Dream Dinners. Save time, eat healthy!
Do you ever struggle with planning dinners? Even as a stay-at-home mom I find it hard to plan dinners and make time to cook. If I don't plan in advance, I often grab what's quickest (and usually not healthiest), or I opt for fast food if the budget allows. Thankfully, I have found a great solution for those days! Dream Dinners!
What is Dream Dinners? Here's what the Dream Dinners site says:
I was recently given the opportunity to go to a Dream Dinners location and discover for myself exactly what it was all about.
I called the Dream Dinners location near me to set up my session. I spoke with Sara, one of the owners of that location. She was very sweet and helpful, and it took no time at all to get me all set up. I was able to choose 6 six-serving meals to review. There were so many great choices, and I am sure we would have been happy with any of them.
The day of our session I showed up eager. I couldn't wait to see what it was all about. I was immediately impressed with how organized and clean the store was.
There were multiple stations set up to assemble dinners. Each station had all of the ingredients needed to assemble the meals. Clearly posted was a card with directions on assembling the dinners, complete with color coded measuring utensils to be sure you add the right ingredients in the proper amount, and even detailed down to when to switch bags to add dry ingredients, wet ingredients, etc.
When completed, each smaller bag is placed in a large freezer bag with cooking directions. Just take home your meals, throw them in the freezer and take them out as needed!
We had so much fun creating the meals. My mom came with me and, between the 2 of us newbies, we had 5 meals assembled and were out the door within an hour. There were ladies there who were regulars, assembling far more meals than we were and out far earlier than we were. I'd imagine once you get in the swing of it, the thing that takes the longest is waiting for the station you need to open up. Even then, each session has a limit to how many people are in the store with you, so you never wait long. And there are no worries about a mess from the person assembling before you- the employees at Dream Dinners follow up behind each person, cleaning up and making the station ready for the next person!
The employees at the Dream Dinners location we went to were amazing- SO nice and helpful. Being new we needed a little guidance from time to time, and someone was always there to assist. They really made our experience so much more enjoyable!
You may be thinking, "OK, so the assembly experience was fun, and the concept seems great, but how do the meals taste?". One word: A-mazing. Seriously!
That first night we cooked up the Pulled Pork sandwiches we'd gotten. My husband was a skeptic. I think he just assumed it was shredded pork with a bit of BBQ sauce thrown in. Nuh-uh... There were quite a few ingredients, and let me tell you, it was delicious! After each bite he would repeat, "Wow, this is really good!". My 3 year old tends to be my picky eater, and is almost always the last to finish his meal (if he decides it's good enough to eat it at all). He was the FIRST one done with his sandwich. My kids are frequently complaining about dinner- It doesn't look good, smell good, taste good, whatever. There were NO complaints at dinner this night! They loved it and couldn't stop complimenting it. It was so nice to be able to enjoy the meal without constant complaints!
The next night we cooked up another Dream Dinners meal; Chicken Yakitori with jasmine rice (we added the broccoli).
Again, we were not disappointed. And yet again, the kids ate all of their dinner with no complaints and my 3 year old was, again, the first one done with his food!
OK great, liked the assembly, food tasted great, but price; What about the price? I'll admit at first I was taken aback by the total amount we spent. HOWEVER, when I looked at our order confirmation, they had the price broken down into price per person, per meal. I was AMAZED at how little we spent! Our dinners averaged at $4.57 per person. $4.57!! Going out to dinner is never that cheap. Shopping sales can get me a meal that cheap, but I still have to come up with what to make, get all of the ingredients and assemble and cook.All of that being said, one of my most favorite things about Dream Dinners is the convenience. Like I mentioned, to assemble 5 meals- this being our first time- we were out within the hour. The more we do it, the less time it will take. There are many session times and days available, from weekday mornings, afternoons and evenings, to weekend mornings and evenings. It is totally worth it to me to spend the hour or less assembling it all and being able to, essentially, let someone else do the majority of the work for me.
My mom and I liked our experience so much we signed up to do it again next month! Which brings me to another awesome thing about Dream Dinners... They offer a rewards program! With each monthly session you sign up for you receive a percent off of the next meal session. After so many visits you can eventually work up to 20% off!
If I haven't made it clear enough, we loved our Dream Dinner experience! I highly recommend them and can't wait until our next session! What are you waiting for?! Find a location near you and sign up now!!
These dinners were provided free of charge to Alesha by Dream Dinners. These are her honest opinions.. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
What is Dream Dinners? Here's what the Dream Dinners site says:
Do you ever come near the end of a busy day and wonder, "What's for dinner?" At Dream Dinners we answer that question for you. Our monthly menu includes over 14 different recipes each month, along with additional pre-assembled dinners, sides, breads and desserts ready for purchase while in one of our stores. A wide variety of options means there are plenty of meal preparation choices to satisfy everyone in the family. We provide everything you need to assemble delicious dinners from easy-to-follow instructions to fresh, pre-cut ingredients.
I was recently given the opportunity to go to a Dream Dinners location and discover for myself exactly what it was all about.
I called the Dream Dinners location near me to set up my session. I spoke with Sara, one of the owners of that location. She was very sweet and helpful, and it took no time at all to get me all set up. I was able to choose 6 six-serving meals to review. There were so many great choices, and I am sure we would have been happy with any of them.
The day of our session I showed up eager. I couldn't wait to see what it was all about. I was immediately impressed with how organized and clean the store was.
There were multiple stations set up to assemble dinners. Each station had all of the ingredients needed to assemble the meals. Clearly posted was a card with directions on assembling the dinners, complete with color coded measuring utensils to be sure you add the right ingredients in the proper amount, and even detailed down to when to switch bags to add dry ingredients, wet ingredients, etc.
When completed, each smaller bag is placed in a large freezer bag with cooking directions. Just take home your meals, throw them in the freezer and take them out as needed!
We had so much fun creating the meals. My mom came with me and, between the 2 of us newbies, we had 5 meals assembled and were out the door within an hour. There were ladies there who were regulars, assembling far more meals than we were and out far earlier than we were. I'd imagine once you get in the swing of it, the thing that takes the longest is waiting for the station you need to open up. Even then, each session has a limit to how many people are in the store with you, so you never wait long. And there are no worries about a mess from the person assembling before you- the employees at Dream Dinners follow up behind each person, cleaning up and making the station ready for the next person!The employees at the Dream Dinners location we went to were amazing- SO nice and helpful. Being new we needed a little guidance from time to time, and someone was always there to assist. They really made our experience so much more enjoyable!
You may be thinking, "OK, so the assembly experience was fun, and the concept seems great, but how do the meals taste?". One word: A-mazing. Seriously!
That first night we cooked up the Pulled Pork sandwiches we'd gotten. My husband was a skeptic. I think he just assumed it was shredded pork with a bit of BBQ sauce thrown in. Nuh-uh... There were quite a few ingredients, and let me tell you, it was delicious! After each bite he would repeat, "Wow, this is really good!". My 3 year old tends to be my picky eater, and is almost always the last to finish his meal (if he decides it's good enough to eat it at all). He was the FIRST one done with his sandwich. My kids are frequently complaining about dinner- It doesn't look good, smell good, taste good, whatever. There were NO complaints at dinner this night! They loved it and couldn't stop complimenting it. It was so nice to be able to enjoy the meal without constant complaints!
The next night we cooked up another Dream Dinners meal; Chicken Yakitori with jasmine rice (we added the broccoli).
OK great, liked the assembly, food tasted great, but price; What about the price? I'll admit at first I was taken aback by the total amount we spent. HOWEVER, when I looked at our order confirmation, they had the price broken down into price per person, per meal. I was AMAZED at how little we spent! Our dinners averaged at $4.57 per person. $4.57!! Going out to dinner is never that cheap. Shopping sales can get me a meal that cheap, but I still have to come up with what to make, get all of the ingredients and assemble and cook.
My mom and I liked our experience so much we signed up to do it again next month! Which brings me to another awesome thing about Dream Dinners... They offer a rewards program! With each monthly session you sign up for you receive a percent off of the next meal session. After so many visits you can eventually work up to 20% off!
If I haven't made it clear enough, we loved our Dream Dinner experience! I highly recommend them and can't wait until our next session! What are you waiting for?! Find a location near you and sign up now!!
These dinners were provided free of charge to Alesha by Dream Dinners. These are her honest opinions.. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Alesha was born and raised in Arizona, where she currently resides. She was married in 2003 to her wonderful husband, and God has blessed them with 3 beautiful children with one on the way. She is blessed to be able to stay at home with them, and has recently begun homeschooling.
Alesha has devoted her life to the Lord, and lives daily for Him. She is very involved with her church, including volunteering as a Jr. Youth Group leader and as a Bible School craft teacher. She also sings in the choir and writes the news for the church newsletter. You can find her at The Jacobsen Family or on twitter @JacobsenFamily.
Friday, August 27, 2010 |
5
comments |
Read more...
POM is Wonderful for my Pregnancy!
I first fell in love with pomegranates when I was a freshman in high school. I had honestly never tried one until a classmate in my yearbook class began bringing them to lunch every day. She was always super health conscious and turned me onto eating them. It was only a few years ago that I discovered the POM Wonderful pomegranate juice in our local grocery store. It is pretty pricey, but it is something that I will treat myself to once in a while.
The great news is that POM Wonderful is packed with antioxidants which makes me feel good about drinking this during my pregnancy. Antioxidants basically help rid the body of free radicals which can cause disease and run you down. POM Wonderful is 100% pomegranate juice from concentrate so that I do not have to worry about any added sugars or anything else to pack on pregnancy pounds!
I also love the creative recipe ideas offered on the POM Wonderful website. The Butternut Squash Ravioli with Peppered POM Sauce looks absolutely delicious! Pair this with the POM Granita for dessert and you would have a super antioxidant packed meal.
This product was provided free of charge by POM Wonderful. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
The great news is that POM Wonderful is packed with antioxidants which makes me feel good about drinking this during my pregnancy. Antioxidants basically help rid the body of free radicals which can cause disease and run you down. POM Wonderful is 100% pomegranate juice from concentrate so that I do not have to worry about any added sugars or anything else to pack on pregnancy pounds!
I also love the creative recipe ideas offered on the POM Wonderful website. The Butternut Squash Ravioli with Peppered POM Sauce looks absolutely delicious! Pair this with the POM Granita for dessert and you would have a super antioxidant packed meal.
What were/are some of your healthy pregnancy food ideas?
This product was provided free of charge by POM Wonderful. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Friday, August 20, 2010 |
3
comments |
Read more...
Nature's Path Organic Options for Back to School!
I don't know about where you live but here in the city of Atlanta, students have been back to school for the last two days. While I wrap my head around the fact that my toddler will be off to preschool in a few weeks, many parents are already immersed in the back-to-school routine.
It goes without saying that providing a healthy breakfast, lunch and snack are some of the most important things a caregiver can do to prepare a student for each school day. For a new-to-school mom like me, though, I was at a loss as to where to start.
Thankfully, Nature's Path Organic stepped in and helped me figure it all out by supplying a generous sampling of their best back-to-school edible products. Nature's Path produces organic cereal (hot and cold!), organic granola bars & cookies, and even organic toaster pastries!
We were given a range of their aforementioned products and can honestly say that we tried them all over a two-week period and loved them all. High praise for an organic food company that also specializes in gluten-free products (that we also tried and loved).
Naturally, first up were Nature's Path's breakfast cereals. I'd like to say that Catherine (our toddler) tried the Crunchy Vanilla Sunrise cereal but I liked it so much that I kept that one to myself. It was delicious and I couldn't believe that it was gluten free or made with quinoa (an incredibly nutritious whole grain)! Catherine did get to sample the gluten-free WholeO's and they were our go-to breakfast cereal until the box was empty. While you could tell they were gluten-free, they were still just as delicious (if not more so!) than the typical O's you'll find.
The last cereal we sampled just so happens to be our new favorite cereal--Flax Plus Red Berry Crunch.
Catherine wasn't too sure about it at first--it didn't look too two-year-old friendly to her but she dug into her bowl...
Let's just say it is a HUGE hit in our household. It has a healthy taste to it and is not overwhelmingly sweet. While enjoying a bowl myself, I turned to the nutrition information and could not believe how packed it was with nutrients in just 3/4 of a cup--protein (6 grams!), fiber (7 grams!), and whole grains galore--talk about an excellent brain booster before school! We like it so much that it is currently functioning as my snack while I write this review!
We also tried Nature's Path's delicious hot cereals. While 100+ degree weather doesn't make me anxious to make a bowl of warm food, the outstanding flavor and variety of Nature's Path (organic!) instant oatmeal will be a very welcome treat as the weather turns colder and school becomes more intense.
Finally, Catherine was thrilled to sample the many varieties of Nature's Path organic granola bars. These bars served as her snack every day this week and I already know I'll be headed to the store as soon as our stock is depleted.
We found that the Nature's Path Organic granola bars are great to take to the playground, place in a lunch box, or use as an afternoon snack. Catherine liked everything she tried but she loved the kid-friendly EnviroKidz bars the best. Her daddy and I had to sneak bites of their other wonderfully decadent granola bars--and we didn't feel guilty about eating snacks because they were so healthy for us!
Everything Nature's Path produces is delicious and worth purchasing. And once you sample their organic goodness, it will leave you looking for more!
Be sure to visit Nature's Path interactive website--with indepth descriptions of their organic food, honest customer reviews, nutrition information and recipe ideas you'll be impressed by the company's attention to quality, taste and customer satisfaction.
This product was provided free of charge to Allie by Nature's Path. These are her honest opinions on the product. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
It goes without saying that providing a healthy breakfast, lunch and snack are some of the most important things a caregiver can do to prepare a student for each school day. For a new-to-school mom like me, though, I was at a loss as to where to start.
Thankfully, Nature's Path Organic stepped in and helped me figure it all out by supplying a generous sampling of their best back-to-school edible products. Nature's Path produces organic cereal (hot and cold!), organic granola bars & cookies, and even organic toaster pastries!
We were given a range of their aforementioned products and can honestly say that we tried them all over a two-week period and loved them all. High praise for an organic food company that also specializes in gluten-free products (that we also tried and loved).
Naturally, first up were Nature's Path's breakfast cereals. I'd like to say that Catherine (our toddler) tried the Crunchy Vanilla Sunrise cereal but I liked it so much that I kept that one to myself. It was delicious and I couldn't believe that it was gluten free or made with quinoa (an incredibly nutritious whole grain)! Catherine did get to sample the gluten-free WholeO's and they were our go-to breakfast cereal until the box was empty. While you could tell they were gluten-free, they were still just as delicious (if not more so!) than the typical O's you'll find.
Catherine wasn't too sure about it at first--it didn't look too two-year-old friendly to her but she dug into her bowl...
and here she is on her second bowl of the morning!
Let's just say it is a HUGE hit in our household. It has a healthy taste to it and is not overwhelmingly sweet. While enjoying a bowl myself, I turned to the nutrition information and could not believe how packed it was with nutrients in just 3/4 of a cup--protein (6 grams!), fiber (7 grams!), and whole grains galore--talk about an excellent brain booster before school! We like it so much that it is currently functioning as my snack while I write this review!
We also tried Nature's Path's delicious hot cereals. While 100+ degree weather doesn't make me anxious to make a bowl of warm food, the outstanding flavor and variety of Nature's Path (organic!) instant oatmeal will be a very welcome treat as the weather turns colder and school becomes more intense.
Finally, Catherine was thrilled to sample the many varieties of Nature's Path organic granola bars. These bars served as her snack every day this week and I already know I'll be headed to the store as soon as our stock is depleted.
We found that the Nature's Path Organic granola bars are great to take to the playground, place in a lunch box, or use as an afternoon snack. Catherine liked everything she tried but she loved the kid-friendly EnviroKidz bars the best. Her daddy and I had to sneak bites of their other wonderfully decadent granola bars--and we didn't feel guilty about eating snacks because they were so healthy for us!
Everything Nature's Path produces is delicious and worth purchasing. And once you sample their organic goodness, it will leave you looking for more!
Be sure to visit Nature's Path interactive website--with indepth descriptions of their organic food, honest customer reviews, nutrition information and recipe ideas you'll be impressed by the company's attention to quality, taste and customer satisfaction.
This product was provided free of charge to Allie by Nature's Path. These are her honest opinions on the product. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
After stints of living in the Midwest, Northeast, and England, the Monkey's Mama (AKA Allie) currently resides in Atlanta with her wonderful husband of 7 years, "J". Together they have two daughters.
The Monkey's Mama takes great joy in being a Christian Stay-at-Home-Mama. In her spare time, she loves to run and race competitively for her local track club, read mystery novels, and walk her cats Churchill and Thatcher outside on leashes!
You can find her on twitter @monkeysonthebed.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Friday, August 13, 2010 |
1 comments |
Read more...
Breyers Smooth and Dreamy Ice Cream Bars and Sandwiches: Yum with less guilt!
Nothing beats ice cream in the summer time, especially when you are 8 months pregnant! With the indigestion I have with pregnancy, I basically live off of ice cream and milk! That's why it is also nice to find an option that is only 130 calories and 6 grams of fat! Yum and less guilt!
We had the opportunity to try out the new Breyers Smooth and Dreamy Ice Cream Bars and Sandwiches and I am here to tell you that they still taste like you are eating something bad for you (which is a good thing)! I tried the Triple Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Bars as well as the Vanilla Fudge Brownie Sandwiches. I think that my husband ate one and Graham received NONE! I'm not to proud to tell you that I could easily down about 2 a day!
I have also been intrigued by some of the recipes at the Breyers Smooth and Dreamy website. How cute are these Mint Chip Spiders?!
I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Breyers and received products necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate. And yes, I really did eat ALL of the ice cream except for one!
This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Peg42!
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Friday, July 30, 2010 |
294
comments |
Read more...
Laura's Wholesome Junk Food!
When I think about junk food, the word wholesome has no part in it! I love chocolate! The darker the better! I would take a brownie any day over candy or cake. So, when Laura's Wholesome Junk Food contacted me about her healthier alternatives, I was definitely intrigued.
I was sent the Mint Double Fudge and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bite-Lettes by Laura's Wholsome Junk Food to taste test and I was more than impressed! My only complaint would be that I wish there were more in the tub! The Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bite-Lettes even have a hint of orange oil which makes them super addictive. I also love anything that involves mint, so the Mint Double Fudge was a sure winner with me. The Bite-Lettes are just what they say, big enough for a bite and super moist! I could have eaten the entire tub by myself in one day (I am ashamed to say). Graham also thoroughly enjoyed them.
Once I took a bite, I had to see just what was in these things that made them more wholesome than any other addictive brownie. I was amazed to see that there was no fake sugar added at all. All of the sweet flavor comes from the dates and other wonderful ingredients. They are also gluten free which will make several moms and kids happy that suffer from that particular allergy.
You can purchase Laura's Wholesome Junk Food online, at Harris-Teeter, Earth Fare, Whole Foods, or find a store near you. Beware! You can't eat just one!
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
I was sent the Mint Double Fudge and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bite-Lettes by Laura's Wholsome Junk Food to taste test and I was more than impressed! My only complaint would be that I wish there were more in the tub! The Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bite-Lettes even have a hint of orange oil which makes them super addictive. I also love anything that involves mint, so the Mint Double Fudge was a sure winner with me. The Bite-Lettes are just what they say, big enough for a bite and super moist! I could have eaten the entire tub by myself in one day (I am ashamed to say). Graham also thoroughly enjoyed them.
Once I took a bite, I had to see just what was in these things that made them more wholesome than any other addictive brownie. I was amazed to see that there was no fake sugar added at all. All of the sweet flavor comes from the dates and other wonderful ingredients. They are also gluten free which will make several moms and kids happy that suffer from that particular allergy.
You can purchase Laura's Wholesome Junk Food online, at Harris-Teeter, Earth Fare, Whole Foods, or find a store near you. Beware! You can't eat just one!
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Thursday, May 20, 2010 |
0
comments |
Read more...
Vermont Village Organic Applesauce
One thing that I ate a lot of when I was pregnant with Graham was applesauce. It must have rubbed off on him because he is a huge applesauce fan himself! I first started buying Vermont Village Organic Applesauce when Graham graduated from needing the runnier foods. I decided it was cheaper to buy a large container than to buy those individual baby food jars. I immediately went for Vermont Village because it was organic (apples are part of the dirty dozen that you should always try to buy organic). I stuck with it because it was delicious and Graham devoured it.
Flash forward three years and Graham and I still love this stuff! Little did I know that they also have several different varieties now as well. We were sent Raspberry, Tropical Mango, Peach, Cinnamon, and Strawberry Banana to try out. They have all been a hit and I am loving the change from plain old applesauce. The reason this applesauce is so good is that they actually make the applesauce the old fashioned way, in small kettles. They do not add sugar or water and it is made right here in the USA in Vermont (of course). Vermont Village was recently named the best jarred applesauce by Real Simple Magazine as well.
You won't usually find me blogging about food unless I am truly sold on something. If you haven't tried Vermont Village Applesauce I encourage you just to buy a small batch and try it for yourself. You will definitely taste the difference. Find a store near you.
This product was provided free of charge by Vermont Village Applesauce. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Flash forward three years and Graham and I still love this stuff! Little did I know that they also have several different varieties now as well. We were sent Raspberry, Tropical Mango, Peach, Cinnamon, and Strawberry Banana to try out. They have all been a hit and I am loving the change from plain old applesauce. The reason this applesauce is so good is that they actually make the applesauce the old fashioned way, in small kettles. They do not add sugar or water and it is made right here in the USA in Vermont (of course). Vermont Village was recently named the best jarred applesauce by Real Simple Magazine as well.
You won't usually find me blogging about food unless I am truly sold on something. If you haven't tried Vermont Village Applesauce I encourage you just to buy a small batch and try it for yourself. You will definitely taste the difference. Find a store near you.
This product was provided free of charge by Vermont Village Applesauce. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Stephanie!
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Thursday, May 20, 2010 |
239
comments |
Read more...
In Love with Oatmeal!
No kidding. This entire pregnancy I have generally woken up to a bowl of oatmeal. It just seems to be the right thing to eat. Besides, Graham will eat it too so it saves me money on buying several different breakfast food items! I never knew I could be an oatmeal snob or that I would be blogging about it until I ran across BetterOats.
BetterOats sent over their entire line in various flavors for us to try out as a family. Like I said before, Graham likes oatmeal, but he loves this oatmeal! He asks for a second helping nearly every time. I have to admit that I am impressed that you can actually make out the oats in the bowl. The ingredients are awesome with 100% whole grain oats and real pieces of fruits. BetterOats has even simplified the fight of finding just the right size measuring cup! Your measuring cup for water is built right into the single serving oatmeal package. Just dump your oatmeal into the bowl and then fill water inside your oatmeal package to the fill line. Truly, it couldn't get much easier than that.
Our two personal favorites are the OatHeads in Berry Blast and the Mmm... Muffins line in Blueberry! Yum! BetterOats even offers you a $.55 cent off coupon so that you can take the taste test challenge yourself.
This product was provided free of charge by BetterOats. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
BetterOats sent over their entire line in various flavors for us to try out as a family. Like I said before, Graham likes oatmeal, but he loves this oatmeal! He asks for a second helping nearly every time. I have to admit that I am impressed that you can actually make out the oats in the bowl. The ingredients are awesome with 100% whole grain oats and real pieces of fruits. BetterOats has even simplified the fight of finding just the right size measuring cup! Your measuring cup for water is built right into the single serving oatmeal package. Just dump your oatmeal into the bowl and then fill water inside your oatmeal package to the fill line. Truly, it couldn't get much easier than that.
Our two personal favorites are the OatHeads in Berry Blast and the Mmm... Muffins line in Blueberry! Yum! BetterOats even offers you a $.55 cent off coupon so that you can take the taste test challenge yourself.
This product was provided free of charge by BetterOats. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Saturday, May 08, 2010 |
2
comments |
Read more...
Me & Goji. Custom, Healthy Cereal!
I love cereal! Actually, our entire family enjoys cereal. My personal favorite is to have a hot cereal or oatmeal in the morning. The problem with a lot of cereal is that it is loaded with sugar and things you wouldn't want in yours or your child's body. Meet Me & Goji! This is one of those companies that will have you asking, "Why didn't I think of that?".
Me & Goji specializes in custom cereals. You decide what your perfect cereal will be by picking out the ingredients step by step. I had the opportunity to create some cereal for our family and was surprised at how easy it was. Many of the choices are also organic which I love! You can even customize your can by naming your cereal and adding your own picture. If you don't have time or creativity to create your own cereal, just choose from some of the cereal mixes that have already been created by the Goji team.
Want to be impressed even more? Inside the lid of every Me & Goji cereal is the personal cell phone number to the CEO of Me & Goji! Not only that, but the side of your can will indicate who packed your healthy cereal. Mine was created by Adam's Mom (one of the owner's of Goji).
What did we think of our Goji cereal? Even though I ordered a variety that is best hot, Graham loves to eat it out of the can for a snack! I am more than impressed because there are REAL strawberries and apples inside! And guess what? The only sugars in this can are natural ones from the fruit. Also, you will receive about 15 servings per can which exceeds the normal 8 in a regular cereal box. Me & Goji is perfect for those who suffer from allergies and have to be selective of the foods they eat. Love it!
This product was provided free of charge by Me & Goji. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Me & Goji specializes in custom cereals. You decide what your perfect cereal will be by picking out the ingredients step by step. I had the opportunity to create some cereal for our family and was surprised at how easy it was. Many of the choices are also organic which I love! You can even customize your can by naming your cereal and adding your own picture. If you don't have time or creativity to create your own cereal, just choose from some of the cereal mixes that have already been created by the Goji team.
Want to be impressed even more? Inside the lid of every Me & Goji cereal is the personal cell phone number to the CEO of Me & Goji! Not only that, but the side of your can will indicate who packed your healthy cereal. Mine was created by Adam's Mom (one of the owner's of Goji).
What did we think of our Goji cereal? Even though I ordered a variety that is best hot, Graham loves to eat it out of the can for a snack! I am more than impressed because there are REAL strawberries and apples inside! And guess what? The only sugars in this can are natural ones from the fruit. Also, you will receive about 15 servings per can which exceeds the normal 8 in a regular cereal box. Me & Goji is perfect for those who suffer from allergies and have to be selective of the foods they eat. Love it!
This product was provided free of charge by Me & Goji. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Tuesday, May 04, 2010 |
2
comments |
Read more...
Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms
For a while I have been reading about and even hearing from my friends about making meals ahead of time and freezing them. While it sounded like a great idea I had no idea how to even begin the process. I am the type of person that really needs to see something to get a good handle on it. When Jane Doiron contacted me about her cookbook, Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms, I was instantly interested. Here was my chance to give this a go!
You can tell that Jane is a real pro at this just be reading the beginning of the book. She gives some very helpful tips for getting started. For instance, I know that I need to invest in an inexpensive vacuum sealer (something I have been wanting for a while anyway). She offers tips on the best ways to save items depending on what they are. I love her idea to label each of your dishes with the heating time, degree, and how many servings so that you aren't fumbling around for the recipe when you are in a rush. Jane also suggests making a double portion of your favorite recipes.
I have really been working on trying to stockpile more and this would be great when ever I find deals on meat. Jane's suggestion is to go ahead and prepare all of your meat in different recipes and freeze it. Genius! Make-Ahead Meals For Busy Moms breaks down the recipes by Appetizers, Breakfast and Brunch, Dessert, Main Dishes, Side Dishes, and Soup. She even gives you some nice measurement equivalent charts in the back (great for the math challenged person I am).
Not only is Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms going to save you time, but it should also save you money and keep you healthier! You will be spending less time going out to eat and frequenting fast food. You can pick this valuable cookbook up at Amazon for about $17 or purchase the eBook for $12.95!
This product was provided free of charge by Jane Doiron. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
You can tell that Jane is a real pro at this just be reading the beginning of the book. She gives some very helpful tips for getting started. For instance, I know that I need to invest in an inexpensive vacuum sealer (something I have been wanting for a while anyway). She offers tips on the best ways to save items depending on what they are. I love her idea to label each of your dishes with the heating time, degree, and how many servings so that you aren't fumbling around for the recipe when you are in a rush. Jane also suggests making a double portion of your favorite recipes.
I have really been working on trying to stockpile more and this would be great when ever I find deals on meat. Jane's suggestion is to go ahead and prepare all of your meat in different recipes and freeze it. Genius! Make-Ahead Meals For Busy Moms breaks down the recipes by Appetizers, Breakfast and Brunch, Dessert, Main Dishes, Side Dishes, and Soup. She even gives you some nice measurement equivalent charts in the back (great for the math challenged person I am).
Not only is Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms going to save you time, but it should also save you money and keep you healthier! You will be spending less time going out to eat and frequenting fast food. You can pick this valuable cookbook up at Amazon for about $17 or purchase the eBook for $12.95!
This product was provided free of charge by Jane Doiron. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Journey!
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Monday, January 11, 2010 |
195
comments |
Read more...
$5 Dollar Dinner Mom Cookbook
One of my favorite sites of all time is 5DollarDinners.com. I visit weekly, sometimes twice a week to come up with inexpensive meal ideas. My favorite part of her website is that you can actually search by ingredients. Lets say that I have an over abundance of carrots in the refrigerator, all I have to do is go to "Recipes" then "Search By Ingredients" and scroll down to "carrots." I am then given 10 recipes right off the bat for using carrots. Several of her recipes have become some of my family's favorites!
Erin Chase started her website when the gas prices started to sky rocket. Looking at her families budget she saw that the grocery bill could have some wiggle room. Erin decided right then and there to set a goal to spend no more than $5 each night on dinner using healthy and wholesome ingredients and she more than succeeded!
I am so excited to share with you all that Erin has come out with the $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook! This book was even featured on Good Morning America right before Christmas as one of the top recipe book picks. I received the $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook a couple of weeks ago and have been cooking like crazy using her recipes. What is so great about this cookbook is not just the fact that the meals are very easy on your budget, but that she also breaks down for you how to accomplish grocery shopping and meal planning effectively. If you do not know how to use coupons or stockpile, this book gives you the run down. The recipes are also easy enough for my cooking challenged self to accomplish!
Each recipe is broken down by price per ingredient just like it is on her website. Erin has this great method of making a list of items that she will NEVER spend more than a certain amount for. What you see listed as her prices per ingredient are based on the best deals she has found. Erin also shows you how to make a lot of different things from scratch that you can stock up on and save in the freezer.
The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook retails for about $14.99 and you can find it at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. What a great gift idea under $20! You are sure to get your money back and then some on this purchase.
This product was provided free of charge by $5 Dollar Dinners. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to alissa4illustration!
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Erin Chase started her website when the gas prices started to sky rocket. Looking at her families budget she saw that the grocery bill could have some wiggle room. Erin decided right then and there to set a goal to spend no more than $5 each night on dinner using healthy and wholesome ingredients and she more than succeeded!
I am so excited to share with you all that Erin has come out with the $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook! This book was even featured on Good Morning America right before Christmas as one of the top recipe book picks. I received the $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook a couple of weeks ago and have been cooking like crazy using her recipes. What is so great about this cookbook is not just the fact that the meals are very easy on your budget, but that she also breaks down for you how to accomplish grocery shopping and meal planning effectively. If you do not know how to use coupons or stockpile, this book gives you the run down. The recipes are also easy enough for my cooking challenged self to accomplish!
Each recipe is broken down by price per ingredient just like it is on her website. Erin has this great method of making a list of items that she will NEVER spend more than a certain amount for. What you see listed as her prices per ingredient are based on the best deals she has found. Erin also shows you how to make a lot of different things from scratch that you can stock up on and save in the freezer.
The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook retails for about $14.99 and you can find it at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. What a great gift idea under $20! You are sure to get your money back and then some on this purchase.
This product was provided free of charge by $5 Dollar Dinners. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Wednesday, January 06, 2010 |
349
comments |
Read more...
Fruitables New Flavor! Oh, so sneaky.
It still contains a full serving of fruits and vegetables and has 1/3 less sugar than many other juices. You will find 100% Vitamin C and only 70 calories. We are going to have to put them where they are out of reach around here because Graham keeps grabbing them out of the drawer and drinking them up! I still cut his regular apple juice with water for several reasons, but these seem to be pretty gentle on his stomach.
If you want to sneak in some veggies the easy way, you can pick up the Apple & Eve Fruitables Apple Harvest in 8-packs from Walmart. If you are in the northeast you may even find them in your local grocery store.
This product was provided free of charge by Apple & Eve. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Monday, January 04, 2010 |
2
comments |
Read more...
GoGo SqueeZ helps Graham Go!
One of the reasons I decided to title this blog "Go Graham Go" was because he is always going! But, as a busy family, it seems that all of us are going! I saw GoGo SqueeZ in the store a few weeks back and thought it looked like a great idea, so when they contacted me to give it a try I was definitely willing.
Graham loves all things apples. Now that I think back, I really ate a lot of applesauce when I was pregnant with him. It was about the only thing that seemed to soothe the heartburn! Now that Graham eats it so frequently, I purchase all things "apple" organic (applesauce, juice, apples, etc). Apples are on the "dirty dozen" list and should be bought organically when it is possible for your budget.
GoGo SqueeZ's mantra is: Simple and clean ingredients, great taste and lots of fun! You will find simple applesauce blends that your kids will love. I can tell you that Graham ate 3 packages the first day we received them and still wanted more (I had to cut him off). They are available in 5 different flavors: appleapple, applebanana, applecinnamon, applepeach, and applestrawberry. Graham loved them all, but seemed to especially love the applebanana! They are mess free and kids can feel confident feeding themselves! There is a built-in straw, so you could serve these on the road if you wanted to. You are also going to love that GoGo SqueeZ has no sugar added and is 100% fruit. One pouch equals one serving of fruit.
You can find GoGo SqueeZ at Whole Foods and other retailers near you!
This product was provided free of charge by Materne. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Graham loves all things apples. Now that I think back, I really ate a lot of applesauce when I was pregnant with him. It was about the only thing that seemed to soothe the heartburn! Now that Graham eats it so frequently, I purchase all things "apple" organic (applesauce, juice, apples, etc). Apples are on the "dirty dozen" list and should be bought organically when it is possible for your budget.
GoGo SqueeZ's mantra is: Simple and clean ingredients, great taste and lots of fun! You will find simple applesauce blends that your kids will love. I can tell you that Graham ate 3 packages the first day we received them and still wanted more (I had to cut him off). They are available in 5 different flavors: appleapple, applebanana, applecinnamon, applepeach, and applestrawberry. Graham loved them all, but seemed to especially love the applebanana! They are mess free and kids can feel confident feeding themselves! There is a built-in straw, so you could serve these on the road if you wanted to. You are also going to love that GoGo SqueeZ has no sugar added and is 100% fruit. One pouch equals one serving of fruit.
You can find GoGo SqueeZ at Whole Foods and other retailers near you!
This product was provided free of charge by Materne. These are my honest opinions on the product. I do not post reviews on products I can not stand behind. Please see my Terms of Use for more info.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 |
4
comments |
Read more...
Healthy Jack-o-Lantern Snack Idea for Halloween!
Graham and I have been making fun fall and Halloween related crafts and projects lately. When I saw these in a Parents magazine I knew we had to try our own version of them. We changed around some of the ingredients to make these fun Healthy Jack-o-Lantern snacks!
Ingredients:
Short or Medium Grain Rice
Peach and Mango Flavored V-Fusion by V-8
1 Green Bell Pepper (chopped into long, small pieces) for the stem
2 Carrots (finely chopped or grated)
Water
Food coloring if you wish (red and yellow to make orange)
Directions:
Prepare your rice as directed on the package, but substitute 3 of the cups of water with the V-Fusion Peach and Mango drink. While your rice is cooking grate or chop up your carrots. Also slice your green pepper (tip: use diagonal slices so that the top is bigger than the bottom for a nice "stem" look). Once your rice is done add it to a large mixing bowl and add the grated carrots and food coloring (if you are using it). Mix together well. Once the rice has cooled enough to touch (you want it to still be warm), wet your hands and start forming balls. Make sure your hands are wet so that the rice mixture does not stick to your hands. Place a slice of green pepper into the tops of the rice balls like stems.
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Ingredients:
Short or Medium Grain Rice
Peach and Mango Flavored V-Fusion by V-8
1 Green Bell Pepper (chopped into long, small pieces) for the stem
2 Carrots (finely chopped or grated)
Water
Food coloring if you wish (red and yellow to make orange)
Directions:
Prepare your rice as directed on the package, but substitute 3 of the cups of water with the V-Fusion Peach and Mango drink. While your rice is cooking grate or chop up your carrots. Also slice your green pepper (tip: use diagonal slices so that the top is bigger than the bottom for a nice "stem" look). Once your rice is done add it to a large mixing bowl and add the grated carrots and food coloring (if you are using it). Mix together well. Once the rice has cooled enough to touch (you want it to still be warm), wet your hands and start forming balls. Make sure your hands are wet so that the rice mixture does not stick to your hands. Place a slice of green pepper into the tops of the rice balls like stems.
These would be great for after school snacks or for Halloween parties and Fall Festivals! It is always nice to have a little healthy thrown in with the candy and sweets!
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Monday, October 26, 2009 |
8
comments |
Read more...
Easy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins (only 4 ingredients)
You may be familiar with this Weight Watchers recipe. A friend of mine told me about it two years ago and I have been making it ever since! What I love about it is that it is simple and cheap! It is supposed to be 1 point if you are following Weight Watchers, but, I add chocolate chips which makes it more...who knows how much! We love to break this recipe out this time of year.
Ingredients:
1 Can of 15oz Pumpkin
1 Box of Spice Cake Mix
1 Cup of water
1 Cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions:
In one large bowl add all 4 ingredients and mix together well. Line a muffin pan with muffin tins and fill them half way full with mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 18-20 minutes. This recipe makes about 22-24 muffins!
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Friday, October 23, 2009 |
10
comments |
Read more...
Restore Clean Water System. Your Water...Cleaner!
Because we live on well water it has always been important to us to have a filtration system for our drinking water. We have had several different types over the years (almost 9 years to be exact) and I have never seen a pitcher that does what the new Restore Clean Water System by HoMedics does!Lately, we have been pondering purchasing one of those reverse osmosis systems that you install in your home to purify the water that way. We have never gone this route because they are incredibly expensive and we still wonder if it is absolutely necessary (best bang for our buck). When HoMedics contacted me about reviewing the Restore system I was delighted to give it a try because it was just the in between product we were looking for! It's more than a filtration pitcher or faucet filter and it is not pricey like the in-home system. Perfect for us!
What makes the Restore system stand out from the rest is that it combines a filter with a UV light to kill germs. I have never seen anything like this in my life! The day HoMedics sent the Restore System, I took it out and put it use immediately. It was easy to set up (like setting up a typical filtered pitcher). You have to clean the pitcher, reservoir, and let the filter soak in water for 15 minutes. Next, you fill the completed system up 2 times before drinking the water. To purify you make sure the lid is secured, switch the lever on the handle to "Purify", plug it into the adapter and press the "Purify" button. In about a minute you have water that is free from germs and impurities! We could immediately tell a difference between the clean taste of the water as compared to our previous, traditional filtered pitcher water (and the filter is only a month old in the traditional one).
See it in Action:
The state of the art UVC light actually works by deactivating the DNA of microorganisms and destroys their ability to multiply! This is the same UVC light that has been used in hospitals, food and drug facilities, and more to sterilize. So, the UVC light is killing bacteria, viruses, and microbial cysts while the more traditional filtration system reduces chlorine, heavy metals, and some industrial and agricultural pollutants. You have the best of both worlds for a fraction of the price of an in-home system.
Overall, I say that the Restore Clean Water System is definitely the best bang for your buck when you weigh out all your options. For $99 you will have clean water like you would from an in-home system and you will be saving on buying bottled water.
This product, as stated above, was provided for review free of charge. I only accept and post review items that I can personally stand behind and provide my honest opinion. Like you, I want to get the most for my money!
Subscribe to Go Graham Go as well as follow us on Twitter!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 |
2
comments |
Read more...
