Disclosure: This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Larabar.
This week I was in New York City for what was supposed to be a super quick trip, but due to nightmare flight delays, it lasted a bit longer than anticipated. I always pack snacks when I travel, because being gluten free and under a time crunch doesn't always go well at the airport or in-between meetings. My go-to is always Larabar, and I was so thankful to have one on me during my 4+ hour flight delay last night.
Travel essentials: Laptop bag stuffed with my 2 favorite Larabar flavors, a boarding pass (the boarding app wouldn't load on me last time, so I always grab a paper pass if it's convenient), and earbuds to tune out some of the plane noise
Larabar's are made with real, simple ingredients – no more than 9 ingredients per bar, all of which are fruits, nuts, and spices. They're gluten free, dairy free, non-GMO, vegan, and kosher. They come in a variety of delicious combos to suit your taste buds.
My favorite Larabar flavors:
- Cherry Pie – tart and satisfying, made only from dates, nuts, and unsweetened cherries
- Cashew Cookie – the first Larabar flavor I ever tried. It's my default grab at the grocery store
- Coconut Cream Pie (my most recent favorite) – I'm a sucker for coconut, and this is made simply from unsweetened coconut, almonds, cashews, and extra virgin coconut oil
This post isn't just to talk about my favorite travel snack, but it's also to talk about the issue of hunger.
One of my favorite local charities to volunteer for is God's Pantry Food Bank, a Feeding America member. I go with groups of friends from the Junior League multiple times a year to sort donations into their proper food categories. Every time I go, I feel like a lot of it gets sorted into miscellaneous or “junk” categories – candy and sugary snacks that are made from artificial ingredients and are nutritionally deficient. I'll admit I've donated such things before – cleaning out my pantry of things I don't want to eat and putting them in a donation recipticle. All donations are valuable, and the hunger problem is staggering, but those who are hungry also should have ample access to real food. God's Pantry works to not only provide food, but offer choices that encourage a balanced diet. In addition to the donations received, they also work to receive fresh produce, proteins, and an array of starches, grains, and dairy.
Larabar is teaming up with Feeding America to help address the issue of hunger and empower people to to #ShareRealFood across America. The Feeding America nationwide network of food banks secures and distributes more than 3 billion meals each year to communities throughout the United States and leads the nation to engage in the fight against hunger. Larabar is starting the partnership with a $150,000 donation to Feeding America. You can learn more about their community investment here.
Can you help spread the mission of addressing hunger and promoting the need for real food? Try some of these ideas, and share on social media with #ShareRealFood:
- Donate to a food bank in your community
- Volunteer at your local food bank (live in the Lexington, KY area and want to go with me to God's Pantry? Just let me know!)
- Share a photo, tweet, or fact using #ShareRealFood
- Ask your local food bank on how you can help
- Learn more about hunger in your community.
Packaged food can be real food and should be accessible to all. Let's #ShareRealFood!
Want to win a Larabar prize pack? You can take them with you on your next trip, eat them as snacks, or donate them to your local food bank.
To enter to win, simply leave a blog comment using the prompt below. You can gain additional entries using the prompts.
Giveaway Rules:
- NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO WIN
- Open to all U.S. residents, age 18 and older
- Entries close at 11:59 pm on 2/19/16
- Prize: Larabar product prize pack, Estimated Retail Value: $30
This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Larabar.
