Cedar Rapids Schools Solve Peanut Problem

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Cedar Rapids Schools Solve Peanut Problem

By Josh Hinkle, Reporter

By Josh Hinkle

CEDAR RAPIDS - As many as one child out of every 80 might now be allergic to peanuts - many of them deadly allergic. With so many kids craving peanut butter, that's not good news for parents and schools. But the Cedar Rapids School District is now looking at a safe solution to this peanut problem.

For the first time in three years, Coolidge Elementary students can finally eat that simple combo so many of them love – bread, jelly, and peanut butter… almost. It’s actually called SunButter. Made from sunflower seeds, it certainly fooled more than one kid.

You really can't tell the difference between this stuff and the real thing. It looks like peanut butter. It spreads like peanut butter. And it even tastes like peanut butter.

Coolidge Elementary is one of three schools in the district that no longer offer peanut butter on the lunch menu. That's because so many kids had a peanut allergy. But most people aren't allergic to sunflower seeds. In fact, it's a rare allergy to have.

Suzy Ketelsen, the district’s food and nutrition manager, says, "We can reintroduce a product similar to peanut butter that's very, very popular in our district, yet it reduces the risk of peanut exposure."

Coolidge is one of ten schools in the district testing SunButter. If it goes over well here, this safe solution to peanut butter could be in all schools by next month.

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