Day 1:
Snack: flavored yogurt
Yogurts with toppings could contain traces of nuts, but most plain yogurts do not. There are lots of great flavors out there these days, from chocolate to fruit to Greek yogurt with honey, and they stay cold all morning if you stick them in the freezer about an hour before leaving for school.

Lunch: pancakes and fruit
I often send pancakes or French toast in on Mondays. While I make food from scratch at home, I'm also all about what's easy for me to prepare, and leftover pancakes from Sunday's big breakfast certainly qualify. Fruit is of course a no-brainer. Younger kids enjoy any fruit cut up into chunks, older kids can take an entire apple or banana, and everyone loves clementines.

Day 2:
Snack: popcorn
Popcorn just might be my favorite snack, and I make it at home with butter and salt, so it's a good treat to send in the next day for a school snack. Some brands are also available at the store in prepackaged small bags that make preparation easy, but again, be sure to check the list of ingredients.

Lunch: quiche and carrot sticks
The best part about preparing quiche is that you can add whatever items you have on hand into the filling. Our favorite is spinach, but kids also tend to love bacon or ham, asparagus, or tomato and cheese quiches. Once again, this lunch is a leftover from the previous night's dinner. Carrot sticks make a great fresh accompaniment, and are super-easy if you buy the baby carrots in bags.

Day 3:
Snack: applesauce
Applesauce is as easy as yogurt to pluck from the shelf and add to the lunch box. It also comes in a variety of flavors and sizes these days, or you can make your own after going apple picking in the fall.

Lunch: pasta and homemade cookies
Pasta is a staple in my kids' lunches. The possibilities are endless: macaroni and cheese, chicken, brocoli, and ziti, or pasta with vegetables, olive oil, and salt. I usually heat this dish up in the morning and send it in a thermos so it stays warm. When it comes to dessert, homemade cookies are a great option since you'll know exactly what ingredients you added.

Day 4:
Snack: cheese and fruit
Cheese is a great way to add a kick of protein mid-morning, and it pairs nicely with apple or pear slices for a rounded snack. My kids happen to prefer gruyere or cheddar, so I cut those up myself, but lots of kids enjoy string cheese, which is as easy as they come to pop into the lunch box.

Lunch: rice and chocolate
Rice is another regular lunch for my kids, and again, the possibilities are pretty endless there, too. Options I prepare include white rice with a side of tomato sauce, fried rice with chopped vegetables, or sushi rice molded into balls or other shapes. A couple of squares of plain chocolate can complete any lunch (be sure to check the label for the ingredients to ensure it's safe), and are a great reward for finishing the rest of the meal.

Day 5:
Snack: homemade banana bread
While staying away from store-bought bakery items, I can control what goes into everything I bake at home. Banana bread is a perennial favorite in my household, and as long as I'm baking a nut-free loaf, it's a great snack to send to school.

Lunch: sandwich and cucumber slices
As far as lunches go, sandwiches might be the most standard item to prepare, and once again, there are so many fantastic options. Personally, my kids don't really like typical deli meat, but they enjoy tuna, egg salad, and sunbutter with jelly. Other fillings include cream cheese and jelly, avocado and tomato, or sardines with parsley (yes, really!). If you find yourself sending in lots of sandwiches, some fun ways to mix it up are to use different types of bread. Some of our favorite options are baguettes, pita, or sandwich bread cut into shapes.

Have fun preparing these tasty nut-free meals, and hope the kids enjoy them!