For years, peanuts and tree nuts have been considered off-limits in school snacks and lunches as a key precaution to protect those with life-threatening allergies. However, as one Canadian school lifts that restriction, is the tide beginning to turn away from specific food bans?
My understanding is that nut allergies are common, the reactions are severe, there’s more public awareness, it’s easier to cut them out (eggs for example are more ubiquitous). At the same time they’re more common than say shellfish
All of these factors change over time and it’s not justification, just why it’s the way it is right now
The given reason when I was in school was that peanut oil residue could trigger a reaction, so if a kid eats a PB sandwich then touches a doorknob then that doorknob is touched by some other kid with a peanut allergy, that would be enough to trigger. No idea if that’s true. It always annoyed me because PB is one of the most calorie dense foods and is easy to pack in a lunch, so my mom really wanted to be able to send me that. I often was hungry in elementary school because I didn’t find the alternatives as filling or satisfying.
I was completely out of school before the peanut bans kicked in. A good thing, too, as I basically lived on peanut butter. Still do. :) Even when I was working and packing my own lunches, it was either leftovers or peanut butter sandwiches. Food of the gods (or demons, I suppose…)
Yeah I eat PB sandwiches basically every day. I’m autistic so I like the routine of eating the same thing, and PB is as good as you can get for food density to effort ratio.
Haven’t nut allergies climbed over the years as well? PB was never banned when I was in school.
I believe nut allergies spiked for a period of time when we thought it was due to early exposure, so people kept their kids away from peanut and that led to much more people being allergic to them. They’re now recommending that you expose your kids to common allergens as soon as possible to avoid this. I’m guessing the numbers are going back down enough that we’re comfortable with allowing peanuts in schools again.