Vitalicious is officially launched a new product to their line: Banana ChocoChip VitaTops!

With 9g of fiber, 5g of protein, 15 vitamins and minerals, healthy whole grains and only 100 calories, this nutritious and delicious snack keeps you full and energized throughout the day. Enjoy the satisfying flavor combination of fresh bananas and tasty chocolate chips without all of the sugar and fat. In fact, it only takes 15 minutes to “walk off” the 100 calories contained in each VitaTop!

My take?

As a HUGE VitaTop lover, I was eager to try this new flavor.  I am partial to all things chocolate, and have to admit that I was skeptical because I am so fond of their Double Chocolate VitaTops.  But….one bite into this delicious treat truly rivaled my former favorite!  I enjoy eating VitaTops for breakfast or as a snack before bed.  My favorite way to prepare them is to pop them in the toaster oven until they are warm, top them with a dollap of fat free cool whip and a few fresh strawberries–in total, far less than 200 calories for a nutritious snack.

WIN! 

Vitalicious is giving one lucky reader a sampler pack of their new 100 Calorie Banana ChocoChip VitaTops!  All you need to do to enter is tell me if you have tried any products from the Vitalicious line, and if so, which is your favorite!  One lucky winner will be chosen at random on Thursday, October 20th!

About Vitalicious Foods Inc.
Founded in 1999, Vitalicious Foods Inc. is the market leader of innovative “vital and delicious” baked goods that promote a healthy lifestyle without sacrificing taste. First to market with 100-calorie servings, Vitalicious continues to lead the way with a holistic approach that maximizes satisfaction with minimum calories. With products that are low fat, high in fiber and packed with nutrients, Vitalicious is the only company that provides a unique triangle of need-satisfaction (All-Natural ingredients + Nutraceuticals + Weight Management). Vitalicious creates and sells a variety of unique, healthy, value-added baked goods under the VitaMuffin™, VitaTops™, VitaBrownie™, VitaCake™ and VitaMuffin Mix™ trademarks. Vitalicious products are sold at stores nationwide and at www.vitalicious.com. Vitalicious also takes pride in producing only all-natural products, without any artificial additives or preservatives of any kind. The company’s baked goods are perishable – like real food – so they need to be consumed in 3 to 5 days or frozen.

Every year, I whip up a batch of Molasses cookies and decorate my entire house for Fall.  I’ve always loved the aroma that fills my house as I gently place pumpkins and harvest signs throughout it, and to me, there’s no better way to start off the season.

Thanks to Betty Crocker’s new molasses cookie mix, you can make this year-round favorite in less than 20 minutes.  With a delectably soft and chewy texture, and great spice cookie taste, new Betty Crocker® Molasses Cookie mix combines real molasses flavor with hints of cinnamon and spice for a homemade taste that you’ll love.

Betty Crocker would love for my readers to download a printable coupon for $0.75 off the purchase of one (1) Betty Crocker® Molasses Cookie mix pouch today!

Betty Crocker would also love to give one lucky reader this prize pack which includes a Betty Crocker apron, non-stick baking pan, and mixing spoon, as well as one Molasses Cookie mix!

To win, simply tell me what
your favorite Fall scent is! 

One lucky winner will be chosen at random on September 23rd!

Disclosure:  The product, information and prize pack has been provided by Betty Crocker
through MyBlogSpark.

Nothing says “Happy-First-Day-of-School” better than homemade baked goodies piping hot as your kids walk in the door!  And there’s a new snack  in town sure to light up your child’s face!  Betty Crocker® Fun da-middles™ are the first boxed-cupcake mix of its kind that will leave you pleasantly surprised with their sweet center!

Fun da-middles cupcakes have a special creamy filling that bakes inside the cupcake, and are available in three delicious flavors:  Vanilla Cake with Creamy Chocolate Filling, Chocolate Cake with Creamy Vanilla Filling, and Vanilla Cake with Creamy Vanilla Filling.  Delicious!  With Fun da-middles, you’ll never need to frost cupcakes again. Because after all, it’s filled with creamy rich filling that makes up for it on the inside.

My take?

As a cupcake lover, I was skeptical of the Fun da-Middles at first glance.  I mean, isn’t the icing on a cupcake, the icing on the cake!?  But one bite into the outrageous little treat and my taste buds were telling me this was the icing on the cake with every single bite!

Betty Crocker would love for you to try Fun da-middles for yourself, so here is a printable coupon for $0.85 off!

And that’s not all.

One lucky reader is going to win this adorable prize pack just for leaving a comment below letting me know which delicious flavor you’d most like to try!  The prize pack contains:

~ One sample of new Betty Crocker Fun da-middles cupcake mix
~ One cupcake pan
~ One oven mitt
~ One package of cupcake liners
~ One box of cupcake gift notes

For an extra entry, let me know that you “Like” Betty Crocker’s Facebook page!

One winner will be chosen at random on September 21st!

Disclosure: The Betty Crocker Fun da-middles product, information, and giveaway have been provided by Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark.

I believe that when my kids are having FUN at school, they will perform better academically. That’s why I was willing to partner with Totino’s® for their “Learn a Ton when School is Fun” sweepstakes! This school year, Totino’s is giving away one million Bonus Box Tops (equivalent to $100,000) to help bring fun ideas to life both inside and outside of the classroom! YOU CAN HELP YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL be one of four participating schools in the Box Tops for Education (BTFE) program that will each win 250,000 Bonus Box Tops, equivalent to $25,000, from Totino’s to help fund a fun project at their school by visiting here.

You can start, or continue, to earn cash for your kid’s school by collecting Box Tops coupons from hundreds of products, including Totino’s! This back-to-school season, Totino’s® Party Pizza® and Pizza Rolls® Snacks will feature double Box Tops on select varieties, to help you earn even more for your kid’s school! Serve up a quick and delicious after-school snack with Totino’s Party Pizza and Pizza Rolls Snacks, while collecting double Box Tops from each.

In order to spread the fun this Back-to-School season, Totino’s wants to give one lucky reader this adorable “Learn a Ton when School is Fun” prize pack which includes:

• a Brain Quest Smart! Game
• Micro Rubik’s® Cube Key Holder
• Draw string backpack
• Coupons for a free package of Totino’s Pizza Rolls Snacks, Totino’s Party Pizza and new Totino’s Pizza Stuffers.

To enter to win, simply leave me a comment letting me know that you “Like” Totino’s on Facebook !  One lucky winner will be chosen at random on August 26th! 

Disclosure:  The information in this post and prize pack have been provided by Totino’s through MyBlogSpark.

I’m busy enough getting my kids ready and out the door every morning, so dedicating thirty minutes to give myself a salon-style blow dry is a thing of the past.  That’s why I am thrilled to tell you about the Karmin GS Salon Pro Hair Straightener! 

I recieved this straightener several months ago to review, and I can honestly tell you it’s the Best Flat Iron on the market!  Within minutes it heats up enough to flatten my bedhead, or tame my air-dryed tresses so that I can fool the other moms at Nursery School drop off!  So, whether you’d like to curl, flip, straighten, or all volume and shine, the Karmin G3 is the only flat iron you’ll ever need. 

Straight Bob with Karmin G3

Curls for my Little Girl with the Karmin G3

WIN IT {$129 retail value!}
One lucky reader will win a Karmin G3 compliments of Hairtools.ca!  To enter, tell me one tip you have for busy moms who like to fake the “I’ve-got-it-all-together” look in the morning! 

For an extra entry, be sure to “like” Karmin Hair Tools on Facebook! 
One winner will be chosen at random on Tuesday, May 10th! 

This post is FTC-compliant. 
I was not compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own.  

As a busy mom, I often find it hard to prepare myself a well-balanced nutritional breakfast to start my day. Before stumbling upon Chobani yogurt, I’d usually end up grabbing something filled with empty calories just to ward off my hunger pains. Chobani is an all-natural delicious yogurt that is both low in calories and high in protein, which is the perfect option for a busy mom in the morning.

Here are some more facts about Chobani Yogurt:
· All natural. No preservatives. No artificial flavors.
· Free of synthetic growth hormones.
· Includes 5 live & active cultures, including 3 probiotics.
· Made with real fruit.
· Twice the protein of regular yogurts.
· A good source of bone-building calcium.
· Gluten-Free and Kosher-Certified.
· Safe for people with corn, nut and soy allergies.

WIN IT!

Chobani would like give one lucky reader a “CHO-case” of 12 Chobani yogurts to sample at your leisure. To enter, all you need to do is tell me which flavor you are most eager to try {if you already love Chobani, just tell me which flavor is your favorite!}.

For extra entries,“Like” Chobani Yogurt on Facebook and follow Chobani on Twitter {be sure to leave a separate comment for each}.

One winner will be chosen at random and announced on Tuesday, May 10th! You have until May 9th at midnight to enter.

When my sweet tooth starts throbbing around 8pm every night, I’ll admit that I don’t spent much time thinking about my waistline {or the fact that summer is just 5 months away!}  But ever since I found Yoplait® Delights™ I can say goodbye to my post-dessert guilt and hello to my new favorite nightly indulgence – Chocolate Raspberry Yoplait Delights!

Each parfait has two luscious layers that pack a double dose of rich and creamy yogurt with 100 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per serving! Other unique Yoplait Delights flavor combinations available in stores now include Chocolate Eclair, Cherry Cheesecake, Crème Caramel, Triple Berry Crème and Lemon Torte. Yoplait Delights offers a taste experience unlike any other and an indulgent escape for any time of the day.

WIN IT!

Yoplait Delights would like to send one lucky reader an “Indulgent Escape” gift pack that includes a Chocolate scented votive candle, insulated tote, aromatherapy eye pillow, and a coupon for a free pack of Yoplait Delights of your choice – all delightful items for you to enjoy. To enter, all you need to do is tell me why you could use an “Indulgent Escape!”

In addition, all of my readers are invited to download a printable couponfor $0.50 towards the purchase of Yoplait Delights parfait yogurt today!

If you’d like extra entries to win the prize pack,you can follow Yoplait on Twitter and Facebook, and you can also enter another giveaway from my “Day of Giveaways” party {be sure to leave a separate comment for each that you do!} One winner will be chosen at random and announced on my “Sunday Drive…Around the Web” post on Sunday, February 7th.

My kids love their fruit snacks, chicken nuggets, and juice boxes…and {thankfully!} their bananas!  Bananas are a necessary staple in our house–they can be eaten so many ways and taste so yummy which naturally disguises the fact that they are healthy!  But, shhhh, don’t tell that to my kids–once they know something is healthy for them, they automatically don’t like it anymore. 

Most of the time, my kids start their day with a Chiquita banana! Did you know that Chiquita bananas provide potassium, Vitamin B6 and complex carbs? They also have manganese (essential for metabolizing fats, carbs and protein for energy) and Vitamins A, C, E and K, all occurring naturally. Chiquita bananas are high in fiber, fun to eat and naturally tasty to satisfy your sweet tooth. They come in nature’s own biodegradable package. Perfect for the whole family, Chiquita bananas are the ideal natural breakfast, on-the-go afternoon snack or pre-workout boost–three great reasons for us busy CEO’s to make sure they are always on the top of our grocery lists!

As a Chiquita Mom insider, I’ve discovered great ways to use bananas as more than a meal or simple snack.  Some of our favorite kid-tested {& approved!} Chiquita banana recipes include decedent Chocolate Banana Pops {pictured here!}, and the Banana Socials {which are a great substitute to the chips and salsa we tend to serve during playdates!} 

WIN IT!

Chiquita is going to send FIVE lucky readers a “Chiquita Mom Kit” which will include nutritional facts flip book, recipe cards, reusable grocery tote bag, freezer bags AND a coupon for FREE Chiquita bananas!  To enter, all you need to do is leave me a comment telling me which way your family likes to eat their Chiquita Bananas! 

If you’d like extra entries, you can follow Chiquita Bananas on Twitter and Facebook, and you can also enter another giveaway from my “Day of Giveaways” party {be sure to leave a separate comment for each that you do!}  Five winners will be chosen at random and announced on my “Sunday Drive…Around the Web” post on Sunday, February 7th.

All that Gobble-Gobble goodness helped me pack on a little over 3 pounds, but one week on The Fresh Diet, and I’m no longer a stuffed turkey!  The kind folks at The Fresh Diet–a premier daily diet service that delivers freshly prepared meals right to your door each day–were willing to let me try out their plan for a whole week.  Even better?  They’d like to give one lucky reader the exact same chance to try out their Premium Service, valued at over $400!

After years of dieting through other plans that allow you to only eat certain amounts of foods, or eliminate groups of foods entirely, I can tell you that The Fresh Diet was a welcomed treat.  The Fresh Diet is all about balance, and unlike other programs, all of the guess work in taken out for you.  According to their website, here are some important points to consider about their program:

•  The Fresh Diet provides the right balance of food in proper portions to help you lose weight, feel energetic, and maintain proper health. Their program consists of a healthy balance of 40%, 30% and 30% carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
• Their chefs and kitchen staff prepare 40/30/30 meals that are sinfully delicious, properly balanced, and perfectly portioned for ideal nutrition and weight loss.
• The Fresh Diet meals include many foods that reduce the inflammation that keeps people fat, allowing for simple, controlled weight loss.
• The Fresh Diet provides their customers with 3 gourmet meals and 2 snacks daily.  The smaller snacks help control insulin levels during the day (and especially when eating a reduced calorie diet).  When a body goes into starvation mode, behind-the-scenes changes occur that slow down the metabolism.
• Not only is their food delicious, but their meals will give you energy that lasts for 3-5 hours, so you won’t have cravings. It really isn’t a diet at all – it’s a healthy lifestyle.

How the program works:
You begin by discussing your health and diet needs with a personal concierge who reviews the program with you and sets up your baseline for calories, etc.  You are then directed to the website where you can choose to eliminate foods you may dislike or have any allergies to.  After you compile a folder of “dislikes” online, you can start to build your menu.  Under the Premium Service program, you will receive 3 meals and 2 snacks for each day, and you will get as many as four or more options for your meals to choose from.  After you choose your menu, just sit back and wait for your fresh food to arrive. 

How I liked The Fresh Diet:
There were many things that I liked about The Fresh Diet, but my two favorite things were the ease of the program for a busy mom, and the fact that, as a picky eater with a few food sensitivities, I wasn’t forced to eat around things I didn’t like.  As for the ease of the program, I did not need to write down anything that I ate or need to calculate my food groups.  Even one time when I was choosing foods for a day, I clicked on one of the snacks that I wanted, and the program automatically told me that if I chose that item, I would be eating more carbohydrates than allotted for me within the day {I had the choice whether to continue with that food, or choose something else–honestly, I chose the food I wanted because I wasn’t looking to loose ten pounds!}  And as for being a picky eater, the same would happen if I chose a meal that contained something in my “dislike” category.  I found that, despite my pickiness, I had many meals to choose from.  I LOVED their stuffed french toast and muffins for breakfast & their snacks like turkey quesadillas and spanakopita!

Now it’s your chance to win a free week’s worth of food thanks to The Fresh Diet {an over $400 value!}  You can start by leaving me a comment letting me know what diets YOU have tried and why you would like to give The Fresh Diet a spin.  If you’d like additional entries, you can “like” The Fresh Diet on Facebook and tell them that I sent you and follow The Fresh Diet on Twitter & tweet about my giveaway {once daily, please.}  One winner will be chosen at random on Tuesday, December 14th {you have until midnight on the 13th to enter!}. 

Disclaimer:  I was not compensated for this review, but I did get to enjoy a weeks worth of food courtesy of The Fresh Diet. 

Today kicks off my “Trim the Tree…with Presents” Giveaway Party, and I have six great prizes up for grabs! These prizes will make great gifts for you or a loved one, so….enter away! You may enter up until 11:59pm on December 15th, and all winners will be announced on December 16th–plenty of time for your gift to arrive for the holidays!

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 Giveaway #4 — $130 CSN Stores Gift Certificate

YES–you read that right….CSN Stores is giving one of my very lucky readers a $130 gift certificate to spend on whatever it is that they want!  Anything!  Maybe you want to treat yourself to a pair of those extra tall bar stools you’ve been eyeing up for your kitchen?  Or maybe you have your heart set on a new set of pots and pans that you wish you had the extra cash to splurge on?  Or, maybe you’d rather spend your winnings on buying some more toys for your kids from “Santa?” 

One lucky reader will win a $130 Gift Certificate
to spend however they want! 
To enter, all you need to do is visit CSN Stores
& tell me what it is that YOU want most…

* Follow me on Twitter & tweet about this giveaway {you may do this one each day} – make sure you include @cmacceo in your tweet and the direct URL in your comment!

* Hop on over to Mellisa’s blog and enter one of her giveaways {be sure to let me know which one you entered–one entry for every giveaway of hers that you enter!}

* “Like” CSN Stores on Facebook !

One winner will be chosen at random and announced on December 16th! Good Luck!

{I was not compensated in any way for this post.}