Safe School Lunch Ideas for Kids with Food Allergies

Want to Ensure You Are Giving Are Protecting Your Children? Check Out Our Safe School Lunch Ideas for Kids With Food Allergies. These Ideas Are From Our Experts Here at The Allergy & Asthma Center.

Planning school lunch can be daunting, but it is especially difficult when your child has a food allergy. Finding allergen-free foods that your child will eat can be a full-time job. Here are a few healthy, Safe School Lunch Ideas for Kids With Food Allergies to get you through the week.

Pasta salad, Celery with Sunbutter© and raisins “Ants on a Log”, fresh fruit – This lunch has lots of healthy options and is very customizable. You can use gluten free or pea protein pasta salad if your child has a wheat allergy. Sunbutter (made from sunflower seeds) is a great substitute for peanut butter.

Turkey roll ups with gluten-free tortillas or lettuce wraps, carrots or cucumbers with hummus, veggie chips – You can use regular tortillas if you don’t have a wheat allergy. You also want to watch for soy if you have a soy allergy. You can also use lettuce for wheat/soy allergic individuals.

Sunbutter© and jelly sandwiches, tomato soup, Allergen friendly Granola bars or bites (Enjoy Life© or Made Good© both have a variety of snacks free of top 8 allergens)

Turkey and apple skewers, carrots and hummus, grapes, Allergen friendly snack (such as Enjoy Life© protein bites). Skewers are a fun way to include protein, fruits and veggies in your child’s lunch. Hummus is packed with protein and a nutritious option as long as your child is not allergic to chickpeas.

Other tips for minimizing the stress of packing lunches include pre-making lunches for the entire week, having a lunch bucket just for lunch items so you don’t have to hunt for each item, and using leftovers from last night’s dinner.

The Food Allergy Research and Education Network (FARE) FoodAllergy also has great information.

Your allergist is a great source of information as well. Make sure you make an appointment at least once a year to discuss safe foods, label reading, and to discuss if your child’s allergy testing needs to be updated. For an appointment with one of our board-certified pediatric or adult Allergy Specialists, please contact us or make your appointment online at The Allergy & Asthma Center.