Van's Offers Tasty, Better-For-You Summer Meals In A Snap

VERNON, Calif., July 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In summer, when regular family mealtimes, bedtimes and routines often go out the window, healthy eating can be especially challenging. Van's Natural Foods, the leader in better-for-you breakfast and snack foods, wants to make creating nutritious and delicious summer meals and snacks even easier with simple go-to recipes.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130711/DA45691LOGO)

These on-the-go, nutritious recipes feature a variety of Van's gluten-free offerings, helping parents create tasty meals and snacks for the whole family to enjoy. Each of these easy-to-make recipes also complement some of summer's most popular activities – from kicking off a morning at day camp, to winding up a day spent at the pool or beach or even stress-free snacking during family car trips. The following recipes are courtesy of Van's lifestyle guest bloggers Alysa Bajaneru of InspiredRD.com, Bree Hester of BakedBree.com and Silvana Nardone of SilvanasKitchen.com:

• Banana Breakfast Cookies – This recipe combines crispy Van's Honey Nut Crunch Cereal, named as "Best Gluten-Free Cereal" in SELF Magazine's 2013 Healthy Food Awards, with ripe bananas in a delicious, fun cookie for the perfect breakfast on the go. Van's new cereals offer a full serving of whole grains and 5 grams of fiber, and both flavors are made with whole grains, including gluten-free oats, brown rice, millet, quinoa and amaranth.
• Summertime Honey Nut Crunch Mix – Offering the perfect on-the-go snack, this tasty treat features peanuts, chocolate-covered sunflower seeds, honey and Van's Honey Nut Crunch Cereal. This snack is a wholesome and nutritious alternative to traditional summertime sweets.
• Easy Waffle Sloppy Joes – Busy summer days often need an easy but filling meal, and these Waffle Sloppy Joes that combine Van's Gluten Free Totally Natural Waffles with lean ground turkey and fresh veggies are a quick fix. Filled with flavor, this nutrient-packed dish will be a dinnertime favorite for parents and kids alike.
• Easy Ice Cream Wafflewiches – A nutritious, gluten-free twist on the classic summer treat, wafflewiches made with Van's gluten-free waffles, such as Ancient Grains Waffles, packed with nutrient-rich whole grains and fiber, or Gluten Free Totally Natural, and a scoop of any favorite gluten-free ice cream in between are a tasty, easy dessert sure to cool down even the hottest summer day.

"No matter what the season, Van's offers better nutrition on the go for the whole family," said Van's Vice-President of Marketing Sarah Meis. "Our mission is to make healthy eating so delicious that people – especially kids – don't even realize they're getting gluten-free, nutrient rich goodness in every bite."

For more information and recipes, go to www.Vansfoods.com or to www.facebook.com/vansfoods.

About Van's
Van's Natural Foods, based in Southern California, is the market leader in gluten-free and allergy-friendly, natural and organic frozen breakfast and snack foods including waffles, pancakes, French toast sticks, English muffins, hot cereal, cereal, crackers and snack bars. Available at grocery stores and natural food retailers nationwide, Van's product lines include Gluten Free, Power Grains Protein, 8 Whole Grains, Organic, Lite, Minis and Belgian waffles. For more information, please visit www.vansfoods.com.

SOURCE Van’s Natural Foods