The Healthy Shopper's 2014 Spring Pick ~ #Review & #Giveaway

A few weeks ago I was entering my house and noticed...I could see my lawn.  It was covered with snow all winter long and I could say Spring is finally here unless Mother Nature throws us a curve ball.    At least I had put away my heavy winter coats and snow boots.  Spring not only brings April showers and May flowers but also The Healthy Shopper Picks for this season.   I always love to see their latest picks to learn about new companies and products that are HOT for this season.  If you are like me who has started running again, it is the best time to start eating more naturally and organically.

Let us start with MaisonOrphée, The Healthy Shopper's first choice for this season.  MaisonOrphée is located in our beloved Quebec.  They provide tasty unrefined organic virgin sunflower oil, extra virgin olive oil and virgin coconut oil. Cold pressed, organic and unrefined oils retain their nutritional properties and have a more intense aroma than their traditional counterparts. MaisonOrphée’s products have not been genetically modified or treated with chemical fertilizers.
Cold pressing is a process in which non-preheated oil seeds are pressed only once, with no additional heat and at the lowest temperature possible, in order to extract their oil. This type of pressing preserves the nutritional properties of the oil (vitamins, tocopherols, essential fatty acids, pigments, etc.) as well as their aromas.

I am so excited to try the virgin coconut oil and the unrefined sunflower oil.  The extra-virgin olive oil made my dish perfect when I used it for my pork chops which I added into my pasta dish.

Their products are available in IGA, Metro, and you might have seen them in Costco in one of their Road Shows.

In a few weeks I will be starting to use my BBQ soon.  I can't wait to purchase my chicken wings, beef, and ribs to put on the grill.  I can't have BBQ without any barbeque sauces, they go hand in hand.   I was so pleased with Simply Natural's last season pick of their ketchup and mustard so I can't wait to try their barbeque sauces.  Simply Natural, is a favourite of The Healthy Shopper. These sauces are tasty, organic alternatives to traditional barbeque sauces and come in organic tangy, smoky and honey flavours. They’re fat free with zero trans fats or high fructose corn syrup and don’t contain any of the “Scary 7” ingredients the Healthy Shopper recommends avoiding.  

Olympic Dairy has become one my favourite brands.  Their yogurts are to die for.  I love their coconut flavoured one and the Vanilla Krema Greek Style Yogurt.  Not only does their product tastes great but they are a Canadian owned and operated manufacturer and distributor of premium natural cultured dairy, organic and soy products throughout Canada.  Olympic Dairy's organic milk, cream cheese, sour cream and yogurt are creamy and rich alternatives that are 100% natural. They are ideal for smoothies, salad dressings to top a fresh fruit salad or to add to dips and they’re made without preservatives, gluten or gelatins.  I can't wait to get my hands on another coconut yogurt and a cream cheese for my daughter for her lunches.  Her recent favourite lunch is cream cheese on bagel.

Earth Balance is back again with their natural buttery spreads and nut butters that don’t have to be stirred. A great fit for organic and vegan consumers or those looking for health conscious alternatives to conventional products.  Earth Balance Buttery Spreads are gluten free, have 0g of trans fat and never contain GMOs, emulsifiers, artificial preservatives, flavours or colours.  I received their peanut butter with coconut and another one with flax seeds.  Our household eats alot of peanut butter and so far I am digging the coconut flavoured one.  Two seasons ago I had their coconut flavoured spread which has become a popular hit at home.  These nut butters will be also gone in no time flat.

This is now The Healthy Shopper's picks fifth season.  They started the coupon book back in 1999 to help Canadians to provide alternatives to cut harmful ingredients from their diets, personal care and household products.  The Healthy Shopper coupon book has encouraged consumers to try high-quality natural and organic products at more affordable prices. Its book Unjunk Your Junk Food has become trusted source for helping families eat healthier and live better. Andrea and Randy continue to remind us of the importance of checking for the “Scary 7” ingredients on labels.

What is “Scary 7” I mentioned above?  They are ingredients on labels: Glucose-Fructose (High Fructose Corn Syrup), Artificial Sweeteners, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), Artificial Flavours, Trans Fats, Artificial Colours and Preservatives. Basically, things we should avoid.

Rule of Thumb "You shouldn't eat the food if you can’t pronounce an ingredient".  Randy believes they should be put it back on the shelf, and if a brand doesn’t list its ingredients, maybe you should ask why.  The Healthy Shopper seasonal picks were created to encourage people to take small steps to weave organic and natural choices into their lives, one step at a time.

I am so glad I was able to review this season's The Healthy Shopper picks once again.  I learn so much about the brands and the products.  I hoped you learned something new here like I have.  Have you tried anything I mentioned above?  I wonder what their 2014 Fall picks will be.  Any guesses?  Happy Healthy Eating.


GIVEAWAY!!

Win The Healthy Shopper 2014 Spring Pick gift bag like the one I received.

This giveaway will run from April 30 to May 28th, 2014 (midnight EST).  Winners, You have 72 hours to reply.  You must be 18+ Canadians Only.  Good Luck!




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*Disclosure - The product in this review was provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.