I’m happy to be sharing gluten-free nut-free lunchbox treats with you today! And healthier ones at that. Let’s face it, as soon as it’s time for the kiddos to go back to school, we start racking our brains thinking of proper treats for their lunches.
You know … ones they’ll enjoy, but also ones that are healthy enough to make us feel like good parents and aren’t too difficult or time consuming for us to make. Well, a bunch of our contributors have come together to give you some terrific recipes for healthier gluten-free nut-free lunchbox treats.
In fact, there are over 50 options! So you can save your brain for all the forms that you have to fill out at the beginning of each year, for those minutes that you have to spend being a homework aide to your child, and for so much more that always seems to tax us this time each year.
More and more schools are requiring that treats be nut free to protect those with nut allergies. That’s a really terrific and sensible thing to do, and I’m all for it! Safety rules—always!
I hope this roundup with give those who are gluten free and nut free some new treat options as well as help out those who are grain free/paleo/primal who have relied on nuts for your lunchbox recipes in the past.
Please note that I labeled these gluten-free nut-free lunchbox treats for the following: gluten free (of course), grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free (of course), refined sugar free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, and primal. However, most of these treats are also free of other allergens like peanuts, soy, etc., so be sure to check out the recipes via the links to see if these will work for your family.
I hope you will find many, many new options! Finally, please, please verify the “free” status of ingredients to your own comfort level.
~ Animal Crackers from GF Jules ~ gluten free, oat free, refined sugar free, nut free, vegetarian, with dairy-free option
~ Beach Bum Lentil Trail Mix from Healthful Pursuit ~ gluten free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, vegan (use grain-free flour, like coconut flour, for grain-free option)
~ Bran New Muffins from Gluten Free Easily ~ gluten free, oat free, dairy free, nut free, vegetarian
~ Breakfast Cookies from She Let Them Eat Cake via The Wayback Machine (as this site is no longer active) ~ gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, refined sugar free, vegan
~ Chewy Chocolate Cherry Cookies from Tasty Eats At Home (via The Wayback Machine as this site is no longer active) ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, sugar free, vegan, paleo, primal
~ Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures ~ gluten free, nut free, vegetarian
~ Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars from Live Free, Gluten Free ~ gluten free, oat free, dairy free, nut free, vegetarian
~ Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Dough Balls from Go Dairy Free ~ gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, vegan
~ Chocolate Chip Sunflower Crunch Balls from Edible Perspective (via The Wayback Machine as this site is no longer active) ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, paleo, primal, vegan
~ Chocolate Paleo Snack Cake from Paleo Spirit ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, nut free, sugar free, paleo, primal, vegetarian
~ Chocolate Pumpkinseed Flour Cookies from The Mommy Bowl ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, vegan
~ Chunky Monkey Muffins from Real Everything (formerly Paleo Parents) ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free (choose nut-free option), paleo, primal, vegan
~ Cinnamon “French Toast” Flatbread from The Paleo Mom ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, refined sugar free, paleo, primal, vegetarian
~ Cinnamon Raisin Baked Oatmeal Squares from A Few Shortcuts ~ gluten free (use gluten-free options), nut free, vegetarian, with dairy-free option
~ Cinnamon Roll Sunflower Bars from Edible Perspective (via The Wayback Machine as this site is no longer active) ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, sugar free, paleo, primal, vegan
~ Coconut Blueberry Pound Cupcakes from Gluten Free Easily ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, refined sugar free, nut free, vegetarian
~ Creamy Chocolate Fudge from Oatmeal with a Fork ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, refined sugar free, vegetarian, with vegan option
~ Crunchy Cereal from Gluten Free SCD and Veggie ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, vegetarian, paleo, primal, SCD
~ Easy Pancake Bites from A Few Shortcuts ~ gluten free (use gluten-free option), oat free, nut free (use nut-free option) (Choose the healthy variations on this recipe for lunch and save the more indulgent options for a special treat!)
~ Flourless Nut-Free Brownies from Elana’s Pantry ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, nut free, refined sugar free, paleo, primal, vegetarian
~ Grain-Free Nut-Free Brownies from Cuter Than Gluten ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, nut free, refined sugar free, vegetarian, with dairy-free, paleo, primal options
~ Healthy Oatmeal Cranberry Breakfast Cookies from Go Dairy Free ~ gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, vegan
~ Healthy Power Muffins from Go Dairy Free ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, with vegan option
~ Honey Lemon Bars from Oatmeal with a Fork ~ gluten free, dairy free, nut free, vegetarian
~ Kid-Friendly Carob Oat Truffles from Oatmeal with a Fork ~ gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, refined sugar free, vegetarian, with vegan option (be sure to use gluten-free oats)
~ Lemon Poppy Seed Power Balls from Daily Bites via The Wayback Machine (as this site is no longer active) ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, refined sugar free, nut free, paleo, primal, vegan
~ Maple Caramel Candy Chews from Gluten Free Easily ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, refined sugar free, nut free (choose nut-free options), paleo, primal, vegan
~ Maple-Sweetened Chocolate Chip Banana Bread from Go Dairy Free ~ gluten free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, vegan
~ Meringues from Gluten Free Goodness ~ gluten free, oat free, dairy free, nut free (choose nut-free options), vegetarian
~ Mexican “Chocolatey” Pudding from Predominantly Paleo ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, vegan paleo, primal, AIP
~ Moist Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins from Faithfully Gluten Free ~ gluten free, vegetarian
~ Nut-Free Date Bites from Gluten-Free Homemaker via The Wayback Machine (as this site is no longer operating) ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, sugar free, vegan, paleo, primal
~ Nut-Free Paleo Autoimmune Protocol Granola from And Love It, Too! ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, sugar free, vegan, paleo, primal, AIP
~ Oatmeal Heart Cookies from Nourishing Meals ~ gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, vegan, with refined sugar-free option
~ Paleo Chocolate Chip Scones from Elana’s Pantry ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, nut free, paleo, primal
~ Paleo Fluffy Sunbutter Cookies from Gluten Free Easily ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, nut free (use nut-free option), vegetarian, paleo, primal
~ Paleo-O’s Cereal from Predominantly Paleo ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, paleo, primal, vegan
~ Paleo Sweet Potato Muffins from Tessa, The Domestic Diva ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, paleo, primal, vegan
~ Peanut-Free Peanut Butter Cookies from Ricki Heller (via The Wayback Machine) ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, vegan
~ Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins from Tessa, The Domestic Diva ~ gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, nut free, vegan
~ Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins from The Paleo Mom ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, refined sugar free, paleo, primal, vegetarian
~ Protein-Packed Monster Breakfast Cookies from Allergy Free Alaska ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, paleo, primal, vegan
~ Raw Cinnamon Sunflower Truffles from Nourishing Meals ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, refined sugar free, vegan, raw, paleo, primal
~ Spinach Brownies from The Paleo Mom ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, nut free, refined sugar free, paleo, primal, vegetarian
~ Sugar-Free Chocolate Macaroons from Allergy Free Alaska ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, nut free, sugar free, vegetarian
~ Sunflower Mini Cups from City | Life | Eats ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, vegan
~ “Toddler” Sunflower Snack Cookies from Nourishing Meals ~ gluten free, oat free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, refined sugar free, vegan
~ Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins from Elana’s Pantry ~ gluten free, grain free, oat free, dairy free, nut free, vegetarian
Originally published August 31, 2014; updated October 23, 2024.
Cassidy @ Cassidy's Craveable Creations says
What a great idea to do a gluten and nut free roundup! I’ve been trying to not use as many nuts or nut flours, but I just can’t seem to get away from them! I think this roundup will help me 🙂
-Cassidy
Shirley says
Thanks, Cassidy! The “nut-free” part was actually inspired by my friend Maggie (She Let Them Eat Cake). She wanted to link to gluten-free, nut-free recipes in her back-to-school post here and wanted to know what I had. I had nothing so I came up with something. 😉 I’m really so glad you think this post will be helpful to you!
Shirley
Alisa says
Wonderful round-up Shirley! I just pinned this and many of the recipes! Thanks for including me 🙂
Shirley says
Hey Alisa–Thanks! I can always count on you to have a great recipe on Go Dairy Free, no matter what the category is! 😉
Shirley
Maggie says
Wow Shirley! You must have so much patience, this is an incredible round-up! Thanks for sharing mine too. I’ll be sharing this post all over the place 🙂 It’s going to be a great help, especially to those who also need to be nut-free.
Shirley says
Maggie–Sometimes I have patience! 😉 It’s fun to see these roundups come together even if they take some work. 🙂 So happy to have some of your recipes included since you asking me if had any gf/nf recipe listings for back to school inspired me too create one! 😉 Love your epic back-to-school lunchbox post!
Shirley
Megan | Allergy Free Alaska says
This is such an impressive list, Shirley! I’m sure it will be invaluable to many! Pinned, and shared… and thanks for featuring a few of my recipes, too! 😉
xoxo
Shirley says
Thank you, Megan! I’ve got great contributors who give me everything I need! 😉
xoxo,
Shirley
Chrystal says
Wow! Great roundup Shirley – and such a great resource. Thank you!
Chrystal Carver
Shirley says
Thanks, Chrystal! I really appreciate the kind feedback. I truly hope many will find this post helpful! 🙂
Shirley
Sunny says
Shirley, this is one heck of a line-up! So many great options and I appreciate how you identify each recipe with the dietary protocols they fit into; this makes flipping through and selecting a treat even easier!
Thank you for including my Nut-Free Paleo Autoimmune Granola as well. This has been a favorite in our household for the last couple of years! I hope your readers enjoy, too! xoxo
Shirley says
Hi Sunny–Thanks so much, dear! And I do want to make it easier for folks to find recipes that will work for their families. 😉 I still haven’t made your AIP Granola, but I will once I’m back in baking mode. I know it has to be excellent with those ingredients. 😉
xoxo,
Shirley
Vicky says
This is an amazing round-up of recipes but I should have eaten my breakfast before looking at everything, I’m starving now!
Thank you for including my recipe, now I’m going to share and pin! xo
Shirley says
Thanks for the very kind feedback and the sharing, Vicky! And I’d love to find your Crunchy Cereal recipe in my lunchbox! 🙂
xo,
Shirley
Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma) says
Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂 I can’t wait to see what you share this week! Its LIVE!
Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
Shirley says
Thanks, Cindy! You’re the best! 🙂
Shirley
Barbara Bianchi says
What a terrific round up. I’m pinning this for when we need to satisfy the old sweet tooth. 🙂 Thanks!
Shirley says
Thanks, Barbara! I loved putting this roundup together. So many really delightful recipes, with many healthier options. 🙂
Shirley
swathi says
Delicious collection, thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop.
Shirley Braden says
Thanks so much, Swathi! 🙂
Shirley
April J Harris says
What a wonderful resource this post is, Shirley! I’ve pinned and stumbled it as well as featuring it at the Hearth and Soul Hop this week. I know it will be helpful to so many folks! Thank you for sharing it.
Shirley Braden says
Thank you so very much, April!! This post is definitely one of my favorite roundups! 🙂
Shirley