When it comes to diet food, the options are practically endless. And while this may seem like a good thing to some, to others, too many options is flat-out daunting. Searching the shelves for wholesome, healthy bars and protein shakes can prove to be a rigorous task that rarely yields positive results.

But fortunately for you, we get to test these products out so you don’t have to. And because we always give our honest opinion about their taste, cost and nutritional value, you’ll quickly know whether they’re worth your time and hard-earned money.

Last week, we were happy to receive a shipment of OurSkinny weight loss shakes and protein bars. And while we’re typically weary of ‘diet food’ since whole, fresh foods are always a healthier choice, there can be a place for convenience foods in a person’s diet if it’s a quality, nutritious product.
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With temperatures reaching as high as 108 degrees here in Kansas this week, we were one happy crew when an ice-cold shipment of gelato and sorbet from Talenti showed up on our doorstep. The company, which started as a single gelato location and now sells to most major retailers, generously offered to send us a sampling of their delicious products. And being the sweets-loving group that we are, we said ‘yes!’ without thinking twice.

For those unfamiliar with gelato, it’s very similar to ice cream except there’s less air incorporated during the mixing process, which gives it a more dense rather than fluffy texture. And it also contains less cream and more milk than typical ice cream, so most flavors contain up to 1/3 less fat.
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Allergies, sensitivities, and avoidance of animal products are some of the most common reasons that people choose alternatives to the traditional cow’s milk. While raw milk and goat’s milk are growing in popularity, they do not eliminate the majority of problems with allergies, sensitivities, and avoidance of animal products. Courtney Hardy shared, “I started drinking non-cows milk after a series of allergy shots where I found out I was allergic to cottonseed. I am not allergic to dairy nor am I lactose intolerant, but since dairy cows are fed a grain mixed with cottonseed it comes through their milk.”

I stopped drinking cows milk when I was fairly young; I just didn’t enjoy it at all. I still used it for cooking, until I decided to limit the dairy in my diet to see if my allergies and sinus issues could be resolved. Recently, I have been comparing milk substitutes to determine what would work best for my family. Real Food University provides a very handy comparison chart that compiles and compares the nutritional information in an eight ounce serving. An eight ounce serving of whole milk contains 146 calories, 8 grams of fat, 13 grams of sugars, 8 grams of protein, 28% calcium, and 0% iron.

Soy

I did not consider soy milk because soy is a growing allergen. It’s been suspected that more and more people are showing allergies to soy as a result of the increase in genetically modified soy. I have read that soy can inhibit the absorption of protein which may persuade others to avoid soy milk as well. An eight ounce serving of soy milk contains 105 calories, 4 grams of fat, 9 grams of sugars, 30% calcium, and 6% iron.
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Finally, my kind of exercising. Instead of rewarding myself with an ice cream that will cancel out any calories I’ve just burned, Earndit rewards its users with free stuff!

Earndit works in tandem with fitness trackers to gauge how much physical activity you’ve done, convert that to points, and then let you redeem those points for rewards. The rewards aren’t half bad, either: a $35 gift card to women’s workout clothing shop Body Rock Sport, a $15 gift card to Peeled Snacks, or a $50 gift card to the men’s clothing line Bonobos are among the choices. Or, for philanthropists, get rewarded with charity gifts that allow you to purchase a polio vaccine for a child in India or send a care package to U.S. troops. However, the prizes are mostly fitness related, like workout apparel, healthy snacks, and supplements.
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Healthy Surprise is a company that ships out gluten-free, vegan, and raw snacks to the door steps of their subscribers. Founder Joe Winke stumbled upon the idea of sending healthy snacks to people after a friend sent him healthy food in the mail for his birthday. Who knew that making an assortment of healthy snacks and putting them in boxes would be a hit?

The snacks range from nuts to granola bars and cookies. You can find them in larger grocery stores or at your local health food store, and certainly online.

Joe and other “snackologists” try all of the snack items before they are placed in the boxes. Since people are particularly fond of kale, Healthy Surprise tries to send kale snacks every month in the boxes, but the rotation of different snack items changes monthly because they want subscribers to receive a healthy surprise each month!
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