Crowdtap Sample Share - Healthy Choice Baked Entrées

Thank you, Crowdtap and Healthy Choice for our...
Healthy Choice Baked Entrée Sample Share!

 

As a member of Crowdtap, I have been participating in Crowdtap's Healthy Choice crowd the past few months. I have had a great time joining in Healthy Choice discussions, where I have learned more about Healthy Choice's great products, such as their Greek Yogurt and Top Chef frozen meals. I'm a diehard Top Chef fan, so I love their Top Chef inspired dishes.

 

I've also learned ways to live healthier, which will be a great way to start off my New Year's Resolution to take better care of myself. I love Healthy Choice's slogan, "Don't Diet. Live Healthy." Have you seen their fun commercials with their latest ad campaign? I have never been one for fad diets, so I think this is a great mantra to live by everyday.

 

I was excited when I got chosen by Crowdtap and Healthy Choice for the Baked Entrée sample share. It was the perfect excuse to try their new "Fresh Baked Taste" line, which I had seen in the grocery store. Healthy Choice provided me with a $1 OFF coupon link to share. My Publix grocery store had them priced @ $1.99 EA, which made it $0.99 + Tax after the coupon. Wow! Whoever said you can't get anything good for a dollar these days?

 

Healthy Choice $1 OFF Coupon Link:  http://bit.ly/12bA4Te   (Hopefully, the coupon link still works!)

Top Row: Healthy Choice "Fresh Baked Taste" Entrees - $1.99 @ Publix

See The Healthy Choice "Fresh Baked Taste" Options!

• Chicken & Rice Cheddar Bake 
• Fettuccini Alfredo Bake 
• Four Cheese Ziti Marinara 
• Italian Sausage Pasta Bake
• Lasagna with Meat Sauce
• Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

 

Our Healthy Choice "Fresh Baked Taste" Choices!

 

My Healthy Choice:  Fettuccini Alfredo Bake!

 "This classic combination of freshly made fettuccini and rich Parmesan Alfredo sauce, with crisp broccoli and topped with seasoned breadcrumbs, is sure to satisfy your taste buds." 

 My Boyfriend Matt's Healthy Choice:  Lasagna with Meat Sauce!

  

 

"Feast your eyes on three rich layers of freshly made pasta, hearty meat sauce, and ricotta cheese, topped with mozzarella. Then, when your eyes are done, just feast in general."

My Sample Share - Spreading Healthy Choice in my Office!

  

Working in an office setting, I typically don't have time to go out for lunch. Boo! Honestly, I normally am just grabbing something quickly from the cafeterias. However, that doesn't work so well when the cafeteria is closed. I work in Finance and am always stuck working during the holidays at year-end closing. The rest of our plant is on shutdown, though. So, the cafeteria is not open between Christmas and New Year's. 

 

I thought I had nothing for lunch one morning. But, I remembered I had the Healthy Choice "Fettuccini Alfredo Bake" in the freezer. I brought it in and enjoyed it for lunch, as my co-workers salivated around me. It was a great way to spread the word about Healthy Choice to my co-workers. The smell of delicious smelling food always draws people into my cubicle.

 

I sent an e-mail out to my co-workers passing the coupon link around. They were quite jealous that day when many of them had to run out in the cold to grab lunch. But, the funny thing is that quite a few showed up with Healthy Choice meals the rest of the week. It has helped keep my cubicle neighbors happy during year-end.

Overall, I thought the Healthy Choice baked entrée was delicious. It honestly tasted better to me than competing frozen food brands (i.e. Smart One's.) The best part was that it was... Healthy! I loved how it left me full for the afternoon, without feeling any guilt or sluggish like some lunch options. I was happy with my lunch choice that day, despite the cafeteria being closed.

Thanks again, Crowdtap & Healthy Choice!

 

 

Join Crowdtap:

http://www.crowdtap.com/

 

Healthy Choice "Fresh Baked Taste" Entrées:

http://www.healthychoice.com/products/baked-entrees

 

Keep Cozy this Season in Old Navy Sweaters!

Thank you, Crowdtap and Old Navy for our Sweater Sample Share...  

Keep Cozy this Season in Old Navy Sweaters!

As a member of Old Navy's Style Council on Crowdtap, I get to participate in discussions to give my opinion on Old Navy's latest trends and styles. I also get the opportunity to apply for sample shares and hosted parties, which Old Navy mails me coupons for free Old Navy clothes for me and my stylish best friends. 

 

Previous Blogs:  

Get Cute and Cozy at Old Navy’s Bundle-Up Bash

Get Dolled Up in Old Navy Dresses
Get Stoked for Summer with Old Navy Shorts

Look fabulous this fall thanks to Old Navy (Cardi Party!)

I got picked for Old Navy's latest sweaters sample share. Yay! :)

Old Navy mailed me two coupons... One for me, One for a friend...
One *FREE* Sweater of your choice!

 

 

One *FREE* Sweater!

Even though I have been chosen before, I am still always shocked when I see the Old Navy coupons arrive in the mail. The best part is being able to share them with my friends. I relocated for my job earlier this year. When I lived in Roanoke, I used to always shop with my friend Jackie at Old Navy. I decided to mail her my "One For a Friend" coupon. While I miss our Old Navy shopping trips together, we still had a ton of fun shopping via iPhone messages. Gotta love the powers of technology! I kept sending her picture messages the whole time I was trying on sweaters in the dressing room. It made me feel like were really shopping together, as crazy as that may sound.

My Free Pick:
 
Women's Fair Isle Cardis - Striped
Women's Fair Isle Cardis - Diamonds 
 
I was instantly drawn to the four "New Arrival" racks of Fair Isle Cardis that were in the center of my Old Navy store. They looked so warm and cozy. When I felt the fabric, it was super soft. I was a little discouraged at first because I couldn't find any of them in size "Small." I even asked an Old Navy associate to check in the back. She said they didn't have any "Small" size, but I decided to just try a "Medium" size. I figured that it couldn't really hurt to just try it on. And, it might be okay since it was an over-sized sweater.

 

Like most Old Navy sweaters, there were plenty of fun colors and patterns to choose. If you've read my previous posts, you can probably tell I am not overly adventurous when it comes to bold patterns and colors. I try to stick to more neutral pallets, which I can wear to my office or dress down for an evening out on the town. This sweater comes in a diamond pattern in Charcoal and Camel. While I liked the colors, the patterns were a bit too bold for me. I loved the striped option much better, which came in In the Navy (Navy + Coral - See Above Pic) and Marshmallow. I loved the Marshmallow colors. I could see pairing it with both my Old Navy gray and tan perfect khakis in my office. Love mixing it up!

 

I liked just letting this sweater hang open, as pictured above. As I posed for a picture with my puppy Kodiak, I realized it could also look cute closed. I have tried putting a belt around it, which added a nice flair to my outfit. It's perfect paired with a pair of skinny jeans and flats. Now, I'm a bit petite as well... 5'4." I still found the style to be flattering for me. Honestly, I don't own anything like this sweater, which is why I ultimately picked it. Cute, warm, cozy, fun patterns, excellent colors. I can see why this choice was popular with quite a few Crowdtappers. When I checked out of Old Navy, my cashier told me how she was so jealous. She said it was her absolute favorite sweater in the store. And, I have to agree. If you're looking to snag one for yourself, Old Navy currently has a great sale.
Regular Price: $42.94, Sales Price $29.00 ...!

My Honorable Mentions:

This season, I've seen Old Navy's Pop Color denim ads everywhere. But, those same great colors are available in their sweater lines. I saw so many different color shades while shopping. It honestly looked a bit like a rainbow. They also had all the classic styles available... Scoop Necks, V-Necks, Cardigans, Cable Knits, Sequins, etc. There was a great variety of choices, and I tried a few on below. I loved the blue and green shades the best. They also had a cool style, which had buttons on the shoulders. It adds a nice little detail to the normal cable knit sweater this sweater season.

Women's Softest Boyfriend Cardis

Women's Sequin Scoop-Neck Sweaters

Women's V-Neck Sweaters

Women's Scoop-Neck Sweaters

Women's Button-Shoulder Sweaters

Women's Button-Shoulder Sweaters

 

Jackie's Free Pick:

For Jackie's free pick, she got this Old Navy scoop neck sweater in bright "Orange You Cute." (Seriously, that's what this color is called!) Jackie loves picking out fun, bold colors to wear. I honestly think it's the perfect holiday sweater. She looks quite cute posed with her kitten in front of the Christmas tree. With Old Navy's great selection this season, there's no such thing as an ugly Christmas sweater. Sorry... You'll have to look elsewhere for your holiday Ugly Sweater Parties.

Women's Scoop-Neck Softest Sweaters

Special thanks to my patient shopping boyfriend, Matthew!

P.S. He would love to see some Old Navy sample shares for guys on Crowdtap!

My boyfriend Matt joined me for my Old Navy sweater shopping trip. He actually picked up three Old Navy V-neck sweaters for himself. Don't forget... Old Navy has great clothing options for guys, too. And, their sweaters are very affordable, which make the perfect holiday gift this season. Yay! Our store had some great sales going on, which we combined with an Old Navy $15 off $50 coupon. The sweaters above ended up being $7.27/EA. Wow! But, that wasn't all we found...

Old Navy Jingle Jammies!!!

Last year, we started an Old Navy Christmas tradition. We bought "Jingle Jammies," which we wore on Christmas Eve. I got a snowman pair, and he got a grey pair. During our shopping trip, we decided to pick out our pairs for this year. I got a polar bear pair, and he got a navy pair. Old Navy also had their pajamas on sale, so it ended up being another steal. Old Navy fleece is so soft, cozy, and warm. Perfect all winter! I'd love to see a Fleece or Pajama sample share in the future.

Thanks again, Crowdtap & Old Navy ...!

Shop Old Navy:
http://oldnavy.gap.com/

Join Crowdtap: 

 http://www.crowdtap.com/

Look fabulous this fall thanks to Old Navy!

Thank you, Crowdtap and Old Navy for our hosted Cardi Party... 

Look Fabulous this fall thanks to Old Navy!
 

As a member of Old Navy's Style Council on Crowdtap, I get to participate in discussions to give my opinion on Old Navy's latest trends and styles. I also get the opportunity to apply for sample shares and hosted parties, which Old Navy mails me coupons for free Old Navy clothes for me and my stylish best friends.

Previous Blogs:  

Get Cute and Cozy at Old Navy’s Bundle-Up Bash

Get Dolled Up in Old Navy Dresses
Get Stoked for Summer with Old Navy Shorts!

I got picked for Old Navy's latest Cardi Party hosted party. Yay! :)

Old Navy mailed me four coupons... One for me, Three for friends...

And, we each got three fabulous free items to make the perfect fall outfit!

One *FREE* Cardigan!

One *FREE* Skirt!

One *FREE* Scarf!

Even though I have been chosen in the past, I am still always shocked when I see the coupons arrive in the mail. It's so fun to be able to share them with my friends. Since I relocated for my job a few months ago, I got the opportunity to share these with two new work friends. We went shopping one evening after work, which was the perfect mid-week treat. I shared my last coupon with my friend Jackie. I tease her that I've pretty much given her an Old Navy wardrobe by sharing all of my sample shares / hosted parties coupons.

My Free Picks:

Women's Double-Button Denim Pencil Skirt

Women's Button-Front Stretch Cardi (Green) 

Women's Striped Infinity Scarf (Khaki) 

I always have such a hard time picking an Old Navy outfit. I fell in love with the color of this cardigan. I own some other Old Navy jean skirts, and I've wanted a dark shade for a while. My other ones are lighter denim colors. Plus, I absolutely love pencil skirts, which are a flattering style. And, finally, I loved the khaki infinity scarf. This is actually my first infinity scarf, which is why I ultimately picked this style. I've really been developing a scarf obsession lately. They are such a great item for the fall. I've actually added six to my closet this past month. Working in a corporate setting, I find a scarf adds a great professional touch to an outfit. I always get compliments when I am wearing scarves.

My Honorable Mentions:

 

Cardigans: I really was leaning toward the green / blue cardigan shades this trip. They had two different styles to try on. One was a button-up style, and the other was a button-up with a v-neck.

Skirts:  I also tried on the Perfect-Cord Pencil Skirt in both khaki and green. They were really cute styles, and I still may go back and buy one. I ultimately thought I would get more wear out of the jean skirt above. I've loved Old Navy's pop denim colors, so it was fun to see them carry the colors into cords.

Scarves: I really loved these scarves as well, but I ultimately wanted my first infinity scarf. There were so many great floral, striped, and solid scarf options. Like I said, I've already bought a few scarves this season.

Jackie's Picks:

When it comes to styles, Jackie and I are always opposite. She loves bold patterns... like leopard and stripes. These were her favorite picks below. Leopard Cardigan, Striped Skirt, Green Cardigan. I wouldn't recommend wearing them all together, but they will make great staples in her closet. Perfect pieces!

 

Bret & Katie's Picks:

Unfortunately, my co-workers were not quite as adventurous! They asked for me to not post their pictures, and I certainly am going to respect their privacy. We all had a really great time shopping. And, we are loving our new fall Old Navy cardi party outfits. I love being able to be an unofficial Old Navy ambassador. It's so fun promoting the brand and getting to share these experiences. Thank you Crowdtap and Old Navy! :)

Thanks again, Crowdtap & Old Navy ...!

Shop Old Navy:
http://oldnavy.gap.com/

Join Crowdtap: 

 http://www.crowdtap.com/

Woolite Extra Dark Care Sample Share!

Thank you, Crowdtap and Woolite for our... 

Woolite Extra Dark Care Sample Share!

 

As a member of Crowdtap, I have been participating in Crowdtap's Woolite crowd the past few months. I have had a great time joining in on Woolite discussions, where I have learned more about Woolite's great products to help me keep my clothes looking great. Honestly, I've received so many great laundry tips. And, I have loved learning more about Woolite's brand. I was excited when I got chosen by Crowdtap and Woolite for the Woolite Extra Dark Care sample share. I received a package in the mail with 10 Woolite Extra Dark Care samples to share with my friends.

 

Left - My Tortured Jeans!

Right - My New Dark Jeans!

Before my experiences on Crowdtap, I always associated Woolite with "delicates." I had no idea that Woolite had a special "dark" formula, which is sad since I have spent the past few years torturing my dark clothes. In the picture above on the left, these are the exact same jeans. I just bought a new pair because the old pair is starting to look beat up. I am excited that I have Woolite to keep my new pair looking great now. I pledge to not torture this pair. Sorry, jeans! And, not only can Woolite be used for your favorite jeans, it's also great for your vintage t-shirts, wool sweaters, and your other favorite pieces of clothing. As Penn State alumni, my boyfriend and I have tons of dark navy Nittany Lion apparel, which is perfect for Woolite Extra Dark Care.

"Woolite® EXTRA Dark Care™ Detergent effectively cleans and cares for your dark clothes. Its formula cleans and helps maintain the original color intensity of your dark clothes. It won't cause fading, shrinking or stretching, so dark colors stay vivid and clothes look new longer."

My Woolite Sample Share Basket for my Co-workers!

I recently relocated for my job a few months ago. Since we don't know many people in the area, I decided to hand out my Woolite samples at work. I made a fun looking Woolite basket and put it in our break room before lunch one afternoon. I sent my co-workers a fun e-mail and told them to stop by and pick one up before they disappeared. They honestly didn't even last an hour. Everyone always loves free stuff. I used to be known for my large jar of animal crackers, but I now also have a Woolite reputation at work. My co-workers who have tried it swear by it.

Matt with his Woolite sample!

Me trying my Woolite sample!

Thanks again, Crowdtap & Woolite!

Learn more about Woolite:

https://www.facebook.com/WooliteUS 

http://www.woolite.us/

Join Crowdtap:

http://www.crowdtap.com/

McCormick Grill Mates Grill Ambassadors Party

Thank you, Crowdtap and McCormick for our... 

McCormick Grill Mates Grill Ambassadors Party!

Last spring, I surprised my boyfriend with a charcoal grill for his Birthday. He had been talking for a while about wanting to get a grill for the summertime. I had always been used to gas grills growing up, but he insisted on wanting a charcoal grill. So, I did my research on grilling websites and read a ton of reviews.

Matt’s Grilling Birthday Surprise:

• Weber 22.5-Inch One-Touch Silver Kettle Grill, Black 
• Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter
• How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques – By Steven Raichlen
• Accessories: Grill Brush, Marinader, Charcoal, etc.

We did a ton of grilling over the summer. And, Matt bought a ton of spices. In fact, when we moved in together in April, I swear he had more spices than me when we unpacked. We tried some of McCormick's Grill Mates products, such as the... Smokehouse Maple and Montreal Chicken seasonings. And, the Applewood Rub was another favorite that we discovered. It is really awesome on chicken or ribs. Yum!

As a member of McCormick Grill Ambassadors on Crowdtap, I have been participating in some fun grilling discussions the past few months.  I've learned a lot about more of McCormick's Grill Mates products. I got selected to host a McCormick Grill Mates party for my family and friends. I got an awesome McCormick Grill Mates kit in the mail, which included...

• Party Booklet (Including awesome recipes!)
• Grill Mates® Spiced Brandy & Herb Marinade
• Grill Mates® Slow and Low Memphis Pit BBQ Rub
• Grill Mates® Montreal Steak Seasoning Blend
• Grill Mates® Molasses Bacon Seasoning Blend
• Grill Mates® Brown Sugar Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Now, I know my boyfriend Matt is a bit skeptical of all the time I spend on Crowdtap. And, he has seen me get Old Navy sample shares and hosted parties in the past. But, I swear he was even more excited than me when I told him about the McCormick's Grill Mates Party. Despite trying their seasonings, we had never tried their BBQ sauce or marinades. I didn't even know that McCormick's had a BBQ sauce until recently.

I recently relocated to Greenville, SC for my job in late April. It has been an absolutely *crazy* few months. I've been covering two jobs, etc. Anyway. This was the perfect little treat in between all of the craziness. We took a much needed vacation in early June to visit my boyfriend's family in the D.C. area / my family in PA. I decided to take the McCormick's party pack on our trip. I knew it would be the perfect time for a BBQ.

When we were visiting my relatives in PA, we had a weekend BBQ at my Mom's house and invited everyone over. We used the Molasses Bacon seasoning for burgers. And, we tried a few different types of chicken, using the Brown Sugar Bourbon BBQ Sauce and Spiced Brand & Herb Marinade. Yum! Everyone had a different opinion on which one they liked the most. Unfortunately, I got so caught up catching up with family and friends that I forgot to take pictures. Epic fail. Ugh. I am still a bit upset about it. Oh well...

I haven't tried the Memphis Pit BBQ rub yet, but we're actually planning on using it tomorrow. We bought some awesome looking ribs at Sam's Club last night. I am getting hungry just staring at the picture. We're planning on marinading them and grilling them tomorrow for dinner. And, when I was at Sam's Club, they had a McCormick's display right as you walked in the store. They had large 29oz. McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Chicken & Steak seasonings for $6.98. How ironic, right!? I definitely recommend both of them.

bo

  

Thanks again, Crowdtap & McCormick Grill Mates ...

 

 

 

Learn more about McCormick Grill Mates:
http://www.mccormick.com/products/grillmates/productlanding.aspx

Join Crowdtap: 

 http://www.crowdtap.com/