20 Allergy Friendly Back To School Snacks
Attention Class! School is back in session! I know it’s a struggle to have to get back into the habit of making lunches again, and it can be even more difficult when your kiddo has food allergies.
I wanted to put together a list of my favorite go-to allergy-friendly snacks. They can be snacks for work, after school, or to put in your kid’s lunchbox. They are tasty whether you have allergies or not - I can promise you that. I couldn’t narrow it down to just a few, so I divided it into sweet and savory categories for you. I also added a protein bar category for you, as well.
These snacks are not all Top 8 Free, but they are all free of some of the common allergens. So make sure you check the ingredients for what is best for you and your family.
Remember, these snacks are great for school, to keep on hand for an after school snack, a sports game or even as movie theater snacks! Yes - I am giving you permission to sneak food into the movies. And if they stop you, just say that Krysten from Krysten’s Kitchen said it’s okay, and that, also, you have food allergies/intolerances.
Happy & healthy snacking!
Rule Breakers Brownies and Blondies
gluten-free, non-GMO, top 8 free, dairy free, nut-free, vegan, organic
This brownie is made from BEANS, but you would never know it! It's also jam-packed with protein, low in sugar, non-GMO, 100% plant-based and free of the top 8 allergens.
I have been a fan of Rule Breaker Brownies (and their Blondies) since Expo West 2016. You could say it was love at first taste! I fell in love with the minimal ingredients, and I love that they use maple syrup to sweeten their brownies rather than traditional cane sugar. There is a little cane sugar in the chocolate chunks, however, but there's none added to the actual batter to make the brownies.
Rule Breaker’s Blondies and Brownies are so fudgey, have the perfect amount of sweetness and are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth around.
Right now, you can find these blondies and brownies at www.RuleBreakerSnacks.com and in retailers on the East Coast. For a limited time, from now until October 31st, 2017, you can use my code KRYSTENSKITCHEN on their website for 10% off ($25 minimum) and stock up! Stock up and keep them in your fridge or get extras for the freezer.
Watusee Foods Popped Caramel Sea Salt Chickpeatos
gluten-free, non-GMO, soy-free, corn-free, kosher, vegan, organic, cane sugar free
I found these snacks from Watusee Foods at Expo West in March, and they are probably one of our favorite things ever. I think the Caramel Sea Salt might be my legit fav! My family is obsessed with these sweet snacks for many reasons: they aren’t too sweet, they are made with coconut sugar (rather than cane sugar), they are high in protein, are corn-free and have simple, clean ingredients.
I made the tastiest treats with them recently; you can see that recipe here. I combined them with marshmallows and drizzled some chocolate on top, and they were just as addicting as eating them plain… or maybe even more addicting!
These Popped Caramel Sea Salt mini single serve packs are 100 calories, have less than 1g of sugar (from coconut sugar) and are so jam packed with protein and flavor that you will forget you are eating a healthy, good-for-you snack. You can even top your smoothie with these and hide the bag from your spouse! (shhhhhh!)
Right now, they are available at www.WatuseeFoods.com and come in large 4oz bags or small 1oz bags, which are convenient for school snacks and lunches. They will be available in stores soon.
Justin’s Maple Almond Butter Single Serve Packs
gluten-free, vegan, cane sugar free
This is my favorite nut butter to take with me on-the-go! It is great for any lunchbox, purse or desk drawer for a healthy snack. I love that this Maple Almond Butter doesn’t have any cane sugar in it at all. It’s also gluten-free, vegan, has 6g of protein and only 3g of sugar.
You can eat this plain or along with some strawberries or apples for a well-rounded healthy snack.
Justin’s Maple Almond Butter is totally satisfying, will cure a sweet craving and is made with clean ingredients.
You can find Justin’s nut butters at many grocery stores including Sprouts, Whole Foods Market and Mother’s Markets (Orange County, CA) or online at www.Justins.com
GO RAW Lemon Pie Sprouted Cookies
organic, gluten free, nut free, vegan, sprouted, raw, cane sugar free
Just four ingredients make these Lemon Pie Sprouted Cookies. Don’t let that fool you - these cookies are filled with sweet lemony flavor!
Sprouted sesame seeds are heart-healthy, high in fiber and promote healthy digestion. There is no sugar or salt in these little tasty cookies. They are a good source of iron, low in sodium and are packed with Omega 6 and potassium.
You can add these to any school lunch for dessert or a healthy snack. They come in Ginger Snap, Choco Crunch and Sweet Crunch — all which are delicious!
You can purchase these online at www.GoRaw.com or at stores like Sprouts, Whole Foods Market and Mother’s Markets (Orange County, CA).
Molly’s Bakeovers Cookies
gluten free, peanut free, dairy free, egg free, soy free, non-gmo
Who doesn’t love cookies? How about cookies that you know you can safely eat when you have food allergies, but still taste amazing?
Molly’s Bakeovers are the answer! They are soft, made of quality ingredients like pure honey, organic coconut, organic gluten-free oats, dark chocolate chips, organic gluten-free brown rice cereal, flaxseeds, and vanilla.
These are small cookies with BIG flavor. I was able to taste all three of their flavors and loved each one just the same. If I had to pick, I would probably go for the chocolate chip, because... you know… chocolate!
Molly created these cookie recipes for her kids so that she could feel good about giving them a treat without feeling guilty. She wanted a cookie that was safe for her kids who all have food allergies. What a super mom!
Nothing genetically modified or processed are in these cookies, and I promise you will get hooked after just one bite!
You can order these cookies at www.Bakeovers.com.
Hail Merry Bites
gluten free, vegan, non-gmo, dairy free, grain free, peanut free, plant based, cane sugar free
Small melt in your mouth bites that you can use as a sweet snack or dessert. Hail Merry makes yummy, mind-blowing bites that are made with shredded coconut, coconut oil and healthy fats (nuts) that are fresh and super moist.
They come in four different flavors: Dark Chocolate Bites, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites, Caramel Sea Salt Bites and Pure Vanilla Bites. All are cane sugar free except the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
The ingredients are pure, real and simple. Each bite is luscious and dreamy. These bites will satisfy any sweet craving and fill any lunchbox dessert desires.
You can purchase these bites as well as their other products at Whole Foods, Mother's Markets (Orange County, CA) or you can visit their store locator, here. Learn more about Hail Merry Snacks by visiting www.HailMerry.com
Simple Mills Cookies
gluten free, non-gmo, grain free, soy free, corn free, dairy free, paleo, cane sugar free
For you crunchy cookie lovers or just cookie lovers in general, check out Simple Mills
Crunch Cookies! They come in 4 different flavors: Chocolate Chip, Toasted Pecan, Cinnamon and Double Chocolate Crunchy Cookies. The Toasted Pecan and Cinnamon are cane sugar-free, as the chocolate chips do contain cane sugar. However, the cookies themselves are sweetened with coconut sugar.
I have tasted every cookie and every mix in the Simple Mills line, and I love them all (muffin mixes, bread mix and everything in between). Their cookie line is fantastic! Each ingredient is hand picked for a purpose. They are made with real ingredients that are good for you and each ingredient has a specific purpose. Each ingredient is intentionally chosen that has some kind of health benefit for you to enjoy while you eat cookies.
You can buy these super addicting, tasty cookies online at www.SimpleMills.com or at your local Whole Foods Market, Sprouts or Mother’s Markets (Orange County, CA)
Fruigees (All Flavor)
gluten free, non-gmo, vegan, no added sugar, organic, soy free, cane sugar free
I found this awesome squeeze pack at my local Mother’s Market when its owner, Josh, was doing a demo. I legit fell in love with the product, bought a bunch and now we keep them in our house always.
Fruigees comes in 3 flavors: 24 Carrot Orange, Kalefornia Grape and Nothing Beets Cherry. Each pouch has a half a cup of fruits and veggies. I love that there is nothing artificial in these fruity squeeze packs and no added sugar.
Tip - keep them in the freezer in the warmer months to eat as a popsicle. Just cut off the bottom and enjoy!
You can buy these super addicting, tasty cookies online at www.Fruigees.com or at your local Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, Safeway, Wegmans, Albertsons or Mother’s Markets (Orange County, CA)
Watusee Foods Popped Sea Salt or Ranch Chickpeatos
gluten-free, non-GMO, soy-free, corn-free, kosher, vegan, organic, cane sugar free
As you read in the sweet category, I found these snacks from Watusee Foods at Expo West in March, and they are probably one of our favorite things ever! Everyone I have shared them with has totally freaked out and have become addicted to them. They really are a great, healthy snack that everyone in the family will love.
These Popped Caramel Sea Salt mini single serve packs are 100 calories, and are so jam packed with protein and flavor that you will forget you are eating a healthy, good-for-you snack.
You can eat these Popped Chickpeatos like popcorn, they have more than 3 times the protein of Pirate Booty. Plus, there is no corn in these tasty snacks! These Popped Chickpeatos are made of baked peas and chickpeas.
Right now, they are available at www.WatuseeFoods.com and come in large 4oz bags or small 1oz bags convenient for school snacks and lunches. They will be available in stores soon.
Jilz Gluten Free Crackerz
gluten-free, vegan, paleo, grain free, soy free, corn free, organic, cane sugar free
These crackers have been a staple in our house for a very long time. One of my first YouTube videos was all about these incredible crackers that are made from nuts and seeds.
Jilz Crackers now come in small serving packets that are great for lunches and on-the-go snacks. You can eat them plain, with a dip of choice, cheese of choice or meat.
They come in 3 different flavors, Mediterranean, Tuscan and Original. I prefer the Tuscan but love them all, really. They have great texture and hold up nicely when you are dipping into the thickest hummus or dip around!
You can find these crackers at Sprouts, Mother’s Markets (Orange County, CA), Whole Foods Market, and online. You can use their store locator HERE or visit www.JilzGlutenFree.com
Beanitos Baked White Bean Mac and Cheese Crunch
gluten-free, vegetarian, non-gmo
I am an addict and I don’t care who knows it! Sometimes, my husband and I need to refrain from buying a bag of these at the store, because they are opened in the car and finished before we get home…. and we only live 10 minutes from the store! THAT is how delicious these are. Beanitos solved that problem because they made small single-serving bags of these tasty Mac and Cheese snacks, which you can order on Amazon.
They are baked, and compared to their mainstream alternative, Beanitos Baked White Bean Mac and Cheese Crunch have half the sodium, twice the fiber, less fat and way above that they are made with real, simple ingredients that you can actually pronounce. Choosing products that contain less ingredients that you can easily pronounce and which you know what they are is the way to go.
You can buy these tasty, finger-licking Beanitos in the small snack-size on Amazon and the larger sizes in Sprouts, Whole Foods Market and other similar retailers. To learn more, visit www.Beanitos.com
Enjoy Life Margherita Pizza or Garlic Parmesan Plentils
gluten-free, soy free, casein free, top 8 free, sulfite free, non-gmo, cane sugar free
Plentils are crunchy, savory, airy, light and flavorful. I think the best flavors are the Margherita Pizza and the Garlic Parmesan Plentils. They are made from lentils which gives these chips some extra protein compared to other chip options.
Enjoy Life Foods makes wonderful food allergy friendly snacks, baking mixes and more. They really care about the ingredients that they choose and make foods that are safe for those with allergies.
You can eat these crunchy chips on their own or use them to dip. I like that they don’t have artificial anything, and they have 40% less fat than the average potato chips, which makes these a better option that many of the other “chips” out there.
You can purchase these from Enjoy Life’s website or at stores like Sprouts, Whole Foods Market and Mother’s Markets (Orange County, CA). To learn more about the Plentils, visit www.EnjoyLifeFoods.com
Siete Foods Chips Lime Grain Free Tortilla Chips
gluten-free, soy free, non-gmo, grain free, vegan, dairy free, corn free, paleo, cane sugar free
With only 7 ingredients, these chips are a must-have in our household. They have great taste, texture and ingredients, too! They come in 3 different flavors: Lime, Sea Salt, and Nacho. The Sea Salt flavor is corn free.
Siete chips are made of cassava flour. Cassava is a mineral-rich root veggie and is a staple crop in many parts of the world, including Latin America, Africa and Asia.
You can eat these delicious chips plain or with guacamole, hummus, or any dip of choice. The chips are pretty light and crispy, but sturdy enough for dipping… so dip away!
You can buy these chips at Whole Foods Market, Mothers Markets (Orange County, CA) or online at www.SieteFoods.com
GO RAW Zesty Pizza Sprouted Flax Snax
organic, gluten free, nut free, vegan, sprouted, raw, cane sugar free
Pizza Snax are a must-have in any lunchbox! It is a raw seed snack that tastes like zesty pizza. The tomato and spices combined with sprouted seeds give a hearty healthy burst of pizza right into your mouth.
These snax are a good source of protein, fiber and there is no cholesterol. There are just a handful of organic ingredients that make these bites of “pizza” come to life.
They are somewhere between a cracker and a chip, so you can dip them into your fav spread or eat them plain.
You can purchase these online at www.GoRaw.com or at stores like Sprouts, Whole Foods Market and Mother’s Markets (Orange County, CA).
Perfect Bar (Minis)
gluten-free, non-GMO, soy-free, organic
This is probably my favorite of all the bars! It reminds me of peanut butter cookie dough. I love the texture of this bar… it's as if you made peanut butter cookie dough, shaped the dough into bars, and refrigerated them.
We love the mini Perfect Bars because they are great for a quick snack that has over 20 different organic superfoods, it’s only 100 calories and has 5g of protein.
These mini bars are great for your kids’ lunch boxes or after-school snacks. They also make a mini Almond Butter Perfect Bar.
You can find mini Perfect Bars at Whole Foods, Sprouts, Costco (yes!) or online at www.PerfectBar.com
bRAW Bar
organic, vegan, non-GMO, dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, paleo, cane sugar free
These raw bars are so fresh, so simple, and made with real ingredients that will leave an amazing aftertaste in your mouth.
There are over 10 super foods in each bar, and it is rich in plant protein, sweetened with coconut nectar and packed with nourishing ingredients.
There are 4 different bRAW bars: Coconut Macadamia, Almond Crunch, Chocolate Expresso and Super Green. I really loved all 4 bars, but my absolute fav was the Chocolate Espresso. It had a great espresso flavor and, goodness, these bars are filling!
If the bars are too big, cut them in half and pack half a bar in your kid’s lunch and put the other half in your mouth…. I mean… save it for the next day!
All of the bars are handmade in Maui, Hawaii, and you can order them via their website: www.BrawBar.com. They are also in Whole Foods Markets in California, Hawaii, Arizona and Nevada.
Square Organics
organic, vegan, non-GMO, dairy-free, soy-free
There are 7 different square bars, and I have tasted them all! If I had to choose my favorites they would be the Chocolate Coated Mint, the Chocolate Coated Peanut Butter and maybe the …. okay, I love them all!
These are organic protein bars that are great for kids of all ages! You can cut them in half or into bite-size pieces to add to lunch boxes. They are filled with plant-based protein, fiber, and are very tasty.
Square Organics come in 7 flavors: Chocolate Coated Peanut Butter, Chocolate Coated Nuts & Sea Salt, Chocolate Coated Coconut, Chocolate Coated Crunch, Chocolate Coated Cherry Coconut, Chocolate Coated Mint, Chocolate Coated Almonds.
You can find these bars at Whole Foods, Sprouts and many other grocery stores or online at www.SquareOrganics.com and score 20% off using code KRYSTENSKITCHEN at checkout.
RX BAR kids
organic, dairy free, gluten free, no added sugar, soy-free and no bad stuff, cane sugar free
You have probably had an RX Bar before or at least heard of them. They are very tasty! They just launched a kids line a few months ago, and they come in three flavors - Chocolate Chip, Berry Blast and Apple Cinnamon Raisin.
Each bar is made of simple, real ingredients such as egg whites, almonds, cashews, dates and, as the packing even says, there is NO BAD STUFF!
Each bag has 7 grams of protein and is a convenient, healthy snack that your kids (or you) will love.
You can buy these Kids RX Bars at Target or on www.RxBar.com
Primal Kitchen’s Dark Chocolate Almond Bar
dairy free, gluten free, soy free, grain free, paleo friendly, cane sugar free
Primal Kitchen Foods makes some tasty products, and they created some delicious protein bars that contain more collagen than a cup of bone broth - about 15g to be exact!
These bars are a great source of fiber, protein and are low in carbs and sugar. They are made with grass-fed collagen (collagen has incredible benefits), Turkish almonds, roasted pumpkin seeds and have a chewy dark chocolate caramel coating. I am drooling now!
These bars are filled with the good stuff to keep you going throughout the day, after school or to have as a quick breakfast on-the-go. You can buy them at www.PrimalKitchen.com
Amazing Grass Protein Superfood Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar
dairy free, gluten free, non-gmo, organic, vegan
Amazing Grass made delicious plant based protein bars that have 12g of protein and are packed with superfoods, antioxidants, fruits and veggies. They provide natural energy and satisfy any hunger cravings.
You can get these bars in my fav, Chocolate Peanut Butter and Chocolate Almond butter, as well as Original, Chocolate Chip Coconut, Sweet + Savory, and Dark Chocolate + Sea Salt.
These bars are also jam-packed with the highest quality greens, nuts and nutrient-dense superfoods. If your kiddos like them, put half in their lunch as “dessert.” They are great for an after-school snack or a breakfast on-the-go.
You can purchase these bars online at www.AmazingGrass.com or at your Whole Foods Markets.
