10 Nut-Free School Lunch Ideas

Do your kids have nut allergies? Or is your school enforcing nut-free lunches? Here are some ideas to combat that!

As a parent of a child with a severe nut allergy, I am forever grateful knowing she is safe at school being in a nut-free class.

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.

I can’t tell you how often I hear “what can I pack if I can’t send PB&J?”

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 Lunch 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.

To help get you started and thinking outside the peanut butter sandwich, here are some great lunch ideas we offer free from the blog here at MOMables:

• Mini Tuna Balls: These little balls of fun are made with only three ingredients! Super simple and fun for both kids and adults. Eat them alone, with mac & cheese, or on top of a yummy salad.

• Ham & Cheese Lunch Bites: Not only a fun nut-free lunch idea but grain-free as well. They also make a delicious breakfast bite.
• DIY Pizza Lunch: Nothing beats a homemade lunchable, or as we like to call them, MOMables. ;) Let the kids build their own pizza and enjoy!
• Pizza Swords: A new way to send those leftover slices sitting in the fridge. Cut up the pizza, add extra meat, and/or olives on food skewers.
• Homemade Nuggets: Not only a great lunch alternative, but for dinner too. They freeze great for easy meals in the future. Never buy store-bought again!
• LadybugPasta: There’s something about giving a dish a fun name that can make it more appealing for kids. That’s exactly what this dish does! Cold pastas are a great lunch box alternative.

 

• Ranch Chicken Wrap: Using up leftover grilled or rotisserie chicken is a great idea for lunches. Make chicken salad, slice it with BBQ sauce for dipping, or add it to a wrap like we did here for a yummy sandwich.
• Meatloaf Swords: Speaking of leftovers, use up dinner the next day with this great idea. We also include our own recipe that helps sneak in some extra veggies for your picky eaters.
• Pumpkin Pancakes: Breakfast for Lunch is always a fun change up. Try our Pumpkin Pancake recipe for a yummy fall favorite. You can also make a large batch ahead of time and freeze for quick grab & go breakfasts or lunches.
• Apple & Cheese Quesadilla: Quesadillas don’t have to just be filled with meat. Try filling it with Apple & Cheese! When you grill or toast the quesadilla, the cheese melts and marries the two flavors together, creating the perfect bite.

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