Oh, the joys of parenting. And Back to School. Some may dread going back to school while others relish at the new challenges. While we’re almost a couple months into the school year, parents still have to think what to pack in their kids school lunches on a daily basis. I know for me it can be a challenge at times because my son wants hot lunches at school and I cringe at what is offered there. Knowing of course that most schools don’t offer organic food choices on a daily menu, I feel better when I pack him a lunch. But what to pack though every day can be quite daunting.
Aside from the usual sandwiches, it can be really hard to pack lunches that are nutritious while still delicious enough for your child to eat. Because we all have school lunches that come back inevitably with some leftovers. So this year I decided to jazz up my son’s lunches a bit. Instead of fresh fruit, I would pack him some bite-sized dried fruit as a side snack or dessert. Generally dried fruit can be a bit hard to chew or too big in size but when I cut it up in little pieces, they are quite fun to eat. And dried fruit contains the same amount of nutrition as their fresher versions if not a bit more. Plus they have a different texture and quality to them that makes them very unique.
When I tried Made in Nature ( http://www.madeinnature.com/)a few years ago I was intrigued to find a company that makes all natural and organically grown dried fruits. There are no added sugars or preservatives as you may find with other brands and their dried fruits are simply just delicious and wholesome. All of Made in Nature dried fruits are certified organic as well as Non-GMO Verified and are harvested immediately and dried to ensure the absolute freshest flavor. I really enjoy their Organic and Unsulfured Dried Apricots and the Organic Super Berry Fusion Blend. Their dried fruits are naturally sweet and moist so they are an excellent healthy and delicious snack.
Made in Nature currently carries an extensive lineup of organic dried fruits including Organic Banana Slices, Organic Seedless Raisins, Organic Cranberries, Organic Figs, Organic Apples, and many more. They also carry Single Serve Fruit Fusions which I absolutely love because they are a blend of dried fruits, seeds and berries along with a few other yummy ingredients. Made in Nature also makes Organic Ancient Grain Fusion which are ancient whole grains mixed with fruits, vegetables, and spices and delicious as a side dish or a main dish with some of your own added protein. And recently they added Organic Frozen Pizzas which are a great choice for vegetarians.
Made in Nature can be found in most natural grocery stores as well as major supermarkets that carry organic and natural products. The dried fruits are extremely moist and easy to eat and can be enjoyed as is or mixed in with some of your favorite recipes. I like to make trail mixes as well as cut them up and sprinkle them in cereal. Personally, I think dried fruit offers the same nutrition as fresh fruits but in a more convenient and fun way of enjoying them. And because they are smaller in size after being dried, you can eat a lot more of them. They make great snacks for any age because Made in Nature’s dried fruits do not have added sugar, so you just get the natural sweet goodness that fruits already provide. So if you’re wondering what to pack for your kids’ school lunch or what to offer as an afterschool snack, consider dried fruits for a change.
Fore more information about Made in Nature, please visit their website: http://www.madeinnature.com.
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