Fun & Creative Pudding Snacks with Kozy Shack + a Giveaway!

Thank you to Kozy Shack for sponsoring today's post. My love for their delicious pudding is all my own!

I can hardly believe it is already June! This week is the last full week of school for my kids and we are already excited about our Summer adventures. I thought it would be a great opportunity to celebrate the end of another school year with a fun snack with Kozy Shack pudding and my three youngest while we talked about some of the plans we have as a family this Summer.

Our little "pudding party" got rave reviews from Phoenix, Tyler, and Elijah, each proclaiming it as the best snack ever! Even I indulged in a little Kozy Shack and I have to admit, it was pudding love at first bite! Whether we were topping our pudding with fruit (my favorite) or even some not so nutritious Oreo cookies every once in awhile, I felt good knowing that Kozy Shack pudding is made with real wholesome ingredients that you can actually pronounce.  Kozy Shack has eggs, milk, real tapioca pearls, and even real cocoa, so it's pudding made right... simply delicious!

Banana Pudding with tapioca pudding , Chocolate Pudding Sundae, and Chocolate Oreo Pudding

No matter what our plans are this Summer, picnics seem to be one at the top of their list ever since we took the kids on a picnic at the park a couple weeks ago. Now, they want picnics at the park, the beach, the lake, and everywhere else we go. They pretty much love the idea of helping me plan and prepare our picnic lunches. And of course, no picnic lunch is complete without finishing it off with a sweet treat but, idea of bringing ice-cream or even popsicles doesn't go over well since there's that little thing they tend to do... MELT!

Coconut Mango Mint Tapioca Pudding

Kozy Shack pudding snacks come in 3 delicious flavors including, rice, tapioca, and of course, chocolate! They also travel nicely, making them a great addition to our picnic lunches, where we can easily toss them into our picnic basket, along with some fruit and even whipped cream. There's no secret recipe, just simply layer your pudding and ingredients for a fun and creative pudding snack. It's like having portable ice-cream!

How would you like to try Kozy Shack puddings for yourself? Today is your lucky day because one Six Cherries on Top reader will win 2 premium ceramic Kozy Shack pudding mugs with spoons, along with a product coupon good for 1 free package of any Kozy Shack product (up to $4.99 value).

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Distraction-Free Learning with Bing in the Classroom

Many thanks to Bing for sponsoring today’s post, and inspiring me to share about their #adfreesearch classroom initiative.

Education is something we strongly value in our home. That doesn't mean we know it all or always get things correct, but providing our children with opportunities to learn, as well as demonstrating our own desire for continued education, is something we strive to work hard at.

Computers have become commonplace in the classroom, therefor, it is my duty as a parent to teach my children the importance of using computers responsibly and in a way that benefits their education.  Computers, and the internet, open up a wonderful world of educational opportunities for children, whether it be to play a math game, search for information on a particular topic, watch a video, or even watch live feed of the animals at the National Zoo.

As much as I love for my children to be able to use the computer, I often feel guilty for saying no because of how easy it is to become distracted by all those ads. No matter how much I talk to my children about using a computer responsibly, I still have to closely monitor their usage because sometimes there are those distractions that can often be misleading to a child. Believe it or not, I've already learned the hard way about how easily a child can navigate to an inappropriate website. Even I've been known to click on something that turned out to be completely different than what I had been lead to believe.

Sometimes it isn't as easy for teachers to monitor children on a computer when there are 20 kids in a classroom, and that's why I love what Bing is now doing for schools, with Bing in the Classroom. In schools, when students use search engines other than Bing, they are shown ads that can distract from their studies. With Bing in the Classroom, all advertising is removed, there are strict filters for adult content, and enhanced privacy protection.

We often forget that these are just children and that they don't always have the attention span like an adult. They are so easily distracted so it is nice that Bing in the Classroom has removed these ads and blocked searches from being used for personal advertising for all Bing searches done through the schools network.

Bing in the Classroom is now available to all schools in the U.S.  and can even earn your child's school free Microsoft Surface tablets. 

"We've made it even easier for people to support the schools they care about. Our popular Bing Rewards program enables people to earn credits towards Surface tablets for a school of their choice simply by signing up and searching with Bing. Now we are making it easier to see how many Rewards credits an individual school has earned. You can search for any school by ZIP code and see how many other people are contributing, how many Surface tablets the school has earned so far, and how many credits are needed to earn the next Surface. And we'll also tell you if the school is registered for the search enhancements, so you can know if your kids are receiving ad-free, safer, more private search in the classroom when they choose Bing.

Anyone can earn credits just by searching the web with Bing—similar to a frequent flyer program. Credits can be donated to help get free Microsoft Surface tablets for schools. It's easy! All you have to do is stay signed in as you search with Bing."


Are you ready to begin supporting your child's school and protect them while using computers in the classroom with Bing in the Classroom?

Click HERE to locate your child's school and try it now, free! 


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Zesty Stuffed Jalapeños with Crunchy popchips Topping

Thank you to popchips for sponsoring this post. Now I can experience love at first bite more often!

Last year when I started making better food choices, I quickly realized how difficult it was going to be for my children. It has been a challenge over the last 12 months to find recipes that are not only delicious, but use healthier ingredients. For them, it has definitely been a slower transition and I have sometimes had to sneak in the good stuff. 

We are also a family who loves hot and spicy foods. We keep jalapeños and hot sauce in the kitchen at all times, and in the Summer, I make a big batch of my homemade salsa no less than 3 times a week. And this year, I look forward to enjoying it with a variety of healthier options such as my homemade sweet potato chips or even with a bag of the sea salt potato popchips. 

These days, I am more aware when it comes to choosing foods I plan to cook with. I love scouring the produce section for fresh ingredients or finding items made with few and natural ingredients, then getting in the kitchen and putting together delicious recipes that are healthier than those prepackaged meals you find at the grocery store. This recipe for Zesty Stuffed Jalapeños was love at first bite in our house! My kids had no idea that I added some of their least favorite fresh ingredients... onions and avocado (who are these little people who dislike avocado? They just can't be my children!). 

I paired the stuffed jalapeños I made with a chicken, black beans, and brown rice dish for somewhat of a Mexican flair. We love us some Mexican food! However, these just got added to my list of foods to put out for holidays and The Super Bowl too.  

Zesty Stuffed Jalapeños

You will need:

• 10 fresh jalapeños 
• 8 oz. cream cheese (at room temp.)
• 1/2 of an avocado
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 3 strips of thick cut bacon (baked to crispy and chopped up)
• popchips (sea salt potato and/or barbeque potato)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

First you need to cut each jalapeño is half and remove the meat and seeds from inside each one.  Rinse them off and then set them aside. I typically use my hands when removing the insides of a jalapeño, but if this is your first time, be forewarned, your hands may feel a little "hot & spicy" later on.

Crush 1 cup of sea salt potato and 1 cup of barbeque potato popchips into one bowl and set those aside also. 

In a bowl, mash 1/2 of an avocado and then combine with cream cheese. Next, mix in the crumbled feta cheese, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chopped green onion and bacon until combined well.  

Spoon mixture into each jalapeño half, then either sprinkle the popchips mixture on top, or do like I do and, dip each jalapeño into the popchips, making sure to cover the filling side nicely. 

Place on a baking sheet and into the oven for about 10-15 minutes. Let cool for 2-3 minutes before serving because the filling will be extremely hot. 

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Since I also had some of my filling mixture left over, I placed it in the refrigerator for about an hour to firm up. Once the mixture was firm, I removed it from the refrigerator, rolled it into a ball, and rolled it in more of the crushed popchips to make a very tasty cheese ball. I will be serving it with some of their favorite veggies, like carrots and celery, and even more popchips. They are already excited about it, and will definitely have their own little popchips love story to tell. 

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Enter your popchips love story for your chance to win the more to love sweepstakes. 

Everyone who participates will receive a $.55 off coupon and a chance to win a date night package ($500 and 3 cases of popchips). *Ends 5/31. 

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Making Healthy Lunches Fun and Festive

Thank you to Fruitshoot for sponsoring today's post and encouraging me to share creative ways to prep fun lunches for my kids!

As a mom who dramatically changed my own eating habits last year, I find it very important to pass healthy eating habits on to my children as well. Sometimes it can be so easy to throw a prepackaged meal into my kids lunch, but then the mom guilt sets in and I always regret not taking the time to make my kids' meals mean something when they open them up each day. Here are some fun and festive ideas for packing school lunches that you can make for your children and still provide a healthy well balanced meal. 

Brown rice, hard boiled egg, cheese slices, mango chunks, broccoli, and tomatoes

Think outside of the box when it comes to lunches. The days of boring sandwiches are behind us! At the beginning of the week, or the night before, I sometimes prepare a batch of brown rice, cooked in a small amount of low sodium soy sauce, and mold it into a shape using a large cookie cutter. Make it fun by adding some chopsticks instead of a spoon. This is also a great way to teach children about the customs of other cultures. 

Homemade pizza: flour tortillas, shredded mozzarella cheese, homemade sauce, pepperoni, and unsweetened applesauce

Most kids love pizza! In our house, instead of buying the prepackaged pizza lunch kits, we make our own. Using a large cookie cutter, cut flour tortillas into fun shapes and bake for about 5 minutes or so in the oven. Make your own pizza sauce using tomato sauce, tomato paste, and a few spices like garlic. Add pepperoni, cheese, and even veggies if you wish, and your child can build their own, healthier, mini pizzas at school every day. 

Cheese pinwheels, green pepper slices, banana, pretzel rods, and peanut butter

I try to keep the food pyramid in mind when preparing my kids' lunches. A variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, dairy, and healthy fats are what make a well balanced meal. And whether it be peanut butter, salsa, or even hummus, providing a dip is always a great way to get kids to eat their veggies, even when parents aren't around. Making your own homemade dips can be quick and simple. I always prefer homemade over prepackaged foods since so many foods now have added sugar that I don't want my children to have. 

Homemade hummus, brown rice crackers, hard boiled egg, cheese, broccoli, and unsweetened applesauce

Don't forget that even the drink you provide doesn't have to be filled with tons of added sugar or high fructose corn syrup. We all know water is the best for our bodies, but sometimes kids want something more. Kids are kids, do we blame them? That's why I love these new ready to drink Fruitshoot juice drinks. The no-spill cap, makes it easy to just throw in their lunch bag and not have to worry about it leaking (been there, done that). The best part... Fruitshoot drinks actually taste great! 

Fruitshoot comes in 4 fun and festive colors and flavors, including Orange, Apple, Berry Burst, and Strawberry/Raspberry. Phoenix, Tyler, and Elijah love the apple flavor the best because it tastes just like green apple candy. 

I take pride in waking up each morning and packing healthy school lunches, that are also fun and festive, for my children. Lunches don't have to take forever to pack and they don't have to be boring. I feel good about the choices I provide because I know they will help nourish them and provide them with the nutrients and energy they need to sustain their day. 

What are some of the things you do to provide creative healthy lunches for your child?

This post is sponsored by Fruitshoot. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. Six Cherries on Top Disclaimer/Terms of Use.

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Healthy Autumn Harvest Pear Parfait

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Post Pebbles, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #PostWalgreens http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO.

 

Hands down, my step Mom is the best cook ever. I always look forward to the holidays because I get to over indulge in all of the wonderful food she prepares. And growing up, weekends with my Dad meant waking up to the smell of something amazing cooking up. However, not every day had her slaving away in the kitchen, but that didn't mean the meals she prepared wouldn't still be delicious and made with love.

Some mornings instead of just throwing a toaster pastry on a napkin or shoving a doughnut down my throat, she did everything she could to make sure I still had something yummy to wake up to. One of my favorite simple breakfasts was when she filled a bowl with Post Grape Nuts Cereal, a can of drained peaches or pears, a little bit of sugar, and then poured milk over it. It was seriously so good!

 

As I have gotten older, I have tweaked that childhood favorite and recently introduced it to my children. They enjoyed it so much, they licked the bowl and begged for more, and as a Mom, I felt great knowing that my kids were eating something healthy.


Healthy Autumn Harvest Pear Parfait
 

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You will need:

• Post Grape Nuts Cereal
• Greek Yogurt (either plain, vanilla, or pear flavor for this recipe)
• Fresh pears (diced)

Layer yogurt, Grape Nuts, and pears to the top of a glass or bowl, ending with the pears on top.

That's it! Enjoy!

Honestly, my step Mom probably still doesn't know that that simple breakfast she occasionally prepared would be such a big hit with me and that here I am, 30 years later, preparing my own version of it. It's kind of amazing how big of an impact even the little things can have on us, and how important it is for me to create these kinds of memories for my own children.

But this recipe, if you even want to call it that, is so simple and not just for kids, and even on the busiest mornings, you can still enjoy a healthy breakfast. But why stop there? It makes a great snack too!


Guess what? Right now, Walgreens has a fabulous in-store discount on Post cereals. Each cereal is just 1.99 and available for a limited time only.

                    

Traveling for the Holidays with Yes To

Christmas for us means bouncing from house to house, visiting family, enjoying traditions, and exchanging gifts. We all know traveling can certainly be stressful during the holidays, especially with kids. The excitement of everything plus thrown off schedules can almost make us moms pull our hair out. Even when I'm away from home, taking some time to myself is important. Whether it's getting in my morning run, or a few more minutes in the bathroom, sometimes I just need to destress. I will definitely be packing my travel pouch this holiday season with my favorite Yes To travel size products to refresh and refocus.

 

Will it be the travel size Cucumber towelettes after a workout or either the Yes To Blueberries and the Yes To Grapefruit body washes to wake up your senses? Either way, you are certain to feel refreshed and rehydrated with Yes To natural skin care products.

Not only do you get the benefits of quality products made with fruits and veggies that leave your body soft and smooth, Yes to products are 98% natural and they are dermatologically and opthalmologically tested. They are also oil free, petroleum free, paraben free, and hypoallergenic.

 

Right now, Yes To wants every woman to enjoy some time to unwind during all of the up coming holiday stress. And to help you get started, they're giving away 10,000 mini products in their Mighty Big Mini Giveaway.

Enter to win, then throw Yes To minis in your travel bag, and when you start feeling the pressure, take the time to use them, while being reminded that these special family times only come once a year.

How do you handle the stress of traveling during the holidays?


This post is sponsored by Yes To but my love for their super natural, refreshing products is all my own.