Favorite Packaged Snacks with No Added Sugar!

Organic Snacks

For many reasons, I hate giving my kids snacks with added processed sugar.  Sometimes we need an on-the-go snack that isn’t a piece of fruit or fresh veggie, and these fit the bill!

Scout Bars – Scout Bars are a long time favorite.  There are tons of flavors and my kids love them all!  Some flavors may not be school (nut) safe.  Our favorite flavors are Blueberry, French Toast and Apple Pie!

CHOMPS – We love the free range turkey CHOMPS bars!  My kids say they have less “spice” than the beef, but I love the beef CHOMPS too!

SOLELY Whole Fruit Gummies – These are the only gummies I buy as there is no added sugar, colors or flavors.  They come in multiple flavors.

EPIC Waygu Beef Sticks – We love various flavors of EPIC bars, but this one is a favorite!

GimMe Organic Seaweed – These are my little ones FAVORITE.  Whenever it’s a day we have to bring a snack in for the class, she insists we bring in seaweed for all of the kids!  We like the seasalt made in avocado oil version but there are a few different flavors! (The teriyaki and wasabi flavors contain sugar.)

Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars – These are really good!  Our favorite flavor is the strawberry banana.

Cascadian Farm Organic Chewy Cashew Cherry Bars – These are easy to find in regular grocery stores and I purchase on occasion. Contains cashews.  The Cinnamon Apple version is nut free.

Simple Mills Almond Flour Crunchy Cookies – These contain coconut sugar, but are one of our favorite packaged cookies with a crunch.  Contains Almonds.  Also available in Toasted Pecan.

Scout Organic Soft Baked Cookies – These are delicious!  They do contain coconut sugar and are organic.

LesserEvil Himalayan Pink Salt Organic Popcorn – Our favorite popcorn!  We love this variety as well as the avocado oil one.

Drybox Organic Sun Dried Turkish Apricots – My kids absolutely love dried apricots!

Rhythm Superfoods Beet Chips – My little one loves these beet chips!  The only ingredient is beets!

Jackson’s Sweet Potato Kettle Chips – These chips are delicious!

Mario Camacho Foods Pitted Snack Olives – These hit the spot for the perfect salty snack!

BRAMI Lupini Beans – Another savory snack we like!

SOLELY Organic Pineapple Fruit Jerky – Another popular snack in my house, my kids love all of the flavors, even the ones with chili peppers!

YOU LOVE FRUIT – Similar to the SOLELY Fruit Gummies, these fruit snacks only contain fruit!

*links on this post are affiliate links

Our favorite organic mattresses – My Green Mattress!

My Green Mattress

Certified Organic Mattresses for Everyone!

My family has had My Green Mattress brand mattresses for over 5 years and we have been so happy with them!  They arrived quickly, perfectly packaged, and are comfortable, solid mattresses.  Here is a rundown of their current offerings, which is now more than just mattresses!

Kiwi Organic Mattress 

  • The most affordable fully certified organic mattress anywhere

  • Only certified organic, hybrid, and hand-tufted mattress with added lumbar support starting at less than $1,000

  • 20-year warranty, twice the duration of leading competitor, Avocado
  • 1.5 to 2 times more sustainable than leading conventional mattress brands
  • 365-day satisfaction guarantee after a 30-day sleep trial
  • 50% more edge support than competitors
  • Now with 2” of organic latex
  • Strong lumbar region and higher coil count (up to 1140 coils in a King)
  • Hand-tufted to hold mattress layers together with zero toxic adhesives; also offers mattress pre-compression to provide consistent feel for years to come
  • Supports up to 600 pounds

Natural Escape Mattress 

  • Certified organic luxury hybrid mattress
  • Best choice for couples
  • Propriertarily designed lumbar support zone for proper spinal alignment
  • Up to 1440 pocketed coils for precise contouring and daily mattress firmness
  • 3” of organic latex
  • 365-day satisfaction guarantee after a 30-day sleep trial
  • 50% more edge support than competitors
  • Supports up to 750 pounds

Babies and Kids

Kiwi Bunk Bed Mattress: 

  • Give your growing children the same organic mattress experience you already know and love

  • Low-profile design fits perfectly with the majority of bunk and trundle beds

  • Zero harsh chemicals, formaldehyde, or VOCs
  • Up to 890 individually pocketed coils for maximum support
  • Fully recyclable to minimize household waste and environmental burden
  • Available in twin and full sizes
  • Made with the same organic wool, cotton, and latex as our adult mattresses
  • Supports up to 400 pounds

Emily Organic Crib Mattress: 

  • Ultimate certified organic mattress for newborns, infants, and toddlers
  • Zero harsh chemicals, formaldehyde, or VOCs, making it completely non-toxic
  • Fully breathable materials for complete daily peace of mind
  • Two-sided with firm support for maximum longevity
  • The perfect choice for mothers who want their babies to enjoy a fully organic experience
  • Amazing gift for new or expecting parents

Bases

My Green Platform Bed:

  • Excellent support system for natural, minimalist bedroom designs

  • Zero wood stains or man-made colorations

  • US-manufactured by Amish suppliers
  • Optional headboard to maximize space in your bedroom
  • Zero-tools-needed assembly; simply unpack the pieces and fit the legs together by hand

My Green Foundation:

  • Minimalist, lightweight mattress support system for a more spacious bedroom
  • Supports up to 1,200 pounds
  • Interslat space is less than 3”, offering durable, lifetime support without artificial materials

Metal Bed Frame:

  • Excellent choice for traditional bed support needs
  • Works perfectly with your existing box spring
  • 100% noise-free support system
  • Ideal choice when you need edge-to-edge support

Bedding and Sleep Accessories

Organic Latex Pillow:

  • The perfect blend between support and comfort

  • 100% certified organic Dunlop latex

  • Ideal pillow for back and side sleepers

Organic Cotton Sheets:

  • Beautiful, organic bed sheets to go with your mattress, protector, and topper
  • 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton
  • Choose from pure white or natural color
  • Available in all sizes from crib to Cal-King

Organic Cotton Protector:

  • Total top-level protection from moisture, dust mites, allergens, and debris
  • 100% waterproof
  • Maximizes the longevity of your mattress without time-consuming maintenance
  • Made with GOTS-certified organic cotton fabric
  • Available in all sizes from crib to Cal-King

Organic Latex Topper:

  • 2” of organic latex for additional pressure point relief and support
  • 100% GOLS-certified organic latex
  • Includes 100% washable, zippered, GOTS-certified organic cotton cover
  • Available in all sizes from Twin to Cal-King

Brand Benefits

  • Free shipping on all orders in the contiguous US

  • 365-night satisfaction guarantee after a 30-day sleep trial

  • 20-year warranty on all mattresses

  • All products made in the USA
  • Affirm financing available (soon to include Afterpay)

    *since we love our MGM so much, I have become an affiliate!  I may earn commission if you click through the links on this post and make a purchase.

A Housewarming Gift – a Non-Toxic Cleaning Supply Basket

When one of my best friends closed on her first home, I wanted to give her something useful.  I purchased a cotton basket and decided to fill it with some of my favorite non-toxic cleaning products!  These products are what works for us, so I figured she can give them a try and see what works best for her family!  This is a great way to get your friends and family to try new products.  Here is what I included:

Better Life Floor Cleaner
Better Life Dish Liquid
Cleanwell Surface Wipes
Better Life Stainless Steel Polish
Better Life Natural Wood Polish
Eco Extra Large Wool Balls
Better Life Streak Free Glass Cleaner
Biokleen Laundry Detergent
Better Life Tub and Tile Cleaner
Ecover unscented Dishwasher Pods
Biokleen Bac-Out Stain Remover
Natural Plant Based Scrub Sponges

Basket Ideas:

*this post contains affiliate links*

Easy (Lazy) GF Vegan Manicotti


Manicotti reminds me of my childhood when I ate gluten and dairy filled heavy Italian food.  I’m always trying to find GF/DF alternatives!  I’ve mastered making both tofu ricotta and cashew ricotta, but sometimes I don’t feel like making my own vegan ricotta. For those times, I’ve discovered this creamy combo!  I use Jovial diced or crushed tomatoes for the sauce, which has a sweet and bright flavor, and a combo of store bought vegan cheese for the filling and topping.

Tomato Sauce
1 jar Jovial diced or crushed tomatoes
1/2 chopped yellow onion
1 tbsp Olive Oil
salt & pepper

Manicotti
1 package Jovial Gluten Free Manicotti Shells
1 container of Kite Hill dairy free Ricotta
1/2 cup Vegan Grated Parmesan (I used follow your heart)
3 tbsp Miyokos Chive Cheese Wheel, softened (can add more if you’d like, you can use any vegan creamy cheese)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp chopped parsley
salt & pepper
1 cup vegan mozarella (I used Dayia Cutting Board Shreds)

1. Preheat oven to 375F.  Make the sauce by drizzling 1tbsp olive oil on the bottom of an enamled cast iron dutch oven on low heat.  Add the diced onion and saute until it translucent.
2. Add jar of tomatoes, a little bit of salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. In the meantime, boil water for the manicotti.  Once water is boiling, add salt to the water and cook the manicotti for the instructed cooking time.  The Jovial GF pasta only takes 4 minutes to cook.
4. In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, vegan parm, cheese wheel, olive oil, chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
5. When the pasta is done cooking and slightly cooled, use a teaspoon or pastry bag to fill the pasta with the ricotta mixture.
6. Cover the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish with half of the sauce and fill the dish with the filled manicotti.  Use the remaining sauce to cover the manicotti in the baking dish.  Top with shredded cheese.
7. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

Enjoy once slightly cooled!

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Zucchini Carrot Muffins


These carrot zucchini muffins quickly became a family favorite!  My girls, who used to proclaim, “I don’t eat zucchini” every time they’d see me take it out of the fridge, absolutely LOVE these muffins!  I let them help me bake, so they know that there is zucchini inside of the muffins, and now say they like zucchini.  The original recipe is from It’s a Veg World Afterall.

Ingredients
2 cups gluten free rolled oats (I use these)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 cup mashed bananas, about 2 large bananas
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 cups grated zucchini, do not squeeze out water
1 cup grated carrots, about 2 large
1 tbsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Grate zucchini and carrot in a food processor, then place in large bowl.  Add the mashed bananas, eggs, syrup and vanilla.
2. Use your food processor or high power blender to process the oats to flour.
3. In another bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon and mix to combine.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients.  Mix until incorporated.
5. Let batter sit for it to thicken- anywhere from 10-15 minutes.
6.  Once thickened, spooned batter into unbleached muffin wrappers or a greased stainless steel muffin tin.
7.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.  Check with a toothpick to see if done.
Enjoy!