7 Ways to Keep Your Family Safe this Season Guest Post and First My Family ZPAK Review

 I received the First My Family "ZPAK" free to facilitate this review.

Guest Post by First My Family:

7 Ways to Keep Your Family Safe this Season

O-M-G the holidays are already here! That’s what everyone says as the decorations go up and the festivities begin. What they don’t talk about are the serious dangers millions of families face during the holiday season.

 FACT: AAA projects that nearly 50 million people will travel this Thanksgiving and another 100 million will likely travel during the December holidays.

 Increased travel during unsafe weather is a recipe for disaster, and as we’ve seen in the past - disasters happen when we least expect. Andrew Torres, CEO and Founder of First My Family, a disaster preparedness company knows that planning ahead can literally save lives. First My Family is most famous for being the official licensee and creator of the AMC The Walking Dead Survival Kit and most recently the AMC The Walking Dead Zombie Preparedness Apocalypse Kit (ZPAK). Andrew has also been in the emergency management and crisis management fields for the last 18 years and knows a thing or two about how to be prepared.

While no one can predict the weather or when catastrophe will occur, by following First My Family’s “Seven Steps to Stay Safe this Season,” families can mitigate their risk and hopefully stay safe and sound this holiday season.

 Seven Steps to Stay Safe this Season

1. Water your holiday tree every day and keep it away from heat sources. According to FEMA,  heat sources cause 1 out of every 6 Christmas tree fires each year. Make sure your tree is well-watered to prevent dryness and position the tree at least three feet away from any heat source. 
2. Prepare for #winter storms by checking your emergency kit! A basic kit should include, food, water, first aid, lighting, warmth and supplies to help start a fire.
3. Pets get cold too. Bring your furry friends inside! If they are outside, make sure they have plenty of non-frozen water and are able to stay warm. Remember, pets are family too!
4. Traveling during the holidays? Make sure you are prepared to get home safe. Every car should have a full tank of gas, charged cell phone, food, water, flashlight with batteries, first aid kit, jumper cables, warm clothes, blanket, shovel and work gloves.
5. Be extra cautious about possible fire hazards. Turn all lights and candles off before going to bed.
6. The holidays can be a lonely time. If you have family members with special needs or aging parents, make sure they can pay their bills, have a warm place to stay during the winter holidays, and know who to call for help.
7. Kids love to play during the winter.  Make sure they are safe by dressing them in multiple layers of clothing. To prevent hypothermia, bring kids indoors if they are shivering and have them come inside often on very cold days.  Don’t let babies sleep in a cold room.

My Review:

The Official AMC The Walking Dead Zombie Preparedness Apocalypse Kit (ZPAK) comes in a custom branded Nalgene Sport Water bottle that is 32oz and BPA Free. It has a custom carabiner and The Walking Dead ZPAK artwork in it. Perfect for everyday use to stay prepared in an emergency or in case of zombie attacks. Included in this handy kit are emergency and survival items that are a great compliment to any survival kit or bug out bag.

First My Family ZPAK Contents

ZPAK Contains:

• (1) 32oz Custom Nalgene BPA Free Wide Mouth Sport water bottle. Made in the U.S.A.
• (1) Custom Carabiner - Not designed for professional climbing
• (1) 5-1 Emergency Whistle with Compass, Flint, Signal Mirror and Carrying Case
• (1) Emergency Mylar Space Blanket to keep you warm during harsh conditions
• (1) Emergency Poncho to keep you dry
• (1) 12-Hour Glow Stick to light up the darkness
• (10) Medical Grade bandages
• *From the creators of The Walking Dead Survival Kit
• Items inside the bottle may fluctuate due to unexpected limitations on supply and can be altered for similar items at the discretion of First My Family

Use the ZPAK container as a water bottle for water or other cold drinks.

I love this small one person survival kit because it is perfect for gifting! It is compact enough to fit in a Christmas stocking or under the tree and perfect for packing in a larger pack. Once you take the contents out of the bottle they come in you can use it as well for a drinking container. The carabiner is great to attach the whole kit to a belt loop or backpack. The contents of this kit are a great start to helping in an emergency. I am probably going to add a healthy protein bar to this kit as well because there is a little room in the water bottle for one. This is great for hiking, climbing, camping, hunting, fishing, or a car ride...just in case.

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BUY IT
Get the ZPAK for $29.95 $ 34.95! Get one for everyone in your family this holiday season!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Nabisco belVita Soft Baked Breakfast Biscuit Review and Guest Post: Easing Stress During the Busy Back to School Season

I received these products for free to facilitate this review.

Nabisco belVita Soft Baked Breakfast Biscuits are a new tasty treat that is wonderful for a grab and go breakfast! They are also wonderful for an after school snack. These come in two flavors: Oats & Chocolate and Mixed Berry. They have 20% daily fiber, 11g whole grain per 50g serving, good source of B-vitamins which help convert food into energy, and only 7g of fat. These contain NO: high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, or artificial flavors or sweeteners.

These soft baked biscuits are so yummy! I loved the Oats & Chocolate one the best myself, but the Mixed Berry one was very good too. These are extra crumbly so make sure to eat over a plate or napkin so you don't lose any morsel of goodness. I recommend these to anyone needing a quick easy breakfast!

Below I have included some great tips to help parents get ready for the Back to School Season from the Lifestyle Mom, Dana Hilmer...

Easing Stress during the Busy Back to School Season Soon families everywhere will be getting back in the school year routine.:

1. It’s important to schedule down time for you and your family. Before signing your kids up for this year’s after-school activities, think about your family’s priorities and the impact each activity will have on your schedules.
2. It’s just as important for you to have a tasty, healthy breakfast as it is for your kids. Perfect for eating on the go, belVita Soft Baked Breakfast Biscuits come in two varieties, Mixed Berry and Oats & Chocolate, grab a banana and a latte and you’re good to go with nutritious morning energy. 
3. Take a little time each night to get organized for the following morning. By making lunches and selecting outfits before bed each night, you’ll free time each morning for other things. 
4. Be sure to keep healthy snacks in the kitchen for after-school snacking. Nuts, crackers and fruit are great to give kids right when they walk in the door to keep them from grazing on unhealthy snacks, or spoiling their appetites for dinner. 
5. Moms often complain about not having enough time for themselves, but when life gets busy, it’s even more important to carve out that time. Treat “me time” as a priority. 
6. Start a to-do list with three sections: the priority of the day for yourself, the priority of the day for your family and the priority of the day for your work. Start with these items, and only move on to other less important items once they’re done. 
7. Use Sunday nights to plan your dinners each week. If you take a few minutes to think about how you can creatively use the leftovers from one night to the next, you can create a full week’s worth of healthy, tasty dinners that your family will enjoy. 
8. Give yourself the freedom to say no without guilt. Activities or commitments that may not be right for your family are okay to decline. Saying NO gives you the permission to say YES to things that are important to you. 
9. Back-to-school season is also cold and flu season. You can keep your entire family healthy with these simple habits: eating well, getting enough rest and washing hands regularly. 
10. Create a network of support for yourself. This network looks different for everyone. Consider asking your partner and kids for support. They can be a great help with tasks you feel comfortable handing over. 

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. The Guest Post was provided to me free to share by belVita. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review or posting this guest post.

Funky Monkey Snacks Review and Guest Post: Don’t Let Healthy Living Take a Vacation This Summer

I received these products for free to facilitate this review. This post is sponsored by Funky Monkey Snacks.

Funky Monkey Snacks are healthy all-natural freeze dried real fruit snacks. They are great for summer time! The snacks come in seven different original flavors: Applemon (freeze-dried apple and organic cinnamon), Bananamon (freeze-dried organic banana and organic cinnamon), Carnival Mix (freeze-dried organic banana, pineapple, apple and papaya), JiveALime (freeze-dried pineapple and lime juice), MangOJ (freeze-dried mango and orange juice), Pink Pineapple (freeze-dried pineapple and guava) and Purple Funk (freeze-dried organic banana and organic açaí). They also have teamed up with Marvel to bring new flavors (I did not receive these to try) with Marvel characters on the packaging. They are all free of: GMOs, preservatives, added sugars, coloring, flavoring, wheat, gluten, dairy, peanuts, tree-nuts. They are also a vegan, kosher, and raw food. Some of their snacks are even USDA Certified Organic. The USDA defines 1/4 cup of freeze-dried fruit as 1 serving of fruit and Funky Monkey Snacks have 3 servings of fruit in every bag. The fruit used are sliced into full slices instead of diced and contain more nutrients than regular dried fruits because no heat or cooking was involved in the process of making them.

These snacks were really good and my kids and I enjoyed them. They have an awesome crunch that is very unique. My favorites were the JiveALime and Applemon. My kids loved those and the MangOJ the best. These are great to take on trips and are so convenient and portable! They can be taken anywhere to be eaten.

Below I have included some great tips from the CEO of Funky Money Snacks...

Don’t Let Healthy Living Take a Vacation This Summer
Matt Herzog, CEO of Funky Monkey Snacks

As school lets out and summer begins, family trips, camp and lots of free time can mean a more lax eating schedule and menu for kids. How can parents keep them on track during carefree summer activities? Below, Matt Herzog, father and CEO of healthy snack company, Funky Monkey Snacks, gives some tips on this topic:

1. Don’t forget breakfast! It’s easy to forget about this meal when kids get up during the summer and head outside to play immediately. Have quick options on hand, such as oatmeal, yogurt, non-sugary cereal or whole grain toast with peanut butter. 
2. Try to stay on a schedule. Even though the regimented hours of school are no longer present, try to serve meals at approximately the same time they would have been eaten during the school year. This helps prevent unnecessary snacking and allows the family to plan ahead and spend mealtimes together. This also means that it’s good to still have a set bedtime, even if a bit later, so that everyone is getting plenty of rest. 
3. When traveling with children, make sure to pack plenty of healthy snacks to have on hand in case you get stuck in traffic, at the airport or someplace where healthy eating options are limited. Funky Monkey Snacks are a great option of course, but also pre-cut vegetables, whole grain crackers or homemade trail mix will also do the trick. 
4. Buy personalized water bottles for each child (with their favorite character, sports team, color, etc). This show of personality will help each child want to drink more water – a must for hot summer days. Plus, the individuality will prevent mix-ups about which bottle belongs to which child. 
5. Limit screen time and find fun activities outside. Movies, television, iPads and video games are all fun, but take advantage of the weather! Start a family garden and let your children choose what to plant so they are invested in helping it grow. Take walks, find hiking trails, bike to get frozen yogurt. Go to the beach and bring the Frisbee. The bottom line is that even though summer should be filled with fun activities and some treats, it should not be an excuse to drop all the rules, or back-to-school time will be an even bigger hassle! Maintaining a sense of schedule, while throwing in fun, summer-specific activities and trips is the perfect recipe for a healthy and harmonious summer together.   

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Matt Herzog was a brand manager at General Mills, where he responsible for the launch of Yoplait Whips! as well as managing Chex Mix. Now, he is using his healthy snack food knowledge as the CEO of a small startup with an all-natural, freeze dried fruit snack (made in Brazil using fresh tropical fruit). Since becoming CEO, Funky Monkey Snacks has taken off, landing distribution through natural and conventional grocery stores, Amazon.com, as well as Walmart. He is also a father of two.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. The Guest Post was provided to me free to share by Funky Money Snacks. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review or posting this guest post.