Marie Callender's Under 500 Solves My Lunchtime Woes

I never had a problem getting a meal into my schedule in the past. After all, I love food and love to eat. Then, I had three kids and with that last addition to my family came absolutely no time to even think about going to the bathroom on a regular basis let alone what to eat for lunch. Frozen meals are a quick answer but many times they are loaded with sodium, fat and full of calories that I don't like to ingest. Marie Callender's Under 500 meals is an answer to this busy mom's prayers.

Today, I sampled the Chicken Piccata from the Marie Callender's Fresh Flavor Steamers line. At 360 calories it was loaded with grilled chicken, capers, penne pasta and a nice lemon-butter sauce that filled me up but didn't make me feel stuffed. It took three and a half minutes to cook in my microwave, which was about all the time I had in between feeding a baby, toddler and preschool age child. I felt that I was eating a balanced meal, something that is also hard for me to whip up on many days when the kitchen gets really busy, crowded and noisy with the kids. These meals save my sanity and my waistline and I am so happy with that.

Plus? Eating meals like the 'Under 500' group saves me from eating some really funky food combinations like when I have no time to think about what I'm actually eating. There have been days when my lunch has been made up of marshmallows, cheese slices and lemon water. I know, how healthy is that? What kind of example does that set for healthy eating with my kids? Later on, I will become ravenous and end up eating half a bag of tortilla chips. Not good at all. Other days it is the very familiar eating what is left on my kids plate. You know, three green beans, a half a quorn nugget and a swig of coffee. Mmm... that's gourmet eatin' right there.


MPR Rating: Four Stars.

Disclaimer: MPR worked in conjunction with Marie Callender's on behalf of TheMotherhood. MPR was compensated for this post. Opinions are MPR's only.

Shopping with BING

Thank you to BING for sponsoring my writing today. To learn more about BING Shopping Rewards, click here. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.


I will readily admit that each year I do my Christmas shopping online. I order diapers, make-up, cleaning products, household goods, food, and anything else in between all online. I started shopping online in 1998 and haven't looked back since. I loved the choices that were available to me even then. When I was working full-time and a new mom I would even order my groceries online and have them delivered to my door. Birthday presents for my kids classmates and friends? Ordered online. I have no qualms about using the Internet to make my life easier, my choices broader and my wallet fatter. In fact, I like shopping online way more than I do in the stores about 85% of the time. It boils down to these three simple things. One, I like the choices, and second, I like the convenience that shopping online gives me. Third, who doesn't love getting packages delivered to their front door? I sure do!

You can get into a rut though and find yourself only going to the same online stores just like you do your local ones. I felt things were getting stale and while I was a bit reluctant to leave my comfort zone I recently ventured into the world of BING. What I discovered with BING was a pleasant surprise. This online search engine offers more than just the ability to shop online. For example, I wanted to find some cute summer dresses. Not only did BING provide shopping sites but also articles about the latest styles in summer dresses. It was a nice refresher and gave me a chance to explore my own style more. I love that!

I feel totally late to the game on BING but it has a lot to offer. You can book flights, plan trips, watch videos and listen to music. Want to watch a bit of TV or see the latest news? BING has that too. You can even get directions from BING. I'm happy that I did check BING out because now I feel more web savvy and I always welcome a new avenue to do searches and some shopping.

Fun Find- Dior Show Mascara

I've said it before and I will say it again, if you are looking for a fantastic, hard-working mascara then Dior Show is it.  I have loved this mascara in it's rich black, velvety color since it debuted years ago and I go back to it quite often. 

Priced at $24 it might seem steep but I find it well worth it because it is waterproof, doesn't hurt my contact-wearing eyes and always looks fresh and never clumps.  If it starts to clump, it's old and you need to throw that tube away! 

Check it out here at Become and other Dior cosmetics for a bit of pampering. 

Disclaimer:  MPR was paid for this sponsored post.  Dior Show mascara has received rave reviews from MPR in the past.