Late July Organic Snacks

Celebrate!

Here's our perfect recipe for a fun & festive day:

• A refreshing drink
• Slice of lime
• A bag (or two) of our SubLime Multigrain Tortilla Chips
• Sunshine

 Cheers!

 

How Sweet It Is!

 This past fall Whole Foods came to our offices and put together this cool slide show about us! It's a chance to learn a little more about Late July and see us in action! It was especially fun for my sons who are very proud to be part of the company and have been a BIG part of our latest launch into chips (although their hair is a bit shorter now)!  

By the way, the new product we're testing in the video is our latest multigrain tortilla chip - How Sweet Potato It Is! (pictured below) They're certified organic, whole grain, gluten free, non GMO, peanut/tree nut free & delicious just like our original three. As a small, independent, organic brand we truly appreciate it every time you choose to buy one of our products.  

Here's a link to Whole Foods' blog with the complete write up: Whole Story - Supplier Stories: Late July Organic Snacks.  

 

BIG NEWS - Late July launches organic, gluten-free, 100% whole grain chips!!

 
After months of working on them, our new multigrain chips are finally hitting stores!   We have three delicious flavors:

Sea Salt by the Seashore

 
 Mild Green Mojo

 
  & Dude Ranch 

  
Along with winning Best New Product at the 2010 Natural Product's Expo, these new chips are also 100% Whole Grain, certified gluten free, peanut/tree nut free and give 10% of profits to the American Camp Association for summer camp scholarships for kids in need!  

Please ask the store manager where you regularly shop to bring them in!  We're excited to hear what you think! 

Spring has sprung and no one is happier than Late July!

  
I can't believe we made it!  We love many things about the arrival of Spring, but we are especially excited because it marks the return of my family's organic garden.  We're getting more confident this year and the new issue of Organic Gardening magazine from our friends at Rodale has my head spinning with ideas.  My sons and I are determined to grow organic watermelons (with the help of some advice shared by Marty Mesh, a fellow Organic Trade Association board member & organic watermelon expert, among other things).  He told me all the things I had done wrong in the past and that it was essential to use sugar baby seeds and most importantly, to start them in a greenhouse because the climate on Cape Cod would make it too difficult to ensure enough hot growing days.  Luckily, my son's school has an organic greenhouse, so we're going for it!  Delicious organic watermelons (full of big ole seeds) have been sadly missing from our weekend beach picnics, but this is all going to change in 2010.  Wish us luck!

In other Spring news:  We've set up some great deals at retailers all around the country in March on our mini sandwich crackers and in April our mini sandwich cookies!

Also, don't forget to fan Late July on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! 

Now it's just another 90 days or so until the 1st day of summer, but I won't get ahead of myself!  Happy Spring, everyone! 

Cookies for Santa!

  Watching Unwrapped the other night I was surprised to learn that Oreos are the most popular cookies left out for Santa!  So the boys and I, along with some of our facebook fans, were thinking maybe Santa would like something organic this year.  

Hope everyone is having a holiday season filled with peace, love and joy!  See you in 2010!

Organic Vanilla - Food for thought while you bake this holiday season.

I wait all year for the first weekend in December to make my first batch of holiday cookies.  Now my youngest son, and sometimes my oldest will bake with me.  Everyone's favorite part is always adding the vanilla extract.  I've always been obsessed with vanilla and it seems I've passed it on because the vanilla is the only part the boys will fight over.  This obsession meant I had to get the vanilla for our Vanilla Bean with Green Tea cookies just right. 

Vanilla, grown from a beautiful orchid, is one of the most complex flavors in the world containing over 150 aromatic components.  It also has to be hand pollinated and the pods must be hand harvested which accounts for the high cost. Every pod is examined daily to determine when it's ready to harvest because they ripen individually.  Each vanilla region has a distinct flavor and after sampling all the vanillas, I concluded that Madagascar was my favorite for its rich, less smokey flavor.  My testing also reaffirmed my love for the seeds which we ultimately included in Late July's blend. 

In the end, I found a supplier even more passionate about vanilla than I am, Lemur International.  Not only did their vanilla have the best flavor, but their commitment to sustainability and giving back to the growers at the farming cooperative in Madagascar was impressive.

I consider it a great honor to make food for other people, whether it's holiday cookies with my sons or on a larger scale through Late July and the ingredients that go into both are what make the end result special.  Every ingredient has a story and I'm always willing to share ours.  If you're ever curious about any of our other ingredients just email us.  Happy baking!  

WIN a signed copy of Dr. Jane Goodall's New Book!

I've tried to raise my sons to have a strong bond with animals and nature and to treat all living things with respect.  This is one of the reasons we were so excited to work with Dr. Jane Goodall and decided to donate profits from our new mini cookies to her institute.  Late July worked with Dr. Goodall to choose seven animals for our new cookies out of the many wonderful stories of hope in her new book. Through this experience we learned that the efforts of just one person can sometimes be enough to save an entire species. After much deliberation we selected the red wolf, leatherback sea turtle, chimpanzee, Sumatran rhino, giant panda, pygmy rabbit and the black footed ferret - all of which have been brought back from the brink of extinction through the efforts of dedicated individuals like Dr. Goodall. 

 

We have always believed that giving back needs to be a central part of Late July and doing this project with the Jane Goodall Institute has allowed us to support a long time personal hero of mine.  We are currently looking for other individuals like Dr. Goodall with charitable organizations to work with for our next new products and would love to hear your suggestions! 

For a chance to win a signed copy of Hope For The Animals, email us at offers@latejuly.com or post a comment on our facebook page describing a person or an organization you think we should consider and why.  Please put "Late July should support" in the subject line or comment. One entry will win the book, but all entries will receive Late July coupons (be sure to include your mailing address in the email). Deadline is October 31st.

"These delightful cookies are delicious, and they're making a difference!  Each day, with every choice you make, you can make a difference too-even when you're at the local market. These cookies will not only educate parents and children about endangered species, but they'll help the Institute continue its critical work." -Dr. Jane Goodall

Back to School 2009!

It's official, my family was on time every day for the 1st week of school.  I'd like to think it was my careful planning that made it possible, but I think it was more likely the fact that both sons were so excited they were waiting by the door 15 minutes early each day!  On the lunch box front, I thought I'd share their top lunch box favorites from week one.  Please tell us your success stories too, as a busy mom I could use the help.  I usually start to run out of creative ideas by week 3!    Share your ideas in a comment at latejuly.com or on our facebook page.  Our favorite will get a free Late July lunch bag filled with snacks and a coupon for a box of free mini cookies! 

1.  Homemade banana muffins - I baked a batch on Sunday and packed them as their snack Mon & Tues.

2.  Late July Mini Sandwich Cookies - Milk Chocolate Variety.  These are my youngest son's favorite!

3.  Oatmeal Bread Italians - Rudy's Organic Oatmeal Bread, Applegate Organic Ham, Organic Valley Cheese, Cascadian Farms Pickles, Bionatura Olive Oil, Spectrum Red Wine Vinegar & a dash of Simply Organic Garlic Salt.  For my preschooler (not my 1st grader!) I used a cookie cutter to make a car shape.   

4.  Either an Organic Valley String Cheese or Stonyfield Yogurt Tube each day.  Tip from our friends at Stonyfield: freeze the yogurt tube overnight and let it thaw in the lunchbox! 

5.  Late July Rich Crackers, Mini Apple Slices and Organic Sunbutter in a little container.

6.  Cucumber Sushi Rolls - The cucumbers were from our garden!  I made these for dinner the night before. 

Hope everyone's school year is off to a great start!

Proudly Introducing!!! Organic Mini Whole Grain Sandwich Cookies!!!

 

 

My two young sons and I created these new mini cookies together.  I wanted them to have whole grains and calcium and they wanted them to help animals!  I've tried to raise my sons to have a strong bond with animals and nature and to treat all living things with respect.  Continuing to nurture this bond is why we decided to feature endangered animals on our new cookies, why we're donating 10% of profits to the Jane Goodall Institute and why we only produce USDA certified organic products. 

 

We hope you enjoy our deliciously Good cookies:

Good Source of Whole Grains (8g per serving)! 

Good Source of Calcium (10% DV)!

Good for the Earth - Organic!

"Good For All" Seal - Dr. Jane Goodall's seal for ethically produced products!

 

Our new cookies will begin appearing on store shelves over the next few weeks.  Be sure to beg your local store to order them!  Also, we will be posting more about our amazing partner, The Jane Goodall Institute, their Roots & Shoots program and information about each of the endangered animals on our cookies so check back.

 

To learn more about our ingredients or to see the nutrition facts click here to download an information sheet or call 888-85-SNACK. 

 

Late July's Ingredients - The Highest Standard

Every time I look at my two children I think about what an honor it is for people to give our snacks to their children.  That is why my family and I have decided to be as transparent as possible about the ingredients we use in our products.  My family's over 25 years of experience in the food industry has given us incredible insight and we think everyone has a right to know exactly where their food is coming from.  Once a month we will choose an ingredient to spotlight and describe in detail where it comes from and how it's made.