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Studies show that 16%–18% of children with food allergies have had a reaction from accidentally eating something they’re allergic to while at school. As a result, many public schools have declared themselves “nut-free” to protect students with allergies (1), which is why knowing how to shop for peanut free snacks is especially useful.
Whether you’re allergic to peanuts yourself or looking for safe snacks to pack for school lunch, choosing snacks that are healthy, convenient, and safe for your allergies can be challenging. Some of the easiest on-the-go snacks — granola bars, trail mix, cookies, cereals, and of course, PB&J’s — often contain peanuts.
Finding alternatives can require hours poring over ingredient lists, sticking to the same few trusted nut-free brands, or making snacks at home.
If you’re on the hunt for more convenient snack options containing no peanuts, you’re in luck! Here are our best tips when shopping, ingredients to keep in mind, and 12 of the healthiest peanut-free snacks you can find on store shelves.
While each of the following products listed below is free of peanuts in the ingredient list, some may be processed on equipment that also processes peanuts. We have also included the allergen statement listed on the nutrition label of each product indicating possible cross-contact.
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Choosing Peanut Free Snacks
For those with peanut allergies, it’s important to double-check the label for the allergen statement. In products with peanuts in the ingredients, manufacturers are required to list peanuts in an allergen statement following the ingredient list.
However, it is left up to the manufacturer’s discretion whether to include an advisory statement for products that may contain traces of peanuts due to cross-contact during processing. In light of this, it may be safer for those with severe allergies to choose brands that process their snacks on dedicated peanut-free equipment.
When choosing peanut free snacks, here are some ingredients to keep in mind when shopping:
- Artificial colors & flavors. Fruit-flavored snacks, cereals, yogurt, and chips are some of the most common types of snack foods that contain artificial colors and flavors. Although recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), some studies have linked these ingredients to hyperactivity in some children and increased cancer risk (3, 4, 5, 6, 7).
- Palm oil. Palm oil is a vegetable oil found in close to 50% of packaged products. It is one of the leading causes of deforestation and has raised concerns regarding a range of other negative social and environmental impacts (8, 9).
- Added sugar. Added sugars are hidden in a many snack foods, from nutrition bars to crackers. It’s important to be aware of the presence of added sugars in your snack choices. The American Heart Association advises limited added sugars to around 6-9 teaspoons (25-36 grams) per day (10).
1. Rxbar Lemon Whole Food Protein Bar Glutenfree
Allergen statement: Contains eggs, almonds & cashews. Manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, soy and wheat.
2. Larabar Gluten Free Bar Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
According to the manufacturer, some LÄRABAR™ products do contain peanuts, however they “take the peanut allergen issue very seriously and have made certain that all LÄRABAR™ products are labeled if they contain peanuts or have any chance of contact with peanuts.”
No allergen statement available, but there are no peanuts listed in the ingredients.
3. Wise Company Simple Kitchen Freeze Dried Mango
No allergen statement available, but there are no peanuts listed in the ingredients.
4. Orville Redenbacher’s Original Gourmet Yellow Popcorn Kernels
No allergen statement available, but there are no peanuts listed in the ingredients.
5. Terra Vegetable Chips Exotic Original
No allergen statement available, but there are no peanuts listed in the ingredients.
6. Hippeas Nacho Vibes Organic Chickpea Puffs
According to the manufacturer, HIPPEAS® are labeled appropriately for the allergens and allergen environment found in their production plants. There are no contains statements on HIPPEAS® puff products.
Allergen statement: HIPPEAS® do not contain Milk, Soy, Wheat, Egg, Peanut, Tree Nut, Fish, or Shellfish.
7. Skinnypop Popcorn Skinny Pop
According to the manufacturer, Skippypop Original Popped Popcorn is peanut and tree nut free.
Allergen statement: SkinnyPop products are free of peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, eggs.
8. Primal Kitchen Nut & Seed Bar Macadamia Sea Salt
Allergen statement: Contains: Eggs, Tree Nuts (Almond, Cashew, Coconut, Macadamia)
9. Ocean Spray Craisinscraisins Snack Pack Sweetened Dried Cranberries
No allergen statement available, but there are no peanuts listed in the ingredients.
10. Emerald 100 Calorie Packsnatural Almonds And Walnuts Packs
Allergen statement: Contains: Tree Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts)
11. That’s It. Blueberry Energy Bars
According to the manufacturer, That’s It Bars are manufactured in a facility free of peanuts.
Allergen statement: Made in a facility free from the top 12 allergens (except coconut).
12. Wise Simple Kitchen Sliced Bananas Real Fruit Snacks
No allergen statement available, but there are no peanuts listed in the ingredients.
13. Gogo Squeez Applesauce
Allergen statement: GoGo squeeZ® fruit products are free of common allergens, including gluten, nuts, and dairy.
14. Popchips Sea Salt
Allergen statement: None of our popped potato chips contain nuts/tree nut ingredients. Our popchips nutter puffs do contain peanut ingredients but are produced in a separate facility than our potato popchips, making them safe from allergen cross-contamination.
15. Terra Chips Sea Salt Exotic Potato
No allergen statement available, but there are no peanuts listed in the ingredients.
17. Blue Diamond Artisan Nut Thins Multiseed
No allergen statement available, but there are no peanuts listed in the ingredients.
18. Off The Eaten Path Chickpea Veggie Crisps
No allergen statement available, but there are no peanuts listed in the ingredients.
19. Sun Chips Original Whole Grain
Allergen statement: Contains wheat ingredients.
20. Van’s Foods Lots Of Everything Crispy Whole Grain Baked Crackers
According to the manufacturer, Van’s Lots of Everything Crackers are nut-free.
Allergen statement: N/A
21. Sea Salt Popcorn Good & Gather
Allergen statement: Processed in a facility that also handles egg, milk, and tree nut ingredients.
22. Utz No Salt Potato Chips
No allergen statement available, but there are no peanuts listed in the ingredients.
Key takeaways for choosing peanut free snacks
Although finding convenient and healthy peanut free snacks can be tricky, they are out there. Snack companies are beginning to recognize the growing need for allergy-friendly products to keep people safe in schools and cafeterias.
When shopping, be sure to reference the label to check for peanuts in the ingredient list or advisory statement. For those with severe allergies, it may be beneficial to contact the manufacturer or opt for a brands that explicitly say that their products are produced in a peanut-free facility.
There are a variety of peanut-free snacks to choose from whether you are avoiding artificial additives, added sugar, or unsustainable ingredients like palm oil.
There are 1,000s of food products that won’t be right for you
Let GreenChoice find the ones that are
Tell us your dietary needs & values and we’ll show you foods that match!
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