20 Allergy-Friendly Snacks for Kids in School
Read time: 4 minutes
What to know about providing allergy-friendly snacks for kids:
- Allergies to the top 9 food allergens are on the rise among kids
- Many schools require allergen-friendly snacks
- There are a wide variety of snack options to choose from that are free of the top 9 allergens
- List of the top 20 allergy-friendly snacks
Food allergies to the top 9 allergens among children are on the rise.1, 2 With a high likelihood that there may be at least one child with a food allergy in the classroom, it’s important to understand what foods are safe for those with allergies.
How common are kids’ food allergies?
In each of the last few decades, the number of people with food allergies in America has doubled.3 In fact, almost 8% of all children in the United States have a food allergy.1 This means at least one child in each classroom may have an allergic reaction to food.3
Unfortunately, food allergies can turn classroom snacks, birthday parties, and school lunches into a big challenge! But every child should have the opportunity to eat delicious, allergen-free snacks at home or in public without fearing an allergic reaction.
What are the most common allergens?
The nine most common allergens are:
- Milk
- Eggs
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, walnuts)
- Fish (such as bass, cod, flounder, salmon)
- Shellfish (such as crab, lobster, shrimp)
- Soy
- Wheat
- Sesame.3, 4, 5
Fortunately, the Food Allergen Labeling And Consumer Protection Act of 2004 requires all food labels in the United States to list ingredients that may cause allergic reactions to 8 major food allergens.4 In 2023, sesame was included as the 9th major food allergen required to be listed on food labels.6
Need help with allergy-friendly snack and meal ideas? Come chat with our team of registered dietitian nutritionists, fellow moms, and lactation specialists, available from Monday – Friday 8 am – 6 pm (ET). Chat now!
Always chat with your pediatrician
If you are unsure if your child has any food allergies, or if you have not yet introduced allergens, be sure to check in with your pediatrician.
20 Allergy- Friendly Snacks
Below are some snack ideas that are free of the top 9 food allergens. While some of these ideas may be best for an at-home snack, many are portable so they can be packed for a school snack as well.
Always be sure to provide foods to your child in the size and texture they can handle best when eating.
1. Fresh cut-up fruit with sun butter dip
2. 100% fruit and veggie pouches
3. Cut up vegetables and guacamole dip or tahini-free hummus (must be tahini-free as tahini is made from sesame seeds)
4. Crunchy freeze-dried fruit
5. Banana “ice cream” made with blended frozen bananas and a non-dairy milk that is free of the top allergens, such as oatmilk or coconutmilk.
6. Fruit smoothie made with a non-dairy, tree-nut free milk alternative such as oatmilk
7. Clementine slices drizzled with melted dairy free dark chocolate
8. Banana pudding with coconutmilk yogurt
9. 100% fruit leather
10. Baked apple halves topped with a crumble of oats, non-dairy butter, cinnamon, and raisins
11. Air-popped popcorn (for children over 4)7
12. Rice cakes
13. Snack mix with rice cereal, raisins, and sunflower seeds
14. Blender muffins (made with non-dairy yogurt alternatives such as coconutmilk yogurt and egg substitute)
15. Baked chickpeas
16. Lentil chips
17. Corn chips with avocado or salsa dip
18. Gluten-free tortilla with sun butter and banana slices
19. Rice cakes or rice crackers topped with mashed avocado
20. Homemade fruit popsicles using frozen fruit blended with non-dairy milk and poured into popsicle molds to freeze
*Always check the labels of whatever food you’re providing, as occasionally food manufacturers will update recipes and ingredient lists or the food may be produced in a facility containing one of the top 9 allergens.
Curious about which Happy Family snacks are free of the top 9 allergens? Click here.
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For more on this topic, check out the following articles:
- R Gupta, C Warren, B Smith. The Public Health Impact of Parent-Reported Childhood Food Allergies in the United States. Pediatrics. 2018. 142(6).
- Hadley C. Food allergies on the rise? Determining the prevalence of food allergies, and how quickly it is increasing, is the first step in tackling the problem. EMBO Rep. 2006;7(11):1080-1083. doi:10.1038/sj.embor.7400846 https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.embor.7400846
- Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team. The Rise in Food Allergies. FoodAllergyAwareness.org. Date accessed 22 September 2021.
- US Food and Drug Administration. Food Allergies. FDA.gov. May 2021. Accessed 19 September 2021.
- Warren CM, Chadha AS, Sicherer SH, Jiang J, Gupta RS. Prevalence and Severity of Sesame Allergy in the United States. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(8):e199144. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.9144 https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.9144
- S.578 – 117th Congress (2021-2022) FASTER Act of 2021. (April 23, 2021)
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Choking Prevention. HealthyChildren.org. Date accessed 24 September 2021.
