KEEPING YOUR KIDS' LUNCH HEALTHY
By Kelly Wolfgang
With the current state of cafeteria food in a nutritional crisis, many
concerned moms are looking toward a healthier option for their children's school
lunches. KidO Foods does just that - offers natural, organic, healthy, and
delicious foods that can be ordered online and delivered to your child's school
each day in Pennsylvania or southern New Jersey. With a wide variety of foods
from baked chicken nuggets to penne pesto pasta to multi-grain bagels, KidO
Foods aims to cut back the preservatives that make food unhealthy and enhance
the taste of good-for-you, kid friendly food.
When Eloina LeBuhn, the creator of KidO Foods, was feeding her own young
children, she became famous in her circle of friends for her dislike of jarred
baby food. "I watched what everyone was doing in the parks, schools, daycares,
and I noticed that it [kids' nutrition] was really a necessary change," she
said. It is what eventually inspired her to create a kid friendly and kid
healthy meal option for other mothers. "Starting this business has been sort of
a personal call to do something to help out, as well as the fact that I am a mom
and I want my kids to eat healthier. I see what's happening today in the schools
and it's evident that we came to a crisis that is so big- how we're feeding our
kids - that it's a mandatory call," LeBuhn said.
KidO Foods intends to aid in fixing the national problem of poor nutrition by
helping parents start early and teach their children that healthy meals can be
fun and tasty, not just a mixture of the vegetables they all dread. "The KidO
lunch bunches are just like a conscious, healthy mother would make at home. We
make what the kids like, however we make them with wholesome ingredients,"
Eloina LeBuhn said. "At KidO, we are committed to the quality of food. We only
use natural, organic, and local ingredients. We are very committed to the
freshness and great taste," LeBuhn said. By cooking everything themselves, KidO
Foods also skips the preservation process that gives many foods the extra
sugars, starches, and chemicals that make them so unhealthy.
While preparing to launch her business, LeBuhn did much research on which
foods to offer. She spoke with many moms, but also paid special attention to the
advice of pediatricians and nutritionists. In addition, LeBuhn hosted many
tastings where she would watch which foods kids gravitated towards and which
they stayed away from. She found that, "Kids eat with their eyes - they like
colors, sizes, shapes, and textures. They like to dip, stack, and eat with their
fingers," LeBuhn said. This inspired her to include foods like stackable
crackers and homemade fruit dips. "It's a lot of fun with dipping, stacking,
rolling, and twirling. They love the look of it, the taste of it, and it's
really good for them. It takes the burden of buying, shopping, packing, and
worrying away from mothers," LeBuhn said.
Also keeping environmental integrity intact, KidO Foods stays conscious with
their packaging. "Our packages are 100% recyclable-boxes, labels, napkins. They
are in containers that may look like clear plastic, but they are actually fully
biodegradable and made from corn. Our spoons and forks are made of corn starch
or potato peels. They can be thrown in the compost and they will decompose,"
LeBuhn said.
By accessing the KidO Foods website, parents and their children can plan out
lunches for up to a month in one sitting. "The parents and the children can plan
the whole month worth of lunches in the same time that the mother would take to
make a sandwich," LeBuhn said. Each lunch consists of an entrée, two side
dishes, and a drink. The side dishes may include fruit, vegetables, yogurt, or
cookies, depending on you and your child's preferences. There is also a wide
variety of drinks, including water. At $5 per lunch, these boxes are not only
nutritional, but affordable and convenient. "I feel so happy that I can help
with the change that's so needed," LeBuhn said.
For more information, to view a
sample menu, or to schedule a food tasting for your PTO, visit KidOFoods.com.
Kelly Wolfgang is a local freelance writer.
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