Packaged Real Food?

It’s no secret that I have some favorite go-to packaged real food snacks for when we’re out and about. It would, of course, be ideal if I could make all our food from scratch, but 1) that’s not exactly realistic, and 2) if there’s a decent store-bought alternative, why not? So I’m excited to partner with one of my long-time favorites in today’s sponsored post – LÄRABAR.

My Recent Dilemma

Now I’ve mentioned our love for the original (2 and 3 ingredient) LÄRABARs many times before, so that’s nothing new. But today I must make a confession. I think I’ve given those bars to my kids one too many times because they started craving something different just to switch things up. I guess we unintentionally got into a snack food rut! So my 11-year-old daughter started eyeing another brand of bars I’m not a big fan of. There are certainly worse things out there she could have wanted to eat, but I don’t like how these bars (even the ones that boast only 5 grams of sugar) contain 4 different kinds of sweeteners as well as natural flavors (why be so vague about what’s in there?) and soy lecithin (a food additive I don’t cook with at home).

So, I about fell over in the grocery store when I was shopping for our regular LÄRABARs and spotted these!

Maybe I’ve been living under a rock, but I hadn’t really noticed these before! They are a similar concept to what she was craving except they contain only 2 different sweeteners (not 4!) as well as dried dates (for extra naturally occurring sugar). They also do not contain any unwanted or vague additives like the other brands – score! I felt like this was the perfect compromise to give my daughter what she wanted but not have to give in too much on my “5 or fewer whole ingredient” packaged food desires. (Note: There are 6 grams of sugar in this ÜBER bar, but since the naturally occurring sugar in the dates accounts for some of that, I still think this is a better option.)

I got so excited I bought the few they had left then literally went to 4 other grocery stores (yes, I’m a nut!) to try to find more. The 4th store finally had some in stock, so after all that effort, I just bought the whole box, LOL. Maybe my friends at LÄRABAR will read this and send us some, haha. #kiddingnotkidding :) I’m not sure how long this rule-bending phase will last for my daughter, but we shall see.

#ShareRealFood Initiative

So, switching gears, I want to tell you about an important initiative that LÄRABAR is taking to heart. As you probably already know, hunger in America is an issue, and LÄRABAR wants everyone to have real food, whether it’s homemade or store bought. So they started an initiative called #ShareRealFood where they will donate $150,000 to help fight hunger. This partnership with Feeding America aims to help provide food banks with wholesome, nutritious food. Want to help? Then read on.

Support

Here are ways you can support efforts and raise awareness:

1. Spread the word by sharing #ShareRealFood @larabar posts from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

2. Get Connected – Donate, volunteer, learn more, and share facts, language, and hyperlinks.

3. Post a pic or video – Tag @larabar, @feedingamerica, and your friends to share your experiences on how you #ShareRealFood in your community.

Take Action

Support this mission to #ShareRealFood by:

•  Donating to a local Feeding America food bank in your community
•  Volunteering at a local Feeding America food bank
•  Sharing a hunger fact on social media
•  Learning more about hunger in your community
•  Choosing other ways to help