We hear a lot about allergies these days (and no, we’re not talking about the pollen-kind, although those are bad too!) so thought we’d do a bit of digging. After all, we try to take good care of our kids by feeding them well (here’s a refresher on some good-for-them foods) but have to be allergy-aware as well.
First things first: According to Health Canada, an allergy is a sensitivity caused by a reaction of the body’s immune system to specific proteins in food and affects 6% of children. (This number is on the rise.)
Canada has identified a list of foods that are considered the biggest threats:
Peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, soy, seafood, wheat, eggs, milk and sulphites.
They also provide some practical tips on how to deal with possible allergies (whether your child does, or does not have any) when packing those brown paper lunches:
Be aware of any food restrictions the schools have in place.
If your child is allergic to a certain food, make sure the school is aware.
Always read the ingredients in the foods you’re sending with your child to school to make sure none are on the restricted list.
And in the kitchen, try to avoid cross contamination (these cutting boards are a great start).
For more information visit www.hc-sc.gc.ca and www.aquafresh.ca
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