School canteens and allergies: what you should ask for

Leaving a child with a food allergy at a canteen is one of the hardest things to do. This guide is about organisation: the medical decisions belong to your allergist, and what we cover here is what a school should have in place.

The starting point: the paperwork

Everything starts with the medical report. Without it, a canteen can't act with any real guarantee. The report should state the specific allergens, how serious the allergy is, and the course of action set out by the specialist.

Hand it over in writing and ask for confirmation of receipt. It sounds bureaucratic, and it's exactly what protects your child.

What a canteen should have in place

• A written, accessible protocol, not a verbal agreement with the cook.
• Separate surfaces and utensils when preparing the adapted dish.
• A cooking order: allergen-free dishes made first, before there's any contamination in the kitchen.
• The dish identified by name all the way to the table.
• The serving team knowing who's who. It's not enough for the kitchen alone to know.
• Ingredient sheets for everything used, including sauces and bought-in products.
• A plan for substitutions and surprises, like a missing ingredient forcing the kitchen to improvise.
• Staff trained to recognise a reaction and act on it.

The weak point is always the same

It isn't the kitchen: it's communication. Incidents tend to happen when there's cover staff, a school trip, a birthday party, or a day the menu changes at the last minute. Ask specifically what happens in each of those four situations.

Questions that reveal everything

• Who prepares the adapted dish, and at what point in the service?
• How is it identified from the kitchen all the way to the table?
• What happens on the day the usual staff member is off?
• Can we see the ingredient sheets for bought-in products?
• How are celebrations handled, and food other families bring in?
• Who tells the family if there's been an incident, and how quickly?

If the answers are vague, or start with "don't worry", push further. A well-prepared canteen answers these questions in detail and without getting defensive.

What you can do

• Update the report whenever anything changes, even for the better.
• Check the monthly menu and ask about doubtful dishes in advance, not on the day.
• Explain it to your child matter-of-factly and without fear, in a way that fits their age.
• Keep contact details current, and leave a second phone number.

How we do it

We work with a medical report, a written protocol, and separate surfaces and utensils. The serving team always knows who has which restriction, and adaptations cost nothing extra. If you'd like, you're welcome to come and watch how we prepare a service with adaptations before deciding anything.