Category Archives: Product Review

February 1, 2017 · 4:29 pm

Giveaway! Whole Foods Market Will Help Make You Super Bowl Party Champion

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You know what my favorite thing is about the Super Bowl? Super Bowl parties! Yes, I’m what you might call a casual football fan — I’ll watch if I’m someplace where the game is on, but I don’t go out of my way for it. The Super Bowl, however, is an exception. Of course, that it’s the championship game ups my interest. But the hoopla that comes along with it (i.e. par-tay), is what really makes it exciting for me. And a big part of that is the party fare. Because game food — I’m talking wings, nachos, chili, chips & dip — is always good, and I will always indulge on game day.

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So, this year I had a chance to practice my Super Bowl party dishes before the big game, thanks to Whole Foods Market. Using their 365 products and foods made in-house, I prepared a “mock” Super Bowl celebration for our family. It might sound like a big undertaking, but it was actually quite easy. Whole Foods Market’s made-in-house foods are always fresh and tasty, so a lot of the prep involved just heating up or pouring into bowls.

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The wings were already cooked, so I just put them in the oven for 10 minutes to get them to eating temp. Tortilla chips with salsa and guacamole just needed some transferring to bowls, easy peasy. The nachos took a little more time, but putting chips, beans, and cheese into a dish and popping it in the oven was simple. And topping it with 365 Cantina Style salsa instead of homemade pico de gallo saved some work, too.

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I decided to include a couple of healthier options, salad and shrimp, to balance out the heavier dishes — and because I know some folks like to keep it light, even at a party. I also picked up some Whole Foods 365 lemonades because we all enjoy them (FYI: They make good mixers for adult drinks…you’re welcome).

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We may not have had competition, but I’d call our Super Bowl Party dinner from Whole Foods Market a big win! It was convenient to shop for, super easy to prepare, and everyone loved it. Even better, your family can win a $100 Whole Foods Market gift card to shop for all you need to throw a Super Bowl Party of your own – enter now on the KidFriendly DC Facebook page! Get an extra chance to win by entering below, too!

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Giveaway: For a chance to win a $100 Whole Foods Market gift card, simply leave a comment below telling me your favorite Super Bowl Party dish. (This is an extra entry — you must also enter on the KidFriendly DC Facebook page.) This giveaway will run through Sunday, February 5, then a winner will be drawn at random and notified shortly thereafter. Good luck!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Whole Foods Market, however, I only promote places programs, and services that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.


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Filed under Eats, Giveaway, Product Review, Shop, Sponsored Post, Sports, Winter

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December 1, 2016 · 12:12 pm

LuLaRoe: Cute, Comfy Clothes for Women & Kids (+Giveaway!)

Cute & comfy for kids, too!

Cute & comfy for kids, too!



If you’ve had a chance to check out this year’s Holiday Gift Guide, then you’ve likely seen among the recommendations LuLaRoe clothing from local seller Jill O’Hanlon. And I’m highlighting it once again to provide a little more background on the fashion line — and because Jill is giving away a $100 gift certificate to shop her store to one lucky KFDC reader!

As noted in the gift guide, you’re likely already aware of LuLaRoe, as it’s been popping up all over social media in recent months. That was how I’d heard about it, too, but it was Jill who really introduced me to the clothes when we met for coffee and she brought along a whole rack of items for me to try on. I ended up leaving with a bunch because I liked them so much — a couple of dresses, leggings, a shirt, and some fun pieces for Sasha, too.

The maxi dress comes in many prints

The maxi dress comes in many prints

The clothes are as comfortable as they are flattering. They’re all made of really soft material that fits well, clinging to or hanging right on all sizes and shapes. There are several standard styles that come in a variety of prints and colors. Because they’re so popular, the leggings could be called their signature piece, buttery soft (so, so comfy… I think they’re actually called “Butter Leggings”) and in lots of fun patterns.

Softest leggings ever

Softest leggings ever

The interesting thing about LuLaRoe is how it’s sold. The clothes are available through independent business owners at pop-up boutiques, online in private shopping groups, and at other events.

As a consultant for LuLaRoe, Jill has an inventory of over 1,000 pieces of clothing that she brings with her to pop-up boutiques. Anyone can host a pop-up and earn free clothing for themselves when they invite their friends and family over to shop the inventory. Unlike the typical “home party,” there are no speeches, pitches, or ordering from a catalog. Customers get to try on all the clothes and go home with them the same day. LuLaRoe has also allowed consultants to sell via Facebook Groups and on Periscope.

The swing dress an Julia dress

The swing dress and Julia dress



Want to get in on it? Join Jill’s Facebook Group or contact her at lularoejillohanlon@gmail.com to arrange a pop-up boutique event of your own. But first, enter the giveaway for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to spend in her shop!

Giveaway: For a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to use in Jill O’Hanlon’s LuLaRoe shop, simply leave a comment below. To be eligible, you must join Jill’s Facebook Group and like KidFriendly DC on Facebook, too. This giveaway will run through next Wednesday, December 7, then a winner will be drawn at random and notified shortly thereafter. Good luck!

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More about LuLaRoe and Jill…
LuLaRoe began just 3.5 years ago by Deanne Stidham. Deanne was a single mother of seven children and was trying to find a way to be at home, be a mom, and provide for her children at the same time. She began sewing maxi skirts for her daughters and then their friends, soon hosting parties for friends and selling hundreds of skirts at a time.

Since then, Deanne has developed her business to give other women (and even some men) the opportunity to sell her clothing in the same manner — to get out and make connections, meet other women, and share with them the love of LuLaRoe. Despite its short past, LuLaRoe is currently the fastest growing company in the United States. Lularoe is an ethical, environmentally conscious clothing company that until recently produced everything in its factory and warehouse in California. Due to high demand, LuLaRoe is now manufacturing in China, Mexico, and Guatamala, to name a few places, but follows strict guidelines for ethical working conditions and fair wages.
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Jill has been a stay-at-home mom for the last five years, raising her girls Emerson (5) and Marigold (3), and she’s been married to her husband for 14 years. They live in College Park, MD, in a little bungalow, trying to make it all work like other families aiming for work/life balance. LuLaRoe allows her to work on her own time, so she can be available to her girls when they need her, yet cultivate a career and contribute to the financial well-being of their family. She would love for you to join her Facebook Group or arrange a pop-up boutique event of your own!


Disclosure: I received several LuLaRoe items complimentary of Jill O’Hanlon, however, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own, and I only promote products and services that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.


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Filed under Giveaway, Moms, Product, Product Review, Professional Service, Shop

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November 16, 2016 · 11:47 am

Thanksgiving Made Easy and Delicious with Whole Foods Market

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Do you need some help with your Thanksgiving feast? Perhaps you’ve been distracted by recent big events and haven’t even thought about preparing for it yet. Maybe you’re extra busy this time of year because, well, life can get really busy. Or you might just want to focus more on family and friends and have extra time to enjoy the many wonderful activities happening around DC over the holiday season.

Whatever the reason, Whole Foods Market can help make Thanksgiving easier. Offering already-prepped meals with all of the traditional dishes, the bulk of the work is done, so all you have to do is put the food in the oven and anticipate a wonderful feast!

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I know from firsthand experience that it is one delicious dinner. A few evenings ago, I was invited to Whole Foods Market Fair Lakes for a wine tasting and dinner to learn about the market’s packaged meals for the holiday — in the tastiest way possible. After sampling their top reds, whites, and sparklings for the holidays, we feasted on a traditional dinner, which included the turkey, gravy, sage stuffing, homestyle mashed potatoes, organic cranberry orange relish, green beans with shallots, carrots, and sweet potatoes.

The first of my two big plates of the Traditional Turkey Dinner

The first of my two big plates of the Traditional Turkey Dinner

Whole Foods Top 10 Wines for the holidays

Whole Foods Top 10 Wines for the holidays

Even better, the meal is not only scrumptious, it’s also an excellent deal: The Traditional Turkey Dinner serving 6-8 is just $89, and $169 serving 12-16. They also offer an Organic Turkey Dinner serving 6-8 for $99. On top of that, the wines they recommend are reasonably priced, ranging from $11.99 to about $30. (My favorite, the Camino Calixo Cava, was actually the least expensive one.)

The Traditional Turkey Dinner, packed and ready for your oven

The Traditional Turkey Dinner, packed and ready for your oven

Along with the tasting and feasting, there was also a tablescaping show by Williams Sonoma to inspire some Thanksgiving table decorating. This featured their Plymouth Dinnerware Collection with cute ceramic turkey tureens and other festive ware (psst… much of it is on sale right now!).

William Sonoma's festive Thanksgiving table

William Sonoma’s festive Thanksgiving table

Something I should note is that the turkey is not cooked! But it’s all seasoned and rubbed with herb butter on a bed of mirepoix and ready to go; you simply unwrap it and place in the oven for 3 to 4 hours to achieve a perfect, roasted bird.

All carved and ready to savor!

All carved and ready to savor!

And if you’ve got the turkey down, but need some help with the sides, they are all available to order individually. You might even like an alternative to turkey, either to suite your preference or do something different for a holiday meal later in the season — they’ve got options for that, too. And speaking of holiday meals beyond Thanksgiving, if you place an order for one by November 22, you can get $10 off!

Ready to reserve your bird — and the rest of your Thanksgiving meal? Ordering is as simple as the meal prep will be. Go to www.wholefoodsmarket.com/shop, select your store, and place your order.

Easy as pie. (Speaking of, you can add that to your meal, too!)


Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Whole Foods Market, however, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own, and I only promote places, services, and programs that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.


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Filed under Annual, DC, Discount, Eats, Holidays, Maryland, Product Review, Professional Service, Seasonal, Sponsored Post, Virginia

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October 5, 2016 · 11:00 am

‘Make Delicious’ Asian Meals at Home with GrandPa’s Kit

Tang-Thack Noodles - delicious and easy to make with GrandPa's Kit!

Tang-Thack Noodles – delicious and easy to make with GrandPa’s Kit!



I’m a big fan of the meal delivery trend. I’m not talking about having someone drive over food from local eateries (though that definitely has a place in my world on those lazy/busy days ). I’m talking about the services that send everything you need to prepare a good, healthy meal at home. Because while I do like to cook, I’m not the best at coming up with new dinner ideas and gathering all of the ingredients needed for some of the more interesting and exotic dishes.

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So, when GrandPa’s Kit reached out to invite me to try their service, I signed up immediately. They stood out to me because they specialize in Asian cuisine, mostly Asian Street Food, which our family really enjoys. It’s just not something I really make on my own, since I’m not a very creative dinner planner and recipes often call for ingredients I don’t keep on hand at home.

Using their service is extremely easy: You go to the website, browse the menu options, make your meal selection, pick a delivery date, then check out. Everything is done online, and the website is very easy to navigate. We’ve had two deliveries (with three different meals), and there have never been any issues. I’ve ordered meals for the next day, and they’ve always arrived during the time frame promised. And the most important part: They have all been easy — and fun — to make and exceptionally delicious!

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So far we’ve had the Green Curry with Crispy Tofu, the Tang-Thack Noodle with Fried Tofu, and Okonomiyaki (a savory Japanese pancake that was new to us). All of the ingredients needed to cook the meal come in a box carefully bundled with ice packs to keep everything fresh. It all comes in exact, measured amounts, so nothing is wasted, though you still do the prep work — the washing, chopping, dicing, etc. Detailed cooking instructions, including images, come with every meal. You can also view short timelapse videos online for extra inspiration.

Okonomiyaki is like a Japanese pizza and as tasty as it is interesting

Okonomiyaki is like a Japanese pizza and as tasty as it is interesting

Green curry with tofu, just as good as any restaurant

Green curry with tofu, just as good as any restaurant

Right now GrandPa’s Kit provides service in DC and the Northern Virginia area. Prices are good, comparable to other delivery services, even slightly better. The servings are very generous, so a meal for two can sometimes feed all of us. The lack of leftovers doesn’t mean there wasn’t enough, but indication we liked it that much!

So, are you ready to ‘Make Delicious’? Give GrandPa’s Kit a try and get $10 off your first order – just use the code GRANDPA10OFF when you check out. And let me know how you like it!


Disclosure: I received complimentary meals to try GrandPas’s Kit to review, however, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.


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Filed under DC, Discount, Eats, Product Review, Professional Service, Virginia

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January 28, 2016 · 10:24 am

Enter to Win a 3-Month Subscription to Kiwi Crate!

Kiwi Crate Family Brands >>


We are huge fans of Kiwi Crate here on the KFDC home front. But if you’ve been reading the blog for awhile (or even a short time) you probably already knew that. I started recommending the monthly activity boxes for kids a few years ago after my mom surprised Owen and Sasha with a subscription, and I raved about them as recently as this past holiday season when they topped the KFDC Gift Guide.

But in case you’re a new reader or just haven’t heard of Kiwi Crate yet, here’s the gist: Every month, a box with all the materials and inspiration needed for a project is delivered. It’s a new theme each time, and the kit includes supplies, a little magazine with background info about the theme, and ideas for kids to build on when their project is complete.

Experimenting with color

Experimenting with color

It started with just Kiwi Crate, mostly creative craft projects for children. Now, there are four kinds of boxes available. Koala Crate includes play and learn activities for ages 3-4. Kiwi Crate has the creative and educational projects for ages 5-8. Doodle Crate contains art and design DIY’s for ages 9-16+. And Tinker Crate has hands-on STEM-focused projects for ages 9-16+. 2020 Update: There are even more boxes now!

Sasha still receives the Kiwi Crate and has made all kinds of cute crafts and fun games. Owen started getting Tinker Crate last year and has conducted interesting experiments and built some pretty neat gadgets, like a trebuchet and a drawbot. And, for the most part, both of them can follow the instructions and complete the projects on their own — though I find it fun to work on them, too!

Setting up a drip migration system and learning about hydroponics

Setting up a drip migration system and learning about hydroponics

If you’re interested in trying out Kiwi Crate for yourself, now is a great time to do so. KidFriendly DC readers can get 30% off the first month’s subscription to any of Kiwi Crate’s four products. You can also try to win a 3-month subscription through the giveaway below!

Giveaway: Want a chance to win a 3-month subscription to one of Kiwi Crate’s products? Simply leave a comment below telling me your child’s favorite artsy activity. To be eligible, you must also “like” KidFriendly DC on Facebook and subscribe to the blog (sign-up is to the left). The giveaway will run until next Thursday, February 4, then a winner will be drawn at random and notified shortly thereafter. Good luck!

Disclosure: KidFriendly DC is an affiliate of Kiwi Crate, however, all views expressed here are entirely my own.


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