Need a peanut free preschool snack

[mookie]

I just found out yesterday that I'm in charge of snack tomorrow for dd school (nice notice! ). I'm looking to see if any of you have any ideas...it have to be completely peanut free. (Even brand specific, since the teacher said that some brands of "peanut free" stuff is actually made with machines that also have been exposed to peanuts.) Any ideas?

I thought about fruit cups, but my dd wants to bring in juice boxes for the drink, and I thought that might be a bit of an overload.

Thanks!

 

[Cindy's Mom]

fruit roll ups, pretzels, raisins, fruit cups (don't forget the spoons)

NO GRANOLA BARS (they contant nuts)

 

[briannesmom]

String cheese is always popular at DD's preschool.

 

[solferino]

I'd do fruit and bring little water bottles for a drink.

 

[mickeyboat]

I vote for fruit cup or applesauce, string cheese and little bottles of water.

Do you know which child is peanut allergic? Maybe you could contact her mom and ask for some additional suggestions. I am surprised the teacher does not have a list.

BTW - I helped at the kids' Mexican breakfast yesterday, and was pleased to see how our school's kitchen handles allergies in the lunch room. They have a paper for each child with an allergy which contains a list of the allergies and possible allergies, and a large photo of the child with his name. How simple is that?

Denae

 

[Doe]

I agree with mickeyboat about contacting the parent. As a mom of a daughter with food allergies, I personally wouldn't bring in a snack without talking to mom or dad or if there wasn't a list they provided of safe snacks for you to choose from.
Be careful with pretzels & fruit roll-ups because some brands are not safe. Like the other posters suggested, I'd go with string cheese or packaged fruit cups/applesauce. Fruit cut up at someones home, for me, risks cross contamination.
good luck.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I agree with mickeyboat about contacting the parent. As a mom of a daughter with food allergies, I personally wouldn't bring in a snack without talking to mom or dad or if there wasn't a list they provided of safe snacks for you to choose from.
Be careful with pretzels & fruit roll-ups because some brands are not safe. Like the other posters suggested, I'd go with string cheese or packaged fruit cups/applesauce. Fruit cut up at someones home, for me, risks cross contamination.
good luck.

Do you happen to know which brands of fruit roll ups are not OK. My DD has life threatening peanut allergies and I've never had a problem, but then again, I do only buy one brand - I don't even know what it is, but I know it by sight. Its a white box and I think I'm picturing it to be Betty Crocker, but don't quote me on that.

 

[bcvgal]

Jello cups
Animal Crackers

 

[mookie]

These are all awesome suggestions! I think I might go with the string cheese option. I also saw that crackers with cheese (The sticks with the cheese dip, NOT the sandwiches) is okay too. I would love to contact the mom, but since they didn't give me enough notice, and I have to bring it in tomorrow, there is no time....we don't have a list of phone numbers for each student, either.

I did find this on the web for anyone that might need it. I'm going to print it out for the teacher to use in the future, too. I was also surprised that they didn't give a list of approved snacks!

http://www.sowashco.k12.mn.us/RO/parent/peanut-freesnacks.pdf

We had a problem last year for DD's birthday, when I needed to bring in something...I was told that cupcakes from Target were acceptable, and when I brought them in, it showed that they weren't. Target must have changed their ingredients. So, I was stuck rushing around during school hrs to try to find an alternative in time for snack time. Turns out if you need cupcakes or something birthday-ish...Hostess is the best option.

Lesson learned there, but I am now overly cautious when I need to bring in snacks, and since this time it wasn't a birthday, I needed other options. Hope that list helps the rest of you too!

 

[Christine]

Turns out if you need cupcakes or something birthday-ish...Hostess is the best option.

Lesson learned there, but I am now overly cautious when I need to bring in snacks, and since this time it wasn't a birthday, I needed other options. Hope that list helps the rest of you too!

Yes, overall, Hostess is okay but even they have changed. The Twinkies are no longer safe. I've learned to read the label every time I purchase a Hostess product now because I'm hearing they are changing. Hostess used to be 100% safe--not sure what happened with the Twinkies.

 

[Sleepy]

SOrry for not knowing the brand name, but has anyone tried this Peanut FREE peabutter? It looks just like peanut butter, but it is made from brown peas. I think the label has rabbits on it. Have not tried it, but figured if it is the TASTE of peanuts you need for that favorite sandwich, this could be an option.

 

[Poohnatic]

What about Graham Crackers. AT that age, both my kids couldn't get enough of them.

Suzanne

 

[Minniemouse07]

We do dixie cups of ice cream for birthdays. I figure it is something different from the typical cupcakes. Dd's birthday is in July as well so throughout her years in daycare they all loved the extra treat.

Now dd is in 1st grade. Last year they had each summer bday child celebrate their birthday in June before school let out. We did the dixie cups again and they went over well.

The only challenge I have is finding dixie cups w/ REAL vanilla ice cream instead of vanilla "flavored" ice cream.

For ds' (he's 2yo) halloween party yesterday I brought in cantaloupe. The kids LOVED it!

 

[Christine]

We do dixie cups of ice cream for birthdays. I figure it is something different from the typical cupcakes. Dd's birthday is in July as well so throughout her years in daycare they all loved the extra treat.

Now dd is in 1st grade. Last year they had each summer bday child celebrate their birthday in June before school let out. We did the dixie cups again and they went over well.

The only challenge I have is finding dixie cups w/ REAL vanilla ice cream instead of vanilla "flavored" ice cream.

For ds' (he's 2yo) halloween party yesterday I brought in cantaloupe. The kids LOVED it!

These would generally not be peanut safe. Most ice creams are not.

 

[kat3668]

These would generally not be peanut safe. Most ice creams are not.

Yes true and also you have to be SUPER careful with popsicles too. We had a little boy in my daycare center that was allergic to everything, dairy ,nuts eggs etc and we served breyers popsicles one day and his throat started closing, he was so good about the whole thing but screamed when we gave him the Epi pen poor thing. We determined there was some cross contamination somewhere.

 

[Doe]

Do you happen to know which brands of fruit roll ups are not OK. My DD has life threatening peanut allergies and I've never had a problem, but then again, I do only buy one brand - I don't even know what it is, but I know it by sight. Its a white box and I think I'm picturing it to be Betty Crocker, but don't quote me on that.

I cannot remember which brand it was. I believe it was a store brand/generic brand. I rarely buy the fruit rollups but one day about a month ago dd was with me while shopping and asked for some. These were right there alongside the fruit gusher/fruit rollups and they had a warning on the label.
Sorry I can't be of more help. I'm going to check them out when I go grocery shopping this weekend.

 

[MNFootballMommy]

http://www.sowashco.k12.mn.us/RO/parent/peanut-freesnacks.pdf

HEY! That's OUR school district!

Our district is VERY good about that stuff (MOST of the time). Even for preschool we get a list, but it is still not as detailed at that. I am SO printing it out and giving it to our teacher. THAT should be the list we get, not the 'general' one with just snack ideas! Thanks for sharing (and letting me brag a bit as well!)

 

[Tinijocaro]

Don't make more out of it than it is: Buy a bunch of grapes, and split them into little snack size baggies for each child. If you try to stick with a healthy snack, it should be easy.

 

[fabshelly]

I went to Google and typed in "Peanut Free Snacks" and got a bunch of stuff, including this list:

http://www.walledlake.k12.mi.us/llake/peanut_free_snack_suggestions.htm

 

[mookie]

HEY! That's OUR school district!

Our district is VERY good about that stuff (MOST of the time). Even for preschool we get a list, but it is still not as detailed at that. I am SO printing it out and giving it to our teacher. THAT should be the list we get, not the 'general' one with just snack ideas! Thanks for sharing (and letting me brag a bit as well!)

Your list was one of the first lists that came up on Google - it was a great list!

An update for us on what we got - Goldfish and string cheese with Capri Suns. The kids loved it, and I printed out the list and gave it to our teacher in the bag with the snacks, so hopefully it will help - I think all classes should have a list like that, it would help the parents out alot! Tell your school dist great job!