For many of us, summer is a time for traveling. Whether you’re spending a day at the pool or a week at a camp site, finding portable snacks for you or your child with multiple food allergies isn’t always easy. However, a little planning can go a long way!
Knowing the chaos that ensues in your daily life, I wanted to save you some time by providing various allergen-free snack ideas. Here you’ll find a list of snacks you can take on-the-go, all of which are free from the top eight allergens (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soy), unless otherwise noted. As always, please read each ingredient label and always contact the manufacturer if you are unsure as to whether the product contains your or your child’s allergen.
“Cooler-worthy” snacks
- Fresh fruit – banana, apple, plum, peaches, the list goes on! Wash some berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries) or cut a melon into bite-size pieces and store in a to-go container.
- Fresh veggies – celery, baby carrots, bell pepper strips, raw cauliflower, broccoli, again the list goes on!
- Hummus – Hummus goes great as a dip with those fresh veggies. Double-check ingredients to ensure it does does not contain any of the top eight allergens.
- Salsa – whether it’s homemade or store bought, this is another “dip” option for those raw veggies.
“Throw-straight-into-your-bag” snacks
- Popcorn
- Fruit cups
- Homemade trail mix – Mix your favorite cereal, dried fruit, seeds (such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds).
- Brown rice cake with sunflower butter.
- Dried fruit – try a mix to keep it interesting! Ex: Raisins, dried cranberries, dried mangoes, dried pineapples. Create a mixture that sounds most appetizing to you!
- Corn chips – Pair these with salsa for a great poolside snack.
- Roasted chickpeas – Roasted chickpeas can be a crunchy snack option.
Sweet Treats
- Allergen-free cookies
- Allergen-free chocolate bars and chips make a delicious option
This certainly isn’t a comprehensive list of ideas or all of the companies that offer allergen-free snacks. Are there any allergen-free snacks that you or your child enjoys that are not on this list? If so, we’d love to hear them!
-Kendra Valle, RDN
Image Artist: Srikanth Jandhyala
This blog post was update on 12/20/18
