Almond milk

[scuba nurse]

Quick question: do you allow almond milk in your "nut aware" classrooms? Students eat breakfast and lunch in the classroom.

We just got a new student and he brings his own almond milk as he is lactose intolerant. Mother is INSISTING he drink this milk everyday at lunch (she provides it, and was *shocked* that we do not supply 'designer' milks). We do not have a specific policy that lists this type of milk, but when I Googled it, it seems like it would be a no. This issue has not come up before here.

Thanks!!

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

Milk is not necessary for good health - My son had issues with milk and we stopped when he was two. He's 15 now - big strapping line backer. He gets his calcium from dark leafy greens.

We do drink almond milk and cashew milk but I would never expect my son's school to provide it.

Hppy

[mushyrn, BSN, RN]

Milk isn't necessary for good health at all - it's amazing what the dairy industry has cemented into peoples' minds about milk and dairy.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

Maybe it's radical for me to say, but I'm of the opinion that the world doesn't need to conform because someone has a problem, i.e. something they need to avoid. Educate, educate, educate, both allergy sufferer and the rest of the student body. Also, this post got off topic a bit as people are referring to dairy propaganda (a very true phenomenon), but it can be hard to get kids to consume enough calcium if they're fussy eaters. Almond milk is a fortified with a good amount of calcium. Also, if you use the unsweetened kind, it's low in calories and still tastes good.

Most fruit juices served in schools may have a load of vitamin C dumped in them, but they're also a pure sugar hit...

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

Maybe it's radical for me to say, but I'm of the opinion that the world doesn't need to conform because someone has a problem, i.e. something they need to avoid. Educate, educate, educate, both allergy sufferer and the rest of the student body. Also, this post got off topic a bit as people are referring to dairy propaganda (a very true phenomenon), but it can be hard to get kids to consume enough calcium if they're fussy eaters. Almond milk is a fortified with a good amount of calcium. Also, if you use the unsweetened kind, it's low in calories and still tastes good.

Most fruit juices served in schools may have a load of vitamin C dumped in them, but they're also a pure sugar hit...

Personally I'd be happy if kids drank more water, especially teens.

But my school doesn't supply whole milk anymore. Just 1% and skim. And for a lot of the kids, it is only source of calcium I know they get, unfortunately.

[AdobeRN]

Maybe it's radical for me to say, but I'm of the opinion that the world doesn't need to conform because someone has a problem, i.e. something they need to avoid. Educate, educate, educate, both allergy sufferer and the rest of the student body.

I feel the same.

[BunnyHop123]

Would never have even thought of this as an issue. WOW. Soy or coconut milk not an option?

My child was milk-free during elementary school (lots of snotty nose stuff and eczema) and I never, ever thought the school needed to provide milk. Nor did I ever send a non-dairy product...one meal a day is not a big deal.

Or Rice Milk?

That stuff is good for those on no/low dairy diets

[BrisketRN, BSN, RN]

Nope. We're nut aware and do not allow any nut products of any sort. Of course there's always one kid who walks into school eating some toast with Nutella, but we make it clear that any nut products are not allowed. Silk makes individual soy milk boxes.