AmazonFresh  / Blog

Autumn is coming, and with the kid's first day of school right around the corner, we are excited to have added a great new line of time saving and healthy frozen meals from Mom Made Foods - choice organics for children. These meals are perfect for busy families that are looking for a great tasting, healthy meal. We have four varieties available for the little ones which include Broccoli, Sweet Potato, Pear and Apple. We also have four great varieties available for kids of all ages which include Cheesy Mac, Fiesta Rice, Cheese Pizza, and Bean Burrito. Mom Made Meals are not only 100% USDA-certified organic but are also low in fat and sodium, with no added sugar, additives, colors or preservatives.

Heather, the Founder of Mom Made Foods developed this line of healthy organic meals as a result of her passion for fresh, well balanced food. As a full-time working mother she often found it difficult to find the time to prepare foods from scratch and recognized that it was difficult to find any freshly made, healthy store bought alternatives. With the guidance from her brother (a Professional Chef) and support from her family and friends, she created Mom Made Foods - choice organics for children.

In her own words:

"Three years ago, I developed Mom Made Foods to provide organic meal options that kids would love. Exposing children to the flavors and nutritional benefits of organic food is a gift that they will keep with them for a lifetime. Although it may seem difficult, incorporating organic food into children's everyday lives is simple. Mom Made meals are just like those a parent would make in their own kitchen, with the kind of foods that will help young children develop a taste for healthy eating."

Here are a few of her pointers to start your kids on the road to healthy eating:

*It's never too early to start
Children develop their palates more from birth to age two than at any other time of their life. Start introducing organics as young as possible, but also know that it's never too late to adopt an organic lifestyle.

*Prioritize an organic grocery list
Keep the Environmental Working Group's "dirty dozen" list in mind regarding foods that rank highest and lowest in pesticides.

*Be a good role model
Share meals as a family and remember that kids are exploring the world of food and watching you. They may need multiple introductions to certain foods before "learning to" like them.

*Respect their decisions
Children have an innate understanding of when they're full. Never force food or bribe kids to eat.

*Involve your children
Plant a garden together. At the store, encourage them to participate in the selection of fresh produce and involve them in food preparation at home.

*Organic can be convenient too
There are times when we need to rely on prepared food. Make sure to read labels. Frozen organics are better for you than shelf products. This is true for veggies, baby food, and prepared meals.

I'm happy to introduce a great new jam here at AmazonFresh-- Freezerves from Sunfresh. Sunfresh is a locally owned and operated company that has been making all natural jams for over 20 years.

Owners Reed Hadley and Jill Morganpage began with the dream of bringing the incredible flavor of all natural "Freezer Jam" to the public. Unlike most store-bought jams and preserves, this method of making jam requires no cooking and captures the taste of fresh fruit, retaining the vitamins and enzymes that occur naturally. Before Sunfresh, freezer jams were only available from the kitchens of Mom, Aunt Sally or Grandma.

They created their first batch of Sunfresh freezer jam in 1986, with an investment of $1,000 in fresh raspberries, sugar, pectin and plastic food containers. The original home-designed labels were made using their daughter's crayons.

The next four to five years, the Sunfresh Team spent time marketing, sampling, developing recipes, producing and packaging jam. Reed delivered the delicious products to restaurants and grocery stores around the Pacific Northwest, while Jill worked with restaurant chefs to determine how much jam they needed for the week.

During my years of experience in food service, it was clear that Sunfresh Freezerves was the jam of choice for many of the white table cloth restaurants in the Seattle area. This product is not just for spreading on English muffins or fresh baked bread, it's also a great gourmet ingredient. After trying this delicious recipe I am sure you will agree, Freezerves are not only a top tier jam, but also a very versatile product.

Sunfresh SEARED AND BAKED CHICKEN BREAST with garlic, sage, and Apricot Orange Marmalade FREEZERVES

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts with bones and skin on
4 tsp. SUNFRESH Apricot Orange Marmalade
1 lg garlic clove, chopped
1 full Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil

Instructions:

Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees
Mix the marmalade, garlic, and sage.
With your fingers, loosen the skin from the chicken breast to form a pocket.
Put a tsp. of marmalade mix into each of those pockets.
In an oven safe skillet on med-hi, add the olive oil and sear the breasts skin side down, until golden brown. This takes 5-10 minutes.
Turn chicken skin side up and bake in 350 degrees oven for 30 minutes.
Serve with Risotto, Rice, or Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

Enjoy!

I love cooking, but like many people, I often don't have the time to prepare a huge meal. For those occasions, I have found some great prepared meal options available from Bertolli. I was a bit skeptical at first, but after only 10 minutes invested in total preparation, I was sold. These meals are so easy to prepare and they taste great. Not only did I save time in meal preparation, I saved time doing dishes. I have found that there is more than enough in these meals to feed two. My personal favorite is the Chicken Parmigiana with Mozzarella and Penne Pasta. It is official, the days of the dreaded frozen pizza for dinner no longer exists.

For the times I want a healthier alternative, I turn to the old reliable Amy's Kitchen products. They are awesome. Their products are not only made with organic ingredients, but also vegetarian. And for those with special dietary needs, there is a great selection of gluten free. I have grown strangely dependent on these items and have dedicated space in my freezer at home specifically for these quick meals. I always have a case of the Bean Rice and Cheese Burritos on hand. Talk about saving time and money, these are perfect for lunch or as a quick snack for the kids. Nothing beats a home cooked meal, but for the nights (or days) you don't have the time, consider these wonderful alternatives.