Alexandria Mom Feeds Kids Nationwide

Alexandria, VA – Mom Made Foods has a new product, the Lunchwich, and it is sweeping grocery aisles and virtual classrooms across America. A prepackaged sandwich, the Lunchwich is made with no artificial ingredients and is designed to be kept frozen, thawing perfectly for your child to enjoy at lunchtime.

Heather Stouffer began Mom Made Foods in May 2006 at the Del Ray Farmers’ Market. The inspiration for starting her business came from the void in the market for convenient and healthy prepackaged foods. “I have always had a passion for kids and nutrition,” she says. “I appreciated what my mom did for me. As a working mom, she always tried to have healthy food on the table.”

With a mission to provide artificial-ingredient-and-preservative-free, good-for-you foods, Mom Made Foods launched with frozen baby food. One year later, they introduced whole foods for kids. Today, the menu has expanded to include popular meatball bites, several tasty noodle dishes, and their new Lunchwich.

The meatballs are free of antibiotics and low in sodium. Bite-sized, high protein, and delicious, the frozen meatballs are Mom Made Foods’ most popular menu item.

The Lunchwich boasts simplicity and flavor. “We try to make food prep so easy kids can do it themselves,” says Heather. Available in four simple, satisfying flavors—peanut butter and grape jam, cheddar, cheddar and turkey, and cheddar and mozzarella—the Lunchwich is designed to keep kids happy and healthy. But what makes it stand out is its nutrition label. “One of my big theories—well, it’s not a theory, it’s the truth—is that food is fuel. Kids need protein. Hot dogs, chicken nuggets? It gets old,” she adds.

Along with balanced protein and carbohydrates, all Mom Made Foods products are full of vitamins, minerals, and vegetables. Available in four simple, satisfying flavors—peanut butter and grape jam, cheddar, cheddar and turkey, and cheddar and mozzarella—the Lunchwich is designed to keep kids happy and healthy.

Mom Made Foods partners with manufacturers who have supplier relations within the U.S to create their recipes. “We look to source locally and we always look at ingredients,” says Heather. But to perfect the Lunchwich flavors, Heather went to the experts for taste-testing—her children! “My kids are the ultimate guinea pigs. Because kids are the target, I am interested in their feedback.”

Mom Made Foods continued with extensive taste testing among 50 children to narrow down their flavors to the current selection. When asked how kids have responded to the Lunchwich, Heather says, “They love the taste. The flavors are simple and kids like simple.”

Mom Made Foods’ mission is not only to bring easy, healthy choices to family kitchens, but also to bring kids together in these times of social distancing. COVID-19 has impacted the way children learn and the way they socialize. “They are not doing nearly as well as they could if they were in school, but they are powering through,” says Heather. As kids break for lunch in front of their laptops, Lunchwiches provide ease, connection, and perhaps nostalgia during this new normal.

COVID-19 has “greatly impacted every angle of the business,” Heather says, “from supplier delays to issues with freight availability, to slower decisions for new products and orders. Nothing is certain.” She has adjusted to this new normal with the support of her friends, neighbors, and fellow small businesses. “We’re proud to be an Alexandria-based company,” she says.

But while based in Alexandria, Mom Made Foods ships to the 48 continental states from its website (mommadefoods.com/shop). You can also find their products at select grocers like Whole Foods and Giant, and online at Amazon.com and Kroger.com.

A trusted Alexandria brand, Mom Made Foods is always brainstorming for new recipes and products to continue to satisfy its customers wherever they may be.

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