With summer vacation winding down in a few weeks and school starting next month, parents will have to deal with that all important question: what do I do for my child at lunch? And it’s not just about eating healthy, it’s about eating safely. According to the website www.foodallergy.org, 1 in 13 children (roughly 2 per classroom) have food allergies, with an economic cost to Americans of nearly $25 billion per year.

Dr. Kyrena Robinson from the Amen Clinic in Washington DC says “in addition to allergies, many of us have low grade food intolerances which can irritate the body and build inflammation. As a nutritional strategist, I counsel parents on bringing balance to the table with brain-healthy foods.” In addition, Robinson says it’s important for parents to teach their children about making lunch fun, contribute to it themselves by helping to choose what they want – with guidelines and communication with their children, while offering your viewers these tips about coping with food allergies:

Keep a stash of safe snacks. The easiest choices are fruits and vegetables. They harbor no hidden ingredients, are portable and often well-liked by kids.

Get cooking. Get acquainted with ingredients that are safe, master a handful of reliable recipes and involved your child in the cooking process.

Look for chances to shape school policy. Helpful parental involvement can ensure the complicated issue of food allergies gets the attention it warrants. Tread lightly, but volunteer to provide snacks or suggest rules that prevent food sharing in the lunchroom.

Dr. Kyrena Robinson is a board certified Holistic Nutritionist by the National Association of Nutrition Professionals.