Sunday, September 1, 2025

The Snacks I Trust for My Family

As a mom, one of the things I take most seriously is what I feed my family. Reading food labels has been second nature to me for as long as I can remember. For years, I was vegan — even through my pregnancy and the early years of raising my son. Back then, I dissected every label to make sure nothing slipped by. Later, when I transitioned away from veganism, that habit of questioning what’s actually in my food didn’t go away. I still do my best to avoid preservatives, artificial dyes, flavorings, and sweeteners. My goal is simple: keep things as real and whole as possible.

But here’s the truth — nothing is ever 100%. You can drive yourself crazy chasing perfection. Instead, I focus on balance, and I ask myself two simple questions: Can I make this? Can I make it better?

Granola is a perfect example. Walk down any cereal aisle and you’ll see boxes designed to catch your eye, make you smile, and tempt you to throw them into your cart. My son knows which ones are off-limits and why (train them young!), so he’ll point to the “healthier” options. But even then, the price is sky-high — and when you look closer, many of those “better-for-you” brands still contain way more sugar and unnecessary ingredients than I’d like. Plus, you have to wonder: if it’s supposed to be wholesome, why does it last forever on a shelf?

That’s when I asked myself, could I make my own?

The answer turned out to be yes — and that’s how my granola story began. I realized I could create something delicious, better for my family, and free from the fillers I didn’t want. Something I could actually trust to put on my son’s plate or grab as a snack on the go.

And that’s still the standard I hold Little Box Homemade to today: food made simply, thoughtfully, and with ingredients you can feel good about.

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

How Little Box Homemade Began

Hi, I’m Ilana — the face (and hands) behind Little Box Homemade.

If you told me a few years ago that I’d be running a granola and snack stand in Michigan, I probably would’ve laughed. At the time, I was just a mom trying to keep my family healthy, mindful of what we put into our bodies. Store-bought granola always frustrated me — unnecessary ingredients, refined sugar, seed oils. I knew I could do better.

So, one afternoon while nannying my niece and nephews, I whipped up a batch of simple peanut butter granola. Nothing fancy, just oats, nut butter, and love. To my surprise, they devoured it — and then asked for more. That’s when I started experimenting with different flavors at home.

Around the same time, I bought my first dehydrator after getting tired of how quickly fresh fruit went bad. Bananas, apples, strawberries — all suddenly transformed into snacks the kids loved. Friends told me their kids (the ones who didn’t touch fruit) were hooked too, saying it tasted just like candy. That feedback lit a spark.

When my family and I moved to Fenton, Michigan, I was inspired by the farm stands I saw everywhere. I’ve always loved that feeling of discovering something local and homemade on the side of the road. With limited space in front of our house, I decided to get creative: I repurposed a free little library box into a stand stocked with granola and dehydrated fruit. That little box — paired with my little home — became Little Box Homemade.

From there, things snowballed. Neighbors became regulars, kids picked their favorite flavors, and word spread. Today, Little Box Homemade is not just a fun project — it’s a growing community. My granola and fruit leathers are now in shops across Michigan, including the legendary Yates Cider Mill. Sometimes I still have to pinch myself.

Little Box Homemade started as a snack for my family. Now it’s here for yours too. Made simply. Made with care. Always made to keep it real.