Nut-Free Lunches

Does your child have a nut allergy? Is your school nut-free? Feeling overwhelmed or at a loss for what to pack for a nut-free lunch? Do not stress! These kid-approved nut-free lunches are simple, wholesome, and super easy to make!

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 lunch?

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.

As a parent to picky eaters who have been in a nut-free school for years, I understand that finding nut-free options for picky eaters can be tough.

Whether your child has a nut allergy or your child simply wants to sit next to their friend with a peanut allergy, these ideas will make packing a balanced, nut-free lunch easy!

Nut-Free Lunch Ideas

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. 

I recommend adding fresh fruit and veggies to round out the lunch.

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 Cracker Lunchable

Another simple 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. This is one of my favorite easy school lunches.

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.

Turkey Club Roll-Up

Made with deli turkey, lettuce, cheese, avocado, and bacon, this Turkey Club Wrap is a delicious nut-free lunch idea. Finish with fruit and snap pea crisps or chips of some kind, and this is one lunch that even your high school children will enjoy!

Cheese Quesadilla

This is another simple option that parents often forget about. Cheese quesadillas take minutes to make, and my recipe even sneaks in a few veggies, making this lunch a BIT more wholesome!

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 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.

More Nut-Free Options for Lunches

Still, need a few more ideas for nut or peanut-free school lunches? Here are a few more suggestions for inspiration.

• Southwestern Veggie Tostadas: Made with refried beans and cheese this is like a mini Mexican Pizza. And what kid does not love pizza?
• Peanut-Free Sandwiches: Instead of lunch meat, try Avocado Tuna Salad, Avocado Chickpea Salad, Egg Salad, or Chicken salad.  
• Mac and Cheese Muffins: Leftover mac and cheese turns into a handheld treat that is super easy (and fun) for little hands to eat.
• Leftovers: If your kids love pasta, or they love soup, why not warm up leftover Instant Pot Mac and Cheese or Stovetop Mac and Cheese and pack it in a thermos? Or maybe you had leftover chicken tenders--why not pack those? Never underestimate the power of leftovers!

If you have more simple peanut-free lunch ideas, I would love for you to share them with us in the comments. Together we can help make simple, safe lunches for our children.