School bans peanut butter for breakfast over allergy fears Lucy Watts, the headmistress, wrote in a letter to parents published on the school's website: "Owing to some extreme allergies, please do not give your son anything like peanut butter or cereals containing nuts for breakfast during the week as this can have an effect on boys with allergies." A charity that provides advice and support for people with severe allergies said it did not support nut bans in schools because they can cause a "false sense of security." The Anaphylaxis Campaign went on: "There is a strong case for arguing that food-allergic children will gain a better awareness of their allergies, and learn avoidance strategies, if they move in an environment where allergens may turn up unexpectedly." Eaton House Belgravia, which takes boys aged four to eight, does not actively police what children have for breakfast, although it is strict about the contents of snack boxes taken to school by pupils and ensures that the lunches it serves are nut-free. Miss Watts said she had received no complaints from parents since introducing the policy about a decade ago. The headmistress added: "We've had boys with allergies so severe that, even if they're sitting next to someone who has eaten something like nuts or dairy, that can cause a reaction. I'm sure there are some parents who forget, or the boys are with carers and they might eat something that has nuts in for breakfast. I ask them to help us as much as they can.