10 Easy Healthy Nut-Free Lunch Ideas

These healthy nut-free lunch ideas are also easy COLD lunch ideas for daycare. These simple recipes for kids will help give you some meal planning ideas for your week! Keep reading for easy healthy recipes!

When we started daycare, I was completely overwhelmed by the thought of making my kids lunches every single day. The mornings are already crazy making sure everyone is up on time, teeth are brushed, hair is combed, clothes are on (and hopefully somewhat matching), and we’re out the door on time.

Our Daycare requires the following:

1. Must be cold! My daycare had no ability to heat up any lunch items. 
2. No nuts or products including nuts of any kind
3. Must include:
   1. Grains
   2. Protein
   3. Veggies
   4. Fruit
4. No No List:
   1. Chips
   2. Sugary snacks

Based on these requirements, I knew this was going to be a challenge. And I knew I needed a system to make this manageable for myself each and every week.

I wanted my kids to have healthy lunches that they actually wanted to eat. I just needed some go-to staples that I could rotate through to help make sure the kids don’t get completely bored of their lunches! 

Lunch Packing Tips

Before we get into the lunches, here are some helpful hints for lunch-packing that take a lot of the stress out of the process:

1. Use THESE BENTO BOXES. They are super cute and each compartment is separated and sealed so that you don’t have to worry about leaks. They are very easy to store and you can also buy extra inserts with lids so that you can make more than one lunch at a time. 
   
2. Make the lunches AT NIGHT, not in the morning when you’re busy pulling everything else today. This was a game-changer. I usually wait until the kids are in bed, go down to the kitchen, pop on a podcast or show on Netflix, and start making the lunches. This way it’s not stressful, and actually somewhat enjoyable. The next morning, pop them out of the fridge, throw them in a lunch box and you’re ready to go!
   
3. Make 2 days of lunches at a time. This saves you from having to do this every single night. I try not to go more than 2 days at a time, or the food may get soggy. (Who wants to eat soggy turkey sandwiches, right?) 

The System

So, I came up with a list of 10 main dishes, 6 veggies and 8 fruits I knew my kids would eat, that meet all of the requirements listed above.

1. Each week I choose 2-3 main dishes, 2 veggie options, and 2-3 fruit options.
   
2. I also make a point to always have the items in the grain/snack list available and use those to fill in my Bento boxes as needed.
   
3. I then create lunches each week by mixing and matching all of these items so that no single lunch is exactly the same.

This system seems to keep my kids interested, but also makes it easy to plan/shop. Mix and matching these components help make healthy nut-free lunch ideas every day.

The grid below shows the components that make up my nut-free cold toddler lunch system!

Keep scrolling for some pictures of these healthy nut-free lunch ideas in action!

Nut-Free COLD Lunch Ideas

1. Chicken Salad, Crackers, Cucumbers (w/ Ranch), Berries, Raisins

2. Turkey, Cheese, Crackers, Carrots (w/ ranch), Strawberries

3. Diced Chicken (w/ BBQ), Carrots, Cucumbers, Blueberries, Veggie Straws, Fruit Bar

4. Hard-Boiled Eggs, Cucumbers (w/ Ranch), Berries, Veggie Crisps, Raisins

Note: make sure there are no egg allergies in your child’s classroom!

5. Pita pizzas (w/ mozzarella and pizza sauce), Cucumbers, Berries, Goldfish

6. Jelly Sandwich, Greek Yogurt (low sugar), Carrots (w/ ranch), Berries

7. Ham and Cheese Slider, Red peppers (w/ Ranch), Berries, Veggie crisps, Pretzels

8. Turkey and Cheese Rollup, Cherry Tomatoes, Berries, Veggie Crisps, Crackers, Raisins

9. Pasta Salad, Celery (w/ Ranch), Apple Slices, and Goldfish

10. Pitas and Hummus, Edamame, Watermelon, Pretzel Sticks

If you are looking for more food/meal planning ideas, check out this post for a budget-friendly week of dinners!