Lean Cuisine Honestly Good

I received this product to try for free through Bzz Agent. 

Before trying Lean Cuisine Honestly Good meals, I wanted to know if they were a healthy meal option for someone who is counting calories. I have tried a few different frozen meal entrees that were supposedly healthy, and although they were lower in fat grams, they had high levels of sodium, and many processed products making them undesirable. I wanted to know if this product would taste good, fill me up at a meal, and was easy to find at the store.

Firstly, I had kind of a hard time finding this product at the store. I looked in the frozen section of several stores but to no avail. I even asked several people at several different stores for assistance and they said that if it wasn't next to the other Lean Cuisine options, they likely did not carry it yet. After several stores on several different occasions, I finally gave up. It was by chance that I happened to be at Target looking for an organic item for a nutrition class at school when I happened to spot the Lean Cuisine Honestly Good meals. I think that if the product were next to the other Lean Cuisine meals and not in the healthy organic section, they might be more noticeable and easier to spot to the general consumer. Once I found them at Target, I looked in the same sections at other stores and found them there.

Next I wanted to see if the item was as nutritionally sound as they claim. Surprisingly there were healthy ingredients and the additives were to a minimum. This was promising. The ingredients were whole grains, vegetables and lean meats. The calories were in check and it did have higher levels of vital nutrients and minerals than most frozen meals. One item that was a little concerning was the level of sodium. I understand that it was quite a bit lower than most frozen entree choices but was still higher that I would have preferred. Overall, I was impressed by the quality of ingredients and the whole grain products used.

Lastly, I wanted to know it this would fill me up for a meal. I had gotten the Lemongrass Salmon. It cooked up very nicely in the microwave and the meat was soft and fresh unlike most frozen meals. The salmon was not overly fishy tasting which I like and the vegetables and brown rice were a nice consistency. The sauce was excellent. I really enjoyed the flavor of the lemongrass. It was unique and fresh. The meal did fill me up for the most part. I added a piece of fruit and a glass of milk and the combination of the meal plus those extras was perfect. It left me comfortably full and not weighed down and gassy.

Overall, I was quite impressed with this product. I will definitely be switching my current choices for frozen meals over to Lean Cuisine Honestly Good in the future and can't wait to try the other options available. I have recommended this product to many people and will continue to do so in the future. Strong work Lean Cuisine!   

Kroger Yogurt Smoothie Bars

I received Kroger's Indulge Without Guilt Yogurt Smoothie Bars for free through Bzz Agent to try.  Before receiving Kroger Yogurt Smoothie bars, I wanted to know a few things. I knew they were 60 calories after reading the campaign details, but I wanted to know if they tasted only 60 calories (meaning a little diet-ish). Another big thing for me, was would my picky husband and children eat them. No sense buying something that will get freezer burned by the time I polish off the whole box myself. And lastly, I wanted to know if there was a flavor that would be a good fit for our family.

I ended up getting the Triple Berry as I am not a fan of banana flavoring. After dinner one night, I opened the box and handed out a Smoothie bar to every person in the family, including my 10 month old baby. I tried one as well. My husband loved them, but said he needed at least 2 to feel satisfied. My four year old also loved them and my baby couldn't get enough. I thought they were just okay. I liked the flavor and didn't feel like they tasted bland or anything, I am just not into fruit flavored ice cream bars and ice cream as much as chocolate or vanilla. This is a personal preference and has nothing to do with the product or the brand, just my individual tastes. As far as the texture, they were smooth, fruity, and very creamy. I did like that. They were also more filling than your typical Popsicle with less  calories which I also found to be a great feature.

Overall, I thought they were okay, but I marked them a 4/5 because my family thoroughly enjoyed them. Had I been living by myself, I probably did not love them enough to choose them over other frozen products. However, my family loved them enough that I would definitely buy them again as I feel they are a healthier option over a lot of products out there. One thing to note, it that there are only 2 options for flavors. Since I don't like banana, the Triple Berry was really my only option. It would be nice to see Kroger come out with a few more flavor options like a peach, or something similiar. I have also recommended these to several friends and family members, especially the ones that I know enjoy fruit flavored ice cream.

COVERGIRL Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation

I received this product for free through Bzz Agent to try.

 

Before being selected, I had a pretty standard beauty routine in the morning. Overall, I am fairly low maintenance, but I do try and take the time each morning to wash my face and apply make up. I usually just go to the grocery store, pick out a few colors that I like and go from there. Although I have used other Cover Girl products in the past, I have never tried one of their foundations, let alone the COVERGIRL Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation. I wanted to know if I could find a shade that matched my skin tone well, was easy to apply and wore well throughout the day. As a mother to 2 young crazy boys, and a firefighter, I knew that COVERGIRL had it's work cut out for them.

After receiving my coupon, I went and selected 832 Nude Beige. I ended up getting it right on the first try and this shade worked perfectly for my tone. My usual routine is: Moisturizer, sunscreen, primer, then foundation. I was really excited to cut 2 steps out of this process and save a little time on chaotic mornings. The foundation applied easily and was very light on my skin. Usually after I use foundation, I apply a light powder as the foundation tends to feel a little think and greasy. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I needed no powder after applying COVERGIRL Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation. The finish was soft, gentle and non greasy.

The big test for me was throughout the day, as I wore it through my busy schedule of errands, cleaning and running kids to school and activities. During the morning, it did really well, but as the day wore on, it did start to wear off some. Overall, it stayed on better than I expected and the coverage was great. After wearing it for several days and getting the same above average results, I found this product to be good, non-greasy, soft and lived up to its claims. The only draw back for me (and it is VERY minor) is that I prefer foundation in squeeze tubes as opposed to pumps as I feel they are less fuss when the supply gets low. I hate having to take the top off the bottle and trying to dig in to get the remainder as not to waste.

Overall, I would recommend COVERGIRL Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation to a friend and would buy it again in the future for myself!

Vaseline Spray & Go

I received Vaseline Spray & Go from Influenster to try for free. I have used Vaseline products in the past and overall I feel they are average. Some of their products I feel to be somewhat watery especially their lotion. This product however, exceeded my expectations. I love skinny jeans and wear them often and have found that lotioning my legs and then attempting to wriggle into a pair can be challenging. Often times I have to wait for 5-10 minutes for the lotion to be absorbed into my skin and dry them off before putting them on. Surprisingly, this lotion actually did what it claims to! I got out of the shower, dried off, sprayed the lotion and rubbed it in. It worked relatively well for me. It wasn't a miracle solution, but it did absorb far more quickly than typical lotions and minimized the time from applying lotion to getting dressed. I would probably consider using this product in the future and would recommend it to my friends.

Colgate Optic White

I received Colgate Optic White Toothpaste, a Colgate Optic White Toothbrush, and the Colgate Optic White Mouth Rinse. I am always a little skeptical about whitening toothpastes, as I feel that the best way to whiten your teeth is by going to the dentist and using the whitening trays that cost a little money. I am however, willing to try anything to whiten my smile, especially if it is reasonably priced. I tried the toothbrush and toothpaste first and was pleasantly surprised. There was a fresh, clean feeling without a gritty texture or odd taste that is sometimes accompanied with whitening toothpastes. I honestly feel like it did help some with whitening my teeth, but I am not quite sure if I would go as far as to say they are three shades lighter.

Next, I tried the mouth rinse. This was a different story. I have a few sensitive teeth and after about 5 seconds of swishing the mouth rinse, I had to spit it out. It sent a painful tingling sensation through my sensitive teeth that was uncomfortable and I will not be able to use it again. I did have my husband try it (he has normal teeth) and he enjoyed it and had no problems. I do have this problem with most mouth rinses though, and I do not feel like it was the brand itself, just the nature of the product that caused me issues. I would recommend the toothpaste and toothbrush to anyone, but would discourage those with sensitive teeth from using the Colgate Mouth Rinse.

http://www.colgate.com/app/ColgateOralCare/Whitening/ColgateOpticWhite/US/EN/HomePage.cwsp

belVita

When I first received this product, I was very skeptical. I am not a big fan of breakfast bars as I tend to feel like they are dry, flavorless and don't fill me up. This package came with four biscuits which is considered a typical serving. This serving has 230 calories, 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. The taste was very good, especially compared to like products that I have tried. The cinnamon brown sugar flavor reminding me of a graham cracker so I decided to try the ultimate test. My picky eating three year old son. At first he was fairly unsure, but I convinced him that it tasted like a cookie in the hopes that he would try at least one bite. Much to my delight he DEVOURED it! That alone is reason to buy it again for our family. The only downside I found was that they were slightly dry, but nothing a little milk couldn't help!

"I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes."

The Fault In Our Stars

The Fault In Our Stars  is an incredible story about two young teens who are battling for their lives after being diagnosed with cancer. The find each other, find love and then attempt to find a way to be remembered by something else in this life besides their disease. It is quirky and fun with sharp writing, yet poignant and thoughtful as the characters delve into their lives and the mark the strive to leave in the world. This book has been one of my favorite reads in recent memory. It is a young adult book, thus a quick read and the interaction between the two main characters is extremely endearing. A must read for sure!