Food

Back to School and Stock the Staff Lounge for Teachers and Staff

This post contains affiliate links

Back to School and Stock the Staff Lounge for Teachers and Staff

As we (finally) get back to a normal school year we will need to restock the kids backpacks and that may also include proper masks, water bottles form home and sanitizers. School lists may look a tad different and I don’t mind some added hygiene that we previously took for granted.

As we prepare to get the kids back to normal learning, our Teachers and staff are also heading to their home away from home where they previously worked from home, had shortened in-office hours or had to keep belongings close and away from others for sanitary reasons. Our Teachers leave home earlier than your student and stay in the classroom later as well. They are in that school building for a minimum of 2 mealtimes, lesson planning hours and reorganizing after a long day with the kids.

Teachers and staff use their staff lounge on their breaks as short-lived as some of those breaks are. They need to staff these lounges and their own snack drawers so typically they reach into their own pockets so they have some basics.

As you are out shopping, remember your Teachers and school staff. I am a staff myself at a local high school and I can surely tell you some great items needed for the lounge….

Stock the Staff Lounge

  • Coffee K-Cup Pods
  • Creamer
  • Sugars including healthier sweeteners like Stevia
  • Healthy snacks, like Nunbelievable Cookies (these are so good and not loaded with carbs or sugars)
  • Plastic food wrap
  • Foil
  • Paper coffee cups/lids
  • Paper plates, bowls
  • Utensils
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Seasoning salt
  • Napkins
  • Ziploc bags-all sizes
  • Stir sticks
  • Fresh fruit regularly
  • Protein powders that can be mixed with water
  • Soda/sparkling water cans

I want to also add that staff loves it when there are unique items added here and there. We love seeing brands that give back and that is why I suggested Nunbelievable cookies. Save 15% with code 15NUNB. For every baked good sold, Nunbelievable provides a meal to help feed someone in need. We notice those things and feel proud to have such brands available to us. Don’t forget to stock the staff lounge this year as your child heads back!

Natural Foods

Keto-Friendly Cookies that actually taste good from Nunbelievable

I am a Nubelievable affiliate. This means I agree to promote them as I enjoy and believe in their products myself.

Keto-Friendly Cookies that actually taste good from Nunbelievable

With so many keto-friendly snacks on the market, it is exciting that brands want to provide up with better ingredients. However, when they taste bland or chalky then they really are not of service to our tastebuds. Nunbelievable has done it right with their new keto-friendly cookies.

The Snickerdoodle cookies taste like a fresh-baked snickerdoodle and the double chocolate chip cookies taste like brownie batter. They are delicious!

Nunbelievable really prides itself on their 1 cookie = 1 meal program where you enjoy delicious cookies, and they donate meals to partner soup kitchens to feed people in need. The cookies yield 1 net carb per serving and a serving is 2 cookies. With flavors like these that are a little rich and satisfying, you will only need to eat 2 at a time and itch that sweet tooth with little guilt!

The ingredients? They are sweetened with stevia, stevia extracts, monkfruit extract, sugar-free chocolate chips and erythritol. The base is almond flour and emulsifier (contains sunflower or palm oils which is OK because their is not a lot), so I am 100% for these cookies on KETO and clean eating.

Each serving (2 cookies) have 100 calories – for a great snack serving. 6g of sugar alcohols, 0 sugar/added sugar and 2g fiber and 9g carbs (1g net carb). Again, they are delicious! The cost? about $1.50 a serving, that’s less than most quality snack bars or sugar-free chocolate bars. To stock up on Nunbelievable low carb cookies, visit their shop!

Save 15% with promo code: 15NUNB HERE!

Giveaways, Natural Foods, Open Giveaways

Award-Winning ZestTea Energy Review ad Giveaway and Savings

Award-Winning ZestTea Energy Review ad Giveaway and Savings

Energy, focus and health is what is rolled together in a can of ZestTea Energy. ZestTea has about 3x the caffeine of normal tea, or about as much caffeine as a regular cup of coffee. Now you can get your energy in sparkling tea cans and also available in Zero Sugar. All of ZestTea’s blends are gluten free. There is a small amount of natural sugar in some of the the blend ingredients like the fruit pieces, but there is no added sugars!

These taste great and I love the packaging. The energy in one of these cans comes from 120mg of natural tea caffeine, the focus comes from 100mg L-Theanine so you don’t get the jitters or have a caffeine crash and the health comes from the zero-added sugars and the non-GMO certified ingredients.

For example, the ingredient list for my favorite flavor, Blood Orange Mango is: Carbonated Water, Organic, Green Tea, Natural Blood Orange Flavor, Natural Mango Flavor, Natural Flavors, Green Tea Extract, Citric Acid, L-Theanine, Stevia Leaf Extract, Non-GMO Certified.

ZestTea also has other caffeinated tea varieties such as tea bags, loose leaf and CBD-infused teas as well as accessories. You can also visit the ZestTea blog to learn so many great facts about tea, such as What is the Best Morning Tea for Energy. They were even named the Best New Product at the World Tea Expo May 2015 and they have been growing and adding more ever since.

ZestTea Energy Giveaway and Savings!

One lucky reader will win an assortment of ZestTea. Open to ages 18+ and in the US. This giveaway ends on August 5, 2021. Enter below.

Everyone saves! I have a great link to share so you save $10 on your ZestTea order. Just start by clicking my referral link (I get a little perk too if you order), but the savings for you is fantastic – a $10 credit! SAVE HERE!

Food

What to Bring to a Food Truck Festival

What to Bring to a Food Truck Festival

Summer is a great time to get outside and have some fun. The last year has been difficult, and you probably haven’t been able to get out to any type of festival for a long time. But now that things are getting back to normal, you probably want to attend many summer outings. 

A good food truck festival is a great place to start. It is good to be prepared for what you might encounter when venturing out. There are several things to consider as you plan a day or two sampling great food out in the world.

Comfortable Shoes

Food truck festivals usually require a lot of walking. The trucks can’t be too close together, so they don’t create such a big crowd that you can’t get to the trucks themselves, and so the lines don’t get confusing. This means the festival is usually spread over a few blocks that you’ll have to walk to get to everything. They aren’t always on paved walkways, so you may be treading through grass and mud to get to the trucks.

Your best option for footwear is either comfortable tennis shoes or boots. Sandals generally are not comfortable for long periods of time and run the risk of allowing your feet to be eaten up by bugs or get messy in the mud. When you are planning your day, check the weather and look at the festival setting to know what kind of terrain you’re dealing with so that you can pick accordingly.

Backpack

Backpacks are a great way to carry around everything you’ll need throughout the day. Remember, this is a festival. You’ll need a few necessities such as sunscreen, bottles of water, and even a change of clothes in case you get messy. A backpack is a great way to keep all your stuff safe and leave your hands free. 

There are several types of backpacks out there, and you should pick one that best suits your needs. For a food truck festival, a traditional backpack, sling bag, or knapsack might be the best option to keep your hands free and comfortable. It can also add a fun element to your overall look.

Sunglasses

You’ll proabably be outside for a while, meaning you must protect your eyes at all times. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays leads to an increase in the risk of eye disease. Your sunglasses protect your eyes from harmful rays. There are also issues of glare from the sun bouncing off the trucks. It could cause you to be unable to see where you are going, run into another person, or trip and hurt yourself.

Oakley sunglasses protect the eyes and look stylish. Find sunglasses that fit your style and will also stay put throughout the day. You might want to stock up on multiple pairs, so you’re never without sunglasses.

Cash

Many food trucks only accept cash, so you need to be prepared for that possibility. Make sure you pull cash beforehand because there may not be an ATM available near the festival. Cash can also be good to tip the vendors.

Cash is also an excellent way to set your budget for the day. If you have a set amount you want to spend, taking that amount of cash can help you stick to that budget. Once you are out of cash, you are done spending money for the day. This also helps you buy only the things you are truly interested in trying, making your day more enjoyable.

Folding Chairs

Typically you can check out a festival site ahead of time online to see if there will be benches or tables. However, even if there are benches in the area, if the festival is busy, you might not be able to find a place to sit and enjoy your food. Having your own folding chair can be very helpful in that instance. 

Camping chairs are lightweight and easier to carry around. There are several different styles you can choose from, including some that will fold up small enough to fit in your backpack. This ensures you’ll never be without a seat.

Remember to Have Fun

A food truck festival is all about having fun and trying new foods. The planning for the day is meant to make things less stressful and ensure you have everything you need throughout the day. So once you have the essentials packed, just enjoy the day with good food and good company.