Classic PB&J banned from lunch? Consider another butter

Nothing says kids’ lunches more than peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches.

But with more schools banning the lunchbox staple because of peanut allergy concerns, brown-bagging it has gotten a bit trickier.

Nutrition experts at UT Southwestern Medical Center say parents don’t necessarily need to reach for the cold cuts.

“Spreads made from other nuts or seeds provide a nutritious alternative to peanut butter,” says Joyce Barnett, a registered clinical dietitian at UT Southwestern.

She recommends that parents give the following spreads a whirl. 

• Almond butter – This nut butter is high in protein and is a great source of potassium. Research has shown that almonds, which are tree nuts, can help reduce the risk of heart disease as well as total cholesterol levels.
• Soy nut butter – Made from soybeans, soy nut butter generally has as much fiber as its peanut counterpart. It’s free of peanuts and tree nuts, but children with soy allergies should avoid it.
• Sunflower seed butter – Another spread created for kids with peanut allergies, sunflower butter is free of peanuts and tree nuts. A two-tablespoon serving provides more than one-third of a child’s daily magnesium and vitamin E requirements.

Visit http://www.utsouthwestern.org/nutrition to learn more about clinical services in nutrition at UT Southwestern.

Media Contact: Kristen Holland Shear

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