50+ Nut-Free Snacks for School

If your school is a Nut-Free Zone, don’t panic because these 50+ nut-free snacks and peanut-free snacks for school will make the school’s safe snack list.


 

Originally posted 2016. Updated 2023.

DISCLAIMER: This post was updated in 2023. If you have favorites that are not on the list, please share them with me in the comments. If you find something listed that is no longer available/nut free, please let me know that too!

Reminder: Never give a child with food allergies any foods until the parent or guardian has had the opportunity to inspect and approve the food. This may include reading the label and consulting with the manufacturer.

Nut Free School Sign

When choosing healthy nut-free snacks for your child’s school snack or after-school snack, it is always important to check the label before purchasing as brands continuously change their manufacturing process. Because US labeling regulations are weak and often flawed brands are not required to share “potential or unintentional presence of major food allergens in foods resulting from ‘cross-contact’ situations during manufacturing,” according to FALPAC’s labeling requirements. It is important to contact the brand when in question. The brands mentioned in this healthy school snacks list are up-to-date as of July 2023.

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Nut-free Ham and Cheese Rollups from Holley Grainger

Tree Nut-Free Snacks and Peanut-Free Snacks for School

This morning wasn’t the first time that I’ve received the “WHAT DO I FEED MY KIDS!?!?!?” text or email from a friend desperately looking for peanut-free snacks and nut-free snacks for school, extracurricular activities, or lunchboxes. Now that many children are heading back to school, parents are starting to receive classroom guidelines stating that their school is now a “NUT-FREE ZONE.”

While many parents don’t want to give up certain snacks and instead want to find a nut-free alternative to their favorites, others are happy for new ideas that would in no way involve nuts or the plants/companies that manufacture them. Hopefully, this list will provide you with both and I invite you to share your favorites in the comments.

 

nut-free snack ideas
Fruit and Cheese Skewers

When schools become a “nut-free zone” this means that snacks must not be made with nuts OR manufactured in a plant with nuts. Read the label because it SHOULD tell you how it was manufactured (although it is not required). (See disclaimer above.) Some products with nuts are obvious to identify like peanut butter flavored candy or snack bars, trail mix, or almonds. However, other snacks may not have nuts identified in the title or may have been cross contaminated on shared equipment. While this may not seem like much to some, even a cross with peanut dust can be enough to put a child in distress so please be mindful and choose options that are totally nut-free and on your school’s allergen free snack list.

 

Nut-Free School Snacks
Photo: Food Allergy Canada

Does It Make the Healthy School Snacks List?

The best way to determine if  foods are allergy-free snacks is to read the label since most brands have a warning statement or allergen list. Be aware of phrases like this:

  • “May Contain Peanut or Tree Nuts”
  • “Processed on shared equipment with Peanuts or Tree Nuts”
  • “Manufactured in a plant with Peanut or Tree Nuts”
  • “Contains Peanut or Tree Nut Ingredients”
  • You may even notice that some brands get very specific and list the type of tree nut. For example:“May Contain Almonds“.

 

Nut Free Snacks Label

50+ Nut-Free Snacks for School

Nut-Free Snacks for School
Apples and Sunflower Seed Butter

Nut-Free Alternatives to Peanut Butter

Enjoy in a sandwich, on crackers, on apples or celery, with waffles, or even by the spoonful! *Replace any of these peanut-free and nut-free spreads in place of peanut butter in a recipe. 

Nut Free School Snacks

Allergen Friendly Salty Snacks

Nut-Free Snacks for School

Yummy Dairy Snacks

  • Yogurt tube
  • Pudding cup
  • Yogurt pouch
  • Cheese (stick, cube, round, slice)
  • Yogurt cup (*read the label and be aware of yogurts that also contain watch out for granola or cookies)

Nut-Free Snacks for School

Nut Free Sweet Snacks 

Nut-Free Snacks for School

Produce

  • Fresh fruits (apples, oranges, banana, grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, pear, kiwi, blueberries, etc.)
  • Fresh vegetables (carrots, celery, broccoli florets, bell pepper strips, cherry tomatoes)
  • Applesauce cup or pouch
  • Canned fruits and vegetables (look for “in it’s own juice” or “in water”)
  • Mandarin orange fruit cup
  • Raisins
  • Dried Fruit

Nut-Free Snacks for School

Simple Recipes/Combination Foods

Nut-free Snack: Apple Cinnamon Energy Balls

 

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If your school is now a Nut-Free Zone, don't panic because these 50+ kid-approved nut-free snacks for school that will make the school's safe snack list.

 

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