Food, shelter, and clothing. These are some of our basic necessities. I have been in positions where I was not always sure where my next meal was coming from and now I don’t have to worry about those things. Still, I remember what a scary and humbling experience it was to need help from others. Growing up, my mom was a single mother that received no help from my father. She was on Food Stamps, which are now called SNAP. She didn’t get a whole lot of money because she worked full time, but what she did get she used every penny to feed me and my brother. Today, the same program that helped make sure I wouldn’t go hungry is being threatened and it makes me worry about all of the kids that are going hungry now and the hundreds and thousands of kids that will be joining them if cuts to SNAP go into effect.

Known as SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program was created to help people in their time of need. SNAP is in danger because of something known as the Farm Bill. The Farm Bill provides legislation for funding to the SNAP program and for the SNAP education program. Severe cuts to SNAP are on the table. Regardless of what you think of public assistance, nearly 50% of the recipients of SNAP are children. These children will go hungry and they did not ask to be born into a world that would deprive them of one of their basic necessities. Millions of children and families will suffer if cuts to SNAP are put into effect.

This is sad for a number of reasons, but when you consider that we live in a country that is one of the wealthiest in the world, you realize that children starving should not be a major issue that we need to worry about. Sadly, when people turn a blind eye, it becomes a very real problem.

As one of the wealthiest nations in the world, we cannot afford to let our children go hungry. Ensuring our children have enough to eat must be a priority for our nation.

You can learn more about the Farm Bill at the No Kid Hungry website.

By now I am sure you’re wondering how you can help. The best answer to that is to learn all you can about the Farm Bill and to let Congress know that you stand with the kids of this country and do not want to see any of them go hungry! Visit the No Kid Hungry website and contact Congress to show your support today!

Technorati Tags: Share Our Strength, No Kid Hungry, SNAP, Food Stamps, Childhood Hunger, Congress, Farm Bill

I had two primary jobs back in the day. I was the production leader (I was that person that would stand in the grill yelling special orders and calling for more food) and I was the order taker for Drive-Thru (Hi, welcome to McDonald’s can I take your order, please?). I could come up with a list of stories about that, but that isn’t what this post is about.

When I left McDonald’s after two years I vowed I would never eat their food again. It was nothing personal against McDonalds, but I had been eating there almost daily for two years and I was tired of it! It took me a while to go back, but I would occasionally for a few of my favorite junk food items. Then something changed. McDonald’s came up with the McCafe line.

The Iced Mocha would have kept me coming back, but the eventual Frappes were good enough to make me debate whether the drive to Starbucks was even necessary. At this point, Dominick didn’t care one way or the other about the McCafe line because he’s not into coffee or any of the designer caffeine drinks. I was sold though. Next came the Lemonades and I was in heaven. I mean, what’s better than lemonade in the summertime? Dom was still not interested.

Now they have the Smoothies. Dom is a smoothie guy so he will no doubt love the McCafe Smoothies. The Smoothie line has two options to choose from presently. You can opt for the Strawberry Banana or the Wild Berry. In Dom’s case either would be quite effective. In mine, I’d be most likely to choose the Strawberry Banana. If you love Smoothies this probably sounds pretty good, but it’s about to get better.

From now until July 26, you can head on over to the McDonalds Website and pick up a $1 off coupon for a Smoothie. This is guaranteed to come in handy, especially if you drink a lot of Smoothies (a dollar off a day, doesn’t sound so bad).

If you give the McCafe Smoothies a try, be sure and let me know what you think!

Technorati Tags: McDonalds, McCafe, Smoothie, Frappe, Coupon, Dollar Off, Strawberry Banana, Wild Berry

You see, Dominick is on a pseudo-diet. I call it that because while we both know that we need to lose weight, if I call it a diet all credibility for it will go out the window. After all, “diet” food tends to taste much worse than all the yummy things we used to eat. Dominick is a creature of habit though, so if I can find a way to give him the flavors and tastes that he prefers, he will be fine. This is why I was hoping the Jolly Rancher pops would come in tasty flavors and provide a low calorie snack option. Lucky for me, both of the things I was hoping came true.

The new, colorful Popsicle® Jolly Rancher™ ice pops are bursting with bold fruity flavors. Sold in 20 pack boxes, you will be able to experience a layered popsicle with Blue Raspberry (just what I was hoping to see), Cherry, Grape, and Sour Apple (another I know he will love) flavors. So, that’s two for Dom. CT is a grape fanatic and even though he’s an incredibly picky eater, having grape here means that he’d at least give one popsicle a try. As for Cherry, I have yet to meet a person (in our house) that doesn’t like cherry at least a little bit, so the inclusion, especially in Jolly Rancher flavor-form, is a welcome one.

Each pop is only 45 calories, is made with 10% fruit juice, and is fat free. One serving includes 10% of the daily required amount of Vitamin C.

Dora’s 10th anniversary
We have a friend whose daughter is a Dora fanatic. I mean, she loves Dora like most women love a clean-cut Brad Pitt. So, if she has not seen these yet (and I bring them to her attention, which I plan to) she will certainly use her three year old princess powers to demand some from her mommy. Honestly, I can’t blame her. If I still had princess powers, I’d use them, too.

The thing that is super special about the Dora/Popsicle union is that the Dora pops that have been created are Slow Melt Pops. Popsicle adds just a touch of gelatin to the Slow Melt pops, which ensures that the pops stay frozen longer and create less mess for mom and the kids. More good news about Dora pops is that they are only 60 calories a pop! One serving (two pops) will give your kids 100% of the daily required amount of vitamin C. It’s also worth noting that they include 10% fruit juice, they are fat free, and they include both natural colors and flavors!

A 20-pack includes Grape, Watermelon, Berry and Orange varieties.

Straight from Popsicle:

Anything’s possible with Popsicle® in 2010! This year, the Popsicle® brand is launching a Popsicle® stick sweepstakes to give kids the chance to win one of three great prizes including family trips to dig for dinosaurs, swim with dolphins and Space Camp®!

To prove anything’s possible with Popsicle® in 2010, the Popsicle® brand is announcing a new promotion to give kids the chance to win one of many great prizes!
Popsicle® is awarding three grand-prize family trips to dig for dinosaurs in Wyoming, dive with dolphins in Florida and explore the universe by going to Space Camp® in Huntsville, Ala.

To enter for a chance to win the grand prize trips and the daily prize, the National Geographic Kids™ “Big Book of Fun”, go to Popsicle.com/possibilities and enter the riddle answer from your Popsicle® stick. The promotion kicks off June 1 and ends September 30, 2010.*
For more information on the Anything’s Possible promotion, visit: http://bit.ly/aprules

If the kids are interested in entering the Popsicle Stick Joke contest they have until August 15 to do so. All they need to do (or you rather) is submit a kid friendly joke to the Popsicle Twitter page and your child will have the chance to have that joke included on Popsicle sticks for kids all over the country to read or to have the joke placed on the Popsicle website!

That’s not all though! The top 5 jokes will definitely be featured on the Popsicle website. The person that has the best joke will also have their joke featured on a limited edition batch of Popsicle sticks which will be available in the US in 2011.

More Good Stuff:
If you need something to occupy the kids this summer, head on over to the Popsicle website and let them play some games! There are four new games available in the Slow Melt Game Zone. These games include Galactic Match, Penguin Crossing, Sea-the-Difference, and Big Dig Pinball.

Galactic Match puts a player’s aim to the test, by challenging players to clear outer space by aligning asteroids, rocket ships, planets, moons, telescopes and Popsicle® Jolly Rancherpops.

With Penguin Crossing, players will help penguins get from one iceberg to another without ending up in the icy water.

Sea-the-Difference asks kids to spot the differences between two pictures.

Big Dig Pinball is a classic arcade-style game of Jurassic proportions.

General

Boxes of Popsicle® ice pops are available in grocery stores nationwide for a suggested retail price of $3.99.
Follow Popsicle® on Twitter for trivia, jokes, product news and a chance to win free Popsicle® pops.
For more information, please visit Popsicle.com.

Technorati Tags: Popsicle, Dora the Explorer, Kids Games, Slow Melt, Jolly Rancher, Anything is Possible with Popsicle, Jokes

Klondike® Partners with Adam Carolla to Launch the Everyman Challenges Video Contest, Online Games and Mobile Application

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. (June 2, 2010) /PRNewswire/ — Whether out of boredom, for pride or party tricks – what guy hasn’t tried to become the best at typically mundane “chores?” Starting today, Klondike® will celebrate “average” dudes across America through the Everyman Challenges video contest at www.KlondikeChallenges.com. And, while Klondike® Original bars are one of Americans’ longtime favorite snacks, this summer-long competition will pit man-versus-man to uncover the not-so-vanilla things guys would do for one of the nine Klondike® bar varieties. The deliciously creamy stickless bars come in nine other flavors, including Caramel Pretzel, Heath®, Krunch™, Reese’s®, Double Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, OREO®, Neapolitan and Whitehouse Cherry.

“Klondike® approached me with the ideal summer job…acting as an average dude in a few videos – all while getting my fill of Klondike® bar varieties,” said comedic celebrity Adam Carolla, who has joined the search for average-guy talent by showcasing his own videos and helping to judge submissions. “How could I turn that down? I’m a professional average dude; it’s the part I was born to play.”

Contestants can submit their own video interpretations of the three predetermined Everyman Challenges in staggered phases throughout the summer:

Pack the Car – Launching June 2, this challenge asks fans to creatively stuff their cars with as many items as possible for a chance to win a brand-new SUV. Fans can submit a video through June 23, with voting ending June 30.
Grab the Remote – For a chance to win a home entertainment center, fans must showcase a creative way, with household items or telekinetic power, to grab the remote without ever leaving the comfort of their couches. Fans can submit a video July 1 through July 22, with voting ending July 30.
Ball Toss – Fans must create obstacles for themselves and toss a tiny ball into a liquid-stabilized cup for a chance to win a new game room. Fans can submit a video August 1 through August 21, with voting ending August 29.

“We’ve seen what many Americans would do for the Klondike® Original bar,” said Brian Manning, Vice President of Brand Building for Klondike®. “Now we want to give average guys the chance to take their fanaticism to a whole new level by showing showing off just how above average they are at everyday tasks.”

After demonstrating these average-guy skills, average guys can test their prowess at three entertaining Klondike® Everyman Challenges online games:

Pack Master – A cooler, a hockey stick, an enormous stuffed moose head – so many things to pack in your car, so little space. Stuff as many items into your trunk as possible before time runs out.
Bar Slinger – Your buddies are in desperate need of cold, hard, chocolate-covered ice cream refreshment – but they’re across the yard, with all sorts of villains lurking in between. Use your slingshot to hurl Klondike® bars their way without letting the neighborhood punk, dishonest contractor or mother-in-law get their hands on them.
Concession Stand Hero – It’s remained one of man’s greatest dilemmas since the days of ancient Rome: How do you get all these snacks get back to your coliseum seats without spilling anything? The latest video game from Klondike® lets you practice for the real thing by bobbing, weaving and dodging your way from concession stand to seat without spillage.

There’s also a cool mobile application for iPhone and Droid users, “Klondike® Unfoiled,” which challenges fans to unwrap a digital Klondike® bar as quickly as possible. You can unscrew a pickle jar, surf 57 channels, and pop open a bra strap in under 30 seconds… But how quickly can you tear the foil off a Klondike® bar to get to the ice-creamy deliciousness inside? Download this free game now and celebrate having thumbs with some high-speed unwrapping. Visit www.EverymanChallenges.com throughout the summer to play each game as it is launched in conjunction with the video contest challenges. At this site, you can also learn more about the video contest and check out information on the nine Klondike® bar varieties.

Contest Abbreviated Rules
No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. The Klondike® Everyman Challenges are sponsored by Conopco, Inc., d/b/a Unilever. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. & D.C., 18 & older. Begins 12:00:01 p.m. EDT on June 1, 2010, and ends 12:00:01 p.m. EDT on August 21, 2010. For Official Rules, visit www.EverymanChallenges.com.

Technorati Tags: Adam Carolla, Everyman, Klondike, Contest, Klondike Everyman Challenge, What Would You Do

INCLUDED IN THE RECALL
Spaghettios w/ Meatballs
Spaghettios A to Z w/ Meatballs
Spaghettios Cars w/ Meatballs

Here are pictures of the other two cans that are part of the recall. If you have recently purchased any of these types of SpaghettiO’s please call the hotline to find out what you should do with the product.

If you are worried that you might have some of the recalled products, consumers can call the Campbell’s recall hotline at 866-495-3774 regarding the SpaghettiOs recall.

Technorati Tags: SpaghettiO’s Meatballs, SpaghettiO’s Shapes, Disney Cars, Lightning McQueen, SpaghettiO’s AtoZ, Recall, Campbells, Under Processed

You can find the complete details according to Tropicana below:

What is the offer?
For 24 hours on May 14, 2010, many of the rewards on Tropicana Juicy Rewards will be free. You do not have to spend points to get a great deal.*
What is not included?

Offers not included in this Deal of the Day:
- Norwegian Cruise Line offers
- EA SPORTS Active offers

Certain offers redeemed through printed coupons can only be used three times. If you have already printed and used one of these offers three times, you will not be able to use your FREE reward to print it again.

How does it work?
If you are already a Tropicana Juicy Rewards member, log into your account, search rewards, click “Get FREE Reward” when prompted and you’re good to go.
If you are not already a Tropicana Juicy Rewards member, create an account by clicking “Register” on the login page. Once registered, you can search and redeem as instructed above.

*Limit one FREE reward per account. Program Terms and Terms of Use apply.

After you’ve made your decision be sure to stop back over here and let me know what great goodie you picked up courtesy of Tropicana!

“I wrote this review while participating in the Tropicana Juicy Insiders Ambassador program by Mom Central on behalf of Tropicana. I received 12 free Juicy Rewards points and a $50 Visa gift card to use in redemption of the points and to facilitate my review.”

Technorati Tags: Tropicana, Tropicana Rewards, Specials, Free Gift, Free Reward, New and Old, Today Only

I find that most frozen pizzas either have too much or too little sauce and they are overly bland. Add in the fact that they are either greasy or the toppings are unappetizing and it makes sense to not waste your money and to just call Hungry Howie’s instead. However, when I saw this large pre-sliced pizza in the frozen food section I decided to give it a whirl.

Feeding anyone in my house can be a battle. My mother rarely wants to eat anything, Dominick is a little easier to please when I am cooking, but when it comes to frozen or takeout he is a food snob (I can relate), and then our son is incredibly picky and resists new foods and brands like the plague. I figured this was set to be an interesting adventure!

There are six varieties of Pizzamore pizzas. You can choose from 6-Cheese, Pepperoni Duo, 10 Topping, Meat Medley, Bacon, and Mozzarella. I chose the Pepperoni Duo. What immediately caught my attention was that it is listed as being pre-sliced. I was curious if it would be as easy as popping it in the oven, picking up a hot slice, and enjoying something comparable to a restaurant.

The pizza comes on a heat and serve tray, so it was just a matter of popping it into the oven. After about 15-20 minutes you take it out and it’s more or less ready to serve. It is pre-sliced though the cheese melts beautifully, so you will need a knife on hand just to give it a small run through to separate the cheese.

When it comes to frozen pizzas this is the cream of the crop. The crust was crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, the two types of pepperoni were delicious and flavorful with minimal grease and the cheese was delicate and oozing over the pizza. I couldn’t have been happier with this if I tried. I even liked the crust, which is rare for me, as I usually eat the main portion and toss the upper crust to the side. Dominick liked this pizza, as well. He still says that he favors DiGiorno Garlic Bread pizza more, though this is a close second for him.

Mom seemed to be pleased with it, too and our son, well the picky little guy ended up eating nearly half the pizza on his own. He liked it so much that we ended up getting another a day or so later to make him the pizza for his lunch. Next time we make this I think we will pair it with the Pizzamore Garlic or Cinnamon breadsticks. These look awesome and contain marinara or vanilla cream in the middle of the sticks. I can’t wait to see the reaction these get and they will help pull off an Italian dinner theme, quite nicely.

Taste/Flavor: 5 out of 5 stars
Packaging: 5 out of 5 stars
Ease of Prep: 5 out of 5 stars
Look: 5 out of 5 stars
Kid Friendly: 5 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: pizzamore, pizza, frozen pizza, frozen food, delicious, restaurant quality, product review