By Summer:
I enjoy food! I enjoy making it (as you may know from my Thursday Treats each week) and I enjoy eating it (which you also may know since I have reviewed some fitness products for Mom Start … I still have some pounds to go). I’m to the point in my life where I can choose I eat or chose to eat well; if I want a burger I want a fully loaded grass feed beef burger, for chocolate I don’t want a Hershey’s bar I’d prefer Fran’s or Theo’s, and I personally LOVE Nature’s Path granola over any other brand.
Nature’s Path Love Crunch premium granolas are top of the line – like Nordstrom’s, Café Vivace, Lexus. My family doesn’t buy cereal, but we do purchase Nature’s Path granolas. Nature’s Path Organic makes top of the line foods. They are a brand I stand behind for their food (AND their eco issues – species conservation and going green – and their company’s philanthropic nature, but those are other Mom Start articles).
Love Crunch will come not in the traditional box, but in a bag, to forgo excess cardboard. For each bag of Love Crunch sold, Nature’s Path will donate the equivalent in cereal or cash (up to $1 million) to food banks. Through the “Spread the Love Project” [or Bite4Bite is what you’ll find written on the bags], Nature’s Path will bundle the goodwill of all the consumers buying Love Crunch into what Nature’s Path Organics calls “love miracles” by helping to ease hunger for those who need it most.
Our first Nature’s Path Organic granola love was Ancient Grains which my family first discovered at Costco. At Costco we also would purchase Nature’s Path Organics toast pastries. Last year at Valentine’s, Nature’s Path asked me to try their new Love Crunch cereal which was only going to be at Whole Foods. YUM!
To celebrate Valentine’s Day, Nature’s Path introduced the original Love Crunch – called Dark Chocolate & Red Berries – which was the perfect marriage of flax granola, strawberries, raspberries, coconut and dark chocolate chunks. Inspired by a true-life love story and philanthropic endeavor, it was created by Arjan Stephens, son of Nature’s Path’s founder Arran Stephens, and his wife, Rimjhim, as a wedding favor for those who helped celebrate their marriage. In lieu of wedding gifts, the two asked guests to volunteer in their communities and post photos on a project page which they aptly named “The Experience Giving Project.” Nature’s Path then actually created Love Crunch as a limited edition cereal with a portion or proceeds benefiting the Whole Planet Foundation.
Well, my Whole Foods location didn’t bring in Love Crunch, so I was out of luck as far as stocking up since it was a limited time release in 2011. In January this year I was so happy that Costco had a large 26.4 ounce bag of Love Crunch Dark Chocolate & Red Berries.
Then the best thing happened just recently, Nature’s Path Organic asked me to try their new Love Crunch varieties – Carrot Cake, Apple Crumble, and Aloha Blend! Each of these are so delish! Even though I was looking forward to Carrot Cake, wanted the Apple Crumble for my husband, and thought I won’t like the Aloha Blend … I’m here to report they’re ALL awesome! Though my favorite is still “the original” Love Crunch Dark Chocolate & Red Berries.
Here’s a look inside the cereals:
· Aloha Blend – Rolled oats*, evaporated cane juice*, soy oil*, dried coconut*, spelt*, dried coconut*, white chocolate chunks* (cane sugar*, cocoa butter*, whole milk powder*, soy lecithin [non-GMO], vanilla extract*, ground vanilla*), freeze-dried pineapple*, rice starch*, sea salt, natural pineapple flavor, cinnamon*, tocopherol (natural vitamin E).
Contains soy and dairy. Produced in a facility that uses wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts.
· Carrot Cake – Rolled Oats*, evaporated cane juice*, rolled spelt*, soy oil*, raisins* (coated with sunflower oil*), pecans*, yogurt chips* (sugar*, palm kernel oil*, non-fat milk*, lactic acid, soy lecithin*, salt, vanilla*), dried carrots*, freeze-dried pineapple*, rice starch*, sea salt, cinnamon*, natural vanilla flavor, cloves*, tocopherols (natural vitamin E).
Contains soy, tree nuts, and dairy. Produced in a facility that uses wheat and peanut.
· Apple Crumble – Rolled oats*, evaporated cane juice*, rolled spelt*, soy oil*, pecans*, freeze-dried apples*, chia seeds*, rice starch*, sea salt, molasses*, cinnamon*, natural vanilla flavor, tocopherols (natural vitamin E).
Contains soy and tree nuts. Produced in a facility that uses wheat and peanuts.
· Dark Chocolate & Red Berries – Rolled oats*, evaporated cane juice*, soy oil*, spelt*, dark chocolate chunks* (evaporated cane juice*, chocolate liquor*, cocoa butter*, soy lecithin*, vanilla*), flax seeds*, dried coconut*, cocoa*, freeze-dried berry blend* (freeze-dried strawberries*, freeze-dried raspberries*), rice starch*, sea salt, natural chocolate flavor, natural vanilla flavor, tocopherols (natural vitamin E).
Contains soy. Produced in a facility that uses dairy, peanuts, and tree nuts.
* Organic
If you want some Nature’s Path recipes, Mom Start has made SmartBran Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes and Diane Henderik’s Strawberry Cheesecake; only the strawberry cheesecake is made with Nature’s Path Organic’s Love Crunch Dark Chocolate & Red Berries. (However, there are many different Nature’s Path recipes both savory and sweet on their site). Mom Start has also featured Manna Organics Bavarian Style Sourdough loaves last year which are distributed by Nature’s Path Organics. BUT you should see the whole line of Nature’s Path Organic products!
Stay connected with Nature’s Path Organic on their website, via the Nature’s Path Organics blog, on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Add Love Crunch to your shopping … go ahead, we’ll wait; you won’t regret it!
We have received samples in the past but we truly love Nature’s Path
About Summer:
Summer is very active in our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living while cooking up a storm.