DCPS No Nut Policy - Do coconuts count?

Anonymous
I can't find official guidelines on the "no nut" dcps policy. I'd like to start using coconut flour and oils in the baked goods I make for my kids, but I'm wondering if these are safe to bring to "no nut" schools. Thank you in advance.
Anonymous
Coconuts aren’t nuts. Neither are peanuts for that matter. People can be allergic to both.

Usually “no nuts” is a peanut and tree nut ban, but many schools will gladly explain it in more detail if you ask.
Anonymous
Apparently the FDA classifies it as a “tree nut”. https://www.allergicliving.com/experts/are-coconuts-safe-with-tree-nut-allergy/
Anonymous
DCPS has a no nut policy? We are new and didn’t see this in handbook.
Anonymous
The article above is correct. Our DC has tree nut allergies and is fine with coconut, as is usually the case for kids with tree nut allergies. Despite growing on a tree, coconut allergies are pretty rare.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:DCPS has a no nut policy? We are new and didn’t see this in handbook.


There is no one DCPS "no nut" policy. Allergy policies vary by school. Janney and Murch are tree nut and peanut-free.

If you have questions about the policy contact the school.
Anonymous

My son is deathly allergic to peanuts and a number of tree nuts, and has registered a slight reaction to coconut and certain seeds, but not to an anaphylactic level. It's true that allergies to coconuts are more rare than other tree nuts or peanuts.

You should get DCPS to clarify, OP, because I am sure they have not thought about this. They should list all the "nuts" it doesn't want.
Anonymous
Hard to resist adding jokes to this.

Are there other outliers here? Other things as commonly allergy-causing or supposed to be that aren't covered in DCPS policy?
Anonymous
There is no nut policy in DCPS. Stop saying there is.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:There is no nut policy in DCPS. Stop saying there is.


+1 After clarifying with my kid’s teacher, I was able to send peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. (They ate in the classroom and there were no allergies in the class)
Anonymous
Just don't send your home-baked goods to school. It's not that hard.
Anonymous
Our school is nut free. Except when my fellow teachers want nut products for snacks or lunch. Or the principal serves staff items made with nuts. Once a teacher ate a nut bar in front of my highly allergic student.

To answer the PP, there isn’t a policy against stupidity.
Anonymous
Man, you learn something new every day (about the coconuts).
Anonymous
I'm sure DCPS has a policy where home baked goods are not allowed and only store bought items with labels are allowed. I'm familiar with the MCPS policy and those in VA suburbs, so I'd assume DCPS has that same policy. In any case, I'd check with the teacher because bringing home baked items from your kitchen could turn into a problem.
Anonymous
People can be allergic to any number of things. Check at your school and classroom level. We have had two classrooms where a child has had severe allergies to any number of things, which meant those classrooms had extra rules. Far as I can tell, the kids don't care and support each other. One of our summer camps extended as far as nothing from a facility that had tree nuts. A family member can have absolutely no exposure to shellfish, which turns out is in a ton of prepackaged food. So again, just check on the local level.

As to what you bake, just don't send in baked goods for the entire class and/or check with the teacher if you must send baked goods in with your child's lunch. Usually the teacher will tell you that home baked goods aren't welcomed as snacks or for parties.

As to coconuts specifically, they usually aren't included in the tree nut ban, but you should ask because many coconut products are made in facilities with tree nuts.

Once you get into the swing of things and once the kids are older, it's much easier. Good luck.
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