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?Canadian researchers found that restricting foods, such as nuts and peanuts, at schools isn't the best way to protect kids from life-threatening allergic reactions. CBC’s Deana Sumanac-Johnson breaks down the change.
The policy change stems from a parent's query to change the school's nut-free policy, which led to a host of meetings and discussion among the school community, said Marie-Hélène Gagné, principal of École Émilie Tremblay in Whitehorse. Before the new policy began on Jan.
"Food restriction has been institutionalized now for many years and these are not easy practices to change. But do I see it coming? Yes, in all likelihood it will," said Waserman, based in Hamilton, Ont. Jennifer Gerdts, executive director of Food Allergy Canada, wants to see learning about allergies become part of a food literacy curriculum for students so that kids can grow into allergy-aware adults.
Restricting or prohibiting foods like peanuts and tree nuts is just one instrument in a larger toolbox of risk-mitigating measures school officials can use — one that Gerdts acknowledges that principals may be reluctant to let go of in the case of the youngest students or because their school lacks resources to implement other measures.