you and your team overcome a peanut ban at your school district? The National Peanut Board wants your story! Take this short survey to help us celebrate your accomplishments and assist others in navigating peanut bans in their school district.
Tarrah Westercamp | Westercamp Consulting LLC Tarrah Westercamp is the Owner of Westercamp Consulting LLC providing exceptional service for school districts and other organizations working within Child Nutrition Programs at the state and local level. Tarrah is a Registered Dietitian with over a decade of experience in Child Nutrition Programs encompassing USDA regulations, meal pattern requirements, school food service operations, obtaining stakeholder buy-in, and innovative implementation strategies to increase meal access to students. NationalPeanutBoard.org
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