Nescafe Memento

Nescafe Memento

I am simply in love with being a Bzz Agent.  Not only do I get to try out some great products ( for FREE ) but I also get to share those products with my friends and hand out some pretty nifty coupons!

The most recent "bzzkit" I received was for an instant coffee beverage called Nescafe Memento.  I was sent three flavors: Mocha, Caramel and Cappuccino and boy was I excited to try them all!  I am a coffee addict and a money saving junkie.  The two don't really go hand in hand.  My favorite ( nameless ) coffee shop charges almost 4 bucks for a latte.  Are you kidding me?  That's highway robbery!  Yummy highway robbery, but robbery just the same.  These little pouches claim tastiness for a fraction of the price and I can stay in my PJs.  Win, win, win!

I really wish I could say that I loved this.  After all I loved the "idea" of it.  I guess somethings are just too good to be true.  Let me start with the caramel flavor.  OMG, GROSS!  I seriously have no clue who decided that this could even be called caramel.  Try to picture this:  Scented chalk, caramel scented chalk, that some kid left outside during a rainstorm.  The resulting chalk puddle is then heated and called coffee.  Ya, it was that bad.  I wouldn't give this to starving children, they'd just spit it out anyways!

On to Cappuccino.  Not bad.  A little bland in my opinion but easily doctored up with flavored creamer, whip cream or cinnamon stir sticks.  The girls in my mothers group cooled a couple of cups of this in the fridge and then poured over vanilla ice cream.  Coffee floats?  Hell ya!  That was amazing!

Last, but not least was the mocha flavor.  If you like hot coco, you will adore this.  That's basically what it tasted like.  The coffee flavor was VERY subtle and almost non existent.  I can't say I hated it, because I was in a chocolate kind of mood but had I been in a coffee mood I would have been pissed.  Like throw my coffee cup against a wall pissed.  I'm very dramatic.

All in all, I'd recommend Nescafe Mementos.  Just avoid the caramel one.  They'd make a perfect addiction to the crazy purse clutter, or great for camping.  As an everyday drink?  I'll stick to my k-cups and coffee shops.

Click here for - Nutritional Facts

C is for Cereal

I was recently chosen to test out Posts Sesame Street Cereal. Clearly, being a 31 year old woman, I'm not exactly jumping for joy when Elmo hits the breakfast table.  Then again, I'm pretty sure this was for my toddlers taste buds.  Thank goodness too, because I found the taste and texture less than appealing.  Try to imagine a texture like a cheese puff but with a mild apple or banana and corn flavor.  Sounds yummy, right? ( sarcasm )  Buuuuut...guess who likes it?  Now, I'm not sure little man actually likes these or if he just wants to fit into the Elmo club.  Either way, he wants them every morning and I'm happy to give it to him.

There are a lot of products out there that make very bold claims about being healthy.  I'm going to say "healthier".  Yes, this cereal has less sugar, more vitamins and no artificial flavors...COMPARED to other cereals!  An actual apple or banana is, obviously, going to be a better choice for your little one.  Unfortunately, we live in a fast food, processed, junk kind of world.  Post is just capitalizing on the fact that we all feel slightly guilty about the crap we give our kids.  With that being said, they did a good job and I do recommend it.

Here are some of the nutritional facts:

• 16g of whole grain per 20g serving provides two-thirds of your toddler’s daily whole grains*
• 1g of sugar per serving is just enough to perfectly sweeten both flavors without compromising the cereal’s other nutritional benefits
• No artificial flavors
• Fortified with nutrients that help support healthy brain development in children: iron, zinc, and choline**
• An ideal food for little ones – just the right size for little fingers to pick up and easy for your toddler to chew and swallow***
• Sesame Street characters and brain games on the box will ensure that breakfast is not only entertaining, but a special time to spend learning with your child

*Nutritionists recommend toddlers 2 to 3 years old eat 1½ servings or more of whole grain foods per day (about 16g whole grain per serving or at least 24g per day).

**Iron helps deliver oxygen to the brain & body; zinc helps brain & body cells grow and develop; choline+ helps the brain send messages.

+Contains 55mg choline per 27g serving, which is 10% of the Daily Value for choline for adults (550mg), and 40mg per 20g serving, which is 20% of the Daily Value for choline for children under 4 (200mg).

***Safety Reminder: Post Sesame Street cereals should only be fed to children who are accustomed to chewing solid foods. Small children should always be seated and supervised while eating.