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Okay. I will freely admit that I can be a completely insensitive bitch, but I really, really think that the hypersensitivity over peanut allergies is completely overblown hysteria and it's really starting to piss me off.
For the confused child-free (and I'm guessing non-Americans as well) on my f-list, most schools in the states have enacted a "peanut-free" policy. We're not supposed to pack anything in their lunches that might have peanuts in them.
Yes, I realize that it can be really dangerous for some kids to eat foods with peanuts. Yes, I feel sorry for the kids who have to eat special food. Still, I think that most of this is a complete overreaction. Out of 365 million Americans, only 100-150 people die each year from all food allergies combined. The kids have a far greater chance of getting hit in the parking lot by a car or hell, getting struck by lightening, than dying from a peanut allergy.
Which brings me to the latest bullshit over my kid's spring music program where the parents have all been asked to bring in cookies as refreshments. The school sent out a reminder telling us to bring the cookies and reminding us that they're a peanut-free school. I still think it's overreactionary bullshit, but whatever. But then, one hysterical parent whose daughter is allergic to peanuts sends out a reply to all the parents in the school just in case we don't understand the gravitas of the situation. Some excerpts:
While shopping, I've found that several cookies have labels that say that either they contain nuts, MAY contain a trace of nuts, or processed with equipment that processes nuts.
Yes, that's right. Not only are we not allowed to bring anything with nuts, but we're also supposed to divine if such treats might have trace amounts of peanuts in them or have touched a mixer that once held a peanut.
Her attitude is not unusual. A lot of schools (although not ours... yet) require that treats brought into class be prepackaged with an ingredient label. Which means if you want to bake some brownies or cookies or cupcakes for your kid's birthday - hey you're shit out of luck. You want to be a lazy ass like me and go to a bakery and buy a batch of cookies or, hell, by a package of Oreos - well you'd better make sure that there's an ingredient list, quiz the baker/do internet research on the company about whether or not they make other products with peanuts in them.
Is there actually any evidence at all anywhere that equipment that have processed nuts and then processed food without nuts has gotten anyone sick? I've never seen any.
I even had the idea to make my own cookies and surprisingly found out that many of the separate ingredients may contain nuts. Ingredients you would never believe could possibly contain nuts, actually do.
Like what? Last I checked what you need to make chocolate chip cookies goes something like this: flour, eggs, milk, sugar, chocolate chips, butter, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Where exactly would the rogue peanut sneak in?
When you make your cookie selection for the fundraiser, please check all labels and make sure to bring the labels to the fundraiser. Whoever is in charge of setting up the cookie table should check all labels and place them next to their respective cookie and anything without a label should be placed in a separate area of the table and labeled as such.
Yes, that's right. Because her daughter (who is one out of 75+ kids at this school) has a mild peanut allergy, she wants everyone else to accommodate her to the point of placing all of the labels out for general inspection and putting the rogue cookies that the bad mommies brought into exile on the table of shame.
Or, you know, since she's going to be attending the event to watch her precious snowflake sing, she could bring cookies she deems acceptable and make sure her daughter eats only those. No way... that's just crazy talk!
She then goes on in boring detail about her daughter's mild nut allergy, that's now become the problem of every parent at that school, until she gets to her point which is:
"For those of you looking for suggestions, the ‘Good Life’ company makes cookies that are sensitive to nut and many other allergies common to children these days, and may be enjoyed by many families at the school. They can be purchased at Whole Foods and Plum Market."
Of course expensive and fancy cookies bought from Whole Foods (the only place in the yuppie universe that sells nutritious stuff) is the answer! How could I not see that before?
She then thanks us for our "understanding" and then attaches a picture below of her kid smiling with the caption "Sydney thanks you too!!!" for extra guilt.
When I got this e-mail I had to physically walk away from the computer to keep from typing a nasty response and sending it to everyone.
What truly irritates me is her assumption that because her daughter has a problem, we should all modify our behavior to accommodate her, instead of her stepping up and being a responsible parent and taking care of it herself.
Plus if it's really that big of a problem for your kid, why the hell would you count on other people to take care of it instead of making sure it's done right yourself?
Gah. I know I'm overreacting, but better to rant here than to shoot off a bitchy email.
For the confused child-free (and I'm guessing non-Americans as well) on my f-list, most schools in the states have enacted a "peanut-free" policy. We're not supposed to pack anything in their lunches that might have peanuts in them.
Yes, I realize that it can be really dangerous for some kids to eat foods with peanuts. Yes, I feel sorry for the kids who have to eat special food. Still, I think that most of this is a complete overreaction. Out of 365 million Americans, only 100-150 people die each year from all food allergies combined. The kids have a far greater chance of getting hit in the parking lot by a car or hell, getting struck by lightening, than dying from a peanut allergy.
Which brings me to the latest bullshit over my kid's spring music program where the parents have all been asked to bring in cookies as refreshments. The school sent out a reminder telling us to bring the cookies and reminding us that they're a peanut-free school. I still think it's overreactionary bullshit, but whatever. But then, one hysterical parent whose daughter is allergic to peanuts sends out a reply to all the parents in the school just in case we don't understand the gravitas of the situation. Some excerpts:
While shopping, I've found that several cookies have labels that say that either they contain nuts, MAY contain a trace of nuts, or processed with equipment that processes nuts.
Yes, that's right. Not only are we not allowed to bring anything with nuts, but we're also supposed to divine if such treats might have trace amounts of peanuts in them or have touched a mixer that once held a peanut.
Her attitude is not unusual. A lot of schools (although not ours... yet) require that treats brought into class be prepackaged with an ingredient label. Which means if you want to bake some brownies or cookies or cupcakes for your kid's birthday - hey you're shit out of luck. You want to be a lazy ass like me and go to a bakery and buy a batch of cookies or, hell, by a package of Oreos - well you'd better make sure that there's an ingredient list, quiz the baker/do internet research on the company about whether or not they make other products with peanuts in them.
Is there actually any evidence at all anywhere that equipment that have processed nuts and then processed food without nuts has gotten anyone sick? I've never seen any.
I even had the idea to make my own cookies and surprisingly found out that many of the separate ingredients may contain nuts. Ingredients you would never believe could possibly contain nuts, actually do.
Like what? Last I checked what you need to make chocolate chip cookies goes something like this: flour, eggs, milk, sugar, chocolate chips, butter, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Where exactly would the rogue peanut sneak in?
When you make your cookie selection for the fundraiser, please check all labels and make sure to bring the labels to the fundraiser. Whoever is in charge of setting up the cookie table should check all labels and place them next to their respective cookie and anything without a label should be placed in a separate area of the table and labeled as such.
Yes, that's right. Because her daughter (who is one out of 75+ kids at this school) has a mild peanut allergy, she wants everyone else to accommodate her to the point of placing all of the labels out for general inspection and putting the rogue cookies that the bad mommies brought into exile on the table of shame.
Or, you know, since she's going to be attending the event to watch her precious snowflake sing, she could bring cookies she deems acceptable and make sure her daughter eats only those. No way... that's just crazy talk!
She then goes on in boring detail about her daughter's mild nut allergy, that's now become the problem of every parent at that school, until she gets to her point which is:
"For those of you looking for suggestions, the ‘Good Life’ company makes cookies that are sensitive to nut and many other allergies common to children these days, and may be enjoyed by many families at the school. They can be purchased at Whole Foods and Plum Market."
Of course expensive and fancy cookies bought from Whole Foods (the only place in the yuppie universe that sells nutritious stuff) is the answer! How could I not see that before?
She then thanks us for our "understanding" and then attaches a picture below of her kid smiling with the caption "Sydney thanks you too!!!" for extra guilt.
When I got this e-mail I had to physically walk away from the computer to keep from typing a nasty response and sending it to everyone.
What truly irritates me is her assumption that because her daughter has a problem, we should all modify our behavior to accommodate her, instead of her stepping up and being a responsible parent and taking care of it herself.
Plus if it's really that big of a problem for your kid, why the hell would you count on other people to take care of it instead of making sure it's done right yourself?
Gah. I know I'm overreacting, but better to rant here than to shoot off a bitchy email.
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From:
As I said earlier...
Yes, obviously some children are allergic to peanuts and obviously they shouldn't eat them. But some kids are allergic to milk or lactose intolerant (two different conditions, both more widespread). I don't suppose these schools are forbidding dairy products, hm?
Like others have said I really don't see what the problem is with having kids with allergies bring their own food. More options are better than fewer ones. Why not make two batches of cookies, one with peanuts and one without? Always worked for my school where we had a disproportionately large number of vegetarians. Some food with meat... and some without.
Honestly, I've never encountered this but I also haven't been in elementary school for a good... hm... six years? So I guess I shouldn't be that surprised. Still, it does seem excessive.
That said, are they objecting solely to peanuts or every kind of thing that sort of looks like a peanut? Something that a lot of people don't understand is that peanuts =/= nuts. Nut allergies are completely different. If its just the former, than almond and hazelnuts work as nice peanut-substitutes in my experience. If not, though...
Well, your irritation is somewhat well-deserved.
From:
Re: As I said earlier...
I think that one reason I find this so baffling is that I've been out of elementary school for 20+ years. Back in the day, there wasn't anything even remotely like these policies, so it was a complete shock to send my own kid to school and discover this new hysteria and the extreme lengths people will demand others go to in order to "protect" their kids.
Like others have said I really don't see what the problem is with having kids with allergies bring their own food.
If I were a parent of a kid with severe allergies, there's no freaking way I'd trust other people, even well meaning ones, to be responsible for making sure my kid doesn't eat the wrong stuff. Not only should it not be their problem, but really, are they going to be as vigilant as they would be with their own kid.
I have a hard enough time herding four people into getting fed, appropriately dressed and into the car so we can show up on time. Usually, I totally forget to bring the snack until the very last minute, and dash into the store on the way to the concert to pick up the treat as we're running late. Would you want someone as distracted as me being in charge of keeping your kid from getting sick?
Something that a lot of people don't understand is that peanuts =/= nuts. Nut allergies are completely different. If its just the former, than almond and hazelnuts work as nice peanut-substitutes in my experience.
I forgot to mention, those are banned as well. They've expanded the policy this year from "peanut-free" to "peanut-free and no tree nuts" school - so it's actually harder to find stuff.