Attune Foods (Erewhon Cereal) – Products Worth Reviewing and Giveaway

When my son was ready to eat finger foods, it was difficult finding something that he would enjoy eating as well as being nutritionally adequate. He already enjoyed eating certain vegetables and fruits, but we wanted to enlighten his tastebuds even more by offering other types of foods. And then that’s when we discovered he had a slight intolerance to wheat products. So then it became another journey to find food that didn’t contain any wheat in them. After a vigorous  search and while we were at a newly-opened supermarket nearby, we discovered upon Erewhon Cereal. The packaging indicated that it was completely gluten-free and made simply with brown rice, brown rice syrup, and sea salt. And the fact that they were made with organic ingredients appealed to me even more. So I showed the colorful box of rice cereal to my son while he was sitting in his stroller and his eyes lit up brightly. Yup, looked like it was a winner. So I purchased the box of Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice Cereal and we headed home to give it a taste test (and allergen test). From then on, Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice Cereal became a main staple in our house.

It seems that nowadays more and more people, especially young children, are developing more allergies at the onset of infancy. Sometimes it’s easy to determine immediately what the allergy is, sometimes you don’t find out until after they’ve eaten or touched the offending product. And even more prevalent these days are the allergic reaction to wheat or gluten products. The dangerous thing is that although some food products are made without any wheat, it can still linger in the byproduct if it’s made in an equipment shared with other wheat products. That’s why it’s important to make sure that the company you’re buying from makes only gluten-free products, or at best, label them as certified gluten-free and indicates what type of facility they manufacturer their products in. And my number one recommendation is to always read your labels!

Attune Foods is the parent company of Erewhon Cereal and the Erewhon brand has been making their cereal for over 40 years. But that’s not the only brand of cereal or products that they produce. Attune Foods also makes other brands such as, New Morning, which includes oat cereal and graham crackers; Uncle Sam which is their flagship cereal products using familiar flavors such as multi-grain, honey almond, and strawberry; Skinner’s Raisin Bran Cereal; and Attune probiotic chocolate bars which I tried and was delicious! You wouldn’t even know it was a fortified chocolate bar that’s supposed to be good for you. But our favorite is of course the Erewhon Cereal because they make a wide variety of flavors and they’re just sweet enough. The Erewhon Rice Crispy cereal are also made with simple, natural, and organic ingredients so you really can’t go wrong there. In fact, all of the cereal made by Attune Foods are made with all-natural and organic ingredients and they don’t include any unnecessary ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup, preservatives, or any genetically modified ingredients. We love the Erewhon Brown Rice Crispy Gluten-free cereal because it’s slightly sweet yet with a savory aftertaste due to the sea salt and it has an immense amount of crispy-crunchiness to it. And best of all, my son loves to snack on it during the day by itself without any milk. They’re also great in your rice crispy treat recipes and any other recipes requiring rice crispies. I also like to sprinkle some on our organic yogurt or kefir because it gives it a nice crunch when you bite into it. And my son’s favorite part about rice crispy in milk – the fact that it “talks” to you in the form of “snaps” and “crackles” as it’s sitting in milk.

The name Erewhon itself sounds quite unique as it was derived from a popular nineteenth century novel with the same name. And it’s a great connection because the novel Erewhon was about a utopia in which everyone was responsible for his or her own health. To that extent, Erewhon’s cereals are made with only high quality, all-natural and organic ingredients and the company itself  started the Charter of Quality Standards for Natural Products which is a guideline that all naturally-made foods must adhere by. In order to be called “natural”, products must adhere to the following guidelines:

— No synthetic additives or preservatives
— No artificial colors or flavors
— No hydrogenated or solvent extracted oils
— No refined flour or sugar
— Only natural sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup and molasses.

For more info about Attune Foods guidelines for healthy eating, please visit: http://www.attunefoods.com/Benefits-of-Eating-Healthy .

Erewhon was later acquired by Attune Foods who continues with the same traditions and guidelines as Erewhon. As Attune Foods motto goes, “What matters most is what’s inside”, I think that should be a standard motto for everything in life. And when it comes to food, it really matters what you’re eating and buying and cereals like Erewhon and other products made by Attune Foods can really help you achieve that. Their cereals contain whole grains which is achieved by using the entire whole grain of an ingredient such as the Germ, the Endosperm, and the Bran, all of which plays an important part in optimal digestive health and overall nutrition.

As a member of the Attune Foods Street Team and as an advocate for organic and all-natural food, I was fortunate to receive several products from Attune Foods to try and review. They are also giving 1 LUCKY reader of Happymomblogger a chance to try any of their cereal for FREE! The winner will receive 1 FREE product coupon good for any cereal made by Attune Foods. So are you ready to give your tastebuds and stomach a healthy start? Read below to find out!

Here’s how to enter in the Attune Foods giveaway:

MANDATORY ENTRY:

#1 entry – “Like” Attune Foods on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/attunefoods  and write on their wall that you are entering the contest at Happymomblogger: http://www.happymomblogger.wordpress.com/. Please put Happymomblogger as the heading.

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES: 

#2 entry – Become a follower: http://twitter.com/#!/happymomblogger and “Tweet” me @happymomblogger that you are entering the Attune Foods giveaway. Follow Attune Foods on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/attunefoods and Tweet that you are entering the Attune Foods giveaway at Happymomblogger.

#3 entry – Visit  http://www.attunefoods.com/ and tell me what products you would like to try.

#3 entry – Subscribe to my Blog.

#4 entry – Enter in my other contests.

#5 entry – Vote for me at Top Mommy Blogs using the link provided below.

You can enter as many times as you like but you MUST enter in the Mandatory entry to qualify. The more you enter, the more chances your name will be drawn.  You can enter by telling me the 5 entries in the LEAVE A COMMENT box. Please be sure to give me your name and email address so that I may contact you if you win. Contest is open to residents of US only. 18 years and older please. Please be sure to provide a physical address and not a P.O. Box.

Contest Start Date: June 6, 2011

Contest End Date: June 20, 2011 – Contest closed, winner will be selected. Congratulations to Layne for winning the prize!

Only 1 winner will be chosen at random and I will post the winner’s name on my blog.

GOOD LUCK AND THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products. 

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

http://www.topmommyblogs.com/blogs/in.php?id=storm

suzan5 Comments

Summer Activities for the Not-So-Bored-Child

It doesn’t matter if your kids are 2, 5, or 8 years old, eventually they’ll all say these common phrases – “I’m bored, there’s nothing good on TV” or “I’m tired of my old toys, I want new ones”, or my favorite which I’ve actually heard my niece say to her parents, ” How come my friends parents are so much more fun?”. Kids. They’re pretty funny stuff but what are you gonna do, right? They’re full of energy, imagination, and curiosity and sometimes their attention span just don’t last as long. So I’ve come up with a few fun and creative activities for kids to do this summer. These activities are best suited for children ages 3-10 but you can modify it to fit any age.

1- The Ice Race. Similar to the egg and spoon race except you use ice cubes. Take crushed ice and put it in a plastic sandwich bag. If you’re concerned about the impact plastic has on the environment, use a cheesecloth instead: Simply put crushed ice in the middle of a cheesecloth, fold the ends up into a bag and tie it up. Then give a bag of ice to each child and have them line up side by side in a row like a race. Have the kids hold the bag of ice in their palm, hand open and let them race to the finish line. Whoever gets to the finish line without dropping their bag of ice or switching it to the other palm wins. This is pretty fun since it’s really hard to hold onto a bag of ice for any lenth of time. This is also a fun activity when the weather is warmer.

2- Museum Scavenger Hunt. Visit a local museum of your choice. Something that has a specific exhibit will work well with this activity and you might want to go to the museum first to prepare. Make a list of items that your child can find at the museum. And then as he/she goes through the museum, they can check it off the list. To make it interesting, include on your list items that are unusual or funny. You can also include items in the museum’s gift shop. Make sure they get a prize at the end of the scavenger hunt. This activity promotes interest of learning and patience and hopefully they’ll want to return to the museum soon.

3- Park Exploration Day. Visit a local park or a national park and collect anything that’s of interest so that later you and your child can make a scrapbook. Collect leaves of different colors, rocks, feathers, anything you can find (as long as it’s not garbage :)). This activity helps young minds learn the importance of nature and if you really want the education to go further, let them find out which tree each leaf belongs to, what the names of the rocks are, and what kind of birds do those feathers belong to.

4- Build a project. Go to your local arts and craft store with your child and pick up an unfinished wood furniture (preferably a smaller size that’s suitable for a child). Then grab paint, stickers, feathers, etc. to adorn the wood  furniture. Once the project is done, your child can proudly keep it in his/her room or anywhere in the house to use and display. This activity teaches children about self-discipline and imagination. It’s always a great accomplishment  when children can build or do a project on their own ( or at least with limited help).

5- Jungle Book. Take your child to the local arts and craft store and pick up some miniature plastic animals, craft glue, and either hard construction paper or poster boards to create a book. You’ll need at least 3 pages. To make the jungle book, cut the paper or poster boards into a 5X8″ size. Punch 3 holes using a hole puncher or awl along the edge of each paper. Using a piece of yarn or string, loop the yarn into the holes and tie off at both ends. It should resemble a book. Then, using craft glue, have your child pick out his favorite animals and glue the animals randomly on each page. There should be at least 3-5 animals on each page. Then, if your child wants to write his own story using the animals as part of the story, let his/her imagination go. Or if they’re too young to write on their own, have them help you think up a story and you can write it for them in the book. This activity teaches imagination and creativity. It also helps teach a young mind the process of storytelling and connecting a story.

All of these activities can really be enjoyed any day or season, not just in the summer. But if you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a family vacation or end up spending hundreds of dollars at those theme parks, then give these fun and unique activities a try.

suzan1 Comment

Max and Ruby always wins!

Not since I was a child myself have I ever watched so many cartoons. When my son became old enough to watch TV and understand some of the programs that are on, suddenly I became the expert on everything Disney, Nickelodeon, and Sprout TV. I don’t remember when exactly it all began, but Max and Ruby on Nickelodeon became one of his favorite programs. Whenever I need to pop in a DVD for him, I ask him, “what would you like to watch?” as I show him his array of kids DVDs and the jumble of colors and animation jumping out at us. He would always answer sweetly, “hmm, Max and Ruby”. And as always, Max and Ruby wins the prize as one of his favorites. My son never tires of watching Max and Ruby live on television, pre-recorded on television, and on DVDs and I can certainly understand why because the show has unwittingly became one of my favorites too. And yes, as I’m sitting here typing that sentence, I think to myself, what had happened to my incessant need of watching soap operas everyday or my Smallville and Gossip Girl? Well, I suppose becoming a mom changed my views of what engrossed me on TV and why those salacious shows were so addictive. I don’t mind the change of program scenery because I still enjoy watching cartoons and animation and revering in the innocent childhood moments. 

But what’s so special about Max and Ruby you might ask? Well, for starters, it’s a charming show about a (somewhat) bossy bunny sister and her lovable but mishievous little brother and their daily encounters with simple problems and rewarding solutions. Ruby is the ever-so-patient bigger sister bunny who always ends up sacrificing her day for her little brother’s enjoyment. Max, the super smart and super adorable little bunny brother is always getting in the way of Ruby and her friends plans but is also one step ahead of their game in each episode. But what I find most endearing is that when Ruby unwillingly gives up a favorite toy or activity to appease Max, towards the end of the show, Max always ends up reciprocating Ruby’s kind intentions. Thus, a concealed message becomes apparent – that no matter how much you may get your way, you should always reciprocate the kindness. Max isn’t bad by any means, he’s just a playful little bunny who seems to be a lot more intelligent than any bunny his age. He’s insightful well beyond his current age of 3 years old and it shows in his good-natured antics and mischiefs.

Max and Ruby didn’t begin on Nickelodeon. No, in fact, the characters of Max and Ruby began with Rosemary Wells who is the creator of the characters and writer and illustrator of the storybooks. Some of the storybooks correlate with the television series and whenever we read one of the books at home, my son always remembers and comments on the similarity. He’ll say with a surprise delight, “Hey! I have that book!”. It’s always fun to be able to read a book and watch the live action part of it – it makes the book even more memorable and enjoyable. As Rosemary Wells commented on an interview with Nickelodeon, “Max’s toys are much funnier when they move in the show”. And indeed his toys are funnier because it seems as if they have a life of their own and they seem to either obey Max or tease him. Either way, it’s incredibly fun to watch the interaction between Max, Ruby, their grandmother, their toys, and their friends. And although my husband and I wonder where the parents are, it doesn’t really matter because in most animated shows, you don’t see the parents because the shows are trying to teach kids how to solve problems on their own in a similar situation. And they do have their grandma, who is always so loving and generous to her bunny grandchildren.

If you’re interested in Max and Ruby, you have to visit Nickelodeon’s website: http://www.nickjr.com/max-ruby/. The site itself has a dazzling collection of all of their shows on Nick Jr. and there are fun activities, games, and even videos of their past and current shows you can watch for free. We love printing out the coloring pages and activities because to a child, whenever there’s a connection between what’s on TV and what is tangible in real life, everything becomes more meaningful and significant.

suzan3 Comments

You are what you eat – Foods that are rich in Vitamins

I look forward to Summer not because of the warmer weather, but mainly for the abundancy of sweet and delicious fruits that will be available. Watermelon, peaches, nectarines, corn, strawberries, and so forth. Sure, I can probably buy those fruits that have been shipped from other countries, but really, do I want to eat a piece of fruit that was sitting on a tree 10,000 miles away? No, I think I prefer fresher fruits and vegetables that were locally grown.

I was raised at an early age to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. My husband was not. So I try to teach my son to eat lots of fruits and vegetables so that when he gets older, hopefully he’ll continue with this good habit.  Thankfully, he loves his fruits and vegetables.  Now I’m not saying that we don’t indulge in the occassional “junk food” in our household, we just don’t eat them every day and I don’t buy them often so they’re not tempting us. And whenever possible, I try to buy healthier junk foods. Are there healthier junk foods you may ask? Well, they’re just not loaded with a lot of unnecssary ingredients like refined sugar, hydrogenated oils, trans fat, high fructose corn syrup, and other health-depleting ingredients.

Have you ever heard of the saying, ” You are what you eat”? Well, I find that mostly true, especially in the U.S. where food is so abundant and accessible. But, are we all in danger of eating too much processed food and food ladened with hydrogenated fat and toxic chemicals? I believe we still are since obesity is still on the rise, and more so in children nowadays. After all, if you teach your children to eat and live a healthy lifestyle at a young age, most likely they’ll carry that trait into their adult years. Fresh fruits and vegetables are not only a staple in our household, but it’s a necessity. Besides being a vegetarian, I find that fresh fruits are really delicious and sweet! Some of them more so than a piece of candy or cake. We always have at least one or two varieties of fruit in our house, and when the warmer season comes, I’ll be buying a lot more yummy fruits at the local farmers market or natural grocery store.

Since I was raised to eat healthy and to be more conscious of what I eat, I try to teach my son that same lesson. And being raised in a family of doctors and health experts, I’ve also done my own research as well as learned from my family members. But it’s no mystery to know that eating foods rich in important vitamins and minerals is the key to living a healthier lifestyle and in most cases, prevent certain diseases and disorders. And to add icing on the cake, so to speak, eating foods that are organically grown enhances your chances of living a healthier life. Organically-grown foods are grown without the use of toxic pesticides, they’re not genetically modified, and they’re also grown in organic soil. Thus, they are providing a healthier product for the consumer and for the planet. However, not everyone has the means to eat organic food all of the time. Yes, it’s important to do so, but if it’s not possible, then eat as much locally and fresh or “raw” foods as possible. Below, I’ve listed the important reasons to eat food that are rich in vitamins and minerals and how they can help you live a healthier lifestyle.

* Green food such as kale, broccoli, bok  choy, spinach, collards, watercress, and arugula contain chlorophyll which helps eliminate environmental toxins in the body and protects the liver.

* Fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin C such as lemon, oranges, tangerines, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, kiwi, and red bell peppers help protect the cells from free radicals and is a natural detox vitamin.

*Garlic is excellent in antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal purposes and has been provent to prevent certain type of cancers. It’s also excellent in helping to reduce high cholesterol and high blood pressure as well as fight certain infections.

*Ginger is best known for its assistance with stomach and intestinal problems. It also helps in flushing out toxins in the liver and kidneys. It’s also been known to shorten the length of the common cold and flu.

*Whole Grains such as brown rice, barley, and quinoa are full of soluble fiber which soaks up toxins in the body so that they’re more easily flushed out. Fiber also promotes easier digestion further down the road.

Below is a list of 12 common foods that contain the most pesticide residue even after careful washing or peeling. These are crucial in buying and eating organic:

1- CELERY   (THE WORST)                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

2- PEACHES   (THE WORST)

3- STRAWBERRIES   (THE WORST)

4- APPLES

5- BLUEBERRIES

6- NECTARINES

7- BELL PEPPERS

8- SPINACH

9 – CHERRIES

10 – KALE/COLLARD GREENS

11- POTATOES

12 – GRAPES (IMPORTED)

These are just guidelines on what is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The math is pretty simple – you eat well, then you’ll feel well. Of  course as an individual, you should always do your own research before trying anything new or different.

Wishing you good health!

suzan1 Comment

CLIF Bar – Products Worth Reviewing and Giveaway

For the longest time, I’ve always enjoyed eating nutritional bars. I think it started back in high school when I was always on the go in between classes, activities, and sports. Nutritional bars were nutritious and easy to eat and it filled me up as I needed. Today, I still enjoying eating nutritional bars because they are nutritious, easy, and fills me up as needed. And with an active toddler son, sometimes we both munch on nutritional bars when necessary. CLIF Bar & Company offers nutritional bars for both adults and children as well as LUNA bars which are specially formulated for a women’s body. My son loves the CLIF Organic Z Bar and the CLIF Kid Organic Twisted Fruit Bars. I also enjoy the CLIF Kid fruit bars, but I save them for my son since they’re great to snack on while we’re out and about. CLIF Bar & Company also makes a high-protein bar called Builders, crunchy granola bars, sweet and salty bars called MOJO, a fruit and nut bar called CLIF C, and super high-intensity energy supplements called Shots. All of Clif Bar products are made with all-natural and organic ingredients and without any unnecessary additives or preservatives. This is especially important for their CLIF Kids line since children’s growing bodies need as much organically grown products as possible.

The CLIF Bar &  Company backstory began with a simple need over 20 years ago. The founder and owner who was also an athlete and bicyclist, wanted something delicious and nutritious as an energy bar. Not being satisfied with what he had at the time, he set up to invent his own energy bars that were both good tasting and good for you. After many recipes in the kitchen with his mom, they finally came up with a winning recipe and hence, CLIF Bar & Company was born. As a socially and ethically responsible company, CLIF Bar sources ingredients that come from organic farms that meet their strict standards. They also do not use any GMO’s (genetically modified organisms) in their products and they hope to eventually become a 100% Zero Waste company. They are also partnered with TerraCycle where you can send in most of their wrappers and packaging to the company TerraCycle and everything gets recyled into everyday products. Check out CLIF Bar’s online store where you can purchase recycled products such as tote bags and pencil cases: http://www.clifbarstore.com/products/clif_upcycled.

CLIF Bar products can be bought at virtually every store possible. I’ve seen them in grocery stores, natural grocery stores, big warehouse stores, online, and even at some mini markets. And although CLIF Bar products were originally invented with athletes in mind because of the right combination of carbohydrates, protein, and fiber, I personally think their products can be enjoyed by practically anyone of any age and with their specified line of products, you can probably find one that suits your purpose and taste.

CLIF Bar & Company wanted to send me samples of some of their best selling products and the products I tried were: ClifBar energy bars, LUNA bars, Clif ZBar and Twisted Fruit for kids, and Clif Crunch granola bars. I really enjoyed all of their products but my favorites were the LUNA bars and the Clif Kid Twisted Fruit. The LUNA bars were soft and chewy and the flavors were memorable. The Clif Kid Twisted Fruits were moist and not too sweet and also a lot of fun to eat. My son can eat an entire fruit twist without blinking an eye – yes, he loves it that much! And as an added bonus, CLIF Bar & Company has generously offered 1 LUCKY reader of Happymomblogger a box of their CLIF Bar White Chocolate Macadamia Nut which contains 12 bars in the box. I tried the White Chocolate Macadamia Nut bar and it was yummy! The white chocolate chips were the highlight and the macadamia nuts gave it just the right amount of crunch without being too “nutty”. So how do you win this wonderful prize? Read below to find out.

Here’s how to enter in the CLIF Bar giveaway:

MANDATORY ENTRY:

#1 entry – “Like” Clif Bar on Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/clifbar and write on their wall that you are entering the contest at Happymomblogger: http://www.happymomblogger.wordpress.com/. Please put Happymomblogger as the heading.

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES: 

#2 entry – Become a follower: http://twitter.com/#!/happymomblogger and “Tweet” me @happymomblogger that you are entering the Tom’s of Maine giveaway.

#3 entry – Visit http://www.clifbar.com/ and tell me what products you would like to try and why.

#3 entry – Subscribe to my Blog.

#4 entry – Enter in my other contests.

#5 entry – Vote for me at Top Mommy Blogs using the link provided below.

You can enter as many times as you like but you MUST enter in the Mandatory entry to qualify. The more you enter, the more chances your name will be drawn.  You can enter by telling me the 5 entries in the LEAVE A COMMENT box. Please be sure to give me your name and email address so that I may contact you if you win. Contest is open to residents of US only. 18 years and older please. Please be sure to provide a physical address and not a P.O. Box.

Contest Start Date: May 11, 2011

Contest End Date: May 25, 2011 – Contest closed. Winner will be selected. Congratulations to Becky S.!

Only 1 winner will be chosen at random and I will post the winner’s name on my blog.

GOOD LUCK AND THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products. 

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

http://www.topmommyblogs.com/blogs/in.php?id=storm

suzan80 Comments

Lifeway Kefir – Products Worth Reviewing and Giveaway

Yogurt has always been a staple in our household. We love how it tastes, we love the variety of uses for it, and we love that it’s really good for you. But now there’s a new sheriff in town – and that sheriff is named kefir. Although kefir has been around the world for many years, it surfaced into the mainstream probiotic world not too long ago. Some people may have already heard of it and enjoy it on a regular basis, but for many, kefir is still fairly new in the United States.

Kefir (pronounced keh-fur), most popularly enjoyed in Eastern Europe, is acknowledged as one of the highest form of probiotic. It tastes similar to yogurt and is made in a similar way, but is cultured to be more effective than yogurt. Kefir is also slightly effervescent and is a bit thinner in consistency than yogurt. It’s also fairly easy to add different flavors into kefir because to me, kefir tastes slightly more sour than yogurt but it does have a rather unique taste. And of course one of my all-time favorite brand of kefir is Lifeway Kefir.

Lifeway Kefir or Lifeway Foods makes the largest selection of kefir products in the United States and their products range from organic kefir, to low carb kefir, to cheese, to organic green kefir,  and to their newest frozen kefir (which I’m most eager to try next!). They also make a product specially formulated for children called “ProBugs” which my son absolutely loves (and perhaps because the “bugs” concept is cool). Their ProBugs currently comes in four flavors – Goo-Berry Pie, Orange Creamy Crawler, Sublime Slime Lime, and Strawnana Split. See – even their ProBugs kefir has really cool names! But their biggest selection of flavors would have to be their kefir and organic kefir. Their organic kefir is certified organic and although their regular non-organic versions are not made with organic ingredients, they still use high-quality, natural ingredients – no unnecessary additives like preservatives and high fructose corn syrup. And if you want to avoid sugar all together, their Plain Kefir is unsweetened but still delicious!

Lifeway Foods has been making kefir for over 25 years and is in fact, celebrating their 25th Anniversary as we speak. Their humble beginnings started with a father and her daughter who wanted to introduce the kefir product into the United States. Knowing the health benefits of kefir, the owners also pledged to use only all-natural ingredients and formulated ProBoost, their exclusive pair of clinically proven probiotics to balance the body’s ecosystem, support digestive health and for immunity purposes. Lifeway’s kefirs can also help those with lactose intolerance as the probiotics in kefir help boost the digestion of lactose in the body. All of Lifeway Kefirs contain 10 live and active probiotic cultures which help strengthen the body’s immune system through the digestive tract. Probiotics have been known to improve the body’s digestive tract because it adds good “bacteria” into the body so that it can destroy the bad bacteria in the body. The body’s digestive tract is known to contribute to at least 70% of the body’s immune system, so it’s important to keep your digestive  tract healthy and not loaded with a bunch of junk.

Lifeway Kefir offered me several coupons to try their products and review them. I decided to try their ProBugs in Goo-Berry Pie and their Organic Kefir in Low Fat Strawberries n’ Cream and Helios Nutrition Organic Blueberry. Their Helios Nutrition’s Organic Kefir is specifically designed with FOS/inulin and is a delicious probiotic beverage beneficial to both children and adults.  The Helios Kefir is made with Helios’s 7 Exclusive Live & Active Cultures: Lactobacillus kefyr, Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus cremoris, Lactococcus diacetylactis, Leuconostoc cremoris, Candida kefyr, and Saccharomyces unisporous.

Since I regularly eat yogurt, I wanted to see how Lifeway Kefir’s probiotic drinks can help with my body. I drank their Helios Organic Kefir and their regular Organic Kefir for a week and I indeed  felt like my stomach was acting better and took well to all of the live and active cultures in the kefirs. But perhaps because I already ate yogurt on a regular basis, my body accepted the live and active cultures well, although I honestly believe that probiotics are suppose to help you instead of hinder your body’s performance. But I suppose it works differently for everyone.

Lifeway Foods has also offered 1 LUCKY reader of Happymomblogger to try their kefir. The prize consists of a t-shirt, a lip balm, a button, a VIP coupon for ProBugs, a VIP coupon for their regular 32oz. kefir, a VIP coupon for their new frozen kefir and a VIP coupon for First Juice. A note about First Juice – Lifeway Foods acquired First Juice not too long ago and First Juice is a specially formulated juice designed for babies and toddlers who can drink juice. They are also made with certified organic ingredients and that’s really important for growing little bodies. First Juice contains less sugar than regular juice which is also much healthier for little tummies and currently their flavors include Apple & Carrot, Banana & Carrot, Blueberry & Purple Carrot, and Peach & Purple Carrot. For more info on First Juice, please visit: http://www.firstjuice.com/.  I also enjoy drinking First Juice juices because they are so delicious! And you don’t really need all that sugar in juice anyway. I even made frozen First Juice pops with their juice and it was a big hit with my son! So how do you enter to win this fabulous prize from Lifeway Foods? Read below to find out how.

Here’s how to enter in the Lifeway Foods giveaway:

MANDATORY ENTRY:

#1 entry – Become a follower of Lifeway Kefir: http://twitter.com/#!/lifeway_kefir and Tweet that you are entering the contest at Happymomblogger. (Please note, this is a change from my other first entry. All previous entries on the Facebook page will be counted.)

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES: 

#2 entry – Become a Happymomblogger follower: http://twitter.com/#!/happymomblogger and “Tweet” me @happymomblogger that you are entering the Lifeway Kefir giveaway.

#3 entry – Visit  http://www.firstjuice.com/ and http://www.lifeway.net/ and tell me what products you would like to try.

#3 entry – Subscribe to my Blog.

#4 entry – Enter in my other contests.

#5 entry – Vote for me at Top Mommy Blogs using the link provided below.

You can enter as many times as you like but you MUST enter in the Mandatory entry to qualify. The more you enter, the more chances your name will be drawn.  You can enter by telling me the 5 entries in the LEAVE A COMMENT box. Please be sure to give me your name and email address so that I may contact you if you win. Contest is open to residents of US only. 18 years and older please. Please be sure to provide a physical address and not a P.O. Box.

Contest Start Date: May 11, 2011

Contest End Date: May 25, 2011- Contest closed. Winner will be selected. Congratulations to Becky S.!

Only 1 winner will be chosen at random and I will post the winner’s name on my blog.

GOOD LUCK AND THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products. 

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

http://www.topmommyblogs.com/blogs/in.php?id=storm

suzan61 Comments