Tag Archives: Kids

Your Family Vacation Survival Kit Is Here!

We asked a BFC mom of twins for tips she’s learned while traveling and planning her family vacation. Here’s a top 10 list to help guide you on your next family adventure!

  1. If driving or flying have lots of snacks, drinks, games, coloring and some shows downloaded on a device in your back pocket. My kids love to play the license plate game on road trips, which includes looking for license plates from various states and making it a bingo game!
  2. See if the hotel you’re staying at has a Kids’ Club (and then maybe change the hotel if it doesn’t ;)). Review the itinerary of the Kids’ Club with your kids to determine if/when they want to go to make it exciting! 
  3. Research the area you’re staying and have each family member write down the top 5 things they want to do. Review with the family and cast a vote to identify the top 3!
  4. Research and book restaurants that guarantee a kid’s menu.
  5. Check with a hotel or concierge if there are sitter services available for a date night — even better, book a BFC Travel Sitter to help! Then the kids can enjoy a fun night of room service and movies.
  6. Always look for the game room in a hotel or if you’re doing a property rental check to see if there are games there.
  7. Identify where the nearest doctor and pharmacy are in case of a last minute need.
  8. Review what hotel activities are available (bingo, pool activities, games) and make a list with the kids of some of their top ideas they want to do in a day.
  9. Bring toys or treats to add an element of fun each day. Something for the pool, the beach or outdoors that can go along with the theme of the day.
  10. If the kids meet friends while away re-establish the idea of a penpal

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted & FULLY VACCINATED on demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire!

Your Ultimate Lake Vacation Travel Guide

Take advantage of the warm weather while it lasts by gathering the troops and heading to the lake! Bell Family teammate and blogger, Mandy, writes about her experience with her family at Chautauqua Lake in New York and shares tips on best times to visit, where to stay, things to do and more! Check out the recap below and read the full write up on her blog.

Need help with the kiddos on your next family trip? Hire a Bell Family Travel Sitter to tag along and make the trip a breeze!

Where to Stay

  1. The Hotel Lenhart – Bemus Point – Owned and operated by the same family since 1880. This hotel is old, if you prefer lots of modern amenities it may not be for you.  
  2. Hotel Athenaeum – Institute – Located inside the Chautauqua Institute, this is a beautiful historic hotel with access to all the Institute has to offer.
  3. Webbs – Mayville – This long-time hotel features an on-site restaurant, indoor pool, and a few shops onsite.
  4. Chautauqua Harbor Hotel – Celeron –  This newly built hotel offers a restaurant, bar, and swimming pool.
  5. Chautauqua Visitors Site – You can also check out this site for cottage rentals around the lake as an option. 

Things To Do

  1.  Chautauqua Marina A great place to rent equipment for all of your water activities.
  2. Midway State Park – A small amusement park that’s been open since 1898, this is a must visit if you have kids (or love acting like a kid).
  3. The Lawson Center – A historic marina turned boat museum, this is an interesting stop.

Places to Eat

  1. Andriaccio’s – For Italian or pizza around the lake.
  2. The Village Casino – What used to be a bath house, is now a restaurant right on the water in Bemus Point. You can dock your boat right out front, and have food delivered to you, as well as dine in or on the front deck.
  3. Andriaccio’s – For Italian or pizza around the lake.

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted & FULLY VACCINATED on demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire!

What BFC Families Are Doing to Keep Kids Active This Summer

Struggling to find activities to keep the kiddos busy this summer? It can be challenging from going to fill a couple days a week to an entire week with entertainment. We talked with a few BFC families to see what they are doing to help keep the kids active, engaged and learning this summer. Here are their plans.

Mandy, mom of 1 (preK)

Our family is kicking off summer by hitting the road and having some (not too far) adventures in our hometown state of Texas. You can be amazed at the fun you can have at places nearby rather than traveling hundreds of miles across states. Plus, gas savings is a huge plus! We just went camping for a night next to a river where you can swim, and in July, we are heading to a small resort in Texas Hill Country that has a couple of pools and river access. Finding water activities during a Texas summer is a must!

We also enrolled our child in camp at his PreK/daycare this summer where they do art, lots of reading, and water activities. 

Lindsay, mom of 3 (baby to elementary)

To fill our long summer (May-August) our kids are keeping busy with a few big items. In June we have “Cousin Camp,” when we hire two sitters for the 10 days that my sister and her kids visit. We clean out the garage and have a theme each day along with lots of activities around that theme. Afternoons are spent in the pool with lots of screaming!

Once that concludes School Camp begins. My boys are signed up for 9am-3pm M-F and will be busy with lacrosse, swim, biking, legos, basketball, science, magic and more!

In July and August we will be road tripping up north for lots of grandparent and cousin time. The boys will spend their days on our family’s small farm building their independence and confidence by taking care of the cattle, harvesting and weeding the garden, bailing hay, mowing the grass, cook-outs, camping and spending lots of time with grandpa doing chores outdoors.

Dana, mom of 2 (early elementary)

Our summer is kicking off with a couple of fun, local camps. First there’s Swim Camp and then Golf Camp, which both help keep the kiddos active and engaged with other kids. Next up, we are taking a road trip to New England for a nice change of scenery and a bit of cooler summer weather, followed by an amusement park adventure.

We also love to visit our local library to check out new books to read at nighttime before bed and explore nearby parks for playgrounds, biking trails, etc. for weekend adventures!

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted & FULLY VACCINATED on demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire!

Faq: Get to Know Bell Family Company & NY Nanny Center

Bell Family Company (BFC) is a women-run company with an established reputation for quality, excellence and care. Each childcare provider has been carefully selected through our unique screening process and on-going CPR and educational training.

BFC’s sister company, NY Nanny Center (NYNC) places the highest priority on children and childcare. The center is based on the concept that excellent childcare can best be provided in an environment where nanny and family are well matched, where each is respected and valued by the other and where each understands the needs of the other.

Ready to learn more? Read our FAQs below and contact us today to find your best matched childcare provider!

How do you conduct your social media checks?

We do tell the nannies that we will be preforming social media checks. We perform those by spending time scanning google and social media including Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to make sure they have profiles that are acceptable to our standards. If we come across any activity that is not appropriate we will not proceed with accepting this childcare provider.

How many references do you contact? And how do you contact them?

We always attempt to get the most recent references to list first on the childcare provider’s profile. But because certain family’s lives are hectic, that is not always possible; some move away, some are private and do not want to provide a reference, some are going through person family situations and are not able to give a reference at that time. In those cases, we move on to the next year/employer, etc. If a childcare provider doesn’t have three childcare references, we permit them to give us a character reference, which is someone that has known them a long time (but not family). If a childcare provider only has two references total, we will accept these two on a case by case basis.

References are checked by our in-house, 10-year vetting veteran who was also an educator for 30 years and a mother of 5 girls. For consistent nanny work, she verifies references via phone call at which time she discusses the nanny’s work, etc. For on-demand sitter work, she will email the references to complete our reference form. If a given reference is only available via email, she will contact them to complete & submit our reference form. If a candidate originally joined our agency as an on-demand sitter and later applied to be a consistent nanny, that candidate will have emailed references only in addition to a long standing reputation at our company. In this situation, our agency can re-attempt to contact these references with a call at the request of the family.

Where are your nanny placement services available?

We place full time live in or live out in all cities across the U.S.

Our agency is based in Manhattan offering our full list of childcare services to the Tri-state area as well as select cities across the U.S. For a map of cities, click here.

What is the difference between a sitter and a nanny?

A sitter is used for occasional on-demand sitting, date night, daytime fill ins, weekends, etc. To book an on-demand sitter click here.

A nanny is one person who commits to a set schedule for a consistent duration of time.  To start your nanny placement process click here.

Do I have to have a referral to get into your agency?

We love referrals!

Ask any member family of Bell Family to refer you. They simply need to log onto their profile & click on ‘refer a friend’ to submit your name and email. You will get an email shortly after with a referral code to enter here!

If you do not yet know a member of Bell Family, click here and submit how you heard about us. A member of our team will review and be in contact with you.

How do I apply?

All families and nannies are required to apply with Bell Family Company.

FOR FAMILIES: Click SIGN UP on our website, fill in your basic info and submit. You’ll receive an email immediately after asking how you heard about us. We’ll then send you instruction to fill in your entire application.

FOR NANNIES: Click here to apply.

Do you have a membership fee?

Yes, we charge a $500 membership fee upfront to begin your nanny placement process. For a long term placement (anything longer than 3 months in duration), the amount is applied towards the final balance of the placement fee. Members have full access to ALL childcare services including emergency back up care, our 24/7 concierge program and more. For a list of membership benefits click here.

 How long does the placement process take?

It depends on the complexity of your request. If you are looking for an on-demand babysitter, that could take only minutes for us to place.

If you are looking for a full time long term nanny,  that takes on average between 3-5 weeks. However, we move as fast as the family does. If a family needs a nanny placed next week we can do that too.

When do I begin reviewing nanny profiles?

Once you’ve completed your family application and signed the nanny placement agreement we can start your nanny search immediately.

We develop your job conditions based on the consultation that we have with your family and begin sourcing right away. Typically we can send nanny candidate profiles to review within 48 hours.

Can I interview the nanny candidates?

Yes, always. After you review the nanny profiles and select who you would like to proceed with we offer a number of ways to get to know the nanny candidate better:

1. Virtual Phone, Zoom, Google Hangouts, Facetime interview.

2. In-person interview.

3. Meet & greet between the sitter and the family (note meet & greets are paid hourly).

Your nanny coordinator will handle all logistics with the interview and send a confirmation email so everything is clear. If you need to modify the any aspect of the interview, contact the nanny coordinator and the nanny candidate directly with an update.

Do you offer nanny trials?

Yes, we are happy to offer paid trials with your nanny candidates. The family shall pay the nanny via credit card on our agency’s online platform upon completion of each trial day at the following rates: $23 per hour for 1 child, $25 per hour for 2 children, $28 per hour for 3-4 children. For trial engagements conducted with non-local candidates the Client is also responsible for covering all accommodations, travel and food for the non-local candidate.

How do I cancel or reschedule my nanny interview/trial?

To cancel an interview/trial please reply all to your confirmation email as soon as you are aware. Make sure your nanny coordinator is on the email and aware of the situation. If you’d like your nanny coordinator to make all updates, contact her directly.

Do I need to reimburse the nanny for travel during the interview/trial process?

For any travel outside Manhattan or Brooklyn the family is responsible for providing travel reimbursement to the nanny candidate during the interview and trial process.

During COVID-19 or bad weather families will typically offer to pay round trip car fare so that the nanny can commute safely to the family’s home.

How do I pay for your services?

Once an offer is made and the nanny has accepted we will send the family an invoice for the total placement fee due. The fee will be charged in full per the credit card we have on file on the day that the nanny commences employment.

I’m ready to make an offer, how do I do that?

Before you make the actual offer to the nanny, NY Nanny recommends to all of our families to use some kind of Nanny/Family Work Agreement to outline the duties, hours, responsibilities, expectations and compensation package. This will serve as a guide to keep the position clear and both parties accountable for their roles. You can use any Nanny/Family Work Agreement you prefer or pull from ours. We ask that the family provide us with a copy of the agreement once complete. If you choose not to, our agency will need the information in an email so we have confirmation of the scope of the nanny position etc.

The nanny/family contract is not a legally binding document; its purpose is to simply state the roles, duties, compensation and expectations of both parties.

What is the difference between full and part time?

FULL-TIME (FT): A full-time nanny in the NYC metro area works between 40-60 hours/week. 

PART-TIME (PT): A part-time nanny in the NYC metro area works under 39 hours a week.

Please make sure you know the state domestic worker NY Domestic Worker Bill of Rights regarding overtime pay, workman’s comp, disability, minimum wage and required time off.    

Can you help negotiate my offer to the nanny?

Yes, we’d be more than happy to assist in negotiating your offer between you and the nanny. If you have questions about taxes, Payroll, etc. we can also recommend a great source for you to speak to before you make an offer.

 Are all your nannies CPR trained and have proper immunizations?

We highly encourage all of our nannies to be CPR trained. We host training seminars at our HQ for Adult, Child & Infant CPR in partnership with the Fire Department of New York. If a family requires the nanny they hire to be CPR Certified through the American Red Cross or another organization the family will need to reimburse the nanny for all costs associated. We can assist in booking your nanny for any additional classes or courses you require.

RE immunizations every nanny candidate is different. We will communicate any immunization requirements upfront to the nanny candidates in the job conditions and communicate that information to the family to ensure all your needs are met.

Our agency offers a number of other informational training programs throughout the year. For more information contact us.

Can my nanny do housekeeping?

Nannies are mainly focused on the children they are caring for and anything that relates to the children (i.e., school drop-off, pick-up, light tidying, meal prep, laundry for the children, occasional errands and shopping). Typically nannies are not housekeepers.

Who can I ask payroll, tax and benefits questions?

We have a long standing relationship with GTM Payroll Services. You can utilize any payroll service you prefer, but if you’d like to have a free consultation with GTM, just ask for Matt and mention our agency referred you. They will be happy to speak with you.

GTM Payroll Services provides household employers with payroll processing, tax compliance, as well as different insurance offerings for you and your nanny or sitter. They can help you manage all of the administrative tasks associated with being a household employer, offering you an unparalleled level of customer service and support.

Contact: Matt Owen ([email protected]), for more information click here or to use their tax calculator click here.

How do you find your nannies?

Most of our nannies are direct referrals through past nannies, sitters, families, colleagues and partners we know. We also recruit from other trusted sources including college campuses, select job boards/sites, through our own castings and with the International Nanny Association (INA).

Is it the families responsibility to provide healthcare, PTO, other benefits?

It is up to the family what type of benefit package they would like to offer. We have seen offer packages include the following:

VACATION: it is the industry standard to offer 2 weeks paid vacation to the nanny minimum. (1 week family chooses/1 week nanny chooses with advance notice). Families usually pay the nanny for any days they are out of town and it is a normal working day for the nanny.

PAID TRANSPORTATION: A monthly Metro Card or contribution toward the MTA card. (This is a common perk offered by most NYC families).

PAID HOLIDAYS: If they fall on a normal workday they are typically paid and off. If the nanny is required to work the holiday the family typically pays holiday pay (equal to time and a half). Please discuss what days you are offering as paid/off holidays etc. and paid working holidays.

PERSONAL/SICK DAYS: On average we see 2-5 days offered, although some families do not include this in their compensation package. Discuss the sick day policy.  

HEALTH BENEFITS (or contribution to health care): While it is a wonderful benefit to offer your nanny, it is rarely offered in NYC.

ANNUAL REVIEWS/RAISES: Are often forgotten, but are the cornerstone of good morale for the nanny and family. At the very least be sure to give verbal feedback and make sure you have an open door communication policy.

HOLIDAY BONUSES: Gift giving is very common in NYC for nannies. The NYC standard is usually a minimum of one week’s salary and some families will also give a gift in addition to the monetary compensation. It is also nice to acknowledge your nanny’s birthday.

Do you offer nannies with special needs experience?

We certainly do! Our team has licensed therapists, certified coaches, teachers and former nannies here to help with your child with special needs. For more information click here.

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted on-demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire! 

Travel Con Lola Is Adorable

I read this new book by sisters Natalie & Jessenia Rios who are hard working entrepreneurs with a new book, new non profit and on-site location to educate children on world cultures. My two sons who are 5 and 3 years old love the colorful pictures and rhyming words. It is helpful to a non Spanish speaker, like myself, in pronouncing the words since the end of every sentence rhymes.

My 3 year old takes the book on his own and will flip through the colorful pages and ask questions. My 5 year old loves it as a recap of some of the words he practices at school. There is even a glossary at the end to define what each Spanish word means.

In a world where us parents are trying to guide our children in understanding other cultures and that everyone is different, Travel Con Lola is lighthearted and sweet, while sending an important message of being open and learning about other cultures and people. It makes the world a better place and helps educate our children to embrace others.

View this recording featuring our Founder & Owner, Lindsay Bell and Co-Director of Little Lola Tots and Author of Travel Con Lola to la Republica Dominicana, Natalie Rios, as they discuss the book and everything around being a woman business owner and mom in the workplace.

Travel Con Lola to la Republica Dominicana written by sisters, Natalie & Jessenia Rios 

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted on-demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire!

Transforming Your Home Office Into a Mini Classroom

My neighbor completely transformed her home office into a classroom when she decided to keep her kids home for the time being due to COVID-19. The office meets classroom space is truly amazing! She built cubbies to make the kid’s lockers (like they would have had at school), the alphabet is hanging on the wall, there is an art center and library with hundreds of books. Mama’s are killing it, and it’s because of their hard work like this to make their children’s lives as ‘normal’ as possible during the pandemic.

No matter what your comfort level, I’m seeing mamas work their tail off to make their child’s life happy and fun. Another mama who is keeping her 7-year-old twins home from school for the first semester put together a deal with Grandma to offer a two-day-a-week ‘boarding school,’ where the twins pack their bags and go spend the night at Grandma’s house who helps with virtual learning. A solution like this gives the kids a new face, environment and relief for mama!

Another two moms put together a regular playdate with their toddler boys, switching off homes and spending two hours twice per week getting some socialization. The kids hang out upstairs with a regular babysitter in a fully stocked playroom filled with games, books and activities to follow during their school session.

It’s amazing what I’ve seen put together. Way to go mamas!

Example of an office turned classroom from a BFC mama

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted on-demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire!

Meet Michal Berg CEO & President of Spirituality for Kids International, Inc.

We recently had the opportunity to partner with CEO & President of Spirituality for Kids (SFK), Michal Berg, whose nonprofit organization is helping serve children, parents, and professionals all around the world. Learn more about her organization and journey through our Q&A below.

Q: What are you doing differently, or how have you adjusted your program to adapt in the COVID-19 world?

A: SFK courses were always available as online self-paced courses. When quarantine started, many parents that otherwise didn’t feel they had the time, enrolled in the kids’ online courses and our parenting course. We offered a significant discount for all our programs between 35%-75% besides our ongoing scholarship program, where we provide financial assistance to anyone who requires it. We also launched a FREE Daily Tune-In inspirational email and a weekly Family Activity to help parents and caregivers navigate these trying times.

Q: SFK offers online courses for both children and parents to do in their home, which is crucial in today’s environment. What are some courses children and parents can sign-up for, and what can they expect to learn in those courses?

A: Our award-winning online Spiritual Social-Emotional Education Program includes two learning levels: Winning in the Game of Life™ and Exploring the Journey of Life™ are suitable for children 8-12 years old. Children learn how to manage their emotions, boost their confidence, ignite their compassion, and understand cause and effect, the power of their words, among many other concepts through engaging videos and characters, fun activities, art projects, and journaling. 

Our Parenting course, Parenting the soul, takes parents on a personal journey to discover their parenting manual within and offers insights and easy, practical tools on how to best support their children while practicing self-love and self-care. You can learn more about our courses at https://courses.sfk.org/.

Q: What things as a mother to 5 children (hold for applause) have you learned that you have carried over to your SFK work?

A: One of the greatest lessons I learned as a parent to many children is that it is not all up to me. Each child is so different – how they experience life, how they react to situations, what they believe about themselves, and their level of consciousness. And my primary role is to love and support them, to my best ability, on their unique journey. Their successes are not mine, as well as their failures. As parents, we tend to take everything personally, learning to set ourselves free from that mindset, not only makes our lives more peaceful but also giving the necessary space for our children to be and evolve.

Q: For those families who already have busy schedules and are unable to attend courses, how can they still give back and support SFK? (hint: DONATE)

A: SFK is a 501(c)3 educational non for profit organization with an international reach with our outreach initiatives in more than 21 countries outside the US and scholarships. You can help by donating at https://sfk.org/donate/.

Michal Berg, CEO & President, SFK

Ways to Keep Kids Engaged & Entertained at Home

With life at home being the new normal, parents are struggling to find new ways to keep their kids engaged and entertained without leaving the house. There are several resources surrounding this topic now, so we took some time to collect a short list of our favorite findings to help save from endless scrolling.

From virtual field trips, craft projects and yoga, your family is bound to find activities that will help keep the kids entertained. You can even learn about space from an actual Astronaut with thanks to the Kennedy Space Center!

Keeping Kids Active: What Parents Can Do
Physical Activity & Nutrition
Creative Activities for Kids
Science Experiments
Online Music, Language, Cooking & More
Scholastic Learn & Read
Art Making Activities
Stay-at-Home Resources From MommyPoppins: Homeschooling Support, STEM, Games & More

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny in NYC? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted on-demand babysitting, including childcare for when a child is sick, full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care and more! Learn why BFC is the best NY Childcare Agency servicing the tri-state area. Contact us today to hire a nanny in NYC or to book the best babysitters in NYC!

Fall Happenings Around NYC

Festivals, markets, and all of the pumpkin-themed fun possible. We searched around for some fall events in and around NYC that would be great for a family-fun day! Browse through our list, plan your adventure and tag us in your photos on Facebook, so we can get in on the fun too!

Harvest Homecoming
When: October 20, 2019 (11 a.m.-5 p.m.)
Where: Brooklyn Botanical Garden
About: Discover an old-school fall foliage festival in the heart of Brooklyn—complete with hay rides, carnival games, music, and more! Local cider makers and kombucha brewers offer tastings, a farmers’ market features heritage apples from local orchards, and kids can debut their Halloween costumes in a high-energy drum parade.

Scary Bazaar
When: October 27, 2019 (10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.)
Where: Grand Bazaar NYC
About: Grand Bazaar NYC transforms for Halloween into a “Scary Bazaar”. Expect to be greeted by creepy crawly and ghostly decorations, and explore the 140+ spooky vendors – many in costume – indoors and outdoors. There will be a fantastic selection of scary sweet treats from artisanal food vendors. Get your scare on and come out for a fun day for the whole family and maybe uncover unearthly finds!

The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze
When: October 3-31, 2019 and every weekend in November
Where: Croton-On-Hudson, NY
About: Witness an army of more than 7,000 glowing pumpkins in the tristate area’s most spirited Halloween happening, It’s also one of the best and easiest day trips from NYC!

Halloween Parade and Pumpkin Flotilla
When: October 30, 2019 (4 p.m.-7 p.m.)
Where: Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (inside the Park at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues)
About: Celebrate the Halloween season in Central Park. Listen to ghost stories, check out a costume parade and get creative by carving a pumpkin. After the festivities, the Central Park Conservancy will partake in a traditional Pumpkin Flotilla, where 50 gourds (possibly your creation) will take a sail across the Harlem Meer at twilight.

Written by Taylor Bell, Social Media & Marketing

Revamp of the Packed Lunch

Packing lunches can become mundane. As I’m the one packing it, I want to make it more fun for both my sons and me!

There is a wide variety of lunch box options today. We use two different types: a cooler fold up one and a Tupperware one with separate sections to save on plastic bags and make it easy to eat.

There are so many allergies to consider when packing – our schools provide a list of what is not permitted – so I keep that top of mind when grocery shopping and packing.

I try to mix it up daily. I make sure it is balanced; a meat, veggie or fruit, a healthy carbohydrate and then a special treat. I’ll throw in a love note that my son can’t read yet too.

Easy protein options: Chicken apple sausage (I make it the night before), beef jerky packs (I found at Costco) organic pepperoni, and humus with crackers is a hit, too.

Fruits: I’ll cut up anything and put it in Tupperware, or buy the Dole mandarin oranges or dried fruits (mango, raisins, etc.). If I’m in a hurry I’ll pack a fruit or veggie pouch.

Veggies: I’ll make broccoli, carrots or peas the night before and pack in Tupperware, or cut up cucumbers.

Dairy: Cheese or yogurt are my go-to’s. Don’t forget the spoon!

Special treat: We’ll make cookies the night before, or get a variety of fruit snacks. My boys also like Lara bars.

My 18mo-old enjoying the hummus life.

Written by Lindsay Bell, Founder & Owner