List of Peanut-Free Foods

Peanut allergies are one of the most common types of food allergies. When a person experiences an allergic reaction from exposure to peanuts, her skin may become red or broken out; she can experience nausea, watery eyes, sneezing and difficulty breathing. When buying a packaged product, check the label to determine if peanuts were added, or if the food was processed in a facility or on equipment that was exposed to peanuts. Many dried, fresh or frozen peanut-free foods are available.

Protein-Rich Foods

• Protein, a chain of amino acids, supplies energy and aids the body in repairing tissue damage. Protein-containing foods are categorized as either complete or incomplete protein sources. Complete proteins contain all of the essential amino acids, while incomplete proteins lack one or more essential amino acids. Peanut-free complete protein sources are foods such as meat, fish, poultry and eggs; incomplete sources are grains, legumes, seeds and nuts, although these can become complete proteins when eaten together, as in rice and beans.

Fruits and Vegetables

• Fruits and vegetables are available fresh, frozen, dried and canned. They provide health benefits that may aid in the prevention of heart disease, stroke, certain cancers and type 2 diabetes. Peanut-free vegetable choices are numerous and include broccoli, kale greens, beets, mushrooms and green peas. Fruit options are similarly varied and include watermelon, apples, oranges, apricots, peaches and raisins. You can serve fruit as a snack dried, cut up or added to plain yogurt.

Milk, Yogurt and Cheese

• Milk, and foods that contain it, provides calcium that helps people maintain healthy bones, prevents osteoporosis and provides potassium, a nutrient deficient in many American diets. Peanut-free dairy options are low-fat, non-fat, skim and whole milk. A variety of cheeses like Swiss, American and cheddar, as well as plain yogurt, are additional foods a person can add to a peanut-free diet.

Grains

• Foods rich in grains may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, help with weight maintenance and ease constipation. Whole grains make use of the entire kernel, while refined grains are missing the bran and germ. Peanut-free grain foods include wild, brown and white rice; macaroni; spaghetti; white and brown sliced bread; rolls and buns; and flour or corn tortillas.