From "Nut Free" to "Nut Aware"

Published

Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.

Has anyone on here done this in their schools? I HATE that we say we are a "Nut Free" school. We aren't. It's impossible. Yes, we post signs all over the place, but we still, almost daily find kids eating the reese's cup that came in their lunchable, or sneaking bites of a PBJ at lunch and claiming it is soy butter. I also see teachers eating nuts ALL.THE.TIME! I just walked into a classroom and the teacher was standing eating a bag of almonds and claims she had "no idea" we were 100% nut free in the building (she is new this year) :no: We have a sign on the front door of the school, and every possible entrance to each floor.

Anyway, I feel strongly that saying "Nut Free" gives a false sense of security to everyone and would really like to push us to move towards being "Nut Aware" instead. I am curious since that is moving in the less stringent direction, if anyone has done that and how you went about it, and how that looks in your school and at lunch.

Currently we have 488 kids, K-3. About 122 per grade. They eat lunch in four shifts, in the cafeteria, one grade at a time. Kids either eat lunch from home or take a school lunch. Our vendor is a nut free kitchen. Kids sit at tables by class, 2 large tables per class of about 25 students.

Next year, which is when I want to roll this out, we will have >1,000 students in a new building, K-8. The cafeteria there is much bigger and I have no idea how lunches will be handled yet. They claim to be nut free at that campus as well but the nurse there tells me she sees the same stuff I see.

Would love your input!

Thanks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I love it. Nut Free is not possible. It allows for some wiggle room. We use this vocabulary in my school, now, as well. I think I got it from this board...maybe even from you!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I love it. Nut Free is not possible. It allows for some wiggle room. We use this vocabulary in my school, now, as well. I think I got it from this board...maybe even from you!!!

My husband is an allergist and I asked him for some "easy to digest" articles I can have admin staff read that shows strong data that nut free does not = reduced anaphylaxis. They are very receptive to my ideas and I am the one who writes all of our polcies regarding health-related stuff, so as long as I sell it to them we can do it ;)

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

Ooh! can you share when you get said articles? As of now we are not nut free and as long as I have anything to say about it, we will not be for the reasons you mentioned. But I can alreasy see that we have one vocal parent who is trying to make waves are wants to change things up around here. I want to be well armed for when the argument comes my way that the nut free table or single nut aware classroom is not enough for her and she wants the mythical nut free school to "put her at ease." It's all fun and games until someone sneaks in some Skippy.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

We call ourselves "nut aware" but many parents still perceive it as "nut free." All students get cafeteria lunch as it's included in the tuition (private school), but they'll still bring in nuts, pb, nutella, etc to snack on before or after school. I've told the story here before--last year one of our HIGH SCHOOL students ate a whole fricken walnut on a field trip despite being allergic to tree nuts. Luckily she was fine, but it was a teaching moment of "you are 15. You are old enough to ask "is that a walnut?" before eating food."

For legal purposes, make sure parents know that the school is "nut aware" and what that means. It's in our handbook and we also inform parents upon admission to our school. We get permission from parents of students with life-threatening allergies to inform the other parents in our classroom of the allergy (our parent volunteers/parent class rep takes care of that with an email sent to all parents before the first day of school). We do what we can do. We've also banned bake sales on campus.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
Has anyone on here done this in their schools? I HATE that we say we are a "Nut Free" school. We aren't. It's impossible. Yes, we post signs all over the place, but we still, almost daily find kids eating the reese's cup that came in their lunchable, or sneaking bites of a PBJ at lunch and claiming it is soy butter. I also see teachers eating nuts ALL.THE.TIME! I just walked into a classroom and the teacher was standing eating a bag of almonds and claims she had "no idea" we were 100% nut free in the building (she is new this year) :no: We have a sign on the front door of the school, and every possible entrance to each floor.

Oh sweet baby Moses.

Given your experience NOW, all you can do is what you've been doing. Advocate, educate...and realize stuff will go to Hades in a basket because of exactly what you're observing.

Also K-8 is gonna be fun! You'll have the kids who wet their pants and the girls who need a change of clothing because - surprise! I am thoroughly enjoying this range. Although with a thousand kiddos - I hope you get help!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The district I'm in is also revamping the Allergy Policy and I've asked that the district be known as "Allergy Aware" because there are so many other items besides nuts that students have an allergy to. I'm hoping it goes through.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nursing, Pediatrics.

Will you and the other nurse both be at the new building next year? Maybe you can start to work on something together now so it can be implemented when you combine schools. More signs, more awareness, nut free tables...etc...

Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Will you and the other nurse both be at the new building next year? Maybe you can start to work on something together now so it can be implemented when you combine schools. More signs, more awareness, nut free tables...etc...

Good luck!

I think she will be moving to the new HS campus (we are taking over their space to join the MS). There WILL be another nurse there but I don't know who that will be yet.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Telemetry, Gastroenterology, School Nrs.
The district I'm in is also revamping the Allergy Policy and I've asked that the district be known as "Allergy Aware" because there are so many other items besides nuts that students have an allergy to. I'm hoping it goes through.

This! We have nut allergies, sure, but we also have egg, cinnamon, watermelon, soybeans, etc... I've never been a fan of the "Nut free" terminology.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in IMC, school nursing.

The terminology is a legal nightmare. The main reason we would not cave to a mom demanding it. Admin told her she was trying to create a false safety and increasing the risk to her son. The same parents who lawn mow will be the ones who sue for an incident.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.

I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day for school lunch until about 6th grade. No one died from it. Finally, in 6th grade, my tastes branched out slightly.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion