I wanted to provide you with 10 dairy free options for packing school lunches. Within the last year we have discovered our child’s sensitivity to diary. Read about how this finding has changed her life. With these changes, finding great products that fit her dietary needs has been essential. The recipes and products need to be manageable and trusted for me and enjoyable for her.
While I could link to a variety of recipes here, what I really want to do is tell you about some easy, grab and go snacks and lunch ideas. This is more about the products I love rather than complex recipes. The reason for this is because we get busy, and I like my kids to be able to pack their own lunches. My kids like simple and tend to be picky, so why make it more complicated than it needs to be?
10 Dairy Free Options for Packing School Lunches
- Silk Almond Milk Dark Chocolate or Vanilla Flavor – I accidentally grabbed a different brand of almond milk the other day, and my daughter was not happy. She said, “No, Mom. This brand isn’t good. I really want the Silk brand.” She’s got her daddy’s advanced taste buds, apparently. I love that Silk makes a single serving option. My daughter prefers the dark chocolate flavor. Who can blame her?
- Hummus and Pita Chips – You can buy pita chips, but if you want a great homemade option, why don’t your try my pita chip recipe. Just make sure to use a butter alternative when making these. Otherwise, just choose a dairy free pita chip.
- Pretzels and Peanut Butter – Proteins are harder to get into my dairy free kid when we are on the go. Dipping pretzels in peanut butter is always a great option. I try and buy a sugar free peanut butter where the ingredients are only peanuts and sea salt.
- Soy Free and Dairy Free Yogurt Parfait – So Delicious has a great coconut based yogurt alternative. Add a small bag of granola and some fresh fruit for your child to dump into the yogurt, and they have a tasty diary free parfait to enjoy.
- Fruit Skewers – Fruit is always a healthy and dairy-free options for kids. My kids love fruit, so I can easily throw in some blueberries, a banana, a satsuma or apple. Some kids need a little bit more enticing to eat their fruit. If that describes your child, consider a fruit skewer similar to the ones we made for my daughter’s luau party.
- Horizon Snack Grahams – My kids love the Horizon Cinnamon Grahams the most, but you can check out all of the varieties as well as other Horizon products here. In looking at the ingredients, nothing stands out as dairy to me. That said, it is processed in a facility that also processes milk, eggs and coconut, so if there is a more extreme issue with dairy, this might not be the right product for you. We have loved playing with our Horizon snack grahams. Just check out my ideas here and here.
- Sandwich Options – There are a variety of simple sandwich options that do not require dairy products. Here are some of the ones I can recommend: peanut butter & jelly, tuna fish, sloppy joes, turkey & cranberry sauce, avocado & chicken salad or just a simple lunch meat with tomatoes, mustard and lettuce.
- Squeezable Fruit Pouches – Fruit pouches are no longer just apple sauce flavored. There are berry mixes and sometimes vegetable combinations that provide fun and yet flavorful food options for school lunches. A traditional container of apple sauce works great too.
- Trail Mix or Other Nut Blends – It’s great to provide your kids with protein through mixes that include healthy nuts. Almonds have been declared a super food, but there are a variety of nuts that provide great snacking options for kids.
- Turkey Jerky – I’m always looking for proteins to get into my daughter, and she loves turkey jerky. It’s a great and easy item to be able to add to lunches. I would recommend getting meat products that are nitrate free.
Shopping for 10 Dairy Free Options for Packing School Lunches
I went shopping at my local Kroger store to find these dairy free options. I love that the store has a natural section that provides for a number of dietary and health needs.
My kids are great “helpers” as we roll throughout the store. Trust me that they have all kind of opinions about their favorites. I love that my Kroger store has a family friendly aisle. My friend thought that the line meant the people who worked at the cash register was more patient. LOL. I know that it means that the content of the magazines or other items on the shelves are OK for my kids’ eyes.
I hope my 10 dairy free options for packing school lunches inspire your next Kroger shopping experience. Having a child with food restrictions never makes life easier, but we do what we can to make the experience a better one for our kids. We are really blessed to live in a time where there are great options available.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Horizon, Silk, & So Delicious. The opinions and text are all mine.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Horizon, Silk, & So Delicious. The opinions and text are all mine.
Thanks for the tips. I homeschool but my kids still love great snack options.
You are so welcome. I’m glad to help. 🙂 Have a great school year!
Great lunch ideas! I love when someone comes up with these, so that I can modify for my kids, who are ALSO soy and gluten free. Tricky, but you have some WONDERFUL options I had not thought of, with some of my very favorite brands 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Without soy and gluten, it gets super tricky. I have a friend who has to avoid so many different things, and I can’t imagine the challenge. I’m glad I was maybe able to inspire some ideas through this post. Thanks for commenting.