Nuts and peanuts provide healthy fat, minerals and fiber. Unfortunately, some children and adults are allergic to them, dislike the taste or must avoid them for another reason. Those allergic to nuts and peanuts may need to carefully examine the ingredients in all the foods they eat in order to avoid a potentially life-threatening reaction. Fortunately, many foods are completely nut-free.
Milk
Milk, buttermilk, cheese and cottage cheese are nut-free. Yogurt and ice cream are only considered nut-free only if they are processed on equipment that isn't used to manufacture nut products. TeensHealth, an informational website maintained by the Nemours Foundation, warns that ice cream purchased in an ice-cream parlor may become contaminated with nuts due to the scoops being used in multiple containers.
Vegetables
Vegetables that are eaten raw, boiled or baked without added ingredients are nut-free. This includes lettuce, greens, carrots, potatoes, squash, turnips, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, green beans, onions, peppers, cucumbers, radishes, eggplant, rutabaga, beets, Brussels sprouts, celery, sweet potatoes, yams, okra, asparagus, artichoke, parsnips and all other vegetables. Although not a vegetable, mushrooms are also nut-free. Water chestnuts are not nuts and are safe for people with a tree-nut allergy, reports the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.
Fruits
All fruits with the possible exception of coconut are nut-free when eaten whole or prepared at home with no other ingredients. Nut-free fruits include bananas, pumpkin, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, plantain, orange, tangerine, tangelo, grapefruit, plum, pear, nectarine, grape, berries, pear, lemon, lime, fig, pomegranate, kiwi, currant, cherry, apricot, mango, papaya, guava, date, kumquat, avocado, passion fruit, persimmon and other fruits. A physician should be consulted before someone allergic to tree nuts attempts to eat coconut, as it is technically a tree nut.
Meat
Meats, poultry and fish purchased from the grocery store that are without added ingredients such as a marinade or breading are nut-free. Ground beef, ground pork and ground turkey are nut-free. All of these items can be boiled, baked or grilled without added ingredients and remain nut-free.
Warning
This information should not be taken as definitive or as medical advice. Those allergic to peanuts or tree nuts should ask their physician about the safety of various food items. Food labels should be carefully read. Home cooks should be told about the allergy and they should be queried about all ingredients used in any foods to be consumed. Restaurant websites should be checked for nutritional information prior to the visit, and the server should be both told of the allergy and queried about whether particular dishes could possibly contain nuts or tree nuts or otherwise be contaminated with these allergens.
