My 4-year-old came home hungry two days in a row, which was unusual. The first day I didn’t question it — she’s tossed half-eaten lunches before.

On day two, I dug a little deeper and asked why she kept throwing her lunch out. She told me she threw away her sunbutter and jelly sandwich because she didn’t want her friend to get sick.

We had just switched to a new whole-wheat bread with grains baked into the crust, and she thought those grains were peanuts. Knowing her best friend has a peanut allergy, she didn’t want to take any chances — so she quietly threw out her sandwich and skipped lunch without saying a word.

A four-year-old chose going hungry to protect her friend over eating her favorite meal.