EasyLunchboxes Review (and Giveaway!)

I first came upon EasyLunchboxes by following “100 Days of Real Food” on facebook. And while I was more than willing to take advice from Lisa of “Real Food,” I wasn’t about to remake my entire kitchen and pantry to match; I was neither financial able nor willing to just throw away all my plastic storage containers. Then along came all the reports about BPA and, suddenly, I found myself tossing out every canned food on my shelves and looking with disdain at the contents of my food storage cabinet. All I could think each time I opened that cabinet door was “danger!!!” So, I did my research while I also did some virtual window shopping on amazon.com. Ideally, I was looking for stainless bento-type containers to send with my husband and daughter to work and school, respectively. But goodness! I was not about to take out a second mortgage in the name of environmental and health consciousness! When I stumbled upon EasyLunchboxes again that day, it was a no-brainer. Four individual containers, each with a bright colorful lid and compartments for different meal components, and BPA free all for less than $15 - shipped!

I liked them from the moment I opened the package. The lids are easy to put on and take off, the boxes conveniently nest within each other (even the lids stack nicely on top of one another) and they were labeled dishwasher-safe. Out of nowhere, I just wanted to come up with cute and healthy meals to pack for my family. And, before I knew it, that’s just what I was doing every day (well, cuteness is in the eye of the beholder...I certainly think my lunches are at least cuter than they used to be). 

My youngest daughter testing the product durability.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that EasyLunchboxes go everywhere with me on an almost daily basis. I have a four-year-old who seems to be on an endless quest to burn off every single calorie she consumes, so she’s constantly running on empty, and a 15-month-old who can’t go more than an hour without some sort of snack since she is always trying to keep up with her older sister. And when the toddler doesn’t get what she wants, she lets everyone know - not so cute during library storytime. So, these boxes make my life easy by being a good fit in my lunch tote (although, since the lids are not leak-proof, the tote has to be carried flat on its side as opposed to by the handles) and very lightweight.

We all know that nasty brownish red hue that our plasticware tends to take on after being used for spaghetti sauce or similar foods. We all hate it, too. After I used my EasyLunchboxes to hold marinara, I fully expected to see that dingy color when I pulled it out of the dishwasher. To my delight there was nothing of the sort. They were as clear as the day I got them. I even stored diced beets in one of the boxes and still there was no discoloration after washing!

Whole wheat rotini with sauce, organic unsweetened applesauce, stove-popped popcorn, and a spinach/carrot brownie.

The most beneficial aspect of owning the EasyLunchboxes is that, upon their arrival, I automatically felt compelled to come up with healthy and delicious snacks and meals to pack in them. I no longer had to figure out what packaged foods would hold up to my daughter’s tendency to spin and throw her lunch bag around...I could simply throw together individual elements in these boxes. The compartments encourage me to provide my family with a variety of foods, not just wrap up a sandwich with an apple and call it a day. I’m now able to safely pack noodles with meatballs, carrots, and applesauce all in one lunch. I can quickly put together a good dinner for my husband when he works nights, as well. This makes the EasyLunchboxes a healthy choice all around.

Stove-popped popcorn, fresh berry skewers, leftover whole wheat pasta with carrot/beet puree sauce, and a pumpkin cream cheese egg roll for my daughter.

In the past few weeks, I’ve begun to see more and more of them around town - at the park and my daughter’s gymnastics class. Obviously, people are having the same positive experience with EasyLunchboxes as I have had. I love seeing them popping up everywhere as these were created by a concerned mom who saw a need and came up with a solution. Kelly Lester, EasyLunchboxes’ owner and creator, aimed to make something that could hold enough to satisfy an adult hunger but lightweight and easy for a young child. Good on her for having the gumption to get it done!

Now is your chance to feed your family with less waste and more creativity...FREE! Enter our giveaway starting May 10 to win a set of four EasyLunchboxes PLUS one lunch tote in the color of your choice (a $21.90 retail value)!!

This giveaway is open to US residents only!

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LÄRABAR review

I remember the first LÄRABAR I ever had.  My family just finished walking in the Susan G. Komen Race for the cure in memory of his mom and before leaving, my husband grabbed a sample bar.  I hadn’t eaten since 5:30am and it was getting close to noon so I pulled out the nursing mom card and snagged the bar..  I loved it and went searching for it in local stores.  I couldn’t remember the name so I ended up picking up a couple different brands in error.  I couldn’t find them anywhere and eventually forgot about them.

When I started making the switch to unprocessed food, I knew I would need something that was convenient. When I am at school, I seem to be constantly moving and by mid-afternoon, I am hungry for a snack.  Thanks to Lisa at 100 Days of Real Food, I become re-acquainted with LÄRABARs.  I found the lemon bar at my local health food store and as soon as I bit into it, I recognized it.  I have tried a couple different bars over the last couple months and lemon is still by far my favorite.

LÄRABAR was generous enough to send me four different bars to review.  I received the box last Friday and within two days, they were all gone.  In the box, I found Key Lime Pie, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Chocolate Chip Cherry Torte, and Tropical Fruit Tart. 

He claimed Key Lime Pie first.

I made sure that everyone got a taste of each bar.  I thought my husband’s favorite would be Key Lime Pie but he loved Tropical Fruit Tart.  When I first opened the package, I could smell the pineapple but when I took a bit, I noticed it was balanced well with the other ingredients.  I am not a huge fan of coconut but it really worked well.  My children ate every bar and had absolutely no complaints.  I think in the end, my favorite was the Chocolate Chip Cherry Torte.  I could totally see myself eating this as a late night desert without feeling guilty.

They look calm but if I was closer to the ground, they would have been fighting over each piece.

Pros

·      The ingredients in LÄRABARs are food as my friend would say.  They are ingredients that when you read them, you know exactly what you are eating.  Some of the bars have as little as two ingredients.

·      No added sugar!

·       They are gluten free, dairy free, soy free, non-GMO, vegan, and kosher.

·      They are delicious and have a variety of flavors.  It is easy to find one you will love. Check out their website to see the variety of flavors they offer.

·      Many of the bars are on the softer side.  I think this is great because it is soft enough that I can give it to my 15 month old, who is still cutting molars, and he has no problem eating it.

Cons

·      The one complaint some of my friends have is that they are expensive.  I have noticed a range of prices when I have been out shopping.  The local health food store near me sells them at $1.89, which is the most expensive I have seen them.  Trader Joe’s sells them for $1.29 but they only have 5 flavors and they never seem to change.  One of the other Greenola Girls has spotted them at Target for 5/$5 but I have yet to find them, which is partly because I was looking in the wrong spot.  If you find a bar you really love, you can order them on Amazon.  Some bars even have a subscribe and save option… hello Lemon bars delivered right to my doorstep… yes please!  You can also save that way because the bars average out to be about $1.13 each.

Want another option?  How about free?  LÄRABARs has graciously offered to sponsor a giveaway through Greenola Girls!  Keep your eyes peeled.  The giveaway will start April 25th, 2012.  Want a sneak peek?  Check out the LÄRABAR giveaway page!