With a lot of schools making moves toward being completely nut-free, it's getting harder for parents who aren't already conscious of nut-free snacks [1] to find alternatives to send their child into school with — not to mention having to bring in individually wrapped foods with the nutrition label on it for safety reasons.
If your child has a nut allergy, you know the drill, but if you are new to this nut-free lifestyle, we've compiled a list of various packaged snacks for you to consider throwing into your child's lunchbox [2] this school year. And the best part? They can all be bought in bulk from wholesale stores* like BJ's [3], and Sam's Club [4] — buy-in-bulk-moms rejoice!
*Not all varieties are available in each of these stores — check the websites for local listings and more information. And remember, always check the label just in case for the warning "Manufactured on equipment that processes products containing nuts," or something similar.
Smartfood White Cheddar Popcorn
These [5] are the perfect light school snack.
Popchips Variety Pack
These Popchips [6] are "never fried. never baked."
Lorna Doone Shortbread Cookies
These cookies [7] are the perfect lunchbox [8] treat.
Rold Gold Tiny Twists
Pretzels [9] are great for dipping in individual packs of hummus or sunflower seed butter.
Nutri Grain Cereal Bar Variety Pack
Send them off to school with a to-go snack like Nutri Grain Cereal Bars [10], or throw one into their backpack [11] for after school.
Fruit Roll-Ups
A lunchtime classic, these Fruit Roll-Ups [12] are a fruity treat.
Pirate's Booty
Save money by buying these cheddar snacks [13] in bulk!
Fig Newtons
These chewy fig cookies [14] are a great way to round out lunch.
Rice Krispies Treats
Even though homemade ones are the way to go, most schools don't want anything homemade anymore because of the chance of contamination, so go with the store-bought classic [15] for their lunchbox.
Garden Veggie Straws Variety Pack
Great for dipping or chomping into on their own, veggie straws [16] are a light alternative to potato chips.
Austin's Zoo Animal Crackers
These animal crackers [17] are nut-free and super fun to eat!
Goldfish Crackers
Goldfish [18] have been gracing lunchboxes [19] for years, so why stop now?!
Brother's Fruit Crisps
These all-natural fruit crisps [20] pack all of the flavor of apples without the added sugar other brands throw in.
Polly-O Mozzarella String Cheese
These string cheeses [21] are perfect for lunchboxes.
Annie's Fruit Snacks Variety Pack
Every kid loves fruit snacks [22], and these Annie's ones are perfect for individually-wrapped, nut-free lunch snacks.
Ritz Handi-Snacks Crackers 'N Cheese Dip
Your kid can make his own mini cheese cracker sandwiches with these handi-snacks packs [23].