Thursday, March 20, 2014

How do store brands stack up? (And a Giveaway!)

A few weeks ago a package arrived at my doorstep filled with baby food:

  •         1 container of store brand formula
  •         9 assorted Puree Pouches
  •         5 assorted Puffs
  •         4 assorted Yogurt Bites

  • It was a very exciting event for my children!  Even though these things are more suited for my infant, the 2, 4, and 6 year old all wanted to try them!  (And they loved sampling the puree pouches.  They are like squeezable applesauce or baby food.) 

    The fun thing was that every item was a different store brand.  We had Meijer Baby, Target Up and Up, Kroger Comforts, and Walmart Parent's Choice brands represented.  Did you know that all of these store brands are made by the same company?  Perrigo Nutritionals is the company behind many store brands.

    About Perrigo Nutritionals
    ·         Many moms are not aware that they can save up to 50 percent on infant formula by choosing a store brand over a national brand
    ·         Store Brand Formula is nutritionally comparable to the national brands, yet are typically up to half the price, and can save you about $600 a year
    ·         Perrigo Nutritionals is the largest supplier of Store Brand Infant Formula and nutrition products in the world and one of only four companies recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for meeting the strict FDA requirements for safety, nutrition and quality for infant formula-manufacturing in the United States
    ·         Same standards and expertise used to develop infant formula applied to toddler foods
    ·         Toddler foods are appropriately developed for variety of stages of growth and motor skills with quality, nutritional ingredients to create foundation of good nutrition

    Fascinating, huh?!

    I also received a copy of “Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your  Passion for Life” by Crystal Paine.  I had read about this book on Crystal's blog, moneysavingmom.com, and so I was excited to read it.  It tells her story and gives concrete tips on how to streamline your life.

    To give you a flavor of what you'll find in the book:

    Crystal Paine’s 5 Money Saving Tips for Families
    Create a Budget
    A budget gives you parameters and purpose, it gives you boundaries, and it gives you freedom to live creatively within those boundaries.

    Shop With Cash
    When you shop with a credit card (or even a debit card, for that matter!) you can have your budget in your head and you can do the best to stick with it when you check out, but it’s so much easier to go just a little bit over here and there when you’re swiping!
     
    Plan a Menu
    When you have a plan in place for what you’re supposed to be eating each meal and you’ve already purchased the ingredients for those recipes, it’s a lot harder to justify chucking the plan for takeout.

    Use Coupons
    Coupons are a great way to save a lot of money on your grocery bill, but they can be hard to keep up with. Clipping, sorting, and organizing coupons takes time — so enter a coupon database! You’ll have access to printable and other coupons currently available and it’s one of the most effective and efficient ways to save money on groceries.
     
    Buy Store Brands
    One way to save a great deal of money on your grocery budget is to learn to like and use a variety of brands. The sooner you can get over being a brand-snob, the more your pocketbook will thank you.
    For example, while I breast fed my children, moms who choose to formula feed can save up to 50 percent by switching to store brand formula, which meets the same FDA quality standards as expensive name brands. There are also coupons available at a website - StoreBrandFormula.com (
    www.storebrandformula.com).  This one simple change can save moms about $600 a year. 

    I've been reading through the book, and while nothing is earth shattering, I appreciate the real examples and experiences Crystal shares, as well as methods to overcome the challenges that we all face, like too many things on our to do lists!

    I am so excited that one of you will get the chance to try out Perrigo Nutritionals and read Crystals's book!  One luck winner will receive a prize pack just like the package I was shipped.  Good luck!


    a Rafflecopter giveaway
    The Perrigo Nutritionals product, information and two gift packs have been provided by Perrigo Nutritionals.  All opinions are my own.