Healthy Lunchbox Swaps Your Kids Will Love

Earlier this week I shared why it's important to upgrade your lunchbox, ditching plastics, vinyl and coated fabrics for stainless steel (and zero plastics!)...

Now let's talk about what goes in that non-toxic lunchbox.

If you're packing lunches at home, it's easy to fall into the trap of "convenient" foods that are marketed as healthy — but are quietly full of refined sugars, inflammatory oils, artificial flavors, preservatives, and even hidden pesticides.

The good news? Making cleaner swaps is easier than you think — and your kids won't even notice the difference (except that they'll feel better after lunch).

Here are a few of my favorite Lunchbox Swaps that my family loves:

Bread Swap
INSTEAD OF: Conventional bread (loaded with pesticides and additives)
CHOOSE: Organic Bread of Heaven – small batch, glyphosate-free, and made with real organic ingredients (and yes, you can even get Organic White Sandwich Bread!)

Lunch Meat Swap
INSTEAD OF: Deli meats with nitrates, preservatives, antibiotics + hormones, & emulsifiers
CHOOSE: Look for organic, pasture-raised deli meats with simple ingredients — or roast and slice your own! If your kids like tuna, Safe Catch is another good option. 

PB&J Swap
INSTEAD OF: Sugary jelly + peanut butter with seed oils and added sugar
CHOOSE: Artisana organic nut butters + organic jams like Crofters or Bionaturae.

Mayo Swap
INSTEAD OF: Conventional mayo = soybean oil + preservatives
CHOOSE: Primal Kitchen Avocado Mayo – made with avocado oil and no junk (use my code FOODBABE at checkout to save 10% off anything from Primal Kitchen)

Bars or Cookies Swap
INSTEAD OF: Conventional granola bars and cookies laced with pesticides and seed oils
CHOOSE: Truvani The Only Bar, available in 12 different flavors like Snickerdoodle and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough! 

Side Swap
INSTEAD OF: Chips, Goldfish, and sugary yogurt tubes
CHOOSE ANY OF THESE:

• Fresh-cut veggies + No-Dairy Ranch Dressing & Marinade (my kids love this dip!)
  
• Paleovalley Meat Sticks – protein-packed and made from 100% grass-fed beef (btw - from today through August 19th only, you will save 35% off anything from Paleovalley when you click HERE!)
• Mary's Gone Crackers
• SeaSnax Seaweed Snacks
• Sweet Nothings Squeezable Smoothies
• Fresh fruit slices 

These little swaps might not seem like a big deal, but they add up fast — especially when you're packing lunches every day.

Your kids need food that fuels them… not fills them with toxins.

And you need lunch prep that's simple, clean, and stress-free. 

Xo,
Vani

P.S. I have over 100 real food recipes perfect for the lunch box in my book Food Babe Family.

P.S.S. At Food Babe, we only promote products we love to use. If you buy a product we link to, we may earn commission.

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Get ready. They're coming for us.

There's something you need to know.

Coordinated media attacks are being unleashed against myself and our movement.

I knew it was too good to be true…

For months I've had free rein to talk on national media about pesticides and toxic chemicals poisoning Americans, which has made the industry LOSE ITS MIND.

It's been great to get so much mainstream coverage on these issues, but I knew the pushback would be coming. 

Recently, a major news organization reached out to do a profile on me, but I got a weird feeling when they kept asking me about all the other "babes" who defend the chemicals in our food system.

I'm a mom of 2 small children. My family is my number one priority. I want real food for everyone, and I refuse to be part of anything that various "babes" who may or may not be funded by Big Food and Big Chem say about me.

See these screenshots from a reporter… admitting they interviewed a shill:

And this is what they do.

They try to distract from the real issues at hand…

How we are so inexplicably sick in this country, how our medical system is corrupt and how our food system is poisoned for profit.

Instead they're digging up old irrelevant stories from over a decade ago! It's all they've got. 

I'm sharing this because I no longer hide, cower and let haters rule my life anymore. I turned off Google Alerts over 10 years ago on my name because it doesn't matter what they say about me.

I will never forget how I used to feel before I found real food. And that's why I keep going.

I see so many people out there that could feel better, live their best lives and find their true calling, if only they knew the truth about our food system.

I love you Food Babe Army!

Thank you for standing with me.

Get ready. They are coming for us.

In the meantime please watch this interview on The Him & Her Skinny Confidential podcast - I've known Lauryn almost my entire blogging career and we go deep into politics and where I stand!

You can also listen on any podcast platform.

Xo,

Vani

P.S. To get breaking updates like this before anyone else, make sure you're following me on X and Instagram.

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Are these toxins in your lunchbox?

School is right around the corner! And you know what that means...

MAKING SCHOOL LUNCH.

Ahhhh... you know the drill, right?

Except... let me share something that is super important before you start.

The actual lunch box you choose matters, a lot!

The truth is: Most conventional lunchboxes are made with plastic, vinyl, or coated fabrics — materials that can leach harmful chemicals like BPA, BPS, and phthalates into your child's food.

These chemicals are linked to hormone disruption, developmental issues, and more — and heat, moisture, or even acidic foods (like fruit) can make the leaching worse.

That's not something I'm comfortable with — and I know you aren't either.

That's why my go-to lunchboxes, the Ecolunchboxes, are made from stainless steel, not plastic.

They're safer, more durable, and don't absorb odors or break down over time.

The stainless steel Bentos are my favorites - gorgeous, stackable, and completely plastic-free — even the lids are stainless steel or silicone (not plastic pretending to be safe).

Besides…. 

They are simple + lightweight, and perfect for portioning out snacks and lunches without any junky materials.

The Wet Box is leak proof (no child wants to arrive at school to find their lunch all over folders and notebooks!)

And a huge bonus: They are dishwasher safe + can last for years — which makes them better for your health, your wallet, and the environment.

So if you want to make your child's lunch a little healthier before they even take a bite?

Start with the box.

Later this week I'll be sharing my favorite lunchbox food swaps that make packing a healthy lunch a breeze! 

Xo,
Vani

P.S. Have kids with big appetites? The Three-in-One Giant holds 8 cups of food in three separate compartments!

P.P.S. At Food Babe, we only promote products we love to use. If you buy a product we link to, we may earn commission.

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Shop My Product: Sprouts Exclusive!!!

I can't thank you enough.

Being a part of the Food Babe Army, you don't just talk about change, you MAKE IT.

You voted with your dollars to make products with clean ingredients more available on shelves.

So not only was your support able to help my team and I launch a NEW line of USDA-Organic Whey at Truvani…

But now, Truvani's USDA Organic Whey will exclusively be sold in Sprouts Farmers Market for the next 2 months!

Yes, you can still shop all 5 flavors on our website and Amazon, but Sprouts is our exclusive retail partner for August and September!

Your support made us the #1 and #2 top selling plant protein products in Sprouts nationwide…

And now, I know you'll love our USDA Organic Whey Protein in Sprouts just as much.

The response from our customers has been nothing short of incredible.

People LOVE the taste. Saying "it tastes like melted ice cream at the bottom of the ice cream bowl."

They're OBSESSED with the ingredients. Made with USDA Organic dairy from grass-fed and pasture-raised cows on USDA Organic dairy farms.

And even more so, they're SHOCKED, saying they've "never tried a whey that's felt so good before."

Each flavor is sourced from grass-fed and pasture-raised cows on USDA Organic dairy family farms:

Vanilla. Chocolate. Strawberry. Chocolate Peanut Butter. Unflavored.

Buy your favorite flavor exclusively online and in-stores at Sprouts Farmers Market, August through September!

We could not have done this without you!!!

Xo,

Vani

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Lunches your kids will actually eat

When I was a kid, I ate the same lunch every single day: a PB&J, an apple, and a bag of Fritos. 

No green veggies, no variety–just whatever I could pack myself while my parents worked full-time.

Looking back, I cringe… but I'm also grateful that I know better now.

My kids will never know what a lunchbox full of Goldfish crackers, Lunchables, and processed meat looks like. 

And they also won't be eating the typical "food" being served in school lunchrooms across the country, packed with HFCS, MSG, and artificial junk. 

When kids grow up on processed foods like this, they're less likely to crave real food, fresh fruits, and veggies.  

I want to teach my kids to love all that real food has to offer, the tastes, the textures, and the amazing nutrition that it provides. 

Schools are actually fostering a desire for processed food in your children by serving them lunches like this, and it's IMPERATIVE that we take back control if we want to save our children's health. 

This is why I urge you to do whatever you can to pack your own lunches for your children. 

It's rewarding and will help them develop a love for real food.

If your kids eat lunch away from home Monday–Friday, that's 22 meals a month… which means 22 chances to serve something wholesome and homemade! 

Think of all the processed chemicals your children will avoid if you are packing their lunches.

My book Food Babe Family is loaded with lunch box tips and recipes to help you get ready for the busy school year. 

I give you the play-by-play on how to pack yummy school lunches that your children will love + healthy store-bought swaps for ultra-processed snacks so that your children don't feel like they're missing out.

It includes:

• Mix-and-Match Lunch Ideas Chart
• Real-Life Lunch Box Examples
• Guidelines for Packing a Healthy Lunch Your Child Will Love
• Best And Worst Beverages For Kids: Ranked!
• Healthier Packaged Foods for Busy Parents: Breads, mixes, condiments, snacks, and everything in between that makes busy days easier. 

It's also a full-color cookbook with over 100 brand new recipes that will put busy school day meals on your table fast and will get your family eating real food.

Some of our favorites for lunch boxes include the Easy Chicken Quinoa Chili, Meatball Skewers, Real Food Fruit Leather, and Carrot Cake Muffins. 

There's even a whole recipe section with lunch boxes that blow the typical "turkey sandwich" out of the water! 

To give you a taste, here's our recipe for Taco Salad Cups from the cookbook that the kids find so fun to eat. 

You can prep the items the night before to make morning a breeze…

Then pack the taco cups, beans, corn salad, and cheese in separate compartments so the kids can have fun assembling the cups at school. Also include a couple sides, such as a piece of fresh fruit and beet chips.

Want everything you'll need to be ready for the school year?

Pick up your copy of Food Babe Family here!

It's time to take back control and raise our next generation to love real food.

Xo, 

Vani

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Easy Back-to-School Breakfasts (That Aren’t Toxic)

There's a lot of talk online about how oatmeal is "bad" for you…

"It spikes your blood sugar".
"It's not filling".
"It's unhealthy".

But here's the truth:

It all depends on the kind of oats you buy, how you prepare them, and what you pair them with.

For example...

I skip Quaker Oats (they tested positive for glyphosate – the active ingredient in cancer-causing Roundup).

But I do love certified organic, sprouted oats that are glyphosate-free – like the One Degree brand.

And when you prepare them right (steel-cut oats + protein + healthy fats), they're blood sugar-friendly, fiber-packed, and totally satisfying.

Let me introduce you to my family's go-to breakfast for busy mornings...

"Set It and Forget It" Slow Cooker Oats

At night, I throw a batch of organic steel cut oats in my 2.3 Quart slow cooker. It takes under a minute. 

1. Place the oats and 4 ½ cups filtered water in your slow cooker.
2. Turn the heat to low and cook for at least 8 hours or overnight. 

By morning? Hot, creamy oats are ready to eat.

Just top with nut butter, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, berries, coconut milk… and if I want extra protein, I mix in a scoop of Truvani Whey Protein.

It's really important to use a non-toxic slow cooker to make this.

I partnered with my favorite slow cooker brand - 360 Cookware - so I could offer you a deep discount:

Grab 25% off the slow cooker I use with code FOODBABE

Here's another quick breakfast option my family loves on busy mornings...

On-the-Go Protein Oats

When I used to travel nonstop for work, I lived off these.

1. Place ½ cup quick oats + ½ scoop Truvani Whey Protein (choose chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, chocolate peanut butter or unflavored!) + ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon + ¼ cup dried fruit of choice + 1 pinch sea salt in a to-go jar and shake to combine.
2. When you're ready to eat, pour 1 cup of hot water in the jar and let it sit for at least 5 minutes.

Breakfast doesn't have to be stressful—or toxic.

You've got options.

Delicious ones.

Xo,
Vani

P.S. Don't forget to use the code FOODBABE here to get 25% off these amazing slow cookers (in 3 different sizes!), stainless steel cookie sheets, pots, and pans. At Food Babe, we only promote products we love to use. If you buy a product we link to, we may earn commission.

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They're dropping the hammer on Big Food!

If there's one thing you need to know about your food, it's this:

There's a world of difference between "processed" food and "ultraprocessed" food. 

You can make something like almond butter (for example) with just almonds, and while it's technically a "processed food", it contains no man-made ingredients and is healthy for you. 

On the other hand, you can take a page out of Big Food's playbook, and sell almond butter filled with sugar and hydrogenated seed oils made in a laboratory - which transforms that once healthy almond butter into an ultraprocessed junk food product. 

I want everyone to spot the difference, which is why I regularly post graphics like this on my Instagram.

It's not always easy to spot which products are ultraprocessed because we're being bamboozled with marketing labels on packaging like "All Natural" and "Sugar Free"...which make ultraprocessed products full of junky additives appear healthy.

This is why I'm so excited about a breaking announcement that came out this week…

For the first time in history, our U.S. food regulatory agencies are working on an official definition for "ultraprocessed food".

And the Big Food industry is REELING.

That's because over 70% of the typical American's diet comes from ultraprocessed food like Coca-Cola, Oreos, and Cheez-Its – and most people don't know who detrimental this is.

We're moving one step closer to Americans knowing the truth about ultraprocessed foods, so we can heal our health from the inside.

This will lay the groundwork for future action to spread the truth about what's been done to the American food supply and how we can best take control of our own health.

It doesn't mean that all packaged foods would be demonized…

There is a way to make packaged food without turning it into a science experiment…and Americans will be put on notice to this fact and start demanding better less-processed options. 

I would personally love to see ultraprocessed products change rapidly after the FDA officially defines them as health-damaging…

But if we look at history as an example, the Big Food industry will continue to lie to the public about how damaging these products really are to our health.

I'm so thankful to have our leaders at HHS taking on the Big Food industry in a way that I never thought I'd see in my lifetime.

I started my organic brand Truvani because I was fed up with what the Big Food brands were doing to our food. They don't value our health over their profits. They use crazy man-made ingredients. They use buzzwords to fool us. We can't trust them.

I wanted to change the food industry from the inside, by creating products made from real food without toxins, and without all those unnecessary emulsifiers, thickening agents, synthetic preservatives, dyes, and flavors that you'll find in almost every other product on the shelf.

This is the future! We're proving that we can make our food system better when we put people above profits.

I'm so thankful for all of you who are supporting Truvani - you're showing the processed food companies of the world what you want to see in stores and it's sending a big message.

I'm looking forward to a world where ultraprocessed food is a thing of the past! 

Xo,

Vani

P.S. The semi-annual sale at my favorite beauty brand and partner–100% Pure–ends tomorrow. Now's the time to stock up on your favorite shampoos, soaps, makeup, and other beauty products at up to 70% OFF.

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Is this hiding in your beauty products?

Years ago, I took a hard look at my beauty routine–and what I found shocked me.

The beauty products I trusted–makeup, lotions, shampoos, and soaps–were full of controversial chemicals: hormone disruptors, potential carcinogens, and skin-aging toxins.

Pretty ironic for "beauty" products, right?

It was a major wake-up call.

Since then, I've overhauled my entire routine—ditching risky products and swapping in clean, safer alternatives. 

And I can tell you: It feels SO good knowing I'm no longer exposing myself to dangerous ingredients daily.

Most beauty brands still use harmful chemicals–because they can. 

Beauty products aren't well-regulated in the U.S., and many companies prioritize profits over our health.

Beauty products often contain:

• Parabens, Siloxanes, Triclosan: Linked to hormone disruption
• BHA, BHT, PEGs: Possible carcinogens or developmental toxicants
• Heavy Metals: Like lead that can affect brain health
• Fragrance & Talc: Hiding toxic contaminants
• SLS & SLES: May irritate the skin and eyes

But here's the good news: Safe and effective alternatives DO exist.

I'm so happy I found 100% PURE - a brand that I trust completely.

Here's why I love them:

All 100% PURE products are cruelty-free and totally free of nasty chemicals (no parabens, PEGs, synthetic fragrance, or artificial dyes). 

Instead of toxic dyes, they use fruits and veggies for pigment—packed with antioxidants! How cool is that?

Some of my go-to's:

• Fruit Pigmented Pomegranate Oil Moisturizing Lipstick (Poppy + Primrose are my favorite colors)
• Fruit Pigmented Ultra Lengthening Mascara
• Fruit Pigmented Eye Shadow
• Fruit Pigmented Cherry Up & Cheek Stain (it's so vibrant!)
• Fruit Pigmented Pretty Naked Palette
• Volumizing Conditioner
• Natural Shampoos 

And since 100% PURE is a partner of Food Babe, I had to share this:

They're having a Semi-Annual Sale—up to 70% OFF sitewide until July 31st!

Even if you don't wear makeup, they've got clean shampoos, body scrubs, soaps, and moisturizers too.

Ready to clean up your beauty routine? 

Don't delay as their sale ends this Thursday, July 31st:

Shop the Sale Now

Know someone who needs a beauty bag detox? Forward this email to them! 

Xo, 

Vani

P.S. At Food Babe, we only promote products we love to use. If you buy a product we link to, we may earn commission.

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P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231
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Running Low: NEW Truvani Organic Whey

This is urgent...

Right now, there is an extremely limited availability of USDA Organic grass-fed whey.

And this is a real problem, considering my team and I at Truvani just launched our NEW line of USDA-Organic Whey…

Our whey is made from grass-fed and pasture-raised cows on small USDA Organic family farms. 

Despite the current shortage of USDA Organic grass-fed whey…

We will never compromise on ingredient quality, just to sell more bags. 

So with limited bags available for this initial launch, I highly recommend you order today before we potentially sell out. 

Today is the LAST DAY to get 33% OFF every month of any new whey subscription until YOU decide to cancel.

If not, this offer is gone at midnight. 

At Truvani, we make products with ingredients you can trust. 

The ingredients in Truvani's NEW Organic Whey Protein are FULLY Food Babe approved. 

The ingredients are incredible, but flavor truly is the best part:

• Vanilla that tastes like melted ice cream.
• Strawberry that tastes like a milkshake.
• Chocolate that tastes like brownie batter.
• Chocolate Peanut Butter that tastes like peanut butter cups.
• Unflavored that tastes like… anything you want to create.

So before this shortage gets more serious, call dibs on your favorite flavor today.

Plus, when you start a new subscription, you can claim 33% OFF every single month, until you decide to cancel: Call Dibs on Your Flavor 

Pro Tip: If you sign up for a subscription, not only will you only pay ⅔ the price everyone else does…

But if this whey shortage gets any more serious, our subscribers always get first priority.

And you can cancel any time. 

Xo, 

Vani + Truvani Team

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NEW Truvani Whey: Lighter on Your Stomach

Let me know if you can relate...

In the past, have you tried a whey protein powder that messed with your stomach? 

Or made you feel like you couldn't button your pants? 

No, it's not just you. But it also might not just be "the dairy."

I was in absolute disbelief when I tried my company, Truvani's NEW Organic Whey. 

Many people who have tried it say they've "never had a whey that feels so good before."

I've dived DEEP into what the other guys were doing wrong…

And basically, did the opposite: 

 

3 red flags: Low-Quality Whey, "Natural Flavors," and Sugar Alcohols. 

Some whey brands add Sugar Alcohols, like Xylitol, to lower cost or engineer taste…

But did you know they're known to cause bloating and gas?

Truvani's USDA-Organic Whey is lighter on your stomach because we don't take shortcuts.

We use Organic Whey, Organic Monk Fruit & real organic ingredients for flavor.

You won't just taste the difference, you'll feel it too. 

Try any of our 5 Flavors of Organic Whey today and claim 33% OFF every single month when you start a new subscription. Cancel anytime. 

Some brands use "Natural Flavors" made of 30-50+ ingredients to engineer a single "flavor."

But "Natural flavors" are anything but natural. 

In Truvani's Organic Whey, the flavor in the title is the same flavor in the ingredients list: 

• Vanilla Whey with organic vanilla powder. 
• Chocolate Whey with organic cocoa powder. 
• Strawberry Whey with organic freeze-dried strawberries and strawberry extract. 
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Whey with organic cocoa powder and peanut flour.
• Unflavored Whey made from just one ingredient: organic whey. 

Choose your flavor and claim 33% OFF every single month, until you decide to cancel: CHOOSE YOUR FLAVOR

But hurry! Due to the extremely limited availability of USDA Organic grass-fed whey, order today before we sell out.

Xo, 

Vani

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P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231
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