Dear Families, 9/10/15 We have a number of families in our programs with children who have severe peanut/nut allergies. In order to maintain a safe environment for these children and all children, we are asking families to take the following precaution before entering our ECFE classroom. Please take your child(ren) to the washroom and have them thoroughly wash their hands prior to entering our classroom. Not only will this help those children with allergies, but it will also help us all as we deal with cold and Flu viruses. When it is your turn to bring snack for children OR parents, please ensure that the snack you bring is “nut-free” by reading the ingredients label. This includes snacks which were made in a factory which could have “possible contact with peanut and tree nuts”. Attached is a list of healthy snacks to aid in your snack choices. We appreciate your help keeping our classrooms safe for all children. Any questions, please see your teacher or you can call Chris DeGroote, Early Childhood Coordinator at 729-9563 ext. 101. PEANUT FREE/NUT FREE SNACK LIST Please avoid snacks that contain peanuts, peanut flour, peanut oil or peanut butter or other nuts. This includes snacks with almonds, coconuts, sunflowers, filberts, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts. (Tree nuts) Quick check brands: Kellog’s, Keebler, General Mills, Beetty Crocker and Quaker Oats brands are excellent at identifying allergens on their packaging: Example: CONTAINS PEANUT AND EGG INGREDIENTS Please note: Food labels/ingredients may change over time, so it is always recommended that you read the label before purchasing snacks. Please read labels carefully to make sure that products are nut free. This includes labels that read “May contain traces of peanuts/nuts”. Thank you for your consideration and support in keeping the food-allergic child safe from having a life-threatening allergic reaction at school. HEALTHY SNACK OPTIONS Fruit/Vegetables Cereals Any fresh fruit (apples, oranges, bananas, Cheerios (not Honey Nut or Frosted) grapes, pears, plums, clementines, Chex (Rice, Corn, Wheat) strawberries, melons, berries, etc.) Cinnamon Toast Crunch Raisins, Craisins & other dried fruits Corn Flakes Fresh vegetables (baby carrots, celery sticks, Crispix grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, broccoli, Frosted Mini-Wheats pepper strips, etc.) Kashi (Go Lean Crunch, Good Friends, Cinnamon Raisin Crunch, Heart to Heart) Cheese/Dairy Kix String cheese or other cheeses (1 oz.) Life (not Vanilla Yogurt Crunch) Kraft Handi-snacks with cheese (with red Wheaties sticks) Other Unsweetened cereal without nuts *** Be careful with any other type of pre- Other packaged cheese and cracker sandwiches as most Nabisco 100 calorie pack – Yogurt flavored contain nuts/traces of nuts. pretzels Nabisco Toasted Chips Ritz Snack Mix Crackers/Snack Items Small bagels with cream cheese (no nut) Triscuits, Wheat Thins, Vegetable Thins Popcorn Ritz crackers (NOT Ritz bits or sandwiches) Pretzels Ritz Crackerfuls (classic cheddar, Four cheese, Garlic Herb) Nutrigrain cereal bars/yogurt bars Town House, Club, Toasteds Special K Bars (not honey nut) Special K Snack Bites Cheeze-its, Cheese Nips, Better Cheddars Fig Newtons (all flavors) Saltines, Oyster crackers Rice Cakes (NOT Quaker Brand) Wheatables, Air Crisps, Munch’ems, Keebler Snack Stix Potato Soy Crisps Kashi Tasty Little Crackers (TLC) Gensoy Soy Crisps Breton brand crackers Cheez-it Party Mix Goldfish crackers Fruit snacks (twists, roll-ups) Annie’s Bunnies Graham crackers, Graham cracker sticks Teddy Grahams Animal Crackers (Austin Zoo, Barnum) Vanilla Wafers .