Today is….wait for it….National Strawberry Picking Day. And since it’s peak strawberry eating season (April – June), these little bursts of natural sweetness make the perfect afterschool or anytime snack. And so to celebrate, we’re hand-picking (pun intended) our top 5 things to dip strawberries into…once they’ve been picked, of course.

1. Tillamook French Vanilla Bean Yogurt – Light and naturally sweet, it’s like they were made for each other!

2. Lemon Curd – Tart, sweet…perfect. If you’re like us and believe everything tastes better with lemon curd, then this is a must try.

3. Peanut Butter – Give your apples a break and try something a little more seasonal with this yummy ode to PB&J.

4. Tillamook Sour Cream + Dark Brown Sugar – For the cheesecake lover in all of us, this is the perfect bite sized treat.

5. Nutella – Few things are simpler or more delicious than this decadent combo of chocolate, hazelnut, and strawberries.

How do you dip? Let us know at Facebook.com/Tillamook or on Twitter @TillamookCheese.

By Tillamook

It’s that time of year again! It’s time to pack away your winter clothes and celebrate the arrival of spring. Out with the old and in with the new. It’s time to say goodbye to those mystery leftovers on the top shelf and give your fridge the TLC it deserves. As the temperature begins to rise, you might find yourself spending more and more time outside of the house and busy as ever! Solution!? Create a snack drawer in your fridge for easy on-the-go options! The idea came from a friend of mine with two busy kids. While there aren’t any kids running around my house, I’m not ashamed to admit this tip works great for any age!

Designate a drawer and stock it with Tilla-Moos, or cheeses that you’ve pre-sliced and cubed in serving size containers or baggies. I’ve also got a variety of Tillamook Yogurt and some veggies that I’ve pre-cut, washed, and bagged in mine.

What’s your favorite grab-and-go snack!?

By Amalya

Let’s face it. Kids can be picky eaters and that makes meal time extra hard. When my kids only want to eat cereal for weeks on end, it’s hard not to just give in at some point. There are loads of tricky ways to sneak in vegetables but I have found myself going crazy trying to figure that all out. I finally stumbled across the theory of options. It turns out, when I give my kids a choice between multiple healthy foods, they are more likely to pick one. Armed with this knowledge, I’ve been able to gain back a whole lot of time I use to spend stressing in front of the fridge.

I now keep little bags of cut up veggies in the fridge. Each bag is a different vegetable and I let my kids pick out which bag they are going to eat. Here are some more tips from Tillamook fans for keeping variety in the kitchen:

1. “Just to mix it up I sometimes create a ‘cheese platter’ for my 8 year old son. He loves the idea of sampling all his favorite Tillamook cheese’s with a variety of crackers. I even put it on a special platter just for him.” – Audrey Arcuri

2. “I always buy red and green grapes at the store. When I put both colors of grapes on my son’s plate, he always seems to eat more, thinking they are different.” – Carol Gragg

3. “I take a few different Tillamook Yogurt flavors and layer them in a little glass jars for my kids. They love to see all the colors and they have fun trying to eat them separately or mixing them all together.” – The Tillamook Team

4. “When I make my kids sandwiches, I cut them in four sections and put a different flavor of Tillamook Cheese in each. My kids always take one bite from each and then spend lunch time talking about what section they like the most.” – Linda Warren

What tips do you use to get your kids eating healthy meals?

By Kelly

With the holiday season over, the kids are heading back to school. College kids are packing up all the clean laundry they did while home and hitting the road back to late night study sessions, cramped dorm rooms, and frozen pizza meals. To make sure your college kid starts their winter term off on the right foot, here are few Tillamook care package ideas:

1. Who doesn’t love getting food in the mail? College kids may appreciate a good gift box most of all. The Tillamook Online Shop has cheese filled Gift Boxes for all the Tillamook fans far from home. If your college kid can’t get Tillamook at school, these boxes can be the perfect reminder of home and you.

2. College students seem to live in comfy t-shirts, grabbing whatever is “almost” clean to toss on before class. Sending a new clean tee is a great way to say, I’m thinking of you.

3. Everyone loves a surprise! A Tillamom recently told me she hid a loaf of her son’s favorite Tillamook Cheese with a note in his car before he left for college. The first thing he did after unpacking his car was to call his mom. “I know it was the cheese but I like to think he called because he already missed me.”

4. Once your college kid moves out of the dorms and into their first place, it can be the first time they are in charge of all the cooking. Sending them the Tillamook Cookbook is a great way to help them get a handle on yummy tasty meals that remind them of home.

5. Tilla-Moos are not just for little kids. Big kids love quick delicious snacks that are easily stuffed in backpacks for hunger stopping moments in class. You can send a big bag of Tilla-Moos to your big kid at the Online Shop.

By Kelly

This tasty recipe comes from Chelsea Day of the family blog Someday I’ll Learn, where Chelsea and her husband tackle domestic life, including cooking, cleaning, parenting, organization, money management and more…one day at a time! They aim to simplify life for other busy parents with helpful tips and a healthy dose of reality.

Overview
These cook up quickly and use just a few ingredients for an easy appetizer with bold flavor. The fancy-looking white cheddar cups are sure to impress at a Sunday brunch or even as a light dinner on a warm evening.

Ingredients
8 oz package Tillamook Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 cup mixed spinach, bok choy and baby greens
1 granny smith apple, diced
¼ cup sugared almonds, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette

Preparation
Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Spread a small handful of cheese in a 4-inch circle in the center of the skillet and cook over medium heat until crispy, approximately one minute. Flip with a spatula and cook approximately 15 seconds more.

Gently place cheese crisp in muffin tin to form a cheese cup. Let cool completely. Repeat with remaining cheese to make 8 cheese cups.

In a medium bowl, combine spinach mixture, apple, almonds, olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. Divide spinach mixture equally among cheese cups and serve.

About Chelsea:
Tips for stress-free home entertaining:
The best recipes are actually quite simple, with the correct mixture of just a few tasty components. Invest in high-quality ingredients to simplify the cooking process. When you let good food stand for itself, you’d be amazed how easily a dish comes together.

Kitchen advice for other moms and dads:
Families are so busy nowadays that mealtime can become a huge stressor. Don’t guilt yourself into trying to make everything perfect or from scratch. Allow yourself a few shortcuts to keep cooking fun, and remember that it’s all about quality time spent together.

Follow Chelsea online:
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By Tillamook

Does anyone else have a hard time getting healthy school lunches ready for their kids each week? It’s hard to find the time to prepare lunches kids will eat, let alone lunches that are good for them! Tillamoms and Tilladads are here to help! Fans from all over the country have sent in their quick meal tips and, along with a few of our own, we have compiled our favorites here to you and your Tillakids. We are always looking for more ideas, so send any quick & healthy lunch ideas our way!!

“The best way to get my picky kids to eat a healthy lunch is to pack them a container of lunch meat, Tillamook cheese slices, and crackers. Tons healthier than a Lunchable and I don’t have to feel guilty about feeding it to them! ” – Me Too

“I make mozzarella and apple sandwiches the night before. They are perfect for kid’s lunches and making them the night before allows the flavors time to mingle and get extra yummy!” – Kelly Sanders

“My kids love making things. So, I give them jars of Banana Vanilla Yogurt and then little bags of things they can stir into the yogurt. Some of my kids favorites are cereal, oatmeal, chocolate chips, and fresh fruit.” – The Tillamook Team

“I freeze Light Marionberry Yogurt cups to put in my children’s lunch boxes. They help keep everything cold and by their lunch time, they are thawed enough to eat! My children love it!” – Pamela Summers

“I love making homemade trail mix! You can control how nutritious it is and your kids can have fun making it.” – Amalya Haver

“By the middle of the week, I put a note in their school [lunch] letting them know what fun thing we have planned for the weekend. It makes them happy and gives them something to look forward to.” – Mary Kay Janssen

“I make homemade popcorn on Sunday night. I put it in little baggies that can be added to lunches all week long. The best part is, I add Shredded Italian Blend cheese or other tasty toppings to make each bag a little different.” – The Tillamook Team

By Kelly

This colorful heart-felt treat is sure to win the heart of kids everywhere.

I love dessert! Who doesn’t? I love eating dessert, thinking about dessert, and making up new desserts! So, when I recently invited the neighborhood kids over for a little get together I was in my element! While I have a serious found spot for the sweeter things in life, I don’t ignore the need to be healthy! So, I concentrated my dessert search to something that includes Tillamook Yogurt! Tillamook Yogurt is all natural with no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners! That’s a whole lot of natural yum in one spot! Here’s how I determine if a dessert recipe meets my standards:

My check list
- Tastes good
- Looks good
- Is good for you

While on the computer I came across this blog post and I knew I stumbled onto something good! It met all my stated standards and, frankly, how can a kid not love a rainbow colored dessert. I changed the recipe slightly, using Tillamook Vanilla Bean Yogurt instead of sour cream to make it more dessert like and less salad like. You can use any Tillamook Yogurt flavor but I liked the idea of using something white to make the JELL-O layers pop!

Use any colors you want, make the dessert in any shape that fits your party, and have a healthy treat you can feel good about sharing with the kids in your life!

By Kelly

The final bell on summer is about to ring and with school getting underway, it’s time to think about healthy back to school eating! We want you to share your healthy–eating tips for your Tillakid! For every healthy tip shared, Tillamook will donate $10 to Feeding America.

You can help us make a big difference! Every dollar donated to Feeding America helps provide 8 meals to families struggling with hunger, supplying food to more than 37 million Americans annually.

Share all your on-the-go breakfast pointers, brown-bag breakthroughs, after-school snack inspiration, and speedy school-night dinner tips. For every tip you share from August 27 to September 14, Tillamook will donate $10 to Feeding America and you’ll be entered to win a backpack full of all-natural Tillamook goodies! Have fun & be creative! We cannot wait to see what Tillamook tips you have to share!

How To Enter and Submit Your Healthy Tips

Have a great Back to School healthy-eating tip? Here’s how to enter:

Visit our Back to School Contest page on Facebook to enter! We’ve provided the rules for how to enter below but please remember to enter through our Facebook page!

You can submit a written tip, attach a photo, or share link to a YouTube video. Before you go to our Facebook page to enter, make sure you have the following information ready.

Your name:

Name of your tip OR recipe (this should be short!):

Description of your tip OR recipe:

Ingredients (if recipe):

Preparation (if recipe):

Written:
If you are submitting a written tip or recipe, you’re done!

Photo:
Don’t forget to attach your photo to this email before hitting send! Jpg format works best and photos should be high resolution and 500 pixels wide if possible.

Video:
Don’t forget to include the URL to your YouTube video in the email! Since videos can be very large files, we only accept submissions via YouTube link.

Have questions? Read the official rules here: http://www.tillamook.com/backtoschoolcontest.html or email us fans@Tillamook.com.

Last day to submit tips is Friday, September 14. We’ll announce the winners of our grand prize and the total funds raised to help support Feeding America on September 17.

By Loafy

Plain yogurt isn’t a new idea, but up until recently, making recipes with plain yogurt was a foreign idea to me. Turns out, Tillamook Naturally Plain Yogurt is a great way to add flair to homemade sauces and keep all sorts of food moist while they cook. There are so many ideas for recipes with plain yogurt that I don’t have enough room to share them all here! But here’s a list to give you inspiration: 

Try using plain yogurt in these recipes:

Muffins – Plain yogurt will keep homemade muffins nice and moist.
Smoothies – The smooth creamy taste makes smoothies that much better! Add a dash of milk for extra smoothness.
Cake – Plain yogurt makes cakes moist and delicious.
Cookies – Yum!
Baked Potatoes – Plain yogurt can be used as a garnish.
Mix with Fruit – use a few spoonfuls to add some protein and make a healthy snack!
Soups – Plain yogurt works as a main ingredient or just a garnish on top.
Sauces – Curries, pestos, yogurt dill sauces (great over chicken or fish), Tzaziki sauce, enchilada sauce… I could go on…
Marinating – Marinating food in plain yogurt keeps food nice and moist during cooking.
Dips – For vegetables, chip dips, and more!
Bread – Plain yogurt will do wonders for texture and moisture.
Dressing – Plain yogurt dressing is perfect for a fruit salad, leafy green salad, potato salad, and more!
Quiche – Try plain yogurt as an ingredient in the filling.
Strata – Use plain yogurt to make the creme fraiche in this strata recipe.

I could go on, but this should be enough to get you going. In many recipes, plain yogurt can even be a substitute for sour cream, mayonnaise, cream cheese, or cream! Do you have any favorite recipes with plain yogurt? How do you use plain yogurt in the kitchen?

By Laura

Mac 'n' Cheese Sushi

According to the Huffington Post, mac ‘n’ cheese might just be the latest tasty trend. Add some creativity to this classic comfort food by trying it in 10 unconvential ways, like mac ‘n’ cheese pizza and mac ‘n’ cheese burritos.

By Tara