If your child attends an “allergy aware” school or child care facility, you may be asked to provide lunches and snacks free of certain ingredients and follow some guidelines to help create a safe environment for children with these food allergies.
Check with your child’s school or child care centre for guidelines on reducing allergen exposure. The guidelines can vary depending on the school or age of the children.
Read food labels and learn how to identify allergen ingredients. If you are unsure about a product, choose something else. For information on the many common names that identify allergen ingredients on food labels, refer to the
Health Canada Fact Sheets.
Encourage your child to wash their hands with soap and water before eating, and wash their hands and rinse their mouth after eating (including breakfast and snacks).
Teach your child not to share his/her food, drink or utensils with classmates.
Encourage your child to help clean his/her eating area after meal and snacks.
Donating food for social and fundraising events? Check with your child’s school or childcare centre first to find out if there are nutrition or allergy guidelines in place. If your child’s school welcomes food brought in for special events, make sure all ingredients in foods are clearly labeled including home made items.
Parents involved in planning hot lunch school fundraisers: Check with the school administration first to find out if there are nutrition or allergy guidelines in place. Caterers and franchises must be made aware of food allergies and follow guidelines or policies outlined by the school.
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