Clean hands and a clean counter beat any fancy allergy lunch box.

Packing a peanut-free lunch is mostly a hygiene routine, not a shopping problem—soap, water, and a wiped-down counter do more than any special lunch box.

The real enemy is cross-contact: peanut protein left on hands, counters, cutting boards, or utensils that sneaks onto otherwise-safe food. So the ritual matters. Wash your hands with soap and water before you start—hand sanitizer does not remove peanut protein. Wipe the counter with a kitchen cleaner or soapy water. Use a cutting board you trust. The dishwasher is your friend for containers and utensils.

The food side is simpler than it looks. Avoid anything with a “may contain peanuts” or “made in a facility with peanuts” label, even if the ingredient list looks clean. Whole foods—fruit, raw veggies, cheese, yogurt, plain meats—are your lowest-risk options because they weren’t processed near peanuts. Pack everything in separate containers so nothing touches, and if you can, keep a dedicated lunch box that’s only ever used for this kid.

Label the lunch box and containers with your child’s name. School-side, check what their classroom snack and table-cleaning protocol is, because that’s a real gap in a lot of schools. But that’s their end. Your end is your sink.

The school has its own protocols; your half of the fight is your kitchen.