Comments for SnackSafely.com

Comment on Our Story by tom polipnick

tom polipnick — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:14:43 +0000

This list is amazing!! Thank you so much for your hard work and dedication to keep your and our children safe.

Comment on 2011-2012 Safe Snack Guide by shaunna

shaunna — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:34:57 +0000

I can’t thank you enough for this list. One of my 17-month old twin boys has the same three allergies and I am just starting to become educated. Your site is extremely helpful! Thank you.

Comment on Open Letter: Why Your Child Can’t Bring Peanut Butter to School (and What You Can Do About It) by Dave

Dave — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:09:11 +0000

Great points, Helen! I especially like your idea for stressing Food Anaphylaxis over allergies.

I sympathize with your concern that parents will try to circumvent peanut bans and send their kids to school with real PB in the guise of an alternative. In fact, some schools have banned anything looking like PB, but this is the exception, not the norm. My hope is that schools will make it as simple for parents to comply as possible, which is one of the reasons we founded this website.

As for teaching your child to avoid mistaking peanut butter for the alternative, I can only speak from our own experience. At a very early age we drummed into our daughter never to accept food that wasn’t either in her lunch box or the goody box we kept filled for her at school for celebrations. Even though the school uses our snack guide to keep allergens out of the classroom, we still insist she only eat foods that come from home.

Comment on 2011-2012 Safe Snack Guide by Dave

Dave — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:48:25 +0000

We understand your frustration. We have plans to extend our coverage to the other major allergens (including dairy) in the not too distant future. We suggest you subscribe to our mailing list to keep informed of ongoing developments.

Comment on Open Letter: Why Your Child Can’t Bring Peanut Butter to School (and What You Can Do About It) by Helen

Helen — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:43:38 +0000

I am the mother of a first-grader with a peanut allergy and am experiencing problems with educating others, so welcome your letter and further discussions. I do have 2 points though that I am interested in hearing more views on:
1- The issue of a peanut butter substitute makes me very nervous. I am trying to teach my child what is dangerous/should be avoided and can’t see the sense in introducing a substitute product that many claim “looks the same”. How do you teach them to avoid one thing and yet say it’s OK to eat another when they appear the same? Aren’t you safer saying ‘Don’t eat anything that looks remotely like this’? What would stop your child from reaching out for peanut butter because they are thinking, ‘oh this OK, I have it at home’? Also, with the resistance from other parents that many have experienced, saying they can use a product for the school environment that is identical in appearance to a one that is banned is simply too hard to police. I worry the alternative product just gives us a false sense of security. I wouldn’t put it past a few parents to just use PB and think they can get away with it

2 – When trying to educate others about allergies, I find the term ‘allergies’ to be my worst enemy. The prevalence of seasonal allergies (and associated advertising) seems to have made us overfamiliar with the term allergies and we tend to think it only means a few sniffles etc. I find when you are educating others about a severe food allergy that results in anaphylaxis, you should call it just that – Food Anaphylaxis. I get a better response. I think it gives it the level of severity that it requires and helps stop other parents thinking their child can’t have PB&J because mine might get a runny nose.

Comment on 2011-2012 Safe Snack Guide by mom of girls with dairy, egg, peanut allergies

mom of girls with dairy, egg, peanut allergies — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:13:57 +0000

this site was not helpful for parents who’s children also have dairy allergies. Most of the safe snacks you list contain dairy, I realize this is not one of your child’s allergies, but I wish there was a website devoted to totally allergy free snacks. Keep up what your doing, I’m sure this helps some people.

Comment on Our Story by Caren

Caren — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:46:40 +0000

We just found out our 4 yr old daughter is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts and eggs. Can’t thank you enough for creating this guide!!!

Comment on Our Story by Andrea

Andrea — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 22:55:50 +0000

I have been looking for a good list of peanut free snacks, people are usually willing to comply but have trouble reading labels. This is such a great list, thanks for all the work you have done.

Comment on Open Letter: Why Your Child Can’t Bring Peanut Butter to School (and What You Can Do About It) by Dana

Dana — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:15:57 +0000

We’ve seen first hand the immediate reaction that occurs with trace amounts of peanut and tree nuts in our child’s cafeteria. Unseen residue from peanut butter on lunchroom tables, classroom items (books, art materials, pencils, desks) and rec equipment from children who “will only eat peanut butter” triggered immediate anaphalaxis within our daughter. Nothing is worse than realizing that your child’s school environment is unsafe, each and every day because of parents who fight NOT to have empathy or understanding within their hearts.

Comment on 2011-2012 Safe Snack Guide by Caroline

Caroline — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 02:10:42 +0000

Good news to share: your Snack Safe Guide has been included our draft for our school districts FIRST EVER food allergy and anaphylaxis policy! Now, the draft must pass through several hands but I am very grateful for this guide and how it will make a difference in the safety of our children!