Friday in May - Food & Drink Review

I get offered a lot of stuff to review and I pass a lot of it up.  I’m not just telling you this to be a show off.  Rather I’m hoping to make a point that if I agree to review something it’s because I’m interested in trying it out.  I don’t get paid for this.

First up: Pepperidge Farm Vanilla Goldfish Grahams, which are available now and sold with a suggested retail price of $2.19 for a 6.6 oz package.  I wanted to try these out because I was intrigued and I love the original cheesy goldfish crackers.  In fact, I remember the first time I ate the goldfish crackers at a distant cousin’s beach house on Cape Cod when I was a preschooler and I was so amazed by the shape.  Yes, I remember being amazed by the goldfish shape.  Goldfish are comfort food.  I now have preschoolers.  I wanted in on the Vanilla Goldfish Grahams even though I was skeptical.  I mean, it seemed kind of wrong to be sweet.  So I received ONE 6.6 oz paper pouch.  I actually think I did get to try about three goldfish.  Chip and Lulu and some friends devoured them over a few days.  They loved them.  They wanted more.  The vanilla and graham combo was declared delicious.  They are made with whole grain and considering 50 of the crackers is 140 calories, that’s pretty good in my book.  The press release says that less than 10% of a serving’s calories are from saturated fat.  So if a serving is 50 goldfish, again, that is noteworthy.  No way Chip or Lulu ate 50 each even over two days.  For more info, please visit www.pepperidgefarm.com

Next Up: Fruit 2o Essentials described as a refreshing beverage that combines several nutrients found in two servings of fruit with crisp, clear water, with zero calories and zero sugar.  That sounded good to me because I don’t need calories and seem to always be dehydrated.  Living in a dry climate and being active, it’s a real challenge for me to keep enough water on board.  I thought this might be something to add to my intake list.  Sugar is a huge evil in our culture.  This summer, Fruit 2o and local chapters of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) are working together to help women make small changes that create lifelong results for improved health.  Beginning May 14, you can visit them online or at a local event.  For every small change you pledge to make, Fruit 2o will donate $1 to your local ADA chapter to help fight diabetes.  Visit www.facebook.com/fruit2o for updates.  So back to the drinks themselves! They sent me eight bottles to try out some different flavors: Peach Mango, Blueberry Pomegranate, Citrus and Cherry Acai.  I like all of them but would have to say Peach Mango is my favorite.  They also make other flavors.  You can buy Fruit 2o Essentials in many parts of the US.  The bottles are 18 oz and retail for $1.00-$1.19 and club store 15 packs are priced from $8.99-$10.99.  You can find out about their flavors, nutrition and where to buy info at www.fruit2o.com