"This is a nut-free school" part 1

     Finding out your "picky eater" child will be attending a school that calls itself "nut free" can be quite stressful for a parent.  Many picky eaters have very few, if any, consistent sources of protein. Peanut butter is often one of those sources. Having this removed as an option is problematic.
     I have had good success with the introduction of sunflower butter as a replacement. Remember sunflower butter is made of sunflower SEEDS, and seeds are not nuts. The consistency is nearly identical to creamy peanut butter. Picky eaters are notorious for exceptionally sensitive senses of taste and smell. I have had a few picky eating clients who ate the sunflower butter and believed it was peanut butter. Others immediately declared "that's not peanut butter."

    Suggestion: Try offering the sunflower butter in place of peanut butter without telling your child. (You will need to not let them see you purchasing or preparing it.) They might not notice the difference-if you are so lucky, you are done! Most likely they will notice. Because, after all, they are a picky eater. In that case begin to slowly mix the two together over time. For the first 3 offerings mix a ratio of 1 part sunflower butter to 5 parts their preferred peanut butter. For the next three offerings mix 2 parts sunflower butter to 4 parts their preferred peanut butter. Continue with this pattern. If your child complains you need to make the change smaller, or for more offerings.

     Sunflower butter is available at: Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Sprouts markets. I have not yet found it consistently in more main-stream markets.