Perfect For Dieting Or Special Dietary Requirements

I was a little skeptical about these containers when I first got them. Let's face it, most of us here in the US have been eating way oversized portions for years and these just looked like it would be too little.
Boy was I wrong!

These little containers from STAR are measured out very carefully and correspond with the instructions that come with the set. Each container is color coded with the colors designated for specific foods. It really makes getting portions very, very easy. Filling each container with your protein, starches, veggies and fats is a no brainer. No weighing, no counting calories. It is so easy. I love how I can fill them and take them along with me when I go to meetings or on a day trip.

The Green container is one cup and for vegetables. The Purple is one cup and for fruit. The red is 3/4 of a cup and for protein. The Blue is 1/3 of a cup and for fats. The Yellow is 1/2 of a cup and for carbs. The two Orange ones are 2 TBSP and for seeds and dressings.

It's easy to follow the instructions in the little booklet, and I have seen in just a few weeks the difference it makes following this program. The guide has a list of recommended foods for each container to help you eat a healthy and balanced diet. Plus there are recommendations for your total daily calorie intake and how many of each little container you should have in a day to meet that goal. The size of the containers is perfect. After each meal I am satisfied and not hungry. The portion sizes are just right and this will make thing easier for my husband who is diabetic, and me so I can lose weight, that is if we can remember to always use them.

After using them for a while, the color coding gets easy. You just know what goes in each container and preparing a meal gets super easy. I do wish the lids were a little tighter though so I could also put in liquids. But I could use these to measure and transfer things to a travel mug. I was thinking of soup, smoothies, and such.

I have heated a few things in the microwave with them, but mainly I am preparing the food for the whole family and them measuring out my food and placing it on a plate. I love how they all stack together neatly and take up so little room. I can keep them all very handy for when I need them!

I love using this set, but wish they would hold liquids. I do plan on getting more so my husband can use them at his job for his lunches.

You can purchase the STAR 7 Piece Portion Control Container Kit with Guide HERE!

This reviewer has been compensated with receiving the product free or at a discounted price in order to bring you an honest review. All opinions are those of the reviewer.

Gluten-Free Diet? It Just Got A Lot Easier Thanks To Nogii

Have you ever had a protein bar? And on top of that, let's make them gluten-free. I asked several of my friends that and all of them made funny faces with their noses scrunched up and said "yes" in a way that sounded like they were disgusted! I knew exactly how they felt and what they were thinking.

We all know that protein bars are good for us when we need an extra boost or to help us through a diet, but let's face it, they don't exactly rank right up there with the best tasting things you have ever tried!

Until now!!!

Elisabeth Hasselbeck has worked hard to develop a protein bar that really does taste good. She was involved from start to finish and used her family and friends as taste testers. She helped develop Nogii! I'm not exaggerating one bit when I tell you that they taste good.

I had my husband try them out and he absolutely hated ever having to eat a protein bar in the past. He very reluctantly tried a tiny, tiny nibble of a Nogii Bar, mulled over the flavor a little and took a big bite! He was shocked and now he snacks on them and uses them to stick to his diabetic diet regularly! He really, really likes them.

But I wasn't going to stop there. I had several of my good friends at Bible study try them out too. They all looked at them skeptically and discussed the amount of carbs and sugar and protein, but still were not sure they wanted to try them. One brave soul opened up a wrapper and took a big bite. Her eyes went wide and she could not believe how good it tasted! She immediately told everyone else they were good! As each person slowly tried them out, each one had the same reaction. They clearly declared that they were not just good, they were very good! Several even asked for more. LOL!

I could not agree more! They are fabulous. Each and every person I have given one to has said the same thing and wanted to know how something that was a protein bar AND gluten-free could taste so good!

It all came about from Elizabeth finding out about her sensitivity to gluten and being determined to get rid of it in her diet completely. But like many people who have a gluten sensitivity or Celiac Disease, she found out that a large number of gluten-free products just had little to no flavor. I know what she felt like when she explained how bland and icky the food was. It seemed to me to be like eating cardboard. Yuck!

Through trial and error and determination she was able to develop Noggii High Protein Bars, Paleo Bars, Super Protein Bars, and Whey & Quinoa Protein Powder. Each and every one of the products tastes so good and is packed with high nutrition that will help you get through your day, have a better workout and keep your energy and concentration at it's peak! I am a huge fan now and will continue to use these as a regular part of my diet in the future.

The Protein Bars come in fantastic flavors, Peanut Butter & Chocolate, Chocolate Mint, Cookies &; Cream, Chocolate Coconut, Cocoa Brownie, and Rocky Road. The Paleo Bars come in Nuts About Berries, Nuts About Nuts, and Nuts About Tropical Fruit. And the Whey Protein comes in Chocolate and Vanilla. It's hard to choose a favorite, they all are really good!

What I love is how well they work at filling me up and giving me the energy I need to get through my day. Sometimes I don't have time to grab a proper meal and these have helped me keep going without getting the shakes from not eating and also keeping my energy up. They satisfy my crunchy and sweet snacky desires all at the same time. I love that!

Elizabeth has also written two books, The G Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide and  Deliciously G-Free: Food So Flavorful They'll Never Believe It's Gluten-Free. I've read through the first book, The G Free Diet and learned a lot. She tells you all about her journey becoming gluten free and the kinds of foods you can an can't eat as well as great tips on living in a world full of gluten everywhere you turn. I love the list of products name specifically by brand that are gluten-free. It will make shopping a lot easier and faster know who carries what. I can recommend the book and I am looking forward to reading her second one too.

Living gluten-free used to be something that was extremely difficult and almost next to impossible. I have several friends who have Celiac and have struggled for many years with finding food they could live on and still feel well. Things are changing in the market for those who have to eat gluten-free and for those who choose to. Thanks to Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Noggi, it's gotten a lot easier and tastier too!

Noggi products are available online on their website or you can locate a store near you that sells them with their handy store locator on the site HERE!

The reviewer has been compensated with receiving the product free through Moms Meet and Nogii in order to bring you an honest review. All opinions are those of the reviewer.

Who's The New Kid? ~ A Book To Help Your Obese Child

As an adult who grew up being a little overweight I could relate to some of this book. It was tough when I was young and things have gotten much worse today.

I was hoping for more specifics towards the beginning of the book and less story. The whole first 2/3 of the book seemed a little bit too long for me. The story could have been shortened. But once I got towards the back of the book I appreciated what I found there. The Forty-Day Meal and Exercise Plan is a great way to help you (child or adult) adjust your life to living in a more healthy way. The goals are simple and attainable. They are realistic. So many diets are based on do this one specific thing steps and this is based on life changes and habits!

I was very disappointed that there were no real spiritual aspects to the book. Our health, diet and exercise is a part of who we are spiritually and it would have been nice to see this woven throughout the book.

As far as helping to motivate adults to help there kids and having realistic eating plans and exercise plans, this was a good read!

About the book: 
Who's the New Kid? (Tyndale, May 2015) Who's the New Kid? shows readers how Heidi helped her daughter lose weight without the aid of fad diets, medication, or surgery and how other parents can do the same with their kids.
At nine years old, Breanna Bond weighed a whopping 186 pounds. Just walking up the stairs to her room was a challenge. Her legs chafed to the point of bleeding from rubbing against each other, and her school days were filled with taunts of "Hey, Fatty!" Breanna's mom, Heidi, was devastated and wondered, How can I get my daughter healthy again?
In just over a year, Heidi's plan worked! Breanna dropped 40 percent of her body weight and was transformed from a morbidly obese child who spent her days in front of the TV eating chips and chocolate to a vibrant, healthy, energetic little girl.
Filled with helpful diagnostic tools, easy-to-make recipes, eye-opening nutritional information, fun exercise ideas, and practical tips and advice, Who's the New Kid? will not only show parents how to help their kids lose weight naturally but also introduce them to simple, yet effective lifestyle changes that will benefit the entire family.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1R01IuI

About the author:
Heidi Bond has appeared on Good Morning America, CNN, and The Biggest Loser. A sought after speaker, she has helped thousands of parents who are struggling with overweight, underactive children. Heidi lives in Clovis, California with her husband, Dan, and their children, Breanna and Nathan.

Find Heidi and Breanna online: website, Twitter, Facebook

We received samples of the products for the purpose of review. No other compensation was given. All opinions expressed here are those of the author.

The Juice Plus+ Giveaway

Welcome to the Juice Plus+ Giveaway
Sponsored by Juice Plus+
Hosted by Kathy's Savings

  This giveaway is for a Juice Plus+ package. 

The winner will receive a package with the following items: 

 · 4-Month Supply of Juice Plus+ Capsules: Juice Plus+ Orchard, Garden and Vineyard Blends provide added whole food based nutrition from 30 different fruits, vegetables, grains and berries in convenient capsule form. Juice Plus+ Vineyard Blend adds nutrition from Concord grapes and a wide variety of berries − including blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, bilberries, and elderberries − that provide some of the most powerful and healthful antioxidants in fruits and vegetables. 

  · Juice Plus+ Chewables - Juice Plus+ Orchard, Garden and Vineyard Blend Chewables deliver added whole food based nutrition from 30 different fruits, vegetables, grains and berries in a tasty, soft chewable form. The appealing taste comes from two all-natural sweeteners − tapioca syrup and organic cane syrup − with absolutely no high-fructose corn syrup. It contains no artificial flavors or artificial colors and is 100% vegetarian. 

  · Juice Plus+ Complete Shake Mix - Much more than a protein shake, Juice Plus+ Complete Shake Mix provides the benefit of whole food nutrition through nutrient packed pumpkin and pomegranate powders, our blend of ancient grains, and more nutritious ingredients. 

  · Juice Plus+ Complete Nutrition Bars - Juice Plus+ Complete Nutrition Bars are packed with protein and fiber to help you replace empty calories with healthy ones while on-the-go. Low-glycemic, gluten free, non-dairy and 100% vegan – Complete Nutrition Bars are the perfect source of balanced nutrition for any diet. · Additional fun “Spring Clean Your Diet” items! 

  You can enter for a chance to win below. This giveaway is open to the U.S. only. It will run from 4/27-5/11. Good luck to everyone.

Entry-Form

Disclosure: Kathy's Savings and all other participating bloggers are not responsible for prize shipment. The giveaway is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by or associated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or any other social media. The winner will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is drawn.
The Minister's Wife Stamps and Saves did not receive samples or compensation for taking part in this giveaway.