Ranch Apple-Bacon Coleslaw {Hidden Valley Ranch & Lunch Break for Kids}

I am so excited to be a part of and share with all of you my great readers about Lunch Break for Kids with Hidden Valley Ranch.  Lunch Break for Kids is a national fundraiser to highlight ways for parents and kids to come together with chefs and schools to learn more about how simple, good food can make healthier bodies and stronger family connections.

Click on the location tab here  for a local Lunch Break for Kids fundraiser or a Childhood Nutrition Day volunteer location in your area to join, or start one of your own.

As a mom I have always had so much fun making my kids breakfast in the morning before school, and then being creative with their lunches too. Here are a few FUN first day of school photos from years past. Even though my daughters are off at college now and I just have my little guy left (he is in 8th grade, how did that happen?), I do try and be as creative as possible with him (but my twins were so much better at trying new things, he is kind of a creature of habit and enjoys the SAME thing everyday). But, I will tell you ALL of my kids love Hidden Valley Ranch, it's pretty much a staple at every meal (almost).

I think my little guys favorite thing would be cucumbers and ranch (pizza and ranch is up there too), but if we are going for healthy then cucumbers and ranch would be his thing (he won't eat carrots or celery or broccoli or anything else on the veggie try), but give him a whole cucumber and he will go to town. He loves tomatoes too, it's funny in Kindergarten his teacher would be so amazed that he would bring a whole tomato in his lunch pail, she really thought it was a very rich red apple, and when she discovered it was a tomato she was speechless. He still loves those tomatoes, the grape tomatoes are his favorite. He can pop those in his mouth like they are candy (yep, happy mama), and he use to love avocados, although that phase has faded a little I was extremely happy when he use to want avocados over ice cream.

Today, I wanted to share with you a quick Hidden Valley Ranch Apple-Bacon Coleslaw that I created for a quick and easy healthy veggie snack in your kids lunch boxes (or mom's lunch box too).

Ranch Apple-Bacon Coleslaw
created by me, Tina Hudgens

1 head of cabbage
4 celery stalks, diced
1/4 cup diced green onions (or less)
2 red apples, unpeeled and diced
1 tsp lemon juice
3/4 cup Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp sugar (optional)
4 slices crisp cooked bacon, crumbled

Shred or finely dice a head of cabbage and add to a large bowl. Take your diced celery and add to the bowl, chopped your red apples with the skin on, as it allows for great color in your coleslaw and toss this with the lemon juice before adding it to the bowl. Pour in the ranch dressing, apple cider vinegar, sugar and the bacon. Mix together and refrigerate for at least an hour (or overnight) before serving. I like to package these up into small individual containers like shown below to make a perfect addition to your kids lunch or for a quick grab for an after school snack.

"Part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program"

The Hidden Valley® Original Ranch®, dressings & dips has provided me with free product to help with my review, but anything I receive from Hidden Valley does not affect my thoughts on its company or their product.