5 Ways Del Monte Fruit Burst Squeezers & Mango Fruit Cups Make Healthy Snacking Easy

The Del Monte products, information, gift pack, and gift card have been provided by Del Monte for the purpose of a product review and for a reader giveaway. All opinions expressed are my own.

Del Monte is a trusted company because they produce quality products that families have loved for over a century. Their newest products, Del Monte Fruit Burst Squeezers and Del Monte Mango and Mango Pineapple Fruit Cups, are delicious, nutritious, and make my life much easier for many reasons . . .

1. They are a healthy, natural snack that I am happy to see my kids eating. With high-fructose corn syrup being a prominent substance in most packaged foods, it makes me happy that these Del Monte foods are free of that.

2. They are tasty and therefore, we like to eat them. It’s rare for my kids to like anything that is healthy, so I love that they not only eat these, but also ask for them and actually crave them. This is a craving I am happy to indulge.

3. They are not messy. The Fruit Burst Squeezers come in a handy pouch so there is absolutely no mess to eating them and the Fruit Cups just require removing the plastic covering and then they are ready to eat. I like to drain some of the juice from them before giving to the kids so we don’t end up with the occasional spilled fruit juice.

4. They are convenient! Even if we are rushing out of the house, I can tell my boys to grab a Fruit Squeezer pouch to eat in the car. I know they won’t end up sticky and they will get a precise 1-1/2 servings of pureed fruit filled with Vitamins A and C. The Fruit Cups are slightly less convenient for eating on the go, but it’s still easier for them to pack the snack cup and a spoon to enjoy a snack away from home (at the park, on a field trip, etc . . . ) than it is to cut and store fresh fruit and to keep it chilled. And the convenience of the pre-portioned sizes cannot be overlooked either.

5. Some varieties of Fruit Squeezers have vegetables in them too. You can’t taste the veggies at all, but it’s great that my children are getting those vital nutrients without all the complaining about not liking vegetables.

We are really happy with these yummy Del Monte products. You can purchase Del Monte Fruit Burst Squeezers and Del Monte Mango Fruit Cups at Walmart. To learn more about these and other Del Monte products, visit www.delmonte.com.

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This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

Help Mom Steal Some Relaxing Moments with the DOLE Fruit Crisp Cozy Kit

Thank you to DOLE for providing a complimentary Cozy Kit for us to base this review upon and for providing a second Cozy Kit for our contest prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

DOLE is a long time leader in producing commercial, canned fruits and I think most people are familiar with the company. They use only the best fruits in their products so you can be assured they will taste great and be healthy too. Their new Fruit Crisp line adds more to their great products to give you even more ways to eat healthy. DOLE sent me a “Cozy Kit”, which included an infinity scarf, a pair of comfy socks, an apple-scented candle, and, of course, three packages of DOLE Fruit Crisp to try out in honor of Mother's Day.

DOLE Fruit Crisp are delicious and highly satisfying pre-packaged bowls of fruit in natural fruit sauce that come with a topping of oats and brown sugar to give it some crunch, fiber, and extra flavor. They come in three varieties: apple cinnamon, apple pear, and peach. All three are made with all-natural fruit, whole grain oats, and are rich in vitamin C which is a natural immune system booster. They can be eaten straight out of the cabinet or fridge, or heated up in the microwave for a warm and tasty treat.

Recently we have overhauled our eating habits and DOLE Fruit Crisp have become a staple in my house to satisfy my sweet tooth. I like eating them warm and it truly makes me feel like I’ve had dessert, but only for 160 calories. They truly are delicious, the fruit tastes fresh and ripe, and the crunchy oats definitely give it the extra flavor to make them feel like more than another bowl of fruit. My personal favorite is the apple cinnamon, but I like the other two flavors a lot as well.

If you're putting together a care package for your favorite mom this Mother's Day, consider including Dole Fruit Crisp cups in her favorite flavor in place of less healthy treats.  DOLE Fruit Crisp can be purchased at most grocery stores nationwide. To learn more about them, visit www.dole.com.

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Living Green With Jerinda: Somersaults Snacks . . . Crunchy Natural Sunflower Seed Nuggets

Healthy snacks are always good to have on hand, so when Somersault Snack Co. offered us their new sunflower seed snacks, I was happy to get a chance to try them. Somersault Snack Co. is harnessing the power of seeds in their bite-sized nuggets designed for healthy, protein-filled, on-the-go snacking.

These delicious snacks are offered in five all-natural flavors: Pacific Sea Salt, Salty Pepper, Santa Fe Salsa, Dutch Cocoa, and the brand new Cinnamon Crunch. Each of these flavors are very tasty and each serving packs the same amount of protein as a handful of almonds, but with half the fat. We all really enjoyed trying the different varieties and each found one that we particularly liked. They are yummy, easy to take along anywhere, filling, healthy, and unique. Plus, they are nut free and filled with many vitamins and nutrients.

(Click image to enlarge)

Somersaults are by retailers, such as Amazon.com, Whole Foods, CostPlus, Caribou Coffee, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Fred Meyer, and the Vitamin Shoppe, nationwide. For more information about these snacks, including finding a retailer near you, visit their website at www.somersaultsnackco.com or the Somersault Snacks Facebook page.

Thank you to Somersault Snack Co. for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon.

Libby's Single Serve Fruit Cups

 When I pack my children's lunches for school, I always try to include a healthy snack for them to enjoy after they have finished their main meal.  Sometimes I give them something crunchy like pretzels, but I know they often crave something on the sweet side.  Rather than include sugary snacks like pudding or gelatin, I like to give them something better for them, such as these 6oz Libby's Single Serve Fruit Cups.  Our children do not see these snack cups any differently than they do pudding or gelatin.  They just know that it is sweet and they love the taste.  They do not really care that the fruit is good for them and only has 120 calories per cup.  It's tough to get children to eat the recommended four servings of fruits and vegetables every day.  These fruit cups help to sneak in an extra serving during lunchtime, even when your children are away from you.

More about Libby's Single Serve Fruit Cups . . .

• Four varieties are available . . . diced peaches, diced pears, mixed fruit and cherry mixed fruit
• The fruit is California-grown
• There are no unhealthy additives
• Each individual 6oz fruit cup retails for $.99 to $1.39
• Can be purchased at most major supermarkets

To learn more about Libby's products, visit www.GetBackToTheTable.com and Libby's Table on Facebook.

Thank you to Libby's Fruits & Vegetables for providing a prize pack for our contest prize and for sending my family a prize pack as a thank you for taking the time to participate in this campaign.


The Libby's Single Serve Fruit Cups School Lunch Prize Pack contains the following:

• Bee Zoo Lunchies Lunchbox
• Red Snack Taxi Reusable Snack/Sandwich Bag
• Silver Lunchbots Duo Stainless Steel Food Container
• Libby's Single Serve Fruit Cups

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Giveaway: Healthier Snacking with Orville Redenbacher's SmartPop! Popcorn (10 Winners) [CLOSED]

When I was pregnant with our first son, I remember making my husband pull into a movie theater we were driving by because I had a sudden craving for popcorn.  I have always enjoyed it, pregnant or not.  In fact, I have been known to eat a whole full-size bag of microwave popcorn on my own.  Yes, I felt guilty about it, but that did not stop me from doing it again.

I am so thankful that I was introduced to Orville Redenbacher's SmartPop! popcorn.  I could not wait to try it because this popcorn is 100% whole grain, has zero grams of trans fat, and it is only 100 calories per 6 cups of popcorn!  Have you ever tried the many 100-calorie snacks out there?  The portions are usually tiny and you are rarely satisfied after finishing it.  One 2.7oz Pop Up Bowl of SmartPop! makes approximately 7.5 cups of popcorn.  Since I have begun to replace my usual snacks with SmartPop! as part of a "Healthy Snack Challenge", I was actually surprised to find that I have been eating less than 6 cups of popcorn, which means that my snacks have been less than 100 calories each.  And because SmartPop! is a good source of fiber and is 94% fat free, I probably would not feel guilty even if I do finish the whole bag by myself.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

One thing that is especially cool about the SmartPop! is that it is available in these Pop Up Bowls.  Our children love watching the popcorn pop through the translucent top and bottom of the popping bag.  Although it takes a little finesse to pull the plastic off the top without spilling the popcorn, these bowls make it much easier to share.  I do like the healthy snacking aspect of this popcorn, but I have loved sitting down and sharing a Pop Up Bowl of popcorn with my oldest son.  We would eat and talk with just the two of us and those moments just do not happen often enough.

I should mention that each kernel pops up big and fluffy and there were hardly any unpopped kernels at the bottom of the bag.  As instructed by the packaging, we did not use the Popcorn setting on our microwave.  We tried the Butter variety of SmartPop!, which our son, who is not a fan of extra butter, thought was perfect.  I think I personally would like a tiny bit more butter flavor.

To learn more about Orville Redenbacher's SmartPop!, visit Orville.com and Orville Redenbacher's on Facebook, where you can snag product coupons and play a super-fun game called Pop Cam where you use your webcam to munch on the falling popcorn on your computer screen.


I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Orville and received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for my participation.


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Review: Sargento FridgePack String Cheese . . . a New Staple Food at Our House

Our first grader has three snacks a day . . . one during class mid-morning, one with his school lunch (unless he buys that day), and one when he gets home from school.  It has become more and more difficult to offer him variety and still give him relatively healthy snacks 3 times per day 5 days a week.  One of his classmates has a peanut allergy, so anything with peanut butter is out.  My son use to love Smartfood cheese popcorn, but now he has grown tired of it from having it so often.  My other usual go-to snacks are granola bars and cheese with crackers.

I recently added another food to my go-to snack list . . . Sargento String Cheese.  All three of my children and my husband unanimously agree that it is their favorite out of all the Sargento FridgePacks we tried.  My husband puts them in his lunch cooler and I can pack them with an ice pack in my son's lunch bag.  I'm so happy to have another healthy snack option to help me steer clear from serving chips and cookies so often.

These new cheese FridgePacks from Sargento fit perfectly on the bottom shelf of our refrigerator.  I usually keep juice boxes and small bottles of spring water in the bottom right drawer so that the children can help themselves.  These FridgePacks helped to grow my little kid-friendly section of the refrigerator.  Anything that will promote our three children become more independent is a plus in my book.

Sargento FridgePack cheeses currently come in four varieties . . . String Cheese, Light String Cheese, Mild Cheddar, and Colby-Jack.  Each one comes with 18 individually wrapped units of cheese.  They retail for approximately $6.99 each and you should be able to find them at your local grocery store or most places where Sargento products are sold.


I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Sargento and received product samples and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Review: New Variety of Kellogg's FiberPlus Bars with Antioxidants

Kellogg’s is a household name nowadays and comes with a product you are accustomed to being high quality. I was recently sent the newest flavor of their FiberPlus bar collection, Caramel Coconut Fudge. True to Kellogg’s form, these granola bars are delicious. They are rich and chocolaty with just enough of a hint of coconut to make them even better. Even my husband and kids liked them, and they aren’t huge fans of coconut. Plus, they offer 35% of your daily fiber, 7 grams of whole grains, and the antioxidants vitamin E and zinc. These would make a great quick breakfast, snack, or in a kids lunch. It’s a perfect, filling snack for on the go.

Currently the Kellogg’s Fiber Plus bars come in three flavors; chocolate chip, dark chocolate almond, and chocolatey peanut butter, but the newest flavor Caramel Coconut Fudge is due to hit the market at the end of this month.

You can purchase Kellogg’s Fiber Plus bars at most major grocers nationwide.


Thank you to Kellogg's for providing us with a complimentary product sample to base this review upon.

3 New Varieties of SoyJoy Bars plus a Chance to Win $1,000

My husband is one of the most anti-health food people in the world. When I told him that there were samples of the new moister SoyJoy bars coming, you should have seen the look on his face. Of course, he had never tried this product before and just made up his mind that anything with the word "soy" in the name would not be right for him. Was he ever wrong!

We received two each of SoyJoy's new varieties to try . . . blueberry, banana, and strawberry. These bars are baked whole soy and fruit. The consistency is somewhat like a spongy muffin. Because my husband is such a huge fan of banana bread, his favorite was the Banana. He was utterly shocked at how much he enjoyed it. Our 3yr old twins did not care for SoyJoy bars, but our 6yr old son did very much. After trying his first SoyJoy bar ever, he did not hesitate to say "yes" when I asked him if he also wanted to take one for a school snack the following day.

You should be able to find SoyJoy bars at your local supermarket and drug stores, such as Walgreens and Rite Aid. For a limited time, you can register to receive a Buy 2 Get 1 Free SoyJoy coupon on SoyJoy.com .

Through October 3rd, 2010 you can enter to win one of three $1,000 prizes in the SoyJoy Second Chances Contest. All you need to do is submit a 100-word written story or a 30-second video telling the story about a time when you did not make the best first impression, but everything turned out great when you were given a second chance. Voting continues from the beginning of the contest through October 10th. Click here for the official contest rules.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of SOYJOY and received samples of their nutritional bars to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Giveaway & Review: Simply Go-Gurt Prize Pack [CLOSED]

Our 6yr old has been a fan of yogurt since he was an infant. Now that he's a kindergartner, things have not changed. Yoplait Go-Gurt has quickly turned into a favorite of his and his friends. In fact, they opt for a Go-Gurt over a snack pack of cookies without hesitation. The special Spongebob summer edition containing Strawberry Riptide & Bikini Bottom Berry was a huge hit with my son and his friends. I am going to have to try freezing those for when the weather gets hot.

To celebrate the New Simply Go-Gurt line, which is free of artificial sweeteners, flavoring, and coloring, the first 30 readers to click on the widget below, will be able to try a box for free! After the first 30, any additional readers can snag a coupon to save $1.10 off a Simply Go-Gurt product. (The coupon for free product is not valid in California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota and Tennessee.)

You should be able to find Yoplait Go-Gurt and Simply Go-Gurt products wherever Yoplait products are sold.

Thank you to MyBlogSpark for providing a product sample, information, and a prize pack free of charge for us to base this review upon and for providing another prize pack for our contest prize on behalf of Yoplait.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a prize pack containing a coupon for a free Go-Gurt product, a pocket Etch a Sketch, a weekly planner and a seat back organizer.

Limitations:

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:

Leave a comment telling me how you simplify your life, especially on the days when your family is on the go. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND Simply Go-Gurt. Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

4) Friend me on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For 2 extra entries, share the link to this contest post on Facebook. Then leave TWO separate comments with the link to your Facebook profile.

6) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9) Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

10) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

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(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Thursday, May 6th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

Giveaway & Review: Yoplait Greek Yogurt ($20 Stop & Shop GC) [CLOSED]

Just when you thought Yoplait had all varieties of yogurt covered, they come up with something new. The latest Yoplait yogurt product is Yoplait Greek yogurt. This new fat free product provides 23% of the daily recommended amount of protein per cup.

Yoplait Greek comes in four varieties . . . strawberry, blueberry, honey vanilla, and plain. This yogurt has a texture similar to cottage cheese, so it would be perfect for using as a cooking ingredient. You can find Yoplait Greek yogurt recipes for appetizers, entrees, baked goods, and desserts on YoplaitGreek.com .

Yoplait Greek yogurt is available at Stop & Shop and most places where Yoplait products are sold. Click on this link to snag a $.30 coupon off one cup of Yoplait Greek. That's $.60 off if your supermarket doubles coupons under $1.00 .

Thank you to MyBlogSpark for providing a sample gift pack (yogurt, gift card, and product information) on behalf of Yoplait and Stop & Shop free of charge to base this review upon and for providing an additional prize pack for our contest prize.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive coupons good for 4 free cups of Yoplait Greek yogurt plus a $20 Stop & Shop gift card to try out one of the recipes.

Limitations:

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:

Scroll through the list of recipes found on the Yoplait Greek website. Then leave a comment telling me which recipe looks like something you might like to try. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND YoplaitGreek.com . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

4) Friend me on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For 2 extra entries, share the link to this contest post on Facebook. Then leave TWO separate comments with the link to your Facebook profile.

6) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9) Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

10) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

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(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Monday, April 12th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

Giveaway & Review: Sunsweet Dried Plum Ones (5 Winners) [CLOSED]

When I was little, my mother use to give me dried plums for treats. Those were very fond memories for me. I liked them so much that I don't think I believed my mother when she told me they were good for me. They just tasted too good. They were sweet, but not too sweet. Plus they were sticky and that made them seem even more like candy to me.

Sunsweet Ones are individually wrapped pitted dried plums that are fat free and contain antioxidants. Throw in high levels of potassium plus fiber and probiotics and this healthy snack qualifies as a "super fruit".

I was very curious to see if my own children would enjoy eating these California prunes as much as I did (and still do). I am happy to report that all three of my children, toddlers and kindergartner alike, enjoyed Sunsweet Ones very much. We were able to offer them in place of fruit snacks without any protests.



Take two minutes to find out why prunes are considered to be Super Fruit:

I think Sunsweet Ones would make a great alternative to candy in stockings or in gift baskets this holiday. They come in an attractive package and you can feel good about gifting something that is a healthy snack.

You can purchase Sunsweet products at the Sunsweet Store and at your local supermarkets.


This post was written as part of a program for Family Review Network and Sunsweet Ones, who provided the product for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.



What you can win:
FIVE lucky readers will each receive a voucher for a free Sunsweet product plus a Sunsweet reusable tote bag.



Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.


How to Gain Entries:
Read the list of reasons why prunes are a "super fruit". Then leave a comment telling me which of those reasons is most important to you. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND Pop-A-Prune.com . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

4) Friend me on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For 2 extra entries, share the link to this contest post on Facebook, making sure to show a thumbnail of the product or the sponsor's logo. Then leave TWO separate comments with the link to your Facebook profile.

6) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

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(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed on Monday, November 30th, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

My Photos (W/E 11-14-09)

I took more photos than I could count this past week. I must not have been at the top of my game because I only found three to be worth sharing.

"Scootin' Along"

"Spill It!"

"You So Silly Mama"

Thank you for taking the time to view my photos this week! If you'd like to play along or see more great photos, stop by to see Lotus at Sarcastic Mom.