Disclaimer: I was provided Nature’s Promise products free of charge from Giant Food Stores. While the products were provided to me for the purpose of this review all the opinions are my own. 

Giant was kind enough to send me a great variety of products to try out, everything from spices and condiments to snacks and cleaning supplies. While eating organic isn’t necessarily a priority for us, we try to eat clean. I like foods with short ingredient lists and words I can actually read. We enjoy things that aren’t full of a lot of chemicals and artificial ingredients.

What I like about the Nature’s Promise products is that they don’t break the bank. Many people don’t try organic and natural products because they feel they can’t afford to, well Giant makes it possible for everyone to feed their families better and use more responsible products in our homes.

Let me share a few of my favorites with you.

Say hello to my afternoon snack. Chocolate animal cookies and peanut butter. If you are accustomed to JIF or Skippy, the Nature’s Promise Organic Peanut Butter might through you off. First, it separates. There is a thin layer of oil on the top that needs to be stired in. If you’re not used to a natural peanut butter you might find it a little bland. All that goes into making a jar of Nature’s Promise Organic Peanut Butter is organic peanuts and sea salt. That’s it! No sugar, no hydrogenated oils, this is peanut butter in it’s purest form.

I have never had chocolate animal cookies before and I have to say, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?!?

Together these two make a great snack.

Another great afternoon snack is Greek yogurt and Nature’s Promise Berry & Flax Ganola. Add a little honey and stir for pure perfection and that much needed afternoon crunch.

I was also given the opportunity to try out some non-food items from the Nature’s Promise Free From line.

The hand soap was something that I needed to warm up to. The first time I used it I missed my hand entirely because it’s very watery so firm pressure on the pump sends it flying. Despite being watery, it cleans well and smells great. Another BIG plus for me is that it doesn’t dry out my hands.

This hand soap is free from from artificial fragrances, dyes, harsh chemicals, paragon, sulfate, triclosan and phthalates. It has a relatively short ingredient list that includes plant extracts.

My favorite test item was the candle! My only gripe is that I wish it was bigger. This plant based candle smells like summer. The candles I usually burn are the big, three wick kind so I wasn’t expecting much from this little 4oz candle. Boy was I surprised! Before long my house was filled with the summery scent.

Being free from the chemicals and artificial fragrances and dyes makes me feel better about burning in the house with the kids and animals.

Other products I tried (and enjoyed):

• Free From Toilet Paper
• Cinnamon
• Italian spices
• Agave nectar
• Spinach
• All Purpose Cleaner

I’d love for you to try out some of the more than 800 different Nature’s Promise products and Giant would like to make it easier for you to just that. One lucky winner will receive a $25 Giant gift card.

It’s easy to enter, simply use the widget below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I think oatmeal sometimes gets a bad rap. People find it boring or think it’s not good for their diet because of carbs.

Of course neither of those things are true. Oatmeal is like a blank canvas just waiting for you to make something wonderful with it. Oh and it’s also great if you’re trying to shead a few pounds. Say hello to soluble fiber, that stuff that hangs out in your stomach longer and makes you feel full. If you feel full you’re probably not going to overeat.

That soluble fiber can also reduce bad cholesterol, which is super heart healthy.

Not all oatmeal is created equally though. Stay away from those packets of instant oats, they’re over processed and often contain a ton of sugar. You don’t need the added sugar when you can add Mother Nature’s sugar.

I prefer the Old Fashioned (or rolled) oats. They don’t go through as much processing as the instant stuff and they are much heartier.

How I do it.

I like to cook my oats with almond milk, it gives them a great flavor and consistency without adding a whole lot of calories. From there I add the good stuff.

I always add Chia Seeds to my oatmeal, it gives my breakfast an extra boost of fiber and protein.

Usually my breakfast is as simple as oatmeal, with chia seeds and honey to sweeten it.

Other ideas and tested favorites are:

• Cinnamon
• Agave (use instead of honey, not with it)
• Fresh fruit (bananas are delicious)
• Maple Syrup (again, NOT when using honey or agave)
• Brown sugar
• Peanut butter powder
• Cocoa powder

Really any combination of the above is delicious and cane made with little time and effort.

Be sure that you’re not adding too much of any of the sweet stuff or you’re not doing any better than those store-bought packets. I generally use about half to two thirds of what the bottle says is a serving.

Do you enjoy a nice bowl of oatmeal? What do you add to yours?