Cliff Notes – BTS Version

So ’tis the time of the year that all parents look forward to and all kids dread – back-to-school! Routines are resumed & supplies are purchased. Over the years I have written several posts on what we do for school in regards to Jon eating safely. Instead of rehashing the same old thing here, I am going to post the links so that they are all in one place for easy reference.

The next few days & week will be spent emailing this letter to Jon’s teachers & school nurse. Since he is in high school now (OMG), he doesn’t have only 1 teacher, or even just 2 or 3. He has 8 or 9. I want them all to be aware of Jon’s condition even though most of them will not be feeding him or ever have food in the classroom. By having that knowledge, they will be able to be more understanding if Jon isn’t feeling well or has to leave the room in a hurry to go to the bathroom.

You can find my newest plan in regards to Jon’s lunch here. Every child is different, so take likes & dislikes, as well as age, into consideration when deciding what to pack for your child. While Jon may not get a completely balanced meal at lunch, I make sure to fill in those missing parts at breakfast, dinner and snacks. There is no sense in packing food that I know he will not eat or not eat in front of his friends. This year his lunch is at 10:10 AM. We talked about how he isn’t even really hungry yet after stuffing breakfast in early, so I pack only a sandwich & nuts and he buys milk. Then he takes a Soy Joy bar to eat between classes. Some other snack or protein bars that he will eat are:

• Envirokids Lemur Peanut Choco Drizzle
• thinkThin bars
• Nature Valley peanut or almond crunch

Jon’s school starts at 7:20 and he needs to be out the door by 6:45 AM and we are finding it is hard for him to eat so early. He is used to not eating until 9 or 10 AM, so this is an adjustment for him. He will adjust over time. For now he is drinking a Carnation Instant Breakfast* and eating a banana. Something is better than nothing and we have a deal that if he doesn’t eat fruit for lunch, he needs to for breakfast and either snack or dinner. Bananas are quick & easy & require no prep. Yogurt and fruit may be another thing that he opts for as he gets used to eating so early. I will also make a large batch of pancakes & freeze them for him so he can reheat in the microwave quickly.

I will also be contacting the director of food service to see if there are any safe options for Jon. He knows he can have yogurt, fresh fruit, salads (as long as he checks dressing) and some other packaged foods. I doubt that he will be purchasing any prepared foods at school.

*Not all varieties of Carnation Instant Breakfast are gluten-free. Please read labels before consuming.