Healthy Halloween Treats! *Giveaway*

This giveaway is now closed. Congrats to Laura DeLuca, the winner!

We’ve got yet ANOTHER Halloween event tomorrow and we’re so excited!  By the time Halloween comes we’ll be all costumed and trick or treated out!  Well…I’ve got yet another healthy treat option for you.  I think a balance is really important, so parents and children aren’t limited to strictly candy.  That would be my recommendation to all families offering “treats” for trick or treaters this year…offer a variety of treats (including healthy options).

One of my favorite things to do is peruse the aisles at Whole Foods in search of different foods to feed my son (he’s picky!). For awhile now, I’ve passed by Snikiddy Snacks for kids.  I don’t know why, to be honest with you, because they’re actually really good (I try everything before my son eats it). Thanks to the company, we had an opportunity to try the Chocolate Chip Bites and the Grilled Cheese Puffs. Snikiddy Snacks are all natural snacks that come in handy packs and offer parents and children an alternative to products filled with trans fats, hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors/flavors, and preservatives.  I’m a label reader, so when I looked at the back of the packaging, I liked that I recognized each ingredient (and the list wasn’t that long)!  Snikiddy Snacks are made with ingredients you’ll find in your closet like whole wheat flour and unrefined cane sugar.

So, I suppose you’re wondering how they taste?  Details!  : )  My son preferred the Chocolate Chip Bites over the Grilled Cheese Puffs (but what child wouldn’t prefer sweet over salty?).  I tasted both of them and I found them both good (just not enough!…I’m pregnant you know!).  What a scene…mom eating her child’s snacks.  I digressed.  Since I have a toddler who likes to snack, I’ll definitely be choosing Snikiddy Snacks over conventional grocery store snacks.  And the fact that they’re made with whole grains means that my son will be getting a bit of extra fiber in his diet (I can’t complain about that!).  And why not hand out the snack packs instead of all that candy this year?

Snikiddy Snacks are available online and at retailers nationwide (we picked up ours at our local Whole Foods). 

Win It! Want to try Snikiddy Snacks?  One of you will win coupons to try out four of their products.  Simply leave me a comment with ANOTHER variety you’d like to try with your kids!  Comments will close on November 5, 2009 at 10 PM PST.  One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

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Guiltless Halloween Treats!

Am I the only parent who has genuine concerns about the candy hype that surrounds Halloween? And I have to admit that I do feel some guilt about eating giving all that candy away once we’re done.  Everything in moderation, but an entire bag or bucket full of candy is more than I can swallow.  Thanks to Disney FamilyFun Magazine, your children don’t have to end up with cavities (or diabetes) this Halloween!  Check out these fun, healthy, creative recipes, courtesy of the magazine:

Black Bean Cat Crudite´s

No bones about it, this kitty skeleton makes a healthy centerpiece for Halloween parties or school gatherings. Just arrange assorted fresh vegetables and a bowl of your favorite black bean dip in the shape of a spooky cat.

Edible Eyeballs

Set out a platter of these creepy peepers, and your party guests are bound to do a double take. Simply slice carrots into 1-inch-thick chunks, top each with a blob of cream cheese and one half of a pitted black olive, and they’re ready to serve.

Salty Bones

It wouldn’t be Halloween without a skeleton—in this case, one that’s been disassembled into a pile of tasty bones to pick. Unroll a tube of refrigerated breadsticks we used an 11-ounce tube to make 12 bones) and separate the rectangular pieces.  Working with one piece at a time, stretch the dough to lengthen it a bit and then use kitchen scissors or a knife to cut a 1K-inch slit in the center of each end. Shape the resulting four flaps of dough into knobs that look like the ends of a bone. Place the dough bones on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them a few inches apart, and sprinkle on a little coarse salt.  Bake the bones at 375° until they are light golden brown, about 12 minutes.

English Mummies

These yummy mummy pizzas make a quick and fun Halloween lunch or dinner. To create one, first spread a tablespoon of pizza sauce onto half of an English muffin (toast it first, if you like). Set olive slices in place for eyes and add round slices of green onion or bits of red or green pepper for pupils. Lay strips of cheese (we used a pulled-apart cheese stick) across the muffin for the mummy’s wrappings. Bake at 350° until the cheese is melted and the muffin is toasty, about 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Roll-Ups

Here’s a wholesome snack to serve before the kids head out to trick-or-treat. Lay American cheese slices or spread cream cheese on sun-dried-tomato tortillas, then roll them up and cut them into 1-inch sections. Use a toothpick to secure each roll-up, topped with a sprig of cilantro or parsley.

Melon Brain

Created from nothing more than a small, round seedless watermelon, this spooky cerebral creation is bound to turn heads. First, use a vegetable peeler to remove the entire green rind, exposing the inner white rind. Then slice off the bottom of the melon to make a flat base that will keep it from rolling.  With a toothpick, outline squiggly furrows that resemble the folded surface of a brain. Finally, carve narrow channels along the tracings with a sharp paring knife (a parent’s job) to expose the pink fruit beneath the rind.

Profuse thanks to Disney Family Fun who provided the tips!

Snack Time: Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters

I’m a grazer.  I could “snack” all day and be completely content.  And now that I’ve been having some serious dips in my blood sugar (more on that in another post), I’m on the hunt for healthy snacks I can eat in between meals.  The goal for me is to try to eat a carb with a protein to keep my blood sugar a bit more stable.  Nuts are a great source of protein and possess many other health benefits.  And I’ve been eating a lot more of them lately!

Thanks to My Blog Spark, I had an opportunity to sample Nature Valley’s Granola Nut Clusters.  I have been eating their Granola Bars since I was a child, so I was pretty excited to try these.  Here is a little more information from the site:

New Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters are bite size clusters of nuts, granola and a touch of honey – a 100% natural, wholesome and delicious treat for any time of the day.

I was fortunate enough to get to try all 4 flavors – Roasted Cashew, Roasted Almond, Honey Roasted Peanut, and Nut Lovers.  In one bite you’ll get both a sweet and salty taste and it’s really a nice balance.  They’re very crunchy (even a bit more than their crunchy granola bars) but I feel like that’s how they should be.  Being the label reader that I am, I was quite impressed with the fact that I recognized every ingredient listed (they’re actually quite natural and healthy).  They are made with nuts, so they do contain calories and fat, but they’re low in saturated fat, sodium, and sugar, and don’t contain any cholesterol.  The only thing I would recommend is paying attention to the serving size.  Nuts tend to be high in calories and fat so while the product is healthy, it can become too much if you don’t pay attention to serving size.

Overall, I found these to be tasty and convenient for snacking on the go.  My husband told me he was quite impressed that I liked them as much as I did (then took the bag away!).

Profuse thanks to My Blog Spark who provided the samples for review!

Take a Healthy Bite Out of This!

This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is Dawn.  Congrats!

“Mama mama…I need a snack!”  I hear that phrase over and over throughout the day in my household.  Fortunately, I’ve learned to turn this into a positive.  I utilize snack time as a way to include healthy foods into my toddler’s diet.  One of the things I hope to instill within all my children is healthy eating habits.

Some of you may be preparing for your children to go back to school this fall.  My son is in preschool right now and he only attends half of the day so I’m still largely in control of what he eats.  However, if you pack a lunch for your children, I highly recommend incorporating some of the healthy snacks from Hain Celestial Group.  My son eats the cookies and crackers from Earth’s Best and my husband and I enjoy Garden of Eatin’s Blue Corn Tortilla Chips with homemade guacamole.

The Hain Celestial Group is offering a giveaway filled with healthy snacks and free coupons to help spread the word about the “Take a Healthy Bite Out of Reading” back to school promotion.  The company has teamed up with Barnes & Noble to help inspire reading through healthy eating.

The “Take a Healthy Bite” promotion is a receipt redemption program, where you can send your receipts for any products from Garden of Eatin‘, MaraNatha, West Soy, Earth’s Best, and Healthy Valley in exchange for gift cards from Barnes & Noble.  A $5.00 gift card for $15 worth of product and a $10 gift card for $25 worth of product.  There is also a sweepstakes where one parent will win $500 worth of free books from Barnes & Noble for their local school library.  I really need to be doing this because our family purchases many of these products on a regular basis (they’re available at natural food stores like Whole Foods).  You can enter the giveaway here.  If you sign up for the newsletter, you’ll receive valuable coupons.  You can also find healthy snack tips and kid friendly recipes from Keri Glassman, R. D. on the site.

5 “Smart Lunchbox” tips to keep kids eating a balanced and varied diet that includes smart snacks!

1. Make every lunchbox complete. Fill lunchboxes with a whole grain, dairy, lean protein, healthy fat such as nuts, nut butter or avocado, fruit and vegetables.

2. Remember to get kids involved. Set aside a block of time for food planning and preparation early in the week. Portion out a couple days worth of food items such as hummus or nut butters. Slice fruits and vegetables and pack into several containers. Preparing food ahead of time will make it easier to pack lunches on school days.

3. Make food fun to eat! Pack dips, such as yogurt mixed with peanut butter and pair with fruit. Serve crackers with similar size and shape deli meats and cheese and let kids “stack” them on their own.

4. Satisfy your child’s sweet tooth. Choose healthy alternatives like a drinkable yogurt smoothie made with nonfat soy milk or yogurt and berries, Health Valley Oatmeal Raisin Cookies or frozen mashed bananas.

5. Choose nutrient dense snacks. Earth’s Best Organic Crunchin’ Crackers, Garden of Eatin’ Whole Grain Sea Salt Pita Chips with hummus, apple slices with MaraNatha peanut butter all hit the spot!

5 HEALTHY SNACK IDEAS

Very Berry Smoothie:

8 oz WestSoy Plus soymilk mixed with 1 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries and ½ cup blueberries

Soymilk: 110 cals, 4g fat, 10g carbs, 7g protein

Strawberries: 52 cals, 1g fat, 13 carbs

Blueberries: 41 calories, 10.5g carbs

Better than S’Mores:

6 Health Valley Amaranth Bran Graham Crackers with 2 teaspoons of MaraNatha Organic No Stir Peanut Butter and 1 oz chocolate

Crackers: 120 cals, 3g fat, 22g carbs, 3g protein

Peanut Butter: 66 cals, 5 g fat, 2.3g carbs, 2.3g protein

Chocolate: 152 cals, 8.6g fat, 16.5g carbs, 2g protein

Chips n’ Dip:

1 oz Garden of Eatin’ Whole Grain Sea Salt Pita Chips with 2 tablespoons of hummus

Pita Chips: 120 cals, 3g fat, 20g carbs, 3g protein, 180 mg omega 3

Hummus: 50 cals, 3.5g fat, 4g carbs, 1g protein

As, Bs and Cookies!:

9 Earth’s Best Organic Sesame Street Oatmeal Cinnamon Letter of the Day Cookies dipped in low fat yogurt with an   8 oz container of Earth’s Best Kidz 2% Reduced Fat Milk

Cookies: 90 cals

Milk: 120 cals, 5g fat, 11g carbs, 8g protein

Nutty Wafflewich:

4 Earth’s Best Sesame Street Frozen Organic Mini Waffles with 2 teaspoons MaraNatha Organic No Stir Almond Butter and a tablespoon of honey

Mini Waffles: 80 cals, 3g fat, 12g carbs, 2g protein; Almond Butter: 64 cals, 6g fat, 2g carbs, 3g protein

Win It! One of you will win an assortment of natural and organic products from Hain Celestial Group including Garden of Eatin’ blue corn chips (which are seriously yummy), Healthy Valley granola bars (my son loves the soft, chewy ones), Earth’s Best Tots juice boxes and coupons for free jar of MaraNatha nut butter, free 32 ounce West Soymilk and free Earth’s Best Sesame Street frozen pizza.  The total value of this giveaway is $25 and I would soooo enter if I could!  Simply visit Take a Healthy Bite Out of Reading.  Come back and leave me a comment with a product you’ve never tried that you’d like to!  If you have questions about some of these products, I’d love to answer them (you know what a health nut I am!).  Comments will close on August 14, 2009 at 10 PM PST (only 1 week!).  One comment per person, please. US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

Spread the word about the contest.  You can blog, share on Facebook, etc.

Disclosure:  The information for the contest and the giveaway were both provided by Mom Bloggers Club. I was compensated to run this giveaway.

Apples or Applesauce?

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for stopping by. The winner is checkers (cute name).  Congrats!

Both these days!  At least that’s what my toddler wants.  Every night for the past year and a half or so, my son has had a cup of applesauce after dinner.  It’s sort of a tradition we started when he was younger to get him to take his vitamins.  He actually asks us for his applesauce after his dinner now.  It’s very cute.  We usually purchase an organic variety from Whole Foods which is unsweetened (meaning there is no added sugar).  It’s simply the apples pureed with water.

While my son can be a picky eater, we don’t have any problems getting him to eat fruit.  For some children, parents really struggle in this area.  I was contacted to consider a review for Musselman’s two product lines of applesauce, Totally Fruit and Healthy Picks.  How perfect, a line for my toddler and a line for me.  I like applesauce.  It’s a food I don’t eat often but should.  It’s healthy and tasty (particularly when it’s cold), especially on hot summer days.

Totally Fruit is a line designed for kids.  Available in three flavors (apple, peach, and strawberry), each applesauce variety is sweetened with fruit juice and other natural ingredients.  In other words, the products do not contain high fructose corn syrup.  Each fruit cup counts as one serving of fruit so it’s a great snack for your kids.  I actually would have thought the flavored varieties would contain more sugar, but they don’t.  I tasted all three of these and they’re really good.  My son really enjoys them.  The only thing that would make these perfect was an organic option!

Healthy Picks is a line of apple sauce with exotic flavors such as Raspberry Acai and Blueberry Pomegranate.  The flavors are not overwhelming but I’m not a huge fan of raspberry or key lime so my favorite was definitely the Blueberry Pomegranate. Again, the products are made without added sugar and contain fiber, calcium, vitamin C and antioxidants (what every woman needs!).  Again, I’d love an organic variety and perhaps a few more flavor options (Strawberry, Peach…).

You can purchase Totally Fruit and Healthy Picks online or at a location near you (sadly, there were no locations close enough to me…not yet anyway!). You can also download a coupon here.

Thanks to the sponsor, I was given some awesome Healthy Treat Ideas I thought I’d share with you (I wish I could take credit…sadly…I can’t):

Apple-Sicles: A healthy alternative to ice cream or popsicles!

• For a frozen treat, place a Musselman’s apple sauce cup in the freezer for 30 minutes until it’s slushy. Gently insert a stick through the foil lid, and then freeze solid overnight.

Delicious Dippers: A great NON-FAT dip for snack time!

• Use Musselman’s apple sauce as a kid’s fun dip.
• Try carrots and celery, chicken fingers, or even low-fat cheese cubes.

Triple Play: A healthy snack that’s just as fun to make as it is to eat!

• In a wide-mouthed glass, layer Musselman’s apple sauce, plain yogurt, and your child’s favorite crunchy whole grain cereal (granola, O’s, etc.).
• Repeat layers and serve.

Fruity Fun Pancakes /Waffles: A great way to add a fruit serving to breakfast!

• Place a cup of Musselman’s apple sauce in the microwave for 20 seconds to warm (REMOV E FOIL LID FIRST), and then serve over pancakes/waffles instead of syrup.

Magic Muffins/Cupcakes: Add a little surprise to their lunchbox!

• Prepare your favorite muffin/cupcake batter.
• Fill the muffin tin cups with half the batter.
• Place 1-2 tsp of Musselman’s apple sauce in the center of each cup.
• Cover the apple sauce entirely with additional batter and bake according to directions.

Do you ever use applesauce in place of oil in recipes?  I do this all the time.  I wonder how the flavored varities would work…I may have to try this!

Win It! One of you will win a sample pack of both Totally Fruit and Healthy Picks.  Sweet!  Um…Literally!  Simply head on over to the site and take a look around. Come back here and leave me a comment with your favorite flavor.  Comments will close on July 28, 2009 at 10 PM PST.  One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

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Dole Fruit Bowls In Sugar Free Gel Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by.  The winners are Judy B, Colleen, Peggy G, Jill W, Carol, Dawn, Samantha P, Valerie M, Christine, DebiJot.  Congrats!

How many moms out there struggle to get fruit and veggies into their child?  I know I do!  My son already has his food preferences and he’s definitely one picky toddler.  Over the past 6 months, I’ve started introducing a regular snack time as a way to get him from breakfast to lunch and lunch to dinner.  It’s also a wonderful opportunity to get fruits and veggies in (sneaky mama!).  A child’s eating habits are shaped early on.  Serving healthy, nutritious snacks is important for optimal growth and development.  Think about the settings where your child is going to be served a snack…school…church…camp.  Hopefully, your child is being served whole grains, fruits, and veggies rather than processed snacks with artificial flavors and colors.

Dole recently introduced their new Fruit Bows in Sugar Free Gel. Here is a little more information from the site:

There’s a feeling you get from the light, refreshing taste of real fruit in gel. Especially when it has up to 30% fewer calories and 27% less sugar than our regular DOLE Fruit Bowls in Gel.  It’s a satisfying, lower-sugar snack that fits your life. Because DOLE Fruit Bowls let you take the delicious taste of real fruit wherever you go.

I was chosen to participate in a special sampling program where I received 120 Dole Fruit Bowls to give to my family, friends, neighbors, and church group.  I gave half to my son’s church nursery group and half to the kids in our neighborhood.  I also kept one of each flavor (Mixed Fruit in Cherry Gel and Pineapple in Strawberry Gel) for my son.  Because I’m allergic to pineapples, I was not able to try either variety but my husband and my son did and thought they tasted good for being sugar-free.  My son liked the “gel” the best and at the end started trying to pick out the fruit (cheeky boy!).

The overall response from the community and our church group was positive, with most preferring the Pineapple in Strawberry Gel over the Mixed Fruit in Cherry Gel.  It was really neat to be able to give back to the community and encourage them to eat healthy snacks.  My hope is that parents and caregivers will have walked away with the knowledge that healthy snacks are not difficult to find and kids will in fact eat them.

Each fruit bowl contains 70 calories, no fat, and 5 grams of sugar.  They come in a pack of four and retail for $3.29.

Win It! Ten of you will each win coupons good for FIVE Dole Fruit Bowls In Sugar Free Gel four packs!  Just leave me a comment with a healthy snack your kids enjoy.  Comments will close on May 31, 2009 at 10 PM PST. One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Add the “Spring In For Summer Fun” banner to your sidebar and leave me a comment (be sure to visit the main party post for more details on extra entries)

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

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Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

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