Category Archives: Food and Drink

WrapMaster plastic wrap and aluminum foil dispensers

Food and Drink, Gadgets

Wrapmaster_plastic_2At the beginning of the school year, kids like to think that they will buy lunch at school but it never fails, after the first couple of weeks they are begging mom to pack a lunch so they don’t have to eat the yucky meatloaf and green beans served by the school. I don’t blame them. What is the primary food that moms pack in their kids school lunch? A sandwich. Where there is a sandwich, there is plastic wrap. That is where WrapMaster comes in.

The WrapMaster is an inexpensive, easy to use and safe plastic wrap and aluminum foil container and dispenser. These neat little dispensers make it easy to store and use plastic wrap or foil without getting yourself wrapped up in plastic wrap or cutting your fingers on the sharp edges of the box.

WrapMaster dispensers are easy to use. Just pull out what you need and push down the lid and you get perfectly cut plastic wrap or aluminum foil every time. No fighting with the box, the wrap or sharp edges! The safety shield protects little fingers from the blade and the WrapMaster snaps shut when not in use.

Available as single units or combo packs, WrapMaster can be purchased online at http://www.wrapmasterusa.com, QVC, and Linens N’ Things retail stores.

Yummy strawberry lemonade recipe

Food and Drink

StrawberryphotoBefore I had children, when I worked away from home, I would grab
a smoothie almost every day on my way to work.  I always got the same strawberry, blueberry and banana smoothie. It was so good.  I tried to make the same smoothie for my kids, but I just can’t do it. 
I have however, found a drink that I can make for the kids that doesn’t require a lot of time, effort, or ingredients which are three things that I don’t seem to have enough of.   Strawberry Pink Lemonade.   Just saying it makes my mouth water.  I know.. you can buy it already made at the grocery store, but it’s not the same.  Toss one bag of partially thawed frozen strawberries in a blender, add one can of frozen lemonade and blend.  Put in a glass, sit outside on the front porch and enjoy.   You can add ice cubes and soda water for a little pizazz, but I like it just the way it is right out of the blender.

StrawberriesHere are some interesting facts.  Did you know that one serving of strawberries provides more Vitamin C than an orange?  That is good news for me because I don’t like eating oranges.   Nutrients and benefits of strawberries are potassium, folate, fiber, and antioxidants.

The California Strawberry website has dozens of printable strawberry recipes including appetizers, desserts, and soups.  Strawberry lovers, ages 5-12, can go to Strawberryville.com to play online games, print recipes they can make themselves (with parental supervision) and download screensavers.

Go buy some California strawberries and enjoy!

Playskool Wash or Toss Cups

Age 1-3, Age 3-5, Feeding - baby & kids, Food and Drink, Travel

PlayskoolwashtossmadelynA few months ago I made the mistake
of giving Madelyn milk in a regular cup, not a sippy cup.   You don’t need me to tell you about the mess that followed.. and the drama.   The mess is obvious but the drama was a little unexpected.   I forget how good of a memory babies and kids have.  After that one time Madelyn wanted her milk in a regular cup all of the time and we all know how toddlers act when they want something really bad.  Such fun!
I tried and tried regular sippy cups, but she wasn’t having it and quite honestly, I’ve been a little more stressed than usual lately so I gave in and let her drink out of regular cupsPlayskoolwashtoss
but in the kitchen only. 

A few weeks later I received Playskool’s Wash or Toss Cups in the mail and things have changed a bit.  Madelyn really likes the Wash or Toss Cups.  I think it’s because they look more like real cups than regular sippy cups so she feels like a big girl.  One thing that I love about these cups is their size.  A little smaller than her old sippy cups, these hold just the right amount of milk.  I don’t find cups lying around the house with old milk in them anymore.  Yeah!

Playskool Wash or Toss cups are dishwasher safe, and can even be put in the microwave.   These cups are great for travel and I personally don’t see a need to ‘toss’ the cups as they wash and hold up well.  I have noticed that when Madelyn shakes the cup really hard some milk may drip out out of the spout holes, but I think that is the case with any cup like this if you shake it hard enough.   The tops have a little ‘grab tab’ for easy removal and snap on to be very secure.  When Sebastian used cups like these about 6 years ago, he would push on the outer side of the spout so the top would come off.   The lids on these cups don’t come off that easy, thank goodness!

Available exclusively at CVS stores and CVS.com.

Ali-Oops! Toy Clips

Age 1-3, Age 3-5, Food and Drink, Toys

Alioopstoyclips_2Madelyn has had a pacifier clip since the day she was born and still uses it at 2 years old.  Little did I know that the same ‘clip’ idea could work on toys and sippy cups as well.  Once Madelyn hit the stage when she  was very entertained by the ‘drop it and mommy picks it up‘ game, I knew I had to do something.  I am a ‘germaphobe’ and can’t stand it when toys, cups, and pacifiers touch the ground.   Toys that touch the ground at restaurants, shops, playgrounds, etc.. are immediately removed from the children’s reach until I can sanitize the item properly.  I know that sounds a little serious but yuck, can you imagine what kinds of germs get on toys that touch the ground?

I was recently introduced to the Ali-Oops toy clip and now Madelyn is minus one game.  She tries with all her might to get her toys of off the Ali-Oops toy clip and to get the clip off the stroller but the strong button snaps make it really difficult.

Ali-Oops toy clips are available in two sizes, small and large.   There are 10+ classic and trendy design choices and at just $10 for the small size or $12 for the large size I think these would make great baby shower gifts.

WEBSITE: Ali! Oops Toy Clips

COUPON CODE: Use this link to get 10% off your purchase!

Ocean Spray Cranergy™ energy juice – I love it!

Food and Drink

I love Ocean Spray’s new Cranergy energy juice drinks!  Like most moms, I hitCranergy
an energy low at about 2:00 every day. After everything mom’s (and dads) it’s no wonder.  I used to turn to a diet soda when I needed energy, but stopped a few weeks ago because of the aspartame.  Now I enjoy Cranergy energy juice when I need a boost.  I have six in my refrigerator as I write this and will probably have four tomorrow. 

With only 35 calories per 8 oz. serving I don’t have guilt issues when drinking Cranergy energy juice.  Cranergy energy juice is available in two flavors; Cranberry and Raspberry Cranberry which is my favorite.   Cranergy energy juice supports healthy energy production with B vitamins.  Did you know that some celebrities actually give/get B-vitamin shots help with their energy levels?   I’m not saying you should do that, but I didn’t know  that B-vitamins helped with energy until I saw a report about the shots on a pretty credible news show. 

In addition to energy boosting B-vitamins, Cranergy energy juices have vitamin C which is well known as an immune booster.  And most importantly the cranberry juice and green tea contain high levels of antioxidants that help fight free radicals while the green tea offers a natural source of caffeine. 

I drink hot green tea in the winter but can’t bring myself to drink a hot beverage on warmer days.  Drinking Cranergy energy juice is a great way for me to enjoy the benefits of green tea that I’m used to but in a colder, more delicious drink.

You can find Cranergy energy juice at your local grocery store and can get a $1.00 off coupon on the Ocean Spray website.

WEBSITE: Ocean Spray Crangery

Enjoy!

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