I don’t know about you but snacks can be an important part life! I like to have access to snacks while I am working. I also love to have snacks when I am watching a movie! I will admit that I don’t always make the most healthy snack choices but I am okay with that because I tend to live in the moment and am thankful for each day that I wake up. If I see a snack that might make me happy for that moment, you better believe I might give it a try.   If you are a fan of snacking, SmartBox helps you snack intelligently.

SmartBox are boxes full of snacks delivered right to your door. You can Build Your Own Snack Box or you can choose from their different themed boxes that currently include: Family, Fitness, Celebration, Surprise Me and Gluten Free. I think it is excited to try new brands that I have either never tried or heard of. Here are some of the brands that are featured in the Family Box:…

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Ever since I was a kid I have enjoyed A&W Root Beer! Back in the days I remember going to A&W with my mom just to eat in the car which I thought it was the coolest way to eat! A&W Root Bear has a long history of creating family memories and happen to be celebrating their 100th Anniversary and calling on families to create new memories.

I love the adding just a few little things to the classic root beer float…

With the original root beer float recipe you just use a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream with some A&W Root Bear. I like to add some whip cream, chocolate syrup and a cherry on the top of mine! This past Friday my family enjoyed an hour of NO technology and made ourselves a little treat.

This summer A&W is inviting families to take a pledge to go technology-free for 1 hour on Friday nights and make family fun to remember for years to come. For every pledge that is made, A&W is going to give away a coupon for a FREE 2 liter of A&W Root Beer to help make family time even sweeter! Families can take the pledge at www.rootbeer.com

10 Ways For Families To Go Tech Free

1. Get the family together and make A&W Root Beer Floats.
2. Before it gets dark pack dinner in a picnic basket and enjoy your meal at the park. Then after dinner you can burn off some calories with having some fun before you leave.
3. Do a puzzle together as a family! It might take you more than one Friday but if the puzzle is a good one you can always frame it.
4. Look through old family photo albums. Sometimes it can be a lot of fun to go down memory lane and look at pictures you haven’t seen or maybe pictures your children have never seen.
5. Make a meal and surprise someone. Maybe you can bake a cake with the family and take it to another family member to make them smile.
6. Play a board game! While many kids don’t like to play board games there are many that are eager to play a board game with their parents and or siblings. Just ask!
7. Clean your house and make a box of stuff to donate. Have each of your children go through their rooms and find a few things that they don’t think they need any more.
8. Plant a tree or maybe a garden. Growing something together can be a great bonding experience and also a great way to create new memories.
9. Take a walk or a hike. Depending on where you live, take a little journey with the family and maybe snap a few photos or more.
10. Do crafts! Crafts can be so fun and can be made with all kinds of things you can find already in your home.

To help provide families with everything they need to jumpstart their Family Fun Nights this summer, A&W also debuts a first-of-its-kind Family Fun Night box, featuring a carefully curated selection of novelty items and essentials for creating root beer floats at home, to help make family time even more memorable. The limited-edition, fun-inducing box is available while supplies last at www.rootbeer.com.

Seafood is something that I don’t cook that often. I like shrimp, crab, lobster and a variety of other seafood but I don’t get to cook them at home very often because my family is picky when it comes to seafood. I recently used one of the Cedar Planked Atlantic Salmon from Cedar Bay Grilling Company to create my Spicy Salmon and Veggies Nachos with that was a hit!

These are PERFECT for those that love a delicious and flavored salmon that is ready to be put in the oven or on the BBQ! this week I used one of the Applewood with Orange Ginger Cedar Planked Atlantic Salmons to make some salmon nachos that are DELICIOUS and absolutely full of FLAVOR! I made a whole sheet pan and they were a hit with NO leftovers….

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When you get together with family, there’s always a lot of talking, laughing, and, of course, eating. And with there having been 2.18 million weddings in 2017, you’re bound to have a wedding, reunion, or some other family event this year. So to help ensure your bellies are as full as your hearts, here are two great recipes to consider for your next family gathering.

Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Sandwiches are always a great option for family events because they can easily be made and walked around with. And these buffalo chicken sliders are both delicious and easy to make because you can cook them right in a slow cooker. To make these yummy sliders, you’re going to need:

• • 4 chicken breasts
  • 1 clove minced garlic

1 tsp chili powder

• 3/4 cup buffalo sauce
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• Bacon bits (optional)
• Crumbled blue cheese or ranch
• Slider buns

Turn your slow cooker on and place the chicken in. Cover the chicken with the sauce and spices, make sure it’s completed covered. Cook the chicken on low for about six hours or on high for about four hours. Once the chicken is cooked through, shred it and keep warm. Feel free to toast the buns for added crunchiness and spread the shredded chicken on the bun and top with blue cheese, ranch, bacon bits or any other toppings. These sliders are sure to be a hit with the whole family!

Taco Dip

Tacos are always a hit at parties — and any other time as well. This is especially true seeing as how Taco Bell debuted a 1,080 foot pop-up store out of a shipping container in 2015. But if you’re not near a Mexican restaurant and want to bring some taco goodness to your party, why not make this tasty taco dip? Dips are always a good idea because they’re easy to both make and eat. So the ingredients you’ll need for this dip are:

• 16 oz sour cream
• 16 oz refried beans
• Taco seasoning mix package
• 2 chopped tomatoes
• 1 chopped onion
• 3/4 chopped black olives
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/2 head lettuce
• 8 oz shredded cheese

Start by layering the beans on the bottom of a 9×13 pan or dish. In a mixing bowl, combine the sour cream and taco seasoning — spread this on top of the beans. Then continue to layer the salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, onions, and cheese. Grab a big bag of your favorite tortilla chips and enjoy.

Both of these recipes are simple to make and yet oh so delicious. So keep these ideas in mind for your next family gathering!