Tuesday, March 20, 2012

WIAW: Snacks from Across the Pond

#1: Don't forget to enter the PopChips Giveaway!
--> Want to see what I'll be eating today?  I can't wait to show you!








When I received a package last week labeled "Royal Mail," I was confused but excited as to what it could be.


Then, it hit me like a giant package of yummy treats: I'd joined in the US-UK Foodie Blog Swap hosted by Jemma at Celery and Cupcakes!  In the beginning of the month, I'd sent a package full of Trader Joe's treats to Lauren at Powered By Peanut Butter.  She lives in the UK, so I figured she could benefit from the wonder that is American TJ's, so I sent some nut butter (just a glance at her blog reveals her love of the stuff) and other goodies. You can see her reaction to my gifts in her post here.


Silly me, I thought I'd be giving her the treat by sending Trader Joe's love. HA!  Along with a very kind note, Lauren sent a smorgasbord of these incredible UK-based items.


I was struck most by how natural even these "packaged" snacks were.  The ingredient lists were astonishly short and real.

"Absolutely nothing else"

HA - "Secret" recipe

That's all she wrote!


These "Naked" bars were probably my favorite.  I finished one already, savoring every bite, wrapping half for later.  The other two, I am looking forward to as some gluten-free, dairy-free, aka paleo-friendly snacks to keep in my bag during my very busy days ahead. 


Also -- Lindt chocolate?  How did Lauren know my weakness?


There was also a delicious dark chocolate bar--YES!  Just in time; it's as if she knew that I'd just finished off my last one.  I love taking bites of this serious before my workouts... Or just when I need a bite of chocolate. :)

It's like finding the Golden Ticket!

Oh man. The goodies in this bag... There are also a few gummy treats and oatmealy items that I'm saving to try after my paleo kick is up.  Can't wait to try these too -- and white chocolate!  The surprises just keep coming.


In sum: Lauren did a fabulous job serving my taste buds and my love for REAL ingredients!  It's nice to see that natural bars can exist.  Guess I've got to make a trip to the UK with an empty suitcase to bring these snacks back!

In keeping with the veggie-theme set forth by Lindsay, you can see my veggieful plates here and my green eats here.  Also eaten this week were... (click to read more)



Butternut squash and Brussels sprouts !

Spaghetti squashhhhhh

Baby Spinach with roasted red peppers, carrots, tuna

'Risotto' but not :)

What are your favorite packaged snacks?  
Do you mind chemicals or 'fake' ingredients, or do you seek out the most natural options?  
Do you want to fly to Europe and bring me back some more of these?

22 comments:

  1. ahhh so cool to see all the different snacks girl! why don't you upload some of your meals from the day too? haha especially some VEGGIES silly! gotta keep up with the green theme this month! ;)

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    1. I dooo! I'm ALWAYS sharing my veggie photos; people must get so bored of them! (On second thought, I don't, so maybe they don't..) Just thought I'd share something I'm super excited about eating. I just added some of my greener eats :)

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  2. Those are amazing finds!!! How thoughtful:) Real ingredients are very important for me -- if there's chemicals or fakeness to it, I'd rather not ingest it!!

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  3. What an amazing care package!! I love Lindt bunnies!!! And now that it's near Easter, they're everywhere!!!!!

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    1. Hah yesss It's chocolate season, yet again!

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  4. ooooh LOVE.
    I wants me a carepackage too :)

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  5. What a fun idea. I love Kookie Karma kale krackers, hail merry sunflower seeds and so many more. Would love to hear more about your paleo kick too.

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    1. Yess I will definitely be writing more about my Paleo experiment and how I'll be moving forward! Also might check out these snacks you list :) Thanks, Lauren!

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  6. A foodie swap is such a fun idea! Butternut and Spaghetti are 2 of my favorites to cook with. I shared a Butternut Squash Pizza recipe this week :)

    [Fitness, Health and Happiness]

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    1. Wow, your pizza looks pretty awesome! Might need to try that recipe. Why haven't I put butternut squash on pizza before? Genius!

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  7. So cool to see those UK healthy snacks! They look yummy!

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  8. Yum, your salad looks tasty...I love roasted red peppers!

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    1. YES aren't they the best? Sweet addition to any plate.

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  9. I love Nakd bars, they are delicious. However my favourite is the Bear Yo Yo things. They remind me of fruit winders from being a child but they are just fruit! Yummy for when I want a sweet fix!

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  10. I love doing swaps like this. I've never done a food-swap before. I've only done a makeup one last year. Love the short ingredient list on the items!

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  11. What an aazing haul...thank you so much for taking part! :)

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  12. Ah, I totally want a swap with a UK blogger! Or find a good British grocer? I love their packaging too.

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  13. Yay for foodie swaps!
    You got so many awesome goodies from the UK! :)

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  14. That foodie swap with the UK is such a cool idea!! Love checking out foods from other countries, always so fun for us foodies. I am obsessed with all your WIAW eats, omg! Literally I can't choose a favorite.

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  15. What a fun idea! The Naked Bars look similar to Lara Bars here in the US. And, you can make a version yourself if you are so inclined. Love real ingredients!

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