November 13, 2024 by Staff News

Keeping allergens out of holiday meals

As the holidays approach and families start thinking about what they will prepare, food allergies and accommodations are at the top of their mind. For Food and Child Nutrition Services team members, these are year-round considerations as about 10% of the student population needs dietary accommodations in their daily meals.

“We work to accommodate food allergies—the Big Nine—and other dietary needs,” said Jorie Walker, a nutritionist with FCNS, who develops special menus for students who request dietary accommodations. “It’s challenging because there are so many potential allergens in meals across the board, so it’s important for parents to let us know.”

FCNS already takes into account the Big Nine allergens—wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame—when preparing foods and ensures that they are identified in packaging. For example, cafeterias offer sunflower butter as a substitute for peanut butter in PB&J sandwiches for students who might have a peanut allergy, Walker said.

Normally, parents let FCNS know about student food accommodations at the beginning of the year. These include not just food allergies, but also therapeutic diet needs and religious restrictions. Parents fill out a form in the school nurse’s office, which is then shared with Walker, who reviews it to see if additional information, like a doctor’s note, is needed.

Once the special diet menu is developed, it’s shared with the cafeteria workers, and an alert is added to the student’s ID as an additional precaution when they are going through the cafeteria line.

“But the cafeteria workers usually know who their special diet babies are,” Walker said.

Cafeterias usually offer vegetarian and vegan options for students who follow those diets, and FCNS services a Kosher and Halal project to offer parents those options, as well. Workers also undergo rigorous training about food allergens and avoiding cross contamination to keep students safe.

While parents can log into MealViewer to look at the school’s menu for any given day, these special menus are not yet available through the app, Walker said. A copy can be requested from the nurse.

A form may not be needed for families who are preparing meals for the holidays, but Walker does recommend asking guests for any restrictions they might have.

“There are so many options for going gluten free nowadays, but it’s important that you read nutrition labels and keep allergens in mind because someone might be allergic to coconut or almond, which are often used as substitutes,” she said.

Walker shared some tips to avoid food allergens in common Thanksgiving foods:

Turkey and gravy—oven roast instead of fry, and if frying, avoid using peanut oil; make sure that gravy is made with ingredients that don’t include soy
Mashed potatoes—instead of using dairy milk, try oat or rice milk and add richness and creamy texture with vegan butter or olive oil
Green bean casserole—create your own fried onion topping with gluten free all-purpose flour, cornmeal or vegetable oil; use vegan butter or margarine; and thicken with tapioca starch or arrowroot flour
Stuffing—use gluten-free cornbread mix, quinoa, rice, or roasted cauliflower instead of breadcrumbs
Rolls—grocery stores have several allergen friendly ingredients but be sure to read the ingredient lists when purchasing them
Desserts—there are several dairy-free cheesecake recipes; keep peanuts and tree nuts out of cakes, pies, cookies and other baked goods; consider an apple pie or apple and pear crumble with gluten free oats or quinoa and served with dairy free ice cream