WIN-It-Wednesday: Peas of Mind Puffets & Veggie Wedgies
It’s tough enough to get kids to eat right, but if you add food allergies or celiac disease into the mix the challenge become even greater.
That is why I was more than peas (whoop, I mean pleased!) when I stumbled across the Peas of Mind booth at a local food show a few months ago.
Made by a mom, Peas of Mind Puffets offer a perfectly balanced nutritious meal for growing kids. Puffets are also super easy to prepare, delicious and perfect for lunchboxes and as a grab-and-go or hand-held meal. The Puffet’s come in six fabulous flavors; three of them are gluten-free (Eat Your Greens, Carrot Risotto and Black Bean Polenta) and two are dairy-free (Mamma’s Pasta & Dalai Lentil).
Although packed with nutrients that are fit for kids, Puffets are also a hit with adults looking for an organic & healthy snack or side dish. They are perfect accompanied with a cup of fresh homemade steaming soup or a crisp from the garden salad.
Peas of Mind also make Veggie Wedgies, which are baked crispy French fries made from real
vegetables! Ingenious & delicious! The baked carrot fries, baked cauliflower fries, baked apple fries and the baked broccoli fries are a wonderfully sneaky way to get veggies into your little ones tummies. Containing all organic & vegan ingredients, these fries are packed with vitamins and nutrients – not oil and sodium like regular French fries. They are also gluten, dairy, egg, and soy free.
And at only 20- 25 calories and zero fat per serving, one taste of the Veggie Wedgies had this calorie conscious big girl asking, “Can I super-size that?”. Again, here is another Peas of Mind product that’s made with kids in mind, but perfect for adults too.
The convenience, organic and natural ingredients, and the way the vegetables have been snuck into these delicious gluten and allergen-free products makes me happy to have Peas of Mind as this weeks WIN-It-Wednesday sponsor. One lucky winner will be the recipient of a Peas of Mind FREE Coupon gift pack redeemable for various Peas of Mind products!
How can you WIN?
Easy!
Reply to this blog and tell us how you get your kids, yourself, and/or your family to eat or be healthier. (Me? I try to buy local produce and dairy as much as I can… it’s fresher, taste better, and it’s better for the environment & local economy too!)
All entries must be received by Wednesday, February 3, 2010 by 12 Midnight EST.
Good Luck, Be sneakily healthy, and as always…
Be Free!
Tags: Peas of Mind, Puffets, Vedgie Wedgies, Win-It-Wednesday
January 27th, 2010 at 8:04 am
I teach preschool and the best way I’ve found to get children to eat healthier is to have them cook with you. We bake each week at school, aprons and all, and I hear all the time from parents that they can’t believe some of the things their children are eating at school.
January 27th, 2010 at 8:36 am
since my daughter’s diagnose with Celiac’s Disease at age 2 I’ve tried to eat more fresh and organic foods instead of prepared foods…didn’t realize how much I realized on hamburger helper and spaghetti o’s until she couldn’t eat them
January 27th, 2010 at 10:26 am
My son and husband both like to eat fruit…..if it is all prepared in the fridge. So I try to keep washed and ready fruit and make it accessible. The veggie wedgies look great!
January 27th, 2010 at 11:22 am
I try to keep my family healthy by sneaking veggie purees into sauces (from organic fruits and veggies) and things that I make. We also stay active by having family competitions on the Wii fit and taking Karate classes together. I try to model for my children that being healthy can be fun!
January 27th, 2010 at 11:47 am
I try to eat and be healthier by purchasing organic foods and foods that are naturally gluten free.
I find that I maintain a gluten free diet if I do those things.
January 27th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
We brought the kid friendly organic cereals and snack bar for an any time treat.
January 27th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
Finely diced vegetables can be mixed into meat, sprinkled into salads, added to smoothies, and hidden in many foods.
Beets make a red / pink soup and the juice looks like blood.
Give the vegetables new names like vampire soup. (Beet soup)
Have fun and your children and hubby will have fun.
January 27th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
When shopping at the grocery store. I buy a lot of fresh produce and healthy gluten free meals. I know I cannot go without a desert so instead of buying those gluten free cookies, I try to find healthy but still satisfying desserts. Frozen yogurt and frozen berries is a personal favorite!
January 27th, 2010 at 7:42 pm
We live in North Dakota so during the summer months I shop the farmers market once a week for local produce. During the winter I buy mostly frozen veggies and fruit because it’s way better for us than canned food.
January 27th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
To get my husband, 2 year old son and myself to eat better…we cook more dinners at home! We love food and love going out to eat, but we have noticed that recreating our favorite “going out foods” in our own kitchen with healthier ingredients is not only more nutritious, but also fun. We also take our lunches to work everyday instead of buying. I like to pack frozen items that I can heat at work. That is where Peas of Mind works best for me…looking forward to trying the Veggie Wedgies!
January 27th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Start them early! I have 19 month old twin boys, who so far, love to eat all veggies! I also have them try new things more than one time. After a while, they will usually start eating it without a problem.
January 27th, 2010 at 8:42 pm
I only have grapes, berries and veggie sticks in the frig at my grandson’s level. Luckity, they are always looking for berries and grapes. They only get a chocolate kiss from PaPa after dinner. Never get a complaint!
January 27th, 2010 at 10:41 pm
We buy organic as much as we can afford. We opt for chicken and turkey over red meats, and we love our organic eggs! Our whole family follows a GFCF lifestyle and we have never felt better. We look forward to having some of your products somewhere in NY!!! My 2 year old loves sweet potato fries, so these would be perfect!!!
January 27th, 2010 at 10:41 pm
I try a variety of things to keep them wondering, do I like it or not? I better try it!
January 27th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
I try to buy organic as much as possible. I do my best not to buy junk food but keep fruits and veggies around. My daughter will eat anything and she does great with veggies and fruit.
January 27th, 2010 at 10:43 pm
Joining a CSA was one of the best ways to get my family to eat healthier. Fresh, local, organic fruits and vegetables picked up once a week is a sure fire way to kick start healthy habits. Everything stays fresher longer than conventional produce bought at a grocery store, so you end up saving money and having less waste. Now getting my 18th month old to love veggies as much as mom and dad has been a challenge. I would love to give Veggie Wedges and Mind Puffets a go, but you can’t find any Peas of Mind products in my area, and I’m in New York City!
January 28th, 2010 at 12:23 am
My daughter calls thin carrot sticks cheetos. Anything thin and crunchy is a cheeto. Funny thing, she’s never been fed an actual Cheeto. We also call broccoli, ‘trees’. She’s 21 months so her palate is quite picky. We also make baked egg cups in muffin tins, with finely diced spinach. Another good trick is shredded zucchini in banana bread. She used to obsess over mashed potatoes, at that time I wish I had known about mashed cauliflower, what a great substitute! She’ll go for it, sometimes.
January 28th, 2010 at 7:43 am
My boys and I thrive on lots of fresh fruits and vegetable. Easy and natural way to stay Gluten Free! I just make sure I have plenty avaialable and ready for eating/snacking! But living in Wisconsin its hard in winter time to find a good resh variety of fruit!
January 28th, 2010 at 8:14 am
I try and have fruit and vegetables at every meal. 🙂
January 28th, 2010 at 11:52 am
I like to rely on smoothies for breakfast- you can add stuff like spinach and kale, and it will still taste fruity. 🙂
January 28th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
I go to the gym every weekday morning and I bring fresh vegies for snacks in the afternoon.
January 28th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
Getting people to eat healthy via Slow cooker: adding small amounts of vegetables, healthy grains into their chili, sloppy joes, or pretty much anything that can go into the slow cooker. They actually love the slow cooked vegetable soup with only 1/2 pound of meat. Mix in a little quinoa and they are munching away and asking for seconds. Eating out hasn’t been an option in the arctic winters because it is just cold enough, then mix in divergent schedules and slow cookers have been the way to go! People can eat when they are ready and the rest is there to serve as a base for the next day – if there are any leftovers *grin*
January 28th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
I like to sneak fruit and veggies into everything. My niece loves my chocolate chip cookies made with zuccini. I make a GF low-fat chocolate cake with apple sauce. I make pasta sauces chunky with all kinds of fresh veggies (whatever is in season). My husband and friends forget that they are eating healthy when I sneak-in fresh produce.
January 28th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
It’s all about having the kids (grandkids) help prepare the food, including growing organic produce. I’ve taken each of my two grandsons to cooking school for kids when they were 4 years old. Good bonding time and they have fun making salads, pizza, muffins, roasted veggies, and the like.
January 28th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
In the summer I have my own garden and buy fresh produce in the winter. Also have more dinners at home.
January 28th, 2010 at 11:34 pm
I have pledged to buy only organic meats not treated with antibiotics and other non celiac disease friendly additives. I cook lean organic meats with vegetables and/or fruits.
January 29th, 2010 at 10:40 am
I don’t bring the unhealthy stuff into the house in the first place.
January 29th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
me and my girls(all of us GF) cook dinner and make lunches together. I find they eat more of a variety when they see what the ingredients are.
my 3 yr old loves all veggies but my 5 year old not so much. These new products would be great for her to get her veggies. I have made mades with carrot, sqyah and other purees in them but they dont taste the same. I dont recommend cauliflower puree in banana bread. awful recipe.
January 30th, 2010 at 9:01 am
I keep fresh fruits and veggies, organic when available, within easy grab and go reach. I also try to sneak in purees into thinks like soups and casserols.
January 30th, 2010 at 10:39 pm
I tell my kids that their eyes sparkle when they eat healthy food. (great for veggies). So when they take a bite, they shut their eyes real tight and when they swallow they open them and we say “wow. look at the sparkle!” and the kids pick their color of sparkle and “show everyone”. I started my children off from day one on as much all natural and organic foods as possible. They have to eat their veggies before they have seconds on anything extra, we choose healthy snacks throughout the day, and more importantly we make “treats” actual “treats” in our house……and not everyday.
My 3 year old daughter suffers from Gi issues, asthma and has allergies to milk and soy with a possible gluten intolerance now to boot. I myself have have dairy intolerance and have suffered for most of my life with GI issues and have recently started the journey of a gluten free and grain free life which has made me a new person. My husband, five children and I work together as a family to cook, shop and read up on recipes to help support me and my daughter. instead of always us two making seperate meals, we include them with the rest of the family to try. We also frequently have food contests. we make something, each of us tries it, and THEN we tell them what’s in it. Most of the time it’s yummy!
For me this life change is quite a challenge, for my daughter it has always been her life so she knows nothing else. As a family we make it work. We feel that once you make eating healthy a part of your life, it just flows and makes it easier to make better choices for everyone.
January 31st, 2010 at 4:47 pm
I try to buy organic and have fruit cut up and ready for after school.
February 1st, 2010 at 5:22 pm
I always giving vegetables and fruit first, if that is all she is offered that’s what she eats. Also we only buy “healthy” food.
February 4th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Congratulations to Kimberley in Wisconsin, the winner of the Peas of Mind WIN-It-Wednesday!
Be Free!
Kathleen