Try This Yummy Wellness Tea Recipe for Cold & Flu Season Relief

By Sara Mercer

January 20, 2022

With a preschooler and toddler at home, it seems like someone in my house is always sick. My girls are exposed to a million germs a day between school and all of their activities. No amount of hand washing can spare us completely.

As a busy mom, I have no time for sick days that render me useless to my girls! When the sniffles strike (again and again and again) I have a secret weapon. This cold-busting wellness tea is super intense but if you drink the whole pot you will wake up the next morning feeling like a new person!

This tea is loaded with vitamin C from all the citrus, anti-inflammatories from the ginger, and turmeric while the dash of cayenne gives this tea a real kick.

Cold-Busting Wellness Tea

Ingredients:

1 orange
1 lemon
1 grapefruit
1 lime
1 cup water
1 T cinnamon
1 T turmeric
1 tsp cayenne
Several pieces of fresh ginger (the more the better!)
Raw honey (optional)

Directions:

Juice the orange, lemon, grapefruit and lime.
Add the citrus juices, water, cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne and fresh ginger to a pot and heat on medium-low heat for 20 to 30 minutes.
Sweeten to taste with raw honey and drink.
It is best to drink the entire pot if possible to maximize results and hopefully keep your home cold-free this cold and flu season.

Featured image: Kira auf der Heide via Unsplash

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Sara Mercer

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

I am a born and bred New Yorker trying to balance life as a mom of two, writer, wellness coach and fitness enthusiast. If I'm not chasing my girls at the playground, you’ll find me shopping the farmer’s market, checking out the latest boutique fiitness craze or blogging for mercer+green.

Gobble ’til You Wobble with Krispy Kreme’s New Thanksgiving Donuts

by Sarah ShebekNovember 9, 2021

Time to gobble up some new donuts! Krispy Kreme’s latest round of seasonal donuts celebrates Thanksgiving flavors with a fun twist. Pie lovers in particular are in for a treat!

Now until Nov. 25, you can try out four new donuts from your local Krispy Kreme. The Pecan Pie Donut is dipped in butter tart filling and sprinkled with candied pecans and pie crust crumbles. The Cranberry Orange Donut is filled with cranberry, dipped in cranberry orange icing and finished with a sweet drizzle. And the Dutch Apple Pie Donut is packed with apple pie filling, dipped in caramel icing and topped with cinnamon.

But our favorite might be the Gobbler Donut, which is almost too cute to eat. It’s a heart-shaped pastry dipped in chocolate icing and decorated to look like a turkey! Don’t forget the pretzel legs for the perfect finishing touch.

As always, you can order delivery, pickup or grab your donuts in person. Krispy Kreme is also offering a special Thanksgiving Dozen box that features three of each new donut. You can even add a customized message of gratitude and make someone’s day extra sweet.

—Sarah Shebek

Featured image courtesy of Krispy Kreme

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Kids Don’t Want Black Licorice on Halloween, But They Do Want This

by Sarah ShebekOctober 21, 2021

Ready to stake your claim to fame as the best trick-or-treating spot on the block? Then you’ll probably be interested in this new research on Halloween candy that actually asks kids.

The poll had kids from ages 8 to 14 choose their favorite item to receive in a series of matchups and the candies with the top win percentages are perennial favorites! Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups had the best score, winning 75.9% of matchups. That’s followed by original M&Ms, the Milky Way bar, the classic Hershey’s chocolate bar and a Kit Kat. While chocolate dominated the favorites list, gummy bears snuck in for the sixth place spot. Hershey’s Kisses, Reese’s Pieces, Peanut M&Ms and Twix bars rounded out the top 10.

The candy kids are least excited to receive? Black licorice. It only won 16% of its matchups and the poll found that kids prefer almost anything else, including beef jerky, an orange or even sugar-free gum! And if you want to go the healthier route, data revealed the fruit snacks are a big hit in the pre-teen set, which won out over many candies on the list.

YouGov conducted the poll of 703 U.S. kids quite recently, between September 22 and October 1. Now you know how to stock up as you head to the store before Halloween festivities. Just leave the black licorice on the shelf!

—Sarah Shebek

Featured image courtesy of Yaroslav Shuraev, Pexels

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By Alana Smith

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

October 15, 2021

You know what I love? Fancy pumpkins. But you know what I also love? Having enough money to keep the lights on at my house. So why on God’s green earth did it just cost me $147 to beautify my porch for fall? And that was just the pumpkins! That didn’t count any cornstalks or scarecrows or hay or mums or blow-up spiders.

You know you can’t just buy one orange pumpkin for $4.99 like you could in 2008. Oh no. We need stacks of pumpkins. And pumpkins leaning on pumpkins. And pumpkins rolling down your steps like your front door just coughed them up. And bumpy pumpkins, green pumpkins, and tiny or ginormous ones. Some of those pumpkins are so big you couldn’t even roll them to the car—you’d literally pee your pants just lifting that bad boy into your trunk. You for sure wouldn’t carve it, because it would take until Thanksgiving to get all the seeds out. Holy moly. Forget Charlie Brown—these pumpkins are straight up bibbidi-boppidi-boo carriage material.

There are white, booty-shaped pumpkins, flat pumpkins, and pumpkins named “fairy tale” that are apparently the most bougie pumpkins of all, coming in at $18.99. I mean, one of my small pumpkin stacks could have bought me a brand new bra. But oh no—I’ll go wearing my one bra and that bougie pumpkin stack will sit there until it melts into goo one day before Halloween. It’s a real wise investment. I’m definitely in the wrong profession if a pack of fancy pumpkin seeds is $5.49, which will grow a whole patch of pumpkins. I don’t know what that math is, but you’ll probably make a million dollars.

Nevertheless, I love a fancy pumpkin, so it just is what it is. There’s no eating out this week, kids, just take your PB&J outside and admire the pumpkins. Happy fall and I hope y’all can get both pumpkins and gas in your car this week. Best of luck!

Alana Smith

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Alana Smith is a nurse anesthetist and boy mom (7 and 2) in Birmingham, Alabama. She lives with her husband, kiddos, and boxer, Sam. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and when she isn’t writing or chasing little humans, she can usually be found in the aisles of Target.

Our 6 Favorite Orange County Pumpkin Patches

by Kate LowethOctober 13, 2021

Fall comes whether the days get colder or not. The first signs of fall in Orange County are the pumpkin patches popping up all over town. We’ve gathered our favorite OC pumpkin patches that include family-friendly activities like corn mazes, apple cider donuts, bounce houses and hay rides. Scroll through to find one near you!

Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch
This spot wins out for most authentic feel as it actually is a working farm! Wander through the pumpkin patch to pick one off the vine. This year they are doing drive-through on the weekends and wagon rides on weekdays. Parking passes are required on weekends for $10.

5380 3/4 University Dr.,
Irvine, CA
Online: tinybeans.go-vip.net

Zoomars Pumpkin Patch
Bring your family this autumn and experience a full pumpkin patch on this historic farm. Hop aboard the kiddie train and giddy-up on the horse ride. Travel back in time to the old Western town and try your hand at gem mining.

31791 Los Rios St.
San Juan Capistrano, CA
Online: tinybeans.go-vip.net

Irvine Park Railroad’s Pumpkin Patch
Come and enjoy tons of family activities like face painting, hay rides, a moon bounce, panning for gold, cookie decorating, carnival games and more. Admission is free, but each activity costs tickets. If you plan to visit on the weekends, arrive early to avoid parking lot closures.

One Irving Park Rd.
Orange, CA
Online: tinybeans.go-vip.net

Enchanted Country Pumpkins
You'll find loads of perfect pumpkins at this Brea patch with spots for photo ops, carnival games, a petting zoo and more. Come back in the winter to grab your Christmas tree. They also have a sister lot in San Dimas.

480 N. State College Blvd.
Brea, CA
Online: tinybeans.go-vip.net

COVID-19 Update: Visitors are asked to wear a mask.

Pumpkin City's Pumpkin Farm
Meander through thousands of pumpkins in all shapes and sizes in a charming farm atmosphere. Enjoy a host of amusement rides, game booths, and activities all set under the canopy of the beautiful autumn sky. Admission is free and the fun is guaranteed!

24203 Avenida de la Carlota
Laguna Hills, CA
Online: tinybeans.go-vip.net

The Pumpkin Factory
This pumpkin patch is a family favorite. You'll find exciting rides, fun games, delicious food and even a petting zoo. You're sure to find the perfect pumpkin here!

Main Place Mall
Santa Ana, CA
Online: tinybeans.go-vip.net

—Taylor Clifton & Kate Loweth

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Cold Stone’s Halloween Boo Batter Is Back & It’s Frightfully Delicious

by Shahrzad WarkentinOctober 7, 2021

It might be fall, but that doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to ice cream till next summer. Cold Stone Creamery has turned its classic cake batter flavor jet black and it’s the perfect Halloween treat.

For a limited time you can score the new Boo Batter ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery locations. It’s the same flavor as their cake batter, but with a much spookier color to help celebrate the season.

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You can kick things up a notch by ordering the Trick Or Treat Creation, which mixes in some of your favorite Halloween treats, like Halloween Oreos, Kit Kats and M&Ms, with the Boo Batter. Complete the entire dish by ordering it in an orange or black waffle cone.

Don’t wait if you want to get a taste of this sweet treat. It’s only around for the month of October at Cold Stone Creamery locations.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Cold Stone Creamery

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OREO’s Spooky Graveyard Kit Is a Delicious Addition to Your Halloween Decor

by Sarah ShebekOctober 5, 2021

How do you improve the traditional gingerbread house? Make it haunted, for one, then swap the gingerbread for OREOs! If you’re sold on this idea, you can buy a kit now at Michaels just in time for Halloween festivities.

This festive OREO Spooky Graveyard Chocolate Cookie Kit comes with prebaked chocolate cookies and premade icing, so creating your scene is a snap. Of course, it also includes plenty of OREOs in regular and mini form, plus orange and purple candy jewels and bats for decorating.

You can write your own haunted messages on the included tombstones and add plenty of flair to the attached haunted house. There’s even a skeleton and jack o lantern included on the packaging to cut out for added décor! The kit is currently on sale for only $10 at Michaels, so add it to your cart today.

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Carvel Has New Hocus Pocus Shakes & We’re Utterly Bewitched by Those Cups

by Sarah ShebekSeptember 30, 2021

If you live near a Carvel and you’re a Hocus Pocus fan, you’ll be bewitched by this news. The ice cream company has created three limited-edition shakes that celebrate the Sanderson Sisters—and we’d buy them just for those collectible cups!

Available now through Halloween, the shakes each feature the distinctive personalities of the sisters. Sarah’s Chilling Churro Shake combines Churro Crunchies with cinnamon-sugar churro ice cream, topped with yellow sprinkles. Winnie’s Glorious Cake Batter Shake mixes up cake batter ice cream, topped with orange sprinkles. And Mary’s Divine Cookies & Cream Shake blends vanilla with cookie and cream pieces, topped with violet sprinkles.

The shakes are also celebrating Carvel’s partnership with Freeform, the network airing “31 Nights of Halloween” and plenty of Hocus Pocus. You can buy them starting at $4.79 at participating Carvel shops and on food delivery platforms. Don’t forget the collectible spoon!

If you need more of the Sanderson Sisters in your life, we’ve got you covered. Bubble, bubble we’re in trouble!

––Sarah Shebek

Featured image courtesy of Carvel

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This Hocus Pocus Bouquet Is the Spooky Gift That Keeps on Giving

by Karly WoodSeptember 23, 2021

It’s the worst when the last flower on your bouquet finally bites the dust and you have to toss them all in the trash. Well, thanks to Love Pop, you can enjoy this bouquet all year long!

Disney’s Hocus Pocus Spellbinding Bouquet ($26) starts out as a card fit for the Sanderson sisters, then unfolds into a purple and orange “floral” centerpiece. Above the purple vase and amidst the black vines lie the Sandersons holding the Manual of Witchcraft and Alchemy next to a bottle of magical green life potion.

Once unfolded, The Hocus Pocus Spellbinding Bouquet measures 10.25 inches tall by 7.5 inches wide, making it the perfect size for your dining room table or your desk. Because it starts out as a card, shipping is also a breeze!

You can find this boo-tiful bouquet at lovepop.com.

––Karly Wood

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by Sarah ShebekSeptember 3, 2021

Trick or Treat! What do parents (ahem, we mean kids) really want in their plastic pumpkins this year? The National Confectioners Association took on this hard-hitting question and the results were a bit surprising!

In an online survey of 1,500 adults, the NCA found that chocolate was the favorite Halloween treat, followed closely by gummy candy. The twist might be the third place option, candy corn! Although the orange and white treat gets mixed reviews in public, Americans still want to see it in the mix.

You also might not have guessed that there are varied opinions on how to consume candy corn. While over half of respondents (52%) eat the whole piece at once, 31% start at the narrow white and and 17% start at the wider yellow end.

Last year’s Halloween was anything but traditional, but 93% of young parents said they’ll celebrate Halloween this year. An additional 80% said they’ll trick or treat, which (mostly) fell by the wayside in 2020. And if your kids do trick or treat, they’ll be in luck—79% of Americans said they’ll fill the candy bowl on October 31.

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Try This Yummy Wellness Tea Recipe for Cold & Flu Season Relief

By Sara Mercer

Cold-Busting Wellness Tea

Ingredients:

Directions:

Sara Mercer

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