Saturday, May 28, 2011

Low Entry Giveaways ending Tonight! (Saturday 5/28)

Angelina Ballerina: Ballet Dreams DVD US/CAN - PS Mom Reviews

Syrendell - Silk Ribbon Streamer Stick (Toy/Decoration) - Etsy US/CAN - McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts

Under the Sea chalk scribblers set from Sassy Scribblers (Etsy) U.S. - Too Blessed To Be Stressed

8oz. bottle of Lavender Natural Liquid Soap from Tropical Traditions - Marilyn's Money

Dinosaur Train All Aboard Game U.S. - Life is a Sandcastle

$20 GC to Nuts for Bolts, Etc. (Etsy) (@9pm) US/CAN - Mom-A-Logues

The Birthday Express Thomas & Friends DVD (@9pm) U.S. - 2 Boys + 1 Girl = One Crazy Mom

Agoo (bamboo) Leg Warmers U.S. - Mama to 4 Blessings

Hungry, Hungry Hippos travel game - That's It Mommy

Cubbie Cup - snack cup for kids U.S. - Mommy Loves Giveaways

$25 gift certificate to the Baby Habit U.S. - Mommy Loves Giveaways

Barielle Nail Strengthener Cream U.S. - Miracle Momas

17.6oz. Jar of Canadian Raw Honey from Tropical Traditions (@10pm) US/CAN - Planet of the Apels

3 pairs of Organic Socks for your little one, from EcoLand (0-12 or 12-24 months) U.S. - Mommy Wants Freebies

Friday, May 27, 2011

Summer is coming! June 21st, 2011 (Home Food Safety)

As summer rolls around and grills across the nation heat up for backyard barbecues, so does your risk of food poisoning. The Home Food Safety program is dedicated to raising consumer awareness about the seriousness of foodborne illness and provides solutions for easily and safely handling foods.

Did you know?
...that each year roughly 1 out of 6 Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from foodborne diseases.

Did you know?
...that reducing foodborne illness by just 1% would keep about 500,000 Americans from getting sick each year; reducing foodborne illness by 10% would keep about 5 million from getting sick.

Did you know?
...that nearly half of all cases of foodborne illness could be eliminated if people would wash their hands more often when preparing and handling food.

Did you know?
...that certain people have an increased risk for foodborne illness. These "at risk" people include:

Pregnant women and newborns
Older adults
People with weakened immune systems and chronic illness including diabetes, kidney disease, AIDS and some cancer patients.

Safe Grilling
Did you know that Hambergers and Hot Dogs must be fully cooked and their internal temperatures should be checked with a food thermometer and they should read 160 degrees Fahrenheit for Hambergers and 165 degrees Fahrenheit for Hotdogs? I didn't! If meat isn't grilled just right, it can cause food poisoning.

I recently had a BAD case of food poisoning from eating an undercooked hamburger from a local fast food restaurant. I honestly felt like I was going to die. My stomach hurt, I kept throwing up, and I couldn't get off of the toilet for over six hours. It didn't help that it started up a few hours after I went to bed. I won't be eating at that fast food restaurant again any time soon.

Reduce Food Borne Illnesses
Keep you and your family safe by always washing your hands before and after you prepare any food. Keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods separate. Cook foods to their proper temperatures. Refrigerate foods promptly to 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

My husband and I have two different cutting boards, one for cutting up meat, and the other one for cutting up fruits, vegetables, and more. We took a black sharpie and wrote MEAT on the one cutting board so that we wouldn't get them mixed up or forget which color cutting board was for which foods.

Cooking Safely with your Microwave Oven
Thaw foods using the Defrost button on your microwave. Remove all food from packaging before defrosting. (Do not use foam trays and plastic wraps because they are not heat stable at high temperatures.) Cook all foods immediately after defrosting them in your microwave.

Cover foods with a lid or a microwave-safe plastic wrap to hold in moisture and provide safe, even heating. After reheating foods in the microwave oven, allow the food to "stand" alone in your microwave for a minute or two before removing them. Then, use a clean food thermometer to check that food has reached 165°F.

When heating up food for children, never microwave it in a plastic bowl. Don't ever microwave food in the containers located in the children's section labeled to be used and then thrown away. These are made of very thin plastic and they will melt in the microwave. These containers will also put bad toxins into your children's food. We always use glass bowls and plates when microwaving food for us or our children.

All of the above information and more are included HERE and printable so they can laminated and posted where everyone in your household can see them and review them before preparing any food.

Go to Homefoodsafety.org for more information about food safety.

Disclosure: I copied some of these home food safety tips from Homefoodsafety.org. The story about me having food poisoning and about the cutting boards are true and they are my own words and experiences. I will receive a $15 Starbucks gift card in exchange for my post.

FOOD CAN TASTE GOOD AND BE GOOD FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

The new Dietary Guidelines recommend Americans eat at least 2 servings of seafood a week, and no one makes it easier to do that than Gorton’s!

From kid-favorite crunchy fish sticks to expertly prepared and seasoned grilled salmon, tilapia and breaded flounder, you'll find creating a flavorful and good-for-you dinner has never been easier!

Looking for a new twist of flavor? Try topping your favorite fish with Wholly Guacamole and Wholly Salsa! Top for added spice or wrap and roll for fish taco night!

Check out these great recipes and then head on over to Wholly Guacamole and Gortons Seafood's Facebook pages for up to $2.00 off tonight's dinner!

Mini Tostadas Recipe

Crunchy Fish Tacos Recipe

Avocado Stuffed Salmon Recipe

You can find these Recipes and more on WhollyGuacamole.com!

Wholly Guacamole $1.00 off coupon and more!

Scroll down on the page to receive your $1.00 off printable coupon on any one Wholly Guacamole product. (You must be registered on the Wholly Guacamole website to be able to print out the coupon.)

There is also a printable $1.00 off coupon link on Wholly Guacamole's Facebook page! Click on the Coupons Tab located on the left side of their Facebook page!

Special Edition of the P&G GIVE HEALTH brandSaver Coupon booklet in this Sunday's Newpaper!

P&G’s 2011 Give Health social sustainability program is helping consumers find simple ways to give back without having to donate a lot of money or time. According to a recent P&G/Ipsos survey, most women (75%) would like to support causes they care about without donating a lot of money, however many are unaware that options exist that enable them to not only save, but help others in the process. 87% said they would use a coupon if it provided a donation to a cause.

On Sunday, June 5, a special edition of the P&G GIVE HEALTH brandSAVER coupon booklet will be distributed in newspapers across the country, with discounts for P&G brands. For each brandSAVER coupon redeemed, one day of clean drinking water will be donated to people in developing countries through the P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program – so consumers can save money AND give back.

Nearly one billion people across the world lack access to safe drinking water, and waterborne diseases remain a leading cause of illness and death in the developing world.

Inspire Your Network to Help Provide clean drinking water

Join P&G and the Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program (CSDW) to provide clean drinking water to children in need. Here are three simple actions you can take to inspire your network and help:

Join GIVE HEALTH on Facebook.

Look for the GIVE HEALTH P&G brandSAVER coupon booklet on June 5, 2011 in your local newspaper. Each coupon redeemed = 1 day of clean drinking water donated (equivalent to $.02).

Weekend Blog Hops! (5/28 & 5/29)

Friday Blog Hops! (5/27)

Six Great LOW Entries Giveaways on Having Fun Saving!

Kidorable Back Pack (ends 5/30) U.S.

Cahootie - Winner's Choice - The Timeless Game (6/1 @11pm) U.S.

Summer Camp pack from Mabel's Labels (ends 6/2 @11pm) US/CAN

Bundle of Nature's Path organic food products (ends 6/3 @11pm) U.S.

Set of reusable bags from Re-Pac Bags (ends 6/4 @11pm) U.S.

Denby - Large oblong Baking Dish (ends 6/8 @11pm) U.S.

Low Entry Giveaways ending Tonight! (Friday 5/27)

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Thursday, May 26, 2011

LOW Entry Giveaways ending Tonight! (Thursday 5/26)

$15 GC to Giggly Gumdrops (good for vinyl only) - Etsy shop US/CAN - The Johns Family

One Tin of Daddy Van's Baby Safe Furniture Polish US/CAN - Copper Llama Studio

The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry by Jon Ronson - book US/CAN - The Girl from the Ghetto

$10 GC to Burger King (8 winners) - Mom in Training

Pirates of the Caribbean Prize Pack (@11pm) U.S. Having Fun Saving

4 varieties of Mrs. Renfro's salsa (10pm PST) U.S. - The Reynolds Mom

The Night Night Book U.S. - DustinNikki Mommy of Three

One pair of rose gold plated champagne Crystal Earrings from GellyBean (Etsy) U.S. - Mommy's Moments

Samara Fibers - Hand Dyed Merino Wool Batting for Crafts U.S. - McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts

Intro Pack to Real Nappies cloth diapers U.S. - Change-Diapers.com

$10 GC to Spice Grove Designs - Etsy (@9pm CST) - little boys are made of frogs and snails and puppy dog tails

Two Coupons - One for any Carpet Fresh Rug and Room Odor Eliminator Quick Dry Foam and One for any 2000 Flushes Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner Single Pack (8 winners) U.S. - To Be Thode

11 oz. bag of Ayurvedic Roast Coffee U.S. - Pot of Gold Giveaways

Planner from Dotmine U.S. - Freckleberry Finds

My Picture Perfect ABC's DVD (value $39.95) U.S. - Mommy Loves Giveaways

$40 GC to Kidlandia.com U.S. - Mommy Loves Giveaways

Chicken Soup for the Soul: New Moms (3 winners) (5/27 @12noon EST) US/CAN - Emmy's Boos and Rawrs

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Two LOW Entry Giveaways on Featured Product Reviews! Both end 5/31 (U.S.)

Newman's Own Organics (winner can choose 4 products!) (5/31) U.S.
(Choose from Pretzels, Chocolate Bars, Fig Newmans, Champion Chip Cookies, Chocolate Cups, Newman-O's, Pop's Corn, Alphabet Cookies , Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar, Dried Fruit , Soy Crisps, Hermits, or Mints.)