Eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the school cafeteria is a rite of passage…unless your kid has a peanut allergy. And she’s not alone: According to Food Allergy Research & Education,“the prevalence of peanut or tree nut allergies appears to have more than tripled in U.S. children” between 1997 and 2008. And the numbers have only continued to grow in recent years. Which means parents have to get creative with peanut butter substitutes.

From sunflower seed butter to chickpea butter, here are 11 peanut butter substitutes that taste (almost) like the real thing. Bring on the ants on a log.

RELATED: This Gadget Tells You If There Are Peanuts in Your Food—but Does It Really Work?

Nut-Free Alternatives:

1. SunButter Natural Sunflower Seed Spread

No need to check the back of the jar. SunButter is made up of only three ingredients: roasted sunflower seeds, sugar and salt. Plus, it’s made in a facility that’s free from the top eight allergens (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soy) for total peace of mind.

$5 at Amazon

2. Don’t Go Nuts Roasted Soybean Spread (Pack of 2)

Soy butter offers a similar creamy texture and taste, without the anaphylaxis-inducing ingredient. In one review, a mom explains that her daughter with food allergies loves this particular brand because it offers multiple flavors like Chocolate, Slightly Sweet and Simply Cinnamon.

$14 at Amazon

3. WOWBUTTER, Creamy (Pack of 6)

This mix of all-natural whole toasted soy, pressed soy oil, cane sugar, palm oil and sea salt contains nine essential amino acids for building muscle mass, as well as 1,000 milligrams of omega-3 per serving. One buyer on Amazon says that his whole family switched over to WowButter after his son developed a peanut allergy. “It truly tastes like peanut butter” to them, he says. (Oh, and it comes in crunchy too.)

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$32 at Amazon

4. Field Trip Chickpea Butter (Pack of 3)

In addition to being completely nut-free, this spread is also dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free. All it contains is dry-roasted milled chickpeas, roasted sunflower seeds, olive oil, organic coconut sugar and sea salt. And kids love it: “My kids were addicted to it immediately and they usually don’t like ‘healthy’ food choices,” one dad writes.

$25 at Amazon

5. Beyond the Equator 5 Seed Butter

If you’re worried about the environmental impact of your food, Beyond the Equator has good news: It takes about 85 percent less water to make a jar of 5 Seed Butter than a jar of almond butter. And the combination of sunflower seeds, chia seeds, hemp hearts, flax seeds and pumpkin seeds is nutritious and also really tasty. “This seed butter is the best I’ve ever tasted,” one mom raves. “My family is obsessed. We put it on everything and eat it right out of the jar.”

$11 at Amazon

6. Kween Granola Butter

According to Kween, its granola butter is “the first-ever spreadable granola.” But this isn’t your typical nut-packed granola. This granola butter is made from gluten-free oats, flax, olive oil, maple syrup, coconut oil, salt and spices, so it’s free from the top eight allergens. Spread it on toast, mix it into a smoothie or dip fruit into it for a peanut butter alternative that “tastes like liquid Teddy Grahams,” according to one customer.

$13 at Amazon

7. Seedible Organic Sesame Butter

Sesame seeds might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of peanut butter substitutes, but they should be. “My brother is allergic to peanut butter and he loves this sesame butter. [It’s] an amazing alternative [and] went great with jelly!” one buyer writes.

$10 at Amazon

Other Alternatives:

8. Barney Bare Smooth Almond Butter

This almond butter is made in a peanut-free facility, so you can rest assured that no cross contamination has taken place. Barney blanches premium California almonds to get rid of the skin, making for a super smooth texture even your pickiest eater will appreciate. Plus, this “bare” version has no added sugar or salt, so you can feel good about giving it to your kiddos for lunch every day.

$11 at Amazon

9. Pyure Organic Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa

“I love everything about this product,” one buyer says. “The consistency was exactly what I wanted to spread on toast, dip strawberries in and put in smoothies.” It’s a healthier alternative to Nutella, so you can feel better about giving it to them on the reg.

$8 at Amazon

10. Purely Pecans Nuttin’ But Pecan Butter

As the name implies, this stuff is made with only two ingredients: pecans and sea salt. Many reviewers say they switched to this butter because it’s lower in carbs than peanut butter, and claim that they’ve ended up liking pecan butter better. Just be sure to stir the contents well after you open the jar for a better consistency.

Buy It ($7)

11. Crazy Go Nuts Walnut Butter

With flavors like banana, maple and oatmeal cookie, there’s bound to be one that your kid enjoys. One mom reviewer on Amazon dubs it “so delicious my kids can’t tell it’s healthy.” And the only ingredients? Walnuts and salt (in the plain version, that is).

$10 at Amazon

RELATED: 18 Nut-Free Recipes for Kids with Allergies

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