Whole Foods Ready For Action Bag + Giveaway

By Meg Hodson

Good things come in small packages right? And when that "small package" is from one of my favorite stores, Whole Foods, then it's got to be good!

Each year, Whole Foods kicks off it's "Ready For Action Week". The week is celebrated June 24 through June 30th. It's a way to focus on healthy lifestyles and good, balanced nutrition. Whole Foods wants to emphasize that physical fitness can be fun, even when it's an everyday activity like walking or biking. 

Their Ready For Action bag commemorates the week-long event. Beginning June 27th, customers can buy this bag (a $50 retail) for just $12! So what do you get in the bag?

• Boiron Arnicare Gel (0.5 oz.). I have used this product myself. It is great for bumps and bruises and even minor muscle soreness.
• Goddess Garden Organics Everyday Natural OR Kids Sunscreen SPF 30. You can feel good about putting this sunscreen on your littles this summer; it's free of paraben and harsh chemicals.
• Aubrey Pure Aloe Vera (4 oz.). I always like to have pure aloe on hand for skin abrasions and rashes.
• Amazing Grass Amazing Meal in Vanilla Chai (0.88 oz.). I can't wait to put this in my smoothies!
• Garden of Life Perfect Food Raw Organic Green Super Food in Chocolate Cacao (0.34 oz.). I added this to one of my morning smoothies for an extra nutritional boost. 
• Spectrum Essentials Seed Blends (0.5 to 0.7 oz.).  Perfect to sprinkle in pancakes and smoothies, especially for my kids.
• Nuun Active Natural Electrolyte Enhanced Drink Tabs (10 tabs). Think of this as a healthy answer to sports drinks. Just add to water for a boost. 
• Toms of Maine Long Lasting Deodorant (2.25 oz.). One of my all-time favorite deodorants. You can't go wrong with this! And it's a full size container that you get with the bag!
• Spectrum Essential recipe book and three coupons (Amazing Grass, Aubrey and Cal Naturale Svelte.). Bonus!

I am definitely picking up a few of these to keep on hand for gift giving. What an amazing gift for $12, right?

I've also got one up for grabs here on the blog! Enter below for your chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Finding Balance With Together Counts™ and Girl Scouts

By Meg Hodson

This is a sponsored post for Together Counts™ and  Girl Scouts Nation's Capital. While I am being compensated for this article, all opinions and statements remain 100% my own. #HealthyHabits

Finding balance and creating healthy habits for my children seems like a daily goal and albeit, sometimes a struggle. Whether it's monitoring screen time, being active, or devoting time to reading, as a parent, I find myself constantly trying to find the balance for them. With the summer months upon us, finding an even amount of activity, play, and educational time can be tough.

I recently discovered the new Girl Scouts campaign, Together Counts™. It's a nationwide campaign, organized by the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation and Girl Scouts Nation's Capital to inspire active and healthy living via physical activity and nutrition, a fundamental underpinning of efforts to reduce obesity. 

The principle behind the program is called Energy Balance. It's an easy concept to understand, but one that is sometimes hard to execute. Basically, it emphasized that what goes into your body must be balanced by activity (what is going out of your body). It's a simple concept, yet one that we find hard to follow sometimes. 

So, the Girl Scouts themselves partnered with the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation to help create booklets that would help in this whole concept.

o Between Earth and Sky with Healthy Habits - girls learn about the many plants,

and animals that flourish in nature, and also build important leadership skills.

o WOW! Wonders of Water with Healthy Habits - girls discover the many forms and 

paths that water takes and how to protect it. They also learn how to engage in teamwork, 

speak effectively to convey a message, and inspire others

o Get Moving! with Healthy Habits - girls learn how to use their energy to protect Earth’s 

energy and build important leadership skills.

What I really like about this program is that it is empowering Girl Scouts and Girl Scout volunteers to all work together. Adults can empower girls. Girls can set good examples for each other. And it's all done in a fun, productive way. 

Camping is essential to a Girl Scouts mission. I fondly remember a Girl Scouts camp I attended when I was in grade school. It is about the outdoors, and developing a deep appreciation for nature. Girls enjoy camping with their troop or attending a Girl Scout day and evening or resident sleep-away camp. From high adventure with kayaking, archery and rock climbing to traditional camps with crafts, singing, hiking and cooking over an open fire, Girl Scout camps give girls an opportunity to grow, explore, and have fun under the guidance of caring, trained adults. 

To locate the council nearest you, see the Girl Scout Council.

What are your best practices for keeping the young girls in your life healthy and active?

If you like what you're reading, I invite you to follow my blog.  Cheers!

Brighten Your Water Routine With Dasani!

By Meg Hodson

I received complimentary samples of Dasani Drops and Dasani Sparkling in exchange for my review. All opinions remain 100% my own.

I love water, yet I don't drink enough of it. Does this happen to you, too? I always have good intentions, yet it's always some sort of excuse: I forgot my water bottle, I'm too busy, I will catch up later. But I've got to be better about it, I know this is true. 

Well, Dasani is making it a whole lot easier for me to get my water in! They recently have launched two delicious products to pretty much eliminate any excuses for not drinking your water. Dasani has had a line of sparkling water in berry, lime, and lemon, but recently introduced black cherry to the line-up. For me, this was the perfect drink to throw into a cup with ice on my morning commute or for a refreshing drink after a workout. I usually am not a huge sparkling water fan, but the Dasani sparkling water is delicious. It's lightly carbonated, unsweetened, has no artificial flavors, and has zero calories. I felt like I was having a treat. It is the perfect drink when you also want to carve out some "me" time to relax and refresh. 

Dasani Drops is their newest way to enhance water anytime, anywhere. They are unsweetened, naturally flavored, with no added colors and zero calories. It comes in two great flavors, Strawberry Basil and Lime. I actually gave these to my kids to try. They love water and it's not usually a problem getting them to drink enough. But it's always nice to have something new to try, putting a new twist on something you enjoy. They loved the flavors, even when I said the strawberry also had basil. I even put a few drops in their water bottles for soccer and baseball practice.

Best of all, I have a deal for you where you can try these new products for a good deal at Target. For a limited time, special coupons via the Target Cartwheel app are available. It's super easy to save deals via the Cartwheel app to your phone and it's quick and easy to use them when shopping at Target. 

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A Healthy Routine Is Easy With Organic India

By Meg Hodson

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the

opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product.

I am always looking for ways to incorporate healthy options into my daily routine, as well as for my family. I will be the first to admit that this is a challenge sometimes. Days are jam packed, the kids have full schedules. So, if I have an easy way to make healthy choices easier, I welcome it.

I recently had the opportunity to try some products from Organic India. Organic India’s mission is to provide true wellness for all by offering 100% organic, pure, and natural products. Organic India also strives to create a sustainable global environment by working with thousands of family farmers in India on tens of thousands of acres of certified organic farmland. The company actively promotes sustainable agriculture and pays these farmers premium prices for their crops. Their products are also GMO-free. They make their trademark product, Tulsi (Holy Basil) tea,in over 20 delicious flavors and offers a variety of organically grown herbal supplements, including Moringa Leaf Powder and Capsules.

I am enjoying some Organic India Moringa Tea in the cinnamon rose flavor right now as I write this. The smell alone is absolutely mesmerizing! It's the perfect way to unwind at the end of the day, while getting a little nudge of nutrients. Moringa leaves have been eaten for thousands of years as a superfood nutritional supplement, and are often used to combat malnutrition in impoverished countries.

I used the Moringa leaf powder in my smoothies, which I normally have for lunch. With so many powder supplements being very expensive, I found it refreshing that the organic Moringa powder retails for $22.99, with 229 servings per container. I did also sprinkle a little bit in some macaroni and cheese one evening for a nutritional boost for my kids. My mac 'n cheese already has "hidden goodness" like squash and cauliflower, so this adds to the goodness even more!

What are some ways you add nutrition to your daily routine?

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Sugar Free Peppermint Mocha Smoothie With SweetLeaf Organic Stevia Sweetener

By Meg Hodson

I received complimentary samples of Sweet Leaf Sweet Drops and stevia packets to try. All delicious opinions remain 100% my own.

My family and I just got back from a whirlwind week long road trip to Disneyland (more on that later this week on the blog). Our trip was filled with lots of rides, lots of walking, fun shows, plenty of sunshine, and treats, too. I don't think we have eaten as much ice cream in one week as we did at Disneyland! 

That is definitely not the norm for us; I try to be conscious of the sugar intake for my family, so treats like ice cream are rare. But I also don't want them to feel left out, too. So, I was excited to try SweetLeaf Organic Stevia® Sweetener. SweetLeaf Organic Stevia® Sweetener is a certified organic, zero-calorie sweetener made from high-quality stevia leaves. With a delicious taste that is sweeter than sugar, SweetLeaf Organic Stevia® Sweetener is perfect for sweetening hot or cold beverages,cereals, baked goods, desserts, fresh fruit, yogurt, and more. In one of my most popular martini recipes on my blog, my Skinny Raspberry Lemon Drop, I used stevia to cut down on the sugar and calories. SweetLeaf Organic Stevia Sweetener is gluten free, and contains no artificial ingredients, calories, carbohydrates, or glycemic response, making it ideal for people managing their blood sugar or calorie intake.

I love making smoothies for my kids. It's an easy way for them to get a lot of nutrients in one snack. Most of the time, I make them fruit smoothies, but thought I would make a smoothie that is more of a "treat" using SweetLeaf Organic Stevia® Sweetener. In my sample pack, I received their popular Sweet Drops. They are easy to add to beverages for a sweet treat that is not full of sugar. 

Sugar Free Peppermint Mocha Smoothie

Prep time: 3 minutes
Cook time: 1 minute
Total time: 4 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk (or milk of your choice)
• 1 cup sugar free vanilla frozen yogurt
• 1/4 teaspooon vanilla extract
• Small handful of chocolate chips
• 8 drops SweetLeaf Peppermint Mocha Sweet Drops
• 1/2 cup ice cubes

Cooking Directions

1. Add all ingredients to blender and mix well. Serve immediately.

Need more inspiration on recipes and ideas on how to use SweetLeaf Organic Stevia® Sweetener? Connect with SweetLeaf online to see their latest products and get exclusive access to discounts and special offers!

Do you use stevia? What is your favorite way to use it?