Showing posts with label sponsored. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sponsored. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

SPONSORED: Quick And Easy Style

PLEASE NOTE:  This post was paid for by StitchFix.   They are helping to keep the lights on (and men just a little bit more stylish) during these tough times.  Please check them out, and mention you saw the post on Dadapalooza!  Thanks!

Making your outfits more stylish doesn't have to be a time-consuming process. Sure, if you have the time, it might be great to go for a hair cut or shop for a new wardrobe of clothes. But you can still have an impact on how you look by following these quick and easy style tips.

Clean Your Shoes

Image via Flickr by AJC1

You can use a simple water and dish soap solution to keep your shoes looking fresh and new.  If you can't get rid of old stains, try scrubbing them with an old toothbrush. Additionally, remember to change worn laces as well so your footwear stays smart for long.

Match Two Things Together

This simple styling rule is a great way to smarten your outfits. The idea is that you include two pieces in your outfit that match. For example, pair a brown belt with your brown leather shoes, or a gray tie with your gray slacks. You can apply this rule to more than one pair in your outfit. If you're getting dressed on a cold day, for instance, you might pair a cardigan and polo shirt in the same color, and your brown shoes and belt to create a classy look.

Tuck Your Shirts

Tucking your shirts or T-shirts into your pants can give your outfit a neat and fine-tuned appearance. What's more, you can switch it up a bit by using different tucking methods. For instance, you can try tucking the front of your T-shirt into your pants for a slightly more casual front tuck. For a business casual look, tuck your shirt into your slacks all the way around.

Dress up an Outfit With a Blazer

If you've spent much money on a good suit for the office, why not make use of it on the weekend too? You can pair your suit jacket with a shirt and jeans to create a smart casual look for a night out. Alternatively, you might want to contrast your smart suit jacket with a T-shirt for a cool high-low mix.

Turn Up Your Jeans

If your jeans are looking worn at the bottom, turn up the hem to rescue the denim. This tip has the added advantage of allowing you to show off the socks you're wearing, so why not choose a colorful or patterned pair to add a twist to your look?

Getting a Personal Stylist

A personal stylist can provide you with helpful advice on developing your perfect look. In addition, they save you much time rummaging through stores because they can pick out items of clothing to suit you. That's time and energy you can put to good use while your personal stylist works on honing your looks as you get on with your busy life.

At Stitch Fix, your personal stylist will ask you for your measurements and style preferences when you sign up. Then, they'll select clothes to suit your needs and size. After you've received your items and tried them on, you can return anything you don't want to keep for free. You'll only need to pay for the items you buy.


Wednesday, July 25, 2018

SPONSORED: Streamlining Your Electronics Collection.

Please note: This post is being sponsored by Best Buy and HP.  I am being compensated to write this post with product and/or cash. Nevertheless, all opinions are my own.  I take my integrity seriously, and so should you.




If you are like me, you've got more electronics and computing power in your possession than you know what to do with. Phone. Computer. Tablet.  Camera.  Laptop.  Video camera. Smartwatch.  Backup Laptop. Drone.

And that's just me!  My wife has almost all of the above as well, and my son has most of these things also.  Our house is one large hotbed of electronics!  Thank the lord that we only have one child!)

 (And I'm not even including all of my legacy electronics.  I have a MAC PLUS that I bought in 1991 with a 10MB hard drive!  it still works, but I can't figure out how get the data off the hard drive-- I no longer have SCSI capabilities, and there's no internet/ethernet capability.)

Anyway, if you are looking to streamline your morass of electronics, HP has an interesting solution-- The HP Envy x360 series.

  The HP Envy x360 laptops are 2-in-1 devices that  transform from a laptop to a tablet in seconds. These are touch-screen laptops that come with a keyboard, Windows operating system, and Windows Ink capabilities so you can write on the screen with your stylus. They use a standard AMD processors and they are (as are most computers these days) fast and thin.



GET AN EXTRA $100 OFF THROUGH JULY 28

Through July 28, Best Buy has a special deal for an extra $100 off.  In reviewing these offers, I thought it was interesting that the 13-inch models are more expensive than the 15-inch models.  You pay a little extra for smallness.


Check out the offers here:
HP Envy 13in: http://bby.me/6nscx 

HP Envy 15in: http://bby.me/cnu5z




Features for these laptops include:




Full HD touch screen
A 1920 x 1080 resolution with impressive color and clarity. Finger-touch navigation,  IPS technology for wide viewing angles, and an energy-efficient WLED backlight.

8GB system memory for advanced multitasking
Substantial high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run your games and photo- and video-editing applications, as well as multiple programs and browser tabs all at once. Models come with either 128 or 256 SSD hard drive.

360° flip-and-fold design
Versatile functionality with laptop, audience, tabletop, presentation and tablet modes.

Windows 10 and Windows Ink
Windows 10 brings back the Start Menu from Windows 7 and introduces new features, including Windows Ink, which allows you to quickly jot down notes and ideas with ease.


While I have been firmly a Mac guy for almost my entire life, I have to say that these babies have me tempted to switch (or at least to add on to my already impressive collection.)   

Thursday, June 15, 2017

Fatherhood is a two way street: #thanksBaby

Disclosure: I have partnered with Life of Dad and Pampers for this promotion.  All thoughts and stories are my own.

As I did last year, I am happy to celebrate Father's Day as an ambassador for the Pampers: #thanksbaby campaign.

Pampers wants  to remind dads everywhere that fatherhood is a two-way street.  This is a great message and it tracks strongly with my own experience.

As our babies turn into toddlers and our toddlers turn into children and our children turn into young adults, they are learning and growing from us, and SIMULTANEOUSLY  we are learning and growing from them.

I may have told this story before but it bears repeating.

Me and my newborn son! 
I am a late to life father- I was 44 when my son was born.

I had a whole bunch of fears when my son was born.  I knew that my work as a touring performer and clown was going to have to radically change, that I was going to be the primary caregiver for my child.  I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about that.  I had been making my living as an artist for over 20 years and I didn't know if I was going to be capable (or want to do something else)  



I was also really scared that I wouldn't be up to the task of caring for an infant: of feeding it properly, of changing its dirty diapers (#thanksPampers!  You were a total lifesaver on that one!), of stopping him or her from crying or soothing them to sleep.

A caricature done of us at the Hudson River Museum
My biggest fear was that at the end of the day I wouldn't be happy- that the change in my life that I was going to get as a father/dad wouldn't make me happier than I was as a relatively successful artist.

I spent my life as an artist avoiding responsibilities in order to be happy.  I didn't have any plants so that I could tour at a moment's notice.  I lived in an apartment that I could literally shut up for three months without having to worry about anything going wrong.  (Well not too much)

But it turns out that I was up to all of those challenges and more.  Not only that, but adding responsibilities to my life made me happier-- something that was completely counterintuitive to me.

I can confidently say that I have never been happier as a person since I became a dad.  And my happiness continues to grow as he gets older.  It's the gift that keeps on giving!

When my son was a baby I learned from him to sleep whenever there was an opportunity, to relish moments of play, to get down on the floor and look up from his perspective.

I definitely didn't throw away my shot. (and neither did he!)
When my son was a toddler I re-learned how to wonder at the world, to answer the question why multiple times, and to get deliriously happy when there are small gains:  First words, first steps, first poop in the toilet.

My son is 8 now, and the diapering days are long past me (although I am sad to say that occasionally I do need to remind him to wipe better.) Hey it happens to everyone. But at least I don't have to wipe him anymore!)

I am still learning and growing from him.  He's introducing me to his favorite books (Ranger's Apprentice and the Indian In the Cupboard) and we're discussing the crazy plotting that is Star Wars, and the intricacies of Hamilton rap/rhymes. (with a stern admonition that some words may only be sung!)

 Earlier this year we worked on his first science fair project together, and we have even geeked out over fidget spinners.  I've been coaching his basketball team and he's getting better as a player, even as I get better as a coach.

I can't wait for the next phase!

#THANKSBABY

When a baby is born, a dad is born. This Father’s Day, Pampers is encouraging dads to give thanks to their kids for making them feel special, and to recognize how babies (and children) help the dad to grow along the journey of fatherhood.

Please join them by tweeting or instagramming how your baby changed your life with the hashtag #ThanksBaby.

Here's a great video from Pampers to remind us dads to thank our kids for making us dads
Happy Fathers Day from me! (and from Pampers!)

Friday, May 5, 2017

Plumbing the Depths of My Confidence With DIYZ

 Sometimes, it’s not what you know about home improvement, it’s what you don’t know that is important.


Disclosure: I am a compensated DIYZ-sponsored blogger. Opinions are 100% my own.

Check out the hashtag #DIYGuys to find other cool posts about the app.

If you’d like to check out DIYZ, The DIYZ App is free to download and is available in the Apple App Store for iPhone and Google Play for Android. For a limited time, the video chat feature is FREE!



My son and I are a little afraid of the evil toilet fill valve.
PLEASE NOTE: I am not a plumber, nor do I play one on TV.  I don’t have any real plumbing skills or experience to speak of.

My experience with plumbing usually entails checking out the issue, despairing a little, freaking out a lot, and finally calling a plumber who then comes over, charges a whole lot of money to do nearly nothing, while the whole time I watch like a hawk, trying to figure out what he’s doing so I won’t have to call him next time.

One time, a guy came and literally just flicked the switch to fix a problem.  It cost me $150 to have him do that.  As he explained as I wrote the check- “It’s not what I did that you are paying for- it’s the knowledge to do what I did.”  Needless to say, I never called that guy again.

Over the years I have gained a little bit of knowledge.  But it’s not just knowledge that you need.  It’s the confidence to use that knowledge.  And that’s not something I have a lot of.


 I’ve recently discovered  the DIYZ app, which is a mobile app that helps Do It Yourselfers with a lack of confidence or knowledge to complete projects around the house.   DIYZ stands for "Do It Yourself.  Do It Wise."

Here's what I like about the DIYZ app:
  • They have a vast list of over 50 home improvement projects that can be accomplished.
  • They have easy to understand step-by-step videos that display clearly how to complete each project.
  • They have TRAINED PROFESSIONALS on call who are ready to video chat with you to help solve any problems that might arise. If video chat isn't your thing, you can send them photos they can annotate, or just talk over the phone.
  • They have a project materials/tools list that you can purchase directly on Amazon or you can take the list straight to your local hardware store, 

It’s perfect for guys like me with a dangerous amount of knowledge (read: just a little) and a lack of confidence.

(As mentioned above, this is a sponsored post, and I’m being compensated for writing it, but my opinions and experiences are my own)

Currently, their video specialists are free to chat with!  (I imagine that will change over time.  After all, there is no such thing as a free lunch.  Or a free plumbing consult!)

ENTER THE TOILET
The Project I chose to do.
Our downstairs toilet has had problems for a while.  I’ve thought of just having the whole toilet replaced, but financially that doesn’t make sense.  It still works, it just doesn’t work great.  One of the biggest problems has always been that once you flush, the water doesn’t get into it fast enough.  As I mentioned above, I am not a plumber, but it seemed to me that the water valve was to blame.  Occasionally I’d get no water through it, and if I opened the tank and massaged the water valve a little, a tiny stream would come out.  When I was looking for a good DIYZ project to try out the service, this is one of the projects on the DIYZ list! SCORE!

I went to the local hardware store and showed them the picture of what I was trying to replace.  They informed me it was a toilet fill valve.  I purchased it (they only had one generic one, but apparently the fixtures are all the same.)

My 8-year-old son was with me helping me out.  He videotaped and took some photographs, and of course, dressed up like a Pikacsuper hero with a sword and bow and arrow. Because, WHY NOT?

I took home my purchases and opened up the packaging.  I looked at the directions which were amazingly complicated, and started to despair. But then I remembered DIYZ!  I watched their  4-step video on ADJUSTING OR REPLACING A TOILET FILL VALVE.  It looked pretty easy…

An unscheduled stop to ... review the intructions.
And it was! I completed the project on my own, with the help of my assistant!

From reviewing the diagrams and the videos and the old valve (with an unscheduled stop to … ummm... use the facilities)  I was able to figure it out.  And when I turned the water back on and flushed the toilet, I was amazed to discover that it all worked properly! I felt like a plumbing hero!

I’m sure that an actual plumber would have been able to fix this in nothing flat without the anxiety or fear, but it would have cost a lot more.  And now I have more confidence to go on and do the next project! (And as my wife never fails to remind me, there are plenty of projects available to do in my house if I would only set my mind to them!)

The plumbing hero battles against the evil Toilet Valve!
And conquers it!  All is right in the world!
This was an easy project to do and I would definitely use the DIYZ app again.  The how-to video was very clear, but what I like most about it is the possibility of on-call help when you need it.  (And the fact that it turned out I didn’t need it was even cooler!)  

I am now looking for other projects around the house that might be on the DIYZ list. (Looking around, I see that INSTALL A DOOR SWEEP is also on the list, and that's something that is on my list as well!) As I mentioned there are over 50 projects, including building a breakfast tray, replacing a light fixture, installing a USB outlet, and much more.

If you’d like to check out DIYZ,  it is free to download and is available in the Apple App Store for iPhone and Google Play for Android. For a limited time, the video chat feature is FREE! (Please note: Video hours are limited currently.  Check the app for details)

Here's a video of my son helping me.  He says in the video that it is his first time using a sponge.  I don't know if that's really true, he's at the very beginning of his plumbing career from this project I know he's building confidence to do his own plumbing projects in the future!



Tuesday, March 21, 2017

The Gluten Free Expo is Back!

Last year, our family attended the Gluten Free Allergy Friendly Expo and had a great time. We're planning on going again!


This year  GFAF is coming back to Schaumburg Saturday April 22 and Sunday April 23, and it's going to be just as busy and even better than last year.  BUY TICKETS NOW.
Photo courtesy of GFAF Expo website.
GFAF is the largest expo of Gluten Free and Allergy Free foods in the country, and Chicago is now one of 7 cities they visit on an annual basis. This is their tenth year coming to Chicago!

While at GFAF, you can meet over 100 exhibitors, test gluten free samples, purchase all kinds of items at a discount,  meet other people who have similar food restrictions, and find out more about eating Gluten-free and allergy free.

Photo courtesy of GFAF Expo website.

What do you get with your Expo Ticket?

  • Entry into the vendor fair with over 100 brands 
  • Valuable coupons at the vendor booths 
  • Samples from the vendors are considered to be gluten free. 
  • Discounted products available for purchase 
  • Informative classes related to the gluten free and allergen-friendly lifestyle 
  • Free reusable bag to carry your goodies 
  • Meet your favorite vendors, authors and bloggers

Photo courtesy of GFAF Expo website.

In addition to dozens of food  and lifestyle vendors and plenty of samples to go around, the GFAF will be having some classes and seminars available. All are taught by either doctors or experts who will be able to impart their wisdom on you.  Classes are included as part of your ticket!


SATURDAY APRIL 21
10:30-11:30 “Food Allergy and Gluten Sensitivity Testing: Conventional and Alternative Methods”

12:00-1:00 "Gluten, gluten-free, what's it all about?"

1:30-2:30 "Tips, Tools and Tricks for Gluten Free and Allergy Friendly Travel Around the World"

3:00-4:00  "5 Steps to Healing Your Inflammation"

SUNDAY APRIL 23
10:30-11:30 "Not Just Gluten Free ... Make It Low Carb!"

12:00-1:00  "Gluten: The Gut, Brain & Skin Connection"

1:30-2:30 "Rediscovering the Art & Science of Nourishing"

See the full schedule and info about presenters here:

GLUTEN FREE EXPO SCHAUMBURG IMPORTANT DETAILS!

 BUY TICKETS NOW.
WHEN: April 22 & 23, 2017
10:00-4:00 pm on Saturday the 22nd
10:00-3:00 pm on Sunday the 23rd

WHERE: Schaumburg Convention Center
1551 Thoreau Drive North  Schaumburg, IL 60173
Click HERE for directions.
Free Parking!

Note: If the Convention Center parking lot is full when you arrive, there is additional free parking in the lots of the adjacent office buildings.

COST: Tickets range from $5-$35 depending on age, cost, and how many days you want to attend. You can get an additional 20% off by using the code "ADVANCE" when purchasing between now and April 21.  BUY TICKETS NOW.

OTHER:
Concessions will be open for beverages and gluten-free salads.




 PLEASE NOTE: The show is not 100% gluten free, or allergy free.  It is in a mixed use environment, and everybody is different.  You know yourself best.  If you can not tolerate certain things, DON'T TRY THEM!

The full Safety speech is available on the GFAF website

Also, please note, I have received free tickets to promote and attend this event.  I am also an affiliate of the Expo, and if you purchase tickets through the above links, I may make an affiliate credit. My thoughts about the event are my own.

Thursday, June 16, 2016

#ThanksBaby- Or how my son made me a dad.

15 years ago, I wasn't dad material.

Oh sure, I was capable of being a father (and had some close calls regarding same) .

I knew lots of great dad jokes (still my reigning champion-- "What's brown and sticky?  A Stick.")

I was great with kids (Hey, I am a professional clown)

But despite all that, somehow, someway I didn't feature being a dad.  I didn't think it would happen for me, and I wasn't particularly sad about it. And if you talked to my friends and family, they probably would have had a hard time believing that I would be a dad too.

The chairman of the board likes to wear his food.
Part of it was that I hadn't met the right woman, part of it was that I was focused on the hardscrabble life of being a self-supporting artist.  I was travelling all the time, and honestly, I didn't see how I could afford to have a kid either timewise of financially.  I was really into living in the now, in the moment, and there never seemed to be a now when saddling myself with extra responsibilities seemed to be something that didn't seem wise.

About 12 years ago, I met my wife, and we immediately were hooked to one another.  We ended up moving in together after about a year and a half of long distance dating.  We bought a house together. She was on the fence about kids, and I was perfectly okay with that.

About a year or so after we moved in together, her biological clock started ticking.  At first, I was a little resistant, but I loved my wife, and thought, "Well, let's try and see. If it's meant to be, it will be."  (and other rhyming thoughts)

Also, the thought of breaking up with her over the kids issue was pretty scary to me.

Our family at the Mouse House.
She got pregnant almost right away (my boys can swim!) , and I was in the nervous/excited/elated/freaked out stage.

Sadly, that turned out to be a miscarriage, which brought a whole different level of freaked out/nervous feelings.  (And to be completely honest, a little relieved as well)

We started trying again, and about 3 months later-- another pregnancy.  Back on the nervous/excited/bandwagon.

About 10 days after we discovered we were pregnant, my mom passed away, which changed my whole perspective on time, kids, and family.  I felt like it couldn't come soon enough.

That nine months of waiting for the baby to come was excruciating.  For the first few months I was in denial,  (we also planned our wedding and honeymoon,  got featured in the NY Times for the same, and oversaw several home projects at the same time, including moving my office.  You know, the little stuff)

Once I got out of denial I was in the full panic mode.

 I felt woefully unprepared.  I started reading all kinds of books, which is the way I prepare for things, and then I felt even MORE unprepared. Go figure.

I had a lot of fears that I wouldn't love the baby, that I would resent him for ending my career as a touring clown,  I was afraid I would be grossed out by having to change him all the time.  (As it turns out, it wasn't so bad.  Because, you know, shit happens.  And also, thanks to products produced by the sponsor of this post Pampers, it wasn't as terrible or as smelly as my fears made it out to be. Thank you Pampers! Your products work!)

Here's our world famous song, my contribution to the world of songs about children going to the bathroom!




As soon as my son was born, I'm happy to say that all my fears WERE UNREALIZED.   I loved the little guy to pieces, and have loved watching him grow, and progress, and learn, and become a person. Yes,  I do sometimes miss my former life as a responsible to no one performing artist,  but I wouldn't trade positions.  I love my life as a dad, in a way that I didn't know that I would.

My son and I making faces.  I am teaching him how,
and he's teaching me!
In fact, if you had asked me 10 years ago if I would be happier having a baby, having more responsibility, having less "freedom", I would have looked at you like you were crazy.  Counter-intuitively, I added responsibility and I have never been happier.

I don't think that it was as simple as him being born that changed me into being Dad material.  It was the process.   It was changing all those stinky diapers and staying up with him when he was sick and watching him sleep and bringing him to his first playdate and holding him when he has a temperature.  It was that process-- that slow laborious process-- that has turned me into a dad.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.






DISCLOSURE: I have partnered with Life of Dad and Pampers for this promotion. All the thoughts, ideas, photos, and stories remain truly mine.

When a baby is born, a dad is born. This Father’s Day, Pampers is encouraging dads to give thanks to their kids for making them feel special, and to recognize how babies (and children) help the dad to grow along the journey of fatherhood.

 Please join them by tweeting or instagramming how your baby changed your life with the hashtag #ThanksBaby.

Pampers has also released a new #ThanksBaby video that captures the  relationship between dad and child that starts at birth and when the journey of fatherhood begins.



Thursday, July 2, 2015

GreenApple Campus Camp-- Cool Contraptions

I thought we were all set for camp this summer, but then I heard from a friend of ours about a camp (GreenApple® Campus) that seemed too good to not try. When I read the descriptions of the classes to my son, he just about cried with joy.

As devoted readers will remember, my son is very excited by the Maker Movement.  We've been to a number of Maker Faires, and a couple of years ago, he was all about building mousetraps and Rube Goldberg machines after we saw the Life Sized Mousetrap  at Maker Faire NY.

VIDEO OF THE LIFESIZE MOUSETRAP:


THE FIRST INTERATION OF AA'S MEDIUM SIZED MOUSETRAP.


These machines continue to fascinate.  So it's no surprise that my  son will be attending the GreenApple® Campus class COOL CONTRAPTIONS.  This invention based program is all about building contraptions, vehicles and machines that move. Gears, beams, pulleys, wheels, axles, pieces that snap and flex.  All of the kind of gizmos that will inspire the aspiring Rube Goldberg. (And will hopefully inspire him to use up the buckets and boxes of springs, cardboard tubes, rubber bands, and various detritus that he refuses to throw out!)

GreenApple® Campus is an educational not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization. Their mission is to inspire the innovators of the future through creative, challenging STEM or STEAM programs for kids. All of the classes, programs, and workshops feature some combination of science, technology, engineering, math, architecture, design, and invention.  Classes are offered in robotics, programming and app development, tinkering and making.  (And there are also some Lego robotics and Minecraft modeling classes!)

They also have an entrepreneurship startup program called Startup to Achieve for kids grades 6-9 that brings you the basics of being an entrepreneur (and very cool, one of those sessions is Just For Girls, so that gender stereotypes about girls and science won't be fulfilled.)

In the Chicagoland area, GreenApple® Campus has 4 locations, plus the StartUp to Achieve program is in a couple of different places.  Go to their schedule page to find out where their classes are offered and which classes are offered when.  They've got a lot of classes available, and I'm sure one of them will be right for your tech-hungry child.

DISCLOSURE:  We are being provided free tuition at GreenApple® Campus in order to try the camp out.  As always my opinions and my son's unfettered desire to build cool contraptions are our own.  I take my critical reputation seriously, and so should you.


Friday, June 12, 2015

Stouffer's #Fitkitchen- My Partner in Eating Better

Disclosure: I have partnered with Life of Dad and STOUFFER’S® for this promotion. I have received compensation and product for my participation, but my opinions and my voracious appetites are my own.

I've been trying to be better about working out and eating in a more healthy way.  Honest, I have.  But as many of you know, it's difficult.  Especially because.
• I'm an older dad (I'm 50!  I know, I don't look a day over 49!)
• I have a voracious appetite. 
• I used to be active, but have been sedentary for the last couple of years.

A couple of weeks ago I joined my local gym, primarily because I can walk there and they have a pool. I'm a big fan of swimming, and so are my busted-out basketball knees. And especially with the summer coming on here in Chicago, I think it will be a good activity to do every morning.

I'd been threatening to join the gym for a while, but somehow never quite got there to do it. I managed to go, sign up for the full year, and now I'm good to go. All I have to do is attend!

I've gone 8 out of the last 14 days, which is pretty good. Mostly swimming, but a little running too. (And by running, I mean walking on the treadmill/elliptical at a moderate pace - I'm in the 3.8/3.9 mph territory in the gym). Back when I was in my 30's, I'd swim a mile in about 41 minutes. And I'd regularly go 5-6 mph on the treadmill. And now, I'm swimming a little over half a mile in 30 minutes. Hey, you have to start somewhere.

In terms of eating, I've been trying to cook more and eat out less. It doesn't always work out because I run out of time and energy. Especially for lunch or after a workout. And let's face it, a dad can not live by kale alone.

For the last couple of days I've been coming home from the gym very hungry, and just haven't had the energy to cook.  And this is where Stouffer's ® Fit Kitchen has been a great help in satisfying my hunger.

They've got six varieties available, and they all sounded pretty good.


STEAK FAJITA in smoked red chile sauce with a mix of red & green peppers and seasoned brown rice.


CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN white meat chicken with a black bean & corn mix, seasoned brown rice, and a verde tomatillo sauce.


ROTISSERIE SEASONED TURKEY with a mix of diced red skin sweet potatoes & green beans.


MONTEREY CHICKEN with diced red skin & sweet potatoes, lightly buttered green beans with BBQ style sauce.


BOURBON STEAK with chipotle mashed sweet potatoes, seasoned broccoli & red peppers.


OVEN ROASTED CHICKEN with diced red skin potatoes, seasoned broccoli and a savory wine sauce.

 I tried both the Bourbon Steak and the Rotisserie Turkey.  Seriously, they were the best frozen meals I've ever had!

PREPARATION
The before picture.  Looks good!
The meals are easy to prepare. You open the box, tear off a corner for venting (with the bourbon steak they recommended opening up the cover over the broccoli) and cook for 6 minutes. You open it, you stir the vegetables up a little, you cover it and cook it for 1 more minute. Let it stand one more minute and then enjoy. Pretty easy. 
TASTE
The after picture.  Delicious!
 The food was plentiful and tasted fresh.  The meat was in nice juicy chunks, and clearly pretty high quality stuff.  The vegetables were good and not soggy and didn't have that "frozen" flavor.  With both I finished the plate and was pretty full (although I will admit that I used a piece of bread to sop up the delicious Bourbon Steak's gravy.  I couldn't let all that deliciousness go to waste, right?)  I really feel like Stouffers ® Fit Kitchen did a great job of making these meals delicious.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE
The Bourbon Steak has 410 calories and 26 g of protein.   The Rotisserie Turkey has 330 calories and 25 g of protein.   They both have no trans-fat.  I wouldn't classify them as "diet meals" because that somehow implies that they are skimpy or small, which they are not. They are hearty meals of good ingredients for people that need quick energy. They do have a fair amount of sodium (890mg for the steak and 960mg for the turkey)  but that's less than 40% of the RDA.  You shouldn't have them for every meal, but one a day will be fine, even if you are watching your salt intake (which I am.)


CONCLUSION

These meals are great for after a workout, or when you need to make something quick and satisfying.  I heartily recommend checking them out; you can find STOUFFER’S® Fit Kitchen in the frozen aisle at your local Walmart, Target or grocery store; visit www.stouffers.com to find a store near you.




Friday, June 5, 2015

The Case of the Missing Milk

Disclosure: I have partnered with my friends Life of Dad and Milk Life for this promotion. I have received compensation for my participation, but my belief in the power and goodness of Milk is my own, as are my stories and my opinions.


Milk is delicious, nutritious, and full of essential ingredients.
You never know how much you miss something until it's gone.

About four months ago, in an effort to figure out why she has stomach pain after she eats, my wife (in consultation with her doctor) decided to do an elimination diet.  She's cut out sugar, nightshades, gluten, corn, soy, and dairy from her diet.  We stopped buying dairy milk at that time, and started buying milk substitutes-- almond milk/cashew milk/coconut milk/rice milk.

 I didn't think too much about it: - milk substitutes have lots of protein and are vitamin D augmented.  And I didn't drink THAT MUCH milk,  I will drink just about anything and my son gets milk at school through the FREE LUNCH program.  *


This is my new favorite milk-- it's got actual cream on top!
So I was going along my merry way,  drinking milk substitutes for a few weeks until we had house guests stay with us for a week.  We bought some actual milk for them, and I started drinking it too, and OH MY GOD this stuff is delicious!  I'd forgotten how much I missed actual milk.

Which brings me to another group of people who miss milk:  The hungry.

In our country, over 12 million families rely on food banks to help fill their pantries.   Over 22 million kids are expected to go without milk this summer when the school breakfast and lunch programs go on hiatus. And while generous people often donate excess dry goods and canned goods to food banks, milk is not something that many people donate. It's perishable, it needs refrigeration, and by the time you figure out you've bought too much milk, it's gone bad.  Milk is one of the top food items requested by food banks nationwide.

 Look at these stats to have your eyes opened even further:


The folks at MilkLife (which is part of the National Dairy Council) and Feeding America are trying to reverse this issue.  They have started the Great American Milk Drive, the first-ever nationwide program to deliver highly desired and nutrient-rich gallons of milk to hungry families who need it most.

A group of Dad Bloggers organized by Life of Dad are having a friendly competition to raise additional funds for the Milk Drive.  And the winning team gets some EXTRA MONEY donated to The Great American Milk Drive. So win win win for us all.

If you would care to support our team, and more importantly support bringing more milk to hungry kids and their parents, please donate using this link: TEAM NORTH

Here's a list of my team members and their blogposts in support of #milklife:

FanDads: http://fandads.blogspot.com/2015/06/all-aboard-milkdrive-to-feeding-america.html

BenSparks: http://www.benspark.com/im-a-milkdrive-dad-raising-donations-for-feeding-america.html


And if you can swing it, next time you go shopping buy an extra gallon of milk and bring it to your food bank or pantry.  They will appreciate it tremendously! (But make sure they are set up for refrigerated donations; not all food pantries are)

In my neighborhood, my food pantry of choice to donate to is CARE FOR REAL.  Last year they gave out enough food to serve 1.2 million meals. We've donated dry goods to them in the past, but now I'll make a special effort to drop off a couple of gallons of milk every so often.  I'm sure there are kids (and grownups) out there who love milk as much as I do.












* FREE LUNCHES IN CHICAGO

(In Chicago, EVERY KID regardless of their economic situation gets a free breakfast and lunch if they want it-- Chicago Public Schools (CPS) did the math, and realized that the productivity loss from dealing with hungry kids was greater than the money they spend to make sure that every kid has a meal when they want it.  So everyone applies, they take the federal money, and they augment it with their own funds to make sure that every kid is ready to learn.  The CPS program also includes milk at both breakfast and lunch.

 Read more about the program here. I think it's really remarkable and would love to see more school districts adopt this kind of program.