2020 Back-to-School Favorites
I know what you’re thinking. Back to school? Yes. Now, I know that not everyone is sending their children back to a physical school building – some are doing virtual school, either by choice or because it’s mandated by your school district, and others are homeschooling. That said, you still need to fuel your kids to keep those brains sharp and those bellies full. Good nutrition helps keep kids focused, and tasty snacks and treats help encourage them. The following list offers up some of our back to school favorites for the kids and for yourself (let’s be honest, if kids are homeschooling or virtual schooling, why not share in the snack time with them?). Plus, as a bonus, we’ve included a treat specially for you. It’s booze, so allow me to state the obvious: that product is NOT for kids! I repeat, we added the last product as a bonus for you (or the teacher; if you and teacher are one in the same, maybe grab two bottles).
Ok, let’s get started!
Summerhill Dairy Goat Milk
If your kids eat cereal and milk in the morning or you make pancakes or other breakfast foods with it, might I suggest trying goat milk? Goat milk has less lactose and different casein proteins than cow’s milk, making it easier to digest. Goat milk tastes a little different than cow milk when you drink it plain, but if you cook or bake with it, it’s basically the same. Summerhill Dairy is a brand of goat milk that contains no antibiotics, is free of artificial growth hormones, is naturally homogenized, and is pasteurized but not ultra-pasteurized (ultra-pasteurization kills even the good stuff in milk). It’s also family-owned and Certified Humane, which is important if you want to ensure your milk comes from a source that treats their animals right.
Learn more about Summerhill Dairy
Flax4Life Muffins, Brownies, and More
With an emphasis on flax for healthy fiber, lignans, and omega 3s, Flax4Life isn’t your ordinary baked goods company. Their products, which include muffins, cakes, granola, brownies, and more, are not just healthier choices but they also taste amazing and come in a variety of flavors. This is excellent news for parents who want to feed their kids nutritious and delicious snacks, desserts, and breakfasts. The muffins or granola are perfect for breakfast or snacks and the brownies are great for dessert. One of our favorite flavors here at the office is their Cranberry Orange flavor (pictured). These aren’t just great for the kids, but for you, too!
Built Bar Protein Bars
Whether for growing kids, eat-everything-in-sight teenagers, or even yourself, protein is important for everyone! Unfortunately, we don’t always have time to fit in a full meal in order to meet our body’s protein demands. That’s where protein bars come in, but unfortunately not all of them are gluten-free and tasty. Luckily, Built Bar is gluten-free and comes in a wide variety of flavors, including peanut butter and chocolate, banana bread, and more. It has all the right macronutrients, too! These are pretty chewy, which most of us at the office enjoy, but some of us prefer to refrigerate them to make them a little less chewy – either way, they’re delicious. If the kids are asking for candy, hand them a Built Bar instead – they feel like a candy bar but are healthier!
Homefree Cookies
Homefree is one of the all-time favorite cookies amongst our staff. They’re bite-sized, crispy, and come in a variety of flavors, including Double Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Mint, and Organic Ginger Snap. What sets these cookies apart are that they free from the top 14 allergens, including gluten, dairy, egg, nuts, and soy (except soy lecithin just in the Chocolate Chip flavor). They are Non-GMO Project verified, Certified Gluten Free, Certified vegan, and Kosher. To say that these are allergen-friendly is an understatement – they are all-inclusive! Wholesome, trustworthy, and award-winning are just some of the words to describe Homefree, which is no surprise, seeing as how the company was founded by the mom of a child with food allergies. Jill Robbins wanted everyone to be able to join in socially together when treats are served, so she created Homefree cookies to be so delicious and healthy that everyone will enjoy them! These are the perfect sweet treat for your kids to enjoy after school or after they’ve finished a difficult assignment as a reward.
Mozart Dark Chocolate Liqueur
And now, for the finale. This one’s for the adults ONLY! After a long day of teaching your kids or helping them stay on track with virtual learning, pour yourself a glass of Mozart Dark Chocolate Liqueur. This delicious liqueur is great on its own, mixed into coffee, used in cocktails, and even in dessert recipes, too! The flavors come through with bitter chocolate, vanilla, and caramel, plus notes of cacao. There’s never a wrong time to enjoy chocolate, but Mozart on the rocks after dinner is so lovely, and much deserved after the long school week!
With the holidays creeping up on us in the next few months, keep Mozart in mind as a gift, too.
Learn more about Mozart Liqueur
