School Lunches and Acid Reflux
When it comes to dealing with acid reflux in your school aged child you need to look long and hard at the school lunches. Should you really send your child with money to buy them? Below is a sample menu taken directly from my daughters’ school. Look at the menu in light of acid reflux. At the end of each menu I will list the foods can be huge triggers for acid reflux pain.
Monday
Cheese Pizza
Tossed Salad
Carrot Coins
Chocolate Cake
Milk
Triggers: Cheese Pizza (too fatty and contains tomato sauce), Chocolate cake (chocolate is a huge reflux trigger).
Tuesday
Sloppy Joe on Bun
Baked Potato Chips
Baby Carrots w/ Dip
Mixed Fruit
Milk
Triggers: Sloppy Joe (tomato based sauce).
Wednesday
Burrito/Chili Con Carne/Salsa
Seasoned Corn
Tossed Salad
Apple Wedges
Milk
Triggers: Burrito/Chili Con Carne/Salsa (too spicy and contains tomato based products).
Thursday
Hamburger
Sandwich Salad Cup/Mayo/Mustard
Tater Tots/Ketchup
Chilled Peaches/Graham Crackers
Milk
Triggers: Ketchup and Tater tots (too fatty and ketchup is tomato based).
Friday
Corn Dog/Mustard
Baked Beans
Rosy Applesauce
Orange Wedges
Milk
Triggers: Corn dog (the hot dog portion can often trigger acid reflux) Orange wedges (citrus fruits are too acidic for most with acid reflux).
I wrote this blog to illustrate a point. Please take the time to check out what is being served at your child’s school. If your child is coming home with flare ups of their GI issues and you can’t figure out why… take a good look at what they are eating at school
Jennifer Rackley is a nutritionist and mother of three girls. Two of her children have dealt with acid reflux disease, food allergies, migraines, and asthma. She has a Bachelor of Science in dietetics from Harding University and has done graduate work in public health and nutrition through Eastern Kentucky University. In addition to writing for HealthCentral, she does patient consults and serves on the Board of Directors for the Pediatric Adolescent Gastroesophageal Reflux Association.