When it comes to finding dairy-free yogurts, a lot of brands leave us wanting something better–until now. The Creative Kitchen recently discovered AYO Brand almond yogurt and we couldn’t be more excited! This strawberry almond yogurt gives the perfect blend of subtle toasted almond sweetness, a slight tanginess, and that creamy texture often lacking with other dairy-free options. AYO almond yogurt is so good, it will definitely pass the taste test of your little yogurt connoisseur.

From the Mouth of a Kid:

I could eat this yogurt every day!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

It’s so hard to find a yogurt that is dairy-free and tastes good. AYO yogurt doesn’t sacrifice taste just because it’s made from a dairy alternative. In fact, the light toasted almond flavor adds to goodness. Also, AYO almond strawberry yogurt has less sugar compared to other options out there which is always a bonus!

Flavorful Features:

AYO almond yogurts come in four delicious flavor options:

• Strawberry
• Blueberry
• Peach
• Vanilla

The Icing on the Cake:

AYO almond yogurts are not only dairy-free, but also vegan and gluten-free. You can feel great about your choice with AYO brand yogurts because they are the first almond yogurt to have almonds sourced from their organic family farm. Plus, this yogurt has the added benefit of fiber from the almonds!

Time to Eat?!

Anytime! Eat this AYO almond yogurt with breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, or dessert!

Mix it Up!

Make a delicious strawberry-banana smoothie with AYO almond yogurt. Combine fresh strawberries, one half of a frozen banana, and one container of AYO strawberry almond yogurt in your favorite blender for a sweet treat any time of the day!

www.ayoyogurt.com

www.facebook.com/ayoalmondyogurt

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

If you’re tired of your regular, tried-and-true favorite snacks and need some inspiration (or rather, snackspiration), you’ve come to the right place! We’re always on the hunt for delicious AND nutritious snacks that give our body the fuel it needs, while still tasting super yummy. Why sacrifice flavor for nutrition when you can have both? Farmer’s Pantry Honey Butter Cornbread Crisps give you the goodness of cornbread in the form of a crisp, with 10 grams of whole grains per serving! Their products are baked (not fried), and made from REAL ingredients that are grown on American farms. Eat them right out of the bag, use them to scoop up your favorite dip, or crumble them up to add some crunch and flavor to your favorite recipe!

From the Mouth of a Kid:

They’re like crunchy cornbread cookies!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

We have a number of snacks and products that I reach for again and again, and always have stocked in my pantry. Farmer’s Pantry Honey Butter Cornrbead Crisps are quickly becoming one of those snacks! My kids LOVE my cornbread recipe (I practically make it once a week), so when I found these at the store, I knew I had to give them a try. They’re just a fun way to get that rich cornbread taste we love so much, but in a different form. I like that they have whole grains and minimal sugar, and I love using these crisps in other recipes of mine, such as pie crusts and breaded chicken!

Flavorful Features:

Farmer’s Pantry Cornbread Crisps come in other yummy flavors!

• Original
• Barbecue
• Jalapeño

The Icing on the Cake:

These crisps are baked (not fried), low in sugar, and provide 10 grams of whole grains per serving to give your kids the nutrients they need to keep going throughout the day!

Time to Eat?!

When is it not a good time to bust out these Honey Butter Cornbread Crisps? Have them for a snack with your favorite salsa or dip, or at dinner with soup or salad instead of croutons!

Good to Go?

Farmer’s Pantry sells 2-ounce Bite Size bags of all of their Cornbread Crisp flavors, a perfect size to bring with you on the go for emergency snacking!

Mix it Up!

Try using Farmer’s Pantry Honey Butter Cornbread Crisps in your next pie crust instead of graham crackers!

www.farmerspantry.farm

www.facebook.com/Farmerspantryusa

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

If you struggle to get your picky eaters the essential nutrients they need, you’re not alone. It can be tricky when your kids only like a certain number of foods. We’re here to help! You and your little ones will love Otamot‘s nutritious and delicious pasta sauce. Packed with a handful of vitamins and ten organic vegetables, this sauce provides the nutrition your kids need, while satisfying their taste buds and tummies! This versatile addition to your pantry will become a staple in your household!

From the Mouth of a Kid:

Yummy Sauce! It’s my favorite with meatballs.

From the Eyes of a Parent:

I have loved Otamot’s pasta sauce ever since I first discovered it! My kids aren’t big fans of vegetables in general, and this sauce makes it so easy to get them the nutrients they’re missing out on. There’s no added sugar or preservatives, which is super important to me. It’s also packed with vitamins and healthy oils, and just tastes really good! Overall this is a great product that I always have in pantry!

The Icing on the Cake:

Otamot sauce is made from 10 organic vegetables, including sweet potato, butternut squash, spinach, and red beet. There’s no added sugar or preservatives, and it’s non-GMO!

Time to Eat?!

Otamot sauce is a great addition to any meal – lunch or dinner! Add it to pasta, chicken, soups, or casseroles for an extra punch of flavor and nutrients!

Mix it Up!

Great for kids who shy away from the spices in salsa to add as the tomato flavor in tacos, burritos, or nachos.

www.otamotfoods.com

www.facebook.com/OtamotFoods

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Looking for a delicious and healthful grain to serve to your kids? Try sorghum! Here’s the breakdown: sorghum is an extremely versatile grain that can be used in both sweet and savory recipes. It can be cooked on the stove, rice cooker, or slow cooker. Similar to farro, it has a wonderful, slightly nutty taste, and can be a great substitute for traditional daily grains – it’s naturally gluten-free! Sorghum is also a great source of fiber, a tasty way to get natural energy, and helps you stay fuller for longer! Switch up your family’s favorite classic dishes by substituting sorghum for the traditionally used grain ingredient. It’s a nutrient-dense twist that the whole family is sure to enjoy!

The Creative Kitchen is excited to use sorghum in our Whole Foods Market Back to School Cooking Classes Learn more at www.thecreativekitchen.com/calendar. 

From the Mouth of a Kid:

Tastes like rice, YUM!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

My favorite thing about sorghum is how versatile it is to cook with! It can be served like rice or quinoa, but there are so many more options, such as popping it like popcorn, using it to make risotto or even pancakes, my kids’ favorite! My kids love the taste, which makes it super easy to feed them a food with so many health benefits in it. It’s a yummy, gluten-free carbohydrate with good sources of iron and zinc, and it’s also rich in B complex vitamins. It’s truly incredible how so much nutrition is inside of each teeny tiny grain!

The Icing on the Cake:

Sorghum is extremely nutritious, boasting benefits such as:

Time to Eat?!

Sorghum is awesome! It can be prepared in dishes that are eaten at any mealtime, from breakfast through dessert!

Mix it Up!

For some creative ways to serve sorghum to your family, check out www.simplysorghum.com to find lots of recipes and cooking tips! Their website has instructions on how to make dozens of dishes using sorghum, such as risotto, chocolate chip cookies, and so much more!

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Here at The Creative Kitchen, we love finding nutritious and/or better-for-you alternatives to everyone’s favorite classic foods! So, when we heard about Banza Chickpea Pasta, we just knew we had to try it, and the results were unanimous: chickpeas make insanely delicious pasta! The most incredible thing about Banza Chickpea Pasta is that it looks, feels, and tastes like regular pasta, but it has double the protein, four times the fiber, and half the carbs of regular pasta!! With Banza, you can enjoy the taste of pasta, but with TONS of more nutrients! You won’t believe how tasty chickpeas can really be!

The Creative Kitchen is happy to have Banza as a sponsor for our Back to School Celebration at Lakeside at Prospect Park on August 18! Join us and try their Chickpea Pasta for yourself! Learn more about the event here.

From the Mouth of a Kid:

I love this pasta!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

My kids always love and crave pasta; it’s their favorite food to eat! However, pasta typically doesn’t have that many nutrients, so that’s why I am so glad I discovered Banza Chickpea Pasta! What a genius idea it was to make pasta out of chickpeas! Now, I can give my kids pasta whenever they want, while knowing that I’m giving them something that’s packed with protein and fiber! I use Banza to make mac and cheese, baked pasta dishes, and so much more! My family absolutely loves this pasta, and I love the fact that it’s gluten free, non-GMO, and made out of chickpeas!

Flavorful Features:

All of Banza’s pasta options are made out of chickpeas, and they come in different pasta shapes, such as elbows, shells, rigatoni, penne, rotini, wheels, cavatappi, linguine, spaghetti, angel hair, and ziti!

They also make ooey, gooey PACKAGED mac and cheese options!

The Icing on the Cake:

Because this pasta is made out of chickpeas, there are so many delicious benefits that come along with it, such as:

Time to Eat?!

Banza can be a great addition to lunchtime or dinner time!

Mix it Up!

Check out Banza’s website for awesome recipes, like their Rotini Pesto Pasta Salad!

www.eatbanza.com

https://www.facebook.com/EatBanza

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Do you get as excited as we do when we find truly delicious products that have high-quality, REAL ingredients? Well then, get excited because we are about to share something that checks off all of these boxes! Introducing Grandy Oats Original Coconola, a grain-free, coconut-based, organic granola that gives you the energy to take on the day ahead. It’s packed with premium, good-for-you ingredients, and tastes AMAZING! The best part is that while it’s grain-free, it still has that crunchy, delicious granola texture with added nutrients from nuts and seeds…and the coconut flavor is out of this world!

The Creative Kitchen is happy to have GrandyOats as a sponsor for our Whole Foods Market Summer Cooking Camps!

From the Mouth of a Kid:

This granola is extra tasty with the coconut!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

I can’t believe how great GrandyOats Original Coconola is! It’s grain-free, paleo, and packed full of nutritious nuts and real ingredients – all of which I can pronounce and feel good about feeding to my kids. They love eating it by itself, over yogurt, or with milk at breakfast, or even just to munch on as a snack. All of Grandy Oats’ granola is handmade in small batches, so I know I’m getting a top-quality product!

Flavorful Features:

GrandyOats offers other yummy varieties of granola:

• Organic grain-free coffee crunch coconola – paleo coconut granola
• Organic grain-free chocolate chunk coconola- coconut granola
• Organic grain-free super hemp blend coconola – paleo coconut granola
• Organic classic granola
• Organic coconut + fruit granola
• Organic honey nut granola
• Organic swiss style muesli
• Organic gluten free classic granola
• Organic cashew raisin granola
• Organic goji agave granola
• Organic low fat cranberry chew granola

The Icing on the Cake:

GrandyOats Original Coconola is certified organic and gluten-free, grain-free and paleo, Non-GMO verified, and kosher!

Time to Eat?!

GrandyOats Original Coconola is great on top of yogurt or milk for breakfast!

Good to Go?

Throw some Original Coconola into a baggie or container for a delicious snack on-the-go, whenever you need it!

Mix it Up!

Try making homemade granola bars with GrandyOats Original Coconola! Find your favorite granola bar recipe, and use Original Coconola!

www.grandyoats.com

https://www.facebook.com/GrandyOats/

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Here at The Creative Kitchen, we strive to find healthful, nourishing products whose ingredients we can actually pronounce. Even better is when the ingredient list is short, comprising of only a few essential and nutritious components. One Degree Gluten-Free Organic Sprouted Brown Rice Flour checks off both of these: the only ingredient is brown rice! This richly nutritious flour is non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, kosher, and is grown without chemicals or animal-based fertilizers. Use it to make all kinds of meals and snacks for anytime of day, such as pancakes for breakfast, cookies for dessert, and everything in between! One Degree has a 100% traceability philosophy – you can track the ingredients of all of their products to see exactly what farm and region of the country (or world) they come from!

From the Mouth of a Kid:

These brownies are sooooooo good!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

I have been a fan of One Degree for quite some time now, but just recently discovered this brown rice flour! It has become a staple in my pantry – my kids don’t even notice the difference between this and regular white flour, plus it’s so much more nutritious! I trust One Degree products because they are committed to to clean foods and sourcing ingredients from small, organic farms. There’s no artificial ANYTHING when it comes to One Degree products, and there’s minimal processing involved in everything they do.

Flavorful Features:

One Degree also makes these other nutritious and delicious flours:

• Sprouted Spelt Flour
• Sprouted Whole Wheat Flour
• Sprouted Corn Flour
• Sprouted Red Fife Flour
• Sprouted Khorasan Flour
• Sprouted Rye Flour
• Spelt Flour
• Whole Wheat Flour

The Icing on the Cake:

While many food companies artificially boost nutrition in their products, One Degree uses the natural process of sprouting to provide powerhouse nutrients!

Time to Eat?!

One Degree Organic Sprouted Brown Rice Flour can be used in almost all of your favorite recipes that call for flour! Next time you want to whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies, muffins, or a cake, give this flour a try – you won’t be disappointed!

www.onedegreeorganics.com

https://www.facebook.com/OneDegreeOrganics/

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Get your fruit on the go! These little pouches are packed with organic fruits and veggies. The Slammers Pomegranate Grape Crush SuperFood Smoothie is our favorite because it has added protein, as well as vitamin C which is great for fighting colds and the flu! So, parents, you can feel good about serving this nutritious smoothie pouch to your kids, who will no doubt love the sweet taste! Even better, there are no artificial colors or flavors.

From the Mouth of a Kid:

Mom! Can you pack me more smoothies? My friends love them!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

This pouch is perfect for my children. It easily fits into a lunch box and most importantly, my picky eater is trying new fruits, like pomegranate, that she would never try alone!

Flavorful Features:

Try all of the Slammers SuperFood Smoothie flavors:

• Epic (mangoes, bananas, carrots, orange, greek yogurt, vanilla)
• Awesome (bananas, blueberries, strawberries, beets, acai, amaranth)
• Chill’n (bananas, blueberries, butternut squash, greek yogurt, yumberry)
• Amped (apples, strawberries, cherries, chia, purple carrot)
• Watermelon Kiwi Burst (protein + organics)

The Icing on the Cake:

Slammers uses organic superfoods in their smoothie pouches and, as a bonus, the Pomegranate Grape Crush pouch has added protein! This company was founded by moms who know the struggle of getting kids to sit and eat fruits and veggies!

Time to Eat?!

Slammers Pomegranate Grape Crush SuperFood Smoothies are great anytime of day: a quick and nutritious addition to breakfast on busy mornings, a fun snack at school, or even a sweet after-school treat!

Good to Go?

These smoothies are individually packaged so you can easily give your kids the nutrition they need on the go!

Mix it Up!

Grab your popsicle mold and pop a Slammers smoothie in the freezer for a delicious frozen treat, perfect for warm weather days.

http://slammerssnacks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/kidsgourmetslammers

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Little bodies need lots of nutrients to grow big and strong! A great way to pack lots of nutrients into one meal is by eating a well-rounded meal. Our friends at Cooking Light have partnered with USDA’s MyPlate to create several tasty  recipes, that are nutritious quick AND easy! Sure to be a hit with the family these recipes include a variety of grains, vegetables, and protein!

Recipes

Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

A three-minute dip into a pungent cilantro-lime marinade is all that’s needed to deliver big flavor to chicken breasts. Serve with saffron rice. Click here for the recipe.

Tofu with Red Curry Paste, Peas, and Yellow Tomatoes

The red curry paste in this ethnic dish is a blend of clarified butter, curry powder, vinegar, and other seasonings. Use either Indian or Asian curry paste; it comes in mild and hot versions and can be modified to suit your preference. Click here for the recipe.

Mango Shrimp Kebabs

These fresh-flavored mango shrimp skewers are ready to enjoy in just 25 minutes and are a great option for entertaining when the weather is warm. Click here for the recipe.