Necco Wafers Return to Store Shelves

by Jennifer SwartvagherMay 29, 2020

Necco Wafers fans rejoice! America’s original candy treat is coming back. Spangler Candy Company has announced the return of Necco Wafers to store shelves.

Created in 1847, Necco Wafers are one of the oldest candy brands in existence. The iconic, wax paper rolls filled with assorted flavored discs have quite literally been enjoyed the world over, carried in pockets stateside, shipped to armed forces overseas and even transported by intrepid explorers on Arctic journeys. Due to its enduring popularity, the original recipe for the Necco Wafer has remained essentially unchanged over the years, and now is no exception. Spangler purchased the brand out of bankruptcy two years ago and has been working on its return ever since.

“Just when comfort food is experiencing a resurgence, Necco Wafers is back with that very kind of familiar, comfortable feeling we all seem to be craving,” said Kirk Vashaw, CEO of Spangler Candy Company. “We are delighted to bring Necco Wafers back into production and to share in their sweet return with fans old and new.”

There are eight all-time favorite flavors and colors in the Necco Wafers’ comeback collection: lemon (yellow), lime (green), orange (orange), clove (light purple), cinnamon (white), wintergreen (pink), licorice (dark grey) and chocolate (brown). Seven of the eight flavors were designed to identically match the originals. True Necco Wafers connoisseurs may detect a richer cocoa flavor in the chocolate wafers due to a minor improvement made in the cooking process.

“We know fans have been waiting anxiously for the return of Necco Wafers and anticipate high demand. Our production lines will continue to run as fast as possible to keep stores in-stock,” said Vashaw.

Necco Wafers are rolling out across the nation throughout the summer, beginning with major drugstores, followed by a larger segment of retailers. A complete list of retailers is available on the Spangler Candy Necco Wafers web page: https://www.spanglercandy.com/our-brands/necco-wafers.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Spangler Candy Company

HARIBO Releases New Limited Edition Passport Mix

Chips Ahoy! Sour Patch Kids Cookies Are the Perfect Mix of Sour and Sweet

ALDI Is Selling a New Summer Line of Wines for Less Than $5

by Jennifer SwartvagherMay 20, 2020

ALDI has just released a new wine collection that is both delicious and inexpensive. Moiselle Couture Collection White Sangria, Sweet Grapefruit Rosé and Sangria wines are going on sale for a limited time for only $4.49. At that price you can try them all.

Moiselle Couture Collection White Sangria is described as being light and refreshing with hints of pineapple, orange and peach. Add some fresh fruit like orange slices and frozen grapes to create a sangria cocktail. This wine pairs perfectly with guacamole, empanadas or seafood paella.

Moiselle Couture Collection Sweet Grapefruit Rosé is a crisp and light rosé wine infused with hints of grapefruit, tangerine and tropical fruit flavors.

Moiselle Couture Collection Sangria has hints of orange, lemon and lime, This wine pairs perfectly with roasted chipotle salsa, a cheese platter or grilled or fried calamari.

This collection will only be available for a limited time, so grab a bottle before they run out.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: ALDI

ALDI’s Cheesecake in a Jar Is a Must-Have Treat

Mom Throws Daughter an ALDI Themed Party & We Want an Invite

Independent Play: Busy Boxes for Babies & Toddlers

by Kelley GardinerMay 12, 2020

Busy boxes more than live up to their name. With a little prep work, you can captivate babies and toddlers and keep them playing independently while you relax, make dinner, do laundry or straighten up the living room. Here are 10 ideas for sensory boxes to keep your baby busy. From easy to crafty, there’s something for everyone.

Build Your Box

Back away from Pinterest. Busy boxes don't have to be fancy or follow a theme. Just plop some interesting and baby-safe items in a box, and let baby explore, like with this random collection of goodies from Busy Toddler.

Choose an Interesting Assortment

Anna from The Imagination Tree recommends finding items with different textures, materials, shapes and sounds to keep baby absorbed as long as possible, while promoting independent play.

photo: courtesy of The Imagination Tree

Cloth Napkin Sensory Bin

Even the littlest babes can enjoy busy boxes. This one from The Stay-at-Home-Mom Survival Guide uses cloth napkins, but you can substitute burp cloths. Babies can pull, touch, gnaw on and see all the different colors of fabric.

Fabric Fun for Older Babies

Add a new challenge to your bits of fabric by tying on small rattles or toys for baby to discover. Jamie from Hands on as We Grow recommends this as well as placing the fabric inside an old wipes box (recycling win!). Hiding the fabric pieces in the box adds an element of surprise and makes for fascinating pull-it-out and stuff-it-in play.

Group Objects by Theme

Rebecca from Jarful of Plenty likes to use themes like wooden toys, kitchen or musical instruments. Rotate your boxes or toy bins regularly to give your baby new stimulation.

Incorporate Beads

Dayna from Lemon Lime Adventures has a bunch of busy-box ideas on her site, like this one with beads. (Watch your little one carefully with this activity, especially if they're the type to put everything around their necks or in their mouths.) Babies can pull, feel and experience these long chains of beads. Teething necklaces work great for this activity. If you use costume jewelry, make sure the thread is secure so beads don't separate and cause a choking hazard.

Sort by Color

Even before toddlers know their colors, they can start recognizing, sorting or just enjoying playing with colored objects. The OT Toolbox shows you how to make these color-sorting busy bags. They're fun for babies and will grow with your child as he/she gains more dexterity.

Their Very Own Handbag

Most little kids love to dig into Mommy's purse. To avoid having your keys and credit cards go missing, give your child their very own purse (one of your old ones or a thrift-store find works fine). Fill it with baby-safe treasures like expired credit cards, a small mirror, anything you don't mind your child playing with that isn't a choking hazard.

Try Magnets with Older Babies

Here's another activity requiring more adult supervision. Place a few magnets in an inexpensive metal pan or use a metal box like a lunch box (the lunch box makes it easy to bring this with you places). Magnets can be dangerous if ingested, so don't leave baby alone with anything containing magnets. You'll want to stick around anyway to watch your little one learn about how magnets work. This clever idea comes courtesy of Sisters, What!

Felt Ice Cream Sundaes!

We can't get over the cuteness of these felt busy boxes from Nadia at Teach Me Mommy. Kids can create an ice cream sundae using simple felt pieces that anyone can craft with confidence. Head to Teach Me Mommy. for the instructions.

—Kelley Gardinerinves & Eva Ingvarson Cerise

CPK Meal Kits Are Perfect for Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day Celebrations

by Jennifer SwartvagherMay 1, 2020

California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) recently started CPK Market at the chain’s restaurant locations nationwide. This all-new offering will provide high-quality specialty meal kit solutions and individual pantry, fruit, vegetable, and meat items to guests in cities across the country. The six fun, fast and family-friendly specialty meal kits include feature foods for Cinco de Mayo and other Spring meals.

Comprised of a few CPK classics as well as tried-and-true kitchen staples boxed-up and ready to make whenever is most convenient, these kits include everything you need to create a delicious meal.

The Cinco de Mayo Specialty Taco Kit (also available with a pitcher of Fresh Agave Lime Margaritas made with Milagro Silver Tequila!) features cilantro, limes, roma tomatoes, serrano peppers, yellow onion, vegetarian black beans, shredded cheese, tortillas and a choice of flap steak, mahi/ono, or chicken. Kits cost $15 – $24 depending on meat selection for 4 servings of Taco Kit only; $35 for Margarita pitcher only; $32 for Margarita pitcher when bought with Taco Kit.

CPK’s Spring Meal Kits are perfect for Mother’s Day. They feature your choice of pan-roasted chicken, roasted salmon or grilled ribeye with a side of spinach artichoke dip, sourdough baguette, caesar salad, fingerling potatoes and butter cake with vanilla Haagen-Dazs ice cream. Kits cost $40 – $120 depending on meat selection for 2 or 4 servings.

And if you need to celebrate Mom from afar, CPK patrons can now send their Mom’s a special Mother’s Day eGift Card with a personalized message.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of California Pizza Kitchen

Starbucks Temporarily Changes to a “To Go” Model in US and Canada

Local Business Financial Aid Resources: COVID-19

Walmart’s New Ice Cream Flavors Include Root Beer Float and Margarita

by Jennifer SwartvagherMarch 30, 2020

After a long day of working from home and distance learning, you and your kids deserve an ice cream party. Walmart now has new varieties that will satisfy everyone. The flavors include Margarita Lemon-Lime Sherbet, Root Beer & Vanilla Float Ice Cream, nostalgic Circus Cookie Ice Cream, and Mango Habanero Coconut Ice Cream.

Depending on location, all four flavors are available for pickup and delivery via the Walmart Grocery app and retail for about $3.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Jennifer Swartvagher

These New Pillsbury “Trolls” Cookies Will Have You Feeling the Beat

Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough Is Here for Your Sweet Tooth

Easy Key Lime Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

by Amber GuetebierMarch 5, 2020

“No thanks, I don’t really like pie,” said no one, ever. The good news is, you don’t have to dedicated an entire afternoon to making one from scratch: this easy KLP recipe takes only a little longer to make than it does to eat. Scroll down for the recipe.

photo: arsheffield via flickr

For the crust:

1 stick of butter (melted)

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

12 graham crackers (full length rectangles, not just the half-squares)

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp. Sea salt

Step 1. Melt the butter in a pan. Add the vanilla to the butter as it is melting and stir. Inhale this glorious scent.

Step 2. Crumble the graham crackers into a medium-fine (but not pulverized crumb). You can do it in a food processor or fill up a bag and let the kids whack it with a hammer or rubber mallet. We suggest double bagging it so the crumbs don’t spill out if the bag splits. Once they are fairly even in size, add to a medium sized mixing bowl and stir in sugar and sea salt.

Step 3. Pour in heavenly vanilla butter to graham cracker mix. Stir until well combined.

Step 4. Press into a 9-inch pie pan. This is your crust, so get it as high up on the sides and as even as you (and your helpers) can.

Step 5. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees, just to lightly brown the crust. Set aside and allow to cool completely while you make the key lime filling.

For the filling:

Key limes!! Probably a pound.
Eggs, three (just the yolks)
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
¾-1 cup of lime juice (from key limes)
2 tablespoons of zest from key limes
(Don’t forget to stash a lime or two aside for garnish, or get a regular lime just for this purpose.)

Step 6. Whip together the eggs and lime zest either by hand or in a stand mixer for about 2 minutes at medium.

Step 7. Add in condensed milk and mix for 3 more minutes. Mixture should be somewhat thick now.

Step 8. Add in lime juice and mix well, until combined, about 1 minute.

Step 9. Pour or spoon tart delicious mixture into previously cooled crust.

Step 10. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and serve cold with whipped cream and a lime wedge garnish. Some people like to put their pie in the freezer and serve frozen, which is awesome on a hot day. There is no wrong way to eat this pie!

—Amber Guetebier, adapted from a verbal recipe from Alix Benedict

RELATED STORIES

All the Pie Recipes. All of Them.

Everything I Know About Raising Kids I Learned from Baking

Baking Hacks You Should Memorize

25 Easy Baking Recipes Even a Kid Can Make

Make Room in Your Spice Cabinet, Trader Joe’s Just Released “Everything but the Elote Seasoning Blend”

by Jennifer SwartvagherFebruary 22, 2020

Trader Joe’s has our back when it comes to spice blends. We sprinkle Everything but the Bagel Seasoning on everything and cooking is not the same without their Chile Lime and Onion Salt blends. Now, Everything but the Elote Seasoning Blend will become a welcome addition to your pantry.

View this post on Instagram

📷: “Elote-Jalapeño Cornbread #Pancakes,” feat. #TraderJoes Everything But the Elote #Seasoning • Link to #TJsRecipe is in our bio! 🌽🧂🥞 #WeLikeItElote • Throughout Mexico & across the U.S., street vendors sell mouthwatering, well-seasoned corn on the cob known as #elote. While the fixins may vary from vendor to vendor, anyone who grew up visiting the neighborhood #elotero or making elote at home can attest to its crave-ability. • In the spirit of our #EverythingButTheBagel that came before it, TJ’s #EverythingButTheElote is "Everything" you might find on elote—chile pepper, Parmesan cheese, dried cilantro, salt, etc.—minus the corn itself. We add a bit of corn flour & cane sugar* in its absence, though, so there’s no mistaking what this stuff meant to mimic. ..................................................................... *FUN FACT FOR FOOD NERDS: 🔍 Ingredients must always be listed on product labels in descending order by weight. However, according to federal food labeling guidelines, values listed in the nutrition facts panel must be rounded to zero if the amount is considered “insignificant.” For example, if a product contains less than .5g of sugar per serving, which this one does, then the value must be rounded down to 0g of sugar per serving, even though sugar is listed as an ingredient.

A post shared by Trader Joe's (@traderjoes) on Feb 17, 2020 at 5:32pm PST

This mix of salt, chili pepper, cheese, chipotle, and cumin is delicious on corn or roasted vegetables, but you can use it on many other nontraditional elote recipes as well.

According to Trader Joe’s Instagram post, “Throughout Mexico & across the U.S., street vendors sell mouthwatering, well-seasoned corn on the cob known as #elote. While the fixins may vary from vendor to vendor, anyone who grew up visiting the neighborhood #elotero or making elote at home can attest to its crave-ability.”

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s Announces 11th Annual Customer Choice Awards Winners

15 Meals from Trader Joe’s That Take 10 Minutes or Less

Jelly Belly Sparkling Water Is Real & About to Hit Store Shelves

by Shahrzad WarkentinJanuary 14, 2020

If you ever spent all afternoon sampling Jelly Belly flavors trying to decide which ones were the best, now you can re-live those tasty childhood moments with sparkling water.

Joffer Beverage Company is releasing a brand new line of Jelly Belly Sparkling Water. At launch, the line will include eight flavors including French Vanilla, Lemon Lime, Orange Sherbet, Piña Colada, Pink Grapefruit, Tangerine, Very Cherry and Watermelon. With over 100 Jelly Belly flavors, there will definitely be more additions to come.

photo: Joffer Beverage Company via PR Newswire

“We were on the back patio, drinking a couple of the more popular sparkling water brands, when I said out loud, ‘If only someone could nail a sparkling water with really stand-out flavors,'” said Stephen Joffer, a co-founder of Joffer Beverage Company in a press statement. “The lightbulb came on when my dad suggested, ‘Why not our own Jelly Belly flavors? We are known for flavor innovation after all.'”

All of the canned beverages are made with just two ingredients carbonated water and natural flavors. No sugar and zero calories means you also get to taste those favorite flavors guilt-free.

The new Jelly Belly Sparkling Water will be available in eight-packs of 12 ounce cans at Hy-Vee stores, a midwest chain with over 200 locations, starting mid-January. If you don’t live in the area, you can still score some online at jellybelly.com soon.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Make Valentine’s Day Breakfast Sweeter with Pillsbury’s Strawberry & Cream Cinnamon Rolls

Disneyland’s New “Star Wars” Bucket Is a Collector’s Dream Come True

Target Is Selling Lime Green “Elf” Icees & the Holiday Season Just Got Tastier

by Shahrzad WarkentinNovember 20, 2019

There’s nothing sweeter than Buddy the Elf and now you can enjoy a sweet treat inspired by the jolliest Elf in the North Pole while you check off your holiday shopping list at Target.

The store has released limited-edition Elf Icees and while they don’t feature any maple syrup, it still has Buddy’s stamp of approval for spreading holiday cheer and fans seem to love it.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4bgIx7gscq/

The icy, cool treat comes in a near green lime color and features a cherry lime flavor. An Icee might not be an obvious holiday season treat, but you can’t deny that appealing color and flavor combo.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Impulsive Buy (@theimpulsivebuy)

As a holiday treat, this flavor probably won’t be around long so be sure to grab one while you can.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Jamie Harrington via Instagram

Target Just Dropped Its Holiday Family PJ Collection & Is it December Yet?

All the Gingerbread Kits You Can Find At Target

Whole Foods & Ayesha Curry Partner for a New Line of Meal Kits

by Erica LoopJuly 11, 2019

She’s a New York Times Bestselling author, TV host, chef and now Ayesha Curry is a Whole Foods meal kit creator too!

Curry recently teamed up with Whole Foods Market to curate a line of meal kits. The kits, which fall under Curry’s lifestyle brand Homemade, will feature fresh, local-to-the-customer ingredients provided by Local Crate.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ayesha Curry (@ayeshacurry)

According to Yahoo! Finance, Curry said, “As a devout Whole Foods Market shopper, I’m thrilled to be partnering with Whole Foods Market and Local Crate to launch my new line of premium meal kits.” She also added, “I’m passionate about helping families get back around the dinner table and developed my meal kits for cooks of all skill levels to execute a delicious weeknight meal the whole family will love.”

Homemade Meal Kit options include Honey-Lime Chicken Breasts with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes and Sautéed Garlic Kale, Pomegranate Chimichurri Steak with Spiced-Rubbed Roasted Parsnips and Carrots, Cheesy Baked Penne Primavera with Ricotta, Parmesan & Mozzarella and Warm Vegetable & Chickpea Coconut Curry Bowls with Basmati Rice.

Sadly, for right now the kits are only available at two Whole Foods Market locations in California—Harrison (Oakland) and Stevens Creek (Cupertino). But here’s to hoping that Whole Foods rolls out Curry’s kits across the country!

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Ayesha Curry via Instagram

For Ayesha Curry, Her Marriage to Steph Comes Before the Kids. Here’s Why

Whole Foods Is Offering Early Prime Day Deals

ML Interest Tag: lime

Necco Wafers Return to Store Shelves

Related reads

ALDI Is Selling a New Summer Line of Wines for Less Than $5

Related reads

Independent Play: Busy Boxes for Babies & Toddlers

Build Your Box

Choose an Interesting Assortment

Cloth Napkin Sensory Bin

Fabric Fun for Older Babies

Group Objects by Theme

Incorporate Beads

Sort by Color

Their Very Own Handbag

Try Magnets with Older Babies

Felt Ice Cream Sundaes!

Related reads

CPK Meal Kits Are Perfect for Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day Celebrations

Related reads

Easy Key Lime Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

For the crust:

For the filling:

Related reads

Make Room in Your Spice Cabinet, Trader Joe’s Just Released “Everything but the Elote Seasoning Blend”

Related reads

Jelly Belly Sparkling Water Is Real & About to Hit Store Shelves

Related reads

Target Is Selling Lime Green “Elf” Icees & the Holiday Season Just Got Tastier

Related reads

Whole Foods & Ayesha Curry Partner for a New Line of Meal Kits

Related reads