Bringing Peanut Butter to Disney and Flying

[NMW]

I get peanuts on Continental flights all the time. Provided by the airline.

We always fly Continental (out of Newark NJ) and the last couple of years we got pretzels, no more peanuts. I just guessed that it was because of liability with nut allergy people on the plane.

 

[Narnia]

I just want to know for those with allergies that can cause death with just a sniff why you would subject your child to disney? you can't advoid it . It can be on anything. Sure airlines surving peanuts isn't the only issue but what if your kid's in line and touches some residue from peanuts? It borders on abuse. If your child is so allergic then even passing a disney food court would kill them why take the chance. Disney is not an allergy free place.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

I just want to know for those with allergies that can cause death with just a sniff why you would subject your child to disney? you can't advoid it . It can be on anything. Sure airlines surving peanuts isn't the only issue but what if your kid's in line and touches some residue from peanuts? It borders on abuse. If your child is so allergic then even passing a disney food court would kill them why take the chance. Disney is not an allergy free place.

I would imagine it is a difficult line to walk for people. One one hand they must and I am sure do, everything they can to protect their children. On the other you don't want to keep them in a bubble and miss out on life. I can't imagine trying to keep a safe/happy medium. It must be very difficult and I sympathize those who must face that challenge every day.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I frequently pack Jif Singles in my checked luggage and have never had a problem. My autistic son is very picky and I carry Jif Singles in my purse so I can make him a sandwich when there's nothing else on the menu he'll eat. I just order two plain pieces of bread or a plain hamburger bun and I can make him a sandwich in any restaurant. I also take one on the plane so he can dip his crackers into it for a snack. I usually have trail mix for myself and the rest of the family. No one has ever told us not to open peanut products on a plane. If they did, of course we would comply.

 

[jiminykrikkit]

I just want to know for those with allergies that can cause death with just a sniff why you would subject your child to disney? you can't advoid it . It can be on anything. Sure airlines surving peanuts isn't the only issue but what if your kid's in line and touches some residue from peanuts? It borders on abuse. If your child is so allergic then even passing a disney food court would kill them why take the chance. Disney is not an allergy free place.

Wow. I think you're being a little dramatic...

 

[jewelshouse]

Wow, I wonder if the OP knew it would turn into such a "hot" button.

 

[pinkyinhere]

My friend bought peanut butter along with other food item in her checked luggage and it was fine.

 

[Dashzap]

I just want to know for those with allergies that can cause death with just a sniff why you would subject your child to disney? you can't advoid it . It can be on anything. Sure airlines surving peanuts isn't the only issue but what if your kid's in line and touches some residue from peanuts? It borders on abuse. If your child is so allergic then even passing a disney food court would kill them why take the chance. Disney is not an allergy free place.

True enough. But you have to live outside a bubble. The main difference between being at Disney and being on a plane is the amount of time it takes to get to an ER.

 

[liveforthemagic]

I just thought I would tell the poster that states she brings replacement snacks for those she inconveniences with her request, that I think that is one of the sweetest and most thoughtful things I have heard in a long time. On top of protecting your children, you're also taking care of those around you. That's a total "mom" thing to do.

 

[cjackearl]

OP, I would recommend you bring your own PB. We also only use natural and recently bought Kroger brand, thinking it would be just as good and it was a runny mess! If your kids are at all particular, I would pack your own in your suitcase.

 

[bhoffman]

I just thought I would tell the poster that states she brings replacement snacks for those she inconveniences with her request, that I think that is one of the sweetest and most thoughtful things I have heard in a long time. On top of protecting your children, you're also taking care of those around you. That's a total "mom" thing to do.

Thanks! We try to be very understanding of the "burden" our child could put onto others. It's all about making the world a little bit easier for everyone! I would just feel TERRIBLE if someone else's child were hungry by protecting my little guy!

Also just wanted to add to the very rational poster who added that the difference between the plane and Disney is the amount of time to the ER. Exactly the point. Also, there is recycled air on airplanes that does not get "aired" out, the air in a food court is turned over often. The amount of air in a food court for the peanut protein to be spread in is a lot easier on little lungs than recycled air where everyone is squished together breathing the same air for hours. Unless the food court has someone stir frying with peanuts it would be safer. We actually don't eat in food courts though. We don't hide behind the allergy. If we did that we wouldn't fly, we just make the safest choice possible while still living in the "real world". It is infact a fine line, one that I never pictured myself having to straddle, but none the less am now that I have my adorable little guy!

 

[NHWX]

Thank you for all the kind advice! And in deference to our peanut sensitive board members, we didn't bring any peanut snacks with us. But Southwest served peanuts anyways on the way to FL.

We packed our glass peanut butter and jam jars in a ziptop bag along with some other things inside a shoe box and put it in our checked bag. (duffle style) And they survived the flight just fine. We were able to have sandwiches in the evening on several occasions. I think we brought sandwiches to the park only one day. (I'd brought sandwich boxes specifically so that we could do that.)

Thanks again!

NHWX

 

[corgi_monster]

I met a guy who used to smuggle pot from the Big Island to Oahu. He used to put the pot in a plastic bag in the middle of a filled peanut butter jar because the DEA dogs supposedly couldn't smell detect the drugs. He was never caught, so I'm guessing there's some truth to it.

. . . just thought I'd give some perspective as to why else peanut butter might not be allowed in checked luggage.

 

[hsmamato2]

They do still hand out packages of peanuts you know... so the peanut butter anyone carries on shouldn't make a difference!
Our allergist says that this is a crazy myth that kids with peanut allergies can't fly!
but we can't live in a box. We just make sure we travel with the epi-pen.
-Sarah

Hmmmm.... I saw the 'fall over dead' note as sort of a cry for attention,but that's just me. I do believe some people can't breathe around peanuts,but i do think it's been highly inflamed,and more people are scared of nuts and other allergens than necessary. I mean, EVERY toddler I know is now "possibly deathly allergic" to nuts,causing parents to be fearful for no reason.
I'm not just saying this lightly,I'm raising a kid who lived a large part of his life with severe food allergies,some life threatening. The way I KNEW they were life threatening was b/c of some accidental expsoure twice in his younger years,and subsequent trips to the hospital. There was no guessing,we knew what would happen,we knew what to do to prevent it,and it wasn't a 'precaution' it was necessary to keep him breathing.
But we've always tended to teach our son that this is something that WE live with,and unless someone is throwing cake mix into his face,to just avoid what will make him sick.
Like,"no thanks, we don't need those pretzels-" instead of "OMG!!! are you tryng to KILL my child by handing out those baggies full of death!?!"
Yes, it could kill him. But I've also met too many people who make inflammatory statements like the pp did about" don't spill it on my kids,you'll kill him"- As a result,he's a teen now,who is completely capable of handling keeping himself safe,and handling any complications should he develop a reaction.
Like, yes, he can play with playdough,as long as he wears gloves/washed well right afterwards........
For the record,my ds is like this b/c he comes from long line of severely allergic people,none of whom make it a habit to startle others with their "information" unless necessary.

 

[hsmamato2]

I just want to know for those with allergies that can cause death with just a sniff why you would subject your child to disney? passing a disney food court would kill them why take the chance. Disney is not an allergy free place.

Not more dramatic than that first dramatic (and OT) statement But i beg to differ, Disney is about as close to a great allergy free place as you'll find anywhere in this world.....spoken by a Mom who knows all too well how hard this is. That's one reason we've visited there so often over the years.

 

[hsmamato2]

still living in the "real world". It is infact a fine line, one that I never pictured myself having to straddle, but none the less am now that I have my adorable little guy!

Agreed- I feel much the same,except my 'adorable little guy' has grown into an adorable big guy!(and survived nicely! )

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

TO PEANUT ALLERGY EXPERIENCED PEOPLE:

I have a question...if you're allergic to peanuts, are you likely to be allergic to other nuts as well?

I'm just curious as I turned down a very tasty wedding cake for our wedding because it was made with nuts and my godson has a peanut allergy (he was the ring bearer). When I told my BFF (his mom) about the yummy cake we turned down for safety's sake, she said I didn't have to do that. She was kind of shocked that I would turn down my first choice wedding cake for that. But I've always heard that it's better to have no nuts than take the chance.

Plus, I couldn't garauntee to her and her son that the cake wouldn't have peanuts since it had other nuts in it.

My older DD developed a peanut allergy when she was 6 (she's 10 now). She can eat other nuts. Peanuts are actually not a nut, they're a legume. Luckily she has an ingestion only allergy and can be around peanuts/peanut butter without issues. She also can tell when something she puts in her mouth has peanuts in it (like the chips at a mexican restaurant that turned out to be cooked in unrefined peanut oil-yikes!), and will immediately spit it out. We gave her a benadryl just to be safe, and she was fine. There's a whole spectrum of allergic reactions to peanuts that can develop at any point in life.

Let me add that they're also working on genetically engineering a peanut that lacks the allergen. That would be VERY cool.