So many aspects of our Outdoor Education program are new for our students – including meals. Religious, moral, and medical dietary restrictions can make a trip here feel daunting – but it doesn’t have to!

Our chef is adept at meeting a variety of special food needs, including the following:

• Vegetarian and vegan
• Religious restrictions such as no pork, or keeping meat and dairy separate
• Food allergies, from mild to severe, including peanut allergies
• Food intolerances such as lactose intolerance and celiac disease

We are committed to making sure that no-one has to ‘make-do’ during their stay at Poko. Our programs demand a lot of energy, and three good meals each day are essential to keeping our students focused and engaged throughout the day. Therefore, we have developed a set of practices to help us identify and meet special food requirements with as little stress to both students and staff as possible.

What We Do:

• Include a dietary needs section on the health forms that parents sign, and on the summary sheet that teachers provide
• Ask students to list any dietary needs or restrictions when they sign in upon arrival
• Compile these lists for the chef, who will clarify any questions with the students as soon as possible
• Offer alternatives to problem dishes, which are as similar to the regular dish as possible. We also strive to make as many dishes suitable for the whole group as possible when it does not noticeably affect the regular dish.
• Keep a stock of alternative options handy, including rice and soy milk, vegetarian burgers and meat alternatives, some gluten-free items such as rice pasta and dessert mixes, some gluten-free spice mixes, and vegan jello. Other items will be purchased or made from scratch (with advance notice) or brought with the student.
• Follow all possible reasonable practices to avoid cross-contamination, including refusing to serve problem foods to the entire group in the case of severe allergies (such as peanuts)
• Announce at the beginning of each meal what the dietary concerns are (not the students’ names), and what alternatives are offered.
• Make all instructors aware of dangerous health conditions so they can help students avoid problem foods and remember to carry their epipens, and act appropriately in an emergency.

How Parents and Teachers Can Help:

• Fill out health forms accurately and specifically, and return them to the Director as early as possible – and at least one week before your group’s arrival.
• Contact the chef in advance to discuss dietary restrictions. The chef usually plans menus two weeks ahead of a group’s stay. Advance knowledge of severe allergies or difficult or obscure restrictions (gluten-free, no corn, no eggs, no dairy, no cinnamon, etc.), or a large proportion of the group with similar restrictions allows her to plan a menu that can most easily be adapted to the needs of everyone in the group. This helps keep students from feeling singled out, and makes the chef’s job much, much easier!
• Assist students in bringing supplemental foods, in consultation with the chef. In most cases, we discourage students from bringing food from home. However, in the case of egg-free, gluten-free, and other difficult diets, it is helpful for students to bring some items with them. These may include desserts or dessert mixes and condiments. Please contact the chef in advance if you are thinking of sending food with a student.
• Assist students in being responsible for their own choices. Most students who come to the center are knowledgeable about their dietary needs, and able to be responsible about what they eat. We know it can be intimidating to come up to the serving window for a different option, or ask the chef to confirm that food is safe if they are unsure. Mealtimes get hectic in the kitchen – the chef cannot always be aware of who eats what! Please encourage your student to listen at the beginning of each meal to know what is safe and what is not, and prepare him or her in advance to be proactive about any dietary restrictions. 

Our chef makes every effort to meet the dietary restrictions listed above. Unfortunately, it is beyond our capabilities to provide truly kosher or halal fare. It may be beyond our capabilities to meet certain needs without notice at least a week before the group’s arrival date. Our foodservice program is not capable of meeting the desires of picky eaters, and we feel strongly that participating in family style meals with the rest of the community is an important part of the Pok-O-MacCready Outdoor Education experience. We ask parents and teachers to encourage their students to be open to new food experiences while they are here. If you have concerns about a seriously picky eater, please contact the chef to discuss how we can support that student without undermining our expectations for the group as a whole.