5 Allergy-Friendly School Lunch Ideas

August 14, 2019

The new school year is underway, which means it’s also time to get back into your routine. Researchers estimate that 5.6 million children under the age of 18 have food allergies. That’s one in 13 children or roughly two in every classroom. 

If your child has food allergies or attends an allergy-friendly school or daycare, packing their lunch can seem like a burden. To help you, we’ve scoured the internet for five allergy-friendly school lunch ideas that are both easy to prepare and delicious.

1. Bagel Pizza

Bagel pizza with pepperoni and olives on gluten-free bagel using dairy-free cheese, snap peas, carrot sticks with dairy-free ranch, blueberries and blackberries and dye-free vegan candy. This lunch box is nut-, dairy- and gluten-free. Source: Babyfoode.com

2. Sunflower Seed Butter and Jam Sandwich

Another gluten-, dairy- and nut-free lunch box idea. Sunflower seed butter and jam sandwich on gluten-free bread with sliced strawberries, mini gluten-free muffins, an Enjoy Life caramel apple chewy bar and Enjoy Life mini chips for a sweet treat. Source: Flippindelicious.com.

3. Apple and Cheese Quesadilla

If you’re just in need of a nut-free lunch box idea, we love this apple & cheese quesadilla. You can easily pair it with your child’s favorite cut fruits or vegetables along with some dipping sauce for a balanced allergy-friendly lunch. Source: Momables.com.

4. Grain-Free Blender Bread

Maybe your child’s school doesn’t have any allergy restrictions, but your child is gluten-free. Try this simple, grain-free blender bread so they can still enjoy sandwiches in their lunch box. You can do a savory combination like turkey with hummus or a more traditional option like almond butter and jelly. Source: Momables.com.

5. Taco Tuesday

Here’s another gluten-, dairy- and nut-free lunch box idea. This lunch has a corn tortilla with ground meat, chopped tomatoes and lettuce for some DIY fun. You can either use half an avocado or smash it up to make guacamole. Just be sure to squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice on the avocado and sliced apples to prevent them from browning. Popcorn makes a great gluten-free snack, but just be sure your child is old enough to safely eat it. It’s generally not recommended for children under the ages of 4-5, so you may want to replace it with an alternative if you are packing lunch for your preschooler. Source: Lalalunchbox.com.

Allergy Testing at Holly Springs Pediatrics

If you suspect your child has allergies, Holly Springs Pediatrics now offers in-office allergy testing for children using the Pediatric Allergy Solutions method. With the prick of a finger, this unique next-generation FDA approved blood test detects 180 airborne, environmental and food allergies compared to the standard scratch test which typically only detects 40-50. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Holly Springs Pediatrics at (919) 249-4700.