It’s the time of year many kids dread; back to school. While parents rejoice as their kids are finally out of the house after a long year of remote and hybrid learning, teachers, coaches and cafeteria workers are preparing to welcome our students back to something resembling normalcy. Since it may have been a while for some, it is probably a prudent time for a quick back to school review on cafeteria food safety training and common allergens.
Food Safety Training for Allergens in School Cafeterias
Many of our students, and even teachers, suffer from severe allergies. Some foods may even cause a life-threatening situation if accidentally ingested. The eight big allergens you need to be aware of are:
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Wheat
- Soy
- Fish
- Shellfish
That’s quite an extensive list, but this cafeteria food safety training guide can breakdown some easy steps you can take in order to prevent serving any students something that may endanger their health.
Peanuts can cause some of the most extreme reactions to those that are allergic, even without actually ingesting peanuts themselves. Some students can suffer reactions just by being in close proximity with another student eating peanuts. We’d strongly urge you not to serve any food items that contain peanuts. While not as severe, tree nuts can also cause health hazards to those allergic, so we’d also suggest treating tree nuts the same as you would peanuts to prevent an allergic incident.
Dairy, eggs, wheat and soy are ingredients in many different food items and products, so it’s a little more difficult to simply ban them from the cafeteria. When it comes to these ingredients, make sure that items containing these are clearly labeled. It may also be beneficial to start and email group for parents with students who are susceptible to allergens to make them aware of foods being served that may contain these ingredients. This will give them advanced notice to warn their students before they arrive at school.
Fish and shellfish are rare in school cafeterias. We’d suggest not serving shellfish and treat fish as you would dairy, eggs, soy and wheat by providing a warning.
Finally, and maybe most importantly, try to serve lunches that contain none of these eight allergens. Hunger affects those with or without allergies, so no student should skip a meal just because there’s no allergy friendly selection.
Do you have alternative lunches available for students with allergies? Does this cafeteria food safety training tip sheet help?
