Review and Giveaway: Vermont Smoke and Cure RealSticks

As a Vermonter, I always love when I find something wonderful that I can put in lunches that is also from Vermont.  I've found just that in Vermont Smoke and Cure.

The wonderful folks over at Vermont Smoke and Cure were kind enough to send me a variety pack of their delicious RealSticks.

RealSticks are made with real meat, flavored with real spices.  There is nothing artificial added, and they have 50% less fat and 40% less salt than most other snack sticks.  That makes me pretty happy about packing them in lunches for the kids (and snacking on them myself).  If you are sensitive to gluten, you don't have to worry - these RealSticks are gluten free.

They have wonderful flavors, too - Chipotle Beef & Pork, BBQ Beef, Ancho Turkey, Uncured Turkey Pepperoni, Cracked Pepper Beef & Pork, and Honey Mustard Turkey.

The Chipotle was the only one that was a little spicy for the kids.  They like all of the other flavors.

My only wish was that they were a little smaller and could fit into the Easylunchbox without cutting them up, but that's a pretty minor complaint.

They would be great for a hiking snack, too.  I think I'll keep some on hand for extra energy during those hikes.

They ship, so you could order your own stock of the RealSticks, or you could also peruse some of Vermont Smoke and Cure's great other products - they have some phenomenal looking bacon, ham, sausages, and summer sausages, as well as gift boxes and even t-shirts and hats to show your love.  You could get some really great gifts for people on your list, and who doesn't love the gift of delicious food?

Now for the fun part - the good folks over at Vermont Smoke and Cure have offered to give one of my lucky readers their very own RealStick variety pack!  Enter on the Rafflecopter below, and good luck.

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Review and Giveaway: Matkins

Sometimes, kids are not the cleanest of eaters.  School cafeteria tables can be sticky and not the nicest place to set your apple.  Wouldn't a placemat be nice?

How about Matkins?  They are a reusable, stain resistant, portable, and - best of all - cute!

A while back, Matkins sent me a Matkin for each of the kiddos to review.  Each Matkin features a placemat (about 10" x 14", so most lunchboxes will fit nicely on it), a Minikin (a little washable napkin), and a Poppet (a little pouch to stow the Minikin in).

The Matkins roll up easily and have a little ribbon to tie them shut, so you can pop them right in a lunchbox (or a purse, if they are for you!).  They are washing machine and dryer safe, so you can easily clean up any spills.

We love all the different designs that the Matkins come in, and the kids had fun picking theirs out.  Just in time for Back-to-School, Matkins is offering a 2-for-$25 deal (a savings of $7), and you can also get a whole week's worth of Matkins for $65 (a savings of $15) by using the code WEEK at checkout.

They even offer personalization with embroidery!

Now for the fun part - Matkins has offered to send one lucky reader their Matkins of choice!  Simply enter on the Rafflecopter below.

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(US residents only, please.  See Rafflecopter for full terms and conditions.)

Review & Giveaway: Fun to Eat Fruit!

It should come as no surprise to any of my readers that we all love fruit around here.  A while ago, I received a really neat product to review - Fun to Eat Fruit!

They send apples (pears are also available) that are printed with fun, food-safe designs.  You can even get your own logo printed!

The apples come in really cool packaging - a tube, with padding between each fruit, that is virtually bruise proof.  Anyone who has ever tried to send apples through the mail should appreciate this.  The tubes are packed securely in triangular boxes.  The Girl's gerbils have appreciated those boxes - though they are not picky when it comes to cardboard.  Really, the added bonus of the cardboard is that it adds another level of padding to ensure that your fruit arrives to you in good shape.

The Girl took this picture at school for her own blog, and said I could use it

We really enjoyed the happy little apples - and they were nice fruit, too.  That's the really important thing - how did they taste, and did the kids like them.  The answer is YES on both counts!

Now for the fun part - the nice people at Fun to Eat Fruit have agreed to send one lucky reader two tubes of printed fruit! Simply enter on the Rafflecopter below, and good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway Stay tuned - I will have another review and giveaway coming soon!

Review: The Better Chip

A while ago, I was given the opportunity to try out some great new snacks from The Better Chip.  They contain all natural ingredients and fresh vegetables.  Sounded good to me!  They are also gluten free, which isn't a big deal for my family, but I know it is hard for many on a gluten free diet to find decent snacks.

They come in five different flavors.

Image courtesy The Better Chip

The Jalapeno chips were delicious for me, and for my friends with more adult palate, but they were too spicy for the kids.  They would be amazing with guacamole or a seven layer dip.

Image courtesy The Better Chip

Lunch featuring Red Pepper Chips from The Better Chip

The Red Pepper were also a bit challenging for the children, but I really liked them a lot.

Image courtesy The Better Chip

A very green lunch featuring Spinach & Kale chips from The Better Chip

I think the all-around favorite were the Spinach and Kale chips.  The kids gobbled them down and enjoyed them in their lunches, and I love how packed with veggies they are.

Image courtesy The Better Chip

A lunch featuring The Better Chip corn chips

The Corn chips were not your every day corn chip.  They were slightly sweet and crispy and simply delightful.  They didn't taste greasy at all.

Image courtesy The Better Chip

Finally, the Sweet Onion chips.  These were also a hit.  They are the only non-vegan option, as they have white cheddar in them.  I could eat these all day - and my kids, who claim not to like onions, liked them a lot, too.

 There is a store locator on their website, but if you can't find them locally, you can get them on Amazon.  I plan on stocking up on them, and I hope that you give them a try, too.  It's fun to have a snack that you feel good about giving your family.

Disclaimer: I was sent a sample box from The Better Chip to try out free of charge, but was in no other way compensated for my opinion. All opinions are my own.

Review & Giveaway: Robicelli's: A Love Story, with Cupcakes Cookbook

This is part of what I hope to make into a week or so of giveaways. Stay tuned - I have a lot of great things to share with you. Don't miss my Weelicious Lunches and Dick & Jane Educational Snacks Giveaways! 

I am going to post lunches separate from this review & giveaway, because I wasn't making cupcakes to send in the kids' lunches, no matter how much they would have appreciated them.  When I was asked if I wanted to review the Robicelli's Cupcake cookbook, I of course jumped at the chance, but I didn't know that it would be anything more than your standard, run of the mill cupcake cookbook.

Image courtesy Robicelli's

I can't remember the last time I read a cookbook front to back.  Robicelli's: A Love Story, with Cupcakes is a great read.  It is laugh out loud funny, often irreverent, never shying away from coarse language, I found myself stopping and reading sections aloud to The Hubby.  And, to top it all off, there are recipes - recipes I want to make right now.  French Buttercream in many variations, American "Buttercream," if you must, but really... try the French.

On the top of my list to try are the Dom Deluise (a cannoli inspired cupcake), the Butterbrew cupcake (inspired by a certain boy wizard - The Girl is begging me to make these), and the Carrot Cake Cupcake.  These need to happen.  I already promised a friend I would make the Dom Deluise for her upcoming birthday.

I would count this as a memoir with recipes.  Chronicling the lives and relationship of the Allison and Matt Robicelli, this book makes me want to go back to New York City, and maybe check out Brooklyn instead of just eating my way through Manhattan like last time.

They eschew fondant, food coloring, and cutesy decorations, instead sticking with serious culinary feats, like their famous Chicken & Waffle Cupcake, and making a Buffalo Chicken Cupcake something you actually want to try.  They don't simply make wacky flavors, but delve into the many cultures surrounding them in Brooklyn to find inspiration.  And also, the Golden Girls are represented.

In addition, there is a very funny and informative introduction about ingredients, equipment, and more.  The butter section in particular had me guffawing.

Let it be said that this is NOT a cookbook to hand to the kids and tell them to go to town.  The language is sometimes such that a sailor would blush, and the recipes are complicated (though they do have a one, two, or three whisk difficulty rating).  However, for a good, curl up on the couch and maybe drool a little kind of read, and for some truly crave-worthy looking recipes (I cannot wait to try them!), this cookbook is a masterpiece.  I can't wait to make some real French Buttercream.

Now for the fun part - one lucky ready will win a copy of Robicelli's: A Love Story, With Cupcakes.  Simply enter on the rafflecopter below and good luck!
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Be sure to check back on the blog for the rest of the week for more reviews and giveaways!

Lunches: 11.6.13 - PLUS Dick & Jane Educational Snacks Review & Giveaway!

This is part of what I hope to make into a week or so of giveaways. Stay tuned - I have a lot of great things to share with you.  Don't miss my Weelicious Lunches Giveaway!

Educational Snacks?  Count me in!  I was at the store and saw Dick & Jane Educational Snacks and knew they would be a great fit in our lunches.  The wonderful people at Dick & Jane agreed to send me some snacks to try out, and I have to say, they are a hit.

They have three varieties of snacks:
                    - US Presidents
                    - State & Capitals
                    - English & Spanish

The imprints are detailed and easy to read, and the kids love the lightly sweet vanilla flavor.  I also like that they are made with all natural ingredients, and to my readers who may have allergies in the family, they are nut free.

Presidential Snacks

Each box has a matching game on the back, and The Boy has taken off with the empty boxes to play the games.  He loves matching things.

States and Capitals

Living so close to Quebec, I wish that they had an English/French edition, though I realize Spanish is more prevalent throughout most of the country.  And how cool would math facts be?  Maybe someday... The Boy, my little list maker, particularly liked the state capitals, and The Girl's teacher asked me where we got them.  I'd say that's a positive.

When schools don't always teach things like presidents and states and their capitals, and when, at least in our area, the only second language kids generally get before junior high comes in the form of Dora the Explorer, having a delicious snack with some educational value can't be a bad thing.

Also super cool?  Dick & Jane Baking Company are supporting schools.  A portion of their proceeds go to Adopt-a-Classroom.  Literally putting their money where our mouths are.

I wish that they had more flavors - and maybe a savory line of crackers instead of just cookies.  These aren't super sweet, but it would be nice to change things up sometimes.

Kielbasa & apple skewers: 3g, remaining apple: 4g, fruit snacks: 15g, Educational snacks: 12g, yogurt: 12g

For Tuesday lunches, the kids both have some State Capital snacks.  The Boy also has some kielbasa skewered with apple slices, along with some fruit snacks he got for Halloween, the rest of his apple, and a yogurt. His snack is applesauce (not pictured, 15g).

The Girl has kielbasa skewered with roasted brussels sprouts, with some honey mustard for dipping, along with her State Capital snacks, yogurt covered raisins, yogurt, and apple slices.  Her snack is a banana (not pictured)

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Now for the fun part.  Want to try Dick & Jane Educational snacks out for yourself?  Enter on the rafflecopter below!!

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Be sure to check back on the blog for the rest of the week for more reviews and giveaways!

Lunches: 11.4.13 - PLUS Weelicious Lunches Review and Giveaway!

This is the start of what I hope to make into a week or so of giveaways.  Stay tuned - I have a lot of great things to share with you.

I don't know if you have seen Weelicious, but I sure have.  She has some really great ideas on her blog, and wen I saw she was releasing a lunch cookbook, Weelicious Lunches, I jumped at the chance to review it.  Overall, I am very pleased and can recommend this book.

Her introduction is great and lines up with how I like to feed my kids - with plenty of choices and variety, including interesting fruits and veggies.  In the beginning of the cookbook, there are a couple of gorgeous full-color spreads of different fruits and vegetables, as well as protein and grain options.

I am a bit disappointed that my favorite, Easylunchboxes, are not included in the book, but you can't have everything.

When it comes to the recipes in the book, there are a lot of them that I have marked to try.  The Boy really wanted me to make the melon mint salad, but then said that he didn't like the lemon juice, and he didn't particularly like the mint.  He's more of a melon purist.  I thought it was yummy.  I think Weelicious' children (and yes, I know her name is Catherine) really must enjoy sour flavors, because she uses a lot of pickles, and includes pickle juice and lemon juice in many recipes.  My kiddos are sadly anti-pickle at this point, though I do keep offering.

Some other recipes that looked worth trying are her beet & carrot salad (wonder if I could get the kids to eat raw beets?), ooey gooey mozzarella pesto melt (what's not to like in this picture?), avocado honey dip (sounds interesting), caramelized onion dip (because... caramelized onions), whole grain fruit-filled bars (seriously need to make these!), and more.

For my Weelicious inspired lunches, I made her couscous-carrot-raisin salad, along with my own version of her cinnamon roll "sushi" = I used some cream cheese that I whipped a little pureed pumpkin and maple syrup into, because we were out of honey, and I wanted to use pumpkin, as I had opened a can for dinner yesterday.  I tried an extra roll, and they are delicious.  I think the lunches will go over well.

Couscous-carrot-raisin salad: 15g, apple slices: 4g, cinnamon roll "sushi" - 30g, yogurt raisins: 16g, Cheez-its: 10g

The Boy also has apple slices, Scrabble Cheez-its, and yogurt raisins in his lunch.  His snack is applesauce  (not pictured, 15g)

The Girl also has Beet crisps from the store, yogurt raisins, and apple slices.  Her snack is a banana (not pictured)

A really nice feature about the Weelicious Lunches book is that there is a whole section with ideas of things to put in various lunches - from non-themed lunches, to things like Valentine's Day, Spring Fling, Retro Lunch, and Halloween Happiness, as well as a great chart about which recipes are safe for allergies and sensitivities.

Weelicious has generously offered to send a copy of Weelicious Lunches to one lucky reader.  Enter on the Rafflecopter below, and good luck!
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Be sure to check back on the blog for the rest of the week for more reviews and giveaways!

Review: GoGreenLunchBox

You know I love playing with lunchboxes.  I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting products to check out.  A while back, I was lucky enough to receive a GoGreenLunchBox to review.  I am happy to report that it has joined the ranks of one of the favorites in the house!

The box is significantly larger than my normal lunchbox.  (The dimensions are 13" x 8" x 2 1/2".) Because of this, and because he needed his own lunchbox, I've used the GoGreenLunchBox only for The Hubby so far. 

The box comes with a small water bottle, which is really handy (though it is on the small side and The Hubby refills it several times a day).

The really neat thing about the GoGreenLunchBox is that the compartments are leak proof.  I am able to pack yogurt for him in one of the compartments without worrying about any leakage.

The large compartment is great for salads.  

The one thing The Hubby said that he wishes for would be removable, microwaveable compartments.  GoGreenLunchBox does not have that.  The GoGreenLunchBox is also not dishwasher safe.  The container is BPA Free polypropylene with food grade silicone gaskets.

The carrying bag is really cute (I got the cherry pattern, but there are many available), and I really like the dry erase board to write notes to The Hubby for his lunchtime enjoyment.

Overall, the GoGreenLunchBox is a box that I can recommend.  It is fun to pack in, and is big enough for a grown-up lunch.  I think The Girl could also use it happily, though it is bigger than her current lunch box and would be heavy to carry in a backpack.  I think it would be much too much food for The Boy.  For now, it's all for The Hubby!

Review: Cedar's Mediterranean Foods

A while back, I received some coupons from Cedar's Meditteranean Food to try out their products.  I was thrilled.  We all love hommus in the house, and we knew about their wraps and enjoy them, but what I wasn't aware of before I went looking in the grocery store was how many other different delicious products they make!

First off, the hommus.  They have a huge selection of flavors, including some all natural and organic options.  With my coupon, I picked up the original, since that is always a winner.  We love it as a dip, as a spread on sandwiches (or wraps!), or as an ingredient.  I love that it comes in so many flavors - the garlic one is so delicious!

We have loved the Cedar's wraps for a while.  They make great vehicles for roll-ups or quesadillas, and I love all the variety available. 

The pita chips are also delicious - they come in five different flavors.  I got the ranch with our coupon, and I have also tried the plain.  Fantastic, crunchy, and not that bad for you (a serving is only 100 calories! Bonus). 

Before receiving the coupons, I did not know that Cedar's also had such a variety of salads!  I tried the chickpea salad, the Israeli couscous salad, and the black bean salad.  With just a little spice, they were really delicious and they would make a good quick meal, or a quick addition to lunches, if you don't have the time (or the desire) to make your own.

Image courtesy Cedar's

They also have a variety of different flavors of tzatziki, which I like as a dip, or as a spread on a wrap or a sandwich.  I picked up the artichoke spinach tzatziki and love it.  On top of that, they have salsas, which are fresh tasting and yummy.  Someone saw mine and asked if I made it myself. 

Overall, I am very pleased with the offering from Cedar's, and I will buy them again.  Check out their Facebook page - there might be discounts or coupons occasionally, and if nothing else, there will be recipes and ideas.

Disclaimer:  I received coupons for free Cedar's products, but it was no other way compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.

Culinary Adventure: Dragonfruit

I went to an Asian market the other day and saw dragonfruit.  I couldn't resist.  I've never had dragonfruit itself.  I think I've had dragonfruit "flavored" things, but you know the dragonfruit is pretty far down on the list...

So, I decided we should embark on this culinary adventure as a family.  I'd like to do this more often - pick something we've never tried and try it. 

From what I read on the internet, dragonfruit has a mild flavor, almost like a mixture between pear and kiwi, and have plenty of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, potassium... and on and on... some claim some serious health benefits.  I don't think it's magical.  I do think it costs $5/lb, so it isn't something we'll be enjoying very often, but...

When it came time to try it, I sliced it open to reveal the beautiful black spotted, white flesh of the fruit.  Alas, the most gorgeous part of the fruit, that glorious skin, is not edible.  Into the garbage it went.  I also have read about using the skin as a serving dish for the fruit.

Each of us took a small piece to taste.

The Hubby was not impressed.  He thought that the flavor would be more ... something.  For being such a bright fruit, he expected a bright flavor.  The Boy agreed with The Hubby.

The Girl and I liked it.  It does have a very mild flavor, almost grassy in the aftertaste.  I cubed up the remaining fruit and put it in a container in the fridge.  It should keep for a while.  I made a little fruit salad for The Girl with dragonfruit, kiwi, and a little honey and cinnamon.  That went over very well. 

What is the last new fruit or vegetable you tried?  And I wonder what I'll find next for us to try...

Review: Petit Amuse

Don't miss your chance to enter my MOMables giveaway!

A while back, I was contacted by a new company called Petit Amuse.  They offer artisan food sample boxes.  This monthly box business seems to be taking off recently, so I was of course interested in finding out more.

There are some things that set Petit Amuse apart from a lot of the other companies.  Their sample box is $10/month, which is an incredible value.  They actually take a loss on their sample boxes, which usually have a value of about $20.  Another thing that is really neat about Petit Amuse is that they sell full sizes of the products from their sample boxes in their Marketplace.  They also focus on small batch, artisan products.  Some of these items can be hard to find outside their local area, so it's neat to be introduced to things you might not have available to you otherwise.  You can also filter according to allergen or dietary preferences.  I think that's pretty neat.

Do you want to know what was in my sample box?

(I'm playing with a new photo editing program, so I hope that you like it!)

Of course I had to take a little nibble of everything.  I'll share with the kids later.  (Except for the Ice Wine Jelly.  That's mine.)

Speaking of the Ice Wine Jelly, I had a little bit on a homemade graham cracker.  It was definitely winey - and slightly sweet and totally delicious.  It would be wonderful on water crackers maybe with some brie.  Oh, the possibilities.

Next, I had a small piece of the Garuka Bar, which is from Vermont.  I've never seen it around here, so it must be a relatively small company.  It is made with raw Vermont honey, among other yummy ingredients.  I kind of want to search them out in my area, since they are from here. It is kind of gooey, so it might have a hard time on a hike or the like, but as a snack it is delicious.

The cha cha chocolate was a surprise.  At first bite, it was a nice rich chocolate cookie, not too sweet.  But then came the heat.  It was a nice little zing.  Probably not for the kids, but it was fun for me!

I have made chocolate chip rosemary shortbread before and really loved them.  The salted rosemary shortbread from my Petit Amuse box was more savory, and I don't know that I would qualify them as "cookies."  They are definitely buttery, with a good shortbread texture, but they are not crackers.  Yummy, though!

Finally, and probably my favorite, was the Oogie's Sundried Tomato & Parmesan popcorn.  I had a really hard time not gobbling it all up and not leaving any for the kids.  BUT - I promised.  So a small handful had to be enough for me (for now).  They also have some other flavors that I would love to try - I mean, Smoked Gouda!  I am already tempted to add some of this popcorn to my cart and go to town!

So, if you want to discover some fun flavors at a great price, many of which are eminently lunch box friendly, why not check out Petit Amuse?  (And buy some popcorn.  Seriously..)

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary Petit Amuse sample box to review, but was otherwise in no way compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.

Review: Modes4U - Bento Supply Shop & More!

A while back, I was contacted by Modes4u.com, and they offered to send me a couple of their items to check out and review here.  Always excited to play with new toys, I jumped at the chance.

The shop has a very diverse stock, but what I am most interested in, and what I think you will be most interested in, is their Bento supplies.  I had the opportunity to pick some things to try out, and it was a hard decision. 

Modes4u does ship from Hong Kong, so shipping takes about 5-15 business days.  They have a very detailed breakdown of their shipping costs, and if you spend over $78, your shipping is free.  I don't think it would be that hard to get to that level.   You can also pay for express shipping at a flat rate of $27.30 for your entire order.

They have a great variety of not only boxes, but also things like forks and sauce containers and silicone molds and the like.  A person could totally go crazy...

In addition to all of the bento items, they also carry really adorable fabric, bags (some bento bags!), craft supplies, and much more.

How cute is this???

I was totally drawn to the Building Block boxes... so I chose to get some in green sauce size.  The kids are a little in love with them!  They are just the right size for a little dressing or sauce, and they have a decently tight seal.  I wouldn't put anything too liquid in them, but for salad dressing or the like, they work well.

I've had my eye on this Little Red Riding Hood design for a while.  I decided to try out the small round container, because I knew it would fit in my beloved Easy Lunchbox. 

That wolf looks positively jolly!

It is so cute!

It also has a pretty sturdy lid.  It would be good for things like yogurt, I think (at least my pretty thick yogurt..)


I hope that you check out Modes4u and see what they have to offer.  I, for one, was impressed!


Disclaimer:  Modes4u generously provided me with the items for review without cost to me.  Other than receiving the products, I was in no way compensated for this review.