Truvia's #SweetSwitch

As a member of Crowdtap I've learned a lot about the Truvia sweetener product line.  I know that it is a natural sugar substitute extracted from the Stevia plant.  It has fewer calories than sugar and different varieties of the product can be used to substitute for sugar in all the ways that we use it.  I even had a friend who used the Truvia baking blend last summer while she was pregnant and craving sweets, but her husband was on a low-carb diet.  With all this in mind, I applied for a sample of this product to find out if it would fit in with my tastes and diet plans.

I received two packages which each contained two servings of Truvia sweetener.  I figured that the first thing that I should do is try out the product myself.  I do not drink coffee or caffeinated teas and I drink herbal tea  only on rare occasions, but this sample arrived just as I was fighting a cold and needed the warmth of herbal tea to help relax my sore throat.   

I prepared my tea as usual, but instead of my normal serving of honey, I added a packet of Truvia sweetener instead. As I started to drink the tea I didn't notice much of a difference, but as I finished up I found that I my tea left a slightly bitter aftertaste in my mouth.  I took note of the taste, but I wasn't sure whether it was the sweetener or the tea itself.  Over the next couple of days I had several cups of the same tea, I had two with the Truvia sweetener, one with normal sugar, and one with honey.  Of the three sweeteners, the honey was my favorite (I usually use honey for this reason) and the sugar the next.  The second time I tried the Truvia, after I had refreshed my memory of the tastes of honey and sugar, I once again noticed the slightly bitter aftertaste that I didn't get with the other two sweeteners.

I didn't leave the test at this though, I know that I tend to prefer sweet and rich foods over anything with a bitter aftertaste (give me milk chocolate over dark chocolate every time). My husband on the other hand prefers tastes with less sugar and overall richness, so I thought that I would try the #SweetSwitch with him when he came down with a cold a couple days after I did.  I prepared his tea the same way and added the Truvia sweetener without telling him that I'd done anything different than usual.  He drank the tea with his normal level of compliance (he sees it as a medicine that he has to take when I give him, and never really enjoys it :). When he was done I asked him what he thought of the taste.  He said that it had seemed a bit bitter and he didn't like aftertaste much.  I then told him that I had switched out the sweetener and he figured that explained the difference in taste. He then politely asked me to use honey the next time I made him some tea.

 

Now to sum up the results of this product test. I understand the value of Truvia as a low calorie sugar alternative, but it's probably not the best product for me or my family.  I might be able to get used to the bitter aftertaste, but it would take some time and a complete switch to the Truvia product line.  This wouldn't necessarily work well since my husband doesn't like the taste at all and my kids to respond well to any change to their normal food routine.  I will share this product with my friends though, because it might be exactly what somebody is looking for to give them that extra low-calorie edge to help them with their diets.

**The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Product samples and program incentives were received as compensation for this product review. Product testing and review were performed in compliance with guidelines provided by Crowdtap and Truvia.**

Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths: A Fresh Clean Feeling is for the Whole Family, Not Just the Baby

Earlier this month I got another package from Crowdtap in the mail.  This time it was a package of Cottonelle FreshCare Flushable Cleansing Clothes with a nifty little dispenser and a couple packages of travel wipes to share with friends. 

After I opened the package, the first thing that I took a look at was the dispenser.  It is a small plastic box that is made to hold and dispense the wipes while protecting them as much as possible from drying out. Inside the main part of the container there is a small guide to hold the wipes in place.  The wipes fit perfectly into their compartment, and then the compartment lid closes to keep in the moisture.  The wipes are then fed through a small opening in the container for dispensing, and a second lid closes to keep that wipe dry and invisible as well.

I really like how this dispenser is put together.  It keeps the wipes in their place very well, and although we have now been using the wipes for about three weeks, they seem to be just as moist and fresh as when I first set up the dispenser.

I set the dispenser up in our main upstairs bathroom and it fits in just fine.  The color matches our toilet well, and since I'm not that much of a decorator I think I will keep it just as it is.  Also, as I have observed over the past couple of weeks, there's even enough room left on the back of the toilet to keep a magazine or book next to it.

As for the wipes themselves I have become converted to their value.  I don't use them every time I use the potty, but they come in handy for those times when toilet paper just doesn't get me clean enough.  My husband didn't like them very much, and he told me that they were a little too cold and uncomfortable for his liking, but my 5 year old son loves them.  After I showed him what they were and how to get them out of the dispenser, he took to using them after he does his business.  The first couple of times that he used them, he came running out of the bathroom to tell me that he was "all clean" now.

Now that my family had started using the wipes, I decided to try a new way to share the travel packs with my friends.  I put up a post on my Facebook wall asking my friends what they thought about using moist wipes and on a certain date I drew two names from my friends that commented to share the travel packs with.  The samples will be going out to them this week, and I had fun sharing this discussion with my friends online.

The feedback that I got from my friends was fairly simple.  Of those who had tried moist bathroom wipes, none of them had ever tried the Cottonelle brand wipes.  They had all tried various brands that were made for younger children and had used them when potty training their children.  They agreed that the wipes are great for younger children, but didn't have a lot of feedback on their usage for adults.  Hopefully my friends that get the sample packs will come to appreciate them a bit more.

As for my overall opinion of Cottonelle's Flushable Cleansing Cloths, I think I will be keeping them around. They are nice to have when they are needed and it helps my son feel more confident about leaving the bathroom nice and clean.  I will probably watch for them to go on sale at Walgreens or wait until I have a coupon to purchase them since I like to save money whenever possible.

**The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Product samples and program incentives were received as compensation for this product review. Product testing and review were performed in compliance with guidelines provided by Crowdtap and Cottonelle.**

AllYou's Back to School Special Issue

Me posing with my AllYou Magazine

I am a relatively new fan of AllYou, but it has quickly become one of my favorite resources for bargain shopping, product samples, and DIY projects.  I received a copy of their Back to School Special Issue to read and review - so here it goes . . . 

As the wife of a college professor, going back to school is something that I am very familiar with, but this is the first year that I have been a mother sending her child to school.  My son started kindergarten this fall, and honestly I have been quite overwhelmed throughout the whole process.  What back to school supplies are necessities? How do I manage my time with one child in school and one child at home? What can I do to help my son be the best student he can be  without being a helicopter parent?  These are just some of the concerns that I've been facing over the past couple of months.  AllYou's Back to School Special Issue has helped answer a few of these questions and hopefully has helped reduce my stress as my son has started school this fall.

Angel Hair with Shrimp and Peas

The magazine has many articles that I have enjoyed reading, and some yummy looking recipes.  This issue has been broken up into four sections that have articles that address the following concerns for parents and children: Be Prepared, Living Healthy, Eating Well, and Learn Together.  From the section on being prepared my favorite article is "Your shopping and saving syllabus." School supplies can be expensive and I always hate having to pay full price for anything.  Although I had already purchased school supplies before I read this article, it's advice matches some of my already established saving habits and has ideas that will be help me save for years to come.

Mini Chocolate-Chip Cupcakes

Whenever I have a child that is acting sick I always wonder whether I should keep them home or if it is okay for them to go about their normal daily activities.  The "Know when to keep your sick child home" chart from the the Living Healthy section of this issue of AllYou is a wonderful set of guidelines to help me answer these questions (especially since this is the first time I've had a child in public school). I wish that my pediatrician had thought of giving me guidelines like this years ago.

My son with his illustrated shopping list

The Eating Well section of AllYou's Back to School Special Issue is currently my family's favorite section.  When my husband saw the magazine sitting on the table the first thing he did was turn to the recipes and see if there was anything that he wanted me to make (see the picture of Angel Hair with Shrimp and Peas - he loved it).  My son enjoyed the tips from the "Turn the grocery store into your classroom" article (see him here with the shopping list he helped me create). My daughter has enjoyed the Mini Chocolate-Chip Cupcakes that I made for snack times.  I've enjoyed being able to try out new recipes and getting my family more involved with the process. It's made meals and snacks more enjoyable for the whole family.

As a parent I want to be involved in my child's life, but I don't want to be a helicopter parent who doesn't let her children be themselves or learn on their own.  The article "Homework for parents: The dos and don'ts of raising competent, confident kids" in the Learn Together section has really good ideas and suggestions on how I can develop parenting habits that can keep me involved in my children's lives without overdoing it.

This whole magazine is chock-full of good ideas and tips on how to help parents and kids adjust to going back to school.  The advertising targets reading and healthy eating, and there are coupons to help save on back to school type foods.  I really enjoyed reviewing it, and I look forward to keeping it around as a good resource for recipes and advice as the school year progresses.  I've also started following AllYou on Facebook and I enjoy reading their online articles and following their daily posts and tips. Thanks AllYou for helping make my back to school season more enjoyable!

**Product samples and program incentives were received as compensation for this product review. Product testing and review were performed in compliance with guidelines provided by Crowdtap and AllYou.**

LUNCHABLES JR. - Little Snacks for Little Boys

It's always fun to get a package in the mail. My son helped me open it, and asked me what it was. "It's a couple packages of snacks," I told him. "You get to have a friend come over and try them with you."

He was excited to have a play-date and try something new. I was excited to try my first product sampling and review. So we scheduled a play-date. The boys would get to play and then when they got hungry they would each get a package of LUNCHABLES JR. snacks to eat and a juice box to drink. We also created a simple tic-tac-toe board that they could use to play a game with.

The boys had fun playing with each other and could hardly wait for snack time. When it did arrive, they had their first debate: who was going to get which package of snacks. They had two flavors to choose from: "Ants on a Log" (Honey Graham Sticks, Sun-Maid Raisins, and a small cup of peanut butter) and "Very Beary Crunch" (Teddy Grahams Honey Graham Snacks, Ritz Bits Cheese Cracker Sandwiches, and Strawberry flavored dried apple pieces). My son chose the "Ants on a Log" because he loves peanut butter and his friend doesn't so he chose the "Very Beary Crunch." Once the choice was made quickly and the food and fun continued.

The boys then tried to play a game of tic-tac-toe using the snacks and the game board that I made, but they were much more interested in eating the snacks than they were in playing the game. So after they obligingly took a couple of pictures of their game, they worked on the primary purpose of this snack time: eating the snacks and figuring out what they liked best about them. It's not always easy to get young boys to tell you what they like and don't like about food, but through observation and the few answers I was able to get the some feedback about the snacks. The crackers were a hit with both boys. They both preferred the graham crackers to the cheese crackers. My son liked the peanut butter and the raisins on the his Honey Graham Sticks, but his friend didn't like either the apple pieces, raisins, or the peanut butter. Neither one of them was hungry enough that afternoon to eat all of their snacks though and I was left with left-over snacks.

From a parent's point of view, the LUNCHABLES JR.snacks are a great idea. They are healthy snacks in compact packaging and they are fun to both eat and to play with. They will fit easily into a purse or diaper bag and I can definitely see myself using them again the future. It would have been nice to have the packages resealable - maybe a separated pouch or something - so it would have been easier to save them for later, but that is something I can plan for in the future.

On another note, although the boys didn't necessarily like all of the choices, my 18 month old daughter thought that they were the best thing ever. She quickly devoured all of the remaining Teddy Grahams and ate quite a few of the dried apple pieces and raisins with very little prompting.

Overall, my kids and I really enjoyed this experience. The LUNCHABLES JR. snacks were fun and my kids really enjoyed them. It's also nice that there are a few varieties to choose from. That way I can match my child's preference to the type of snacks that are being purchased. I probably wouldn't purchase them very often, but they would work well for a planned outing or a longer drive in the car.

**Product samples and program incentives were received as compensation for this product review. Product testing and review were performed in compliance with guidelines provided by Crowdtap and JUNCHABLES JR.**