I am so loving being a part of the Foodie Penpals program each month! I get to try all kinds of things I might never have considered before!
Gluten-Free Cafe Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix - I'm a crap baker, so like having mixes on-hand. Plus, you know. I'm lazy! But because I'm lazy, I haven't tried making these yet. It would involve unearthing the KitchenAid. *shudder* Sounds like a great Daddy-Daughter Day activity...
Road's End Organics Mac and Chreese Alfredo Style - I had heard negative things about this product, and it gets fairly bad reviews online, but I was still interested in trying it. I mean, some people love Durian fruit, right?
Well, it was easy-ish to make, which is a plus, and it got a B for nutritional value at Fooducate and uses only whole grains (for all the grain ingredients,) so another plus! And - drum roll - my kids liked it! So a definite win! And an additional pantry staple, next to the boxed cheddar mac-n-cheese, for when I want to change it up but am feeling lazy.
Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves - This is my sister's favorite store-bought brand, and she makes and cans her own jams, so that's high praise indeed! I can't wait to eat through the jar of jelly I had
just opened before my package arrived, so we can try it!
Bob's Red Mill Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal - I'm on the fence about this one. Taste-wise, it's okay, and a nice option to change-it-up in an endless sea of oatmeal and cold cereal breakfasts, which are my specialty! But the directions on it involve a saucepan and a ton of time, which won't work for me. I barely have time to get the kids fed and dressed and to the corner on time for the bus with just cold cereal, leftover French Toast Casserole, or, in a pinch, chewy bars. I ain't got time for complicated stove top cooking!
But - I was able to find microwave directions online, so hurray! It's a bit gritty, which I personally don't mind, and it congeals pretty quickly, which again I'm fine with (and am already plotting out fun ways to mold it into shapes for kid appeal!) But neither kid was a fan. I can con Baby into eating a few bites, if I spoon-feed her, but that's a little labor intensive, and doesn't help me squeeze in a shower while they eat. So it's a Mama breakfast option, for now!
Glutino Tortilla Dippers - Tortilla chips. Shaped for ideal salsa or guacamole scooping. 'Nuff said!
Interested?
Here’s a detailed explanation of the Foodie Penpals program:
-On the
5th of the month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the
15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the
last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
-The boxes are to be filled with
fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats!
The spending limit is $15.
The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-
Foodie Penpals is
open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you can choose to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
