Lawry's Review and Giveaway

I was recently given the opportunity by Lawry's through My Blog Spark to receive a Lawry´s "What´s Your Flavor" kit that includes a marinating dish, a set of skewers, Lawry´s two new marinades, as well as a sample of each of the four new Seasoning Mixes and a bottle of Lawry´s Seasoned Salt to try out.

Below is information that Lawry's shared with me:


People with a passion for food love expressing themselves through their cooking. Whether it´s marinades, seasoning mixes, or spice blends, Lawry´s products are a great way to express yourself in the kitchen by adding flavor to your favorite foods.


A recent Lawry´s survey found that your choice of flavor says more about you than you think. The nationwide poll looked at preferences for tart, spicy, sweet, and savory flavors and found that your choice can reveal some interesting aspects of your personality.


What´s your flavor?

Joyous Joiners - Tart Flavors - If you are one for tart flavors, you tend to be extremely happy overall, particularly with your family, finances, work/life balance and even your health. As a Joyous Joiners you are an extrovert who loves to entertain at home, find it very important to join in social events in your community and are active on the greatest number of social networking sites.

Self-Assured Adventurers - Spicy Flavors If your preference is for spicy flavors, consider yourself a confident, adventurous individual with a passion for travel and cooking. You are the biggest risk taker and although impulsive, you are not reckless - as a Self-Assured Adventurer you also tend to be resourceful, analytical, and most able to "look at the big picture."


The Sweet Lifers - Sweet Flavors - As a Sweet Lifer, home and family are close to your heart. You are the kindest and most loyal, although you probably wouldn´t admit that as you are also the most modest. As an individual that prefers sweeter flavors (honey and fruit-infused), you are influenced by your parents, enjoy family entertainment, and consider yourself spiritual.

The Conventionalists - Savory Flavors - Your passion for savory flavors shows you have an enthusiasm for politics, enjoy camping and hiking and love outdoor barbeques and American cuisine. Along with the other Conventionalists, you tend to be more introverted than the rest of the groups and often describe yourself as a homebody.

Lawry´s has something for you no matter what your flavor is, including two new marinades and four new Seasoning Mix packets that help create simple meals with an abundance of flavor:

Marinades

Szechuan Sweet & Sour BBQ gives meat a delicious sweet and sour flavor with a touch of Szechuan heat

Tuscan Sun-Dried Tomato includes extra virgin olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, sweet red bell peppers and the perfect blend of herbs

Seasoning Mixes

Asian Style Beef & Broccoli - This easy to prepare stir fry meal will remind your family of their favorite Asian restaurant. The dish combines beef, broccoli and seasonings with a hint of garlic. Serve it over rice and you have a complete, satisfying meal.

Chimichurri Burrito Casserole - Lawry´s gives the familiar Burrito casserole a new twist with this traditional Latin American sauce. With a few simple fresh ingredients, mealtime just got a lot more exciting.

Mediterranean Sundried Tomato & Garlic Chicken - Add a taste of the Mediterranean to your family´s casserole. This easy to bake casserole combines chicken, pasta, tomatoes and Feta cheese to easily make a flavorful meal any night of the week.

Tuscan Style Chicken Marsala with Garlic and Basil - Chicken Marsala is a restaurant favorite, but it might not make the menu at home. This effortless version comes together on your stovetop with just a few fresh ingredients. Flavorful garlic and basil gives this meal its own Tuscan flair, perfect for serving over pasta or rice.

What's my opinion?

I have tried the Tuscan Style Chicken Marsala with Garlic and Basil Seasoning Mix & the Szechuan Sweet & Sour BBQ and loved both. The Tuscan Style Chicken Marsala with Garlic and Basil was easy to put together. I used chicken cutlets (I got them at a really great price) and my local meat market had a great price on a pack of button mushrooms. My grandmother liked it so much that she wants me to buy the seasoning pack and make it again. My daughter's favorite was the Szechuan Sweet & Sour BBQ. I used chicken drumsticks and thighs and grilled them. This marinades in only 30 minutes and grilled nicely. The heat was not overwhelming (we do like things spicy around here though) and went nicely with chicken rice that I made to go on the side. I definately think they did well with the new seasons and marinades. I also loved the marinating dish which was a perfect size and helped when I was doing the chicken. I have not used the skewers yet, but like that they are stainless steel skewers.

Disclosure: I received the above kit, a kit to giveaway, and information from Lawry's through My Blog Spark. All opinions expressed in the review are mine and not influenced in my receiving the kit. For more info on my disclosure policy click here. 

Giveaway

Rules:

1. This giveaway will end on 10/11/2010 at 11:59pm.

2. This giveaway is for USA residents only.

3. A mandatory entry will be required before any other entries are valid.

4. If an email address is not left in the post or in your Blogger profile, the post will be deleted. To protect your email from spam, use this format to post your email address. myemailaddress at gmail dot com.

5. The winner will be choosen by Random.org and the winner will then be notified and given 48 hours to respond to the email.
 
Mandatory Entry
What is your flavor preference is (tart, spicy, sweet or savory) and tell me a food that you love to match it.
 
EXTRA ENTRIES: Leave a comment for each that you complete. Remember to leave an email address so that you can be comtacted if you are the winner.
 
1. Follow me on Google Friend Connect (located in left sidebar of site)
 
2. Subscribe to Mommy's Money Cents email updates (located in left sidebar)
 
3. Grab my button and put on your site- Leave me a direct link to the page it is located on.
 
4. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Leave me a link to the status link of the tweet. (You can get this by clicking the time of the tweet)
 
5. Blog about this giveaway and leave me a direct link to the post.
 
6. "Like" me on Facebook
 
7. Join Mommy's Money Cents Blog Frog Community
 
Good Luck To All Of You!

Totino's Box Tops for Education Prize Pack Review and Giveaway

This Giveaway Is Closed

As you jot down pencils and notebooks on your shopping list, remember to include Totino’s® Party Pizza® and Pizza Rolls® Snacks – kids’ most favorite thing for your freezer!

This fall, Totino’s is also helping to support your child’s school. Totino’s Party Pizzas will now carry Box Tops for Education! Now through September 15, Totino’s is offering two Box Tops for Education on every Totino’s product. Totino’s is also giving away 10,000 Bonus Box Tops, school supplies and free Totino’s snacks to eight lucky schools through the “Make School a Better Place Sweepstakes!” To enter, visit
http://www.boxtops4education.com/Sweepstakes.aspx/Totino-s--and-Avery--Making-School-A-Better-Place/304w.

My Take: My daughter has loved both the pizza and the pizza rolls since she was 4 years old. She was excited when we received the prize pack pictured above. I was lucky enough to be choosen to receive the Totino's Box Tops for Education Prize Pack from General Mills through My Blog Spark. The prize pack includes backpack and school supplies, a coupon for Totino´s Party Pizza and Pizza Rolls Snacks, as well as 25 Bonus Box Tops. She eats the pizza rolls sometimes for an after school snack. They are so easy and quick to cook. I think this is a product that I will still be buying even when she is in college.

GIVEAWAY

Rules:

1. This giveaway will end on 9/16/2010 at 11:59pm.

2. This giveaway is for USA residents only.

3. A mandatory entry will be required before any other entries are valid.

4. If an email address is not left in the post or in your Blogger profile, the post will be deleted. To protect your email from spam, use this format to post your email address. myemailaddress at gmail dot com.

5. The winner will be choosen by Random.org and the winner will then be notified and given 48 hours to respond to the email.

MANDATORY ENTRY: What is your child´s favorite thing to do while snacking on Totino´s after school?

EXTRA ENTRIES: Leave a comment for each that you complete. Remember to leave an email address so that you can be comtacted if you are the winner.

1. Follow my blog on Google Friend Connect- Located in the Left Side Bar

2. Subscribe to my blog's email updates- Located in the Left Side Bar

3. Join Mommy's Money Cents Blog Frog Community and leave a comment in the "Introduce Yourself" Post located in the forum

4. Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

5. Tweet about it and leave a comment below with the status direct link (click the time of the tweet and give me the url of it) and include #myblogspark in your tweet

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

Disclosure: I received the above prize pack from General Mills through My Blog Spark. My opinions were not influenced by the product that I received.

Seventh Generation "Back To School" Kit Review & Giveaway

 

School starts tomorrow around here and it won't be long before cold & flu season starts. My daughter seems to find every cold that runs through her class. So when I had the opportunity to receive a Seventh Generation "Back-to-School" kit from Seventh Generation through My Blog Spark, I jumped on it. The kit includes a Seventh Generation backpack, two canisters of Seventh Generation disinfecting wipes (one for home and one to donate to your child´s classroom), disinfecting multi-surface spray cleaner, facial tissue and paper towels. Matter of fact, I have packed one of the canisters of the disinfecting wipes in her backpack to give to the teacher on her first day. The wipes and spray have a nice clean scent (Lemongrass &Thyme Scented) and the paper towels are strong. 

Here is some information that was provided to me: 

Is your child picking up more than the ABC´s in school? While you´re packing your child´s backpack with the pencils, notebooks and tools they´ll need for a great school year, don´t forget the supplies they´ll need to stay healthy and germ-free, too.

 

With nearly 22 million school days lost each year due to the common cold and flu (CDC) and as many as 2.7 million bacterial found per square inch on common school surfaces (NSF International), it´s no wonder that 82 percent of parents with kids in grades K-5 fret about the germs in their children´s classrooms (according to a survey conducted by Seventh Generation).

 

This school year, Seventh Generation is sharing tips from best-selling author and pediatrician, Dr. Alan Greene, to help parents protect their child´s health during back-to-school season. Dr. Greene suggests taking the following precautions:

 

Optimize the immune system 

• Reap the benefits of probiotics like those found in yogurt. A recent study showed that children who received enough probiotics daily throughout the cold and flu season had a significant reduction in the number of illnesses they had and, when they did get sick, the symptoms were both milder and didn't last as long. 
• Be sure your child is getting plenty of vitamin D from the sun, from food, or from a supplement. 
• Build a strong foundation. Good food, good sleep, and good physical activity all help the immune system to flourish.

 

Be wise about reducing unnecessary exposure to harmful germs

 

Teach children the key times to clean their hands in the classroom. The most important times include after sneezing, coughing or using the restroom, upon leaving "high-risk" places (recess, naptime, play stations) and before meals or snacks.

 

Sixty percent of teachers surveyed said that they request that parents donate disinfecting wipes to the classroom. Seventh Generation´s disinfecting wipes kill 99.99% of germs* naturally using the active ingredient thyme, a component of thyme oil which is derived from the herb thyme.

 

Stress the importance of not touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

 

Demonstrate to your children how to cover their mouth and nose for every cough and sneeze. This simple maneuver has spectacular results in decreasing the spread of viruses and bacteria floating about the room, waiting to be inhaled.

 

*Refer to disinfecting product labels for full details

You can also check out Seventh Generation on Facebook and Twitter today! Visit Seventh Generation on Facebook or Seventh Generation on Twitter and "Like" or "Follow" the brand to keep up with the latest news from Seventh Generation.

(Disclosure: Seventh Generation provided me with the infromation, "Back To School" gift pack and giveaway through MyBlogSpark. All personal views made in this post are fully mine.)

 Giveaway

 

Giveaway: One lucky reader will receive the same Seventh Generation "Back To School" kit that I received.

 

 

Giveaway Rules

1. This giveaway will end on 8/15/2010 at 11:59pm.
2. A winner will be choosen by using Random.org
3. The winner will be notified by email and given 48 hours after that to respond or another winner will be chosen.
4. Each giveaway entry should include an email address that the winner could be notified at.

 
Mandatory Entry
1. Leave a comment with a tip of how you keep your kid(s) healthy and germ-free.
 
Extra Entries
 
1. Follow me on Twitter and leave a comment with your Twitter name. If you already follow me, leave your Twitter name.

2. Tweet about the giveaway and include #MyBlogSpark in the tweet. Leave a comment each time you tweet about it with the status url of the tweet.

3. Subscribe to my blog by email (Sign up box is in the left sidebar) and leave me your email address. If you are already a subscriber leave me a comment also.

4. Blog about this giveaway and leave me a direct link to the post.

5. Become a follower of my blog with Google Friend Connect. It is located in the left sidebar.

6. Follow me on Facebook and leave me your Facebook name
 
Remember to include an email address in every post. 

 

 

 

 

 

Kroger "Add Up The Savings" Event & $25 Gift Card Giveaway

Kroger is one of my favorite stores to shop at. I love the fact that you can download coupons onto your Kroger Plus Card. They have a selection of coupons that include their house brands. I have gotten so many good deals that I can't wait to shop at the "Add Up Your Savings Event".

As summer winds down, it´s time to start picking up new supplies for the upcoming school year.

While you´re out and about, be sure to stop at your local Kroger Family of Stores (which includes Kroger, Ralph´s, King Soopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith´s, Fry´s, QFC, Baker´s, Owen´s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Pay Less Super Markets and Scott´s Food & Pharmacy) to take advantage of their "Add Up the Savings" Event and stock up on your favorite General Mills & Kimberly Clark brands From August 8 through August 21, when you buy 8 participating items from any Kroger store, you´ll receive $4 off of your purchase. Some of the great participating brands include: Cheerios, Yoplait Yogurt, Pillsbury Cookies & Biscuits, Kleenex, Huggies, Betty Crocker Brownies, Cottonelle, and Lucky Charms.


In addition to these great savings, be sure to take advantage of the special Bonus Box Tops Offers and get a jumpstart on helping the participating school of your choice this year.



All you have to do, if you haven´t already, is register at www.RewardYourSchool.com. Once you register, you will automatically receive 5 Bonus Box Tops just for signing up! You will also receive custom offers for Bonus Box Tops for purchasing participating products.

These great offers are:

Buy any 4 Box Tops products and get 10 Bonus Box Tops
Buy any 8 Box Tops products and get 25 Bonus Box Tops

The offers you select will then load onto your Kroger Shopper Card to be redeemed once you purchase the items. It´s extra easy because there´s no clipping! Just remember to scan your Kroger Shopper Card and the Bonus Box Tops will automatically go straight the participating school of your choice.

Giveaway

Prize: One lucky reader will win a Kroger Family of Stores $25 Gift Card.

Giveaway Rules

1. This giveaway will end on 8/8/2010 at 11:59pm.

2. A winner will be choosen by using Random.org

3. The winner will be notified by email and given 48 hours after that to respond or another winner will be chosen.

4. Each giveaway entry should include an email address that the winner could be notified at.

Mandatory Entry

Leave a comment telling me what eight participating items you plan to purchase to receive $4 off during the `Add up the Savings Event´ at the Kroger Family of Stores.

Entra Entries

1. Follow me on Twitter and leave a comment with your Twitter name. If you already follow me, leave your Twitter name.

2. Tweet about the giveaway and include #MyBlogSpark in the tweet. Leave a comment each time you tweet about it with the status url of the tweet.

3. Subscribe to my blog by email (Sign up box is in the left sidebar) and leave me your email address. If you are already a subscriber leave me a comment also.

4. Blog about this giveaway and leave me a direct link to the post.

5. Become a follower of my blog with Google Friend Connect. It is located in the left sidebar.

6. Follow me on Facebook and leave me your Facebook name.

Remember to include your email address in every post.

Disclosure: General Mills, Kimberly Clark and the Kroger Family of Stores provided me with a $25 gift card, information, and the giveaway through MyBlogSpark

Seventh Generation Product Review and Giveaway

 Well it is Spring Cleaning time here at the house. With all of the hospital and physical therapy rehab drama due to my grandmother, my house has been neglected. I was happy to receive a "Disinfecting Cleaning Kit" from Seventh Generation through MyBlogSpark to clean with. I am excited about giving my house an all over disinfecting cleaning.

Here is some info that Seventh Generation gave me:

Seventh Generation has been leading the “responsible cleaning” charge for the past twenty years, Seventh Generation has tapped into the disinfecting power of the herb thyme, to introduce an EPA registered line of disinfecting sprays and wipes that kill germs* naturally! The new line of botanical disinfectant cleaners includes a multi-surface cleaning spray, bathroom cleaning spray and wipes.

The disinfectants contain thymol, a component of the herb thyme, and can be used on hard surfaces including counter tops, plastic cutting boards, highchair trays as well as children’s toys. Best of all, they kill over 99.99 percent of germs* naturally and are effective against the Influenza A Virus, including H1N1.

Seventh Generation has partnered with eco-lifestyle consultant and author, Alexandra Zissu, whose new book, The Conscious Kitchen, discusses what’s good for your health, what’s good for the planet and what tastes great. Her book also includes great tips on maintaining a green and healthy kitchen, including:

Change is Good

Choosing cleaning products without indoor air pollutants like volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, is a simple and effective way to reduce your indoor air pollution. If you’re not prepared to switch everything overnight, start by swapping out the one product you use the most, and moving forward from there.

Think before you spray

Residues from cleaning products can last on a surface for longer than we we’d like to know and travel to areas that we sometimes don’t intend them to. Don’t contaminate your food by prepping it on a surface that may contain harsh chemical residues - rinse cleaning products from food preparation surfaces carefully or use botanical disinfecting cleaners that do not require a rinse step.

Home is Where the Clean Is

Your standard cleaners are good for removing soils and dirt from kitchen surfaces, but to tackle germs you need a cleaner that is effective against microbes like bacteria and viruses. Many cleaners contain ingredients that have antimicrobial properties such as vinegar or hydrogen peroxide, but the germ killing power of these is not necessarily guaranteed. To be sure you are killing germs, use an EPA registered disinfectant. Seventh Generation tapped into the disinfecting power of the common garden herb thyme, to provide a disinfecting cleaner that kills germs* naturally.

Make the Old New Again

Think twice about the items that you’re using to clean and dry your kitchen equipment and dishes. Use rags (like old t-shirts and washcloths) instead of paper towels. If you aren’t prepared to kick your paper towel addiction just yet, use only recycled versions that are unbleached or haven’t been whitened with chemicals containing chlorine and see how long you can make a roll last.

The Writing is on the … Sponge

Be sure to read the fine print on sponges and only purchase those that do not contain antimicrobial pesticides. Remember to store sponges in a dry place and frequently clean them by popping plastic sponges wet in a microwave for two minutes or boiling sponges for three minutes in water.

Mom Was Right, Wash Your Hands

Wash your hands with soap and water before and after prepping food, and always before eating. So much of what can be potentially harmful in a kitchen can be reduced by this simple act that doesn’t require any harsh chemicals whatsoever.

What is my opinion?
I like the fact that they are enviromentally friendly and still have the cleaning and germ fighting power. The scent took me awhile to get used to since I normally clean with floral or citrus scents but now have gotten used to the clean scent. My cleaning habits center around my daughter's sinus problems. I try to wipe down for dust daily in our family room and kitchen area. I used the Disinfecting Wipes to do so and find that it cleans well. In the kitchen I used the Multi-Surface Cleaner and was happy that it left my countertops shining instead of dulling them. I even used it on my oven and stovetop (both are black in color) and was impressed with how it left them smudge free. The Paper Towels stood up to use and did not tear easily when wet. When I used the Bathroom Cleaner I started out cleaning the vanity and found myself having to use my old cleaner because it did not cut through soap scum easily. I went behind that cleaner and used Seventh Generation as a disinfecting spray. That was my only con that I experienced when trying out the Seventh Generation Poducts.


Giveaway Information
Prize: Seventh Generation through MyBlogSpark would like to give one of my readers the chance to receive the same "Disinfecting Cleaning Kit" that I received. It is pictured above.

Rules:
1. This giveaway will end on Sunday 4/11/2010 at 11:59pm.
2. There will be one winner and the winner and I will use random.org to choose a winner.
3. I will notify the winner by email and the winner will have 48 hours to respond to me. If that does not happen I will choose another winner.
4. Leave an email address in every entry that you have so that I know how to contact you.
5. There will only be 1 winner.
6. Winner will be chosen on Monday 4/12/2010.

Mandatory Entry
1.Tell us what the best thing you’ve done for the environment this year?



Extra Entries
2. Follow me on Twitter.

3.Tweet about this giveaway daily. One Tweet only per day. Leave me the Status URL for each Tweet. You can get the Status URL by clicking on the time under each tweet.

4. Subscribe to my site. The box is located in the left sidebar of the site. Leave me a comment with the email address you signed up with.




5. Grab my site button (located in the left sidebar) and post it on your site. Leave me a link to your page it is located.

6. Become a Follower of my site by clicking on the Google Friend Widget located in the left sidebar. Leave me a comment with your email address.

7. Follow me on Facebook. Leave your username in the comment.
8. Stumble Upon this post and leave me your Stumble Upon username in a comment.

9. Digg this post and leave me your Digg username in a comment.
10. Blog about this giveaway and leave a direct link to your post in a comment.

(Disclosure: All views and opinions in the above review are solely mine. I did receive free product, information, and gift pack from Seventh Generation through MyBlogSpark. For more info on my disclosure policy click here.)

('’)

Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks Win One Give One Sweepstakes & Giveaway

My daughter has loved fruit snacks since I can remember so when My Blog Spark and Betty Crocker Fruit Flavored Snacks asked me to pass this information along to my readers I was more than happy to do so. My daughter carries a Fruit By The Foot in her lunch sometimes. I like them because they are a quick, fun & easy snack for her to enjoy when she is between meals.

Each day from now through May 30, 2010, one laptop prize will be awarded to a U.S. winner. For every laptop won, one laptop will be donated to an African child through One Laptop per Child, an organization that creates educational opportunities for the world’s poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning. For your chance to win, simply enter the unique online code printed on participating Betty Crocker Fruit Flavored Snack packages on www.WinOneGiveOne.com.

Below is a video that shares some of the work that they are doing for the children in Africa.

Giveaway

Betty Crocker sent me two boxes of their snacks through My Blog Spark and they want to offer one (1) of my readers the chance to win TWO BOXES of Betty Crocker Fruit Flavored Snacks.

Rules:
1. This Giveaway will end on Sunday, Febuary 21, 2010 at 11:59pm.
2. Winner will be chosen by random.org and notified the morning of Monday Febuary 22,2010. The winner will have 48 hours to answer me back with their mailing info. If the winner does not respond a new winner will be chosen using the same method above.
3. Each post should have your email address that you wish to be notified with. You might want to add my email address to your contacts so that the email won't get lost in the spam folders. marylavent31@gmail.com

How To Enter:
Mandatory Entry: (All other entrys will be void if this post is not made)(Disclosure: I was sent two (2) boxes of Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks and given the above information from Betty Crocker Fruit Flavored Snacks through  My Blog Spark. This in no way affected my views expressed in this post as they are totally mine. For more info on my blog disclosure statement click here.)

1. Share what you have done to encourage your children to help others or what is your favorite experience has been while helping others.

Extra Entries: (Leave a seperate post for each entry that you complete)

2. Follow me on Twitter. (You can click here or click the icon in the left sidebar.) 

3. Tweet about this giveaway daily. One Tweet only per day. Leave me the Status URL for each Tweet. You can get the Status URL by clicking on the time under each tweet.

4. Subscribe to my site. The box is located in the left sidebar of the site. Leave me a comment with the email address you signed up with.

5. Grab my site button (located in the left sidebar) and post it on your site. Leave me a link to your page it is located.

6.  Become a Follower of my site by clicking on the Google Friend Widget located in the left sidebar. Leave me a comment with your email address.

7. Follow me on Facebook. Leave your username in the comment.

8. Join Mommy's Money Cents Facebook Group. Leave your username in the comment.

9. Stumble Upon this post and leave me your Stumble Upon username in a comment.

10. Digg this post and leave me your Digg username in a comment.

11. Blog about this giveaway and leave a direct link to your post in a comment.

General Mills Commit To Reducing Sugars In Cereals

In my house, cereal is a quick and easy breakfast. My daughter's favorite is Lucky Charms cereal. She likes the colorful marshmallows that are inside and I like the fact that it has whole grain oats. I feel that after a bowl of Lucky Charms she is geared to start her day whether it is at school or at home. General Mills reached out to me through My Blog Spark to let me know of their commitment to futher reducing sugars in cereals that are targeted to children under the age of 12. This is exciting news for us parents that are concerned about nutrition.

I guess you can say that General Mills has been a staple in our lives since when she first started eating whole foods. As a toddler she would snack on Cherrios. It was a handy easy to carry around snack for on the go. Below is some interesting facts about cereal.

Here is the info that they sent me to share with all of you:

Did you know that ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters? Cereals also deliver important vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, making cereal a top source of key nutrients in children’s diets.


Other cereal benefits:


Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children’s diets.


Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child’s diet today.


More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.


Studies also demonstrate the benefits of eating breakfast. A 1998 study showed that children who eat breakfast tend to perform better at school. Compared to children who skip breakfast, children who eat breakfast score higher on tests, are less likely to miss class or be tardy, have fewer reported discipline problems, and make fewer trips to the office.

For more information about kids and cereals, please visit Cereal Health and Wellness.

Right now if you visit here you will find a $1 off coupon for one of four General Mills cereals.






(Disclosure: All of the views and personal stories are solely mine. Through My Blog Spark, General Mills sent me 4 coupons for free General Mills Cereal. This in no way swayed my views or opinions. For more on my disclosure statement click here.)

Kroger Mega Event Sale Gift Card Giveaway

The Kroger Family of Stores is holding a Mega Event Sale between August 16th and Sept 2nd (Click Here to see the participating stores). This sale offers $5 off your ticket for every 10 items purchased from the list of participating brands. There will not be a limit to how many times you can receive this reward. Just look for the double-yellow tags in your local store and make sure to swip your Plus Card.

Participating brands include: AMP Energy, Aquafina, Betty Crocker Baking Mixes, Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks, Cascadian Farms Cereals and Bars, Cap'n Crunch, Cheerios, Cheetos, Chex Mix, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Dole Juices and Juice Drinks, Fiber One, Fritos, Gatorade, Golden Grahams, Green Giant, Hamburger Helper, Life , Lipton Tea, Nature Valley, Old El Paso, Pepsi family of 2 Liters, Pillsbury, Progresso, Propel, Quaker Instant Oatmeal, Quaker Chewy Bars, Starbucks, Sobe Life Water, Totino's, Trix, Tropicana, Yoplait and MORE!

Here is a look at the deals that I picked up last night.

My daughter loves Pizza Rolls when she has friends over on the weekend, so I couldn't pass this up. Hamburger Helper paired with the potatos is a great quick meal for weekdays. We eat biscuits with any meal. (My daughter is a big bread eater)

Soup makes for a fast lunch. We drink a lot of O.J. in our house and I thought that the cinnamon rolls would be a great weekend treat.

This is a great deal on the cereal and me and my daughter both love these cereals. The warm delights are going to be a snack for my daughter's sleep over on Friday night. Quakes have become my favorite go to snack. They are better than the regular rice cake.

Coupons I used were:

Hamburger Helper- 75 cents off 3 boxes

Totino's Pizza Rolls- 40 cents off 2 boxes ( I used two of them) Doubled at register

Grand Biscuits- 40 cents off of 2 cans (I used three of them) Doubled at register

General Mills Cereal (selected assortment)- $1 off of 2 boxes

Betty Crocker Warm Delights- 50 cents off of 1 (used 3 of them) Doubled at register

Pillsbury Sweet Rolls- 40 cents off of 2 (I used 2 of them) Doubled at register

Betty Crocker Potatos- 40 cents off one (This was a shortcut coupon that was on my card)

To maximize Kroger savings along with your Kroger Plus Card, remember to load coupons onto your Plus Card at Shortcuts.com and Unilever Kroger eCoupons

Shopping Trip Totals:

Coupon Savings: $7.55

Plus Card Savings: $32.77

Mega Savings Event Discount: $15

Total Savings: $55.32

I spent: 29.45

As you can see this sale offers a big savings. Now for the giveaway....

GIVEAWAY

PepsiCo & General Mills have teamed up with My Blog Spark to offer me and 1 of my lucky readers a $30 Kroger Family of Stores Gift Card.

Rules:

1. Your entry should be in by Sunday night (8/23/09) at Midnight CST

2. Leave me an email address so that you can be notified of your win

3. I will announce the winner on Monday 8/24/09 before 10am CST

4. The winner will have 24 hours to respond before another winner is choosen

How to Enter:

1. Leave me a comment below letting me know how much you think you can save on your next trip one of the Kroger Family Stores?

For Additional Entries You Can Do the Following Task:

2. Follow my blog and leave a comment letting me know (if you are already a follower leave me a comment letting me know)

3. Subscribe to my blog (if you are already a subsriber leave a comment letting me know)

4. Grab my Blog Button and leave me a link to the website or blog

5. Talk about this giveaway on your site or blog and leave me a direct link to the post.

6. Tweet this giveaway on Twitter and leave me your Twitter ID

7. Stumble Upon or Digg this giveaway and leave me your username