Back To School With Walgreens ~ Trail Mix Cookie Recipe

July 31, 2018

I was asked by Carusele to participate in the #SimplyNice campaign, sponsored by Walgreens. Although I have been compensated, all opinions are my own.

It’s suddenly that time of year again - the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall. Even though it’s the busiest time of year for some, Walgreens provides a lot of excellent snacking and baking options in their line of Nice!®

products, perfect for busy days and nights. I was actually able to use in a cookie recipe – perfect for packing in school lunches and also great for the office!

Also, please join us for a #SimplyNice Twitter party, where you can win prizes for answering questions on August 1!!!

Stocking up on snacks and ingredients is so easy and convenient during one quick stop into any Walgreens store! Keep reading to get the recipe for these irresistible Trail Mix Cookies and to learn more about the fine selection of snacks at Walgreens. They have TONS of options, to suit everyone’s taste and preference.

GIVING BACK:

Nice! is donating a portion of their sales to Me To We Foundation during the month of August on purchases made on select items. Every purchase gives school supplies to children in Kenya*. You can track your impact by entering code 658482 at: www.walgreens.com/metowe.

*Thru 8/23/18, for every specifically marked bag purchased, $.06 will be donated to the ME to WE Foundation, up to $175,000. For more info, visit www.we.org, purchases are not tax deductible, and this is not valid in Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands.

TRAIL MIX COOKIES

Makes 25-30 Cookies

I am all about making life easier, and more delicious, so I wanted to share this scrumptious Trail Mix Cookie Recipe, which utilize the Hikers Trail Mix from Walgreens Nice! These make a great dessert or snack, and will be one of the most delicious lunchbox items around!

If you’re a fan of pepitas, sunflower seeds, and mixed nuts like cashews and peanuts, then you’ll LOVE these cookies. They also have a hint of cinnamon, lots of oats as well as a few other tasty ingredients. I am so excited to share this recipe with you! I hope you enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:

1 - 1 ½ C. Walgreens Nice! Hikers Trail Mix or Magic Trail Mix

½ C. softened butter

½ C. brown sugar – light and fluffy

¼ C. Honey

¼ C. Peanut Butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

¾ - 1 C. rolled oats

¾ C. whole wheat flour

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp. cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prep ingredients. Cream butter and sugar together until well combined (1-2 minutes). Add egg and mix until well combined.

2. Add all dry ingredients except for Walgreens Nice Hikers Trail Mix and oats and mix until fully incorporated.

3. Slowly add Hikers Trail Mix and Oats until you reach a nice, chunky dough consistency.

4. Freeze dough in mixing bowl for 5-10, then roll small 1½“ balls, and bake 6 dough balls per tray, lined with parchment paper for 10-15 minutes. Feel free to rotate baking pans half way through baking if desired.

Note – Dough balls MUST be frozen before baking for best results. I would also suggest baking no more than 6 cookies per baking sheet because they do spread out a bit. These cookies taste amazing!!!

Nice! believes in celebrating the good in every day, every food, offering a range of healthier products that nourish the body, and delicious treats that elevate the spirit!

I love this mindset because I love creating recipes that also inspire my readers and fans every day.

These cookies are absolutely perfect for making ahead of time, then packing for lunch at school or the office! These cookies are also unique and so delicious for the office, for bake sales, for parties, and a batch of these cookies makes an amazing gift too!

I love the fact that the various trail mixes from Walgreens are all so different from one another, yet all taste so scrumptious! My other favorite mixes include the Fruit & Nut Trail Mix, which contains dried pineapple and mango, as well as dried bananas, cashews, and more. Additionally, the Magic Trail /mix, which has been a solid choice for me for the past year or so, appeals to my sweet tooth because it more of traditional mix with M&M’s, dark chocolate chips, peanut butter drops, peanuts, and raisins – YUM!

In addition to packing these cookies for an easy meal, and I’d love to suggest a few of the brand’s lunch-sized snacks, all available at Walgreens. I am already a huge fan of the Organic Cheddar Puffs, their Organic Teriyaki Beef Jerky, Fruit Medley Trail Mix, and more. A large variety of their products are organic, which I absolutely love. It’s hard to find a line of such delicious organic foods.

I am constantly so impressed with each snack I taste from Walgreens Nice. I have had several of their snacks before, but I also recently learned about these delicious individual-serving sized snack packs.

I am actually fortunate enough to be able to say that I have such great memories about my school lunches. As funny as that sounds, both my Dad and my Mom would pack me school lunches up until I was beginning high school. When there were homemade cookies in my lunch box or lunch bag, no one would ever be able to trade me for anything, LOL! I have always loved homemade cookies.

What do you pack for your children’s school lunches or for your own lunch at work? Alternately, what did your parents pack for your school lunches?

Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous Fall!

Connect with Walgreens Nice on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Elegant Yet Easy Dinner Ideas with New Tyson Dinner Kits

July 30, 2018

This post is sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc. All comments and opinions are my own.

One of my very favorite things in life is having dinner with friends. It’s an amazing excuse to get together a few times a week and it also ensures that we all have at least a few good meals each week. We are all so busy that sometimes we need to treat ourselves!

If my friends are hosting, I love bringing dinner over. I often stop by the store on the way to their house and Target is right on the way, so I grab everything we need, then head to their house for a relaxing and delicious night!

Weeknight meals can be both easy and delicious with Tyson® Dinner and Entrée Kits from Target. The flavors are all so delicious. Keep reading to see how we incorporated these meal kits into a night with friends.

I found that two of the Tyson Dinner and Entrée Kits, plus a few snacks to munch on while we cook, completely filled all four of us! I always grab fresh fruits and veggies as snacks, since we really make cooking the meal a major part of our night. Tyson Dinner and Entrée Kits are made with proteins and vegetables that are prepped and portioned, then frozen at the peak of freshness

At Target, I chose the Tyson Dinner Kit - Lemon Parmesan Chicken, which I found in the freezer aisle near all the other Tyson chicken products. I also included a nice loaf of sourdough bread, and a large variety of veggies and fruits like grapes, apricots, and a few other items that were in season. Whatever we didn’t finish, we left for our friends to enjoy for lunches throughout the week.

Curious about the difference between the Dinner Kits and the Entrée Kits? The Dinner Kits include a vegetable for a complete meal, while the Entrée Kits include a protein, sauce and topping and is intended to be paired with a side dish to make a complete meal! These meals are so versatile and so delicious!

For the price of these meals, you get way more food than you would in a restaurant, which is awesome. And, compared to ordering takeout or pizza at our friend’s house, our bellies were much more full and satisfied, and we bonded over the prep and cooking experiences! We even got to eat outside, which made the night feel like we were dining in a five star restaurant.

These process of making these meals was super easy and WOW, they were delicious - seriously, the meals got rave reviews from everyone.

COMPARED TO MEAL ORDER KITS:

While they did remind me of the mail order meal kit services (since they contain all pre-portioned ingredients), I found them MUCH easier to prepare. For instance, the chicken is already seasoned and cut to size, plus, the veggies were already chopped as well. The meal kits would have shipped me a whole head of broccoli that I had to chop myself.

Overall, I was extremely happy with these Tyson Dinner Kits! They are going to be a staple in my home, as I am sure they will in yours! Check out the other Dinner and Entrée Kit varieties available in the freezer aisle at Target:

Dinner Kit - Crispy Chicken Pomodoro

Dinner Kit - Lemon Parmesan Chicken

Dinner Kit - Seasoned Steak Fillet & Mushrooms

Entrée Kit - Crispy Adobo Chicken

Entrée Kit - Roasted Ginger Chicken

Entrée Kit - Citrus Roasted Chicken

WHAT WE BROUGHT TO DINNER:

We brought everything over in a vintage picnic basket, and then added a couple of cute towels below all of the food to create a safe surface to cushion the food. Like a gift basket, I created a beautiful array of colors and fresh items that really makes for a gorgeous presentation.

1 Tyson Dinner Kit - Lemon Parmesan Chicken

½ lb. red grapes

½ lb. green grapes

1 package of Crackers (plus optional cheese for crackers)

1 package of Cookies in any flavor

2 bottles sparkling water (this could also be wine)

Lettuce for salad

Other seasonal fruits and veggies that added color and texture to the basket.

Be sure to grab this Target Cartwheel digital offer for $2 off any ONE Tyson® Dinner or Entrée Kit from 8/1/18-8/30/18.

Have you tried these new Tyson Dinner and Entrée Kits yet? They’re new, so if your local Target doesn’t have them yet, you won’t have to wait long to try them!

Have a wonderful summer!!

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FREE Summer Fun + A Cute DIY Gift Idea!

July 25, 2018

This post is sponsored by Zynga, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Looking for fun and entertaining ways to enjoy the summer? Well I have teamed up with Zynga Words With Friends 2 to help share some fun and easy ways to have fun for FREE. Hey, we can all use a break, right?!

With this fun gift idea + a brand-new version of the Words With Friends app will help entertain everyone this summer. Help create more winning experiences this year, enjoy the thrill of the game.

Learn more about Words with Friends 2 here.

Download the game here (Apple store) or here (Google Play). Brush up on rules here!

You may be familiar with their first WWF game, but this one is a bit more updated and runs SUPER fast on my phone.

I love how you actually stretch your brain capacity and also learn new words. It’s fun for the whole entire family, and even fun with groups of friends too. I feel smarter during and after playing Words With Friends – I always pull out new words in conversations later that day! The game helps me connect with friends (new and old)!

I have met all sorts of new friends through the WWF app! There are always tons of players ready to start or complete a game with us, every time we login. We play ALL the time, and since we are always on the go, it’s something familiar in each place too.

With all of the Double Letter (DL), Triple Letter (TL), Double Word (DW), and Triple Word (TW) spots on the board, you can really gain a lot of points in just a turn or two.

Some of our highest scoring words are: CLOTS, TAXED, and HANDLED!!

DIY SUMMER GIFT IDEA

I know that rock painting has been around for decades, but I thought that a fun way to commemorate our friendship and share the beauty of the river would be to paint our friends’ names on rocks, then spell out their names in a gift. I had so much fun, and the best part of this crafty activity, is that you may already have everything you need – deeming this a FREE project!

MATERIALS:

Smooth River Rocks

Acrylic Craft Paint in White, Coral, Mint, and Raspberry

2-3 Small Craft Paintbrushes

Paper To Cover Work Surface

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Head to your local river to collect rocks, find them at a craft or hardware store, or find them anywhere else you like!

2.) Wipe off excess dirt from rocks with damp washcloth.

3.) Paint thick, white letters onto each rock. I used two coats of white paint for each letter. Below, you will see some rocks with two coats of white paint and some rocks in-process with only one coat of white paint.

4.) Paint colorful designs on top of white paint, on each rock.

5.) Give rocks as gift and let recipient spell out their names or secret message once they receive your gift! That’s it, and this project was so fun and easy. What a thoughtful gift.

THE FINISHED PRODUCT:

Luckily, The Words With Friends app is free as well, and while I was painting the rocks, my boyfriend Bobby entertained himself with the Words With Friends app on my new phone.

A SENSE OF CONNECTION:

With the weather being so warm and beautiful right now, it was a lot of fun to gather rocks for this project, then gift such a special and thoughtful memento to my friends. I feel like we are even more connected, just like how we will be able to play WWF from afar and know that we are still connecting and interacting.

Do you play Words With Friends yet? If so, what are some of your best words? Do you play with old friends or new ones?

Have a wonderful rest of the summer! Tag me on Instagram with @happysolez if you make this project, and tag the brand, @wordswithfriends on Instagram and as @wordswfriends on Facebook to show them how you spend time playing!!

LEARN MORE ABOUT WORDS WITH FRIENDS 2 HERE!!

Dr Pepper Pick Your Pepper Summer ~ Indoor Picnic Ideas

July 24, 2018

While summer is all about enjoying the outdoors, here in southern Illinois / most of the Midwest, the heat and humidity sometimes keep us indoors. I am not incredibly sensitive to the heat, but if you’re having guests over, not everyone is going to enjoy it or even be able to tolerate temps in the 90s, so you could always consider hosting an indoor picnic!

The theme/inspiration for this picnic was a bountiful French picnic that features ice cold Dr Pepper Pick Your Pepper theme bottles (a personal fave), and lots of delicious snacks. Nothing super heavy as far as food, just smaller bites that you and your guests can feast on throughout the evening.

Keep reading to learn more about how you can win fun and festive prizes for Summer.

Each 20 oz. Dr Pepper bottle features over 40 artistic and inspiring labels that contain a Snapchat code on them. To unlock this fun filter, simply open Snapchat, take a photo of the Snapchat logo / code on the side of the bottle, then a little notification will appear, giving you access to the filter. Below, two of my favorite Snapchat filters were outdoors themed.

YOU CAN WIN!

Callout that the fun, unique Pick Your Pepper packaging and how it’s fun, individualized, and designed by millennials, for millennials. Available in stores starting 6/15/18.

Call out the prize reward and drive to http://bit.ly/2pts8Qo

When you buy Dr Pepper 6/15-8/15 this summer, you can upload your reciept at http://bit.ly/2pts8Qo to get the prize featured in my blog here and/or other prizes like:

Spend $5 get 5 bottles = Dr Pepper Retro Specs

Spend $10 get 10 bottles = Dr Pepper Copper Lined Mug

Spend $20 get 20 bottles = Dr Pepper Bluetooth Speakers

Spend $30 get 30 bottles = Dr Pepper Pool Float

CHECK OUT THE RETRO SPECS, BELOW…

Scan the Snapchat code on any Dr Pepper Pick Your Pepper to reveal a unique filter you can use! I then save the image and share it wherever you want! Below, two of my favorites!

My boyfriend Bobby and I love being outdoors, so these filters are super cute. He adores fishing, so the Snapchat filter, shown above that says, “Keepin’ It Reel” is perfect for him!

While this particular picnic I hosted for this post was indoors, I loved bringing traditional outdoor picnic elements into the evening with galvanized metal trays to hold food, easy to eat bites of a huge assortment of foods, and even cozy floor pillows, rugs and lightweight picnic blankets. I still love incorporating rustic elements into my events no matter where I host!

There are so many benefits to hosting this picnic indoors - Think of it, no bugs, no heat, and all the food and drinks one can possibly snack on throughout the evening without having to leave the elevated comforts of home. It’s such a fun way to enjoy time with friends or have a date night!

TO SET A COZY SCENE:

I love the idea of reminiscing about days past, where we would put pillows and blankets onto the floor and have a sleepover. Now that I’m older, we don’t really do that anymore, so it’s fun and nostalgic to reminisce and more or less make a soft place on the floor to settle in for the evening! It could be super fun to set this up in the living room, where everything is centrally located. Or, even on a porch!

I also added upscale touches like French-inspired textiles in stripes and plaids of white and blue. I packed some of the 20 oz. bottles of Dr Pepper into a metal “picnic basket”, which was a great way to carry the bottles plus lots of other necessities.

FOR THE FOOD:

I am always drawn to bountiful plates of fruits and other bite sized foods, so this was the perfect opportunity to try my hand at not one but three snack trays!

For one platter, I used a large, round galvanized tray with handles to hold everything. I then placed a white charger plate in there, plus a marble cutting board to hold the meats and cheeses (this was the least messy way to display them), then placed items like croissants, red and green grapes, strawberries, and more.

For another tray, I placed mini chocolate chips, blueberries, and blackberries. For the last tray, I placed a bit of herbed goat cheese dip, sliced baguettes, and crackers to dip into the goat cheese.

I was so happy with how upscale everything looked!

TO SERVE YOUR GUESTS:

I used lightweight linens, gold plates, and gold plastic utensils (that almost looked real!!), which added a bit of shimmer and glitz to the picnic. The gold and white looked really lovely.

It would definitely be fun to host a similar picnic outdoors if you live somewhere the weather is nice all the time! I love this particular color scheme, and I know those party platters would really look great at so many of your summer events.

Connect with Dr Pepper across social media!

Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest /Instagram

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Camping With Dogs – Tips and Tricks with #WalgreensPetshoppe

July 17, 2018

I was asked by Carusele to participate in the #WalgreensPetshoppe campaign, sponsored by Walgreens. Although I have been compensated, all opinions are my own.

I was asked by Carusele to participate in the #WalgreensPethoppe campaign, sponsored by Walgreens. All content and opinions are my own.

We recently had the opportunity to take the dogs on a fun camping trip in Montana. There were almost more dogs than people, but that’s how the majority of our gatherings wind up anyway! Here are a few tips to help you through your next camping experience with dogs. We stocked up on TONS and TONS of amazing Petshoppe items from Walgreens before heading out, and since we had a pack of dogs, they all behaved very well because of the Petshoppe treats from Walgreens. What a fun addition to an already amazing weekend.

We have been taking our pups hiking and camping for over ten years now, and we always learn something new each time. It’s such a fun learning experience, and moreover, camping trips are the absolute best way to help our pets get lots of fresh air, exercise, and even social time with other dogs. The campground becomes such a fun experience for everyone. We could hardly imagine a camping trip without our dogs around. Below, our pupper friends Craig and De De came for a visit as well!!! Porter LOVES playing with these two brothers.

TOP CAMPING TIPS FOR PET OWNERS:

1. If there is no water spigot in the campground, or fresh water available, please make sure to pack 2-3 extra gallons of water for your pets per day. They drink a ton of water every time we are camping, especially if it’s super hot out, or if we are in an arid place like the mountains or desert.

2. Bring food and water dishes. Each dog needs their own food dish, and they generally all share their water bowl.

3. We love using our electronic collars to keep our dogs close by. While most camp grounds are going to require dogs on leashes, these e-collars add a bit of extra protection to make sure your dogs are listening to you and behaving around the campground.

4. Stock up on treats because the dogs will need a bit of extra incentive to listen J They also burn so many extra calories while camping, hiking, and swimming, that we always treat them to a few extra treats while camping.

5. Bring soft, supportive, and warm bedding for night time. We bring an air pad for the dogs to use in the tent at night, and we also either cover them with our coats, or bring extra blankets for them. Cabbie loves cuddling in, and Porter loves the chilly air and would never want to be under the covers.

6. Watch your dog(s) around the fire pit. Sometimes dogs will try to play around the fire, or play with extra fire wood, just keep an eye on them!

7. Make sure to keep an eye on your dog(s) at ALL times! They could wander off and disturb wildlife or eat something they find in the woods that could upset their tummies.

Some of our favorite treats from Walgreen’s Petshoppe collections include the Chicken Bites with Pumpkin and Cranberry, Sweet Potatoes with Cranberries, and Chicken Bites with Pumpkin and Cranberry – all of which contain NO corn, wheat, or soy! The dogs all shared very well – we definitely had more than enough to go around.

WALGREENS PETSHOPPE IN-STORE PROMOTIONS

2 for $10 mix and match Petshoppe toys and bones every day

Week of 8/5/18 – BOGO 50% off on Petshoppe Pet Treats

Week of 8/19/18 – Petshoppe Pet Treats and Petshoppe 50 count puppy pads on sale for $7.99!

Porter was extremely interested in every flavor variety, and the Chicken Strips were definitely a crowd favorite :)

Porter had a blast – she stayed up all night looking around the tent, listening for animals and noises that peaked her interest.

Select varieties of Petshoppe treats are Made in the USA – Look for the label on the front of the packaging! They take the utmost care in delivering high quality pet treat, which have no corn, wheat, or soy – perfect for almost every dog!

Their toys have held up super well! Above, the Plush Turtle which comes in two colors. Below, the two Boston Terriers were playing with this Squeaker Pig ALL morning together, it was adorable!

Above, you will see a few more varieties of their treats. We are definitely stocked up for a while. Walgreens Petshoppe offers quality products for your best friends!!

Connect With Walgreens On Social:

Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram / Twitter

Use hashtag #WalgreensPetshoppe to show us how you and your pets enjoy these products too.

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Antipasta Flatbread / Breadsticks with Nudo Olive Oil

July 9, 2018

Did you know that you can actually adopt an olive tree? I am so honored to share such an intriguing company with you, especially because my grandfather raised me to love Italian food and Italian culture! Today, I am excited to share this very easy yet very delicious recipe with you for this Antipasta flatbread. It only took a few minutes to create and a few minutes to bake, and I wound up with a quick meal that tastes better than something from a restaurant!

Adopt an olive tree from a traditional Italian grove, and receive some fo the best Italian Cold Pressed Olive Oil, straight from your own little piece of Italy!

Nudo is a collaboration of provincial Italian groves which use traditional, sustainable practices. They produce some of the best olive oil in Italy: premium, authentic, and on a small scale. Our adoption program supports these groves and farmers by connecting them with food lovers around the world, and by providing this economic security it helps protect the land from the increasing intensive farming practices.

The base flavor for this recipe is definitely the high quality Nudo olive oil. The flavor was mild but wow so smooth and delicious.

ANTIPASTA FLATBREAD / BREADSTICKS RECIPE:

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Nudo Olive Oil

1 Package of Garlic Naan Flatbread

1/2-1 lb. Antipasta from salad bar at grocery store or elsewhere (I chose artichoke hearts, an assortment of different olives, and pepperoni)

1/4-1/2 C. Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Salt, Italian Seasoning

Instructions:

1. Brush Naan flatbread with a generous amount of Nudo Olive Oil.

2. Slice olives into thin slices, and cut artichoke hearts into small pieces. Also chop or prep any other toppings. Arrange toppings onto flatbread.

3. Sprinkle with salt, parmesan cheese, and optional Italian seasoning, and bake for 5-8 minutes at 350 degrees F.

4. Cut into slices and enjoy!

FOR THE HOLIDAYS...

For Thanksgiving, Nudo Adopt has created a selection of thoughtful giftsets to thank the food loving host in your life. Choose from a choice of three gitfsets; Aperitivo set, Olio set & A Tavola set.

Aperitivo set with handcrafted olive ramekin and Taggiasche olives from the glamourous Ligurian coast.

Olio set with a handmade, stoneware cruet paired with premium artisan Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Le Marche; one of the oldest regions in Italy to produce olives

Can’t choose? Pair up both, A Tavola set, for an extra special Thanksgiving treat.

For Christmas, Nudo Adopt have collaborated with Yorkshire based artist Michelle Freemantle , to create limited edition, handmade oil cruets especially for the festive season.

Exclusive gift with our Olive Tree Gift Adoptions; a beautiful and long-lasting gift.

Michelle’s visionary ceramic bottles take inspiration from her environment; the colours for the cruet are a reflection of Nudo’s brand & Italy; yellow sunshine, green countryside and blue midnight sea.

A wonderful sentiment that lasts longer, looks after the environment, supports provincial farmers and is good for you.

Side by Side – A Great Dog Food for Picky Eaters!

July 1, 2018

This post was sponsored by Side By Side as part of a Two-Post Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

This summer has been absolutely wonderful so far! It’s hotter than ever outside, but that’s not stopping us from getting out as much as possible with the dogs and letting them enjoy summer too!

We began feeding the dogs a new diet recently and they are LOVING it! If you saw my previous post, here, we were just beginning to introduce our dogs to the new food. Side by Side believes that the best way to cherish our pets is through making better food choices for them. Whole food nutrition is a great option! Side by Side only uses whole food, with minimal processing, allowing the nutrients to actually be preserved within the food better, delivering it to your pets so they stay full and happy. A pet’s diet is as important as a human’s diet, so consider making the switch to something like a whole food diet, raw or lightly cooked, frozen or freeze-dried diet.

The dehydrated Side By Side treats, such as their Duck L’Orange, Beef Lungs, and Chicken Hearts are some of the nicest treats we have ever seen. They’re not at all greasy or stinky, like lots of other treats. We aim to give our dogs treats with minimal ingredients, so one ingredient treats are spectacular! The dogs behave SO well for these treats – they’re such good girls!!

Our dogs mean everything to us, so we love being able to treat them to something they really deserve. Since we both work from home, we are able to spend most of our days with Cabbie and Porter. We invest so much time and money into our beautiful babes, and we want the very best for them, which I am sure they notice.

Our Chocolate Labradoodle, Porter, who turns 2 years old on July 5, is a rather picky eater. She has been devouring the Side by Side dog food and then actually sitting by her bowl waiting for her next portion. While we try not to super encourage this behavior, it does mean she loves the food.

With our previous dog food, which was a higher end kibble, we would generally feed the dogs 1.5 cups each, twice a day. Porter, the doodle would leave lots of food in her bowl all day. I am not sure if it was just that she didn’t really love the flavor, or if it’s because we were just giving her the wrong thing.

We still treat the dogs to a bit of low fat yogurt, plus other fruits and veggies throughout the day, but we are SO happy with the food and treats from Side By Side. Just look at the girls’ smiles to see what I mean :)

The dogs actually received the food in the mail, and it was all still frozen. The company uses a recycled material to insulate the products, and they arrived in great shape too.

Now that they received this, they think every single package is for them. Porter nearly knocks boxes out of our hands when they arrive, so she can see if there is more Side by Side inside!

Yes, the dogs have their very own ottoman by the window, if you were wondering :)

We noticed a few improvements in the dogs. Cabbie, the lab seemed to slim down around her mid section, and her coat has been extra shiny. Cabbie seems a bit more energetic, and since we feed them three times a day now, because of the Side By Side portion cups, the dogs love having another fun and “exciting” activity each day (lunch time, LOL!).

The dogs always have a few red bumps on their bellies, and when I chatted with one of the founders of Side By Side, she actually mentioned that they would clear up, and they pretty much completely went away. Marney explained that sometimes the red bumps can be related to food and environmental allergies. Well, perhaps the food made a bigger impact than I could’ve imagined! I believe the food did help clear up their bellies, which is so great.

Side by Side products were developed from the pet’s perspective and puts pets first to give them the best life. This allows us so many more years of opportunities to better share love with our pets.

For part of this post, we visited a local fishing pond that is about a 1-mile hike each way from where we park. We walk through cow pastures, rolling hills, tall beautiful grasses and there are even a few places to stop and fish along the way. We love bringing the dogs out to explore the area, and a couple of our friends even brought their pups too.

When Porter gets to see her little friend, Wilma, shown below, they play until they practically “fall over” from how much fun they’ve had. It’s such a great way for higher energy dogs to get their crazies out, and I love watching them have so much fun together.

We are SO thankful to have had this opportunity to introduce our wonderful pups to a raw dog food diet thanks to Side by Side! We have a new way to show our dogs we love and appreciate them, with whole food nutrition, and we cannot wait to see how the dogs keep improving in every way!

Look for all of Side by Side’s integrated products including Food Diets, Supplements, Toppers, and soon to be released Broths. Each and every product is thoughtfully formulated to provide a complete and balanced nutrition plan for your pet!