Month: December 2019

2019-12-20T08:01:00

(BPT) – With the holidays just around the corner, party planning is in full swing. Whether it be a traditional family gathering or friendly white elephant, consider these tips and tricks to stay organized throughout the holiday hustle to ensure festivities go off without a hitch.

Have your cake with time to enjoy it too

When guests arrive, hosting duties often fall secondary to socializing with friends and family, so it’s important to plan ahead. Smartphone apps, like Pro Party Planner, offer a breadth of services to help with planning logistics, no matter the size of your event. It’s now easier than ever to set the menu, finalize a budget and create shopping lists in preparation for the festivities, all from your phone or tablet. Determine your guest list and maximize space by transforming various areas in the home, such as a credenza, bar cart or kitchen island, into self-serve food and drink stations. That way, guests won’t feel too crowded in one area. Choose snacks and beverages that don’t require significant attention, such as a charcuterie board and a pre-made punch, so guests can help themselves and you can spend more time enjoying the party.

Keep your guests entertained

Entertainment is the key to every great event. Start by establishing the mood with a music playlist that matches the theme for the night. Whether festive, romantic or upbeat, there are endless pre-made playlists available for no charge that will go a long way in making your party one to remember. Consider breaking out the party games or queuing up a featured show to play throughout the night to create a fun atmosphere alongside friends and family — there’s something to do for everyone!

Streamline cleanup

Everyone’s least favorite part of the night is cleanup, and in particular, doing the dishes. On average, U.S. homeowners or someone in their household have let dishes pile up for three days before washing them. To help ease dish duties, consider adding the Delta Glass Rinser to your dish washing regimen to effortlessly rinse used glassware of all shapes and sizes — most notably wine glasses or champagne flutes where hard-to-reach residue lives. The Delta Glass Rinser ensures you’ll spend less time soaking and scrubbing. Consider a designated spot in the kitchen for empty wine bottles and dirty dishware to make cleanup as efficient as possible and ensure lounge areas are kept trash free. You can also tuck multiple trash and recycling bins around the room to reduce the chance of waste overflow and make sure guests aren’t stuck with dirty disposable plates and utensils.

With these simple hacks, your holiday party is sure to be one that everyone remembers and, most importantly, remains stress-free.

2019-12-20T10:01:00

(BPT) – As we say goodbye to 2019, many of us will find ourselves making health-focused resolutions or looking to 2020 food trends for inspiration in the new year. One trend that has remained consistent year after year is the desire for plant-based foods, as more consumers continue to seek meat and dairy alternatives.

Although this trend is rapidly expanding, with plant-based food retail sales having grown 11 percent in the past year alone, many consumers still find it hard to find swap-worthy options that taste as good as the original … until now. For those looking to integrate more vegan options into their diets, Daiya, the leader in making delicious, better-for-you plant-based foods, offers five swap-worthy ideas that allow you to experience a dairy-free lifestyle without compromising on taste in 2020 and beyond.

1. On-the-Go Breakfasts

As the most important meal of the day, eating a hearty breakfast ensures you’ll be energized for whatever comes your way. But with many of us in a rush each morning, eating a plant-based breakfast that tastes as great as it makes you feel can be difficult. Luckily, Daiya offers a line of Breakfast Burritos that pack in 10 to 13 grams of protein and come in varieties like Homestyle Breakfast and Fiesta Breakfast. Filled with an egg-style scramble, Cheddar Style Shreds and veggies, getting a filling plant-based morning meal has never been easier.

2. Easy, Cheezy Swaps

For those not ready to dive into a plant-based diet full force, test the waters by making little changes to your meals like swapping your usual salad dressing for a dairy-free alternative at lunch or swapping in Daiya’s dairy-free Slices in your next grilled cheese, burger or turkey sandwich. These easy swaps turn a full-blown lifestyle change into an easy-to-manage experiment.

3. Pizza Nights

Eating plant-based doesn’t mean you have to skip out on tasty traditions like pizza night. Host a DIY dairy-free pizza dinner with pre-made pizza dough that can be easily found in the refrigerated section at your local grocery store alongside roasted veggies, plant-based meat crumbles and your choice of dairy-free cheese like Daiya’s Cutting Board Shreds. If picking up a ready-to-bake pizza is more your style, Daiya offers a variety of frozen pizzas in flavors like Supreme, made with meatless sausage, and Fire-Roasted Vegetable. Made with their signature dairy-free shreds and tasty toppings atop a gluten-free crust, pizza night just might become a weekly tradition in the new year!

4. Comfort Food Classics

Sticking to your New Year’s resolutions by giving up the foods you love most is a thing of the past. The next time you’re craving something sweet, pick up a box of Daiya Dessert Bars. These delectable dairy-free, frozen desserts come in four flavors: Chocolate Fudge Crunch, Classic Vanilla Bean, Salted Caramel Swirl and Espresso Coffee. If savory is more your style, try the Cheezy Mac, made with velvety cheeze in a convenient squeeze pouch that will have your taste buds singing. The Deluxe White Cheddar Style Veggie Cheezy Mac even comes with vegetables, including peas, bell peppers and carrots. They’re the perfect option for cold winter nights when you don’t want to compromise.

5. Grazing Tables

If you’re looking to indulge without going completely off the rails, or if you’re more of a grazer than a full meal person, try replacing the cheese on your next charcuterie board with Daiya Farmhouse Blocks. The Smoked Gouda Style is perfect for pairing with olives or you can go the more traditional route with the Medium Cheddar or Monterey Jack styles (a great topper for your baguettes or alongside your grapes). For those who like a little spice in their life, the Jalapeño Havarti style is for you. Go to your local farmer’s market for some fresh ingredients and you’ll have the perfect snack to complement your favorite glass of wine or cup of tea.

2019-12-19T12:15:00

(BPT) – Did you know that students can send postcards to space and have the cards returned right back to their mailbox for only the cost of a stamp?

The program, started by nonprofit Club for the Future, gives students of all ages around the globe the chance to send and receive space mail. The Club was founded by space company Blue Origin, and was created to inspire students to pursue careers in STEM and help visualize the future of life in space. Unique to the Club is the access to space via Blue Origin’s fully reusable New Shepard rocket — which travels all the way to space past the Kármán Line with students’ postcards on board, then returns back to Earth.

For the first mission, Club for the Future flew thousands of postcards to space and back on the New Shepard rocket. The postcards, created by students from around the world, contained their drawings with their hopes and dreams for the future of life in space. Upon landing in West Texas, the cards were officially stamped “flown to space” and taken to the post office where they were mailed back to each student.

The Club will fly postcards on future Blue Origin missions, so there is still time to submit your message for its flight to space! Here’s how.

Your postcard will launch into space on a future New Shepard launch — then the Club will stamp it “flown in space” and mail it back to you.

To keep updated join the Club mailing list and follow them on social media (@clubforfuture). The Club will post updates for when the next launch with your postcard will be, and you can watch LIVE as it goes to space!

Blue Origin is an aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos that is lowering the cost of access to space with its operationally reusable launch vehicles.

2019-12-19T16:41:06

(BPT) – It can be a struggle to prepare a nutritious meal the whole family will enjoy. Finding time to spend around the table during back-to-school season can be particularly challenging, but not impossible.

Actress, chef and mother of two Haylie Duff has a few expert tips and tricks for crafting nutritious meals on a time crunch.

1. Use pre-made ingredients to reduce prep time.

Keeping the fridge stocked with pre-made ingredients is a simple time saver. Adding ingredients such as pre-cut vegetables or hard-cooked peeled eggs to on-the-go snacks or family meals is an easy way to boost the nutrition of a recipe without all of the prep work.

2. Plan a meal-prep day each week

Preparing meals ahead of time to pull from the fridge or freezer and pop into the oven will help save time and reduce stress. Setting aside a couple of hours once a week to plan and prepare meals can make the school week more relaxed. Plus, planning means more time around the table with loved ones during mealtime.

3. Add slow-cooker recipes to your weekly routine

On busier days, let a slow-cooker do all the work. You can make tasty recipes, such as roast chicken with steamed veggies, a quiche or a healthy pasta dish. Simply put the ingredients in the slow cooker and fire it up. In the meantime, you’ll have more time to spend playing with the kids or helping them with homework.

4. Stock up on quality, versatile ingredients

It is so important to nourish children with top quality ingredients such as Eggland’s Best eggs, which are packed with superior nutrition compared to ordinary eggs at the grocery store. These eggs contain more than double the vitamin B12 compared to ordinary eggs, which helps transform food to energy to keep the entire family energized throughout the day. They also contain six times more vitamin D, 25% less saturated fat, more than double the omega-3s and 10 times more vitamin E.

For a make-ahead snack the whole family is sure to enjoy, try these Buffalo Deviled Egg Bites from the American Heart Association and Eggland’s Best.

Buffalo Deviled Egg Bites

Ingredients:

6 large eggs

2 tablespoons light mayonnaise

1 tablespoon hot wing sauce (lowest sodium available)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon finely crumbled low-fat blue cheese

1 tablespoon chopped celery

Directions:

1. To hard cook the eggs, gently place them in a large saucepan or pot. Add cold water to cover the eggs by 1 and 1/2 inches. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. When the water is boiling, remove the pan from the stove.
2. Let the pan stand, covered, for 12-15 minutes. Remove the eggs from the pan. Allow them to cool before peeling.
3. Carefully cut the eggs in half lengthwise. Place the egg halves on a work surface.
4. Transfer the yolks to a medium bowl. Add the mayonnaise, hot-wing sauce, salt and pepper. Stir until combined. The mixture should be smooth.
5. Spoon the yolk mixture into a resealable plastic bag. Clip the corner of the bag. Pipe the yolk mixture into the egg white halves.
6. Sprinkle the blue cheese and celery on top of the filling and enjoy!

Eggland’s Best is a national supporter of the American Heart Association’s Healthy for Good movement and is encouraging consumers to try out the recipes available at recipes.heart.org.

2019-12-19T11:02:53

(BPT) – This holiday season, what if you could give loved ones a present that makes a meaningful impact on the world? Nothing evokes the holiday spirit more than giving gifts that help others in a direct, effective way. You and the gift recipient will know you’re making a difference in the lives of people who really need it.

Here are a few ways you can give a gift this year that truly makes someone’s life better:

Feed a family — and nourish a community

Several global charities have developed opportunities for Americans to make a dramatic impact on the lives of families throughout developing countries through year-end gift giving. For example, donors can direct contributions that pay for a farm animal to support a family or a clean water well installation to benefit an entire community.

In World Vision’s Annual Holiday Gift Catalog, a gift of a goat and two chickens provides a steady supply of eggs, milk and protein that can feed two or more struggling families. Your loved one will receive a card to tell them you’re making this life-changing donation on their behalf. For last-minute gift givers, you can have the thank-you card emailed to you and print it out from your home printer as late as Christmas morning!

A single dairy goat can provide up to 16 cups of milk per day, providing calcium, protein and other essential nutrients for growing children. Goats are well-suited for harsh climates and produce valuable fertilizer for crops and vegetable gardens. Chickens are easy to raise, and they naturally multiply to help feed generations of children. Each family who receives chickens gives back some hatched chicks to help other families in their community. This productivity can create a viable small-business opportunity for a single mother or struggling family to help add to their income.

Provide vital medical supplies

Numerous organizations also help struggling families in developing countries gain access to life-saving medicine, vitamins and nutritional support. Donating these types of gifts on behalf of a loved one who has struggled with his or her own health concerns can be an especially meaningful way to show you care at the holidays.

A monthly or yearly donation to World Vision in the name of your loved one is a way to provide access to vital pharmaceuticals and medical supplies such as antibiotics, anti-fungals, anti-parasitic drugs, deworming medications, disposable syringes, gastrointestinal drugs, painkillers or surgical supplies to communities that desperately need them. Your gift will multiply five times in terms of its impact to help ship and distribute necessary medicine and supplies.

Support community artisans

If your loved one is passionate about artistic and beautiful things from around the world, you can support local artisans and craftspeople as well. Your support enables artisans to access “microloans” that help them fund their businesses. You can also directly purchase their hand-crafted items, which supports their business and enables you or your gift recipient to enjoy unique and beautiful works of art. Look for organizations that partner with fair trade organizations when you shop for international goods to maximize the impact of your gift.

Browse through World Vision’s 2019 Gift Catalog to see a wide variety of unique handcrafted gifts ranging from jewelry and housewares to decorative items. A portion of your purchase will be used to support specific, urgent needs for children, families or communities around the world, benefiting local artisans, along with the individual for whom you selected a gift.

A $75 or greater donation enables you to select a gift from the Opportunity Collection of home decor items, the Grace Collection of jewelry and accessories or the Hope Bracelet. These items were exclusively designed by Emmy-Award-winning actress Patricia Heaton. They were created by fair trade artisans in India in partnership with Gifts with a Cause, a fair-trade organization that provides a sustainable income to artists in developing countries. This business opportunity helps empower people to thrive, improving the lives of their families and communities. To celebrate this year’s season of giving and make a real difference, consider a donation that expresses how much you care. Your gift will have an impact on making the lives of others better — long after the holidays are over.

2019-12-19T09:01:00

(BPT) – GSK spokesperson Patsy Schanbaum’s daughter, Jamie, was a college freshman when she contracted meningococcal disease, also known as meningitis.

“I got the call that every parent hopes they never get — their child has been hospitalized and it’s an emergency. By the time I got to the hospital that night, Jamie was in an induced coma, fighting for her life.”

Jamie was diagnosed with meningitis and, to help stop the spread of the disease, the doctors amputated both legs below the knee and her fingers.

“Giving the go-ahead to the doctors to amputate her limbs was probably the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make as a mother, but it was the only way to help save her life,” Patsy said.

Early symptoms of meningitis may be similar to those of a cold or the flu. The disease can progress quickly and be fatal, sometimes within 24 hours.¹ One in 10 of those who contract it will die, and one in five will suffer long-term consequences, such as loss of limbs, like Jamie.²

“My daughter was fortunate to survive meningitis, but others may not be so lucky, and it shouldn’t be because of a lack of education. As a mother, I feel it is important for parents to educate themselves about the disease and the vaccines available by speaking with their teen’s doctor about it.”

There are two different types of vaccines and both are needed to help protect against the five vaccine-preventable groups of meningitis – A, C, W, Y and B.⁷

Anyone can get meningitis, but adolescents and young adults are at an increased risk for meningitis due to behaviors like living in close quarters, sharing drinks or eating utensils, kissing or coughing.^3,4,5,6 Serogroup B has been responsible for 100 percent of US college outbreaks of meningococcal disease from 2011 through March 2019, which involved 13 campuses, 50 cases and 2 deaths among an at-risk population of approximately 253,000 students.³

“I stayed by Jamie’s side for seven months while she recovered. Together we worked to physically and emotionally adapt to a new lifestyle. The journey to recovery was difficult, and at certain points I even felt helpless, but we made it through as a family.”

Jamie, also a GSK spokesperson, and Patsy founded The J.A.M.I.E. Group to help educate parents about the impact of meningitis and available vaccinations.

“I want to ensure no family ever has to go through what mine did.”

Today, Patsy feels empowered as a mother, advocate and spokesperson for GSK, sharing her family’s story to educate parents, teens and young adults about the potential dangers of meningitis and the types of vaccines available to help prevent it.

Vaccine-preventable diseases, such as meningitis, continue to impact our communities, including schools and college campuses. Before your kids head back to school for the spring semester, schedule a wellness visit to talk to their doctor about the two different types of meningitis vaccines needed to help protect against the five vaccine-preventable groups of meningitis – A, C, W, Y and B.⁷ Vaccination may not protect all recipients.

For more information, visit http://www.meningitisb.com.

Content sponsored by GSK.