Growing a Green Family » Green Product Review http://www.growingagreenfamily.com Green living year round Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:30:11 +0000 en hourly 1 Green Review: Artterro Art Journal Kits http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-review-artterro-art-journal-kits/ http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-review-artterro-art-journal-kits/#comments Sat, 28 Jan 2012 01:40:48 +0000 Jennifer Chait http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/?p=11017

We’re in the middle of our Artterro Eco Arts & Crafts Giveaway so I wanted to fill you in on one of the great prizes, the Artterro Art Journal Kit.

art kits, Artterro, children’s crafts, crafts for kids, eco crafts, green art project, green crafts, Green Family, green holiday gift, affordable arts and crafts, affordable eco art, affordable art journal, eco-art journal, eco journal, green journal, art journalgreen product reviews

Use:

Crafty free-form fun that allows imaginative kids (or adults) to explore their artistic creativity through art journaling. Available in many different colors as shown above.

Cost:

A super affordable $12.95 at the Artterro online shop.

Eco-perks:

For general information on the eco-perks of these art kits, please read my Artterro company review, which discusses materials, eco-benefits and other stuff about the company. With only very minor cons, I gave this company 5 out of 5 trees, a perfect score. These art journals are made with eco-friendly materials. You can see a run-down of the sorts of eco-materials used by Artterro at their website.




What’s this art journal all about?

The Arttrro Art Journal is a wonderful, cost-friendly craft idea. Artterro has teamed up with Strathmore Artist Papers to create a these unique art journals. Kids may learn and experiment with fun doodling, drawing and collage techniques with the help of some inspiring materials.

Each Art Journal Kit Includes the following: Spiral-bound 6.5 x 8 journal with solid book board cover to personalize, 14 inspiring project pages, 5 pages of beautiful handmade decorative papers, 6 solid colored papers, artist-quality drawing paper, and a handy pocket folder to store pictures, scraps and found images.

Your family provide: Pens, pencils, markers, scissors, glue and any other art materials you choose.

Best perks of this art journal

When this journal first arrived both my 10-year-old son and my partner’s 13-year-old daughter thought it was a very cool idea. My son is already a fan of blank drawing books, doodling books and creative journals, such as Wreck This Journal so it didn’t really shock me that he felt this journal was an excellent idea, but he commented specifically about how he liked the prompts and unique paper choices.

I liked how the paper was high quality and gorgeous and I love the idea that no two kits are alike, meaning siblings or best friends will get different choices to experiment with. Or, if your child goes thorough one journal, you could always get him or her another without fear of the exact same paper.

Best of all, the affordable price was well below what most eco-art journals cost too, which was an excellent perk. In fact, I haven’t seen a free-form eco-art journal under $20 ever, so this is fun every family can afford to enjoy.

I couldn’t find any cons associated with this journal and neither could my kids. We all thought this would make a great green gift for just about anyone.

Beyond art journals, Artterro offers a huge wonderful selection of other eco-art kits. Read two of my reviews below:

Overall Score

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Five out of five little trees! This is a great journal if you’d like to encourage your child to think up creative art projects on his own but while using eco-materials. The beautiful papers will entice anyone’s imagination and you can’t beat the low price. I highly recommend this for schools or as a gift for any child.

See my green product rating system and green product rating criteria or read more green product reviews.

]]> http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-review-artterro-art-journal-kits/feed/ 0 Top Eco-friendly Books for Green Families http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/top-ecofriendly-books-green-families/ http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/top-ecofriendly-books-green-families/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:14:28 +0000 Jennifer Chait http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/?p=10561

If you’re scrounging for last-minute holiday gifts, a good book can’t be beat and is easy to find, even last-minute, so long as you have a local bookstore in town. I’ve reviewed many books, and below are some of my favorites – all are perfect for growing green families too!

 

If you’re looking for some books for a family that loves to prepare food together, check out my list of green and healthy cookbooks. There are also some books around that I haven’t reviewed yet, but I have read and recommend, that will also make great gifts, such as:

Some green-minded books for the kiddos:

]]> http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/top-ecofriendly-books-green-families/feed/ 0 Green Product Review: Bubble & Bee Organic Lotion Stick and Lip Balm http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-product-review-bubble-bee-organic-lotion-stick-lip-balm/ http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-product-review-bubble-bee-organic-lotion-stick-lip-balm/#comments Sun, 11 Dec 2011 16:44:37 +0000 Jennifer Chait http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/?p=10333

Review summary:

A sweet USDA Certified Organic lotion stick and lip balm that both kids and parents will like.

Product

USDA Certified Organic Coconut & Lime Lotion Stick and Coconut & Lime Lip Balm both from Bubble & Bee. These products also come in many other yummy flavors, such as raspberry, peppermint cocoa, apple, orange, root beer, pomegranate, lavender, unscented and more.

Use

Use the lotion stick to heal and moisturize dry, chapped skin plus make your skin feel velvety-smooth. The USDA-certified organic, lip balm goes on smooth and cocoa butter, sunflower oil and beeswax heal and moisturize chapped lips year-round.

Cost

An affordable $2.99 for the lip balm and $7.95 for the lotion stick. There’s also a great deal on a Mini Gift Set, where you can get both a lotion stick and lip balm for $9.99.

Ingredients

Lotion stick: Organic beeswax, organic cocoa butter, organic extra virgin coconut oil, organic sweet almond oil, organic lime essential oil, certified organic coconut extract.

Lip balm: Organic sunflower oil, organic cocoa butter, organic beeswax, organic coconut flavor, organic lime flavor, organic lime essential oil, stevia.

Eco-perks

For more information on the eco-perks of Bubble & Bee Organic, please read my Bubble & Bee Organic company review, which discusses ingredients used, green policies, eco-benefits and other information about the company. Other than a non-updated blog, this company had seemingly zero cons and I gave them 5 out of 5 trees, a perfect score.

My reviewers:

Cedar (age 10) and myself.

What we thought of these products

Honestly, I’ve been meaning to review these products forever, but my ten-year-old son Cedar kept stealing these products from under my nose and taking them to school. Meaning the products haven’t been with me, but my son, who oddly doesn’t want to write my blog posts for me.

The fact that Cedar is a fan is a big deal. Cedar has sensitive skin and eczema. If he doesn’t use lotion and lip balm he’ll get dry patches and break out, especially during the winter. The problem here is that he’s a ten-year-old boy. He’s VERY anti lotion and lip balm, because he thinks most are too girly. For example, he won’t use this pomegranate lip balm I have because it’s red – it doesn’t make your lips red, it’s just colored with fruit, thus red, but he refuses to use it. He also hates “weird” smelling lotion and anything with overly cute packaging.

However, he LOVES the Bubble & Bee coconut & lime collection. One, the products themselves are a non-girly light green color and the scent is tropical and very lime-based. He’ll eat whole limes if you let him, so he’s really into this stuff. The packaging, while attractive and cute in my opinion, is not, apparently, too cute for a ten-year-old boy. He’s just fine taking these and using these at school in front of all his guy pals.

Here are some of the benefits we’ve seen:

  • The lotion goes on smooth and the lip balm goes on amazingly smooth with NO waxy feeling whatsoever.
  • The carry along solid lotion stick is packed with product, (no water added) and yet fits in a tiny tube that you can carry in your pocket or purse. It’s very travel-friendly.
  • The scent is awesome. I’m not a huge coconut fan, but this scent is more lime and we both agree it smells great. It’s a perfect scent for boys or girls. I took the lotion stick to a family dinner, passed it around, and everyone said it smelled great.
  • The lip balm is sooooo smooth. I love that it’s so concentrated and it really lasts on your lips for a while, as compared to other other, less long-lasting lip balms we’ve tried.
  • My son hates getting his hands messy with lotion, and thus, these lotion sticks are the perfect solution. You never have to dip in or touch the actual lotion, just hold the container and rub it on.
  • Both products are VERY long lasting, I’m guessing, because they’re so concentrated. We’ve had these forever and they still have product in them.

Any cons?

While I do like solid lotion sticks and other solid lotion products, I don’t often use them because they’re time consuming. They take longer to use than say, a pump lotion or cream. I feel like Bubble & Bee lotion sticks are good for a quick moisturizer on the go, but not great for overall use in the morning after your shower. If I went with a lotion stick, I’d choose Silky Soy Moisture Bar instead, although the Silky Bars aren’t certified organic, which is a downside.

My son would choose this Bubble & Bee lotion though. My son like the lotion stick a little more than I did, maybe because there’s less of him to lotion. I also thought the lotion didn’t last as long as other lotions, once on your skin, but again, my son thought it worked great.

Overall score:

4.5 out of 5 little trees. I scored these down half a point because I didn’t think the lotion stick was a realistic all body type lotion and it didn’t seem to last as long after putting it on. However, my son is a huge fan and he noted that there are no cons for him. Overall, these are awesomely scented products that we think most people in your family will love. Bonus, Bubble & Bee offers affordable, not outrageously priced organics.

Learn more:

See my green product rating system and green product rating criteria or read more green product reviews.

]]> http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-product-review-bubble-bee-organic-lotion-stick-lip-balm/feed/ 0 Green Product Review: Artterro Wool Felt Bug Kit http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-product-review-artterro-wool-felt-bug-kit/ http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-product-review-artterro-wool-felt-bug-kit/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:53:32 +0000 Jennifer Chait http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/?p=10247

Review summary:

An excellent buggy art kit that requires almost zero parent help – although, you’ll probably want to make a bug too!
art kits, Artterro, children’s crafts, crafts for kids, eco crafts, green art project, green crafts, Green Family, green holiday gift, green product reviews

Product:

Artterro Wool Felt Bug Kit

Use:

Crafty buggy fun for creative kids – and even adults.

Cost: 

An affordable $19.95 at Amazon or at the Artterro online shop.

Eco-perks:

For more information on the eco-perks of these art kits, please read my Artterro company review, which discusses materials, eco-benefits and other stuff about the company. With only very minor cons, I gave this company 5 out of 5 trees, a perfect score. I’ve also reviewed three other Artterro Kits – Collage Jewelry Kit, Creativity Kit and Paint With Wool Portrait Kit. Read that review.

art kits, Artterro, children’s crafts, crafts for kids, eco crafts, green art project, green crafts, Green Family, green holiday gift, green product reviews

Oh, since those previous reviews, Artterro has added some more green practices to their company though. For example, before, Artterro kits came in reusable bags. Now they come in recycled boxes that can be re-purposed by your child, by turning the box into a frame for finished artwork. There’s still a re-sealable plastic bag is perfect for storing extra materials after doing a project.

My reviewers:

Cedar (age 10), Katana (age 13) and myself.

What’s included:

This new bug kit is perfect for kids ages 7 and up and includes: Natural 100% wool felt shapes, glass beads, wooden beads, sequins, ribbon, craft thread, needles and ideas sheet. There are enough supplies included for 7 fuzzy art bugs. You simply provide scissors and glue, and you’re ready to make a bug world.

What we thought of the Wool Felt Bug Kit:

I wasn’t sure how the kids would take an art kit about bugs, but they both thought it was adorable and fun. Both were super excited when I pulled it out, tossing around words like, “Cool!” I thought it was one of the more creative kits I’ve seen from Artterro. The kit contains plenty of colorful wool felt, which as it turns out makes the most delightful little one-of-a-kind creepy-crawly friends. The Ribbon and beads that were included made great wings, eyes and antennae for our bugs.


The kids especially LOVED the bonus recycled box project – i.e. you can turn your product box into a frame for your finished artwork. My kids decided to use it to make a little bug world to house their bugs. They’ve been working on it slowly, but as you can see above, it’s coming along well and is totally cute. The kids added some art supplies from around the house to make a nighttime bug world. I thought the new box feature was especially creative and a great idea on Artterro’s part.

The kids didn’t need too much help with this kit, but did need a little help figuring out antennae. Some of the little wool balls were hard to attach antennae to and so the kids ended up getting pretty creative with glue and using a needle to make tiny holes first. So far, both kids have made a couple bugs that are so cute, but there are enough supplies for them to make more, so this is a great project for a couple of rainy days.




Overall score:

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5 out of 5 little trees. Both kids, loved this kit, so I’d say it’s a good choice for boys and girls. Plus, unlike some art projects, this one was almost entirely hands-off on my part, meaning it kept the kids busy without me having to hang around and help out. Also, the new awesome box feature adds a whole other dimension to these kits and really got the kids thinking about what they could do to dress the box up.

Neither kid mentioned any cons about this kit and both said they’d highly recommend this for any other kids. I think these kits, the bug or other Artterro kits will make a wonderful and totally affordable eco-friendly holiday or birthday gift too.

If bugs aren’t your deal, Artterro has many other available kits:

Learn more:

See my green product rating system and green product rating criteria or read more green product reviews.

]]> http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-product-review-artterro-wool-felt-bug-kit/feed/ 0 Green Company Review: Bubble & Bee Organic http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-company-review-bubble-bee-organic/ http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-company-review-bubble-bee-organic/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:47:25 +0000 Jennifer Chait http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/?p=10216

Bubble & Bee is an excellent green company with affordable organic products that everyone in your family will love.

BASICS:

Bubble & Bee Organic was founded by Stephanie Greenwood, who started investigating chemicals in her personal care products, such as parabens, phthalates, and artificial fragrance at the age of 26. After learning that  many (most) body care products contain hidden icky ingredients, she decided to make her own products using healthier, organic ingredients.

After some experimentation, Greenwood enlisted the help of a chemist friend to help her refine her formulas, and soon she had a vast repertoire of her own products including soaps, shampoos, lip balms and deodorants for her family. Thinking people other than her family might enjoy the products, she partnered up with a business partner and Bubble & Bee Organic was officially born.

The current mission of B&B Organic is to sell quality organic and safe products and also to inform others about the importance of staying away from the dangerous chemicals in conventional products.

PRODUCTS:

Bubble & Bee Organic offers an enormous range of body care products. In fact, maybe all the products you’ll ever need to stay clean and smooth. Check out their amazing range in the slideshow below…




Not shown in the slideshow – they also carry organic hair care, organic insect repellent, salt scrubs and more.

COMPANY SUSTAINABILITY PERKS:

Peppermint Vanilla Salt Scrub

  • Bubble & Bee Organic is a certified organic processing facility, certified by the Utah State Department of Agriculture and Food.
  • Recycled all excess packaging that comes to them as much as possible.
  • Uses only recyclable or reuseable materials for all product containers and packaging, such as post-consumer recycled PET plastic.
  • Currently exploring the option of solar or wind power for their facility.
  • When the company runs out of reusable packaging materials, they buy recycled newsprint roll ends from their local newspaper press.
  • The company is cruelty-free - meaning, zero animal testing.
  • Most of their products are free from parabens, propylene glycol, ethoxylated compounds, aluminum, SLS, “fragrance,” artificial colors, micas, oxides, DEA, TEA, Urea and other harmful substances.
  • They offer a helpful archive of articles about harmful chemicals in body care products – thus educating customers.
  • Every single product on their site is clearly marked “organic” or not, and offers full usage and ingredients info, so you won’t be tricked or buy something you don’t want.

OTHER COMPANY PERKS:

  • Unopened package return policy.
  • Online shop - no searching all over for their products!
  • The fact that they’re trying to combat the whole toxic deodorant issue is HUGE. Conventional deodorant is a big bad when it comes to toxins, and yet, of all the “natural” and organic deodorants I’ve tried NONE have worked very well. Now, I haven’t tried their deodorants, but, the mere fact that they offer a gigantic range means you’re more likely to find a non-toxic deodorant to suit you.
  • Many products come in tiny sizes that easily slip into a purse or bag or even a pocket. For example their nice lotion sticks allow for organic-on-the-go ease!
  • Adorable packaging, but not so sticky sweet that you couldn’t give these products to a “manly man”. Plus, all ingredients and labels are clearly laid out on their packaging, even on their smallest products.
  • Their product range is appealing to women, men and kids (as you’ll see in my soon to come organic lotion stick and lip balm review). Many organic companies only make products for one type of consumer, but not B&B.
  • Large range of product scents – a perk because it’s hard to find a favorite. For scent-sensitive individuals, there are fragrance-free options as well.
  • Clearly laid out website that’s easy as pie to navigate.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY PRICES:

I think this company’s prices are excellent. Nothing is overly expensive for the average family in my opinion and because many of their products are concentrated, you’re getting a killer deal. Plus the company offers trial sizes of many products, allowing you to spend less to find your favorites. Their higher priced products are comparable to other organic companies, except keep in mind that many so called organic companies up their prices on “natural” not organic products. I’ve highlighted three awesome deal examples below:

Mini Gift Kit

Regular shipping is never more than $6.00 and they have special shipping offers too, such as FREE shipping for sales over $99.00.

COMPANY CONS:

Honestly, I looked and looked and found no cons (unless you consider a non-updated blog a con). This is an excellent company that’s 100%  forthcoming and as healthy as possible.

OVERALL SCORE:

5 out of 5 little trees. This is not a 100% organic company, but they pass my organic fakers test – meaning they don’t say, “Hey this is organic” when a product is clearly not. VERY few companies are selling honest organics, so this is a huge perk.

Organic integrity, partnered with affordable prices, a wide range of products and clear green practices make this a wonderful eco-company to spend your dollars with. No tricks; just lots of awesome body care treats.

LEARN MORE:

See my green product rating system and green product rating criteria or read more green product reviews.

]]> http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-company-review-bubble-bee-organic/feed/ 0 Green Company Review: PlanToys http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-company-review-plan-toys/ http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-company-review-plan-toys/#comments Sun, 06 Nov 2011 22:00:20 +0000 Jennifer Chait http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/?p=9665

PlanToys is an excellent family-friendly, green and ethical toy company with almost zero cons.

BASICS:

I’m always talking about PlanToys, so I figured it was high-time I did a full company review. PlanToys was founded in 1981 and notes the following, “We create toys that inspire children’s imagination as well as promote their physical and intellectual development. We’re also proving that it is possible to maintain superior quality standards while steadfastly following a path of environmental and social responsibility.”

PRODUCTS:

As you may have guessed, PlanToys, makes, well, toys. Currently they offer toys in the following categories…




PlanToys has also recently launched Plan Education, an organization designed to complement educational programs via ideas, lesson plans, activities and play-centered learning tools.

COMPANY SUSTAINABILITY PERKS:

PlanToys has almost too many sustainable perks to count, but let’s try…

  • All PlanToys are made with clean, natural rubberwood from rubber trees which no longer produce latex. None of the wood is chemically treated. To keep the rubberwood pure, no fertilizer is added to the soil for three years before the trees are cut. To strengthen the wood, PlanToys uses a special chemical-free kiln drying process.
  • Water-based colors that are safe for children are used to color all toys.
  • The PlanToys teams uses a special certified E-Zero glue in place of traditional toxic wood glue. This non-formaldehyde glue, which is non-toxic and totally free from unhealthy formaldehyde emissions is used to assemble all toys.
  • An ongoing reforestation program is in place.
  • PlanToys products are free from dyes containing lead or any other heavy metals.
  • Recycled and recyclable materials are used when possible to minimize impact on the environment.
  • Soy and water-based inks are used on all printed materials.
  • PlanToys packaging has been specially designed to optimize packaging materials in order to minimize storage, increase shipping efficiency and help with waste reduction.
  • Solar energy and low emission bio-fuels are used to power the machinery that kiln-dries the wood and the finished toys.
  • Biomass is also used in the curing and plywood molding process. This form of energy helps reduce electricity usage and waste. The company plans to be using a Biomass Steam Turbine Generator soon.

 

OTHER COMPANY PERKS:

PlanToys meets SA 8000 (Social Accountability Management) industry standards set by Social Accountability Accreditation Services (SAAS). SAAS is an accreditation agency founded to accredit and monitor organizations as certifiers of compliance with social standards, including ethical working conditions.

This means that PlanToys follows rules that help improve working conditions, based on the principles of thirteen international human rights conventions, including eight core elements – health and safety, working hours, child labor, forced labor, discrimination, freedom of association and collective bargaining, wages and discipline.

Also, their website is well laid out and offers plenty of easy to access product info for parents.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY PRICES:

Some feel that Plan Toys are too expensive. I disagree. While some of their larger items do cost more, they also offer a good amount of smaller, less expensive, yet still awesome items. For example, the toys below:

As you can see, PlanToys offers many items under $20 and even has affordable green dollhouse choices.

Plus, honestly, you can buy cheaper toys, but they won’t be as safe or ethically made. Quality costs more, as it should.

COMPANY CONS:

No dedicated online shop, which I like to see. However, they make it easy to find retailers, and you can now find PlanToys just about everywhere.

OVERALL SCORE:


5 out of 5 little trees. I know, PlanToys seems so perfect that you wonder what skeletons are hiding in their closet. However, other than some customers who dislike specific toys (via toy reviews) I couldn’t dig up any dirt on this company. They seem to be utterly on the up and up, both on eco and ethical level. Plus, their products are beautiful, fun, developmentally appropriate and affordable. There’s not much more you could ask for in a toy company.

LEARN MORE:

See my green product rating system and green product rating criteria or read more green product reviews.

]]> http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-company-review-plan-toys/feed/ 0 Green Product Review: Full Moon Brownie Zbar for Halloween http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-product-review-full-moon-brownie-zbar-halloween/ http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-product-review-full-moon-brownie-zbar-halloween/#comments Sat, 08 Oct 2011 16:10:37 +0000 Jennifer Chait http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/?p=9294

Review summary: CLIF Kid Organic Full Moon Brownie ZBaRs are a healthy Halloween treat option that kids will actually enjoy.

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Product: CLIF Kid Organic ZBaRs from Clif Bar & Company. This season, they’ve unleashed a new Halloween flavor - Full Moon Brownie ZBaRs.

Use: Created for kids. Good for a snack or when paired with fruit and milk can be a decent fast breakfast. This ZBaR flavor makes the perfect Halloween treat bag item too.

Cost: At my local grocery store zBaRs can cost $3.00-$4.00+ per box (6 per box). A better deal is to buy these in bulk, such as from Amazon or at the Clif Bar website, which works out to 78 cents per bar.

Ingredients: Organic Rolled Oats, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Tapioca Syrup, Organic Cane Syrup, Organic Soy White Chocolate (Organic Dried Cane Syrup, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Soy Flour, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Vanilla Extract), Organic Oat Flour, Organic Fig Paste, Organic Soy Butter (Organic Soybeans, Organic Soybean Oil, Salt), Organic Cocoa, Organic White Coating (Organic Dried Cane Syrup, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Vanilla Extract), Natural Flavors, Organic Oat Fiber, Organic Milled Flaxseed, Organic Sunflower Oil, Salt, Baking Soda.

I already did a major review of zBars in general. Read that review to learn more about this healthy snack: CLIF Kid Organic ZBaR. You can also read my review of the company – Clif Bar & Company.

halloween candy alternatives, clif bar, clif kid, eco halloween, full moon brownie zbar, green halloween, healthy halloween treat, organic halloween, zbar review, green family

Green & healthy benefits:

The new Full Moon Brownie flavor is a delicious chocolate brownie with white chocolate chips – making this a treat that kids will actually eat and enjoy on Halloween. Each wrapper is Halloween-cute with autumn colors and spooky little trick-or-treaters. Plus, the white chocolate chips are drizzled on, creating a fun Halloween look. 

  • Delicious chocolate brownie with white chocolate chips … a yummy and nutritious twist on a favorite treat.
  • USDA certified organic.
  • Each bar is low fat, made with whole oats, and contains 12 essential vitamins and minerals kids need every day.
  • No high fructose corn syrup, no hydrogenated oils and no artificial flavors or artificial colors.
  • Non-GMO sourced ingredients.
  • Full disclosure – the company lists ingredients at their website, on the boxes and on individual bar packaging.
  • Clif Bar & Company has many eco-friendly perks as a company and very few cons. Learn more about Clif Bar & Company in general.

halloween candy alternatives, clif bar, clif kid, eco halloween, full moon brownie zbar, green halloween, healthy halloween treat, organic halloween, zbar review, green family

What we thought: 

Cedar is no stranger to zBaRs – he eats them often. However, he was impressed with these bars due to the spooky packaging. He was equally enchanted with the creative white drizzle, and said he thought it was a fun new look for zBaRs. Flavor wise, he ate these up -quickly. I was a little surprised he liked them, because he’s not the biggest chocolate fan. In fact, in my first zBaR review, he flat out said, “The chocolate brownie zBaRs are too sweet.”

His reasoning behind the chocolate change of heart was…. the packaging. He said, “These are for Halloween right?” Then chomped it down and said, “Yum.” I asked if this would be a good treat to give out on Halloween over candy, and Cedar concluded that sure, he’d take them if they were being handed out on Halloween night.

I did think these were still a little sweet, but not TOO sweet and I think the sweetness will make them friendly for the typical kid on Halloween.

Were there any negatives?

  • So far, during my grocery store sweeps, it’s been impossible to find this flavor at the grocery store. I’m guessing they’ll roll them out a little closer to Halloween (although, hey, stores, you’re cutting it close).
  • These have more packaging than homemade bars. But on the flip-side, we recycle the packaging, homemade bars won’t have quite as many nutrients and it’s not a good idea to pass out unwrapped goodies on Halloween.

Overall score:

5 little trees out of 5. Normally, I’d have given these a 4.5, because I don’t advocate buying packaged goods over homemade. That said, at this time of year, when you’re looking for a super Halloween treat that’s not quite so sticky, surgery and sweet, these are perfect, so the Halloween flavor got a bump up score-wise. Cedar was perfectly fine about considering these bars over Halloween candy, so I’m guessing other kids will be as well.

See my green product rating system and green product rating criteria or read more green product reviews.

]]> http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-product-review-full-moon-brownie-zbar-halloween/feed/ 1 Green Product Review: All Natural Facial Cleansing Grains http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-product-review-natural-facial-cleansing-grains/ http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-product-review-natural-facial-cleansing-grains/#comments Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:36:24 +0000 Jennifer Chait http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/?p=8385

Review summary:  I’m almost out of facial grains, and am feeling a little lazy about making another homemade batch. That means I need to buy some. This made me think about my favorite facial grains of all time, which in turn made me think, “Hey, I should post about them again.” So, read on to learn about these amazing facial grains – perfect for any natural girl looking for a scrubby clean face.

Product: All Natural Facial Cleansing Grains – Almonds & Honey from Manor Hall Soap Company. They also come in Fragrance Free, Lemon & Rosemary or Lavender & Rose.

Cost: $9.85 for one 2.5 oz jar

Ingredients: Kaolin clay, ground oats, corn meal, ground almonds, ground rose petals, ground lavender, honey powder, kelp and fennel seed powder.

Use: These facial grains keep your face clean, soft and smooth. You simply scoop a tiny bit of the grains into your hand, mix in a bit of warm water, scrub away then rinse.

All Natural Facial Cleansing Grains CONS:

I normally don’t start with cons, but to get it out of the way, these facial grains are not certified organic.

That said, this is still a great product from a good company. Manor Hall is not an organic faker company. They don’t go around calling their products “organic” when they’re not. The company uses natural, safe ingredients and their products work very well, especially these grains, although I also have tried and love their soap (you have to try the Almost Sunset soap!).

All Natural Facial Cleansing Grains PROS:


Economical – Although the jar seems small, these grains last a super long time. My little jar lasted months and months because you only need to use a tiny bit at a time. For the price, these grains are an awesome deal.

Works great – These grains work amazingly well, your skin will feel much more smooth and soft after just one use.

Well scented – I love how these grains smell – nutty, earthy, but not in anyway overpowering. The scent is just right and slightly lingers on your skin.

Fast – You don’t have to walk around with a mask on your face. There’s no work involved. All you do is pour a dab of grains into your hand, add a little water, scrub your face, and rinse.

Easy as pie – I tend to make homemade facial grains, because it’s very easy. Blend up some oats and you’re good to go. That said, my homemade scrubs aren’t as good as these. Probably because it’s not as if I’m going to take the time to add stuff like clay and ground rose petals. These grains are a good alternative to homemade.

Overall Score:

4.5 little trees out of 5. Way back when I first reviewed these facial grains, I actually gave them a perfect five out of five little trees plus one extra. I almost never give five trees, and I certainly don’t give six.

However, to be fair, these aren’t certified organic, and via my own rating scale, that does bring a product down a bit, hence the score of 4.5. Honestly, for use though, I’d still rate these grains a six. Especially since I’m consider buying them again over making my own homemade.

Learn More:

 

 

 

See my green product rating system and green product rating criteria or read more green product reviews.

]]> http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-product-review-natural-facial-cleansing-grains/feed/ 0 Green Product Review: PlanetBox Complete Reusable Lunch Kit http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-product-review-planetbox-complete-reusable-lunch-kit/ http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-product-review-planetbox-complete-reusable-lunch-kit/#comments Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:33:38 +0000 Jennifer Chait http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/?p=8303

Review summary: Bento box or laptop style lunches for waste-free lunches are popular, but used to freak me out a bit, because I worried about spills. However, when Cedar and I got the chance to review PlanetBox last year we found out that overall PlanetBox is a handy and fun way to pack a waste-free lunch, without the dreaded spills and few cons.

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Product: PlanetBox Complete from PlanetBox

Use: All-in-one reusable lunch kit. Helps eliminates the massive waste caused by school lunches.

Cost: It depends on what you buy. The complete PlanetBox kit is $59.95. If you only need a PlanetBox, without the bag and extra containers, it’ll run you $34.95. Extra sets of magnets are just $3.95. I suggest the Complete set though, if you need an entire lunch system. See all current pricing at PlanetBox.

What’s included:

The PlanetBox Complete comes with…

  • A stainless steel PlanetBox
  • 1 set of PVC-free magnets
  • 1 big and 1 little dipper made with stainless steel
  • Insulated Oeko-Tex standard carrying bag made with 100% recycled material

PlanetBox Complete pros:

  • The bulk of the kit is made with food-safe stainless steel that won’t leach toxic chemicals.
  • PlanetBox products are also free from lead, vinyl/PVC, phthalates, bisphenol-A (BPA) and other harmful or toxic substances.
  • Cedar’s been using his PlanetBox on and off, interchanged with his Citizenpip kit, for almost a year, and everything, including the containers and bag are in great shape.
  • When your child is done with your PlanetBox it can be recycled at your local recycling program or you can send it back to the company, and they’ll recycle it for you.

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  • PlanetBox comes in three color choices (shown above).
  • The main lunch box and extra containers are dishwasher friendly and the bag is easy to wipe down.
  • The latch on the PlanetBox lunchbox is designed for 3 year old hands and older to close and open by themselves. Cedar also didn’t have any trouble opening and closing the Big and Little Dipper containers
  • PlanetBox holds a surprisingly large amount of food. Cedar is ten, very active and always, “Starved to death.” I tend to send him enough food to school to cover lunchtime and two small snacks. Using the PlanetBox and carrying bag, I’m usually able to get all that food in there. Although once in a while I send an extra bag along for oddly shaped items, like a container of yogurt.
  • I was worried about food merging from one compartment to the next. However, food placed in PlanetBox compartments stays put on almost all occasions.
  • I like not having to hunt down a million lids when I’m packing Cedar’s lunch. You fill the main lunch box and close the lid. This is a big time saver.
  • For added fun, PlanetBox comes with fun designer magnets that can be used to decorate the box. These magnet sets are also interchangeable and available in many wonderful designs that kids will love. You can see some of the magnet design choices in the slideshow below the cons section.

PlanetBox Complete cons:


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  • The main food compartment in PlanetBox is pretty small. As you can see in the pictures I’ve posted above, the compartment fits a large bagel perfectly, but sandwiches made with normal sized bread is tricky. In our case it’s not a huge deal, because Cedar’s not a big sandwich fan, but most kids are. To make a sandwich fit, you’ll need to use small bread slices or cut the bread down (save the scraps for homemade croutons).
  • There’s nowhere to put a container of yogurt or a whole pear, orange or apple. Because PlanetBox is flat, it’s hard to add round foods to your child’s lunch. For example, my store doesn’t always have bulk organic yogurt in stock, so we’ll buy small containers. They don’t fit well in this lunch kit. I have to send a second smaller, insulated lunch bag with Cedar if I pack him non-bulk yogurt.
  • Dipper containers cannot be used for broth/liquid based soups. If you send soup or excessively saucy items in your child’s lunch, you’ll need a decent leak-proof thermos.
  • Cedar’s dad doesn’t like the flat style. He says it can make it hard to pack foods – but really, you just need to be a little creative and it’s fine. I don’t mind the shape at all, but, just as an FYI, some parents may not like the flat design.



No spills with this cool lunchbox:

My biggest worry with a laptop style lunch was spills. I had this image in my head of Cedar excitedly opening his lunch and then dumping all the food out. Thus far though, Cedar hasn’t spilled at all. He’s old enough to understand that you need to lay the lunchbox flat, then open the latch.

As for the design, Cedar LOVES it. He said, “Wow, it’s like my own laptop lunch!” Cedar thought the magnets were a fun idea, but he doesn’t actually use them much. I guess that’s a take-it-or-leave-it feature in my opinion, though I do think younger kids would like it. Plus, if you’ve got more than one child, the personalized magnets help tell lunches apart.

Cedar’s school friends also loved this lunchbox and gave it a thumbs up for being cool.

Overall score:

4 out of five little trees. I think PlanetBox makes it easy to pack a nice waste-free lunch. Cedar seriously loves the design and all his friends think the lunchbox is hyper cool, which helps when you’re sending a packed lunch. I do think the set is best suited to kids under the tween stage, but I know some adults like this box too, for lunch or snacks at work, so…

I almost took away another half point because this bag lacks the ability to hold more than one or two ice packs. I can fit two small ice packs in if I try, but overall, I wish the bag was a bit roomier so it could hold more ice packs or an apple. That said, if you’re interested in a good laptop style lunch kit, PlanetBox is a great one to try. It’ll last forever, cuts down on lid and container issues and is fun for kids besides.

How to buy:

Visit PlanetBox to see current pricing.

Learn more:

See my green product rating system and green product rating criteria or read more green product reviews.

]]> http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/green-product-review-planetbox-complete-reusable-lunch-kit/feed/ 3 Book Review: Ice Pop Joy http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/book-review-ice-pop-joy/ http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/book-review-ice-pop-joy/#comments Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:55:39 +0000 Jennifer Chait http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/?p=7780

Review summary: A beautiful book that will draw you and your family into the wonderful, and often healthy, world of ice pops.

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Title: Ice Pop Joy by Anni Daulter; published by Sellers Publishing Inc. (March 11, 2011)

Cost: Retails at $18.95, but only about $13 on Amazon.

From the publisher:
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“Let’s face it, all kids (and plenty of grown ups) love ice pops, but not all kids love healthy foods. This collection of wholesome and heavenly ice pop recipes are cutting-edge nutritious and delicious for the whole family…

You can indulge in tasty sweet, and juicy ice pops without consuming refined sugar and fake sweeteners. Using fresh, seasonal fruits; sweet, nutritious vegetables (yes! vegetables); protein packed whole foods; and a multitude of other exquisite ingredients, Ice Pop Joy contains a wide variety of recipes for scrumptious frozen treats any time of the year.”

What’s covered in Ice Pop Joy:

Daulter offers some quick words about why your family should eat organic, fresh and healthy fare. This book is about ice pops, not a health text, so she doesn’t dwell on these topics, but does offer useful fast info.

Other topics covered in the book include…

  • Tips for getting your kids to eat healthy.
  • Ice pop practicalities – finding equipment, non-toxic ice pop molds and freezing tips.
  • Sweeteners to use for ice pops.
  • Ice pop recipes.

What I liked about Ice Pop Joy:

As in Daulter’s last book, Organically Raised: Conscious Cooking for Babies and Toddlers, the food photography takes center stage, this time with gorgeous images by Alexandra DeFurio. For people who aren’t at all interested in ice pops, you will be after a quick peek though this book. The beautiful images really draw you in.

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  • I loved the section on how to get kids to eat healthy. One of my pet peeves is when experts tell parents to hide veggies or other healthy foods from kids. You might expect Daulter to do this; after all she’s technically smooshing veggies into icy popsicles. However, she recommends showing the kids exactly what you’re doing. She notes, “Don’t hide the ingredients from them. Let them see that you’re making the pops out of and talk about ingredients with your children.” I 100% agree. Her other tips about “starting over” with healthy foods for your kids are good as well.
  • In my review for Organically Raised, I complained that Daulter didn’t explain the sweeteners very well. In Ice Pop Joy Daulter goes over three natural sweeteners, but this time in a little more detail, which is nice if you happen to be a newbie to natural sweeteners.
  • There are 7 different ice pop chapters – pure fruit, veggie, yogurt, tofu, herbal, chocolate and specialty. Each chapter starts off with a little forward about the main ingredients. For example, the herbal pop chapter kicks off with herbal tea basics, where to get herbal tea, how to buy and store it and some other little tidbits. Daulter does this for each chapter, which is a nice touch.
  • There’s a nice page of resources at the end, with info on where to get molds, chocolate and other items used for pops.
  • Ice pop taste test – so far we’ve made Pure Sunshine Organic Ice Pops and Soy Joy (a chocolate mint pop). Both pop recipes were deemed yummy at my house, and we want to try a bunch more – my two wish list pops are lavender flower and a refresher pop (made with watermelon). Having been making ice pops for a decade+ now, I can tell you that while we haven’t sampled all the recipes in Ice Pop Joy, most appear to be well thought out and are probably good.

Check out the gorgeous gallery of colorful (and uniquely flavorful) ice pops below. Once you see these amazing treats, it’ll be tough to resist Ice Pop Joy.




What could be improved in Ice Pop Joy:

  • The publisher hasn’t made Ice Pop Joy available on kindle (yet).
  • Daulter recommends wooden sticks for pops, as they, “Lend an authentic and natural look to the finished pop.” Of course, I say you should go with a reusable mold, that comes with a reusable stick. Sure wooden sticks aren’t a huge deal if one kid uses them, but times all those sticks by all the kids in the world, and you’re looking at massive stick waste.
  • One major perk of homemade ice pops is cost efficiency. I didn’t sit down with a calculator, but I’m guessing that Daulter’s recipes run a bit on the expensive side, so far as homemade ice pops go. Not all of them are more costly though – some will likely save you money over store bought.
  • I really disliked the references at the end. If you wanted to link to more information about healthy foods, BPA and other issues, there are plenty of amazing eco-experts and green bloggers online, yet Daulter prints links to places like eHow and Associated Content – really? Very bad choices for many of the refs in my opinion.
  • From what I can tell, the book isn’t printed on recycled paper. Daulter’s not actually touting this as an “eco-book” but still, her website, Conscious Family Living practically screams green living, and I’d guess Daulter considers herself an eco-advocate, so it would rock if this book was printed on recycled content paper.
  • The book was printed and bound in China, meaning, it came a long way to get here.

Overall score:

4.5 out of 5 little trees!

I would have given this book a 4, due to the fact that it wasn’t printed on recycled paper, but I liked Ice Pop Joy more than Daulter’s other book, Organically Raised, which bumped it up a bit. I’m guessing I’ll use it more often.

This book mainly got 4.5 trees though, because while Ice Pop Joy had a few cons, homemade ice pops are one of the most eco-friendly treats you can invest in making for your kids, and it makes sense to have a great ice pop book on your bookshelf.

Store bought pops waste so many resources and a book like this will help you cut your store bought ice pop habit down to zero. Lastly, the recipes are fun and unique and the book itself is gorgeous, which should inspire you to create some ice pop ideas of your own too.

Overall - I recommend Ice Pop Joy as a book you buy vs. check out at the library, because I think you’ll use it again and again.

Learn more about Ice Pop Joy:

[ALL IMAGES: Courtesy of and ©Anni Daulter & Sellers Publishing Inc. Not to be used without permission.]

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