Need some breakfast inspo? We’ve got you covered, for cereal.
General Mills just announced two limited-edition cereals and four new permanent offerings, featuring one of your favorite ’90s movies, a dance icon and another twist on Lucky Charms.
Snag the limited edition Space Jam: A New Legacy cereal from shelves starting May 31. It combines berry flavored puffs with bunny and basketball marshmallows and retails for $2.50. Team Cheerios: Frosted Berry celebrates the upcoming Olympics and also won’t last long. Combining frosted, blueberry and strawberry Cheerios for a taste explosion, you can buy this one for $3.99 starting today.
If you miss out on these, you’ll have plenty more to choose from! Now you can have your favorite kids’ cereals in instant oatmeal form: Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, Cocoa Puffs, and Trix. They’ll be available exclusively at Wal-Mart in June in June and expand to other stores after, retailing at $2.48.
TikTok star Jojo Siwa has her own new breakfast offering, Strawberry Bop cereal. Think strawberry flavored puffs and Jojo-themed marshmallows! It’s available permanently starting in June for $3.99. Nature Valley just launched the granola form of their popular Sweet & Salty bars, in Dark Chocolate Pretzel Peanut and Salted Caramel Cashew. Grab each for $4.49 starting in mid June.
There’s yet another reason for a Target run! Good & Gather, the bullseye retailer’s number one food and beverage-owned brand is getting a major update and it’s all about the plants.
Good & Gather Plant Based is a new line packed with everything from breakfast and snacks to dinner products that are so delicious, you’ll hardly miss the meat. Starting out, there are more than 30 items, with most coming in under $5.
photo: Target
Some of the tasty items you can expect to find include meatless patties, almond milk and Everything Seasoned Cashew Dip & Spread which are already available. Coming this fall, you’ll also be able to get your hands on salad dressings and creamers.
Rick Gomez, executive vice president and chief food and beverage officer, Target, “Good & Gather Plant Based reinforces the brand’s commitment to products that prioritize great taste and quality, with the value only Target can offer. Guest demand for plant-based offerings is incredibly high and continues to grow. By adding Good & Gather Plant Based to our curated assortment of plant-based offerings, we’re giving guests more of what they want and making it easy for them to discover the joy of food every day.”
You can head to your local Target or target.com to start shopping the Good & Gather Plant Based line now.
If there’s someone out there who doesn’t like a good stir-fry, we haven’t met them. With countless combos like chicken stir-fry, beef and broccoli, stir-fried rice and more, there are enough recipes out there for everyone’s taste. We picked our favorite recipes that use all sorts of ingredients, from chicken to shrimp. The best part? Most of these take 30 minutes or less. We even found a few stir-fry sauces that are easy to whip up. Scroll down to see them all.
Pad Thai is a popular noodle stir-fry that you can make with chicken or shrimp and uses rice noodles. The cilantro gives it a fresh taste and the sweet sauce is easy on little palates. Get the recipe from The View from Great Island.
Veggie Stir-Fry with Egg
Anna Doogan
A quick and healthy stir-fry that includes scrambled eggs, we love this easy veggie dinner. Get the recipe here.
Vegetarian-friendly stir-fried rice? Yes, please! With ingredients like bok choy, broccoli and zucchini, you can adjust the recipe according to your family’s taste. Get the recipe here.
Cashew chicken is a popular combo, and this stir-fry version from Boulder Locavore is so easy and so good, you might not ever order takeout again! Get the recipe here.
You can use udon noodles for this yummy stir-fry we spotted over at The View from Great Island! With just beef, broccoli and water chestnuts (plus the sauce), not only is a picky-eater pleasure, but it’s ready in 30 minutes or less! Get the recipe here.
Our mouths are watering when it comes to this sweet chili shrimp stir fry. And, with only four ingredients, the hardest part will be prepping your veggies. See the recipe from Sweet Peas and Saffron here.
From teriyaki sauce to a peanut sauce and even a red Thai curry that’s not too spicy, we’ve also rounded up our favorite stir-fry sauces that you can use on just about any combination of ingredients. See them below.
As cookbook writers, moms and lifelong wellness warriors, we’re always watching out for what’s next in food. One thing we’ve learned from feeding our kids: fresh ideas are a must.
You think they love that cauliflower with breadcrumbs, so you keep on making it because you’re ecstatic that they’re eating it. Then the fatigue sets in. It’s like when you tell a joke to your surly teenager and she actually laughs. You tend to repeat it because you love to be funny to her but eventually, you get the side-eye.
Here are some food trends to keep you on top of your game:
Hidden Hemp Seeds
Their omega-3 fatty acid profile is anti-inflammatory. They are next in line of all the “hip” seeds over the last decade: pumpkin, sunflower, flax and chia. They may be the best yet. Sprinkle at will. Wherever.
Just Beet It
They’re high in dietary folate and nitrates (cognitive function boost, we’re looking at you!). Golden beets are delicious, easy to cook—roast or boil them, nothing to it—and they don’t stain and get all over everything
On the other hand, just one red beet can do amazing things for your table. We’ve been roasting one and popping it into traditional hummus for some nice flavor and incredible color. It tastes healthy and delicious and looks like strawberry ice cream!
Homemade Nut Butters
We’ve loving almond butter, with cashew butter rising. It takes patience to blend nut butter just so, but the flavor is incredible. So much better than store bought.
Once you’ve slaved over a hot food processor or blender, the possibilities are endless. There’s the obvious almond butter toast with a drizzle of honey, maple syrup or jam, the base for a yummy Asian sauce to use in a rice or quinoa or barley or noodle bowl or a protein punch-up for your morning oatmeal. (Don’t love dairy? Put that stuff on your bagel instead of cream cheese.)
Getting a picky eater to eat can be tricky, but these tricks will at least help you make those lunches and snacks just a little bit healthier—and your kids will be none the wiser.
The Anti-Cookbook Easy, Thrifty Recipes for Food-Smart Living
We're Shelley Onderdonk and Rebecca Bloom. A veterinarian and a lawyer-turned-writer walk into a kitchen… We aren’t chefs and that’s exactly the point. We have a lot to share about food-smart living with our own young-adult children and other people and their children, too. Together, we wrote The Anti-Cookbook: Easy, Thrifty Recipes for Food-Smart Living.
When can babies have peanut butter and tree nuts? We worry about choking hazards and hear horror stories about peanut and tree nut allergies. But with recent studies suggesting that introducing peanuts early on (at 6 months when babies start solid foods) can help prevent peanut allergies, it’s bound to make a new mom feel a bit nutty about how and when to give these protein powerhouses to our little ones.
If you have food allergies in your family or are concerned about introducing nuts, talk to your pediatrician first. And if you’re ready to whip up some easy, deliciously nutty treats, read on for 10 recipes for purees, muffins and more, packed with peanuts, walnuts, almonds and other nuts.
1. Apple Walnut Puree: You can mix finely chopped nuts into any baby puree, but this recipe comes out particularly nice. Steam apples and walnuts, and then puree in a food processor with cinnamon. Get the recipe from Weelicious.
2. Chia Almond Butter Overnight Oats: Make this protein-packed breakfast treat from Kristine’s Kitchen the night before or a few days ahead to simplify your mornings. The recipe combines healthy oats, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, almond butter and milk into a creamy dish you can top with finely chopped berries or banana for sweetness and additional nutrients.
3. Nut Butter Baby Cereal:Mix 1/2 teaspoon nut butter (peanut, almond or cashew work well) with baby rice or oatmeal cereal to add more flavor and nutrition to this basic first food.
4. Creamy Dreamy Peanut Milk Smoothie: Bananas and peanut butter make for a classic smoothie. This variation from the National Peanut Board uses peanut milk and ups the nutritional value with wheat germ and frozen cauliflower.
5. Almond Flour Homemade Baby Biscuits:These small cookies are easy for babies to pick up and nibble on. They contain nutrient-rich ingredients such as banana (or applesauce), egg yolks, iron-fortified infant cereal and almond flour. Get the recipe from Smart Nutrition.
6. Peanut Butter Banana Muffins: Give your baby a yummy, peanut-y finger food with this muffin recipe featuring peanut butter, carrot puree, mashed bananas and whole wheat flour. Get the recipe from The Tasty Cheapskate.
7. Asian Peanut Sauce: Create a non-spicy peanut sauce you can drizzle on rice or noodles. And when your child gets older, use it as a dip for veggies like carrot sticks, celery or steamed broccoli. Get the recipe at Your Kids Table.
8. Super Nutty Butternut Squash Puree: Walnuts add healthy fats and rich flavor to squash puree. Steam and puree 1 cup chopped butternut squash, 3 peeled and chopped carrots and 1 chopped apple. Then, blend in 1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
9. 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Cookies: This easy-peasy recipe combines bananas, oats and natural peanut butter (or peanut butter powder) for a delicious, healthy cookie. Add chocolate chips, raisins, cinnamon or coconut for additional flavor. Get the recipe from Feel Great in 8.
10. Paleo Cashew Pancakes: Grain free and filled with goodness, these pancakes are sure to be a hit with a list of ingredients including cashew meal, cinnamon, eggs, coconut milk and coconut oil. Find the full recipe on Everyday Maven.
For days you can’t make it to the grocery store simply look to your pantry. Here are 10 recipes that use essentials you already have on-hand because sometimes PB&Js just won’t do.
A widening sunflower seed recall has expanded to over 100 snacks due to Listeria fears. Nature Valley is recalling it’s “Protein Chewy Bars” and “Simple” nut bars. The ones included in the recall are:
Nature Valley Simple Nut Bar – Roasted Peanut & Honey – 4 count, Package UPC: 000-16000-46475
Nature Valley Simple Nut Bar – Roasted Peanut & Honey – 16 count, Package UPC: 000-16000-41308
Nature Valley Simple Nut Bar – Almond, Cashew & Sea Salt – 4 count, Package UPC: 000-16000-46474
Nature Valley Simple Nut Bar-Almond, Cashew & Sea Salt – 25 count, Package UPC: 000-16000-41301
Nature Valley Protein Chewy Bar – Honey, Peanut & Almond with Pumpkin Seeds – 5 count, Package UPC: 000-16000-47196
Nature Valley Protein Chewy Bar-Peanut, Almond & Dark Chocolate – 5 count, Package UPC: 000-16000-45724
CLIF BAR® Nuts & Seeds energy bar all pack configurations with “best by” date ranges starting 08JUN16 through 21JAN17
CLIF BAR® Sierra Trail Mix energy bar all pack configurations with “best by” date ranges starting 05JUN16 through 24MAR17
CLIF® Mojo® Mountain Mix® trail mix bar all pack configurations with “best by” date ranges starting 16JUN16 through 02FEB17
Also, Kashi has voluntarily recalled some items due to possible Listeria contamination, including it’s Kashi® Trail Mix Chewy Granola Bars, Bear Naked® Soft Baked Granola Cinnamon + Sunflower Butter, and Kashi® GOLEAN® Honey Pecan Baklava Bars.
The other brands effected by the Listeria scare include HyVee, Atkins, Planters, and Spitz. To see the full list and to find more information, please visit the www.FDA.gov, or click here.
Your kiddos play beneath their shade all summer long, and you have aspiring dreams of building a fortress among the leaves. No doubt about it, trees are pretty awesome. Living beings that produce over half of the fresh air we breathe, there’s reason to celebrate their lofty reach. In honor of Arbor Day, we’ve complied a gallery of the coolest trees in the world. Read about an ancient bristlecone pine tree in California, a Guinness World Record cashew tree in Brazil and more breathtaking beauties below.
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Tree – Secret Location in Ca, United States
The grandaddy of them all---this ancient wonder is more than 46 centuries old and said to be the world’s oldest living thing. It maintains life by letting dying parts fall off so it can sustain a single living branch and regrow from there. Think of it like the Benjamin Button of all trees; talk about a cool dinner conversation with your budding ecologist. Find out more about the history at PBS.
Finding new lunch snacks to surprise your kiddos with is always a challenge, but these homemade snacks will totally make their days while also supporting local businesses. And who knows—you might just end up buying a few for your own brown bag, too!
Sunfire Girls Don’t let the word “chips” scare you—the Sunfire Girls sell dehydrated, not baked or fried, kale chips, which are loaded with Vitamins B and C to help maintain nutritional value. Bonus: the dressings they toss the chips in come in flavors like Ancho Chile and Coconut Lime and are all vegan and raw. Handmade in Chevy Chase.
Number 1 Sons Instead of using vinegar as their pickling agent, Number 1 Sons puts their cucumbers into a barrel with salt, water and spices. Not only are the pickles tasty, they are a natural probiotic, which helps your kid’s digestive system by replenishing the natural flora inside the belly. This year, their cucumbers came from Spring Valley and Bigg Riggs in West Virginia. In addition to their many pickle varieties, they have other types of fermented foods such as kimchi and kraut. You can find their stand at farmers markets in D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. Handmade in Lyon Park.
Michele’s Granola Your kids better watch out—once you taste this granola, you might want it all for yourself. Michele’s Granola is handmade from 100% organic whole grains, and comes in five regular flavors as well as seasonal varietals (did someone say Pumpkin Spice?). You can buy bags of the granola online, or from farmers markets or stores near you.Handmade in Timonium, Md.
Teeny Pies If you’re looking for a sweet treat to surprise your kids with but don’t want to actually spend hours baking your own, Teeny Pies is a great alternative. This little company specializes in artisan sweet and savory pies, which come in 4” ‘teeny pies, as well as 9” regular pies for the sweet varieties. They use locally sourced produce, and a family recipe for the whole wheat crust. These pies can be ordered online and picked up at several farmers markets, as well as delivered (for 5 or more pies). Handmade in NoMa.
2 Armadillos Not only does 2 Armadillos, a crispy chickpea maker, have the best name ever, but their snacks are vegan, all natural, and sugar and gluten free. They do all the work for you, putting their four flavors—Rosemary, Spicy Cayenne, Tomato Basil, and Cinnamon Toast (yum!)—into 32 lunch-ready 1 oz. snack packs. Use their online locator to find a store near you, or order online for $5 shipping. Handmade in NoMa.
PollyStyle Though everything on PollyStyle’s artisanal snack menu looks delicious, the graham crackers are already a proven hit with the under-10 set. With just a bit of local honey and cinnamon, your kids will love the sweetness of these biscuits, and you’ll love the price: $6.75 for a dozen. You can find PollyStyle snacks at stores near you or online (we see you adding that curried cashew brittle to your cart!). Handmade near Rock Creek Park.
Your kiddos might beg for Flamin’ Cheetos, but you’re hot on the trail of something healthier. Pack their lunchbox or please them after school with locally made artisanal snacks. Click through our album to discover snack bars, chips, muffins and cookies that taste so fab that your tots kids won’t even realize they’re also good for you.
I Heart Keenwah
For snackers who crave a crunch, this is the healthy alternative to a cloyingly sweet nut brittle. Plus, it doesn’t get stuck in your teeth. Quinoa grain, puffs and flakes are roasted for crunch in Buffalo Grove to bring out the grain’s nutty flavor, then spiced up with extras like chocolate and sea salt or cranberry and cashew.
Find them: Whole Foods, Sunset Foods, Treasure Island, Potash Bros., Walgreens and online at Abe’s Market.
Online: iheartkeenwah.com
What is your favorite thing to pack in the lunchbox? Let us know in the Comments!
