Actually, the recent attention to "peanut allergies" is likely to blame... Our county school district will not allow any peanut products in to classrooms starting in the '05-'06... Peanuts are really starting to scare people for some reason...
Which is exactly what prompted the airlines to action.
I think you are right on there - I've seen people get positively FREAKY about peanuts being in some cookies, and there not being any warnings posted...
When I was in elementary school in the 50-60s, the school snacks and cafeteria ran on government surplus. We had a snack of salted peanuts mixed with raisins given to us in little paper cups. I loved it!
One year there was a turkey surplus and the cooks made a whole Thanksgiving style lunch about every week until they used up the turkeys.
Another dish I loved was buttered corn bread served with pitchers of honey on the cafeteria tables. No wonder I was a fat kid!