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Do your kids have nut allergies? Or is your school enforcing nut-free lunches? Here are some of our favorite school lunch ideas with no peanuts!
With food allergies on the rise, more and more non-allergic families are finding rules being implemented to ensure student safety by having nut-free classes or even entire school buildings. Nut-free lunches are now for everyone, not just those with a nut allergy in the family.
I can’t tell you how often I hear “what can I pack if I can’t send PB&J?”
First of all it’s good to know that you can stick to your PB&J routine by simply swapping the ingredients for one of these peanut butter alternatives. Watch the video below to see how they spread, and which is best for which type of sandwich or recipe.
Related: Top 5 Lunchboxes We’ve Tested
MOMables not only has great resources on the blog for nut-free recipes and ideas, but you can also subscribe to the Classic Meal Plan, which is nut-free or lists substitute suggestions on each of the menu items. Perfect for those lost on how to keep things peanut- and tree nut-free, but still nutritious and exciting in the lunch box.
Classic Weekly Meal Plan
Eat delicious family meals the simple way. Recipes, meal prep, and done-for-you shopping list inside.
To help get you started and thinking outside the peanut butter sandwich, here are some of the member-favorite school lunches without nuts!
1. Pizza Mini Quiches
Not only a fun nut-free lunch idea but these pizza mini quiches are grain-free as well. These bite-size pizzas work great for lunch, snack or breakfast.
2. Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets
Skip the drive-thru and make these copycat chickfila nuggets to pack for lunch this week.
3. Apple Cheese Quesadilla
Quesadillas don’t have to just be filled with meat. Try filling your quesadillas it with Apple & Cheese! When you grill or toast the quesadilla, the cheese melts and marries the two flavors together, creating the perfect bite.
4. Cobb Salad Lunch Wrap
These healthy wraps are free from nuts but filled with amazing flavors! Click the button below to see all my favorite lunch wrap recipes.
5. Ham Tacos
While this post has 5 lunch ideas using ham, I have to highlight the fun ham tacos! Use leftover tortillas from taco night and stuff them with your child’s favorite sandwich ingredients.
6. Homemade Uncrustables
A nut allergy doesn’t mean your kids have to miss out on the coveted uncrustables! Make your own DIY uncrustables using my recipe and one of our top 5 nut-free peanut butter alternatives.
7. Chicken Burrito Bowls
These Low Carb Chicken Burrito Bowls are filling, healthy and packed with flavor. They’re perfect for older kids who need a nut-free lunch option.
8. Bento Boxes
The thing I love about building bistro boxes for my kids is that I can custom pack them with each child’s favorite ingredients, using whatever i have on hand. Get my best tips & recipes for bento boxes using the button below.
9. Grilled Cheese Dippers
These grilled cheese dippers pair perfectly with a veggie tomato soup. Trust me, veggies are a lot more fun when the come in dip form, and kids never know the difference!
10. Easy Egg Salad
Skip the sandwich and make a bistro box with my no-mayo egg salad recipe. My kids love this one served with pita chips and a side of fresh fruit or turkey roll ups!
Which of these nut-free school lunch ideas are your favorite?
10 Nut-Free School Lunch Ideas
10 nut-free school lunch ideas perfect for nut free classrooms!
Starting with this kid-favorite Pizza Bento box!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 lunches 1x
- Category: lunch
Ingredients
- 2 singles serve hummus cups
- 2 ounces sliced pepperoni
- 2 ounces Mozzarella cheese cubes
- 12 black olives
- ½ cup roasted red bell peppers
- 20 pita chips
Instructions
- Divide the ingredients between 2 lunch containers with compartments. Keep the crackers seperate from the rest of the ingredients to prevent them from getting soggy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 box
- Calories: 431
- Sugar: 2.8g
- Sodium: 1317.8mg
- Fat: 22.2g
- Saturated Fat: 6.2g
- Carbohydrates: 36.3g
- Fiber: 4.8g
- Protein: 22.3g
- Cholesterol: 59.3mg
Keywords: nut free lunch, peanut butter free lunches
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Kim
That’s a great start with a couple good ideas, but running out of options. What do you do for a kid who also doesn’t like any lunch meat or cheese and has no microwave access?
Jamie Burton
I LOVE your Lady Bug Pasta and Meatball Swords!!!! With my family I add veggies to my meatballs all the time!!!! They love it!
Food allergies and sensitivities are so prevalent and so misunderstood. As a fellow mom with children with food allergies and food sensitivities I am very passionate about nutrition and health. Like you, I have made it a mission to educate as many people as I can about food allergies and sensitivities and how easy it is to work around them in a tasty fun way.
I love what you are doing!
Rashelle
Thank you for these great nut free recipe ideas Laura. These will definitely come in handy. Our school system uses Snacksafely guidelines for parents to know what kind of snacks they can buy and send in that don’t have allergens, and together with your homemade allergen free recipes, they go hand in hand, a great match. Thank you.
MOMables
you are welcome!
Nicole
I am a 12 year old girl that just loves making new, creative and healthy lunches for myself and my sisters. I just bought your cookbook and I love it! Thanks for the inspiration!
MOMables
Thank you Nicole! I am thrilled to inspire you to make better food for you and your sisters!
Jennifer Ayres
This is totally awesome! Thanks!