Reviews

Michelina’s Lean Gourmet Review

by Katie on November 17, 2011

As a homeschooling mom of four, I’m always amazed at how fast a day can slip away from me.  Between working through lessons of Algebra, science, geography, and phonics, it’s not always easy to squeeze in time for laundry, cooking, and dishes.  I find there are days when the term “planning ahead” literally means trying to brainstorm what the next thirty minutes will entail for our household!

Although infrequent, I’ve found that I feel the most unorganized on the days that I work outside the home.  Since I am at home for the great majority of days, I’m used to pulling together leftovers for lunch, and not needing to put a great deal of planning into a noontime meal.  However, that logic goes right out the window on my work days, and if I haven’t planned ahead, the option of buying lunch out becomes a rather costly choice.

As a result, I was pleased to recently discover Michelina’s line of Lean Gourmet All Natural Bowls.  These bowls are made with all-natural ingredients, and contain no preservatives.  Plus, each bowl offers two servings of vegetables and steam cooks to lock in nutrients.

I tried two different Michelina’s All Natural Bowls – Southwestern Fresca and Sesame Lo Mein.  The Southwestern Fresca pulled together a unique blend of ingredients – penne pasta, corn, red and black beans, broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, and red onions.  It was a very hearty meal, and with 290 calories and 9 grams of fat, it was a better alternative to a fast food meal.

I also really enjoyed the Sesame Lo Mein.  This bowl included a combination of Lo Mein, broccoli, sugar snap peas, water chestnuts, pineapple, and mushrooms in a sweet and spicy sesame sauce.  It was a delicious array of flavors, and came in at 320 calories and 9 grams of fat.

I was not only impressed with the taste and nutritional value of these meals, but I was also pleased by the cost.  Instead of spending $5 or more at a local fast food restaurant, these meals cost a mere $1.78 each.  As an added bonus, each box contained a coupon for $1 off 5 Michelina’s Lean Gourmet Entrees, enabling me to purchase these meals in the future for just $1.58 with the enclosed coupon.

If you have the October issue of All You Magazine, you’ll be able to pick up these meals for $1.28 each, as there is a coupon for $1/2 Michelina’s Lean Gourmet All Natural Bowls inside this issue.

Disclaimer: This review was sponsored by All You Magazine.  I received a Walmart gift card in order to purchase and try the Michelina’s Lean Gourmet All Natural Bowls. All opinions expressed on Cincinnati Cents are (as always!) mine.

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Green B.E.A.N. Delivery Review & Promotional Code

by Katie on August 30, 2011

I was recently contacted by Green B.E.A.N. Delivery in regards to their organic produce delivery service.  Green B.E.A.N. Delivery features organic produce and natural groceries from Midwest farmers and artisans that are delivered directly to your home or office doorstep.

Since I’ve never used a home delivery service like this before, I was excited to try out Green B.E.A.N. Delivery.  The website was very user-friendly and easy to navigate.  Once I picked out my produce bin, I was able to customize the bin before it was scheduled for delivery.  I was more than pleased with their selections, and elected not to make any changes.

The produce bin arrived right on schedule, and I was amazed at the variety of fresh produce that awaited me.  In a nutshell, we received the following items:

Squash
Zucchini
Strawberries
Grape tomatoes
Broccoli
Nectarines
Plums
Cucumber
Lettuce
Blackberries
Red cherries

Now I have to admit, while produce is a huge chunk of my weekly grocery budget, I do not typically purchase organic produce.  However, I was incredibly impressed with the produce we received.  My counter (as you can see from the picture) was covered in a vibrant array of colors.

And the taste – amazing!  We all agreed that the strawberries were the freshest, sweetest berries that we’ve had all year.  Once they were gone, the kids asked if all we had left were those other strawberries!  We certainly enjoyed all the fruits and vegetables that Green B.E.A.N. Delivery sent us.

Want to try out Green B.E.A.N. Delivery service for yourself?  Green B.E.A.N. Delivery would like to offer my readers a discount on the order of their first produce bin.  Simply enter the promotional code KCCapc at checkout to receive 50% off your first produce bin purchase.  It’s important to note that the 50% off code does not apply to any grocery items added to your first order.  This promotional code is valid for the communities of Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, and Northern Kentucky, and is effective through Tuesday, September 6th at 12:00 p.m. EST.

Disclaimer: The products for this review were provided by Green B.E.A.N. Delivery.  I received (1) small produce bin. All opinions expressed on Cincinnati Cents are (as always!) mine.

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MySavings: Freebies, Samples, and Coupons

by Katie on December 3, 2009

When I first started what I call my “serious couponing” (you know – saving more than $1.35 a week!), I was intrigued not only by the coupon deals I found online, but the generous offerings of free samples as well. I’ll be the first to admit that I love trying a sample of a product before I decide to pick up a full sized version at the store. Plus, the smaller, trial-sized items are perfect for my oldest son now that he is venturing out on scout camping trips (especially since I never quite know what condition his gear will be in once he arrives home – except always muddy!).

As a new dollar stretching mom, I had the tendency to become slightly over zealous with my freebie search. I quickly realized that as a homeschooling mom of four, I only had a limited time to devote to searching for samples and freebies. So, I bookmarked a few online forums, visiting them from time to time, choosing those items that would be of most benefit to our family. One such site that I marked was MySavings.com.

I was impressed with the overall organization of this site. The free samples are subdivided into a variety of categories such as new samples, bath & beauty, baby, and so on. Each listing receives a rating, and features consumer reviews. For instance, consumers will give feedback as to whether they liked the sample or if it arrived in a timely manner. This efficient organization makes it easy to pick and choose those items that might be beneficial to an individual.

In addition to samples and freebies, MySavings features money saving offers specific to a person’s local zip code, as well as online coupon codes, savings forums, and printable coupons. New users do need to register in order to have access to the site, but there is no fee, and the process is fairly simple. As a side note, I always suggest using an alternate e-mail address when signing up for freebies and offers. It simplifies your e-mail inboxes to have separate accounts for personal mail, surveys, and free offers.

Once you input your basic registration information, you will go through a series of screens with customized offers and internet deals. I tend to be very choosy about what I sign up for, so I skipped right past these pages. You do not need to select any of these offers to continue to the next page – simply click the continue or skip button at the bottom of each page. Once you’ve scrolled through these pages, you’ll land on the home page where you’ll be able to browse around the site.

Have you utilized any of the features or forums at MySavings.com? If so, what are your thoughts?

This review was sponsored by MySavings.com. However, the thoughts and opinions in this post are completely mine.

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