LaLa Lunchbox Teams Up with Applegate!

We are so excited to feature Applegate on the newest version of LaLa Lunchbox!

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Applegate products now available in the LaLa Lunchbox Food Library!

Applegate products now available in the LaLa Lunchbox Food Library!

As a person with life threatening food allergies, I've always been a label reader. My mom is a cookbook author and food writer so food played an enormous part of my childhood. While I would never call myself a picky eater (I have enough restrictions because of my allergies!), I learned early about being picky when it comes to certain ingredients and meat was one of them.  
At some point in my adult life, the food world opened up to me in a whole new, magical way. I became more aware of what grows where, which nutrients help the body and in what way, what's potentially harmful and how to pay attention to my body's signals and pursue the foods that made me feel good. As they say, knowledge is power. I like to know about what I'm eating and now as a mom, I'm deeply invested in what I'm feeding my children. 

Along the way, I made the conscious decision to choose meats that are high quality, organic and humanely raised whenever possible. I believe in sound, safe, hygienic farming practices, respect for animals and the earth. For us, these choices are not a diet or a fad. These are issues that we have prioritized in our family. I reserve no judgement for the choices of others on this matter. But because of the choices that we've made for our family, we have long been fans of Applegate products

Applegate produces delicious, high quality natural and organic meats, sausages and cheeses that are free of antibiotics, artificial ingredients and chemical nitrates. I support this wholeheartedly. This is why I'm so excited to team up with Applegate and feature their meats and cheeses by name in our LaLa Lunchbox Food Library. Now you and your hungry little monsters have Applegate's delicious products available right at your fingertips and they can be easily added to your grocery list!

For those of you who already have LaLa Lunchbox, simply update the app and the items will appear in your Food Library - along with the 12 new adorable LaLa Monsters! For those of you who are new to the LaLa family, welcome! 

LaLa Lunchbox Promo Codes!

We love you.  

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And that's why we're happy to make your lives a little easier with these promo codes for a free download  of LaLa Lunchbox! When your little ones are involved in planning their meals, they'll be more enthusiastic (sayonara, picky eaters!) and you'll be more relaxed in the morning, having saved yourself time, drama and money (say goodbye to uneaten, smelly lunches!) 

There are TEN promo codes here... please be kind. Leave a comment to let others know which one you have claimed so that others don't try in vain! And remember to follow us on Twitter and Pinterest and like us on Facebook for lots of exciting updates and other promotions!

Enjoy - and please leave a review on iTunes!  

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What's in my 3 year old's lunch?

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Lunch just took on a whole new level of importance for my 3 year old. His preschool has something called the "School Lunch Bunch" and children stay to dine with their pals two days per week. So he is officially using his lunchbox now and officially planning his lunches with LaLa Lunchbox. He's taking it _really_ seriously, too (naturally, this pleases me). 

Today after pickup, he insisted that we review his choices for tomorrow and when we got home, he was excited to make it together immediately. Yipee! Now I can cross this off my list for later. 

Tuesday's lunch

Tuesday's lunch

I'm thrilled about his choices because there's basically nothing for me to do but place the foods into containers. Yay! Last night I steamed an entire head of broccoli and we'll use it in various capacities for the next few days. Other than that, there's nothing cooked in this lunch and it's healthy, colorful and balanced. We cut the banana and apple into chunks and made them into kebabs for a little fun. My son revealed his plan to dip the banana apple kebabs into his yogurt (on the bottom of the container) and then danced around the apartment with joy thinking about it. 

People sometimes ask me how I keep lunch fun and fresh... the truth is, I just keep it simple. My kids have a voice in their lunch and they're excited about that. Having lunch away from home is a new experience for my little guy, and I'm happy to provide him with the opportunity to feel in control over some aspect of it, to help him acclimate.

 

LaLa Breakfast Promo Codes!

Raise your hand if you want to make mornings easier in your house?  

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Here's how: use one of these promo codes for a free  download of LaLa Breakfast and see for yourself how much easier life can be without the daily AM drama of "what's for breakfast?" 

There are TEN promo codes here... please be kind. Leave a comment to let others know which one you have claimed so that others don't try in vain! And remember to follow us on Twitter and Pinterest and like us on Facebook for lots of exciting updates and other promotions!

Enjoy - and please leave a review on iTunes!  

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Pear Brown Betty

Oh apple picking. I love you so.  

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We made our annual orchard visit last weekend and despite a tiny mishap with a hungry yellow jacket (luckily, my daughter isn't allergic!) it was a fantastic day! Liberty Macs, Bosc pears, Rhode Island Greenings. Yum.  

The best part about apple picking is that it's an adventure that keeps on giving... first there's the day itself – and ours was spent with fun friends and blue skies. Then there's the baking and experimenting, with and without the kiddos. Meanwhile there's the amazing aroma that fills the house while all of this is happening. And finally, there is the overflowing basket of fruit that makes me incredibly happy. It's a win every way you look at it.  

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This morning I made a classic: Brown Betty but used the Bosc pears instead of apples. This is a no-fail recipe from my mom that I loved as a child, love as an adult and am thrilled to pass on to my brood. My son didn't make a sound for minutes... until every last speck had disappeared from his plate. This can be made with apples or pears or a combination of both and it is the best air freshener that you can ask for. 

 

Pear Brown Betty

6 Bosc pears, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks
Juice of one lemon
3/4 cup brown sugar
1
teaspoon cinnamon
healthy pinch of salt (a little less than 1/2 teaspoon)
4 cups of bread, cut into cubes (I used brioche)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Put the pear chunks into a bowl and squeeze the lemon juice on top. Put aside.
Preheat the oven to 375. Meanwhile melt the butter in a sauce pan. Place brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and bread into another bowl and pour butter on top. Mix until well combined. 

Place the pear chunks in a ceramic baking dish. Top with the bread mixture and bake for approximately 40 minutes. Enjoy!