Friday, September 30, 2011 at 07:05 AM
Several months ago, my family agreed to take on the New Food Challenge with me. We would try a brand new food each and every week to see if we liked it and then report on it here at A Better Bag of Groceries. We did that for about four or five months, but we’ve tapered off a bit. We’re still trying new foods, just not every single week.
This week, we tried Annie’s Bunny Graham Friends. They are a cookie that scores a 27 on the NuVal scale. Now, cookie scores range from 1 to 40 on the NuVal scale, but the average score for a cookie is only a 7. So, a 27 is a really good score for a cookie.
I thought I would pay attention to serving size. It’s 28 cookies. So, I counted them out for each of my children.
My daughter found that the bunnies float in milk!
What I love about the bunnies is that they encourage my kids to drink a glass of skim milk, NuVal score of 91.
My son could hardly tear himself away from his latest Magic Treehouse book on the Titanic to participate in this taste-test, but he did.
And he ate all the chocolate bunnies first.
These cookies will definitely go on our shopping list from now on!
After snack-time, my daughter loved the word-search on the back of the box.
Finding new products is fun! Kudos to Annie’s for making a high-scoring cookie.
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: Cookies, New Food Challenge
Tags: Annie's
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 07:24 AM
“I’ll bring a dip!” How many times have I said that when the occasion is my book club get-together, girls’ night, or a holiday gathering? Lots! Dips and spreads are super-popular in households across the United States and for many busy people, they are a Go To choice for meals, snacks and appetizers. I love to make my own dips, but there are also many great prepared choices in the supermarket. The thing I’ve learned, since I came to work for NuVal, is that the nutritionals on dips and spreads really vary.
Take Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, for example.
- Tribe Red Pepper Hummus: NuVal score of 48
- Cedar’s Roasted Red Pepper Hummus: NuVal score of 43
- Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus: NuVal score of 26
So, I save the Sabra for special occasions and buy either the Cedar’s or Tribe for every day.
To learn more about dips and spreads, I consulted the registered dietitians at NuVal. Here’s what I learned.
- The highest scoring dips are vegetable-based. So, hummus and guacamole get the best scores since they have the most fiber and protein.
- Among the lowest scoring items are dip mixes which have an inordinate amount of sodium for the calories.
- Cheese and cream based dips score low primarily due to saturated fat content and sometimes the addition of trans fat.
Here are some sample scores:
- Wholly Guacamole 100 Calorie Snack: NuVal score of 60
- Cedars Roasted Red Pepper Hummus: NuVal score of 43
- Guiltless Gourmet Milk Black Bean DipL NuVal score of 42
- Tostitos Creamy Spinach Dip: NuVal score of 42
- Sabra Hummus with Roasted Pine Nuts: NuVal score of 25
- Helluva Good French Onion Sour Cream Dip: NuVal score of 24
- Fritos Mild Cheddar Flavored Cheese Dip: NuVal score of 20
- Kraft Creamy Ranch Dip: NuVal score of 18
- T Marzetti Fat Free Ranch Dip: NuVal score of 8
- Brummel & Brown Creamy Fruit Spread with real strawberries & Natural Yogurt: NuVal score of 2
- Walden Farms Caramel Dip Calorie Free: NuVal score of 1
When I’m not in a rush, I like to make my own veggie dip. Take plain non-fat yogurt (not Greek), add feta cheese and chopped fresh dill to taste. Yum!
As for some other dip recipes here at A Better Bag of Groceries, check out:
Pepperoni Pizza Dip (um, OK, not really in the “healthy” category, but you will be asked to bring this one to Girls Night again!)
Chobani’s Holy Guacamole
Cooking Light’s Spinach & Artichoke Dip
White Bean & Basil Dip
Question of the Day
What’s your favorite dip and how do you enjoy it?
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: Score Lowdown
Tags: Cedar's, hummus
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 08:18 AM
It’s Wordless Wednesday! So, today, I take a break from writing and I listen to what you all have to say about my photos. I can’t wait! Bring on the comments, please!
Yesterday’s Winner
Congratulations to Commenter #16, Haley! (By the way, she also writes the blog, Teen On a Mission, which is all about staying healthy while in college). You’ve won the Kashi Autumn Wheat Giveaway! Please send me an email at abetterbagofgroceries@gmail.com with your mailing address so that I can ship your prize out to you. Thanks to everyone who entered!
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: tomatoes, Wordless Wednesday
Tags: Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 08:10 AM
Welcome to Trade Up Tuesday! Every Tuesday, I blog about a trade up I’ve made since learning about NuVal scores and I give away something for free. It’s a great day.
Since last Tuesday, autumn officially arrived. Although we’ve been stuck in a patch of incredibly warm and humid weather here in New England, we took some time over the weekend to do a little fall decorating. I love fall and I just could not wait!
So, today, I wanted to give away something that was truly autumnal. Kashi’s Autumn Wheat seemed like a great choice. I know that it is a huge hit among Kashi fans. It scores a 40 on the NuVal scale. That’s a great score for cereal because the average NuVal score for all cereals is only a 27. So, if you choose Kashi Autumn Wheat, you are choosing a cereal that is above average. Plus, you’ll feel all autumny.
Today’s Giveaway
One lucky reader will win both boxes of Kashi’s Autumn Wheat cereal. All you need to do is leave a comment below telling me what you love best about the fall season. I can’t wait to see what you all have to say! I’ll select one winner at random at 8 am Eastern Time on Wednesday. Good luck!
Yesterday’s Winner
Congratulations to Commenter #13, Dana! You’ve won the Lunchbox Love notes! Lucky you! Please send me an email at abetterbagofgroceries@gmail.com with your mailing address so that I can mail them out to you. Thanks to everyone who entered.
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: Kashi, Trade-Up Tuesday
Tags: Giveaway, Kashi, Kashi Autumn Wheat
Monday, September 26, 2011 at 07:17 AM
Guess what showed up in my mailbox over the weekend? A 4-pack of Lunchbox Love notes to give away to one lucky A Better Bag of Groceries reader!
Yes, the nice people at www.sayplease.com know how much I love these notes. And my kids adore them, too! So, they sent me some to give away on the blog.
They are little notes that I put in my kids lunch boxes now and then. In fact, my kids love these so much, that I just purchased a six-pack of these notes so that I can put them in their lunches every day. They have so many different messages, showing love, encouragement or just fun. This one is perfect for a Monday.
This is a great message for all kids.
And I just love this one. Awwwww!
There are a couple of blank notes too, so that you can write you own personal messages.
On the flip side of each note, there is a trivia fact. My kids come home each afternoon talking about these facts. They love them!
Wow, who knew?
By the way, there are other Lunchbox Love sets too. For co-workers, girlfriends, tweens, etc.
I have so much fun rummaging through to find just the right message for each child. “You’ve been so helpful lately – thank you!” goes into my daughter’s lunch box. “I knew you could do it” goes into my son’s. Just having these little notes near my lunchboxes helps me to remember to praise my kids (and mention the specific things they did well) – or give them some extra encouragement when they need it.
To Enter:
One lucky reader will win the 4-pack of Lunchbox Love for Kids (Volumes 9, 10, 11 and 12). All you need to do is leave a comment below telling me something that is in your lunch bag today. You can enter twice by leaving a second comment and telling me the NuVal score for that item. You can find sample scores on the NuVal website or by searching this blog. I’ll select one winner at 8 am Tuesday Eastern time, so don’t delay. Good luck!
Posted by: Melissa
Posted in: Lunch
Tags: Giveaway, Lunchbox Love, sayplease
