How would you feel about this snack policy? (Reason for asking added to original post - Page 5

[moondiapers]

Originally Posted by wombatclay

moondiapers- slightly off topic but with the "2 food group" thing...how are conflicting allergies handled? My dd's play school group is only 8 kiddos but those 8 kids include "no dairy of any kind", "no eggs", and "no soy". And on top of that there are a few families with religious dietary guidelines. So in terms of a group snack that covers a fruit/veg AND a protein what would the state guidelines do? We generally just have apples or crackers (approved brands) or grapes or carrots or muffins (approved brands). It's tough finding things that will appeal to a group of 2 year olds that they can ALL eat.

It's any 2 of the following 4 groups
meat or alternate
fruit/veggie
milk
grain

So apples and crackers would be creditable.

[elmh23]

Originally Posted by ann_of_loxley

Not an issue at all!...thats how we shop anyhow! hehe

Except for this:



Now I understand some pepole have serious allergies. I have a friend with a daughter with a serious milk allergy - and I mean SERIOUS!... But she doesnt expect everyone around here to make sure everything is diaryfree!lol... She had taught her daughter (who is only 2) how to ask if anything has milk in it and how to get them to check the ingredients for her!
I hope you all dont think I am a horrible person, but my son doenst have a nut allergy, and if he really liked something that fit that bill BUT had nut products in it, I shouldnt expect him to not have it because of others - 'others' should be taught the same and if the children are too young, then the main caregivers should be taught how to monitor this so all is well and safe! .... I mean the world just doesnt work that way though does it?:

Part of the problem with peanut allergies and nut allergies are that some kids react by just touching a surface a child who has had peanuts/nuts has touched. We had to leave the playground yesterday because the ice cream truck came by and some kids boughts ice cream cones with nuts on them. If they had touched my daughter or touched a swing and then my dd touched the swing, we could end up in the hospital.

OP, I like the policy! Good work.

[greeny]

If it's just a short (2.5 hour) preschool, I think having the 2 food group requirement is a bit much.

Our family does not buy HFCS, artificial sweeteners, trans fats, though we might eat them when out somewhere. Still, though, I'd rather see the list as "suggestions" than as "guidelines." In other words, I would prefer it to be phrased as "we'd like you to stick to these types of foods" instead of "you must stick to these types of foods."

For me, it's just the whole I-hate-to-be-told-what-to-do thing, I think.

[karlin]

I love it. Personally, it's not strict enough. We don't do processed sugar except on special occasions. If you had to parent my DS after he eats sugar, you'd understand why.

(p.s. As a family with a lot of food allergies (DS:corn DH:soy Me: peanuts), I really, really appreciate it when someone makes an effort to accommodate us.)

[Jillie]

Originally Posted by elmh23

Part of the problem with peanut allergies and nut allergies are that some kids react by just touching a surface a child who has had peanuts/nuts has touched. We had to leave the playground yesterday because the ice cream truck came by and some kids boughts ice cream cones with nuts on them. If they had touched my daughter or touched a swing and then my dd touched the swing, we could end up in the hospital.

OP, I like the policy! Good work.

Just curious, what if someone had nuts before coming to the park, how would you know? I'm just wondering how you can ever play somewhere, not knowing what might be there. Do you wipe things off? I just am trying to picture how someone with such an allergy functions daily when it is that serious. TIA
Oh, and I love the policy. It has inspired me to start a spin off thread.

[elmh23]

We wipe off all tabels and benches before she sits on them. We obviously can't wipe off the entire playground, but I keep a close eye on her and if she starts to have a reaction, I dose her with Benadryl and keep her close to me. We get a lot of mystery hives. We've been really lucky in that we haven't ended up in the hospital (though we did have a severe episode where we ran to our docs, this was before we had the Epi-pen.)

[happyfrog]

Originally Posted by Jillie

Just curious, what if someone had nuts before coming to the park, how would you know? I'm just wondering how you can ever play somewhere, not knowing what might be there. Do you wipe things off? I just am trying to picture how someone with such an allergy functions daily when it is that serious. TIA

My son's peanut allergy has increased so we can no longer go to friend's houses that I know have generous usage of peanut butter as it's impossible for them to clean up all peanut residue from all surfaces - esp if the family allows meals to be eaten in locations other than the kitchen/dining room.

We don't go to public parks anymroe - mostly becuase *I* have a latex allergy and when I wear shorts and sit/kneel on those new rubber 'floors' I react with hives so it's not fun for me.

Our allergist told me originally he was optimistic my son would/might outgrow his peanut allergy if we had complete avoidance. According to his last testing - his results are higher than last time, so that possibility is now off the table.

Our hope and desire is to avoid all contact with peanut and related products until our child is older (he's 3 now) and can protect himself with what he can/can't eat - right now, that's not possible as he's very trusting of everyone. So yeah, we are kind of secluded if his friends can't meet him at our house or the library . . .. sigh. . . .

BettyAnn

[HoneymoonBaby]

So, what happens if the parents refuse to follow the policy? We have a similar policy at our co-op, but half the parents ignore it and I'm getting frustrated. The director and teachers don't do anything about it except for occasionally "remind" us. But there is no enforcement and DS is getting CRAP food on a pretty regular basis. What would your school do in this situation?

[MomInCalifornia]

Originally Posted by HoneymoonBaby

So, what happens if the parents refuse to follow the policy? We have a similar policy at our co-op, but half the parents ignore it and I'm getting frustrated. The director and teachers don't do anything about it except for occasionally "remind" us. But there is no enforcement and DS is getting CRAP food on a pretty regular basis. What would your school do in this situation?

If a parent brought a normal snack that happens to contain trans fats or HFCS like bagels or crackers, we would serve it and just remind them for next time, no biggie...

If a parent brought mini marshmellows or lucky charms a teacher would kindly explaine we can't serve it and we would serve our "back up crackers" that we keep in the kitchen with what ever else they brought that was okay to serve. This has never been an issue though.

Even if it is the most healthy snack ever, if it contains nut products, we won't serve it.

[angelcat]

Originally Posted by Emmeline II

Remember the teen with a penut allergy who died after kissing her boyfriend who had eaten a peanut product that day?

people need to stop saying that. It did NOT happen like that. I forget the details, but it WASN"T form kidssing her boyfriend. I've had to post links about it on almsot every board I go to, including here. I don't have the time to post a link right now, though.

[mimie]

I think that's a great policy. It is pretty restrictive, but I think the fact that you give a looooooong list of suggestions means that every parent can find a simple way to bring healthy, appropriate snacks. Heck, I want to print that list to take grocery shopping! (Although I only have Safeway to choose from, no TJ here.)

I also think the philosophy behind serving a group snack is very beneficial in a pre-school setting. Sharing food together is a central part of social development. Children also get a chance to eat foods they may not be familiar with - and are more likely to do so if they see other children eating the same foods.

[Einley]

Originally Posted by HoneymoonBaby

So, what happens if the parents refuse to follow the policy? We have a similar policy at our co-op, but half the parents ignore it and I'm getting frustrated. The director and teachers don't do anything about it except for occasionally "remind" us. But there is no enforcement and DS is getting CRAP food on a pretty regular basis. What would your school do in this situation?

If this happens in one of the classrooms at my son's school (each classroom has a different policy) this particular teacher refuses to serve the snack and sends it back home with the child. I am fairly certain that she keeps back-up snacks in the classroom in case this happens.

I am appalled at some of the snacks that parents send to my son's class. The teacher sends home reminders once a month, but I think it comes down to that people do not like to be told what to do and they buy whatever is easiest and most familiar to them.

OP- I love your guidelines and would love more strict guidelines for my son's class.

[melibee]

That sounds like a wonderful snack policy for personal use, but unless the snacks are being shared, I would say that it's none of the schools business what my child eats. I didn't read the whole thread though, so if it is a shared snack, I think that those are awesome parameters.

[melibee]

Okay, oops! I guess that I misread the OP. (NAK, go figure )

So yes, I think that it's a wonderful snack policy- probably the first I have seen that I would actually be comfortable with.

[MomInCalifornia]

Originally Posted by melibee

That sounds like a wonderful snack policy for personal use, but unless the snacks are being shared, I would say that it's none of the schools business what my child eats. I didn't read the whole thread though, so if it is a shared snack, I think that those are awesome parameters.

This policy only applies to snacks that are for the entire class...

Parents can send what ever they want for children's lunches as long as it does not contain any nuts or nut products.

ETA: I just saw your follow up post :-)

[l_olive]

That's almost exactly the same kind of guidelines we have for our co-op preschool -- except that instead of a peanut restriction, we have a dairy (including casein and whey) restriction. Oh, and we do allow 100% fruit juices now and then.

We each are required to take snack up to 18 times a year, and sometimes it gets hard to come up with new things to take. The kids eat a lot of pretzels and canteloupe.

But, we have a few families who are clamoring for even more restrictive guidelines to dissallow any food which is not organic, whole, and raw. They have not yet answered the question that many of us have about how we are to provide two food groups, since all they will allow are raw fruits and/or vegetables.

If the guidelines become that restrictive, we will probably start looking for a new school. I just simply can't afford the cost of providing enough organic fruits and vegetables for that many children 18 times a year.

[kmeyrick]

I am a teacher and most kids in my school are overweight with low vitamin levels. I think the guidelines are wise. I hate it when parents get snitty about no peanuts. A kid's life could be on the line! How insensitive can you get?