Goodles: Noodles, Gooder

Disclaimer: I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) in exchange for my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided.

If your kids are anything like mine, then it's a pretty safe bet to say that mac and cheese is probably a meal that's on heavy rotation in your house. It definitely is here! It's such a quick and easy meal to make and it's one that you know the kids are definitely going to eat. It's a cheesy comfort food that the whole family loves. 

But, let's be honest... it doesn't always feel like the healthiest or most balanced meal. And there's definitely some mom guilt there when it comes to making a meal that comes out of a box. I always add in peas and corn for the kids, and sometimes carrots or broccoli too, but it still feels like a meal that's missing something. 

I'm happy to say that I tossed that mom guilt out the window when I discovered Goodles. 

What are Goodles? They're noodles, gooder! Ok, "gooder" isn't a word, but it sure is a cute slogan! 

Goodles Mac & Cheese is reinventing an American classic. That same delicious cheesy taste that everyone loves, but with so much goodness added in. Goodles Mac and Cheese dishes up 14 grams of protein. That's the same as eating 2.5 hard boiled eggs - but much tastier! You'll also get 6 grams of fiber, which is three times more than regular boxed mac and cheese, and it's packed full of prebiotics for gut health. Then there are 21 nutrients derived from organic plants, plus Goodles has 25% fewer calories than the leading mac and cheese. But wait... there's more! Or, rather, less. Goodles contains none of the bad stuff: no GMOs and no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. 

All of the good stuff, none of the bad stuff, and all of the cheesy, creamy flavor!

The best part is that even with all this extra added goodness, Goodles Mac and Cheese is just as easy to make as the box mac and cheese you've been making for years. In fact, you make it exactly the same way. You probably won't even need to look at the box - but you'll want to because the packaging is super cute. I mean, look at it! 

Goodles Mac and Cheese comes in four different flavors so there's something to appeal to every member of the family. Shella Good (aged white cheddar and shells) is the favorite among my kids, but those who prefer classic mac and cheese will love Cheddy Mac (creamy cheddar and amacaroni). Mover & Shaker (cacio e pepe inspired mac) and Twist My Parm (asiago and parmesan with spirals) are my two favorites because they're a little more grown up. Mac and cheese isn't just for kids! 

You can find Goodles mac and cheese online at www.GOODLES.com. Save 25% on your purchase with the code MOMSAREGOODER.   

Marshall Fire

Trigger warning: This post contains descriptions and photos of the fire and the damage caused.

I've been pretty quiet here on the blog so far this year. 

In the lead up to the new year I had every intention to start 2022 out strong on the blogging front and play catch up on some posts I've been meaning to share for a very long time. I'm not one to set new year's resolutions or goals, but a new year does always feel like a good time to start afresh, and I'd decided I was going to bite the bullet and just get it done. 

And then 2021 decided to throw us one last blow... 

On December 30th 2021 our little city was hit by one of the worst fires in Colorado's history. Fueled by 110 mile an hour winds, what started out as a small grass fire on nearby farmland quickly spread to the neighboring town of Superior and then here to Louisville. Within hours entire housing subdivisions were gone. Entire neighborhoods wiped out. Tens of thousands of people hit the congested roads to evacuate, grabbing what ever they could in the little time they had to prepare. If you've been following along on Instagram you'll likely know that we were among those who evacuated. We grabbed our pets, important documents, back up drives and favorite toys and joined the traffic heading north and east, not knowing if we'd have a home to return to.

We're among the lucky ones. The wind changed direction before the fire reached our neighborhood. Our home is still standing. A little smoky at first, but completely undamaged. Unfortunately, around one thousand families in our community can not say the same. Their homes are gone. So too are their most cherished belongings, and unfortunately in many cases, their beloved pets. The fire moved so quickly that there was little time to grab anything before evacuating. Many families were away on vacation at the time with no one able to access their homes and save their pets. It's heartbreaking. As well as those who lost everything, there are many more families in our community whose homes have been rendered uninhabitable due to to smoke and ash damage (whether visible or not). 

I'm sure you've seen it all on the news, but today I'm going to share my story from experiencing the fire first hand. Our home was spared and for the most part we had the comfort of watching the fire from afar (through our Nest camera and Twitter) but I did find myself in the thick of it at one point and it was the scariest thing I have ever experienced. It is the only time I have honestly feared for my life.