Snack time requires careful preparation because food-related risks can become serious very quickly.
This week, we reviewed dietary restrictions, severe allergies, swallowing difficulties, and choking hazards. Our role-play emphasized that volunteers must respond immediately while following established safety protocols.
Safety begins with preparation and continues through every attentive moment.
All ten volunteers attended our eleventh training session, which focused on snack-time safety. We learned that serving food involves much more than distributing snacks. Volunteers must understand each child’s dietary needs and remain alert throughout the activity.
Our discussion covered food allergies, anaphylaxis, dysphagia, and common choking hazards. Sophia, a 10th-grade volunteer, reviewed where EpiPens are stored and stressed the importance of knowing how to contact a supervising adult immediately.
Daniel emphasized the strict rule against sharing or swapping food. Even when children intend to be friendly, exchanging snacks can expose someone to an allergen or a food that is unsafe for their individual needs.
In our role-play, a buddy with a peanut allergy reached for a peanut butter snack. Chloe calmly blocked the reach, removed the unsafe item, and replaced it with a safe snack the buddy already preferred. She responded quickly without frightening or embarrassing the child.
This session showed us that snack-time safety depends on preparation, attention, and teamwork. Volunteers should never make assumptions about whether a food is safe and must always follow the child’s approved dietary plan and supervisor instructions.