Packing up lunch boxes is a part of every parent’s morning (or evening) routine. However, when your child suffers from food allergies, it can bring stress to what should be a proud mama/papa moment. Sure you can pack your kid a lunch that looks like a Vegan chef prepared a five-course meal for your special child. However, most kids just want to fit in and not be singled out, especially at lunch and recess time. As a part of our Tyler & Madden’s Food Fight coverage, we’ve compiled a few great allergy-free lunch recipes that are perfect for back to school planning. In addition to our Allergy-Free Lunch inspiration, we’ve included some fantastic Allergy-free food manufacturers you will want to include on your next grocery shopping list.
Allergy-free Grocery Shopping List
SunButter: This is the best friend of parents with kids suffering from peanut allergies! SunButter manufactures delicious alternative to peanut butter that uses sunflower seeds. The brand is made to be top 8 food-allergy free (peanut & Tree Nut free, dairy-free, soy-free and gluten free). Imagine giving pb & j back to your kid! They even have a free school safe recipe book you can download for free by clicking here
Earth Balance: a Vegan and Gluten-free food manufacturer that makes a line of snack foods, including popcorn, crackers and chips. In addition, they make a Vegan mayonnaise that’s also egg-free, soy-free & dairy-free.
UDIS Gluten Free: For delicious gluten free breads, bagels, tortillas that use ancient grains instead of heavy wheats.
Orgran: This brand makes delicious kid-friendly snacks, pastas, dry mixes, ready-made breakfast, lunch and dinners, all made food allergy friendly. We kid-tested their delicious chicken nuggets, that are made with quinoa and couldn’t believe the flavor packed into these little guys. They also have a free recipe app that comes in handy when you’re looking for something delicious to make the whole family.
Delicious Back to School Allergy-Free Lunch Recipes
Turkey BLT:
- 1/2 head of romaine lettuce
- 3 pieces red cabbage
- 2 slices tomato
- 4 slices of Gluten-free Boar’s Head Turkey cold cuts (most manufactures label for gluten-free)
- 2 tablespoons of Earth Balance MindfulMayo™
- 2 slices of toasted vegan bread* (optional based on food restrictions)
Assemble the blt as you would normally. Spread Mindful Mayo on each slice of bread. Layer the lettuce, cabbage and tomato on top of two slices of turkey, place top piece of bread on and slice across or in fours.
Delicious Chicken Salad
- 4 cups diced cooked chicken, (poached)
- 1 stalk celery, chopped thin
- 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly diced.
- A pinch of fresh dill (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dry dill)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley.
- 1 cup Earth Balance MindfulMayo™
Prepare all ingredients accordingly and combine in a mixing bowl. Stir well until everything is well combined. Serve with rice crackers or allergy-friendly chips or soft tortilla. Optional: replace breads or crackers with lettuce wraps. Add a few spoonfuls of chicken salad in the center of a piece of lettuce (bibb lettuce or iceberg lettuce works great for kids). Roll up the lettuce as you would a tortilla wrap and refrigerate until it’s time to prepare lunch boxes in the morning.
Elvis Twist Sunbutter Sandwich
- 2 slices of Udi’s gluten, dairy, nut, & soy free Cinnamon Raisin bread
- 2 tablespoons Sunbutter
- Banana slices
- 1 Tablespoon of Homemade jam* (with the exception of being high in fructose and corn syrup, most store bought brands are free of most food-allergy restrictions)
Spread Sunbutter on both sides of the Cinnamon Raisin bread. Add the jam on top of one side. Next, spread slices of banana on top of the jam. Place the second slice of bread with only sunbutter on top and cut in half.
Tyler and Madden’s Food Fight
Attention Food Fighters! Tyler and Madden’s Food Fight Gala is October 5, 2016 at the Watermill Caterers in Smithtown. For more information visit: TylerandMaddensFoodFight.org
Ways to Help: Next time you shop online, head over to Amazon Smile and choose “Tyler and Madden’s Food Fight” as your charity. Amazon will make a donation based on your purchase? All proceeds will go to support pediatric food allergy research at The Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC Visit: Amazon Smile online