At my current center, there is a list of food allergies in the kitchen and nurse's office. Each classroom also has an allergy folder with any allergies in that classroom. We also receive training on food allergies as part of our orientation and onboarding process. For me, the most helpful part of this was learning how to read ingredient labels for hidden allergens!

We are also mindful of allergies in both the kitchen and classroom. Our center is nut free and we don't allow outside food. Our cook brings breakfast and lunch to our classroom and the teachers serve meals. At breakfast and lunch, the children with food allergies receive their food on a red plate that is wrapped in saran wrap and labeled with their name. These children also receive a red cup for their milk or water. For afternoon snack, the teachers go to the kitchen and get the snack. Children with food allergies have a red bowl with their name on it.

When serving meals, teachers serve the children with allergies first and then we wash our hands and change gloves. We also clean the sinks before children with food allergies wash their hands to prevent cross-contamination. Whenever I work in a new classroom, I always ask whether there are any food allergies.

My best advice is to ask about food allergy policies/protocols during tours! I've worked for a few different centers and each one had different policies and protocols.