Chartwells Ensures Safe, Healthy Meals for Students with Food Allergies

ELMHURT, Ill., March 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Schools across the country are celebrating National Nutrition Month® this March and participating in a variety of activities to educate students about eating a balanced diet. Chartwells believes every student should be able to enjoy a healthy meal at school, and as a result, has launched a new "Food Allergy and Medical Conditions Program" to help manage meals for students with food allergies and medical conditions.  The new program provides Chartwells' foodservice managers with the latest training and resources available to safely accommodate students with special dietary needs.  The program also follows the school allergy guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in October 2013. 

"Chartwells is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for students during meal times and understands the impact that food allergies and medical conditions can have on the life of school-aged children and adolescents," said Margie Saidel, RD and vice president of Nutrition and Sustainability at Chartwells. "We look forward to collaborating with school personnel, parents and caregivers, and medical providers to provide a safe food environment for our students." 

The guidelines recently released by the CDC place a focus on managing students' food allergies through training, planning, and collaboration among various groups within the school community.  The Chartwells "Food Allergy and Medical Conditions Program" provides the guidance, resources and step-by-step instructions that are necessary to safely serve these students through the school foodservice program.

For more information, please visit www.eatlearnlive.com or www.foodallery.org/cdc.

About Chartwells School Dining Services

Chartwells, a division of Charlotte, NC-based Compass Group, provides dining services for over 550 public school districts and private schools, comprising over 4,000 separate elementary, middle and high schools nationwide.  For more information about Chartwells School Dining Services, visit www.eatlearnlive.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.  

SOURCE Chartwells School Dining Services