I know this may seem trivial to many people out there, but if you have a child with allergies or a child who loves granola bars and is school age, it matters.
Carson is now in preschool and as with almost all schools nowadays, snacks (and sometimes even lunches) brought into the school must be peanut free. I am lucky to not have a child with this allergy, but it is a scary as heck allergy. They are so severe usually that it takes so little to send a child to the hospital and this allergy kills.
We were buying snacks for Carson's preschool and he wanted to buy granola bars, but we can't because there are none on the U.S. market that are peanut safe. Upon researching and looking for a brand that was safe, I found that Quaker has a COMPLETELY peanut and tree nut free facility in Canada (as does Mars candy company). I called Quaker to see if I could purchase those somewhere around me.
Well, guess what? You CAN'T! They are not sold at all in the U.S. Not only was the lady quick to inform me of that, but she was very rude to me about it. When I told her that I would like her to make a report of my call and pass it along so that the company could see that there is a demand in the U.S., she got really huffy with me. Apparently, I was somehow disturbing her busy day of Quaker customer service.
I am asking EVERYONE to PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE for the sake of all the children out there with peanut allergies and also the families affected by school age non-allergic children being limited to call Quaker and request that they offer these safe products here in the U.S.
They answered the phone quickly and it will only take 1-2 minutes. Specifically ask that they make a report of the call or they will just say, 'they aren't available in the U.S. and hang up. Please, think of all the time you are sitting doing nothing or are waiting in line at the drive thru or for many of us, waiting in the car pick-up line at school. Please take these 2 minutes.
They are open from 7-5 central time. Thanks.
1-800-367-6287
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3 comments:
I will call. I'm not a huge granola bar fan (and neither are my kids). But, I spent 4 years in a peanut-free preschool and finding birthday snacks was near impossible. Also, we were very limited on the days the kids did have to pack a lunch. I don't see why more companies aren't accomodating to the allergy issue. I also don't know why someone doesn't open up a peanut-free bakery. They could make a killing on cakes, cupcakes, cookies, etc. You cannot get any of that stuff for Dierbergs, Schnucks, etc with a "nut-free guarantee". Maybe we need to start our own business?
Heck, that's a business plan right there!
I was procrastinating by clicking around the internet this evening, one blog link to another, and stumbled upon this post. I am a mother of a daughter (nearly five years old) with a severe peanut allergy. It does suck in lots of ways and it heals my heart a little to read about someone taking it seriously, as so many people don't.
Anyway, there is a website called peanut free planet, where you can order those Canadian versions of products and other nut free goodies as well. It is a little pricier than getting granola bars from your neighborhood store, but if you really like them that would be a way to provide some for your son. I think the web address is:
www.peanutfreeplanet.com
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