As a way to feed my family a healthy breakfast, I rely on several staples: bagels and cream cheese, pancakes, and waffles. Waffles are huge hit with everyone in the family. Waffles topped with fruit are a sure bet.

I serve fruit with breakfast, but sometimes one kid won’t eat the fruit or one kids wanted another kind of fruit. Frustrating, but cooking for kids is not easy. I wish I had 3 kids who ate everything on their plates. Alas, no.

We tried a new type of breakfast meal the other day.
Eggo came up with an ingenious and innovative breakfast item, Eggo Real Fruit Pizza. Combining fruit with warm toasted granola and berry flavored cream cheese, Eggo can help streamline your morning with this convenient, tasty breakfast offering.

Our verdict on the Eggo Real Fruit Pizza:

Mom — Loved the fruit on top of the pizza. The berries were actual berries not smushed, unidentifiable objects. Delish.

Dad — Loved the pizza. Is not and never will be a fan of granola. He would prefer the pizza minus the granola topping.

Kid — Loved the whole thing.

Tween — Nibbled around the edges. Ate a bit, but wasn’t in to it…if you know what I mean.

Teen — Didn’t try it.

So, the Musings from Me family would give the Eggo Real Fruit Pizza a thumbs up. We have some reservations about the granola. We loved the sweetness of the fruit, the crustiness of the pizza, and size.

The size worked for us. I heated two pizzas in the oven (pizzas can be microwaved) for an after breakfast snack. We each had about 2 pieces.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Eggo Real Fruit Pizza and received a sample of the product and a $20 Amazon gift certificate to facilitate my review.

Dinnertime is a precious commodity in our house. With kids heading to activities, Dad arriving home late from work, and Mom scrambling to check e-mail and write, dinner time can be rushed. Barilla launched a site called Share the Table to help families make the most of mealtime.

Share the Table encourages togetherness. In the hustle and bustle of family life…especially with a kid, a preteen, and a teen…family time can be fleeting. With summer in full swing we are eating more meals together…even lunch.

I love pasta. I tried to make pasta meals that the kids will eat. I like to  add a little something different each time I make a pasta dish. Some meals are a hit, and some well… I try!

One of the recipes I tried involved Barilla Piccolini or Mini Wheels pasta. Cute and tasty. Small bite-sized pieces of yummy goodness. I added tomatoes, too.

The Barilla share the table site is chockfull of recipes, tips for bringing the family to the table, and Barilla’s Pasta Friday Sweepstakes. By sharing your family’s meal experience you could win a Barilla meal.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Barilla and received products necessary to facilitate my candid review.

I have driven past Noodles & Company in Columbia, Maryland, many times.  I assumed it was a Chinese restaurant. We love Chinese food. I never knew that Noodles & Company had such a varied selection of dishes.

I had a chance to take my family to Noodles & Company last Wednesday night. Once I walked in I took in the restaurant vibe. It is a counter service restaurant where you order at the counter for your party, but the food is brought to your table. We chose a booth at the back of the restaurant. I’m not a fan of booths for the 5 of us due to constant getting in and out of the booth…someone always forgets to get a drink! But, we sat in a booth.

I let each person choose their own meal. We had coupons for a free soup, salad, or entree. The person at the register initially told us that we couldn’t use all 5 at once. I told her we were doing a restaurant review for MomCentral. She rang up each coupon on a separate order. The checkout took longer than usual, but we survived. I encouraged the kids to get a dish with vegetables. Two out of three kids complied. Oh well…

Once we were seated, our food arrived in about 5 minutes. The menu is divided in to three sections: Asian Noodles…Mediterranean Noodles…American Noodles. Here’s what we ordered:

• Me: I tried the Asparagus and Lemon Linguine dish. I was concerned that the lemon would be overpowering. The dish was delicious. The asparagus was tender.  The noodles were tender enough for me to grab with the chopsticks, not slippery at all.
• The husband: He had the Pad Thai with chicken breast. He liked it, but probably wouldn’t order it again. He would like to try the Indonesian peanut dish the next time.
• The teen: She loved the Penne Rosa. She couldn’t finish the large version. She said the dish was spicy, but not too spicy. My husband and I finished her meal for her!



• The tween: She is our least adventurous eater. At restaurants, she orders either a hamburger or Mac & Cheese. Thankfully she loved the Wisconsin Mac & Cheese. She even ate it with chopsticks.



• The Kid: Speaking of chopsticks, my son ate his Caesar Salad with Shrimp by holding a chopstick in each hand and picking up each piece of lettuce…one leaf/crouton/cheese at a time. A surprisingly effective, yet painfully slow way of eating. On the flip side, how many 7-year-old boys order Caesar salad anyway??

The Musings from Me verdict on Noodles & Company? We all agreed that we would go back. We might even add it to our rotation of restaurants we go to regularly!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Noodles & Company and received five Noodles & Company bowl cards to facilitate my review. Mom Central also sent me a thank-you gift certificate.

In my early married days my husband was the cook while I was the chief bottle washer. When his work, coaching, and graduate school schedule got too hectic once we had children I took on the cooking responsibilities. I was a WAHM managing editorial projects while caring for 2 little children. I made meals that were kid friendly. As you can imagine we ate, fruit, vegetables, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, cereal, waffles, ready-made dinners from Costco, and other easy-to-prepare foods.

My cooking skills improved greatly once I stopped working from home. Overnight I had time to cook. Now, I still wasn’t a very good or enthusiastic cook,  but I had the time to stop buying all the processed foods and start cooking from recipes. Our diet improved considerably.

Since I have cooking issues I try: (1) stick with recipes that I can cook and the family will eat (the eating part is not a given when I am cooking!) and (2) used tried and true ingredients. Uncle Ben’s is a brand we love. My kids love Chinese and Mexican food dishes that feature rice.

Now my husband is still picky when it comes to anything whole grain. My son, could care less. When I found that Uncle Ben’s had created a new Whole Grain White Rice that looks and tastes like white rice, I knew that it would be a winner with my family.

Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain White Rice has the look, taste and texture of white rice, but is packed with whole grains (almost a full day’s worth in one serving). Uncle Ben’s new Whole Grain White Rice provides a healthy alternative to plain sides like pasta or potatoes. The rice comes in a variety of flavors from traditional Long Grain to Chicken, Broccoli Cheddar, Taco Style and Sweet Tomato, so you can mix-up meals and still know that you’re getting whole grains on the table. Plus, with a quick 10-minute prep time, Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain White Rice provides a great solution for the nights when jam-packed schedules leave you scrambling for a quick, healthy option.

Uncle Ben’s has partnered with Missy Chase Lapine, author of The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids’ Favorite Meals. As moms we struggle to find a balance between what kids want to eat and what we want them to eat. I struggle to get kids to eat enough fruits, veggies and whole grains. Lapine’s tips and recipes can help sneak nutrition-rich foods into children’s favorite dishes.

Want to try a box of Uncle Ben’s Whole grain White Rice? Here’s a coupon.

Want to find where Uncle Ben’s rice is sold? Here’s a link.

Do you live close to me? Do your kids attend the same schools as mine? Are we members of the same pool, sports teams, etc.? This giveaway is for you!

I have a box of Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain White Rice and an Uncle Ben’s apron for FOUR lucky readers who live close to me. I’ll leave the prizes on my front porch or deliver them to the pool or end-of-year events.

To enter this giveaway, leave a comment at the end of this post.

I wrote  this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Uncle Ben’s and received samples to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

An electric toothbrush seemed a good idea. We had experimented with one version for our teen. It worked well. We got another brand for our younger two. The tween is now in braces, too. She loves using the electric toothbrush. But, the electric toothbrush that my youngest used was too heavy for him. The bristles and toothbrush head were too big. What to do, what to do?

Enter Sonicare for kids. Sonicare For Kids comes to the rescue with a new way to make daily tooth brushing more effective…and fun! This innovative power toothbrush, designed for kids ages 4-10, incorporates patented sonic technology and has features such as the KidTimer to extend brushing time each day until kids reach the recommended two minutes. The unique KidPacer plays musical tones to indicate when to begin brushing another quadrant of the mouth, and interchangeable design panels allow your kids to choose a style that’s all their own.

The Sonicare has two sizes of toothbrush heads — age 4+ and age 7+. Just the right size for tinier mouths plus it is always good to start good brushing habits early. We have our kids brush their teeth first thing in the morning, last thing at night, and after lunch for the kids in braces.

Establishing predictable morning and evening routines with your kids can serve as a gateway for teaching healthy habits that last a lifetime. In a recent Mom Central survey of 1,300 parents, 75 percent revealed that they feel stressed about how to keep daily routines fun. The KidPacer is a good idea to keep little ones focused on the task at hand. Oral health seems to be of particular concern as more than half of parents struggle to get their kids to brush for the dentist recommended two minutes.

Follow the simple ABC’s of Sonicare For Kids and in no time your kids will be reminding you when it’s time to brush:
•    A: Advise your kids on the importance of oral health—just as milk makes for strong bones, brushing makes for healthy teeth and gums
•    B: Brush your teeth with your kids and make it fun

•    C: Create special moments with your child after brushing, extending this time into your daily routine

Sonicare for Kids is available nationwide at Target, Walmart, and amazon.com.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Sonicare and received a free Sonicare For Kids toothbrush to facilitate my review.

Pringles are still a staple in our pantry. I am delighted to let you know that Pringles is tackling the important issue of childhood hunger. As a mom, I need to have a well-stocked pantry…I take it for granted. It is inconceivable that families in this country cannot afford to feed their families, but it is a reality.

Pringles has rolled out “U Taste. We Donate.”  Initiated by Pringles Multigrain and supported by celebrity chef, Tyler Florence, the campaign seeks to aid Share Our Strength with its mission to end childhood hunger in America.  For the 17 million children facing hunger in America, every dollar counts.

Here’s how it works.  Enter the UPC code from any Pringles Multigrain product at PringlesMultigrain.com, and Pringles will donate $1 to Share Our Strength through June 30, 2010.  You can choose from any of the three New Pringles Multigrain flavors including, Truly Original, Cheesy Cheddar, and Creamy Ranch.

To support the “U Taste. We Donate” campaign, Tyler Florence created three unique and incredible recipes to go along with each flavor of Pringles Multigrain – a perfect snacking inspiration. I can’t wait to enter the codes from the Pringles Multigrain snacks I received for my review. BTW, the Pringles Multigrains were delish. My 7-year-old has a fairly sophisticated palate for a little kid — he loved the Cheesy Cheddar flavor. My tween who does not care for unusual flavors loved the Cheesy Cheddar flavor. I found myself crunching in to the Creamy Ranch…like in my college days.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Pringles Multigrain and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate

Here’s what I found out on my tour of the Peapod warehouse. I wrote this part of the post on my phone…#VerizonPalmPrePlus…such a fabulous and time-saving use of technology.

The Facts

• 60 percent of customers shop from their previous Peapod shopping lists
• Purchased items are packed with like items. Produce packed with produce. Deli with deli. No squishing of items. Perishable items are packed in styrofoam coolers with dry ice packs. The coolers and boxes can be left out when your next delivery is scheduled.
• The Peapod by Giant delivery fee is $8.95.
• There is a $1 savings if use direct deposit.
• Over 10,000  items in the Peapod facility. 1,500 items on sale each week. I walked among the stacks, aisles, and chill rooms packed with products on the tour.
• Loyal customers can become VIPea. VIPea have access to specials.
• Delivery…shop whenever you want at peapod.com plus have your item delivered when you want (customers may have to choose a delivery time from a list of already scheduled deliveries).
• My delivery area is not covered. I added my e-mail address to Peapod, so that I will be notified when my zip code is added to the delivery area.
• You can place an order when you want to — don’t have to have a regular delivery date. I don’t do a weekly grocery shop, so this flexibility would work for me.
• There is a fuel surcharge of 38 cents in effect based on price of fuel for each order.
• What is the busiest time on Peapod one blogger on our tour asked? 8-10 p.m.
• Are you social media savvy or want to be? Check out Facebook special offers. Website url: www.Peapod.com. Twitter: Twitter.com/peapoddelivers.

Dietary and Special Needs

• Peapod customers can customize their online lists by dietary needs with the Nutrifilter. Dietary needs include: gluten free, dairy free, egg free, peanut free, and USDA low sodium to name a few.

Savings and Coupons

• Customers can use Giant Bonus cards.
• Customers can search for specials for bigger savings. View specials by dept. This week blueberries and blackberries are on sale 2 for $5.
• Peapod by Giant wants to empower the grocery shopper by showing what is on sale. Most people want to shop smarter and cheaper. Red flag shows what is on sale.
• Peapod customers can use coupons.com. Go to Specials tab–Printable Coupons for a link to Coupons.com.
• Coupons can be clipped at home and given to driver for discounts. Coupons will be credited to customer’s account. Note: Coupons cannot doubled like at Giant store.

Recipes or What’s for Dinner?

• Need an idea for what to make and what to buy for dinner. See recipes. I did notice that the ingredients listed in the recipes don’t link back to the Peapod shopping list.
• We were treated to a great discourse on produce courtesy of Giant’s produce guy: Tony. Tony blogs about all things product. I left with a bag of the most perfect fruit ever. The strawberries were huge.
• If you find an item not listed on Peapod.com, you can request the item via the website or on Facebook.

My takeaway from the blogger tour of Peapod was this: Peapod by Giant eliminates the impulse buys…the must-have because it is on the shelf purchases…the food items spotted by your kids while you shop.

Iphone User? Peapod will alphatest a grocery shopping app. The Beta test will be in June. The iphone app should be ready for customers in August.

Code for My Readers: I have a coupon code to share with you. For first-time Peapod customers, use the code BLOG2010 to save $15 off first order (limit 1 per household). This offer expires June 30, 2010.

I am on the other side of the spectrum. If Coach Dad is Mr. Consistency, then I am Ms. Change. I like nothing more than to tear apart a room while doing a thorough, in-depth lengthy cleaning. Now, if I kept up with my housework perhaps I might not have such a cleaning nightmare to tackle, see also dust bunnies under the couch. Coach Dad has more than once mentioned that our house resembles the ever-changing staircase in Hogwarts Castle.

But, back to Coach Dad… Last night he tried a new drink. He and I are both Diet Coke drinkers…Diet Pepsi, too. We’re not choosy. We buy what is on offer at Costco. I am a little more open to other drinks. I have been known to have iced tea or a Diet Sprite. He pulled out a Steaz Energy Drink from the garage fridge…and…liked it! I was shocked.

I was introduced to Steaz at Mom 2.0. My swag bag from MomImpact had a Steaz energy drink. I packed the drink in my suitcase to enjoy at home. The energy drink was a little strong for me, but I found the Steaz soda and iced tea I sampled last week to be refreshing and delicious.

Last week, I had a chance to meet Eric from Steaz at a dinner hosted by Steaz at Whole Foods in Silver Spring, Maryland. I chatted at length to Eric, who is one of the founding partners with Steve of Steaz, a Pennsylvania-based company. I asked Eric “Why Steaz?” — he said it was a cross between Soda and Tea.

I must admit that while I don’t search for foods that are fair trade, if a food or drink is fair trade I will buy it. I have a harder time finding fair trade and organic products since I am about 30 minutes from a Whole Foods or similar store.  I left this party with a few bottles of Steaz to try.

Steaz Regular sodas come in Orange, Root Beer, Raspberry, and Lemon Lime. I found the Steaz Orange soda to be reminiscent of biting in to a segment of orange. You know how the orange juice drips down your chin. That’s what Steaz Orange tasted like to me. The Steaz Regular Sodas are about 90 calories per serving. I like that the ingredients are all natural and organic.

Steaz have a line of zero-calorie Soda, too. The zero-calorie soda comes in Raspberry, Orange, Blueberry Pomegranate, and Black Cherry. I’m waiting to try the Raspberry that is in the fridge. Better get it before Coach Dad or my teen find it!

Whoa! 25 years is a whole lotta calorie counting. I try to watch what I eat. I monitor portion size…sometimes I am successful…sometimes I slip off the wagon.

My downfall is sweet food items. I love sweetened drinks. I have been a Diet Coke drinker since the 80s, but once in a while I indulge in a slug of fruit juice. From a kid’s cup. Come on! You know you do the same. It’s a shame to let it go to waster, right?

The sweetness is delectably delicious. I can feel the sugary taste of the fruit juice in my mouth. I know I should not drink sweet drinks, but how can I indulge my sweet tooth without ingesting a whole lotta calories?  Splenda is the answer for me. Splenda Sweetener Products provide an easy, effective way to reduce daily calories.

The Splenda Brand has teamed up with celebrity Mom chef, Katie Brown, to offer exciting tips on how to use Splenda in more ways than ever imagined, and to provide new recipes for favorites such as cookies, cakes, breads, and smoothies. I started using Splenda No Calories Granulated Sweetener in my morning coffee. Mmmm…not bad. I added it to no fat vanilla yogurt to add a little sweetness. Yum…now we’re talking. I’m not a baker, but for those who are Splenda can be used as a substitute for regular sugar. I checked out the recipes from the Splenda Tastebook. Some recipes that piqued my culinary interest:

• Applesauce Snacking Cake
• Tiramisu Parfait
• Rich and Creamy Hot Cocoa

My mouth is watering!

The Splenda website has an entire section devoted to those with diabetes.  Did you know that you can save up to 100 calories by using Splenda as a sweetener in freshly squeezed lemonade?

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Splenda and received products necessary to facilitate my candid review. In addition, a donation was made in my name to the Meals on Wheel organization to thank me for taking the time to participate.