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Hello listmates… 

            Just a brief fleeting thought in honor of the return to
school.  I was reading the school lunch suggestions and wondered how
many of the items we packed the kids *really* eat.  I remember my mom
packing things for me too… that I gracious slide into the trash at
school while eyeing the twinkies in a friend’s lunch.  So I guess this
is a two question email:  (1)  If the kids could write their top ten
lunches and lunch surprises (fun ones that are beyond the norm)… what
would that list look like compared to ours?  

            The second question is a bit off topic, but relevant
nonetheless.  I am a high school teacher at a school where the student
store serves freshly baked cookies.  (Yes, the aroma is to die for… but
after a week of smelling the same thing, it’s easy for me NOT to cheat!)
Anyway, one student (a sophomore) who has severe peanut allergies,
ordered a peanut butter cookie.  Since his allergy was unknown to the
store clerks (one assumes that a high school sophomore (15 years old)
would know NOT to order food that would put his life in jeopardy),  they
sold him the cookie which he promptly ate.  And promptly went into
anaphylactic shock.  The student was rushed to the hospital (all’s well
now as treatment was administered immediately with an epipen as well).
The store staff students were helped as well (they were in shock and
quite upset).  Not a week goes by, and this same student attempts to
order yet ANOTHER PB cookie.  Can anyone help me understand this?  Is
this a drive to fit in and not have there be anything different?  The
only preventative measure taken by the school store/student store was to
ban completely the sale of any items containing peanuts (so long
Snickers, etc.).  What other measures can a school take to protect
someone from themselves?  

            I hope this last one makes sense.  I really just wanted to
get some input from people who have been dealing with food issues longer
than I (only 2 years) and/or those with different view points.

 

            MANY THANKS!
            Kate

* Please remember some posters may be WHEAT-FREE, but not GLUTEN-FREE *