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Las Vegas, NV 89130

Thanksgiving with Food Allergies

food allergy safe Las Vegas elementary-Innovation Academy

Food Allergy Safe school | Innovation Academy LV

A few helpful tips to manage Thanksgiving when your child has severe food allergies

Did you know that Innovation Academy is the ONLY Las Vegas elementary school that is a 100% food allergy safe school? We believe that a child with a severe food allergy shouldn’t have to be segregated and singled-out from the rest of their school for their safety. Instead, we create a food-safe environment with high quality catered meals that every student can enjoy. Innovation Academy also educates our students about food allergies and the very real danger they can present, which helps provide an environment of understanding, empathy, and acceptance.

Holidays can be a stressful and difficult time for families with severe food allergies, but there are some simple steps you can take to make sure your family still has fun, while staying food allergy safe. Of course, every family’s needs are different, but maybe some of these tips will be helpful to you. Tips courtesy “Kids with Food Allergies“, a division of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

SAFETY TIPS:

When going to someone’s house for Thanksgiving:

OPTIONS

  1. Offer to work with the host to create a safe menu. Often a food can be made safe simply by adjusting the recipe. Offer to prepare the food with the host and to help with label reading and preventing cross-contamination.
  2. Offer to bring a few “safe” food dishes to share with the rest of the family. Plate your child’s food before everyone else and keep “safe” foods separated from unsafe foods to avoid cross contamination. (Don’t forget to pull out some leftovers too. Keep it in a sealed container labeled with your child’s name.)
  3. It may not be helpful to suggest adjustments to the food planned by the host. Instead, bring a safe meal for your child to eat while there. Pack lots of safe snacks and desserts, too. Discuss this with the host first.
  4. Although unlikely to be necessary, as a last resort, if you do not feel that the situation will be safe for your child, don’t go. Some families feel most comfortable staying at their own house for Thanksgiving dinner and offer to have the rest of the family over home for dessert or a family activity. This would help ensure that you serve safe foods your whole family can enjoy.

Food Allergy Safe Holidays

The main take away here is that if you are going to be going away for the holidays, the best thing to start with is communicating with the host about your concerns and needs. That does not mean that they have to compromise their meal to accommodate you, but at the very least they need to be aware of your situation so that you can work together to make sure you have a food allergy safe holiday. In some cases, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised with peoples’ willingness to learn about, and help you manage your food allergy.

From the Innovation Academy family to yours, have a safe and delicious Thanksgiving!


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Food Allergy Safe school | Innovation Academy

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