Friday, August 30, 2013

The Ultimate Green Store Bento box Review and Green Your Lunch Giveaway!



Green Store


Click here to view larger imageI am trying to move away from any plastics and replace them with glass, stainless steel, or cast iron.  One of the things I really hate using is Tupperware or other plastic storage products.  It is because these items leach chemicals into our food over time!  One of the items I cant seem to get away from plastic on is lunch containers.  You cant really use glass because it might break and I think cast iron is out!  But now there are many companies that are carrying stainless steel lunch containers that are not only safe, but also durable and very attractive.  One of those places is The Ultimate Green Store.
 
Here is a little info on the company

As the ultimate web-based destination for eco-conscious shoppers, The Ultimate Green Store provides a collection of many of the finest environmentally friendly products for you, your home, office, kids and even your pets! We also have an incredible collection of gifts for any occasion and you may personalize your shopping experience by creating a wishlist or custom gift registry for your special event!

We carry products from many of the world’s leading manufacturers and designers of sustainable, natural, organic, recycled, eco-friendly goods- products that are made with your health and the health of our planet in mind. Many of these companies are amongst the most socially responsible companies around. We also carry some green products made by companies that did not start out with environmental concerns in mind, but now realize the importance of sustainable practices and production in launching green lines within their category. We hope that in supporting these manufacturers, they will continue to move in this positive direction.

At the Ultimate Green Store, you will find that shopping green is hardly a sacrifice. Quite to the contrary, you will find beautiful, cool, hip, colorful, fun, effective, beautifully smelling, quality products that stand on their own. And, if you want to learn more, we have provided you with information about each manufacturer and their lines so that you can better understand the benefits to you and our planet of all the different products we offer.
 

The Ultimate Green Store carries a huge selection of green products for every area of your life.  I mean if your looking for something and want it to be green or organic they probably sell it! So when they offered to let me review their Three in One Bento Lunch Box I was thrilled!

When I received the Three in One Bento Lunch Box I could see right off how well made it was.  The closeures that hold it together are really tight and well affixed so I don't see them coming off with normal use.  I also love the look of them.  The shiny stainless steel looks cool and when I put it through the dishwasher it came out looking just as polished as when I took it out of the box.
 
At $23.95 it is pretty affordable when you consider it will last you years of use without ever looking dated or out of style.


 
Click here to view larger image
Another product (one of many) that I would love to get is these stainless steel baby and kids food trays!  These are worlds better than the plastic ones you can buy, and they will last forever!  I like that they have the partitions so that food doesn't "touch" because most kids want all their food separate. 
I would recommend The Ultimate Green Store to anyone looking for quality green products for their life.



Connect with The Ultimate Green Store

The Giveaway

 
As part of my Green Your Lunch Back To School Giveaway The Ultimate Green Store has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a $20.00 gift certificate to spend however they like! Also part of the prize is a set of Lunchskins Reusable Sandwich and snack Bags and a Pura 0.6L adult waterbottle in the winner's choice of color (pending availability) to totally set your child or yourself for healthy meals this year!  Use the rafflecopter below and good luck!

" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Thrifty Housewife was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product(s) for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views are 100% my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the rafflecopter form which uses Random.org.  Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  Winner has 24 hours to respond to the  email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to US only.  All Entries are verified.

Pura Stainless Steel Water Bottle Review and Green Your Lunch Back to School Giveaway!


We are trying to switch over to stainless steel or glass for all our cooking, dishes, food storage, and beverage containers.  Frankly there is just too much research pointing too chemical leaching from plastics into food.  I am trying to limit our exposure to toxic chemicals as much as possible.  So when Pura Stainless offered to let me review one of their stainless steel water bottles I was thrilled!
 
After reading the information on Pura Stainless products I learned that not all companies make truly non toxic stainless steel water bottles and not all stainless steel water bottles are created equal.  This is very important to understand because you may be wasting allot of money on something you thought was a high quality product that was going to protect your family. 
 
Being thrifty means spending your money wisely and making sure your getting what your paying for.
 
Here is why Pura Stainless products are so high quality and what to look for in stainless steel products.
 
Pura Stainless was created with a simple vision - to make a difference by responsibly manufacturing toxin-free, durable, and cost effective alternatives to bottled water and the petroleum-based (ie plastic) reusable bottles and food storage containers.
Our infant, toddler, and adult product lines are not only the safest in the world but they have won an array of global awards and accolades. In this day and age there is simply no reason to expose yourself or your little ones to toxin-laden plastics or to contribute to the massive waste problem created by bottled water.
But obviously we are not the only non-plastic alternative available. Many of our future customers have asked us why our products are the best on the market; take five minutes to read through the information below and we think you too will be a Pura advocate!

Made of safe, food-grade stainless steel

All Pura bottles are crafted from #304, also known as 18/8, food-grade stainless steel. Known for its resistance to corrosion and staining, and antibacterial properties, it is perfectly suited for use as a beverage container. In fact, many commercial food transport, storage and preparation products are made of #304 stainless steel due to these properties. And because stainless steel does not react with acidic foods or beverages, it will not affect the flavor of your beverage.

Beware of cheap stainless steel bottles made from inferior grades of stainless steel such as #201, #202, #301, Chinese domestic #304 or bottles with an unspecified alloy. Many of the inexpensive stainless steel bottles are made from these inferior grades of stainless which typically use manganese as a substitute for nickel. These lower grades of stainless do not exhibit the corrosion resistance of #304 and have not been certified as food grade stainless. Lastly beware of bottles with a wall thickness less than 0.5mm as these bottle are much more prone to denting and puncture.

No Internal Liner

The greatest single benefit of #304 stainless steel is the simple fact that it does not require funky chemical-laden liners or internal coatings. Aluminum bottles such as Sigg, Laken, and the myriad of cheap promo products are coated with a protective liner (typically epoxy-based) due to potential toxicity and reactive issues with raw aluminum. But using such a liner defeats the entire purpose of a non-plastic bottle as you are now essentially drinking from an epoxy vessel which really isn't any better than the old school plastic bottles!

The Safest Bottles on the Planet... Non-Toxic and truly BPA-free

Pura bottles are non-toxic and truly 100% BPA-free. All bottles, components, and accessories are independently tested by a leading global testing lab and certified to have no detectable levels of Bisphenol-a (BPA), lead, phthalates or nitrosamines. Bottles that are either made from plastic or use plastic caps, sip spouts, or travel covers cannot make this claim as virtually all plastics have some level of BPA which will show up in independent testing.
All Pura products feature stainless steel lids, caps and/or infant nipple/spout collars in combination with medical grade silicone so the contents of the bottle are NEVER in contact with plastic and therefore there is zero chance of ingesting BPA or other petroleum-derived toxins.
All Pura products meet or exceed all relevant FDA requirements. Because safety is our primary concern we also meet or exceed the more stringent Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) guidelines and the European Commission Directive 2002/72/EC. We are more than happy to share our safety test reports with our customers.... just ask!





I really loved the selection and style of Pura Stainless.  I especially liked that they have sippy cups for little ones.  I wish I had access to such products with my four children when they were little.

Pura Stainless sent me a 0.8L Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Stainless Loop Cap which retails for $17.99.  I noticed right off how well made it was and heavy duty compared to the usual cheap ones I have seen.  My eldest daughter who is in high school uses it every day when she goes to soccer practice, and will be using it for school.  The cap which has a loop for attaching to a bag or belt loop is really thick so I know it wont break with normal use.

Features

  • Made from safe, #304 food-grade stainless steel
  • BPA-free and non-leaching
  • Loop cap with stainless steel plug
  • Chuggable, wide-mouth opening
  • Long lasting and 100% recyclable
  • Backed by Pura's Lifetime Warranty

I would recommend Pura Stainless products to anyone looking for affordable, high quality, stainless steel water bottles, sippy cupssnack cups, or baby bottles for their families.

Connect With Pura Stainless

The Giveaway

 
As part of my Green Your Lunch Back To School Giveaway Pura has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a 0.6L adult bottle in the winner's choice of color (pending availability).  Also part of the prize is a set of Lunchskins Reusable Sandwich Bags and a $20.00 Gift Certificate to The Ulimate Green Store to totally set your child or yourself for healthy meals this year!  Use the rafflecopter below and good luck!
 
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33ddb921/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
The Thrifty Housewife was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product(s) for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views are 100% my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the rafflecopter form which uses Random.org.  Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  Winner has 24 hours to respond to the  email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to US only.  All Entries are verified. 
  

Lunch Skins Re-usable Sandwich Bags Review And Green Your Lunch Giveaway!


Red Bird Reusable Sandwich Bag
As you may know I am trying to eliminate plastic from my life.  I do it for lots of reasons, but the most important is to reduce my families exposure to petro chemicals.  My second most important reason is I hate throwing away up to 8 plastic baggies from my family of 6 per day.  That's allot of waste!  So when Lunch Skins offered to let me review several of their products I was thrilled!

Never heard of Lunch Skins?  They are a company that came up with an idea who's time was long over due.  Namely, making re-usable sub-sized, sandwich, and snack bags.  But they didn't stop there, they also designed them to be fashionable, durable, affordable, and dishwasher safe.

Ok so that is pretty awesome right?  Here is some more info about the company:

Our IdeaWhile sitting around a kitchen table in 2008, we heard a staggering statistic - every day, more than 20 million sandwich bags from school lunches go into landfills in the US. We knew that many families were looking for easy, convenient ways to be green and avoid this kind of waste. So we put our passion and energy together and 3greenmoms was born. Our mission:to design a colorful, fresh alternative to the plastic baggie.

Whether you care about our environment, saving money, eating healthy, or looking stylish, LunchSkins are the answer to your plastic baggie blues -- they offer an environmental benefit (reduce landfill waste), a practical benefit (they can be used hundreds of times and save you money over the long run), and a healthy choice (food tastes better in a pastry bag). Welcome to our family!

As soon as I received my lunchskins my kids fell in love due to the cool colors and patterns.  I agree with them completely that lunch skins are really adorable.  They are very well made as well.  When I tried to open the Velcro that keeps them closed it was really tough so I know they will stay sealed and not spill.  This was something I was especially interested in since keeping the bag closed is so important.  I still can't quite believe that you can put them through the dishwasher but you can!  I love that I can just pop them in when I empty out lunch boxes and then the next morning they will be squeaky clean.  The prices for these are very affordable as well which is a huge plus.  This is especially true when you look at how much money you will save over a year of not having to buy sandwich or snack bags.

I heartily recommend this product for everyone!  To me it is the perfect pairing of saving money, making our families healthier, and doing something good for the environment!

Connnect With Lunch Skins

The Giveaway 

 
As part of my Green Your Lunch Back To School Giveaway Lunch Skins has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a re-usable sandwich bag and snack bag!   Also part of the prize is a stainless steel water bottle from Pura 0.6L adult bottle in the winner's choice of color (pending availability),  and a $20.00 Gift Certificate to The Ulimate Green Store to totally set up your child or yourself for healthy meals this year!  Use the rafflecopter below and good luck!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33ddb921/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway


The Thrifty Housewife was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product(s) for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views are 100% my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the rafflecopter form which uses Random.org.  Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  Winner has 24 hours to respond to the  email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to US only.  All Entries are verified. 
 
 
 

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Homemade Granola- better for you, cheaper, and easy as pie!

My family loves granola.  They like it on their yogurt, plain as a snack, and with milk at breakfast.  Sadly I am so cheap that I would only buy a box of granola from the store as a treat.  I mean those boxes of granola are expensive and small!  My eldest daughter is always begging me to buy it but I say no because it only lasts one day.

Well the other day I was browsing one of my favorite sites and came across a link to another blog about making healthy homemade granola.  And so I bopped over to see how hard it was to make.   Well I have to say that granola is as easy as mixing up mud and you just throw it in the oven.  This recipe makes a delicious granola like some of the high end ones you find in the store.  Now I make a batch every week and like it so much that I have it for breakfast.  Just to let you know I am not a big granola fan so that tells you how good this is.  My kids love it and call it yummy crunchy mix and have it for snack, on yogurt, or with breakfast.  As a side note my son will not eat vegetables willingly so he gets very little of essential minerals, but granola (with my tweaks) has huge amounts of these very important nutrients.

Also this recipe seems to help regulate blood sugars due to the use of the nuts which add protein.

Now as with most of my recipes I have tweaked it to add nutrition and cater to our family tastes so I will give you the original and then my tweaks.  Also granola is very healthy for you with tons of essential vitamins and minerals that most of us Americans don't get.  Some of the nutritional benefits of the ingredients are

Wheat germ- high in vit E
Molasses- high in
 manganese18%
copper14%

iron13.2%

calcium11.7%

potassium9.7%

magnesium7.3%

vitamin B65%

selenium3



Oats-
manganese68%
selenium18%

phosphorus18%

fiber15.9%

magnesium15.7%

zinc15.6%




all the ingredients



dry ingredients ready to mix


wet ingredients


ready to go into the oven

my additions to the recipe are underneath


Oats &Honey Granola 

6 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
3 T. wheat germ
3 T. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 t. non refined sea salt
1/3 c. raw honey
5 T. butter
3 T. olive oil or coconut oil
1 T. molasses 
1 1/2 t. vanilla
4 T. water

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Using a large roasting pan, mix oats, sugars, wheat germ & flour, and salt until it's all combined.

Over medium heat, bring the honey, butter, oil, molasses, vanilla, and water to a simmer. Pour over the oat mixture and stir well with a wooden spoon moistening most of the oats.

Should you choose to make clusters, you may want to oil your hands to help with the stickiness. Squeeze handfuls of the oats together to make clumps.

Bake for 30 minutes, stir. Bake for another 30 minutes and stir again. Bake for a final 30 minutes and then turn out on the counter to cool.



Here are some things I have added or tweaked to add nutrition for my non vegetable eating son

1 cup raw cashew nuts- high in magnesium, copper, vitamin E and other essential minerals.  Magnesium is especially important because most Americans a seriously defiant in it causing a whole slew of problems.  I know from first hand experience how important this mineral is and have seen significant health changes since increasing my intake

1 cup raw pecans or almonds chopped - high in these minerals and vitamins

manganese 45%
vitamin E44.8%

magnesium24.6%

tryptophan21.8%

copper20%

vitamin B217.6%

phosphorus16.8%



I use virgin coconut oil in place of all the butter and olive oil

I use raw honey in place of regular honey

I use raw cane sugar in place of regular sugar





Monday, August 26, 2013

Kidz Gear Head Phones Review and Giveaway!

Kidz Gear Home

This year is my first year homeschooling my 3rd and 4th grade children!  While it is exciting it is also a challenge and reqires quite a bit of planning and outfitting.  The main curriculum we are using is an online full curriculum.  So that means the kids will be using the computer allot.  This program is fun and interactive so a good pair of headphones is essential.  That way while one child is online learning, the other child won't be distracted by the sounds while they do worksheets or reading.


That why I was so excited when Kidz Gear offered to let me review one of their highly rated Headphones For Kids.

A good pair of headphones is a must, but most kids headphones are really cheaply made, even though kids are harder on things than adults.  Kidz Gear has won several awards for their great headphones and can be found at Target.




Some of the features of Kidz Gear Headphones:

  • Volume Limited for Safety
  • Designed for all ages 2 and older
  • Rich Stereo Sound
  • Comfort Fit Padding
  • Lifetime Limited Warranty
  • Adjustable
  • Comes in 7 colors
  • Available in wired or wireless



My kids loved the fit of these headphones.  They all said they were very comfortable.  My older kids noticed the sound was much better than our old headphones and I love that it comes with a volume limiter so that I can be sure my children wont be hurting their hearing!  The colors they come in are really cute too.  As almost every school now requires that you buy your child their own pair of headphones these would be a great choice.  I heartily recommend these headphones for anyone who has a child and is looking for great quality, added features, durability, and affordability!



Connect with Kidz Gear
 
 

Win It!

Kidz Gear has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a pair of their own headphones in the color of their choice!  What a great way to start off the school year!  Use the rafflecopter below to enter, all entries are verified.  Good luck!
 
 http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33ddb919/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway


The Thrifty Housewife was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product(s) for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views are 100% my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the rafflecopter form which uses Random.org.  Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  Winner has 24 hours to respond to the  email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to US only.



Saturday, August 24, 2013

Things I've been a doin' in the garden

The end of summer is a very busy time for me because it's not only the beginning of school, but also it is when all the fruits and veggies from the garden start to ripen.  This last weekend I made some pepper pickles, or pepperchinies.   My banana pepper plants are going crazy!  I have so many that I had to look up ways to use them.  I also am harvesting tons of green beans and our tomatoes have tons of fruit, but none except the cherries have turned red.  My zucchini and yellow squash are of course producing, when do zucchini ever do bad?  And our potatoes are amazing!  I love gardening!



 
My sons giant cabbage!  It is bigger than two soccer balls!
 

 

Friday, August 23, 2013

Classroom Friendly Supplies Pencil Sharpener Review and Get Ready For School Giveaway!

Guess what?  Schools starting soon!  For some people that is awesome and exciting, for others (like home schoolers) it means lots of organization and checking off lists of supplies.  For everyone it means finding the best quality products for the best prices to get school started off right.

One thing everyone needs is a good pencil sharpener.  My children use our pencil sharpener pretty much every day, and during the school year it gets a work out!   This year I will be home-schooling my two middle children so I know we will be needing a sharpener that is built for constant use.  I have my old heavy duty Apsco Giant pencil sharpener that I picked up at a thrift store because the run of the mill stuff you buy in the store is so cheap and flimsy made that they arn't worth the money.  It's probably 50 years old.


 So when Classroom Friendly Supplies offered to let me review their pencil sharpener I was thrilled!

Classroom Friendly Supplies is a company started by an elementary school teacher who wanted a better sharpener.



Here is a little blurb about her:

I am an elementary school teacher and the owner of Classroom Friendly Supplies. I first started selling these sharpeners after realizing that many fellow teachers were also completely fed up with the loud and inefficient pencil sharpeners that they had in their classrooms. I have thousands of happy customers and the feedback has all been consistently the same and extremely positive.

As teachers are obviously my biggest customers, I gladly accept school purchase orders. Please check this out in my School Purchase Orders tab above.

First off I love the look of the sharpener I received.  It looks vintage and the colors are so cute!  I noticed right off how well built and heavy this sharpener is.  It is well weighted which is important because it can be used free standing so that you don't have to anchor it to a table or wall.  I also really like the see through shaving receptacle so you know when it is full without having to open it.

 

What is really neat is you don't have to hold the pencil in while you sharpen it.  This is great for small kids who are still working on their small motor skills.  Here is a video on how to use it.  Even my 5 year old figured it out after being shown once.  It is super simple!









I like that this sharpener is well built, attractive, easy to use, quite, and affordable at $24.99.  This would be great for home-schoolers, classrooms, or as a gift for a teacher in your life.

Connect with Classroom Friendly Supplies

Website

Facebook

Twitter 

 

Win Your Own!

Classroom Friendly Supplies has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a pencil sharpener in color of their choice!  A $24.99 value!  Use the rafflecopter below to win this and several other awesome back to school prizes.
 
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33ddb918/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway


 
The Thrifty Housewife was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product(s) for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views are 100% my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the rafflecopter form which uses Random.org.  Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  Winner has 24 hours to respond to the  email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to US only.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Bootights Review and a Giveaway!

 
 
 
Boots are all the fashion right now, but the big question for me is "What in the world do I wear under these things?".  That's where Bootights enter in!  Bootights is a company that makes high quality fashionable tights and knee highs with ankle height socks sewn in to them. 
 
A blurb about the products
 
Tights are a thicker and denser form of pantyhose. + Ankle height socks sewn into the bottom portion of tights.

Our tights:

  • range from 40 denier semi-opaque to the 100 denier opaque Shaper
  • incorporate an every-course knitting process to create a supremely smooth fabric
  • stretch in all directions while maintaining incredible fabric memory
  • control top for smoothing support
  • super soft, non-rolling waistband
  • a variety of fun colors and patterns

Our socks:

  • moisture wicking fibers keep feet cool and dry
  • mesh zone for supreme ventilation
  • compression arch support for contoured fit
  • additional cushioning in the toe and heel to reduce snags and runs
  • flat toe seam eliminates uncomfortable "tight toe"

I was sent two sets of bootights for the purpose of this review and was so excited to try them.   I received a pair of the Lacy Lace Darby's which I just love, out of the two these were my fave's!  They are super comfy but so pretty with the lace top, and they don't fall down but stay just where they should.

I also received a pair of the tights in the 201 essential grey.  They are like pantyhose but thicker so they will be great for fall through spring wear. This one comes in several different colors. The upper part that goes over my tummy was really nice and fit well and they look so cute I cant wait for fall.




I like that they have the built in socks because when your wearing boots with a dress pantyhose just do not provide enough cushioning and then you get stinky feet (gross!).   Bootights stop that problem in it tracks!  I also just love the different styles.  They are so cute and fashionable without being too "weird" so you can pair them with lots of styles of outfits.

I would recommend Bootights to anyone looking for fashionable, comfortable, well made tights and knee-highs.



Connect with Bootights
 
 

The Giveaway!

 
Bootights has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers One pair of Bootights of their choice and one pair of Darby's of their choice.  A $31.00 value!  Use the rafflecopter below, all entries are verified.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33ddb917/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 
The Thrifty Housewife was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product(s) for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views are 100% my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the rafflecopter form which uses Random.org.  Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  Winner has 24 hours to respond to the  email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to US only.
 
 

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

WearEver 100% Cotton Diabetic Socks Review And Giveaway!


Now I am not Diabetic but I often get tired legs and feet from standing and working all day around the house.  By the end of the day I often have very sore feet!  So when Wearever offered to let me review their 100% cotton diabetic socks made by Buster Brown that helps with poor circulation and diabetes I was very interested to see if they would help.

Wearever is a company that sells incontinence products and diabetic socks.  They have a very high standard for their products.
6 Pack Savings
  • Consistent quality and performance – “it has to work”
  • Fashionable, stylish designs – “it has to be comparable with regular, contemporary underwear”
  • Attractive pricing – “it has to be cheaper over its lifetime than its alternatives”
  •  

     Wearever Incontinence offers 100% cotton diabetic socks made by Buster Brown, for maximum comfort and durability. Appropriate for those with poor circulation, easily irritated skin, or diabetes Buster Brown 100% cotton socks are made with no elastic or synthetics. The seamless design of Buster Brown cotton socks with cushioning improve comfort, reduce binding, and eliminate skin irritation.

    I received the Buster Brown Cotton Diabetic Socks for review.  They are made by Buster Brown which is a really well known and trusted brand.  But the thing I found most interesting is they contain no synthetics or elastic!  All socks contain elastic to keep them in shape and from falling down.  I hate synthetic fabrics and pretty much only buy cotton clothes because the feeling of the synthetic drives me nuts.  I love the idea of non-synthetic socks!

    Buy Cotton Diabetic Socks by Buster Brown at Eversures.comThe first thing I noticed when I put them on is that they are so cool!  We are in the heat of summer here so even when I wear ankle socks they make me feel hot.  But these socks actually breathe and just feel wonderful!  All socks pretty much contain elastic, which is just plastic really. They were smooth on my legs and feet, no catching on my skin.  Just the coolness of these socks has helped my feet feel better. I also liked that they look just like regular socks.  I don't feel like I am wearing something that is obviously made for a health problem. I used to work in a small pharmacy and we catered to a large loyal clientele of elderly customers.  Many of them needed compression socks for diabetes and poor circulation.  The prices for these products were very expensive!  Wearever has very good prices for socks that will help with those problems!

    I would recommend these socks to anyone looking for diabetic or poor circulation socks, but I also recommend these to people looking for socks that do not use synthetic products in them.

    Connect with Wearever Incontinence

     

    The Giveaway!


    Wearever has generously offered to give one lucky reader a 3-pack of Cotton Diabetic Socks! Use the rafflecopter below to enter.  All entries are verified.

     
    http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33ddb916/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway


     
    The Thrifty Housewife was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product(s) for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views are 100% my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the rafflecopter form which uses Random.org.  Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  Winner has 24 hours to respond to the  email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to US only.

    Tuesday, August 20, 2013

    Barleans Omega 3-6-9 Suppliment Review And Giveaway!


     
    Omega 3's are extremely important to our health and development.  The SAD diet (standard American diet) is exactly that though, sad!  Even when eating relatively healthy most of us still don't get enough vital nutrients for good health and this is especially true of omega's.  I give everyone in my family fish oil supplements once a day to make up for any dietary deficiencies.

    So when Barlean's, one the best known and highest rated omega supplement companies, offered to let me review one of their products I was thrilled! 

    I received the Total Omega Vegan Swirl 3-6-9 Supplement Blueberry-Pomegranate flavor.

    Here is some information from the website about the vegan swirl
      Total Omega Vegan Swirl | Organic Flax Oil
    • Complete and Balanced Vegan Omega Nutrition
    • Delicious All-Natural Pomegranate/Blueberry Flavor
    • Made with Organic Flaxseed Oil
    • Pure Borage Oil
    • 100% Vegetarian Plant-Based DHA
    • Available in 8, 12 and 16 oz.

     Omega Swirl is an Omega-3 Sensation with the taste and texture of a fruit smoothie! Now everyone can enjoy the benefits of Omega-3 without the oily taste and texture of liquids or having to swallow large capsules. Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, Omega Swirl flax and fish oil supplements are the freshest, best-tasting and most nutritious Omega-3 products, naturally. Omega Swirl is the perfect solution for the whole family!                         

                            

    Packed with essential Omega-3s, Omega Swirl was created to nutritionally support:
                            
    • Heart Health*
    • Cholesterol Levels Already Within a Healthy Range*
    • Joint Mobility and Bone Density*
    • Energy and Endurance*
    • Skin, Hair and Nail Health*
    • Mental Health, Wellness and Acuity*
    • Blood Glucose Levels Already Within a Healthy Range*
    • Sexual and Hormonal Health*
    The omega swirl was a huge hit with my daughter.  She love the texture and flavor straight from the bottle, but this would also be great for putting into smoothies.  You can watch a video of he new Omega Swirl below.


     




    I would recommend Barlean's Omega Swirl to anyone wanting to buy a high quality Omega-3 supplement that tastes great!

    Connect with Barlean's

     

    The Giveaway!

    Barlean's has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a bottle of the Omega Swirl in 16 oz size retail value $30.55!
     
    http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33ddb915/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

     
    The Thrifty Housewife was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product(s) for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views are 100% my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the rafflecopter form which uses Random.org.  Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  Winner has 24 hours to respond to the  email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to US only.

    Monday, August 19, 2013

    Molly's Suds Laundry Powder and Wool Dryer Balls Review and Giveaway!

    Molly's Suds
     
     
    As you may know I only use all natural cleaners in my home.  Especially in my laundry!  After all clothing is touching our skin all day long so any chemicals we use in the laundry will be absorbed into our skin.

    So when Molly's Suds offered to let me review their Laundry Powder and Wool Dryer Balls I was super excited.

    Molly's Suds is a company that started through the founders personal tragedy of loosing a child to still birth.  After researching the chemical overload average Americans are exposed to on a daily basis she started Molly's Suds, named in honor of her lost child. Molly's Suds products contain no SLS/SLES or phosphates and are not tested on animals.

    The more I read about chemicals used in our cleaners the more I am glad I use only all natural!  The Laundry Powder which retails for $21.00 for a 4 lb bag was great.  It works out to $0.17 a load!  It smells fresh with peppermint essential oil which I liked.  As I have four children  who play hard outside I was interested to see if it could handle our heavily soiled laundry.  It did great and took out all the dirt and stains.



    I am a huge fan of wool dryer balls.  We do not use fabric softener or dryer sheets first due to my sons severe allergies to the chemicals in them, and second because I found out how bad they are for you!  Dryer balls not only are safe for those with allergies, but soften your laundry naturally and dry your clothes faster!  Molly's Suds Dryer Balls  are extra large and 100% wool to the core!  They reduce drying time and are triple washed to remove all lanolin.  They retail for $20.00 per bag of three and will last on average three years.  They replace fabric softener and dryer sheets so work out how much you would be saving!



    I would recommend Molly's Suds to anyone wanting to reduce their families chemical exposure and save money at the same time.  The quality is great and the prices reasonable to down right thrifty!

    Connect with Molly's Suds

     

    The Giveaway!

    Molly's Suds has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers a Laundry Powder and Wool Dryer Ball package.  A $41.00 value!
     
    http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33ddb914/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway


     
     The Thrifty Housewife was not compensated for this post, I did receive a sample product(s) for the purposes of review. This did not influence my review or my opinions. My views are 100% my own. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, pinterest, twitter, or any other social media website.  The winner will be chosen through the rafflecopter form which uses Random.org.  Winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of contest end.  Winner has 24 hours to respond to the  email.  Failure to respond will result in a new winner being chosen.  Open to US only.