Back-to-School with CLIFKid

Last year I shared my love for CLIF Kid snacks with you (to read post: Click Here). My family and I have been a big fan of their Zbars for a while now. Well, with back-to-school around the corner, I could not pass up the chance to share their latest product with you…CLIF Kid Zbar Protein! These nutritious snack bars are made with organic whole grains and contain 5 grams of protein. They are also a great source of calcium, fiber, iron, zinc and vitamin D. They do not contain any high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, preservatives or artificial flavors. They are also low in calories, fat and sugar. They are a great alternative to conventional granola bars, snacks and sweets that are filled with sugar and unhealthy ingredients.

Zbar Protein is available in 3 flavors: Chocolate chip, Chocolate Mint (my daughter’s favorite!) and Peanut Butter Chocolate (my favorite!).  All three are super yummy…your kids won’t even know they’re actually good for them. A box of 5 sells for approximately $4.99…just around 99 cents per bar!

Zbar makes a great addition to your child’s lunch. It can also be used as an after-school snack, fuel for after-school activities, or a post-practice recovery snack. It is essential that growing, active children get their daily intake of nutrients in order to perform and flourish. I don’t know about you, but this is the type of snack bar I am happy to pack in my little girl’s lunchbox…

So, in honor of Back-to-School, I would like to offer one lucky reader the opportunity to be a “lunchbox hero.”  Be the first to leave a comment below sharing your most creative healthy lunchbox snack and you will win a half dozen variety of the new CLIF Kid Zbar Protein snack bars…simple as that!

For more info on CLIF Kid visit the Website or follow them on Facebook, and Pinterest.

 

 

Back-to-School Green Giveaways!

For most of us, back-to-school season is in full swing. However, it is never too late, nor too early, to pack a healthy and eco-friendly lunch for our kids.  I have three great ways and products for you that will help make that an easy task. Even better, I am hosting TWO giveaways so you can get started on packing your child healthier, green lunches…for free!

Up first…let’s discuss those darn lunchboxes!

If your lunch box from last year is still in good condition…use it! It’s all about reducing, reusing and recycling…upcycling too! However, if you need to shop for a brand new lunch box…I have a great alternative to those plastic boxes or brown paper bags. Introducing the New Wave Enviro Litter-Free Lunch Bag Kit!

The unique, colorful designs will definitely set your child’s lunch apart from the rest.  My daughter loves hers. I love it because it makes packing lunch such an easy task. The litter-free lunch kit comes complete with a BPA free water bottle (avoid waste from juice boxes and plastic water bottles) and four “green” reusable containers (made to fit sandwiches and other snacks perfectly). No need for wasteful plastic baggies or tinfoil or other unnecessary trash!  The lunch bag itself is insulated and lead-free. The whole set is so easy to clean and maintain. You can find them online and at Whole Foods Market for an average price of $25. Considering you’ll be using it for years to come, you will be saving lots of money…and the Earth!

Now how about what goes into that lunch box?

Well, a few months back I posted about a healthy, organic snack bar for children by CLIF Kid.  (To read the original post: Click Here)  CLIF Kid Zbars are nutritious, perfectly proportioned, vegan (except honey variety) bars containing about 8-10 grams of whole grains, 12 vitamins and minerals, 120 calories, 3 grams of fat, 11 grams of sugar and 3 grams of fiber per bar. They are also made with 95% Certified USDA Organic ingredients and do not contain any high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, trans fats, preservatives, artificial flavors or colors. They are the perfect snack alternative to traditional granola bars and even special treats for young active kids. You can find them for as little as $1.69 per bar at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market. Zbars are soft and chewy and come in a variety of flavors like Iced Oatmeal Cookie, Honey Graham, Chocolate Brownie, Smore’s, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip.

Right now I am offering one lucky reader the opportunity to win a 6 count variety pack of CLIF Kid Zbars! Winner must live in the USA, provide a valid email (that you check often), and be at least 18 years of age. Raffle ends on Friday September 27, 2013 at 11:59 pm.

To enter Raffle click link below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Final “Green” Touch…

To complete your healthy and eco-friendly lunch, a reusable napkin is the perfect final touch. A few months back I wrote a review and hosted a giveaway for Funkins. (To read original post: Click Here). Funkins come in a variety of colorful designs for all ages. Put one in your child’s lunch and it can be used as a place mat and then a napkin too!  You can avoid creating unnecessary waste from paper towel and napkins. Just wash your Funkins and reuse over and over again.  Place it in your Litter-free Lunch bag and you have a truly waste-free lunch, saving money and the planet.

Right now I am offering one lucky reader the opportunity to receive a set of THREE colorful reusable napkins/place mats from Funkins!  Winner must live in the USA, provide a valid email (that you check often), and be at least 18 years of age. Raffle ends on Friday September 27, 2013 at 11:59 pm.

To enter raffle click the link below: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Related articles

• AMAZING Back to School Eco-Friendly Giveaway (ediblefacial.com)
• 6 Eco-Friendly Lunchbox Essentials for Green Kids (mysweetgreens.com)
• Top 10 Green Tips for Back-to-School (thelittlegreenplaypen.com)

Organic Snacks & Backyard Game Contest

Convenient, healthy snacks are something I write about frequently. In today’s busy society it is sometimes difficult to have fresh and nutritious snacks on hand. That’s why when I first discovered CLIF Kid I knew I had struck gold. CLIF Kid is the maker of organic snacks for kids…Zbar, Zbar Crispy and Zfruit. 5 years later, my daughter still loves the Zbar energy snack bars…and so do I!

One bar contains around 10 grams of whole grains, 12 vitamins and minerals, 120 calories, 3 grams of fat, 11 grams of sugar and 3 grams of fiber. What I love most is that 95% of the ingredients are Certified USDA Organic. No high fructose corn syrup. No hydrogenated oils. No preservatives. No trans fats. No artificial flavors or colors.

These snack bars are a great way to provide some nutritious energy for young active kids (and adults!) when you’re on the go. They are the perfect treat and can even pass for a nutritious dessert. We get them for only $1.69 at TJs or WholeFoods. They are vegan too!

The Zbars are soft and chewy and come in a variety of flavors. My daughter’s favorites are the Iced Oatmeal Cookie and the Honey Graham. I love the Chocolate Brownie. They also come in Smore’s. Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip. CLIF Kid recently added a Zbar Crispy Rice variety. It’s like having a special rice krispy treat only it contains plenty of good for you stuff.  So far we’ve tried the Cookies ‘n Cream. They also come in Chocolate, Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter.

CLIF Kid recently announced that they are bringing back their CLIF Kid Backyard Game of the Year contest. It is designed to encourage kids ages 6-12 to explore outdoor play by inventing their very own backyard game. Individual category entrants could win a $10,000 scholarship, a bike from Specialized Bicycles and a Bell helmet. This year a group category has been added and entrants have the opportunity to win a $15,000 donation to the non-profit of their choice. In addition, select finalists will win a trip to San Diego to showcase their games at the 2013 CLIF Kid Backyard Game of the Year Playoffs.

The contest is running now and ends on June 17, 2013. Backyard game ideas can be submitted at www.CLIFKidBackyardGame.com.  For all contest submissions, kids ages 6-12 are asked to invent original backyard games that bring kids together to play outside. The games can utilize common household items such as balls, hula hoops, beanbags and, most importantly, kids’ imaginations for hours of fun.

Co-authors and outdoor play advocates, Stacy Tornio and Ken Keffer, are sharing fun outdoor activity tips for families on the CLIF Kid Facebook page (www.facebook.com/CLIFKid) during the contest phase and will also serve as judges at the CLIF Kid Backyard Game of the Year Playoffs. Tornio and Keffer’s book, “The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book: 448 Great Things to Do in Nature Before You Grow Up,” launched on April 2 and is a year-round how-to activity guidebook for outdoor exploration.

“All of us here at CLIF Kid remember what a blast it was being kids, exploring the outdoors and creating wacky games to amuse ourselves and friends,” said Jennifer Yun, brand director for CLIF Kid. “With Backyard Game of the Year, we’re providing a spotlight for kids to share their creativity and build the confidence that starts from playing outside.”

 

 

For more details and information on the contest visit: www.CLIFKidsBackyardGame.com

For more info on Clif Bar & Company visit: www.clifbar.com, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/clifbar and follow them on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/clifbar.