The Nut-Free Lunchbox Guide

New backpacks, new sneakers, new lunchboxes — and the same old question every parent asks in late August: what am I actually going to put in there every single day?

At TerraNut, we hear this one a lot, especially from parents who've grown to love our cold-pressed bars but hit the same wall: many schools today have nut-free classroom policies, which rules out a lot of well-meaning "healthy" snacks — including some of our own. So instead of pretending that's not the case, here's an honest guide to what actually belongs in a school lunchbox this year, straight from us.

The nut-free picks: New Pop and Nana Bites

Two of our products are made without any nuts at all, which makes them genuinely safe to send to school, even in a strict nut-free classroom:

New Pop is our air-popped, husk-free popcorn — just a few simple ingredients, no fat, no cholesterol, and no husks to get stuck in little teeth. It comes in single-serve bags in Sea Salt, Sweet Cinnamon, and Original Sweet, so pickier eaters have options without you needing to buy three different snacks.

Nana Bites are about as simple as a snack gets: just dried bananas and lime juice. Two ingredients, naturally sweet, no added sugar needed, and they come in easy grab-and-go pouches that don't need refrigeration — ideal for a lunchbox that sits in a backpack all morning.

Both are vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free, so they also work for classrooms juggling multiple dietary restrictions, not just nut allergies.

What about the Punch bars?

Pnut Punch, Nut Punch, Cacao Punch, and Paleo Punch are still some of our most-loved products — they're just not the right call for a shared lunchbox in most schools, since they're built around peanuts and tree nuts. Save those for home: an after-school snack, a weekend hike, or tucked into a lunch for a workplace or a school without nut restrictions. Always double-check with your school's actual policy before packing any nut-containing snack, since rules vary a lot from one district to the next.

A few practical lunchbox tips

• Check labels every year, not just once. Schools update nut policies year to year, sometimes classroom by classroom depending on that year's students. What worked last September might not this year.
• Pack a backup. A New Pop bag and a Nana Bites pouch together cover both a savory craving and a sweet one, so lunch doesn't turn into a trade negotiation at the table.
• Let them pick the flavor. Kids are far more likely to actually eat what they picked out themselves — grab a variety pack and let your kid choose their own lineup for the week.

Where to find them

New Pop and Nana Bites are both available at terranut.com, and you can find our full lineup in person at Long Island and Warwick farmers markets, plus the fairs and festivals we show up at throughout the season. However you shop, thanks for trusting us with your kid's lunchbox — we don't take that lightly.