Do You Skip Breakfast? My Nestle 2015 Expo Take-aways

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but if you are like most people I know, breakfast time is also almost always replaced by another activity nowadays. Breakfast time has been skipped time and again to be replaced by workout time, commute to work early to avoid morning traffic, or even to take care of everyone in the house first (e.g. send kids to school, plan menu for the day or complete morning chores). Tried doing a Google search for Pinoy breakfast and images surprisingly pointed to what Nestle has been providing us day on day. Again, Nestle Philippines is proving to be steps ahead in terms of helping mommies like me never to skip breakfast again.  They are making breakfast quick, easy and healthy.

I didn’t realize until today’s Nestle Wellness expo that I have not been doing the right thing in providing nutrition to my kids. All I know is that I need to make sure there is enough warm, fresh food on the table. But Nestle’s “My Wellness Plate” (pictured above) teaches us that half the plate should be ‘glow’ foods (fruits and vegetables) and the other half should be a combination of ‘go’ foods (carbs) and ‘grow’ foods (proteins), accompanied by a healthy beverage.

I surely learned a lot from meeting the new Nestle Wellness Ambassadors Dani Barretto (student, fashion and lifestyle blogger), James Younghusband (professional athlete) and Nicole Hernandez-delos Angeles (former model and now a full time mom).  It was encouraging to hear Nicole share her secrets around getting her kids to eat vegetables. I was truly convinced about getting on my next project in the kitchen.

On July8, along with the other health-conscious Filipinos, I will get on the “21 Mornings Program” that comes complete with a 21-day breakfast plan, recipes with nutrient count, wellness tips and a grocery checklist. Nestle Philippines will also be sending Wellness Breakfast Trucks for 21 mornings (details and locations of which will be listed at www.choosewellnes.com.ph). The trucks will offer free breakfast and a Nestle beverage plus free nutritional consultations.

Stay tuned for more of my improved breakfast adventure with my family. Will clue you in on the new and healthier things which will land on our breakfast table and my kids’ baon bags.

Tried Lazada Online Shopping : Moms Make Things Simple

Checked my email one random day and both delighted and surprised to see a complimentary voucher from Lazada. I have always been a fan of Lazada online shopping which used to be my go-to-find-a-quick-item tool for my previous Trainer slash Mommy life. So I went on to check out what I can find from Lazada Online Shopping. After oohing and aahing over the list of items on sale, finally found the perfect item to order, a kitchen addition – oven toaster.

Will most likely go online again to try ShoeBiz’s shoes collection perfect for my mommy errands.

So when the order confirmation page told me that I will most likely get the item 1 to 7 days after, my mind went on Philippine delivery timeframe default of expecting the item gets delivered close to the 7^th quoted day. To my surprise again, two days after I clicked submit order, I have the item right at my doorstep. In a matter of two days, also appreciated Lazada for giving their customers a string of order status confirmation to get yourself updated wherever your parcel is at for a specific date and time.

Customers get an email as soon as Lazada warehouse starts working on your order. it quotes the delivery and item details. Very helpful for customers who need to keep track of ordered items.

Customers also get an order confirmation as soon as your ordered item leaves the warehouse and gets shipped. This also shows you an Order Tracking tool you can also access on the move with your mobile.

Customers will appreciate the email on approach they will receive on the same day it gets delivered. Since I ordered using Lazada’s complimentary vouchers, I did not need to pay extra other than the minimal delivery fee of P55.00

If you are like any other mommies I know, we need things fast and easy so we can devote more time to things that last. My order came earlier than I expected that I had enough time to plan what I want to use it for in time for my kids’ baon preparation. So kids and I went ahead with testing it with their favourite cheese sandwich (toasted cheese, butter, with a pinch of sugar sandwich). I will definitely go to Lazada again for my mom-needs.

Gardenia Plant Visited

Imagine a slice of your favorite bread wafting out with that distinct hot-off-the-oven-aroma. That was what my son and I had first-hand when we went to visit Gardenia Plant in Laguna. Have you ever wondered how that bread is made? It was a fun-filled day of discovery as we witnessed and tasted what Gardenia is all about.

As soon as we have landed, we have met Gardee, life size Gardenia mascot. Both moms and kids had a blast learning a LOT about everything bread. For starters, it was encouraging to be taught how to check for freshness of bread. Breads have different shelf lives. Some are good for 3, 5 or 7 days, while others stay at their best anywhere from 10 to 14 days. All my grocery-life, I have mistakenly been checking expiry date when I need to be checking the bread’s baking and delivery day to get more accurate information. Case in point: bread that expires in 5 days may actually be already 5 days old if its “Best Before” date is within 10 days. Aside from this, it is also important to look for other attributes such as softness, freshly baked aroma, great taste and nutritive value.

It was also a day of sampling what mommies can make out of Gardenia bread. There is this Gardenia bread turned into Mexican tuna canapé with liver spread, baked chocolate muffins with strawberry, summer roll sandwich with seafood, special raisin cannoli, no-bake butterscotch in a jar, chocolate eclairs with cherry on top. It added to my list of baon ideas as my son made sure to ask if he can have them as baon for class next week.

Then the plant tour began. Gab hopped from one station to the next while voice-over accurately tells us what we can see around the plant.

Cooling Tower – Gardenia is able to produce more than 6,000 loaves of bread per hour. Each loaf is prepared and produced without the help of human hands

Packaging Station is equipped with automatic cutters and metal detectors to help ensure that all wrapped loaves will have the best quality that Gardenia is best known for.

Kids worked with their own hands as a Gardenia Nutritionist showed them how to create their own Refrigerator cake using Gardenia Chocolate & Mocha loaf. Kids also took the time to write personal thank-you-messages to all the moms.

Special thanks to Mommy Bloggers Philippines for organizing the Gardenia Plant Tour aptly titled as Super Moms Deserve only World-Class Quality.

Yummy Baon Ideas

Say hello to another school year with a new set of Yummy Baon Ideas, thanks for Yummy Magazine’s first ever Big Baon Blowout. We have always been relying on Philippine’s number 1 food magazine to deliver a delightful full-day food affair with Yummy-approved concessionaires at the Trinoma Activity Center earlier today.

Moms of all shapes and sizes, with kids or even entire family in tow, lined up to hop from one booth to the next, sample all the best baon food options. Guest chefs Yummy Magazine’s Erickson John “IDGE” Mendiola, Assistant Managing Editor Katrina Luisa “TRINKA” Gonzales, Assistant Style Editor Ma. Rachelle “RACH” Santos, along with Smart Parenting’s contributing writer Michelle Aventajado with Good Housekeeping Food Editor Roselle Miranda whipped up a few recipes for everyone.

Had a blast of fun filling my plate that towards the end of it, I had a long list of baon options to take home to my kids. Look at my filled plate below, and I haven’t even started with the recipes and baon tutorials yet, prepared in a multi-tasking-mommy-friendly speed right before my eyes.

Miradips – my People’s Choice Nominee. Yummy cheese pimiento and sun dried tomato cream cheese, kids sandwiches will never have to be all the same Monday to Friday.

The Barista Juice – Part dessert. Wholly creamy frothy. Puree of health. Tried their lemon cold pressed juice, tasty for my palette, not sure though if kids will love the raw, organic taste.

Casa San Luis – granola bars made healthy. Would make perfect power bars for moms/dads and tasty snack bars for kids. With more than one flavour to choose from, kids will not realize they’re eating the same nuts they refuse to munch.

Cookie Sticks – cookies made into sticks. Head to SM Southmall, Fairview and Megamall to try this modern twist to an all-time classic.

Theo Philo – Artisan chocolates in different flavours, believe it or not. The peanut butter with no rough peanut pieces, it’s like a spread from melted chocolate. Theo Philo products shown in pictures best used with brownies or cookies.

Severin Crepe Maker – now crepe made possible right from the comfort of my home. Served crepes always makes one think of elaborately made desserts, but the demo from the booth convinced me that it is easy to use and can be quite a hit with the kids. Crepe in less than 5 minutes!

Must be Mom’s Homemade Ensaymada – packed in 6 or 12 pcs. or go with their ensaymaditas with a pack of 60 or 80.

Jacob’s Peanut Butter – with Praline, it is interesting to see there’s chilli peanut butter, not hot enough that your tweens can enjoy, has enough chilli tinge from parents’ taste buds.

Bayani Brew – all Filipino iced tea, kids may never eat raw camote but they will always drink Bayani Brew’s Camote drink.

Yummy Big Baon Blowout is brought to you by Yummy Magazine together with Smart Parenting, Good Housekeeping, Total Girl and K-Zone. This event is co-presented by Aquiva, and sponsored by Datu Puti and Lady’s Choice, and major sponsors Goldilocks, Bounty Fresh Chicken and Hunt’s Pork & Beans. Per DTI-FTRB-SPD Permit # 2118, series of 2015.

For more information about Yummy Magazine, visit http://www.yummy.ph/. Follow Yummy on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/yummymagazine, and on Instragram and Twitter @yummyph. Yummy Magazine is available on newsstands and in bookstores, convenience stores, and supermarkets nationwide. A digital edition of Yummy Magazine is also available for download through Apple Newsstand, Buqo and Zinio.