Beyond the Classics : Elevating K-12 Menus with the Power of Peanut
Embracing the comeback of the peanut with renewed inspiration, planning, and safety
While some primary and secondary schools have banned peanuts due to allergy fears, school districts are now beginning to reintroduce peanuts to their menus. Amy Carroll, MBA, RD, coordinator of Food and Nutrition Services at Lee County Schools, is one such individual who successfully brought peanuts back to their school district’s menus. Lee County Schools serve nearly 100,000 students, making this a significant decision. When Amy took on her role, the school district had not served peanuts or peanut products in their schools since 2004, largely due to concerns about peanut allergies. However, upon visiting another district where peanuts were served and were very popular, they realized that their district was missing out on opportunities for student participation in the school nutrition program. Additionally, supply chain issues that increased food prices and limited availability of meat-based entrees during the pandemic created an unexpected opportunity for Lee County. Amy saw peanut butter as an affordable and accessible commodity to bring nutritious meals to students and reached out for support to get peanuts back on the menu. She connected with the National Peanut Board to become more educated about peanut allergy management. From there, she sought internal support from leadership, nursing, school health, and others to create an allergen management plan. This comprehensive approach was crucial in ensuring the safety of students with peanut allergies and building confidence among parents and staff.
Ahead of the reintroduction of peanut butter, her team also created educational materials and conducted broad public outreach through podcasts, the web, and local media. Amy also took advantage of EpiPen4Schools.com to secure non-student-specific emergency medication for all 84 schools in their district. Months later, Lee County was able to menu and serve packaged PB&Js and peanut butter portion cups safely to students. Amy credits this process with making their district a safer space for students with any allergy. The case of Lee County Schools highlights the importance of careful planning and allergen management when introducing peanuts back onto menus. It’s not just about serving nutritious and delicious food; it’s about doing it safely and responsibly, considering the health and dietary needs of all students. Beyond K-12: Embracing Peanuts in Colleges and Universities It’s not just K-12 schools that are embracing peanuts; colleges and universities are also recognizing the appeal of peanuts and peanut butter to students. According to statistics, 29% of colleges and universities now include peanuts on their menus (1). One notable example is the University of Massachusetts- Amherst (UMass), which had a dedicated “All About Peanuts Day” on campus, celebrating peanuts in various flavorful and on-trend dishes that students loved.
The menu included a wide range of peanut-
Sources: Technomic Ignite Menu national food trends data.
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