30 Easy Back-to-School Recipes (Nut-Free!)

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Recipe photos of cupcakes, popcorn, and other easy nut-free back-to-school recipes

Back-to-school season has arrived! It’s the time of year when we get lots of requests for nut-free recipes that can be packed in lunchboxes. To help make the transition to school seamless and delicious, we’ve gathered our BEST nut-free recipes that are kid-friendly and pack well. Scroll through to find lunch, snack, and dessert ideas.

(Note: Dietary symbols listed throughout for easy navigation!)

For any recipes that don’t seem nut-free, be sure to check the notes section for substitution recommendations!

Lunches

Holding a vegan burrito inspired by the Crunchwrap Supreme
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The Ultimate Vegan Burrito (Crunchwrap-Inspired!)
The ULTIMATE vegan burrito, inspired by a Crunchwrap! Smoky tofu taco meat, creamy white bean queso, crunchy tortilla chips, vibrant guacamole, and fresh veggies. Vegan, gluten-free optional, and ready in just 30 minutes!
Make The Recipe
Using wooden spoons to toss a bowl of noodle stir-fry
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Vegan Ginger Sesame Noodles with Crispy Tofu
An easy sheet pan meal with flavorful seasoned tofu and crispy roasted vegetables tossed with saucy ginger sesame noodles. SO flavorful, gluten-free, plant-based, and just 10 ingredients!
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Overhead shot of a bowl of our easy three bean salad recipe
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Easy Three Bean Salad
Three bean salad: a GO-TO side for summer gatherings, or any time you’re craving an easy, fiber-packed dish made with pantry staples! Just 1 bowl and 10 minutes required.
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Wooden spoon in a bowl of Vegan Macaroni Salad
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Vegan Macaroni Salad
30-minute vegan pasta salad loaded with colorful veg and tossed in a dairy-free, undetectably tofu-based dressing. Perfect for summer shindigs, cookouts, and picnics.
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Hard shell corn tortillas filled with Quinoa Taco Meat
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Quinoa Taco Meat
Amazingly flavorful taco “meat” made with quinoa, smoky seasonings, and salsa! Baked until hot and crispy. A healthy substitute for ground beef (just 9 ingredients)!
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Chickpea Sunflower Sandwich on a cutting board
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Chickpea Sunflower Sandwich
30-minute Chickpea Sunflower Sandwich with smashed chickpeas and roasted sunflower seeds in a simple dressing. Sandwiched between two slices of bread and topped with my secret garlic sauce, this is healthy lunch perfection.
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Holding a baked tofu veggie wrap
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Italian Herb Tofu Wraps with Garlicky Hummus Sauce
Quick and easy wraps with Italian herb baked tofu and a garlicky hummus sauce! Perfect for an easy lunch or dinner, and full of savory, plant-based satisfaction. Just 9 ingredients and 15 minutes required for assembly!
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Baking sheet with Quinoa-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
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Quinoa-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
10-ingredient quinoa stuffed sweet potatoes with salsa, tortilla chips, and a creamy avocado-cilantro sauce! A hearty plant-based entrée or side.
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Bowl of Vegan Minestrone beside vegetables, vegan parmesan, and gluten-free noodles
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1-Pot Vegan Minestrone (Gluten-Free)
Easy, 1-pot vegan and gluten-free minestrone! Simple, wholesome ingredients, 30 minutes to prepare. SO delicious and perfect for late summer, fall, and winter!
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Wood board with three buns filled with sliced onions and our Vegan Sloppy Joe recipe
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Vegan Sloppy Joes
Hearty, flavorful Vegan Sloppy Joes made with fresh, simple ingredients, naturally sweetened, and they require just 30 minutes! Savory, smoky, perfectly sweet — a delicious plant-based meal!
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Snacks

Close up shot of a bowl of our homemade vegan Chocolate Pudding recipe
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Vegan Chocolate Protein Pudding (Two Ways!)
Rich, chocolaty vegan pudding made two ways: with cashews or black beans! Naturally sweetened and made with just 6 simple ingredients.
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Three small jars of Banana Berry Hempseed Pudding topped with sliced fruit
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Banana & Berry Hemp Seed Pudding
A healthier snack or dessert made with berries, sweetened with bananas, and thickened with hemp seeds and chia seeds! Naturally sweet, creamy, and incredibly nutrient-rich. Plus, just 6 ingredients and 1 bowl required.
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Plate with a stack of homemade gluten free graham crackers
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Crispy Gluten-Free Graham Crackers (Vegan)
Crispy, gluten-free graham crackers that taste just like the real thing! Vegan, gluten-free, naturally sweetened, and made in 1 bowl. Perfect for s’mores and beyond!
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Picking up a chocolate amaranth bar from a stack
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Dark Chocolate Amaranth Bars (6 Ingredients!)
Crispy, satisfying Dark Chocolate Amaranth Bars resembling wafer cookies! Whole grain puffed amaranth combines with creamy, rich chocolate and almond butter for a healthier sweet treat or quick snack. Just 6 ingredients required!
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Batch of Vegan Banana Crumble Top Muffins on a white linen
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Vegan Banana Crumb Muffins
Super moist, flavorful vegan banana nut muffins with a crumb top! 30 minutes and one bowl required, and so delicious!
Make The Recipe
Pan of the World's Easiest homemade Cinnamon Rolls drizzled with icing
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The World’s Easiest Cinnamon Rolls
Easy cinnamon rolls with just 7 ingredients and no complicated steps. Just proof, roll out, and bake! Plus, they’re vegan and SO delicious, fluffy, and gooey!
Make The Recipe
Top down shot of a bowl filled with homemade Vegan Cheez Its
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Vegan Cheez Its
30-minute cheesy vegan crackers that taste just like Cheez Its! Simple, fast, and surprisingly close to the original. So cheezy!
Make The Recipe
Overhead shot of bowls of homemade popcorn and seasonings
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Perfect Stovetop Popcorn (5 Minutes!)
PERFECT stovetop popcorn that’s quick, easy, and totally customizable. Just 5 minutes, 1 pot, and 3 ingredients required!
Make The Recipe
Food processor filled with a batch of our homemade Seedy Sunflower Butter recipe
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Super Seedy Sunflower Butter
Super seedy sunflower butter with chia, hemp, flax, and pumpkin seeds — perfect for toast, baked goods, oats, and more! Creamy with a slight crunch, six ingredients, and vitamin- and mineral-rich!
Make The Recipe
Snapping a seed cracker into two pieces
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Easy Seed Crackers with Everything Bagel Seasoning
Crispy, light, toasty, gluten-free crackers made with flax, chia, hemp, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds. Perfect with dips, spreads, cheeses, and beyond. Just 8 ingredients and 1 bowl required!
Make The Recipe
Bowl of Cheesy Sunflower Kale Chips
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Sunflower-Coated Cheesy Kale Chips
Amazingly cheesy, crispy kale chips baked in a sunflower seed-nutritional yeast coating! Healthy, simple ingredients, BIG flavor and nutrients!
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Bowl of homemade hummus topped with olive oil and paprika
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Easy 5-Minute Microwave Hummus
6-ingredient hummus that comes together in 5 minutes and is magically transformed into the best hummus thanks to the MICROWAVE! Trust me. It’s the best hummus I’ve ever made at home!
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Desserts

Stack of 4 Vegan Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies made with walnuts
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Vegan Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies
Black bean brownies (vegan and gluten-free) that require just 1 bowl and about 30 minutes to prepare! Healthy, easy, and delicious — the best kind of dessert.
Make The Recipe
Plate of five Vegan Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with two unfrosted
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Vegan Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Tender, fluffy, vegan pumpkin sugar cookies that require just 1 bowl! Super fluffy, simple preparation, and perfect for fall!
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Close up shot of vegan chocolate chip cookies topped with flaky salt
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Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies (1 Bowl!)
The perfect classic vegan chocolate chip cookie made in 1 bowl! Salty-sweet, buttery, slightly crisp edges, tender center, and gooey chocolate chips. Just 9 ingredients and simple methods required!
Make The Recipe
Overhead shot of gluten-free chocolate chip cookies
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Classic Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Classic chocolate chip cookies made vegan and gluten-free! Chewy on the inside with crisp buttery edges. Just 1 bowl and 8 ingredients required!
Make The Recipe
Assorted shapes of Vegan Sugar Cookies with pink and white frosting and sprinkles
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1-Bowl Vegan Sugar Cookies
Classic vegan sugar cookies made with 1 bowl in less than 1 hour. Sweet, tender, simple, and perfect for holiday gatherings and beyond!
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Stack of delicious Vegan Pop Tarts with a berry filling
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Vegan Berry Pop Tarts
Flaky vegan Pop Tarts with a berry filling, raw sugar topping, and an optional vanilla glaze. 100% vegan and healthy enough for an indulgent weekend or weekday breakfast.
Make The Recipe
Holding a Vegan Funfetti Cupcake topped with frosting and rainbow sprinkles
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One Bowl Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes
1-bowl vegan funfetti cupcakes that taste JUST like the real thing! Fluffy, sweet, and loaded with vegan buttercream and sprinkles.
Make The Recipe
Chocolate cupcake topped with vegan chocolate avocado frosting
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Chocolate Avocado Frosting (Vegan, No Powdered Sugar!)
Chocolate frosting with a secret healthier ingredient: avocado! Vegan, oil-free, nut-free, naturally sweetened, and made without powdered sugar!
Make The Recipe

If you try any of these nut-free back-to-school recipes, let us know! Leave a comment, rate them, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Enjoy, friends!

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  1. Sarah Sandidge says

    I love Minimalist Baker recipes! I’m planning to make several of these recipes for my kids’ lunches this year. I was hoping more of the main dishes would be more kid-friendly and school lunch-friendly. My kids don’t have a way to heat up things at school. That makes anything that tastes better warmed up not an option. I know kids are finnicky…mine sure are…so I know a school lunch list isn’t easy! I’m always hoping to find something beyond pb&j that will do! Or some magical container that will keep the food warm until lunchtime.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sarah, we wonder if an insulated thermos would do the trick? That’s what we had in mind for the soups :)

      • Sarah Sandidge says

        Yes, I’ve considered this. Seems like they never last as long as they claim to. Is there one you’ve used that you’d recommend?

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Ah, bummer! We don’t have a specific brand recommendation. Hopefully another reader with kids will chime in!