That was the truth for almost two years when it came to offering my child any meat options. Of my three children, one is a super picky eater. He definitely knows what he likes and dislikes but it is also a textural issue left over from being a preemie.
Many experts recommend introducing a new food to your child at least 20 times before the possibility of your child liking it. That number is closer to 60 times when it comes to my son. He is such a good kid and doesn’t mean to make an issue about food, but it is there.
Because of this, I tend to carry food in my purse. I always have a bag of bacon, organic cereal bars (my son will only eat one type) and a banana or cut apples. No matter where we are I can always feed my kids. My two other children sometimes ask for something different, but in a pinch it is tried and true to have these snacks available.
I have 99% of the time purchased nitrate free, all natural or organic bacon. I honestly feel that with the amount of bacon my children have consumed, that I would have poisoned them with nitrates if I had not made this choice. The 1% of the time is when I have run out of my “purse supply“ or the occasional breakfast at a restaurant. We go through one package of bacon a day (that’s about four pieces per child per day.) I personally no longer eat bacon as making it for the last three years cured me of any desire for it.
Recently, I won several packages of meat from our favorite organic and natural meats supplier, Applegate Farms! At Applegate Farms, their livestock eat a completely vegetarian diet with no animal by-products. Their animals are never given hormones and are all minimally processed. They do not contain any artificial nitrates or nitrites and their bacon is gluten and casein free.
Applegate Farms meats are superb! The Sunday bacon is my son’s favorite. It is not too thick and not too thin…it is just right. The flavor is well-rounded and tastes just like it should, like country bacon without chemical preservatives. It is delicious. As important as the taste is, it is equally important to me that it be healthy and free of artificial anything!
When we are out and about, the lure of restaurants seems to tempt us and I frequently have to say no to fast food. Pink slime anyone? As if the deep-fried everything, saturated-fat and the price were not enough, I cannot stomach the thought of pink slime in food. Applegate Farms allow me to provide excellent choices while still appealing to my children. Applegate’s Chicken Nuggets are remarkable. Seriously, if someone has a better adjective to describe these, please let me know. They are truly that GOOD! I heat them up ahead of time and have them when I need them on the go.
Photo: A. Sevin
My husband is a fan of Applegate too. His preferred choi
ce is Applegate’s Great Organic Hot Dog. Made from 100% organic grass-fed and finished beef, these lean hot dogs are bursting with old-fashioned classic hot dog flavor—juicy, flavorful and delicious! These dogs have only 8 grams of fat compared to the average 15 grams in most brands, and because they’re made from grass-fed beef, they’re also high in omega-3 fatty acids (the good fat).
The Chicken and Maple sausage is another favorite. We like a little spice in our sausage, but if it is too spicy our kids won’t eat it. The Chicken and Maple is the right balance. Did I mention that it’s pre-cooked and a breeze to prepare? These satisfying sausages have 70% less fat than typical pork links. These please the whole house.
Lastly, my favorite Applegate Farms treat is the Organic Turkey Bacon. Since I enjoy some protein with breakfast too, this alternative to regular bacon is just perfect. I enjoy the texture and flavor as well as the 35 calories per slice. Applegate’s turkey bacon is a food that can be enjoyed guilt-free everyday!
Disclosure: I did win Applegate Farms meat. In no way did winning this prize influence my opinion. I have enjoyed Applegate long before this review.
