Rave & Review

Healthy meals in minutes with NUK FreshFoods Cook-n-Blend Baby Food Maker

My kids love baby food.  Basically, if it’s pureed, they will eat it.  They may not gobble up spinach and squash on its own, but if it’s in baby food form, they devour it.

But, while jarred, canned, and pouched baby food certainly is convenient, when you’re working within a budget and have two kids eating baby food, or if you want to know every single thing that goes into your baby’s mouth, making your own baby food really is the way to go.  So, for the past 4 years or so I’ve been making nearly all of our baby foods.     

It used to be that making my own baby food was kind of a pain… and really messy.  This was mostly due to the fact that I needed different containers for prepping, cooking, mashing and/or blending, but also it just felt like it was always a learning curve and sometimes the food was too thick, sometimes too thin, and most of the time it was more trouble than it was worth. 

But, that was before we found all-in-one baby food makers that make feeding your children nutritious foods easier than ever.  The NUK Freshfoods Cook-n-Blend is the newest baby food maker to hit the market, and it’s now my go-to tot dinner solution.  So, now instead of fighting the kids to eat their veggies, I just serve them in pureed form and they think it’s a treat.

I’ve been a fan of Annabel Karmel for years now and have numerous of her cookbooks and baby food prep items, so I was thrilled to hear that she had partnered with NUK USA to make the Freshfoods line.  I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Cook-n-Blend Baby Food Maker as part of campaign through Moms Meet to try it out ourselves. 

And, after trying it in my kitchen with my little testers for the past two weeks, I found that using it to make our baby food solves a lot of the problems I was running into in the past.  For one, it’s really simple to use since it’s truly all-in-one.  While it is simple and easy to use, it should be noted that it does have one extra step than other all-in-one units, but this extra step is also what makes it special.  

To get started, all you need is washed and cut up fruits and veggies, and enough water to fill the reservoir on the cooking unit.  When you’re ready to cook, just remove the cooking bowl and lid from the base, add your food to the steam bowl inside the main bowl, and then return the bowl to the base.  One your food is in the steam basket, you simply turn the dial, and press the green button to start. 

When your food is done steaming and the water reservoir is empty, the Cook-n-Blend will beep to let you know it’s done, and then you just let it cool for a few minutes.  Once it’s cool enough, you simply remove the steam basket with the included spatula to separate the food from the cooking liquid, which you can either discard or save for your recipe, and then put the steamed food back in the main bowl to puree and select whether you would like it smooth or chunky and then let it do all the work for you.

But, here’s where the NUK FreshFoods Cook-n-Blend excels at making baby food making simple and easy but still being able to retain control of the cooking and blending process.  Remember how you had cooking liquid left over after the foods steamed?  Well, now’s the time to either add those back in or discard, depending on what stage your child is at. 

You can simply pulse the knob to add extra liquids in, or you can give it extra time blending for a smoother texture, or conversely, you can only do short pulses to blend to give a chunky texture.  Since my kids are older and I like to be able to make their food to order, I love that this gives me the option to make thicker foods for them, but still be able to thin them out for when we’re babysitting or when thinner is better {think sauces and desserts}. 

And, with the large cooking bowl I sometimes make things other than baby food in the Cook-n-Blend, like smoothies, applesauce for the family, and basically anything that requires blending.  Or, if I am only making baby food, I can make up to 4 servings at once and freeze any extras for later.  Since the cooking bowl, steamer and accessories are all dishwasher safe, it’s super easy to use it and clean it without having to handwash everything or having it take over the entire dishwasher.

If you’ve been hesitating about making the switch to doing your own homemade baby food, I would highly suggest trying out the Nuk Freshfoods Cook-n-Blend.  In addition to being completely simple to use, it also gives you the most amount of options to fit your child’s age and stage, as well as being a much bigger bowl that other single-serving baby food makers. 

Trust me when I say that baby food making with the NUK FreshFoods Cook-n-Blend is not nearly as intimidating as you might think – it’s all very intuitive, the instructions are easy to follow, and it comes with a great baby food cookbook from Annabel Karmel to get you started experimenting.  Even though it may sound like more work than buying canned or jarred foods, it’s really quite fast and easy and the NUK Cook-n-Blend really does it all for you!

A big thank you to Moms Meet for sending the NUK Freshfoods Cook-n-Blend baby food maker to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

We Love the Kiddy Platter by Smarty Parents

When you’re talking gear for young children, all parents want the same thing: quality products that truly last.  Well, four years ago we reviewed something called a Piggy Platter here on the site and to this day it’s still one of our most frequently used items in our home.  Four years, people – that’s a whole lot of use! 

And, in the past four years we have used the Piggy Platter nearly every single day, and sometimes we use it numerous times each day for mealtime, craft time, and play time.  This isn’t to say we haven’t tried other similar products.  In fact, we’ve been given numerous other tray and table attachments throughout the years to try out.  But we always return to the trusty tray from Smarty Parents and end up donating the other brands. 

So, when Smarty Parents contacted us and let us know they had created a new and improved Kiddy Platter, you can bet we said yes.  With our little guy more and more interested in coming to the table, it was actually perfect timing as we needed a new tray in the next few months.  

Like the Piggy Platter, the Kiddy Platter is a dishwasher-safe, BPA-free, phthalate-free, and PVC-free rectangular 16" wide x 12" deep tray.  It has a raised edge on the top for handling small spills and for corralling crayons and pens and keeping messes contained.  Along the front of the Kiddy Platter tray is a 2” rubber spill guard made of pliable silicone to help bridge the gap between table and mouth.  To hold it all in place on the table is a sticky, anti-slip rubber gasket under the rim of the Platter that grips tabletops, counters, and even works well on tablecloths.

But, the Kiddy Platter has a few improvements in addition to the name change that make us love it even more.  The first thing they did away with was the small circle on the top of the tray that was on the old version, which I was thrilled about because it was easy for little ones to set things on there that would tip.  The other major improvement is that the tray is now two-sided and instead of having a specific top or bottom, the entire rim on both sides of the tray are now anti-slip and can go against the table.

My favorite improvement is with the detachable spill guard.  Instead of attaching to the underside of the tray {which was the only negative thing we had to say about the design back in 2009}, they designed a whole new spill guard that slips right over the bottom of the tray so it holds more securely.  Since it’s easier to remove and then replace, it also makes it easier to fit in the dishwasher. 

And, I really, really love it when “dishwasher safe” items actually fit in my standard dishwasher without taking up the whole rack sitting diagonally or blocking the spinning arms.  I appreciate that the Kiddy Platter fits nicely on any one of the 4 sides of the bottom rack with room to spare and still leaves room for a full load of dishes. 

This is good that it’s so easy to clean because in addition to using the Kiddy Platter for meals, we find all sorts of ways to make use of a dishwasher safe tray, including messy arts and crafts, Play-Doh, and school work.  And, speaking of multi-purpose, as much as we use the Kiddy Platter for snack, crafts and learning, we even use it for food prep.  Since it is dishwasher safe, it’s perfect for using as a big sanitary surface for decorating cookie and cakes as well as assembling sandwiches and meals. 


We also love that even the packaging is multi-purpose.  Smarty Parents cleverly included a cut-out alphabet learning insert as part of the packaging that fits right under the tray to transform it into a learning mat to trace your letters on, which is something my daughter loves as she’s just at the stage where she’s learning what letters make what sounds. 

When she’s mastered her letters, we can simply use the insert as a place for her to put pictures, stickers, and drawings under to customize her spot at the table.  Like before with the Piggy Platter, the insert simply rests under the tray and is not encased inside, which makes it easy to customize however you want without worry and alleviates the need to disassemble the tray for cleaning. 

Kiddy Platters are clear but they have colorful edges so you can give each kid their own color or you can coordinate with your décor.  I was initially disappointed they discontinued the white colored tray, as it matched best with our dining room, but we are happy with the green.  It ended up blending into the tablecloth and I barely even notice it anymore.  

The Kiddy Platter comes in four colors {above} and retails for $29.95 from the Smarty Parents site.  They even have a bulk discount for 6+ trays, which is perfect for daycares and preschool uses.  I know my daughter's co-op would love something like this!

Whether you are looking for a placemat, a craftmat, or a tray to protect your table and countertops, the Kiddy Platter is the way to go.  It works on any surface, it’s easy to clean, and it holds up to thousands of washes, scribbles, and spills.  With so many uses, you will never need to put it away!
A big thank you to Smarty Parents who sent their Kiddy Platter for review purposes.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Save A Bundle Gift Pack {Review & Giveaway}

When I talk with moms with grown kids, the number one thing I hear is that there’s so much stuff for kids now.  Instead of one baby carrier and only a handful of companies making baby stuff these days, the market is literally flooded with new items every year.  While some of the new products are amazing, some superfluous, and some a minor improvement to what our parents had, I love the fact that we now have so many choices to fit any need and any budget.

This was especially true for me when shopping for the basics that kids go through so fast – from diapers to wipes to formula.  Even though I breastfed both of my kids, there were times that I needed to supplement with formula and when I did, I was very happy to have so many formula choices available to me.  Gone are the days of having one or two varieties available at most retailers, now there is a plethora of choices available to suit your baby.  I was lucky that both kids would take any formula I offered, so for me, the biggest factor in my purchasing decision came down to cost, which meant I bought mostly store-brand formulas.

Since store brand formula is as nutritionally complete as national brands, yet costs 50% less, the choice for me was easy.  Perrigo Nutritionals store brand formulas from stores such as Walmart and Target meet or exceed FDA standards and simply provide a lower cost alternative to the big formula brands.  Whereas with the bigger brands you are paying extra for the name and their advertising budgets, with store brands you can find a lower cost solution even without coupons. 

When Perrigo Nutritionals offered to send my little nephew a baby savings gift pack, I jumped at the chance.  My sister has had a hard road breastfeeding and has supplemented with formula more and more in the recent months as her breastmilk has declined and I knew this would be perfect way to try out some of the store brands so we could see how he did with them as compared to the big name formulas.  Just as we hoped, he took to the new formula like a champ without any problems at all.

Doesn't this adorable little guy deserve the very best?  I don't know about you, but I'm smitten.

For all the many {many, many} bottles in my sister’s future, I was happy that the gift pack included a Munchkin baby bottle drying rack, a formula dispenser, and a bottle brush.  With how convenient breastfeeding is with no extra equipment required, this will at least make things easier on her as she transitions to supplementing more as needed.  She especially loves the drying rack as it makes keeping the counters clear and there finally is a place for everything. 

But, my favorite thing included in the gift pack was a copy of Sandra Gordon’s new book, Save a Bundle: 50+ Ways to Save Big on Baby Gear.  In the past few years I’ve become the money saving guru in my family and have been teaching my sister as we go how to save on stuff for her baby.  The book offers some great advice on what baby products you should save on, and what you should splurge on that you will use for years and is the perfect shopping companion for her for the next few years.

Speaking of savings, now you can save even more by signing up for baby formula coupons from StoreBrandFormula.com.  While you’re there, you should enter to win the awesome new Origami Strollers from 4moms, the world’s first power-folding, self-charging stroller.  We reviewed the mamaRoo from 4moms when my son was first born and it was one of my all-time favorite baby products. They also have a weekly prize of two cases of baby formula, so there's no reason not to head over and enter today!

One lucky Rave & Review reader will win a Save a Bundle Prize Pack that includes:

• One can of Parent’s Choice Premium
• One can of Up & Up Advantage
• One copy of Save a Bundle: 50+ Ways to Save Big on Baby Gear
• Baby bottle drying rack
• Formula dispenser
• Bottle brush

To Enter: comment below with what you would do with the bundle you'd save switching to store brand formula

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about the Store Brand Formula giveaway {bit.ly/YHMuTH} and tag Rave & Review

2 Extra Entries {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry - Enter the Baby Formula Sweepstakes

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet

1 Extra Entry - Follow StrBrandFormula on Twitter

1 Extra Entry - Like Store Brand Formula on Facebook

2 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus. Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On December 17th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.

Winner, winner! This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to:  #19 Danielle N said... I would use the money to put a down payment on a house. Renting stinks!

The Perrigo Nutritionals product, information, and two gift packs have been provided by Perrigo Nutritionals.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Ella's Kitchen Baby Food {Review & Giveaway}

While at BlogHer this year, I was really on the hunt for one thing: baby food pouches.  Yes, I was also looking for friends and bloggers I’ve known for years, but many of them came bearing gifts of baby food pouches, anyway.  I spent evenings after parties bartering for the elusive squeezable baby food pouches that made their way in swag bags and party faire and collected a nice pile of them to bring back. 

You see, my kids are straight up addicted to “squeezers” as they call them, and they would devour a case of them in minutes if left unattended.  While we make our own baby food for here at the house {which is wonderfully equipped with utensils, bowls, bibs, and baths}, on-the-go nutrition has always been harder unless I wanted to lug around a cooler. 

Luckily, they will eat anything if it comes in a colorful pouch they can eat on their own, which means those squeezable baby food pouches are a great way to sneak in nutrition, even on the go.  Spinach, oatmeal, yogurt, parsnip, and pumpkin devoured as if it was candy, and with half of the mess of candy, which is quite honestly, awesome. 

Since my kiddos were with us at BlogHer and can be bought with handfuls of squeezable pouches, I was on a mission to collect them while we were traveling as good plane and travel food.  Thank goodness Ella’s Kitchen was at BlogHer this year because otherwise my kiddos would have starved, or more likely, eaten French fries as their main vegetable source.  Instead they feasted on foods such as these, and I was a hero for bringing them back for them. 

As you can imagine, the kiddos were excited when we arrived home and a few pouches and snacks arrived at our door.  Of course, they promptly devoured them during our next road trip and then they asked for more, so I was happy to find the Ella’s Kitchen Facebook page had coupons, discounts and giveaways, as well as a store where you can buy their pouches.

You can also find their pouches and snacks in many retailers nationwide as well as Target.com, Amazon.com and Diapers.com, which is great now that my kiddos are hooked. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to Ella's Kitchen for sending a small sampling of their line.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

MAM Anti-Colic Bottles and Perfect Pacifiers {Review & Giveaway}

My son is a MAM baby through and through.  From pacifiers to toothbrushes and teethers to bottles, he loves anything MAM.

In fact, as soon as he took a bottle, it was this one from MAM.  Yes, in pink. 

We seriously love this bottle, as does our little guy.  Not only does it have that all-important MAM nipple that he requires, it’s got some seriously cool features that make it unlike any other bottle on the market, such as:

•    an anti-colic design 

•    self-sterilizing in the microwave

•   for formula and breast milk

•    easy for little hands to hold.  Their bottles have a cool contoured silhouette that allows baby to self-feed and then graduate to the one-hand hold as they grow.

Whether or not your child suffers from colic, I would highly recommend getting a set of anti-colic bottles.  I prefer MAM’s design because it doesn’t incorporate snorkels or tubing that I then have to clean, but also I found that it works really well. 

Instead of the tubing, snorkels or vents that I hated, the MAM anti-colic bottles have a removable, vented bottom that holds a silicone seal to give maximum airflow and prevent air bubbles.  While I don’t understand all the science behind their anti-colic design, I can say that it really works.  We never once had an inverted nipple or airflow problem after switching to the MAM bottles with my daughter and then when we used them the second time around, my little guy never suffered from tummy issues or colic symptoms. 

But, while I have been touting the benefits of self-feeding and the anti-colic design for years now, I’m embarrassed to say that I had absolutely no clue that their anti-colic bottles were also self-sterilizing.  Since this is not something I would have ever guessed my husband and I both would overlook, we were both incredulous when we read it online.  Surely, they can’t mean OUR bottles, right?

It turns out they do mean our bottles, because they are definitely self-sterilizing.  See bottom right image with the nipple in the enclosed bottle?  Pop that whole thing in the microwave with a little bit of water and you can easily steam clean it with no extra accessories or machines. 

Seriously, check out for yourself how the MAM bottles self-sterilize… and then you are free to laugh at us for not realizing it on our own.

As much as we love the MAM bottles, we love their pacifiers even more.  I’m guessing many of you are very familiar with the iconic MAM pacifier, especially if you’ve hung out with our little guy for any length of time. This is what he looks like when he's tired - snuggling his favorite blanket and tracing his pacifier with his finger.

Because he loves his pacifier so much, I’m constantly running out for a new one after his ends up disappearing in the garden, being eaten by the dryer, or misplaced on a playdate so I was really excited to see their new line of pacifiers called the Perfect Pacifier. 

Initially, they took some getting used to because the nipple shape is a bit different than the classic MAM nipple and he handed it right back to me.  But, knowing that he would take it if he had no other options, I decided to use it as my safety pacifier for when we were out of the house, and it worked out well.  Once he got used to it, he seemed to actually prefer it.

And, I really like it as well, especially all the science behind it.  The MAM Perfect Pacifier has a symmetrical Dento-Flex nipple with an extra thin neck and is even softer than other nipples.  It was designed by Orthodontists and Pediatric Dentists to put less pressure on baby's jaw and teeth as they grow, which makes me feel better as that's my #1 concern with pacifiers.

We all really loved trying out the newest MAM offerings over the past two weeks and adding to our vast MAM collection.  Once again, I have been won over by their incredible designs and all the engineering and thought that goes into each part of their line.

To buy: The Perfect Pacifier is available in 2 sizes and numerous designs and is available at Walgreeens, which means I'm heading there this weekend. MAM Anti-Colic bottles are available in 5oz and 8oz sizes from Walmart and come with size 1 nipples.  Since all their bottles and nipples mix and match, you can buy larger size nipples as your child grows. 

One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a MAM anti-colic bottle and an assortment of MAM Perfect Pacifiers {$19 value}

To Enter: Visit MAMbaby.com and tell me what product of theirs you think would best soothe your fussy baby.

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this amazing giveaway {MAM Baby bottle and pacifier giveaway http://t.co/jcZM19It} and tag MAMbabyUSA and Rave & Review

2 Extra Entries {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar {code in sidebar}.

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet after following @MAMbaby and @RaveAndReview

2 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus. Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love. Enter any of my other giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post! 

1 Extra Entry - Pin or Like this post {use the buttons at the bottom of post to make it super easy! Can be done once per article}

On October 15th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn by Random.org, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  US only.

Winner, winner!  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to:  #84 Melissa Belle said... #2 I follow your page on Facebook. I'm Melissa Belle there.

A big thank you to Team Mom for sending the MAM bottles and pacifiers to facilitate this review as well as offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers. All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Prince Lionheart Toddler Bundle Prize Pack {Giveaway}

Utimate Holiday Gift Guide - Day 16

If you've read our past Prince Lionheart reviews, you already know how much we love the company, their products, and all that they do to make our lives with kids easier, safer, and just plain fun.  From nursery products to travel gear and feeding accessories to adorable ride on toys, sometimes it seems like Prince Lionheart has everything a baby needs. 

Because we love them so much, we are extremely excited to announce that we get to "shower" one lucky reader this holiday season with a prize pack full of Prince Lionheart products we love so much.  That's right, one lucky winner is going to take home a Toddler Bundle that includes the much raved about Two-Stage Seatsaver, a boosterPOD, and a 3-in-1 Universal Drawer ORGANIZER!

As with all of their quality products, they will quickly become necessities and you will wonder how on Earth you survived without them.  From helping you organize, controling mealtime chaos, and for keeping your car looking new, look no further than Prince Lionheart for all your toddler needs!

Find out more about these great products {and all their other awesome gear, toys, and necessities} at http://www.princelionheart.com/
 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win the Prince Lionheart Toddler Bundle pictured above {colors may vary}

To Enter: Sign Up for the Prince Lionheart Newsletter which is sent monthly {Bonus: Just by signing up for their newsletter you are also entered into the Prince Lionheart Monthly Giveaway!}

And, as always, there are extra entries available!  {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

1 Extra Entry - Like Prince Lionheart on Facebook {BONUS: they announce all their sales/promotions/giveaways on their page so you will always be the first to know what this awesome company is up to... like NOW, check out their page for details!}

1 Extra Entry - Post on your Facebook wall about the giveaway {http://t.co/VoGr9aDP} and tag Prince Lionheart on Facebook and  R&R on Facebook

2 Extra Entries {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Simply tweet the following after following us both:

I love @PrinceLionheart! Here's hoping I #win the toddler bundle #giveaway from @RaveAndReview! http://t.co/VoGr9aDP

2 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus.  Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

On December 28th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. 

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered and congrats to:

98 courtney b said... email subscriber of yours

A big thank you to Prince Lionheart for providing the giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this very Rave Review.

Have you gotten your Cheerios SendCheer Packages yet? #sendcheer #CBias

With Veterans Day just around the corner, we're all thinking of the men and women serving our country.  But, something you don't often think about is that each and every one of those men and women have loved ones who are also sacrificing for their country - by sharing a father, a mother, a spouse, a child. 

We've talked before about the new sendCheer campaign from Cheerios that allows you to thank a military family in your own special way by utilizing their "Cheer" postcards on specially marked boxes, but with the upcoming holiday looming, I thought it would be a good reminder for families out shopping this week.  These special sendCheer campaign packages {available at Walmart and other select retailers} are now on shelves and ready to spread all sorts of Cheer.  While they look a little different from the outside with their dotted lines around the "Cheer" in Cheerios, they still contain the Cheerios your family already loves, which means they're probably already on the shopping list. 

And, spreading the Cheer is easy!  Once finished with your breakfast {or lunch, or snack, or dinner}, you simply cut the pre-addressed Cheer postcard out of the box and write a simple message of thanks and pop it in the mail.  The cards are then forwarded on to a millitary family who will surely appreciate that you took the time to thank them for all that they, and their loved one, are doing for our country. 

While a postcard of thanks is great, but what's truly awesome is that for every card received, Cheerios will donate $1 to the USO to help support programs for military families.  Want to know something else cool?  Cheerios has already donated $150,000 and will donate up to $100,000 more based on the number of postcards received by November 30th, 2012, which equates to a whole lot of much-needed cheer.

About the USO
"The USO is a nonprofit organization that helps lift the spirits of America's troops and their families.  For over 70 years, the USO has provided a touch of home to our troops and their families through centers at airports and military bases, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services.  When a loved one is away serving, the USO steps in to be a second family for our military families, providing support and tools."

Want more ways to give back, give thanks, and support our military and their families?  Check out the Cheerios sendCheer Campaign page at cheerios.com.  For more information about USO, including all the awesome programs they have in place to support our troops, visit USO.org.  You can also keep up with the campaign on the Cheerios Facebook page as well as Walmart’s.

This post has been compensated as part of a sponsored charitable opportunity for Collective Bias.  All opinions are 100% ours, we’re excited about this campaign and thought we’d share it with all of you!

Cheerios Send "Cheer" to Military Families and Support a Great Cause #sendcheer #CBias

The men and women who make up our armed forces aren’t thanked nearly enough.  Even though what they do makes a difference in all of our lives, oftentimes people don’t know how to go about reaching out to them and their families to thank them for all that they do.  This fall, Cheerios and the USO are partnering to change that and make sending “Cheer” to military families as easy as enjoying a delicious breakfast.

On specially marked boxes of Cheerios {available at Walmart and other select retailers}, you will find “Cheer” postcards that can be cut out and mailed to military families.  Cheerios is inviting you to show your appreciation by sending a simple message of thanks using their “Cheer” postcards during their sendCheer campaign.  Even better is that for every card received, Cheerios will donate $1 to the USO to help support programs for military families.  Want to know something else cool?  Cheerios has already donated $150,000 and will donate up to $100,000 more based on the number of postcards received by November 30th, 2012!

As someone who comes from a long history of relatives serving in the armed forces on all sides of my family {with two relatives still active today}, I think this is such a cool campaign and I’d love to see it have a huge response nationally.  I love that I can reach out to people who I’ve never met and share my story of thanks with them personally… and that it is so easy that I can do it while I’m enjoying breakfast.  I actually plan on picking up a few of the “Cheer” boxes so we can all participate and write our own messages – wouldn’t that be a fun project for a rainy fall afternoon and a great way to teach kids about what an amazing sacrifice these families make for our freedom?

If your family eats Cheerios like mine does {seriously, I have some in my purse at all times}, why not load up on Cheerios in the next few weeks and give back to military families at the same time?  Remember that these boxes will only be around for a short time so be sure and snag them before they are gone!

For more information on the Cheerios sendCheer Campaign, visit cheerios.com and for information about USO, including all the awesome programs they have in place to support our troops, visit USO.org.  You can also keep up with the campaign on the Cheerios Facebook page as well as Walmart’s.

This post has been compensated as part of a sponsored charitable opportunity for Collective Bias.  All opinions are 100% ours, we’re excited about this campaign and thought we’d share it with all of you!

Dannon OIKOS - My New Favorite Yogurt

I wrote this post while participating in a blog tour conducted by Clever Girls on behalf of Dannon. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program but my opinions are my own. For more information and recipe ideas, visit www.oikosyogurt.com or www.Facebook.com/oikos. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

When I was at BlogHer earlier this month, I had the opportunity to stop by the Dannon booth and chat with their reps showcasing their OIKOS yogurt.  While at the booth, I got a chance to sample an OIKOS yogurt for myself, and I was shocked at how delicious it was.  And, that’s not just because I was skipping lunch that day and was wandering around an expo hall while starving, it’s because it includes everything I look for in a snack and more. 

While I have tried Greek yogurt in the past and liked the thicker, creamier texture and the added protein, I always found them to be kind of bitter, so I was thrilled to find a variety that I could completely get on board with.  Besides being delicious, I love that OIKOS Greek Yogurt comes a whole line of favors, varieties, and even packages that are perfect for someone like me who eats yogurt daily and doesn’t want the same old thing day in and day out.

Once I got home from BlogHer, I found some coupons in the local paper and went out and loaded up my fridge with OIKOS because my husband and I love it so much.  There is something really satisfying about having a fridge full of yogurt that doesn’t have cartoon characters on it, and I find myself getting excited for lunch just because I know it will include OIKOS yogurt.  Not only is it a great snack when paired with a sandwich or wrap, it’s also a quick and delicious meal if I just add granola and raisins since it’s so filling on its own.

No matter what I’m craving, it seems Dannon Oikos has the cure and I actually feel good eating it. I love that Dannon® Oikos® Plain and Fruit on the Bottom contain 0% fat, while the Dannon® Oikos® traditional blended varieties contain about 3% fat, even though both varieties taste completely indulgent.   Dannon® Oikos® 0% varieties contain active yogurt cultures and range from 80 calories to 130 calories per 5.3 oz. cup.  In addition to low calories and great taste, both varieties are also an excellent source of protein {twice that of most regular low-fat yogurts}!

While participating in this campaign through Clever Collective, I was sent a small gift card to try out some new varieties and found that the word about how delicious they are must have gotten out in a big way, because the shelves at the first store were empty and the second store was almost entirely cleaned off.  After I chose my three cups, the couple behind me promptly got the remaining 3 cups and the store was also sold out.  Yes, it is that good.  Thank goodness I still have a few left on hand in the fridge from when I stocked up before, because three cups doesn’t last our family long at all!

If you haven’t already tried OIKOS, you should find some in your local store and see what all the hype is about.  If you love it as much as we do, you’re going to want to Like the OIKOS Facebook page for coupons, deals, and ideas for using OIKOS for more than just snacking.  You just missed a FREE coupon on the OIKOS Facebook page, but they have announced that more will be coming shortly!

I have partnered with Dannon to help promote the Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt Series.  I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program, which includes writing about the promotion and product.  However, my opinions are 100% my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments - besides, you just can't fake this kind of excitement over a yogurt.

Parent´s Choice Infant Formula {Prize Pack Giveaway & $10,000 College Scholarship Contest}

When I started to combo feed my son, I was totally clueless as to bottle feeding and didn’t even know where to begin.  I remember thinking that I needed to go with the premium infant formula brands in order to give my son the best quality formula and would search high and low for coupons to help reduce the price to a reasonable amount each time I went shopping.  It wasn’t until his pediatrician told me that store brands were her recommendation that I decided to go that route for all his baby formula. 

Here’s some interesting facts provided by Parent’s Choice Formula {the WalMart store brand}:

•    In the US, all infant formulas are subject to the same regulations for manufacture and ingredients required for the growth of healthy babies under the Infant Formula Act.
•    Store brand formulas sold at major retailers are a premium national substitute at a value price and meet the same FDA nutritional requirements as all of the major brands.
•    The quality and safety of the manufacturing of infant formulas are also inspected by the FDA in the same way.

In my quest for the best formula at the best price, I was really excited to hear that Parent’s Choice also offers a $avings Calculator that can show you what you can save by switching brands and compare the savings to national brands.  Parent’s Choice Infant Formula has been helping parents save money for 13 years by offering a store brand formula at roughly half the cost of premium brands – which could save parents approximately $600 a year per infant!*
See how much you could save by clicking here.  You can also register for a free sample of Parent´s Choice Infant Formula by clicking here.

I got to try out some Parent’s Choice samples over the last few weeks and found that the formula mixed well and my son didn’t notice any difference between the Parent’s Choice brand and the one he’s used to.  Since it’s a substantial savings over what I’ve been buying, I’m planning on using the coupons they sent to get a few more containers to get him all the way through his 1st year. 

I also really love the Parent’s Choice Bottle Nurser set they sent which is a bottle/liner design that is similar to Playtex.  This was seriously amazing for our trip to BlogHer as it meant I didn’t have to scrub bottles after each feeding and instead could just toss the liners and wash up the nipple in the hotel sink.  Not only is it easier to clean on the go, it’s also the most efficient bottle travel system I’ve ever tried since you really only need to bring a few bottles in your bag or for days out. 
   
Enter the Parent’s Choice $10,000 College Scholarship:  In partnership with PBM Nutritionals, the largest manufacturer of store-brand infant formulas and nutrition products, Parent’s Choice is helping one family and one student save even more with the "Parent´s Choice Infant Formula" Sweepstakes.  One lucky winner will receive a $10,000 college scholarship in the form of a College Savings 529 Plan.  From now until 11:59pm on August 15th, 2011 you can choose to increase your little one´s chances of attending the college of his or her choice, by "liking" Parent´s Choice Infant Formula on Facebook and filling out the simple form here.  Don't forget to follow them on Twitter as well!

 
One lucky winner will win an awesome prize pack with a 12.9 oz can of Parent’s Choice Premium, a 12.4 oz can of Parent’s Choice Advantage, Two $3.00 off coupons for Parent’s Choice Infant Formula (redeemable at all Walmart stores), Parent’s Choice Starter Set – a complete nurser system that includes a variety of bottles, nipples, liners, leak proof caps and retainer rings!

To enter share how you will spend the money they save by switching to Parent´s Choice Infant Formula

 And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Let me know you entered the College Scholarship Giveaway

3) Tweet about this Giveaway after following (daily Tweet, just post link here)

Check out the baby formula Savings Calculator & enter to win a Parent's Choice prize pack w/ @raveandreview #ravereview http://bit.ly/mSkJfd

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (2 extra entries, just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

5) Place my button in your sidebar on your blog or website  (2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R)

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

7) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

8) NEW!  "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook! {3 extra entries}

On September 1st at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US Addresses.
*Total savings with Parent's Choice Infant Formula calculations based on a price per fl oz comparison of Parent's Choice Infant Formulas and their comparable national brands.             

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to: #56 melissa said...

Subscribed to Rave and Review, Entry #2

The Parent´s Choice Infant Formula product sample, prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by Parent´s Choice through MyBlogSpark.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.