Now that our oldest is in kindergarten, we’ve had to up our snack game. Gone are the days of just eating what we want at home, and/or relying on school to provide all the food (we were so spoiled in preschool and daycare.). Now we need to provide our son a snack and meal. Because our school is mostly nut-free, I’ve been collecting a few nut-free semi-healthy-ish snack ideas. If you’re looking for some inspiration, here’s a place to start — these muffins, granola bars and energy bites are some of our favorites, and I hope you’ll enjoy them, too.
Note: I’m not a dietitian or nutrition specialist, and I’m lucky that my kiddos don’t have any food allergies so far. But that means some of these recipes may contain other common allergens, like eggs or coconut.
Muffins
My son loves taking a muffin for a morning snack or even a treat to go with his lunch. The best kinds of muffins are ones that sneak something good into them, like vegetables or even beans/lentils!
Healthyish Zucchini Banana Muffins: These are sweet enough to be an after-lunch dessert as well.
Sweet Potato White Bean Bars: I make these as muffins instead of bars. These are a favorite, and we sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
Banana Lentil Muffins: Sometimes I throw in ½ to 1 grated zucchini in these as well before baking.
Granola bars
We pack one of these a day for my son. He often eats them as a dessert after lunch, or as a snack when he gets home from school.
Nut-Free Granola Bars: I like these because it makes 12 to 14 in one batch, plus they freeze well. I wrap them individually and store in the freezer, taking them out the night before we want to eat them.
No-Bake Granola Bars: Not having to bake them saves us another step!
Energy bites
I love any kind of energy bite, especially these, but the problem is that most of them have some sort of nut butter to hold them together. Luckily, we’ve found a few that are nut-free, and also healthy.
Chocolate Energy Bites: My son calls these “chocolate cookie balls” — that’s how good they are. I love that they’re sweetened with dates. My daughter also loves helping me make them. Sometimes we’ll add mini M&Ms to the outside to give them some flair.
Nut-Free Sunflower Energy Balls: These use sunflower seed butter to hold them together.
Bonus:
If you’re seeking something more savory, we also love egg cups for a filling, nut-free snack. Here are some easy recipes that you can modify based on your and your family’s preferences: 4 Healthy Egg Cup Recipes.
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