Gluten Free & Allergy Friendly

Lunch Made Easy: HUNDREDS of School Lunch Ideas All in 1 Post!

2017-07-29T15:20:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's back to school time already! Time to gather up those school supplies, make sure clothing still fits, and dust off those lunch bags and lunch boxes that have been sitting in the back of the cabinet or pantry for the summer.

I've put together a BUNCH of my round-up posts all in one place. Just bookmark or PIN this post and you'll have HUNDREDS of lunch ideas right at your fingertips!

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Holiday Baking: Gluten Free Horizon Organic Eggnog Cookies

2016-12-15T08:31:00.002-05:00

Gluten Free Eggnog Cookies are a delicious treat for the holidays and for Santa! This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Horizon Organic. The opinions and text are all mine.

I love creating Christmas cookies with my Little Miss for the holidays. The hardest part isn't the baking... it's keeping her from eating them all!
She just recently tried eggnog for the first time. Her first taste was of my dairy free nog. Then when I told her our friends at Horizon wanted us to come up with a fun holiday recipe, she was delighted to discover they made eggnog for her dairy loving heart. So, we gave it a go and made these yummy Gluten Free Eggnog Cookies.

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Beyond the Label: #SeedtoSunButter

2016-11-15T05:00:00.000-05:00

I was given the opportunity to travel to North Dakota to visit Red River Commodities and the sunflower fields that make Top 8 Allergen & Gluten Free SunButter Sunflower Butter and to learn about their processes, as well as, commitment to allergen control. Below is the sponsored post as it relates to the brand and my trip. All opinions are my own. Disclosure.
I've been fortunate over the past few years to get to know many food allergy and gluten free brands on a deeper level. Having been afforded the opportunity to attend meetings, talk to the owners, and even travel on their behalf.
Although they're doing great things by providing us with a product, there are few out there that truly care about our community with drive and passion. It's not just a profit, they realize they're a part of something much greater going on. They're changing lives... saving lives. For me, SunButter saved ours almost ten years ago.

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{Nut Free} Sandwich Bros Pocket Sandwiches #SandwichBrosSmile

2016-11-13T21:32:00.000-05:00

Sandwich Bros pocket sandwiches are a protein packed fun food option that is completely nut-free! Products are not gluten-free. The following post is a sponsored review. All opinions are my own. Disclosure.
I have a great find for our nut free friends! As busy families, we're always on the go and looking for easy and delicious food items that can satisfy our kids.
I also love when I can find ways to turn those items into lunchbox smiles. Sandwich Bros offer protein packed pocket sandwiches, that are great for snacks, lunches, parties, and more. Available in snack meal & breakfast sandwich varieties.

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{Baked} Gluten Free Macaroni Monster Eyes #HorizonTreats #Ad

2016-10-19T23:34:00.001-04:00

Gluten Free Macaroni Monster Eyes: An Easy to Make & Fun Treat for Kids for Halloween This post is sponsored by #HorizonOrganic. All opinions are my own. Read the full disclosure here.
One of the reasons I love Halloween so much is getting to create fun and ghoulish treats!
The main goal of my posts has always been to focus on the can-haves instead of the cannots, by creating smiles and fun with food. It's something I've done for my own Little Miss since she was first diagnosed with food allergies and later a gluten intolerance.
Being a typical child, one of her favorite foods is macaroni and cheese. So, I wanted to create a fun bite sized treat that I could pack her for lunch or even serve up at a Halloween party as a delicious bite.
These Baked Gluten Free Macaroni Monster Eyes are easy to make and your kiddos will smile and laugh as they pick them up to eat! All you need is one box of Horizon Organic Gluten Free White Cheddar Cheesy Mac, shredded cheese, and sliced olives.

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Halloween Made Easy: Cupcakes for Two #Recipe with @EnjoyLifeFoods Baking Chocolate Snack Packs + Giveaway! #SnackFreely

2016-10-18T14:12:00.001-04:00

Gluten Free & Top 8 Allergen Free "Cupcakes for Two" Recipe + Baking Chocolate Snack Packs Giveaway! This post is sponsored by Enjoy Life Foods. All opinions are my own. Read full disclosure here.
Anyone who has tried Enjoy Life Foods #1 Selling Allergy-Friendly Baking Chocolate knows it's hard to resist not eating them straight from the bag.
That's why their new Baking Chocolate Snack Packs are perfect for those chocolate cravings. Throw them in your purse, pack them for lunch, or bake up something delicious. Like my "Cupcakes for Two" recipe that is gluten free & top 8 allergen free. Just grab one Snack Pack and follow my easy steps!
{Giveaway} Make sure you enter below for a chance to win some for yourself!

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Tips for a Safe & Happy Halloween with Food Allergies

2016-10-14T00:00:00.000-04:00

Tips for a Safe & Happy Halloween with Food Allergies: Don't Be Scared, Be Prepared! This post is sponsored by Nice 'n CLEAN. Read my full disclosure statement here.
This time of year the stress level of a food allergy parent skyrockets. Food centered holidays involving parties at school, church, with friends, and with family. I'm often asked how we handle them, especially Halloween. My answer: Don't be scared, be prepared!
Little Miss is now eleven and we have never shied away from participating in Trick or Treating. Since a young age, we have always had a plan in place and I've taught her how to handle situations.
That being said, it's important as parents we are prepared with how to deal with situations as they arise and should your child come in contact with an allergen. Always carry epinephrine auto-injectors, inhalers, antihistamines, and Nice 'n CLEAN Antibacterial Hand Wipes.

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Terra's Kitchen: Dinner Delivered! #ARecipeforRealLife #ad

2016-10-12T11:38:00.000-04:00

Terra's Kitchen: Dinner Delivered! Meal Delivery Service offering Gluten Free, Paleo, & Vegetarian Options. This post is sponsored by Terra's Kitchen. Read my full disclosure statement here.
To my surprise, Terra's Kitchen Meal-Kit Service has a great selection of Gluten Free, Paleo (grain free, legume free, dairy free, starch free), and/or Vegetarian options. It also gives you a quick glance of what allergen each recipe contains. This mom loves that! It also utilizes organic and non-GMO ingredients, when possible.
What exactly is a Meal-Kit Service? It's Dinner Delivered! You choose the recipes you want, they do the chopping/ prepping, and it's delivered right to your doorstep in a climate-controlled vessel! Then, you get to enjoy a delicious meal in 30 minutes or less.

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SunButter & Jelly French Toast Sandwiches {Egg Free #Recipe}

2016-09-21T14:43:00.001-04:00

SunButter & Jelly French Toast Sandwiches are a fun treat for kids for breakfast or lunches! This recipe is allergen-friendly & egg-free, depending on the brand of bread you use.
Making french toast for breakfast is always a fun change-up in our household. We are typically a pancake or eggs kind of family.
However, I always challenge myself to make things as allergen-friendly (and gluten free) as possible when I'm working on new recipes or ideas to share here.
Years ago, I was playing around with my own recipe for egg-free/ dairy-free apple cinnamon french toast. I decided to circle back around and find a way to amp that up + make a fun recipe that could be used for both breakfast or lunches!

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Sandwich Thins Recipe {Gluten & Top 8 Allergen Free}

2016-09-07T00:00:00.000-04:00

Over the years I have followed amazing gluten free and food allergy free-from blogs. Some of the authors have even become personal friends.
I look at their recipes. I drool. I want to make them. But I don't. And it's meant to no offense to them.
Sometimes they contain a nut based flour. Or sometimes a flour that can't be purchased locally. Or more often than not, it's a flour blend where I have to literally go out and buy six bags of different flours just to create a special blend they want for the recipe.
I understand that it's what makes it "just perfect". But, for me, it's just not happening.
If I can't make it with an all-purpose flour, then I'm not going to bother. I just don't have the money or pantry space to invest in the others. It's also sometimes difficult to find top 8 free alternative flours that are needed for those special blends. Many contain CC warnings.
Thus why I started testing this Sandwich Thin recipe to begin with. I wanted it to be easy. I wanted it to use a gluten free AP flour, I wanted it to be top 8 allergen free, and I wanted it to be something geared towards my readers - something you could use in the lunch box, of course!

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Leftovers for Lunch: Ways to Use Chicken Leftovers!

2016-09-01T15:30:00.001-04:00

When I am meal planning for the week, I purposely buy chicken and have it once a week just so I can have the leftovers for lunches. The fella actually teases me about my love of chicken leftovers.
It's my favorite! So versatile and so many ways to incorporate it into different meals.
I figured it would be a great idea to put some of those into one post so the next time you have a leftover chicken breast or two in the fridge, or a container of leftover chicken from a fryer or roaster, you'd be inspired to make some fantastic lunches from the leftovers!

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Lunch Made Easy: Back to School Ideas!

2016-08-29T08:16:00.000-04:00

For a family with food allergies or dietary restrictions, packing food never stops. It becomes second nature to always BYOF (Bring Your Own Food) wherever you go.

The same goes for school lunches. We pack, every day. And always have.

You'll find me sharing what Little Miss is having over on our Facebook and Instagram pages, daily. Make sure to follow us there to not miss out on the daily fun!

I've put together a fun round-up of our favorite lunches we've packed for school so far (she started back in mid-July) to help give you inspiration for when your family heads back:

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Enjoy #LunchFreely + a HUGE Sweepstakes! #BacktoSchool

2016-08-25T12:05:00.000-04:00

This post and sweepstakes is sponsored by Enjoy Life Foods. All opinions are my own. Disclosure.
I've been keeping a secret from you all.
For some time now, I've been working with our friends at Enjoy Life Foods on a fun video and some lunch recipes that are free-from the top allergens and gluten!
Not only that, but today launches Enjoy Life Food's HUGE Sweepstakes and LunchFreely.com website!
There will be ONE GRAND PRIZE and there will be FIVE Runner-Up Prizes each week!! New recipes and sweepstakes details are in the post below.

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How to Keep Apple Slices from Turning Brown {Lunch Tips + Video}

2016-08-16T13:51:00.000-04:00

It's Back to School Time!! That means time to start planning for school lunches and snacks.
One of the most frequent questions I get asked is how we keep our apple slices from turning brown?
I've put together a fun video with some tips and tricks that we use to keep our apples from browning.

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How to Pack Hot Foods in a Thermos {PLUS 35+ Ideas for Lunches}

2016-08-10T12:20:00.001-04:00

This post is sponsored by Horizon Organic. All opinions are my own. Read our full disclosure statement by clicking here.
One of the most popular questions I receive is "how do I pack hot foods for school lunches?"
We are fortunate that Little Miss has access to a microwave at lunch time, but some foods pack better in a Thermos instead of reheating that way. It's also not the case for all our readers, so even though I try to answer this question as it comes up... it's important to also take the time to share about it on blog.
One of her favorite hot lunch items that I pack for her macaroni & cheese. I'm thankful I can easily whip her up a box of Horizon Organic Gluten Free Cheesy Mac to satisfy her cravings.

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Lunchbox SunButter Spice Bars {Top 8 Allergen Free}

2016-08-04T12:41:00.001-04:00

This post is sponsored by SunButter Sunflower Butter. All opinions are my own. Read our full disclosure here.
It's that time of year again... back to school! Time to get those lunch boxes ready.
Little Miss started a school that follows a "balanced calendar" - meaning, she is on an almost "all year school" calendar and school began back on July 18th. Crazy, but it's let her start developing friendships right away, which is great.
I'm always looking for simple lunchbox ideas and recipes that allow me to pack in protein and yummy allergy friendly ingredients she can enjoy at school. Just like these SunButter Spice Bars. They're gluten free and top 8 allergen free.

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Snyder's of Hanover Pretzels Peanut Free Giveaway #PretzelsBaby

2016-07-26T23:30:00.001-04:00

This post and giveaway is sponsored by Snyder's of Hanover. All opinions are my own.
For years, I have admittedly bypassed the Snyder's of Hanover Pretzels on the shelves. Even when they released their Gluten Free Pretzels (which are now certified GF), I knew looming on the backside was that warning... "Made in a facility that handles peanut butter."
While I appreciated their labeling, since it's not mandatory to label for cross-contamination, it was something my family could not eat.
WELL, THAT HAS CHANGED! Snyder's of Hanover production at its main pretzel bakery in Hanover, Pennsylvania is now dedicated Peanut Free.
To celebrate the change, we're giving away a #PretzelsBaby Prize Pack + a $25 Visa Gift Card to one lucky winner!

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Homemade {Baked} Popcorn Shrimp Recipe

2016-07-20T17:32:00.002-04:00

A while back I shared my yummy gluten free, dairy free, nut free {Baked} Popcorn Shrimp recipe on our Snapchat page.
Thankfully, I was able to capture the video onto my YouTube channel so I could share it with those of you currently not on Snapchat. (Which you should be, by the way. So fun and so addictive!)

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{Chicago} A Windy City Weekend #EatFreelyUSA

2016-07-11T14:07:00.000-04:00

The #EatFreelyUSA tour, this post, and travel were sponsored by Enjoy Life Foods. All opinions are my own. Disclosure Statement.

The second stop on our #EatFreelyUSA tour was the "Windy City" of Chicago! Chi-Town, Chicagoland, the Second City, whatever you like to refer to as, Erica and I had a blast exploring.
To see our #EatFreelyUSA intro video and see our Nashville recap video, click here.
Not only did we visit awesome tourist destinations, we also found some delicious gluten free & allergy friendly eateries. Check out the video in this post below and see for yourself!

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Lunch Made Easy: Sports Themed Ideas

2016-07-06T12:44:00.001-04:00

We are a sports loving family. Football, hockey, cycling, soccer, tennis, and more! All year, you'll find us at live events or glued to the television seeing our favorite teams in action.
I know I'm always looking for fun ideas and ways to incorporate our favorite sports into a creative themed lunch box idea for Little Miss to take to school.
So, why not do a large round-up of ideas from our site and some from our friends!? Sounds good to me!

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Welcome to Nashville! #EatFreelyUSA

2016-06-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

#EatFreelyUSA is sponsored by Enjoy Life Foods
The first stop on our #EatFreelyUSA tour was Nashville. I had never been before but it was for sure a city on my bucket list - I couldn't wait for the music, the history, and the FOOD.
What is #EatFreelyUSA? In case you missed the intro video, you can check that out by clicking here.
Erica and I managed to eat our way through the city and even attend an award show while there. We found tons of delicious gluten free & allergen friendly eateries aaaaand may have also found a karaoke sound booth. Maybe... we'll see if that video ever surfaces.

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Easy Summer Road Trip Snacks #HorizonSnacks #Ad

2016-06-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

This post is sponsored by Horizon Organic. All opinions are my own. Disclosure statement.
We love taking road trips in the summer to visit family out of state, new destinations, and even just quick trips to Lake Michigan and the beach.
In a few weeks, we'll be taking a road trip. I'm already planning and packing in my head what we'll need and use for the two and half day drive.
Traveling when you're on a specialty diet or have food allergies can be tricky. There's not always places to get safe food along the way, so you must always be prepared. That's why I love packing Horizon Organic products + healthy sides to give Little Miss yummy options on the road!

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Coming to a City Near You! #EatFreelyUSA

2016-06-01T22:11:00.002-04:00

What happens with two friends hit the road, traveling to different cities, and hitting up allergy friendly hot spots along the way? ... #EatFreelyUSA!
Check out this special video to learn more:

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Lunch Made Easy: St. Patrick's Day Ideas!

2016-03-16T09:41:00.002-04:00

St. Patrick's Day is always a fun time of year around our house! 1) The 15th is my folks anniversary, 2) the 16th is my birthday, and 3) the 17th is a fun day to celebrate the fact we are Irish! You don't get a name like Keeley McGuire, otherwise - to be exact... I'm actually half Irish, half Scottish.
Growing up, my grandfather spent many years traveling to Ireland studying our ancestry and I'm so lucky I had to opportunity to visit the beautiful homeland back in 2009 with some coworkers.
Now, I make sure to celebrate the day and our family heritage with Little Miss who proudly call this "our day". That means lots of fun lunches and snacks to go with. Erin go Bragh!

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Ninja Coffee Bar {at Home} + Dairy Free Mocha Recipe

2016-03-02T15:54:00.000-05:00

Ninja provided me with their new Coffee Bar system for my honest review:
I am a coffee addict.
When I'm traveling for work or even at home, I could drink coffee all day long. The fella thinks I'm crazy, but even in the evenings, I find a warm cup relaxing. In fact, I'm sipping on a cup right now.
Buying "fancy coffees" away from home can get expensive, so I'm thankful for delicious homemade recipes to create them myself like my Homemade Dairy Free Mocha Coffee recipe (below)!
And thanks to the new Ninja Coffee Bar System, I have the best coffeehouse in town, right on my counter!

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