Santa Cruz Organic Agua Fresca Review #momsmeet #KeepOnCruzin

Agua Fresca juices from Santa Cruz Organic come in three refreshing flavors: Pomegranate, Grapefruit or Mango Passionfruit. These beverages are all gluten-free and Non-GMO Project Certified. Lightly sweetened with organic sugar and a hint of organic lemon juice, these fruit drinks are similar to popular aqua fresca drinks in Central America and the Caribbean. They are made with USDA Organic certified ingredients, with organic juice/fruit puree as the first ingredient after water and will help keep you hydrated all summer long.

Santa Cruz Organic is famous for their wide range of 100% juices and blends, but they have other organic products as well. Santa Cruz Organic currently offers more than fifty organic products that range from organic fruit juices and sparkling beverages to organic fruit sauces, chocolate syrups, peanut butters, and fruit spreads. All their items are Non-GMO Project Certified. They are also a Green-e certified company, meaning they recycle more than 95% of their waste and buy enough renewable energy credits each year to cover their production needs.

We received a set of different products from Santa Cruz and Moms Meet to try out. First my daughters and I tried out their juices. They sent us three different kinds: 2 from the Agua Fresca line (their pomegranate and mango passionfruit flavor) and one of their lemonades (regular lemonade flavor). Make sure you shake these juices up gently before pouring because the fruit puree tends to settle to the bottom.

These were all very good and wonderfully refreshing. My daughter Teela and I loved the mango mango passionfruit flavor the best and my daughter Zari told me the lemonade was her favorite. I loved the sweet and tangy flavors of the fruit against the lemon juice in each Agua Fresca. The lemonade was so good too not too sweet or sour like others I've tried. They have other flavors of lemonade besides original: cherry, mango, peach, raspberry, and strawberry lemonades. I love that their juices are better for you than other juices because they are organic and GMO free as well! I also love the pretty glass jars they come in.
 

Santa Cruz Organic Applesauce

We then tried the organic applesauce that was also in the pack we received. The applesauce was really good and I love that no sugar or high fructose corn syrup is added to sweeten it. It also has no added colors and gives 100% daily value of Vitamin C. This applesauce is perfect on its own and only has three ingredients: organic apples, water, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Their applesauce comes in convenient pouches to take on-the-go, cups for packing in lunches, or in a jar. Besides regular applesauce they have apple apricot, apple peach, apple strawberry, and cinnamon apple sauces. These are also gluten-free as well as GMO free and certified USDA organic.

SOCIAL • CORNER
Website - santacruzorganic.com
Facebook - facebook.com/santacruzorganic
Twitter - twitter.com/santacruzjuice
Pinterest - pinterest.com/santacruzjuice

BUY IT
A 32 oz. bottle of Santa Cruz Organic Agua Fresca retails for $3.20 - $3.49, depending on the location.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received these products for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program (greenmomsmeet.com), May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product.

Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends Cereal Review and Giveaway

Post has a new cereal in the Honey Bunches of Oats lineup. Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blends has crispy mango flavored flakes, real coconut shavings and crunchy coconut flavored granola clusters with just a touch of honey.

Good Points:

• 10g Whole Grain (per 3/4 cup serving)
• 120 Calories (per 3/4 cup serving)
• 6g Sugar (No high fructose corn syrup) (per 3/4 cup serving)
• 9 Essential Vitamins & Minerals including 60% Daily Value of Iron (per 3/4 cup serving)
• 4 Wholesome Grains
• Heart Healthy: 0g Trans Fat, 0.5g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol (per 3/4 cup serving)
• No Artificial Food Dyes (contains Annatto extract for color)
• No Unpronounceable Ingredients: All of the Ingredients in the Cereal were things I had heard of.
• WIC Eligible
• Labels For Education

Bad Points:

• Corn (first ingredient) and other Corn products are present. Most likely this cereal contains GMOs. It doesn't say otherwise.
• Contains: Natural Flavor. Who really knows what this term actually means??
• BHT  (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) added to packaging material to preserve product freshness (I had to look this one up and I also ended up calling Post about it. This chemical has a MSDS, Material Safety Data Sheet, that states: ingestion causes abdominal pain, confusion, dizziness, nausea, vomiting. BHT may have effects on the liver and be linked to cancer. The lady on the phone for Post informed me that the BHT, a chemical added to many foods to prevent fats from going rancid, is in the bag with which the cereal touches, but it is only trace amounts so I am told that there is no need to worry.)
• Contains: Wheat and Milk. This is only a bad point if you are allergic to these items. (I'll award good points also since this is clearly labeled in bold on the box).

My Thoughts:

I am one of those people that always looks at the ingredients labels, especially on food products. This label was pretty mild from some of the ones I've seen. Honestly, I eat so many things with corn products I guess I shouldn't complain, but I do wish (like most) that GMOs were labeled right on the packaging so it wouldn't be such a mystery to try and figure out. The BHT scared me at first, but I was a little reassured that it is only trace amounts and I guess it shouldn't matter, or so I am told. No one in my immediate family is allergic to wheat or milk, but I know many others that are.

So, what does the cereal taste like? It has a very unique flavor. My favorite part of all Honey Bunches of Oats cereals are the granola clusters (and dried fruit when there is any)! The clusters have just enough crunch and sweetness to make the cereal so tasty. I love coconut too so making the clusters coconut flavored in this cereal was brilliant IMO. The mango taste is OK. It doesn't taste weird, but I wish it had real dried mango instead of just "mango flavor"...at least it has real coconut flakes. My kids loved the cereal and ate it up.

My semi-related rant: Honey Bunches of Oats doesn't have their yummy Honey Bunches of Oats with Real Peaches anymore...it has been discontinued and it was one of my favorites of the flavors.

You can find out all you want to know about Honey Bunches of Oats on their Facebook page. www.facebook.com/honeybunchesofoats

WIN IT
Prize: 1 winner will win 2 coupons for a FREE box of Honey Bunches of Oats.

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Post for sending me product for free and promotion information to facilitate my review and free coupons for this giveaway. This opportunity was provided to me because I am a Purex Insider. By posting I will be entered to win prizes. 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 posting this promo.