• If you are planning to serve food to children, talk with their caregivers to make sure there are no allergies or sensitivities. Review the menu or snack with them. It may be necessary to avoid certain foods for all children to limit the chance of the child with the allergy or sensitivity coming in contact with the food. 
•  The most common allergies are to dairy foods, peanuts, tree nuts (like walnuts), seafood and fish, eggs, wheat, and soy.  
• Ingredient lists and warnings on labels are places to start. Even foods that do not contain peanuts may be labeled they have been processed in a plant that has these ingredients. Peanut allergies are serious enough that some children cannot be in the same room when others are eating peanut products. 
• Intolerance to gluten (wheat, rye and barley) is also common. This means that the child cannot have breads, cereals or other foods that are made from these grains or that have malt added (from barley).
• An intolerance to milk (lactose intolerance) can be dealt with more easily by using lactose reduced dairy products. Some children can even tolerate yogurt and cheese this is something to check with the adults in the child's life.
• In allergies and gluten intolerance, even a minor cross contamination (using the same knife or cutting board) can trigger a reaction. You can't pick the peas out of the vegetable soup when a child is allergic to peas or cut sandwiches with a knife that you just wiped off the peanut butter if a child is allergic to peanuts. Reactions can be triggered by minute amounts.

Consider this: A children eats food safe for them but not for someone else. They touch a toy; handle a crayon, read a book leaving enough of a trace that when an allergic child touches the surface and then touches his or her mouth there is contact and a problem.

So what is safe?

• Always ask the responsible adult and follow their suggestions.
• Stick with basic ingredients like fresh or frozen vegetables, fruit, and unprocessed meat items.  Always announce what is in a food this is not a time for secret ingredients.
• Try soy or rice milk, soy cheese, soy yogurt as alternatives when cow's milk is an issue. These can be used in cooking.
• Check out our grocery and deli for items that might fit special needs including gluten free pasta, cookies, crackers and bread, allergy and gluten free deli meats. Our in &ndash store RD's and the website  nutrition@gianteagle.com can help answer your questions.
• Make a rule...no trading of food or playing and eating at the same time.
• Make hand washing another rule. Before you eat and after.  And use soap and water.  Sanitizing solution does not remove traces of allergens!