Foodie Pen Pal Reveal!

 

 

This month I participated in Foodie Pen Pals, a fun food exchange set up by Lindsay of The Lean Green Bean blog.  She started Foodie Pen Pals in 2011 and it has been going ever since!  If you are interested in signing up, please check out her blog.  It happens every month.  Make sure you sign up by the 4th of the month.  Lindsay will take it from there, generating a match for you.  Then you correspond with your Pen Pal to find out more about them and their food preferences and get working on your care package!  This was the first time I've done it and I really enjoyed it.  I got matched up with Meagan of I Run 4 Chocolates.  She is a runner and teacher who lives near the Jersey Shore.  In addition to the great treats you will get by participating in Foodie Pen Pals, you get to meet new friends!  Additionally, you don't have to have a blog to participate - just a valid email and mailing address. 

Today is Reveal Day which means I get to share with you all of the wonderful things Meagan sent me this month!  Check out all this great stuff:

 

 

Meagan included a lot of snack and sport fuel items - two of my favorite food categories - plus a cute handwritten note attached to each item!  I received my package about a week ago but haven't tried any of the treats yet because I didn't want this post to include pics of half eaten (or missing) food items! Hahaha.  But I'm excited to dig in and try all of these items out in the next few weeks.

 

Here's a more in-depth look at what Meagan sent me:

 

1.  Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta - Confession: I have only been to Trader Joe's twice! Ahhhhhhhhhh I know.  What kind of blogger am I?!  I have been a Whole Foods addict for 9 years simply because there was not a Trader Joe's in close proximity to my home or work, but I read about TJ's on pretty much every blog out there so perhaps this warrants further visits/investigation on my part :)  I am so intrigued by this pasta.  And here's another confession:  I've never had flavored pasta.  I mean my mother's family is Italian so I grew up just eating regular pasta (what other kind was there?).  This notion of flavored pasta is blowing my mind right now.

 

 

2.  Clif Bars - I have had Clif Bars before but quite a long time ago.  I remember eating them in high school a lot before workouts or just as snacks.  I'm excited to try these as a pre-race or pre-run food as Meagan suggests since I usually eat a bagel beforehand.  The two flavors she sent me to try are Crunchy Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Raisin Walnut.

 



 

3.  Nature's Promise snack bars - I live on protein bars/snack bars/granola bars during the day and I always keep things like this in my bag so I love finding new bars to add into my rotation.  I've never had a Nature's Promise bar either so I'm looking forward to diving into one of these bad boys the next time I'm sitting in hours of traffic and about to start eating my steering wheel. 

 

 

4.  PowerBar Performance items - Meagan sent me a package of PowerBar Energy Blasts as well as a PowerBar Energy Gel.  I've had items similar to these before but never a PowerBar variety.  For gels,  I usually consume Gu, mostly just during races, sometimes on a long run.  And for chews, I usually eat Clif Shot Bloks or Honey Stinger Chews.  I can't wait to try the PowerBar varieties of both!

 

 

 

 

 

5.  Yogi Teas.  I love tea!! Especially in the wintertime.  I actually sent Meagan my favorite holiday tea (which I mentioned in this post).  I've never heard of Yogi teas but these flavors look delicious.  I am a big green tea drinker and the caramel apple spice tea just sounds heavenly. 

 

 

 

6.  And last but not least, a Magic Towel! Hahahaha.  This is great! I remember getting these as a kid and thinking they were the coolest thing ever.   I actually didn't even know they still made these, but I love the randomness and awesomeness of this item!

 

 

 

Pretty great stuff huh?  If you'd like to know what I sent Meagan, you can head over to her blog today and check out her post.  And if you're interested in signing up for Foodie Pen Pals, check out all the info on The Lean Green Bean.  Today's post on The LGB will also have links to everyone who participated in this month's exchange. 

 

Well, that's all for today folks.  Hope you are all continuing to enjoy the Holiday weekend!

 

 

 

Your turn!

 

Have you ever participated in Foodie Pen Pals?

 

Or ever been a pen pal in general?  Like back in the day, old school style?!

I was in a pen pal relationship with a young chap from Germany back in middle school.  It was set up my German teacher back then. I thought it was awesome!