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Easy Back-to-School Snacks With Little Red Wagon Granola

easy back-to-school snacks like granola bars

It’s that time of year again: we’ve traded summer picnics for school pickups and lazy days for crazy ones. While back-to-school time can be exciting, we know it’s also a bit stressful. As your schedules begin to fill up with after-school activities and you’re rushing out the door in the mornings, it can be tough to find a breather. So in the spirit of ease and convenience (two necessities for family meal prep), here are three easy back-to-school snacks you can make to enjoy at home or on the go.

Back-to-school snack #1: A new twist on an old classic 

Who doesn’t love a good “ant on a log”? It’s a timeless classic we all grew up enjoying, so why not pass the tradition down—but maybe with a bit of a twist.

Your typical ant on a log usually consists of a few strips of celery, a healthy dose of peanut butter, and a couple raisins sprinkled on top. But why not swap out the raisins for a little extra fiber crunch? Our Crunchy Monkey granola has the perfect sweetness to balance out the richness of the peanut butter. 


Plus, with prep time lasting practically seconds, this snack can free up some time during your packed schedule. 

Back-to-school snack #2: A sweet treat for sour days 

Let’s face it, some days just aren’t as great as others. Whether it’s a particularly hard test at school, or the typical growing pains of adolescence, our kids will need a special pick-me-up every now and then. So for the days when smiles aren’t shining as bright, these Magic Bars will bring a little joy and sweetness.

You can bake the Magic Bars ahead of time, and store them away in an air-tight container for a rainy day. Or, better yet, carve out some space for a little extra love and support while baking the bars together!

(These easy back-to-school snacks call for our classic Original Granola, the tried-and-true flavor that started it all) 

Back-to-school snack #3: A cereal you can feel good about 

A short trip down the breakfast cereal aisle leaves most parents feeling overwhelmed and disappointed. With hard-to-read and sickly sweet ingredient lists, it’s hard to find an option that doesn’t leave you feeling bad about the short lived energy high and the inevitable sugar crash you know is headed your kids’ way.

Luckily, granola is a healthier alternative that makes it so the beloved cereal breakfast or after-school bowl doesn’t have to go missing from our kids’ lives (or our own)!

A small bowl of granola, packed with a healthy dose of fiber to offset the sugars and good fats to support brain development, can be an easy swap that won’t leave the kiddos bouncing off the walls minutes later.

Want to mix it up? Opt for yogurt instead of milk, or simply snack on the granola as you would any regular trail mix. 

Little Red Wagon Granola: Wherever your snacking takes you

With this many options, there’s no doubt you’ll create dozens of easy back-to-school snacks with Little Red Wagon Granola, so make sure to pick some up today! 

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Little Red Wagon Granola: Hand Making the Best Granola Since 2004

best granola from little red wagon granola

We think it’s one of life’s simple pleasures to open a new bag of granola. The sweet blend of spices and nuts hits you first—making your mouth water and stomach grumble. The clusters bounce into the bowl and each crunchy, delicious bite is the best granola you’ve ever tasted. At Little Red Wagon Granola, we’ve been hand making these moments since 2004. 

We take making the best granola seriously 

At our company, we have serious fun. Making the best granola is a big deal to us and something that we take seriously from every oat to delivery route. But it’s also fun—something you can tell from our colorful bags to our creative flavors. And while there are a lot of granola clusters in the ring, we think these three reasons separate us from the rest: 

Made by hand, not machines

We like to think you can taste the difference in our handmade granola. Our baking team spreads each cluster from each bag by hand. By choosing to hand spread instead of relying on a machine, we can control the perfect cluster sizes for optimal granola-eating. 

On a mission for holistic health 

Life and granola are meant to be balanced. We’re on a mission for holistic health, which we think makes a difference between good and “the best” granola. If you read our past blogs, you know we’re all about healthy people, a healthy planet, and healthy food. We’re working toward these goals from our company culture and work-life balance to our sustainable packing and wholesome ingredients. 

Family values in every bite 

Finally, we think we have the best granola because you can taste our values. We started small at the Chapel Hill Farmer’s Market in North Carolina (some of you may remember us!) with a family-oriented husband and wife team that wanted to create and share delicious granola. We’ve gone through growth and new ownership, but we’re still family-owned and operated. More than this, we treat our customers like family. That’s because each of you is responsible for making our granola what it is.

Crafting the best granola since 2004 

At the end of the day, making the best granola means making it with heart. From hand spreading the clusters to focusing on balance and family values, we pour our values into each and every bag. 

 

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“Is Granola Good For You?” And Other Top Questions Our Team Answers

is granola good for you, granola in glass jar

When you think of granola, what comes to mind? Crunchy clusters? Salty nuts? Sweet add-ins? In between bites of these delicious clusters, you may wonder: “Is granola good for you?” The Little Red Wagon Granola team knows a thing or two about this balanced snack, so we’re answering this question and more! (Hint: it’s full of goodness). 

 

#1: Is granola good for you? 

We should outline our stance on this question first: we believe everything in life is about balance. So your answer to the question “is granola good for you?” probably depends on what type of granola you’re talking about. While we can’t speak for others, we can speak to our six delicious flavors and why we think granola is good for you: 

 

Good ingredients: A couple of months ago, we outlined the “healthy food” tier of our values. We use the highest quality ingredients in each bag of granola. Plus, they’re sustainably sourced and local when possible. And each cluster has a good-for-you mix of healthy fats, whole grains, and no artificial ingredients. 

 

Good snacking alternative: If your regular snacks include candy or chips, granola is a healthy snacking alternative. It’s versatile enough to be eaten with other healthy foods like plain Greek yogurt. But it’s delicious enough to eat on its own––plus, the healthy fats and protein keep you fuller, longer. 

 

Good for the soul: When you munch on a flavor like Cosmopolitan or Crunchy Monkey, it’s almost impossible to keep a smile off your face. 

 

#2: What’s in your granola? 

We admit this is related to “is granola good for you,” but we get this question a lot! While each ingredient list varies slightly by flavor, they all have a balanced mix of oats, brown sugar, nuts (like almonds or pecans), fruits (like raisins or bananas), whole wheat flour, butter, eggs, milk, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. We can guarantee that our ingredients are easy to pronounce, sourced sustainably, and of the highest quality we can find. 

 

#3: Where can I find LRWG granola? 

If you’re on the East Coast or in the South, you can find our granola at your local Whole Foods or Fresh Market. (Check out our handy store finder here!). As we work to expand across the rest of the states, you can order granola right here in our online shop. 

 

#4: Favorite granola recipes? 

Our recipes will have you switching from “is it good for you” to “it’s SO good.” 

 

Oatmeal cranberry cookies with Cosmopolitan 

Easy baked oatmeal with Crunchy Monkey 

Red velvet overnight oats 

Green oatmeal raisin muffins 

Crunchy Monkey banana peanut butter mug cake

Blackberry-lemon granola cookie bars 

 

So, is granola good for you? We sure think so!  

Life’s too short not to eat what makes you happy. But we hope this helps you snack guilt-free! Little Red Wagon Granola is handcrafted with good-for-you ingredients and flavors in every bite! 

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Think You Know How to Eat Granola? Switch Things Up with These 3 Tips

how to eat granola, bowl with granola and yogurt

If you’ve been a long-time granola fan like us, you probably have a specific way you indulge in the crunchy treat. Are you a purist and only take your granola with cow’s milk? Or is yogurt and granola the only combination you’ll consider? At Little Red Wagon Granola, we love to mix up our snacking, so we’ve put together a “how to” eat granola with sweet tips from our team. 

I know how to eat granola, don’t I? 

It seems simple enough: pour granola into a bowl, top with milk or yogurt, enjoy. When it comes to how to eat granola, that’s about as classic as you can get. But once you add in the possibilities of dairy-free or plant-based milk or Icelandic versus Greek yogurt, even simple go-tos can become complicated. 

If you’re ready to try something new in your granola routine, the following options are some of our team’s favorites. 

Try it as a unique topping 

Granola is known for its crunch, which makes it a great topping. But instead of sprinkling it over yogurt, try adding those crunchy clusters to ice cream, frozen yogurt, pudding, custard, or even fruit puree. We’re partial to the Cosmopolitan flavor over a citrus sorbet. On a hot summer evening, there’s almost nothing more refreshing.  

Or as the crust to a cheesecake 

These days, tart and cheesecake recipes are all over social media––and we’ve seen some pretty inventive ones! Secretly, we’re crust fans so why not add our favorite snack in the mix? Instead of making an Oreo or graham cracker crust, throw some granola (our favorite is Original, but go crazy!) into a food processor, mix in butter, and pat down into a tart dish or springform pan. From there, the flavor combinations are endless. A blueberry vegan cheesecake with Lemon Drop crust? Perfect. Or what about a chocolate peanut butter tart with Crunchy Monkey crust? You’ll be the envy of the picnic.  

How about in a baked good?

With a few more ingredients and some imagination, you can transform granola into a baked good that will rival any bakery. The distinctive crunch in these clusters, with good-for-you nuts, makes them the perfect addition for baked favorites like granola cookie bars and baked oatmeal. Trust us, you may never go back to your milk-and-granola breakfast again after trying those. 

Our favorite “how to” eat granola? On its own! 

With all that said, you really can’t go wrong with snacking on our granola all by itself. We pride ourselves on unique and delicious flavors that will satisfy you on the go, on their own, or when you need to mix things up. Did our “how to eat granola” tips inspire you? Try all the flavors here! 

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5 Summer Activities That Pair Perfectly With Our Handmade Granola Flavors

handmade granola flavors in wagon with little girl

Summertime is full of possibilities. With warmer temps and longer nights, the activities range from long hikes to movie nights. We’re always thinking about the perfect snacks to fuel us for all of summer’s adventures––what better way than with our handmade granola flavors? Here are our top five summer activities and snack pairings. 

 

Hiking fuel that goes the distance

We’ve mentioned before that our handmade granola is full of good-for-you fiber and balanced nutrition. When you’re taking a hike on those hot summer days, you need food that will keep you fueled. Little Red Wagon Granola has the perfect blend of healthy fats, proteins, and carbs to keep you energized mile after mile. We suggest munching on the granola by itself. Try the Original or Lemon Drop, they’re both easy to eat by the handful. Or, make your own trail mix with the chocolate-packed Crunchy Monkey and your choice of nuts, seeds, and other mix-ins. 

 

The perfect picnic pair  

A picnic is a perfect excuse to enjoy good food in nature. Pick your favorite park, trail, or even your backyard to enjoy a spread of delicious, snackable foods. Make it unique with a breakfast picnic complete with yogurt and granola parfaits (we recommend Mocha) or a dessert picnic with an assortment of toppings, including granola crumbles! 

 

Handmade granola for the road 

Road tripping is the ultimate summer adventure. We know it’s easy (and even part of the fun!) to grab unhealthy road snacks, but our handmade granola is the perfect alternative. Bring along the Original flavor (no chocolate means no melting) for the perfect crunch while you play I Spy or sing 99 Bottles. 

 

Park day crunchies 

On those perfect, cloudless days, the park is full of endless summer activities. Whether you’re spending all day at the playground, reading a book in the shade, or riding bikes on a park trail, you’ll need snacks. Our variety pack of handmade granola flavors packs the perfect punch and crunch for an all-day park marathon. Plus, the different flavor choices are sure to satisfy cravings for even the pickiest eaters. 

 

Outdoor movie night go-to

There’s almost nothing better than ending a day of adventuring with a movie under the stars. And, we don’t know about you, but no movie night is complete without snacks in our house. We suggest mixing granola with popcorn for a fun crunch, adding it to ice cream, or making chocolate bark with granola and other fun add-ins. 

For grown-up fun, pair Cosmopolitan with fancy movie drinks or Mocha with an espresso to keep you awake during all-night marathons. 

 

Handmade granola for all summer’s adventures

Summer activities are some of our favorites and are, like most things, made better with snacks. We love to pair our handmade granola flavors in ways the whole family can enjoy, and ways that keep us fueled for the next adventure.  

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Tier 3 of Little Red Wagon Granola Values: Healthy Food (the Best Healthy Granola)

best healthy granola, little red wagon granola

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a person in possession of granola must be in want of a healthy snack. Or did we misquote that? What we know for sure is that granola is the ultimate snack––crunchy, delicious, and full of good-for-you ingredients that keep you fueled. The third and final tier of our values is healthy food. Read on to see why we make the best healthy granola. 

More than the best granola: our three-part values

We’ve made it to the last part of our three-tiered values. If you’ve been following along, you know all about Tier 1 (Healthy People) and Tier 2 (Healthy Planet). The third and final value is a huge part of what we think makes the best healthy granola––Healthy Food. And, yes, we know that granola isn’t a superfood, but we do think this super food (see what we did there?) can be part of a balanced diet and a healthy go-to snacking choice. 

Supporting our healthy food value 

What do you think when someone says “healthy food?” Do you picture the food pyramid? Or maybe the broccoli you’d push around your plate as a kid? When we say healthy food, we’re not just talking about what’s on the nutrition label. We’re talking about ingredients, where the food is from, and balanced nutrition.  

 

High-quality ingredients 

Part of what we think makes ours the best healthy granola around is our use of the highest quality local ingredients we can find. When you turn around one of our bags to check the ingredient list, we guarantee that it will be short and pronounceable. By using high-quality ingredients every step of the way, we can control each bag’s overall quality. 

 

Sustainable food sourcing 

Simply put, sustainable eating is better for our planet (refer to Tier 2). Sustainable farms, like our oat supplier in Canada, “encourage biodiversity, conserve scarce water resources, and build healthy soil through techniques like composting and planting cover crops.” To us, sustainable food sourcing for every high-quality ingredient leads to a more delicious, healthier product. 

 

Balanced nutrition 

The definition of what makes food healthy has changed over the years. As a rule, a healthy diet is a balanced diet (we’re all about balance) that includes a good mix of protein, fat, fiber, calcium, and carbohydrates. Our granolas are high in fiber, have healthy fats from nuts, and don’t have any artificial flavors or colors. The balance of protein, carbs, and fat in each bag makes this a snack that keeps you fuller for longer without the crash you’d get from other snacks packed full of artificial sugars and ingredients. 

The best healthy granola should be good for your body and soul

Eating healthy is a personal journey and one that requires balance. Focusing on healthy food as one of our three tiers means we’re committed to providing a high-quality, sustainably sourced, and balanced product. Is it the best healthy granola you’ve ever tasted? Try it out for yourself! Happy snacking!

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Tier 2 of Our Granola Company Values: Healthy Planet

granola company sustainable values

If we’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it a thousand times: there’s only one planet Earth and it’s our job to take care of it. As a family-oriented granola company, we’re also future-oriented. And we think that means making sustainable choices now that leave the planet better for the next generations. That’s why tier two of our values is, fittingly, supporting a healthy planet. 

 

Why we gave our granola company three-part values

When we purchased Little Red Wagon Granola over a year ago, we had fallen in love with the hand-baked, delicious granola. And the company’s commitment to supporting local. 

We added our own three-part values because, first and foremost, we think a company (even a granola company) should stand for more than just its products or services. This month’s blog focuses on our dedication to sustainability and making this planet as healthy as we can. 

 

How we support our goal of a healthy planet 

Sustainability in packaging, sourcing, and consumption are all equally important. The key here is that it’s not just up to food companies (like us), it’s also up to individuals (like you!) to make a difference. 

 

Sustainable packaging

We’re so excited that our new packaging has begun hitting the shelves of our favorite grocery stores (maybe you’ve seen them?!). The vibrant packages do more than make you smile as you put a bag (or five) in your shopping cart. 

Our sustainable packaging means these beauties use non-toxic ink from a manufacuter that reduces greenhouse gas emmission. Plus, they’re fully recyclable. After you’ve finished your last bowl of granola, just drop them off at a Store Drop Off location. 

 

Healthy, sustainably-sourced ingredients

Scroll through the granola shop on our site or turn your bag over, and you’ll find a deliciously short ingredient list. We left out the bad stuff in favor of ingredients you can pronounce that we intentionally source. If you read our blog on sustainably sourced oats, you know that we work with a small farm in Canada that’s committed to minimally processed, delicious oat-producing. 

The nuts, dried fruits, and other scrumptious add-ins are equally intentional. You won’t find any unnecessary ingredients on our lists. Because we know how important good food is for our customers and the planet.  

 

Waste reduction 

Did you know that about 80 billion pounds of food are thrown away annually in the United States? We don’t know about you, but that makes us want to eat every last crumb. Food waste might be only one piece of the healthy planet pie (had to), but we’re committed to doing our part to decrease it.

That’s why we designed an efficient process that ensures all food goes from our bakery to our customers with as little waste as possible during production. This also means that we purchase ingredients from and partner with brands that also make commitments to minimal waste. And use every last crumb! 

 

More than your average granola company 

At Little Red Wagon Granola, we want you to feel good about every bag you buy. And with each purchase you’ll be getting more than just crunchy, perfectly baked and spiced granola clusters. You’ll also be getting our commitment as a company to one of the most important things––a healthy planet. Now that’s worth celebrating. 

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Tier 1 of Little Red Wagon Granola Values: Healthy People

little red wagon granola employees

In the last year, we’ve all seen how an imbalance between work and everything else can wear on people. And if 2020 taught us anything, it’s that we could all do with a lot less stress in our lives. The first tier of our Little Red Wagon Granola values is healthy people––supporting those that make our company what it is. 

Little Red Wagon Granola tiered values

Because our values are three-tiered, we want to give customers a chance to learn about each one in-depth. We developed these tiered values because we believe that every company should stand for something and work toward making the world and their employee’s lives better. Our focus this month is on healthy people and how we try to maintain that value across our business, especially when it comes to how we treat our employees.

How we support our goal of healthy people

We wouldn’t be where we are today without our incredible employees. They’re the people who embody Little Red Wagon Granola values and work tirelessly to craft delicious, quality granola. We support our ‘healthy people’ value in three big ways: work-life balance, competitive wages, and comprehensive benefits. 

Work-life balance

If you look at recent work-life statistics, they’re pretty shocking. Over half of US employees need help managing this balance. And 25% surveyed felt work-related stress to the point of screaming. We think we can do better. 

That’s why we gave our employees a Monday through Thursday schedule (nine-hour days). So each week they have an extra day to regroup and relax. This schedule helps employees take care of their life outside of work, spend extra time with family and friends, go to a weekday appointment, and practice self-care. 

Competitive Wage

No matter how a business shows or says they value their employees if the pay does not reflect their values, it’s probably not the best place to work. We offer our employees a competitive, liveable wage so they can fully enjoy their work with one less thing to worry about. 

Comprehensive Benefits

We think benefits play an important role in a balanced life. Since they’re not scrambling to find time or resources to stay healthy, our employees can focus on what matters. To support this, we offer competitive health benefits and paid time off. 

And although we can’t go out because of COVID, we make it a point to pause, celebrate, and indulge for the holidays and important milestones throughout the year. Even at six feet apart. We are a food company after all, so we enjoy good food and ‘breaking bread’ together to show our team that they’re appreciated. 

Granola with intention 

When you purchase a bag of Little Red Wagon Granola, you’re supporting a team of highly dedicated and passionate individuals. Every cluster of granola in every bag is baked with intention and quality in mind––by people who are encouraged to have balance in every facet of their lives.

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New Year, New Look. Introducing Our New Sustainable Food Packaging

Sustainable food packaging

Happy New Year! We’re starting 2021 with a new look and we have new sustainable food packaging and recyclable bags that should start making their way to you in the next month.  If you’ve been indulging in our delicious granolas for a while now, our current packaging is probably familiar to you. The kraft tin-tie bags with our iconic red wagon stickers carried us from our farmer’s market days to our expanding Little Red Wagon Granola family. We knew we wanted to have a new look but wanted to be true to our roots: classic, simple, and fun. 

Introducing our new sustainable food packaging

The new fully sealed bags will ensure that the granola you love will taste as fresh as the day we made it.  In turn, this can help reduce food waste and prevent food safety issues before they happen.  They are also recyclable and on the back of every bag, you’ll find the “Store Drop Off” label.  Please bring your bags to local retail stores where they collect plastic grocery bags for recycling.  

Part of our sustainability mission 

The bags are also sustainably made which is a win-win-win for the environment, our customers, and our company.  We strive, in all areas, to do things that are good for our customers, our employees, and for the environment. We believe that every product can positively impact the earth through the choices we make as a company. We’ve partnered with vendors that use industry best practices and leading technology to ensure that the bags are manufactured in a way that minimizes greenhouse gas emissions and VOCs.

Packing a punch with flavors and color 

Our granola flavors have always been special and now our bags pack a punch too with their vibrant colors that highlight our great recipes.  We hope you enjoy the new look. Please keep your eyes peeled for the new designs at your favorite community grocery store.  

Grab your new bag!

Whether you’re a long-time fan or just stumbled upon our granola, now’s the time to try a bag!  With our fresh look and new sustainable food packaging, we’re ready to start the new year on a positive note. We are looking forward to all the good (and snackable moments) to come and hope you are too!

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The Difference Sustainably Sourced Oats Make in Our Whole Grain Granolas

sustainably sourced oats in whole grain granola

At Little Red Wagon Granola, our mission has always been to source the best ingredients. So that you can taste the difference in every bite. And the basis of any great granola is high-quality oats. We use sustainably sourced oats as the key ingredient in each of our whole grain granolas. Which gives you all of the quality and none of the fluff. 

Where We Get Our Oats 

To make the freshest, most flavorful granola we needed quality oats that were delicious solo but could hold their own against our flavor profiles. Every perfect cluster of Little Red Wagon features Northerly Oats. These minimally-processed oats come from a sustainable agriculture farm in Canada that cares as much about their products as the people who consume them. 

Benefits of Using Sustainably Sourced Oats

Part of our mission is to use sustainably grown ingredients in line with our healthy food, healthy people, healthy food mindset. For our oats, sustainable growth means they use modern technology and traditional methods “to meet today’s food needs, without starving the future.” Other benefits of these oats include:

Flavor

The lack of preservatives or additives in our oats makes them naturally sweet, nutty, and creamy. But they’re also subtle enough to let flavors like Chunky Monkey and Cosmopolitan be the stars in our whole-grain granola.

Texture

Check out the bottom of the bag on competitor granolas and you’ll see mostly powder––something that comes from using lower quality oats that break and crumble during the production process. At Little Red Wagon Granola, we call these lower quality oats “fluffy” oats. Our minimally processed, hearty, consistently sourced oats result in the clusters that we all love and enjoy. When baked to perfection, our granola becomes crisp, crunchy, and delicately nutty clusters of goodness and joy.  

Consistency

Because of supplier consistency, every grain in every bag is the same high quality. Even more impressive, the folks over at Northerly can tell us exactly how, where, and when each individual grain was grown. So each batch of our granola is also consistently flavorful and delicious.

Taste the Difference in Our Whole Grain Granolas 

We’re all about balance at Little Red Wagon Granola. And whole-grain granola that’s balanced for the good of our customers and our planet starts with sustainably sourced oats. Taste the difference today by trying one, or preferably all, of our unique flavors.