Kids Can Code With Let’s Start Coding

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

As the holiday shopping season is quickly approaching, I am on the search for toys that are fun AND educational. Let’s Start Coding is a line of toys that fulfills both categories.

I recently received the Let’s Start Coding Code Rocket to review, so I had my son test it out. The kit is about the size of a deck of cards, and includes the following:

  • Code Rocket Board with 8 programmable onboard LED lights, a speaker, and 2 buttons.
  • Retractable USB cable that plugs into standard USB 2.0 or 3.0 ports.
  • Reference cards for code concepts including: loops, functions, ‘if’ statements.
  • Tough carrying case to contain all the components listed above.

This kit is recommended for ages 8-12. My 11 year old son was able to plug the rocket into our laptop via USB and follow the directions to start coding by himself within minutes.

The Code Rocket lets you start with the basics of C++ through simple lessons. There are a variety of lessons offered, including:

  • Fade the Rocket Booster LEDs
  • Deep Space Headlights
  • Laser Blasters with Sound Effects
  • Morse Code Light Messages
  • Countdown to Liftoff Sequence
  • Morse Code Sound Messages
  • Hack the Code Rocket

The Code Rocket offers a valuable hands-on learning experience for kids. It would make a great gift to inspire tech-minded children.

Some of the other Let’s Start Coding toys include:

Where To Purchase Let’s Start Coding Toys

Let’s Start Coding products can be purchased on their website or through Amazon:

Let’s Start Coding Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a Let’s Start Coding Code Rocket!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Continue Reading

You may also like

The Good Crisp Chips Are SO Good!

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Everyone in my family enjoys snacking on chips. Therefore, they were very excited to try out the chips made by The Good Crisp Company. These “canister” chips are gluten-free and contain all-natural ingredients. For those with allergy concerns, The Good Crisp chips are made in a facility free of egg, wheat & gluten, peanuts, tree nuts, fish & shellfish, sesame seeds, mustard and celery.

The Good Crisp Company chips come in the following flavors:

  • Classic Original
  • Sour Cream & Onion
  • Aged White Cheddar
  • Outback BBQ
  • Sea Salt & Vinegar

These chips are so light, thin and crispy! They taste just as good (if not better) than the other conventional brands you would find at the supermarket.

The Good Crisp is also offering a limited edition Hummus Pack. This pack includes 4 canisters of The Good Crisp Classic Original Chips, 4 servings of Lilly’s Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, a frisbee and drawstring backpack. I had never thought of eating these types of chips with hummus, but I must say it is a delicious combination!

One thing I like about chips in a canister is that they transport well. They are convenient to pack when we go somewhere since there are no worries about ending up with a bag full of crushed chips.

Yes, it is still warm enough around here to go to the beach.

The Good Crisp Sea Salt & Vinegar flavor is downright addictive!

Where to Purchase The Good Crisp

The Good Crisp chips are available for purchase at a store near you or through their online store.

The Good Crisp Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win The Good Crisp Variety Pack (2 full-sized cans of each of their most popular flavors)!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Continue Reading

You may also like

Go Green With Wean Green Glass Containers

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

During the past few years, I have slowly been trying to replace my plastic containers with glass containers. Recently I discovered a company called Wean Green. They make glass containers in a variety of sizes that are free of BPA, PVC’s and Phthalates.

The glass that Wean Green uses is 4-5 times stronger than regular glass. This was apparent as soon as I opened the box. You can tell these containers are durable. The colorful tops are made from silicon, and the tabs have been tested for 3 million uses! The tops have a leak-proof seal, so these containers can be used for liquids or sauces. In addition, the glass will not stain, which often happens with plastic containers.

Wean Green glass containers are dishwasher, microwave, and freezer safe.

I really likes the snack-size containers for lunch prep and snacks. These containers make it so easy to have fresh healthy snacks ready to go. Using Wean Green containers also eliminates the need of using single-use plastic when packing school lunches.

I like how these Wean Green glass containers look so cheery in my refrigerator!

Wean Green also makes larger containers that can be used to store leftovers or full meals. If you too are on a quest to reduce your use of plastic, you will not go wrong with Wean Green.

Where To Purchase Wean Green

You can find Wean Green glass containers at a store near you or through their online store.

Wean Green Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a $50 Wean Green gift card for their online store!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Continue Reading

You may also like

Bake For Everyone With Hungry Harry’s

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Hungry Harry’s produces baking mixes that are free from the 14 food groups that account for over 90% of food allergies. The founders’ son was born with a tree nut allergy, and is sensitive to dairy, gluten, egg and soy. They wanted to create food products that he could eat safely, as well as enjoy! As I have mentioned many times before, both of my kids are allergic to tree nuts and peanuts. Therefore, it is always exciting to discover new food products that are made with allergies as a top concern.

Hungry Harry’s currently offers five types of baking mixes:

I decided to use Hungry Harry’s Yellow Cake Mix to bake some cupcakes. As you can see, the texture of these cupcakes was nice and fluffy. I would challenge anyone to guess that these cupcakes are gluten-free. There are suggestions in the directions about how to make these cupcakes also egg and dairy-free, but I just used eggs and milk since these ingredients are not a concern for our family. All of the Hungry Harry’s mixes can be adapted using the ingredients that are safe for you and those you are baking for.

Where To Purchase Hungry Harry’s Baking Mixes

Hungry Harry’s mixes can be purchased at a store near you, or through their online store.

Hungry Harry’s Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win one bag of each type of mix (as shown below), a Hungry Harry’s lunch bag, and a Hungry Harry’s tea towel!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Continue Reading

You may also like

Homefree Cookies Are A Homerun For Everyone

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

When you or your kids have allergies, it is always important to carefully read food packaging labels. Even if the potential allergens are not listed as an actual ingredient, there could still be a chance of cross-contamination. Homefree is a brand of products that is dedicated to ensuring allergy safety. They go to great lengths for their treats and facility to be free of peanuts, tree-nuts, eggs, wheat, dairy, soy (except lecithin), fish, shell fish, or sesame.

Homefree has a line of mini cookies that come in the following flavors:

  • Chocolate Chip
  • Ginger Snap
  • Lemon Burst
  • Chocolate Mint
  • Vanilla
  • Double Chocolate Chip

These bite-size cookies are nice and crisp. I especially enjoyed the lemon flavor; the hint of tartness from the lemon was just right. The first ingredient in these cookies is gluten-free whole oat flour. In addition to being allergen-free, they are vegan, kosher pareve, and low sodium. Even though these cookies are made with many specific dietary needs in mind, I would say that anyone who likes cookies will still enjoy them!

Homefree cookies come in 5 oz. boxes or 1 oz. bags. The boxes are great for sharing and the bags are perfect for an individual treat.

Where to Purchase Homefree Cookies

Homefree cookies are available to purchase at a store near you and Amazon.

Homefree Cookies Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a mixed case of Homefree boxed cookies as shown below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Continue Reading

You may also like

Norm’s Farms Organic Elderberry Gummies Combine Immune and Digestive Support

I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

With winter fast-approaching, it is time to pay special attention to our immune systems. Elderberry is a superfruit that has long been recognized as an immunity booster. You may have noticed that there are many elderberry supplements currently available on the market. However, Norm’s Farms is unique because they harvest their own organic elderberries here in the United States. They then use these elderberries to produce a line of elderberry products and supplements that will benefit the whole family.

We recently tried out Norm’s Farms Elderkids Organic Elderberry Gummies. In addition to the immune support from the elderberries, these supplements also contain Vitamin C, Zinc and Probiotics for digestive health. That is a lot of benefits packed into one small gummy!

My son enjoyed these sweet and chewy supplements. He liked the fruity flavor and did not detect an unpleasant aftertaste. These gummies are vegan, gluten-free and non-GMO. They are also made without corn syrup, glucose or artificial sweeteners. A serving size is one gummy for children ages 4 and older. Each bottle contains 60 gummies.

Norm’s Farms also offers Elderberry Organic Gummies made for adults. I know that as an adult, I enjoy taking gummy supplements too! These gummies also combine the benefits of elderberry with Vitamin C, Zinc and Probiotics. If you have been curious about trying elderberry products, Norm’s Farms is a great place to start.

Where To Purchase Norm’s Farms Products + Online Discount

Norm’s Farms elderberry products are available for purchase at a store near you. Their products can also be purchased online through their website. Use discount code MOM10 at checkout for a 10% discount on Norm’s Farms ElderKids Organic Elderberry Gummies.

Continue Reading

You may also like

Celebrate Soup Season With Mom’s Place Gluten-Free

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

I first learned about Mom’s Place Gluten-Free products through the Online Nourished Festival. Their website offers quite an extensive array of gluten-free products. They have everything from bread and dessert mixes to soups and pastas.

Now that fall is upon us, I find myself craving soups more. Therefore, it was perfect timing for me to receive samples of Mom’s Place Gluten-Free Chicken Gnocchi Soup Mix, Gnocchi, Chicken Tortilla Soup Mix and Broccoli Cheese Soup Mix.

Mom’s Place Gluten-Free Chicken Tortilla Soup

For the Mom’s Place Chicken Tortilla Soup Mix, I added some leftover rotisserie chicken, a can of diced tomatoes, black beans, and frozen corn. We topped the soup with some crushed tortilla chips and a dollop of guacamole. The mix contained rice and all of the seasonings to make a savory (but not too salty) broth. This soup mix makes enough to feed a small army (12 servings!). This was not a problem in our house since we all enjoyed this soup and did not mind eating it for leftovers.

Mom’s Place Gluten-Free Chicken Gnocchi Soup

I have only made gnocchi at home a couple of times, so I was eager to try out Mom’s Place Gluten Free Chicken Gnocchi Soup Mix.

This soup mix comes with two packets, one for the broth and one for the roux. I added butter and milk for the roux, and chicken and fresh spinach at the end. The gnocchi came in a separate box. The soup came together in no time at all, and the results were truly delicious!

These gnocchi had a nice bite and made this soup so comforting. I think I need to make gnocchi more often now!

Where to Purchase Mom’s Place Gluten-Free Products

Mom’s Place Gluten-Free Products can be purchased through their online store.

Mom’s Place Gluten-Free Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win Mom’s Place Gluten-Free Chicken Gnocchi Soup Mix, Gnocchi, Chicken Tortilla Soup Mix and Broccoli Cheese Soup Mix.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Continue Reading

You may also like

Snack Safe With Don’t Go Nuts

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Don’t Go Nuts has been one of my nut-allergic kids’ favorite nut-free brands for a few years now. I recently received samples of their Variety Packs of Mini Chewy Granola Bars, as they were an exhibitor at the Online Nourished Festival.

Each of the Don’t Go Nuts variety packs includes two different flavors:

  • Chocolate Chip and White Chocolate Chip
  • Apple Cinnamon and Strawberry

Each box comes with eight mini granola bars (four of each flavor).

First off, these Mini Chewy Granola Bars are so cute! They are the perfect size for a little snack, or to add to a lunchbox. All of the flavors are tasty; my kids really like the White Chocolate Chip flavor. It is also reassuring not having to worry about potential allergens, which tends to be a problem with most granola bars. Don’t Go Nuts built their own nut-free facility, so there is cross-contamination concerns. They also use organic and gluten-free ingredients. Even if you and your family does not have nut allergies, I am sure you would still enjoy these granola bars!

These Don’t Go Nuts Mini Chewy Granola Bars would also be a great allergen-friendly treat to hand out for Halloween, if that is something you are doing this year.

Where To Purchase Don’t Go Nuts

Don’t Go Nuts products can be purchased through their online store or at a store near you. In addition to granola bars, Don’t Go Nuts also has a line of nut-free spreads that look interesting.

Don’t Go Nuts Mini Chewy Granola Bars Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win two boxes of Don’t Go Nuts Mini Chewy Granola Bars.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Continue Reading

You may also like

Say Boo! With Pocket Latte

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

As you may recall, I did a review of Pocket Latte not too long ago. These edible coffee squares are the perfect all-natural caffeinated pick-me-up. Each Pocket Latte contains the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. Pocket Latte comes in four different flavors: Dark Roast, Cream + Sugar, Hazelnut and Lavender Vanilla.

The principal at the school where I work gave the staff a “You’ve Been Booed!” bag of treats, which was such a thoughtful gesture. This made me think about how Pocket Latte would make a great little gift for Halloween. Also, it’s also not too early to start thinking about Christmas stocking stuffers (hint, hint!).

Here is another Halloween-themed packaging idea–BOO!

Where to Purchase Pocket Latte

Pocket Latte can be purchased through their website or at a store near you.

Pocket Latte Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a Pocket Latte box in the flavor(s) of the winner’s choice, stickers, a lanyard, and a Pocket Latte mask. Hurry, this giveaway ends in one week, on Halloween!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Continue Reading

You may also like

Breakfast and More With Josie’s Best Gluten-Free Mixes

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

I have really been enjoying experimenting with the gluten-free samples I received as an Online Nourished Festival blogger. Gluten-free brands seem to be on the rise and it is exciting that they are becoming more available in the mainstream marketplace.

Josie’s Best Gluten-Free Mixes come in four varieties:

These mixes are non-GMO and manufactured in a dedicated facility that is free from: wheat, gluten (wheat, barley, rye), milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, crustacean shellfish, soy and soybeans, sesame and coconut.

I decided to try out the waffle and the crepe mixes first.

The Josie’s Best Waffle Mix’s main ingredient is brown rice flour. To make the waffles, all you do is add eggs, oil and milk to the waffle mix. When I had my family try the waffles, they could not tell they were gluten-free. The waffles turned out nice and crisp on the outside with a tender inside.

The Josie’s Best Crepe Mix’s main ingredient is sorghum flour. To make the crepes, you just add eggs, water, milk and vanilla–so simple! Crepes are one of those things that I do not make very often, so they feel like a treat. A savory crepe filled with ham, cheese and spinach would also be delicious using this mix.

Where To Purchase Josie’s Best Gluten-Free Mixes

Josie’s Best Gluten-Free Mixes are available at a store near you, or through their website.

Josie’s Best Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a variety pack of Josie’s Best Gluten-Free Mixes: 1 Pancake, 1 Waffle, 1 Muffin & More and 1 Crepe Mix!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Continue Reading

You may also like