If children begin to eat many different foods at a young age, there is much more of a chance that by the time they are in school, they will eat almost anything. This is great for the family with a child who has a peanut allergy because kids will have more options for packed school lunches.
Snack Bars and Cookies
Kids love snacks and treats so adding some to their lunch box will put a huge smile on their faces. Finding good healthy peanut-free options that are safe for your kids is key. Enjoy Life Foods is a trusted brand that makes healthy and yummy cookies and snack bars that are free of the 14 common food allergens and gluten-free. Their mini cookies come in one-ounce packs which are perfect for your kids’ school lunches. And Enjoy Life Foods’ chewy bars come in caramel apple, caramel blondie, chocolate loco, and more delicious flavors.
Healthy Foods
Most kids love variety and foods that are interesting and different. One lunch that you can pack for a young child is a Shape Lunch. It is easy to do by simply taking medium size cookie cutters in a variety of shapes. They can be geometric shapes, animals, holiday shapes, or any type that you want to use. To keep the meal balanced, cut some shapes from sliced turkey, whole wheat bread, Colby cheese slices or deli American cheese, and other foods. You can judge the number of slices that you need by your child’s age and appetite. Place the shapes into a plastic bag and pack grapes, an apple, or a banana with them.
Kids Love To Dip Their Foods
You may want to invest in some extra small plastic containers with lids that are made to hold ketchup and condiments, which will help you with making peanut-free lunches for your child. Fill one of the containers with hummus. Take thinly sliced cheese and deli turkey and roll each slice as tightly as possible. Your child can then dip these into the hummus. If you prefer, use ranch dressing, ketchup, or barbecue sauce. Pack a piece of whole wheat bread, carrot sticks and celery sticks, and grapes as well.
Cheese Sticks, Crackers, and More
Most kids love to eat mozzarella or Colby cheese sticks. You can buy these pre-wrapped in the dairy section of your supermarket. Pack some whole-grain crackers (with no hydrogenated oils) in a plastic bag to go with the crackers. Don’t forget to balance out your child’s meal with a fruit and a veggie!
Pack a Fruit Salad with Yogurt Dip
Most fruits will turn brown and look unappealing if you cut them up and put them in your child’s lunch. You can pack grapes, pineapple chunks, or purchase pre-packaged cut fruit in the produce department at the supermarket instead. Use a small plastic condiment container with a lid to pack some honey-flavored yogurt as a dip. Be sure to include crackers or a roll for extra carbohydrates, or you might want to pack some graham crackers to go with this meal. If time allows, you may want to do some peanut-free baking on a weekend afternoon. Be sure to make a double or triple batch so that you have extras for lunches in the freezer.