Applegate Deli Meats {Giveaway-2 Winners!}

Healthy eating is a top priority in my household. That doesn’t mean that we don’t indulge or enjoy foods that might be considered unhealthy, but the majority of our produce is organic, and our meats are generally antibiotic, hormone, and steroid free, and may also be grass fed. Some may think that eating this way may be expensive, but the fact is that the impact it has on your health in the long run is much more important than the price tag. Also, with the increase of companies offering this type of produce, there has been a lot more competition to lower prices on natural foods.

When I was pregnant and unable to cook food due to food aversions or all day sickness, I started looking into healthy convenience foods. I know that may seem like an oxymoron, but if I was able to make my own chicken nuggets or meatballs and freeze them for another day, and use only the healthiest, simple ingredients, then why couldn’t companies do this as well? It seems so simple, yet not everyone is doing it. I stumbled upon Applegate chicken nuggets through Fresh Direct- which is a local food delivery company in NYC. These were the only “organic” chicken nuggets I could find, so I decided to give them a shot. Fast forward almost a year later and Applegate nuggets are still my toddler’s favorite!

Deli meats were another item on my convenience food list. Personally I do not eat deli meats, but my husband does. Deli meats allow him  to make a quick and easy meal for himself that he could either eat at home or on the go. I read that deli meats aren’t always the best, so when we stopped in Whole Foods market I decided to check out their offerings on natural deli meats. Applegate natural deli meats were available, so I decided to try them out and let my husband be the deciding factor on whether or not they tasted great.

I don’t feed my toddler deli meats because I am afraid of chemicals that may be used during processing the meat. When I saw that Applegate meats are made of only natural ingredients and didn’t contain nitrates, nitrites or antibiotics, I didn’t mind feeding it to her. Now, she’s a picky eater, so getting her to eat it was a different story! Here is some more information on their deli meats:

Now that I have discovered Applegate Deli Meats, there is no going back! I want to make sure my family is eating the highest quality deli meat available. I also started eating deli meat myself now, knowing that Applegate products are much healthier than the products behind the deli counter.

My toddler is participating in some preschool classes this year and packing her lunch is going to be a bit of a challenge. I know that I have to make her meals fun and exciting just to get her to eat them. Here are some tips I’ve created to help anyone out who might have a picky eater:

• Use cookie cutters! I use them for everything from shaping fruit to making fun sandwiches. It really works!
• Have your kids help you make their food. When my tot is in the kitchen with me, she asks to taste everything! She nibbles on parsley and even onions because she wants to taste everything before it makes it into the recipe. I make sure she watches every step of the way so she expects the end product. 4/5 times she will eat whatever she helps me make.
• Make lunches colorful! Adding a rainbow of fruit or veggies looks much more appealing than just having an apple thrown into the lunch bag!
• Get rid of the drab lunch bag and go for a fun lunch box with your child’s favorite color. I love the ones that come with stickers that you can personalize yourself- this makes that lunch box extra special to your tot!

Have you ever tried Applegate products? You can find out more information by visiting Applegate, and also by connecting with them on Facebook and Twitter. Would you like to win some for yourself? This is perfect for back to school season where cold-cut sandwiches become very popular. Fill out the easy rafflecopter form below to be entered to win Applegate products. Two winners will be chosen! US residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the MomsMeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms MeetSM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.