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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.

It's Mother's Day weekend and as we all wonder what to get Mom on her special day this Sunday I always say, "Why not flowers!" Maybe it's because I absolutely love flowers, but they do make a great gift for Mom. There are a couple of items in floral that I think your Mom would truly love.

The Mother's Day Bouquet is a warm and elegant bouquet packed with beautiful pink roses, pink asters, and purple stock. Your Mother will be filled with happiness and excitement when you hand her this lovely bouquet.

We are also proud to announce that we have started carrying Organic Sunflowers and Organic Sunflower Bouquets. These sunflowers are grown green. The organic sunflower farms are dedicated to sustainable farming and have developed an organic growing program that not only produces the highest quality flowers, but also insures that the land is receiving the best possible care and will continue to support farming indefinitely. That also means that Amazon Fresh customers like Mom are spared the exposure to the harsh chemicals used on typical flower farms.

Have a great Mother's Day!

Sharon

My Grandma and Pop's house smelled like apples year-around. In the breezeway, heading into their house, past the vinyl floral patio furniture and the souvenirs from their Hawaiian cruises, there were always cases of apples in storage. In the fall, the season's crop of apples was harvested from the modest backyard "orchard," all of the Mason jars were brought out for boiling and my grandma's oh-so famous applesauce--light on the sugar, generous with the cinnamon--was cooked and canned in the kitchen by many busy hands.

No matter what anybody says, nobody's is as good as grandma's (or mom's for that matter); but the High J Orchards Applesauce brings it pretty close to home. These apples are grown in the family orchard in Lake Chelan Valley and yes, this applesauce is made from their grandma's recipe. Like my childhood applesauce, High J Applesauce is generous with the cinnamon. Unlike my grandma's, High J's adds no sweeteners or sugars, relying on the natural sweetness of Washington's famous apples. I don't begrudge Grandma's added sugar (after all, she was using Ohio, not famous Washington apples, and I was a kid who loved it sweet). But as an adult I appreciate the all-natural, sugar-free local applesauce from High J's.

It's fresh, chunky, naturally sweet, and the only Honeycrisp Applesauce on the market. Sorry Grandma! I don't mean to rave about someone else's apples. But this girl is grown up and far-away from home. High J's is as good as it gets (next to the real McCoy.)

I don't know how the Easter Bunny came to be known as the deliverer of eggs. The truth is that eggs are delivered by hens. I have proof.

Last week, a few of us from the AmazonFresh Team went down to local Wilcox Farms in Roy, Washington to learn more about the egg biz. It was a rainy day, so we couldn't see the spectacular view of Mt. Rainier that Dale and Brent Wilcox claimed usually dominates the landscape. But we took their word for it. Dale Wilcox and his son Brent are 4th generation farmers with a salt-of-the earth sincerity. So even before I saw for myself, I began to believe their claim that eggs do in fact, come from chickens.

Most of us identify Wilcox as a dairy farm known for its milk, yogurt and butter. But times changed and the economics of the milk business no longer made sense for their small family farm. So the Wilcox family put all their eggs in one proverbial (and maybe not so punny) basket, and devoted their 1,600 acres to their chickens.

We took a driving tour around the farm, checking out the salvaged one-room school house, the original roosting houses, and the in-ground swimming pool that's set up for employees for the warmer months. Dale Wilcox lives right on the farm, as well as his brother Andy. And the original family farm house, purchased in 1909 by Judson and Elizabeth Wilcox, is now set up as a museum with original furniture, family heirlooms and personal artifacts all on display for the curious visitor.

We got a first-class tour of their state-of-the-art, cage-free chicken house. Inside, we were greeted by a warm glow and the symphonic clucking of hens. Turns out the brown hens (the ones that lay the brown eggs) are curious and very friendly. Though you'd never think of a full-grown chicken as cuddly, they're actually down-right sweet. Melissa held one. I took their portraits. And we marveled at the numbers of still-warm, just-laid eggs.

I asked Brent about various details of the farm and what portion of the business is devoted to conventional versus organic. He said it's about 80% conventional and 20% organic, with the trend turning toward organic. "We want to invest in specialty eggs--cage-free, organic, and omega-3," Brent said. The retro-fitting of their conventional buildings into cage-free runs about $750 K, so the family is making this transition in stages.

I asked Dale Wilcox if he ever gets tired of eggs. He said, "I love eggs. We eat them nearly every day for breakfast." I asked if he would share some family recipes, so hopefully I'll be posting some omelet and quiche recipes soon.

All in all, the day at the farm was a fun and pleasant respite from the city grind. The Wilcox family is friendly, committed and just plain good folk. So, want to feel good about supporting local farmers? Feel good about buying from Wilcox. They are part of the Nisqually Land Trust and work closely with the local Nisqually Tribes. They are third-party certified Salmon-Safe in their farming practices. And most of all, they keep it fresh, local and in the family.

As for me, I'm heading back down this summer to visit my chicken friends, get a view of Mt. Rainier, and yes, have a dip in the pool.

Recently, Pat O. wrote us at feedback@amazonfresh.com and asked, "I would be really happy if the romaine were not so wet when it arrives. Do you need to keep it wet to keep it fresh?"

The short answer is yes, it is better for the lettuce if we keep it damp while in our facility. Your refrigerator is a little less "breezy" than our warehouse - the open air can tend to dry out lettuce a bit. Because your vegetable drawer also has some humidity control, lettuce doesn't generally need to be kept wet once delivered.

Here's a bit deeper explanation and a tip for you to use at home: Part of the quality preparation we do at AmazonFresh includes "crisping" our leafy greens (lettuce, celery, parsley, radishes, beets, chard, etc). We trim a little off the stem end and then soak the item in WARM water for 2-5 minutes (no need to trim root items like radishes). Then we let it drain and store in our cooler - ready to be picked for your order. The warm water opens up the cells and causes the item to draw in water, and the chilling causes the cells to tighten again, keeping your lettuce crisp and your celery crunchy for much longer. Upon delivery you can lightly towel your lettuce if you find it too wet, or just let it dry naturally in your vegetable drawer. If you find your leafy greens getting a bit limp and sad-looking, be sure to treat them like this, and quite often they will revive nicely!

Be looking for tips and information soon under the tag "tips" - our team has many to share and some fun trivia too!

Regards,
Mike

There are good fats and there are bad fats. The bad fats would be the kind you get from a deep-fried elephant ear at the local state fair. The good fats are the ones that come from vegetables, nuts and fruits. I like the good fats that come from avocados.

Some folks say fruit, some say vegetable, but whichever your preference, the fact is that avocados are delicious and nutritious. They contain monounsaturated fats and are high in beta-sitosterol both of which, studies indicate, are beneficial in lowering blood cholesterol levels. But don't take my word on the health benefits. Dig into those medical journals yourself.

And while you're reading, try this amazing Calavo Guacamole. This all-natural product comes from Charlie's, one of our favorite produce vendors. There are two easy-open pouches of fresh guacamole sealed in a 7 oz vacuum packs. The color is bright green, the texture is smooth with an occasional yummy chunk of avocado, and it's made without preservatives. If you want fresh guacamole on the go, this stuff is great. You can always spice it up with some extra pico de gallo, or fresh chopped cilantro. I like it just as it is.

For dipping I like the Food Should Taste Good gluten free chips. And while you're scooping with these sturdy, flavorful chips, dish up some of the Emerald Valley Salsa--fresh and organic, in hot, medium or mild temperatures. And ok, since you've skipped the deep-fry, indulge in a third dip like the Desert Pepper Spicy Black Bean Dip. Who needs elephant ears?

Happy crunching!--Lisa

I'm Matt, one of the Produce Specialists here at AmazonFresh and I would like to start my post with a couple of trivia questions:

Q: What is the most popular fruit in the world?
A: The mango

Q: What is the most popular fruit in the United States?
A: The banana. It's also the most popular item in a grocery store - it's in more grocery carts than any other item.

With those tidbits, I want to transition right into the topic of this post - changes to how we sell bananas on AmazonFresh. We recently started offering bananas in bunches - 3-count ripe and 5-count green bunches. This was due in large part to customer requests for bunches. Customers emailed us with this request partly because some want to use their banana hangers (a nifty little device that suspends a bunch of bananas off a counter reducing the chance it will get bruised by its own weight). Other customers made the request because it's simply just how they're used to seeing their bananas, and they like the look of a bunch in their fruit bowl. Either way, we've gotten enough of these requests that we've decided to make the switch. With this change, we will be discontinuing selling single bananas in a couple of weeks, but we're offering both bunch and singles for awhile to give customers a chance to get used to the change.

Another recent change to our banana program has been the addition of our 5 lb Ripe & Ready Value Pack Bananas. This addition was also largely driven by customer comments that sometimes our ripe bananas arrive greener than expected. Our goal was to deliver a banana that just barely met the definition of ripe. Our rationale: you can ripen a slightly green banana to your preference, but you can't make it more green! I'll try not to bore you with too many details, but the biggest issue affecting speed-of-ripening is the pulp or core temperature of a banana. Two bananas of equal color but different pulp temperatures will ripen at different speeds and can arrive at your house looking vastly different. With this in mind, I looked for a way to provide customers with a ripe & ready-to-eat banana, but given the pulp temperature issue, sometimes a banana that looked perfect when it left our facility might arrive with a few spots, and that customer-experience goes against our quality standards. However, disappointing a toddler who wants a perfectly ripe banana the instant it's delivered certainly doesn't make Mom happy either. With our Ripe & Ready bananas, you might find a slightly spotted banana because of the core temperature issue, but we have priced them to provide a great value. They will arrive ripe and ready to eat or will be perfect for banana bread in a few days if left at room temperature.

With these changes (as always) we'll be listening to what customers think. So - let us know what you think and thanks for shopping with us at AmazonFresh!

If you're missing your Honeycrisp Apples like I am, there are a couple varieties that I eat when the Honeycrisp are finally and sadly gone for the year - Jazz and Pink Lady. Even though neither can quite replace the Honeycrisp, both are excellent in their own right. A buyer-beware note - I have seen a couple of stores still selling Honeycrisp, but none of my suppliers have them and for good reason - Honeycrisp don't store well. Since what remains has been off the tree for a long time, you're likely to find an apple that is inconsistent at best and soft with little flavor at worst. For those of you who simply can't handle losing your Honeycrisp, we do have a brand new item that should help - it's Honeycrisp Applesauce from High J Orchards - and it's organic!

One other apple I'd like to suggest is the CrispGlo. It's a rare treat and I predict you'll be hearing a lot more about it in coming years. The heritage of this apple includes the Cox Orange Pippin - an apple hugely popular in England. While the color of the CrispGlo is an almost florescent yellow similar to a very ripe Golden Delicious, the texture is nothing similar. It's a very dense apple - crunchy, juicy, sweet and just a hint of spice.

The CrispGlo is rare because it's currently grown only on a few acres in Washington and AmazonFresh is one of very few retailers who will have this apple this year. I was able to get the CrispGlo for our customers partly because the grower is trying to decide how much additional acreage they should invest in this apple. More information soon on how we might ask for your opinions of the CrispGlo apple - in the meantime, enjoy and submit your reviews and ratings!

Regards,

Mike

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.

I'm so sad for the loss of Paul Newman this last year; I think the world is less sparkly without him. But when I'm feeling bereft of the loss of his baby blues, I grab a copy of "Cool Hand Luke" and nuke a bag of Newman's popcorn. For those of you that like to keep it light, try the Newman's Own Organic Microwave Popcorn Unsalted & Fat-free (but beware that the lack of oil sometimes results in a lot of unpopped kernels left in the bag). I prefer either the Butter or Light Butter flavors. And hold onto your hats here, but have you ever tried flax seed oil on your popcorn? Take my word on it--it's pretty darn good. California-based company Spectrum offers a great line of organic flax oils in non-leach plastic bottles. Drizzle a tablespoon--or more if you dare--on the popped corn. Shake on some garlic salt or parmesan. Toss well. Get your omega-3's and your need-for-good-crunching satisfied in each bite. Flip on the tube and enjoy Paul Newman at his finest.