Nut-Free Lunches

I have shared with you my easy kid-friendly lunch ideas and healthy snack ideas for kids. But what if your child has a nut allergy? What if your child has been placed in a peanut-free classroom?

Let me help!

Having nieces and nephews with life-threatening food allergies, I understand that dealing with food allergies can be scary, isolating, and overwhelming.

Whether your child has a nut allergy or they simply want to sit next to their friend with a peanut allergy, these ideas will help!

DIY Pizza Lunchable

This is one of my kids' all-time favorite lunches. It is a copy-cat wholesome version of a Pizza Lunchable, very similar to English Muffin Pizzas and it is easy to make allergy-friendly. Simply pack a mini bagel or English Muffin, along with a container of pizza sauce, pepperoni, and shredded mozzarella cheese in a lunch container for your kids to assemble their mini pizzas at lunch. Don't forget to include a spoon so your child can spread the sauce on their pizza. 

Nachos

Any time we have tacos as a family, I use the leftovers to assemble a DIY Nacho or Taco Salad lunch for my kids to enjoy at school. Simply pack pinto or black beans and/or taco meat with your child's favorite toppings for tacos. I love to add shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and then a package of Guacamole on the side.

Cheese and Crackers

Another simple nu-free lunch option is cheese and crackers. Pack cheese cubes, sliced cheese, or string cheese, and your child's favorite crackers along with fresh fruit and vegetables. So easy and always a hit with the kids!

Ham and Cheese Skewers

It has been proven that kids LOVE to eat things on sticks. If your child can be trusted with toothpicks, a fun way to dress up a simple ham and cheese sandwich is to cut them into squares and skewer the sandwiches on toothpicks. Add honey mustard on the side for dipping if desired and finish this delicious lunch with fruit, vegetables, and animal crackers for good measure.

Veggie Wrap

Not just any veggie wrap though--one that is like a Cold Ranch Vegetable Pizza. This recipe for Ranch Veggie Wrap is SO SO good and gets kids, big and small, to enjoy their vegetables as their main course. Throw in a bag of Skinny Pop and a fruit cup and lunch is packed!

Hot Pocket

Homemade hot pockets make a great option for a school lunch box, as they are easy to prep in bulk and freeze to use for lunches. Defrost overnight to enjoy cold for lunch or warm up one up in the morning and put it into a thermos to keep warm for lunch. Pair with some fruit and veggies and lunch is done!

Strawberry and Cream Cheese Bagel Lunch

We have tried soy butter and sunflower seed butter as peanut butter alternatives, and my kids are not fans. But they do love cream cheese in place of peanut butter on sandwiches. Use cream cheese and jelly or sliced strawberries to top a bagel or whole wheat bread. It is a simple, simple lunch option that happens to be my daughter's favorite. Paired with cucumber slices, snap pea crisps, and yogurt topped with chocolate chips, this is one lunch your kids, like my daughter, will likely ask for again and again.

Bean Burrito

I always try to have refried bean burritos stashed in my freezer for simple options for school lunches. It takes only minutes for me to prepare a huge batch and then I wrap them individually and freeze them in a freezer-safe bag. I can pull one or two out at a time, throw them into a lunch box with fruit and veggies, and by lunch, they have defrosted and are ready to eat.