Get Your Purim On Giveaway From Kosher.com

If you have been puzzled as to why Jewish children and adults have paraded around in costumes this time last year, you will see that same scenario again in a couple of weeks, February 25the and February 28th and every year after that. This is not an early Halloween celebration, but part of the celebration of Purim.Purim is the celebration of Queen Esther, a Jewish woman that secretly kept her Jewish identity in her heart even when King Achashverosh, the King of Persia, chose her as his new Queen. The old Queen just didn’t measure up to his standards anymore. The King’s Prime Minister, Haman, was not a friend to the Jews and looked for any excuse to turn the Persian nation against the Jews.

When Haman approached Mordecai the Jew and told him to bow down to him, Mordecai refused. Haman was livid. Coincidentally, Queen Esther was also the niece of Mordecai-talk about a small Jewish world-and was informed of Haman’s decree that the Jews should be put to death, men, women, and children. Esther had to do something and fast, and fast is exactly what she requested of Mordecai and the entire Jewish people.

Esther also fasted. In fact Jews have come together during many turbulent times as a nation in order to overturn their enemies’ deadly intentions. This is also why the Fast is called the “the Fast of Esther”. Esther advised Mordecai to : ‘Go and gather all the Jews who are found in Shushan and fast over me, and do not eat and do not drink three days, night and day; and I and my maidens will also fast thus.’ (ibid. 4).  

We don’t keep three days of the fast, we keep one. On what would have been the third day of the fast, we get together with friends and family and enjoy a Purim Seudah (festive meal) followed by something sweet in the shape of Haman’s triangular hat. Hello, hamentaschen, it is so nice to see you.  If this is a word you’ve never seen before and you think that it might be the latest iPhone application, you are wrong. The word hamentashen is a triangular like pastry that tastes like the best sugar cookie you have ever had filled with chocolate, poppy seeds, apricot jam, or prunes. These cookies are easy to make at home, but if you would like to win your very own gourmet tin of hamentashen, you’ve come to the right blog. No, you don’t have to fast to win your very own gourmet tine of hamentashen from the folks at Kosher.com.   Contest Rules The hamentashen contest will run from Monday, February 8th – Friday, February 12th with a winner chosen on Monday, February 15th. 

  

 Contest Rules: 

 1. Visit  http://www.kosher.com and return to my blog and leave a comment with the type of Hamentaschen cookie you would like to try and why. In order to officially enter this contest, your comment must include a link to the Kosher.com site.  

Additional entries:
2. Join my fan page on facebook here http://tinyurl.com/yfgnc8h 

3. Tweet @primetimeparent and the folks at Kosher.com are giving away a gourmet tin of hamentaschen  

This contest will end Friday, February 12, 2010, at sundown. 

For more information kosher.com and its products, please visit http://www.kosher.com, or find them on Facebook and Twitter @kosher.com 

 

My Kosher Restaurant & Wine Experience Was Good

Why would a very exhausted mother of three children, four and under, go out to Chelsea Piers on a very cold winter night? The Kosher Restaurant & Wine Experience was in town. I firmly believe that everything that happens between meals is life and everything that happens during a meal is living. Let me explain, I’m an Orthodox Jewish woman, wife, and mom. I am always preparing for some type of Jewish function that involves both food and wine. Every week we prepare two meals in celebration of Shabbat. Every month there is a holiday and food is either a part of it or in between the meal before and after a fast.

I tasted some of the best brisket from Pomegranate Kosher Supermarket, outstanding salsa from My Brother Bobby’s Salsa , Empandas from El Gaucho, and on the spot guacamole from Noah’s Ark. The puring section was full of young business professionals with class. My favorite wine of the event was Baron Herzog Late Harvest The taste was fruity and full with a kick. It is kosher for Passover and we will be serving this wine at our seder!

That’s right, the buzz has already started about two upcoming Jewish celebrations, both which will involve food and wine. If you don’t have a Jewish calendar, you may not be aware that Fast of Esther and Purim are at the end of the month, and at the end of March, Passover.

This is such a fun time of year, as we use up all of our not kosher for Passover items before and during Purim. Not sure what I’m referring to, I’ll explain. Purim is a celebration of many things and at the center of the story is Queen Esther. An orphan that grew up and then found herself in the life of King Ahasuerus because his current wife, Queen Vashi, was sent away for disobeying him. He made Esther, a Jewish woman, his wife without even knowing she was Jewish. Esther became the queen of Persia.

When Haman, the king’s prime minister, decides to kill all Jews because he is angered when one of them, Mordechai, because he refuses to bow down to him. The king agreed to kill all Jews because Haman added that the Jews were all of the land and would not obey the king. Not kosher at all. The word gets out to the people that on the thirteenth day of the Hebrew month of Adar, the killing would begin. The Jews fast and mourn and mourn and fast. Mordechai, Queen Esther’s Uncle, told her this news and pleaded that she do something about it. A strong women and a Jew, Esther risked her life and requested that the king put Haman’s deadly plan to an end immediately. She had told him how Haman was upset by Mordechai and that he should be hung. This man was no stranger to the king. Mordechai, the Jew, had saved the king’s life at an earlier time from two plotting courtiers who had tried to poison him. Now it was Haman that would go down and Mordechai and the Jewish people to go on. Haman was hung on the same gallows he had prepared for Mordechai.

 The Jews were saved and hence the celebration of this on the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the Hebrew month of Adar, which coincides with March 27th and 28th this year. This celebration is complete with meat dishes and glasses of wine, hence, the feast of Purim.  

Passover falls out about six weeks after the Purim feast, which is good because we need to use up all of our not kosher for Passover items. This includes anything made from the five major grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt) that has not been completely cooked within 18 minutes after coming into contact with water. Wines also need to be kosher for Passover, so here we go again. Four glasses of wine served during the course of the Passover Seder. For the answer as to why we drink four glasses of wine during the Passover Seder, I wanted to include an explanation that I found on Torah.org. This answer, by Rabbi Yehudah Prero, explains that the most famous answer to this question revolves around two verses in the Torah found in the book of Sh’mos/Exodus (6:6-7):

“Therefore, say to the children of Israel ‘I am Hashem, and I SHALL TAKE YOU OUT from under the burdens of Egypt; I SHALL RESCUE YOU from their service; I SHALL REDEEM YOU with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I SHALL TAKE YOU TO ME for a people and I shall be a G-d to you….”

Rabbi Prero responded by explaining that ”The Four Expressions of Redemption” translate in the way that G-d spoke of the redemption to the nation of Israel as to how they would be taken out of slavery in Egypt. We therefore drink a cup of wine, on this night that we commemorate our redemption, for each expression of redemption that G-d uttered.

Once you’ve experienced a Passover Seder, you can understand the connection even more. So, L’Chaim and look for more articles in the coming weeks about these two Jewish holidays. If you have a special brand of wine or special recipe for either Purim or Passover, please share it here.

Tommee Tippee Spill Proof? I’ve Got It.

Since I’ve been raising children, I have introduced to various sippy cups from the time they could sit up by themselves. We have tried Nuby, Munchkin , and Playtex, but I have never been %100 satisfied and my kids uninterested.

Since I am constantly out to remove germs from various objects in my house, sippy cups have made that task even more challenging. Sippy cups with straws have been disassembled and the parts never found again. Silicone nipples have been chewed through and leaks have covered the bottoms of purses, diaper bags, and minivan floors more times than I can remember. Stoppers, the part that controls the speed and amount of liquid while the sippy cup is in use, have been removed for cleaning and never found again. I was constantly on the hunt for a reputable, leak-free, and BPA free sippy cup. I was introduced to the sippy cup of my dreams when I was approached by a public relations rep. for Tommee Tippee, Great Britain’s #1 Infant and Toddler Feeding Brand. Tommee Tippee was coming to the U.S, but like most Americans, I had never heard of this brand. As a mom on a mission to hydrate my toddlers in some way shape and form, I was eager to try out the sippy cup presented to me. It was love at first site. My four and five year old girls were even more excited and had already picked out their preferred colors before I had removed them from the packaging. Could something that looked so good be functional?

Yes and yes. The Tommee Tippee Explora line includes BPA-free toddler drinking and feeding products to help children and their parents through the weaning process – from first sips and nibbles to toddler independence and self-feeding – by easing transitions along the way and helping to reduce stress and mess at mealtime.  

Explora products feature advance-flo™ valves, designed by a physicist to require almost no force to drink from, thereby easing the transition to a cup while still remaining truly spill-proof and leak-proof. Each Explora cup is progressively staged with a specific spout and grip to meet the needs of every age while supporting natural oral development. Bright colors, appealing designs and coordinating mealtime products reflect the individual styles of moms and their children, while making drinking and eating fun. 

Closer to Nature bottles feature an ultra-sensitive anti-colic valve that lets babies feed at their own pace with less air, vacuum build-up and nipple collapse. The simply intuitive bottle shape provides a more comfortable hold and breastfeeding-like closeness. All Closer to Nature bottles are Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalate free. 

So, now that I’ve found these “succsipful” cups, where could I get more of them? Through an exclusive distribution agreement with Babies“R”Us and Toys“R”Us, Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature and Explora infant and toddler feeding products are available in the United States exclusively at babiesrus.com and in Babies“R”Us stores nationwide since January. The Tommee Tippee line will then be introduced in Toys“R”Us stores nationwide in March. Customers eager to purchase these products will have the opportunity to place pre-purchase orders online at babiesrus.com/tommeetippee.

 I am also giving away one Tommee Tippee 2-Pack Explora Truly Spill Proof Drinking Cup 9oz – 24m+ – Pink/Purple and One Closer to Nature bottle, all you have to do is:

1. Visit  http://www.tommeetippeeus.com and come back to my blog and leave a comment about what Tommee Tippee product you would like to try and why.

Additional entries:
2. Join my fan page on facebook here http://tinyurl.com/yfgnc8h

3. Tweet @primetimeparent is giving away Tommee Tippee 2-Pack Explora Truly Spill Proof Drinking Cup 9oz – 24m+ – Pink/Purple

This contest will end at 11:59pm, February 14, 2010..

For more information on Tommee Tippee and its products, please visit www.tommeetippee.comus, or find them on Facebook and Twitter @Tommee Tippee US

Queens Kosher Consumers Get Ready To Check-Out Aron's Kissena Farms Supermarket

One of the main reasons why my husband and I chose to live in Kew Gardens Hills, NY, was becaue of the number of kosher food options available. Since we’ve moved here five years ago, this number continues to increase. This week, Aron’s Kissena Farms will be celebrating their Grand Opening with incredible specials this Tuesday, February 2nd. These specials will last thru Thursday, February 11, 2010. Aron’s Kissena Farms is Located at 72-15 Kissena Bllovd., Flushing, NY 11367. There will be no shortage of free parking-in the 400-car parking lot-so you can shop like a mensch.  Customers will kvel over the new interior-designed by noted architect Dinesh Doshi who also designed ShopRite, Acme, Pomegranate and Lowes-a welcome improvement to the previous appearance of Kissena Farms.

The price is right, also. My husband has already given the meat prices a big thumbs up-Grade A Whole Chicken for $1.39 Lb.-get them while you can. This store is arriving just in time for people to start stocking up on food for their Purim Seudah (meal) and Kosher for Passover items as well. I’ll be there tweeting and eating, come find me @primetimeparent and let me know what you think of the new shopping experience.

In the last couple of months, a new restaurant has joined the kosher scene on Main Street as well.  The night I was supposed to get out with the moms from playgroup I fell asleep putting my kids to sleep. I spoke to them as they had just received a complimentary order of  bruchetta with parmesean toasts. They loved the food and said that the entries were large and delicious. The decor was new and fresh. This restaurant also has amazing takeout pizza with a price that we love. That is our new Sunday night place for pizza and the kids love it.  My friends also tried out their sushi and eggplant parmesan, which was grilled instead of fried because that is how she wanted it. 

If you are on your way to La Guardia Airport or taking the kids to the New York Hall of Science, definitely stop off on Main Street and let us know what your favorite kosher restaurant is!

I’m Tasting The Best In Kosher Food & Wine At Chelsea Piers

I love going out to restaurants and sipping on a glass of wine, the perfect date for any couple, before kids.  It is very rare that my husband and I have moments like this these days, but we both love food and wine so much and we can’t wait to taste some of our favorite dishes from the finest kosher restaurants in New York. This Monday, February 1, The Kosher Restaurant & Wine Experience will be at Chelsea Piers, 23rd Street, New York. That’s not all; we will also have the opportunity to taste more than 200 high-end kosher wines from around the world, with a very exclusive French collection.

Some of my favorite restaurants will be at this event, so if you can’t make it Monday night, here is a little spiel about them and where you can find them: 

Cho-Sen, Kosher Asian Cuisine, 64-48 108th Street in Forest Hills, NY, 11375. The food is outstanding and fresh and the service very good. I love their Vegetable Dumplings and my husband loves the Beef with Broccoli and we love their big portions. Another one of our favorites is El Gaucho Steakhouse, authentic Argentinean steakhouse located at 4102 18th Ave. (Corner of East 4th Street) Brooklyn, NY 11218. When I studied in Israel several years ago, this was my favorite place to go with family when they visited me there. I have always loved Chorizo Parrillero (Grilled sausage with chimichurri sauce) Empanada Casera (Homemade turnover served with criolla sauce), 

There will be opportunities to meet and tweet with fellow foodie bloggers and chat with world-renowned winemakers and proprietors of famous kosher wines at seminars by Jay Buchsbaum, Royal Wine Corp; and by Pierce Miodownick, noted French Winemaker.

If you haven’t already registered, you can get still get tickets, go to www.royalwines.com. If you will be there, come find me or send a tweet out to @primetimeparent. Maybe we can have a little L’Chaim together!

Our Visit To Chicago

We’ve been in Chicago visiting our family for the past week and I have discovered a few things that worked great for a mom traveling alone with three kids, four and under. Unfortunately, some things did not. So here are my thoughts on it all.

Since we keep kosher both in and out of the house, we need to stock up on food items and it’s a good thing that we were able to find kosher Rotisserie Chicken, Luck Chen Steam Noodles, Challah, Healthy and Organic Cheddar Cheese, and more and Jewel in Highland Park, IL . Even Abe the Mashgiach was friendly and helpful.

As all of us know, whether you are an Auntie, Bubby, or Mommy, taking three kids, four and under out to a restaurant is like a time bomb ticking. Getting them to the table, in their seats, high chairs, and sitting still can lead to exhaustion. That’s just the beginning. Not to mention potty breaks, food fights, spills, and great escapes-my two year old found his way to the door before the bill was paid. Needless to say, we did go to Slice of Life Bistro in Skokie, IL, and things went well minus all fo the crumbs, papers, and and ice cubes that eneded up on under the table. What a nice staff and delicious food, just check out this pizza, my favorite.

There is a grat Jewish book store, HaMakor Gallery, just a couple minutes walk from Slice of Life. This is not something to do with the kids because there are some many beautiful but breakable things, all things Judaica. I was happy to see some of the Matzo covers from my friend from Davida’s Aprons on display. However, we had to get out of their so quick or else we could have hade a very expensive bill.

We also had some great take out food from a very delicious Middle Eastern restaurants in Highland Park, IL, Mizrahi Grill. They have a kid menu and my kids loved the hot dogs, french fries, and chicken schnitzel, $5 per meal and the portions were huge. I loved the Turkey Shwarma with everything.

Even though we spent most of our time with family, we did branch out a couple of occassions with the kids.

The Shedd Aquarium. I actually used twitter to inquire about what fun things to do with the kids my age and immediately tweets came back to me mentioning the Polar Play Zone at The Shedd Aquarium. This month entry is free, but that does not include the cost of Fantasea, the dolphin show that we saw during our visit this week. I felt the show was okay, my kids were freaked out by the sound and degree of darkness. I felt that there was more human tricks than mamal tricks, but other people may have a different opinion. Since we keep kosher, we had to bring in our own food and eat in the cafetaria on the ground level. My parents, however, were on the search for something to eat but the line was much too long and my kids were much too hungry. We were redirected downstairs only to find out that the Cafe in that location was closed because the museum was not expecting such a large crowd on that day. So, we had to go all of the way upstairs and down another elevator in order to get to the vending/cafetaria so my kids could eat what I packed for them-juice boxes, borekas, and fish sticks-they were still hungry. My parents did not bring their own food and had to much on over priced Lay’s potato chips-$1.50 for a lunch size bag-and that was not satsifying on any level. I also want to add that it was very cold on that level. Once the bellies were full-for the time being-we made a stop at the bathroom. This was exciting because they had a step under the sink so little ones could reach the sink. Brilliant! This is something that would be amazing at more locations, what a help it was to me!

After the potty break, we headed over to the Polar Play Zone and caught a “swim by” of the 6 week old baby Belugah and his mommy. The kids loved playing in the submarine where they could touch buttons and turn wheels at their leisure. There was also an area where they could see Penguins eating their lunch. The best of all was the area with a slide and human size Penguin costumes for the kids. My two year old loved this so much we had a hard time getting him to go home. Now I know to go their first during our next visit.

On another day, we went to Northbrook Court, just a few minutes from where we were staying. We parked at the Claim Company entrance and had a short walk to the Tree House Play area. I was happy to see a Starbucks parallel to the play area, which had a gate around it so little ones would stay put. That was a good idea, but my two year old still escaped when another family opened the door to exit the area. Oy, good thing I was within an ear shot when I heard and saw him out of th corner of my eye. I must add that all of moms there that day were so sweet and on the ball. My kids played there-except for our lunch break-from over three hours. We brought our usual plus some snacks, but I did not pack enough. Note to self, my kids can eat and I need to better prepared.

If you are visiting Chicago this time of year, it is cold! Bring layers, boots, hats, gloves, and snow pants. Even getting in and out of the car can feel like the ice age. I am happy that we found these inside activities that got us out of the house and let the kids stretch their legs.

Eli Kirshtein Will Be Cooking Up Something Kosher, Something New at Solo

If you are looking for an elegant place to dine with some kosher dishes prepared by Top Chef, Eli Kirshtein, Solo in Manhattan has the solution. Today, just one day after the New York Times posted an article titled, For Some, ‘Kosher’ Equals Pure  yesterday Solo Restaurant announced  the newest addition to its kitchen, Guest Executive Chef and former Top Chef chef’testant Eli Kirshtein. Taking on a new culinary challenge, Kirshtein joins the New American and Kosher restaurant in the atrium of The Sony Building in Midtown Manhattan, to offer an eclectic mix of prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus, with new additions daily.

With all of the hundreds of restaurants in Manhattan, why did Eli decide to pick a kosher one? Eli told reporters his reason, and it’s something this kosher foodie mom can be very proud of,“Solo is a fantastic restaurant, where New York City tastemakers have created a new culinary trend in the Kosher-style of preparing food,” said Kirshtein. “I’m am thrilled that a restaurant with such a unique combination of New American and Kosher fare, currently making an important impact on the New York City culinary scene, has approached me to re-vamp an already exciting menu. While I am not a Kosher chef by training, with my team at Solo, I plan to create excellent dishes in a new and exciting genre, that just happens to be prepared with specific ingredients in mind. Almost like a Top Chef challenge, my tenure at Solo is a project I look forward to conquering.”

I am really looking forward to trying out Solo with my husband to celebrate our sixth wedding anniversary-even though it is on the pricey side-there are some things you just don’t skimp on.

Solo is part of New York City ’s The Prime Grill Group, comprised of restaurants including Kosher institution The Prime Grill. Recognized by celebrities ranging from Donald Trump to Madonna, Solo has successfully integrated a unique alchemy of New American fare with classic Kosher technique.

Solo is located at 550 Madison Avenue between 55^th and 56^th Streets in New York City . Lunch is served Monday – Friday from 11 AM to 3 PM, and dinner is served Sunday – Thursday from 5 PM to 11 PM. For more information, please call 212.833.7800 or visit www.primegrillny.com/solo

Great Kosher Foodie Find in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Things have been pretty busy over here and I haven’t had a chance to update this blog since I my trip to Florida last month. You can see how much fun we had on Hutchinson Island, Florida in my recent post on Travelingmom.com  under TravelingKosherMom.

I still have so much to share about our kosher dining experiences at Walt Disney World as well as our meat lunch in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, at David’s East Side Deli. The place was clean and hip. The food was delicious, and the service friendly and fast. I had salad with a huge scoop of tuna fish salad on top, the portion was large and I even took some back to our room in Hutchinson Island, just 40 minutes north of David’s. It was well worth the drive and can be combined with some shopping in the area. This worked well for us because we were visiting family that were styaing literally a block away from the deli. Even though our family does not keep kosher, they loved the great tasting latkas, hamburg, whitefish salad, and hot dogs. 

It was so nice to get rave reviews from our non-kosher foodie family members and I think they will be heading back to David’s again soon, even without us kosher relatives in town.

Martha. Martha. Martha. How Tweet It Is!

I was so excited when I received an email from the Marth Stewart Show to be in the audience for their upcoming #blogShow. This sounded so perfect for me, since I am blogging, twittering, linking, and updating numerous social networks about life as a 40+ kosher foodie mom (if you don’t know where to find me online, you will by the end of this blog post).

So, getting invitations to mommy blogger events is a huge thrill for me. The events are fun and most of the time kid friendly. Today, things were a bit different and I had to arrange several things before leaving the home-you know, taking car of the kids is my main squeeze-and I had to have everything arranged before I left my house at 6:30 am-ouch- this morning. 

The good news I accomplished it all-picked up and organized dozens upon dozens of blocks, Disney Princesses, Little People, DVDs, and Dora The Explorer playing cards. I also made lunches and laid out clothes for the girls. The table was set for breakfast, and I charged up my cell phone and computer and confirmed the directions to the Martha Stewart Show and the nearest Starbucks. That is the good news, the bad news is that I was up until 2:30 am. In between putting toys away and washing dishes, I tweeted with @jenrab about meeting up at that nearest Starbucks for a strong cup of coffee before our 8:30 arrival at the studio in Manhattan. 

I also wrote down all of the instructions for the babysitter before I went to bed last night-time of pick-up for the girls, who was picking them up and where.  Brief instructions onhow to play a DVD and easy access to extra wipes and diapers. That’s not all.

Preparing my kids for my the babysitter is key. I’ve learned to prep them a few days before and let them know that Beth, thebabysitter, will be helping them get off to school on Thursday. I made sure that all of the kids were awake and waived to me before I left and, Thank G-d, things went perfectly.

Enough about before the show and more about the show. It was inspiring, interesting, and a lot of fun. I love being able to shmooz with other bloggers, especially @dancingHotdogs @prissymama @ComplicatedMama @NYCSingleMom @STYLEMOM @mommyfactor @newyorkchica and @mommyniri. I met some really great new bloggers like @lizhanne (thanks for the picture) and @centsiblelife.

We watched live as Martha and her blogger guests spoke about how they use the “blogosphere” to share, link, archive, and thrive via their blogs! “Martha Moments” creator Andrew Ritchie showed us how to use leftover yarn to embellish cards for any occasion, “Chez Pim” author Pim Techamuanvivit shared what looked like a very delicious recipe for authentic pad Thai and the entire audience received  a copy of her book, The Foodie Handbook. We also saw Martha  as she taught “Cooking School” chronicler Jeff Blumenkrantz (“Jeff and Martha”) how to frost a cake. For more of a play by play, follow the #BlogShow discussion on Twitter and look for all of our tweets!

Tom’s of Maine Natural Toothpaste For Kids Saves The Delay

The other night my daughter had her very first sleep over ever-she’ll be five in February-and she made it-almost. The phone rang at about 4:30 am with a very tired mother and very upset daughter on the other end of the line. In his mensch like manner, my husband talked our crying daughter into a giggle.

I am excited that she is willing to go on such an outing, and she even remembered to pack her toothbrush and toothpaste. Somewhere between there and her, her toothbrush and toothpaste got lost. She wasn’t so upset about the toothpaste; she really disliked the taste and made faces every time she brushed her teeth-sorry honey. I guess that was meant to happen because that very same day I received a call from our downstairs neighbor. While we were away, he had received and accidentally opened a Fed Ex package that was for me. I was so happy to find a sample of Tom’s of Maine Children’s Natural Toothpaste Anticavity with Fluoride so I could review it and post on my blogs. With a flavor with a name like Silly Strawberry, how could my daughter not like it?

 Like it, she loved it! She even commented that it tasted like marshmallows-a world of improvement from her previous tube of toothpaste. Not only does it taste great-I tried it also, yum-but it is the only natural option to carry the ADA Seal of Acceptance! Tom’s toothpaste features naturally sourced sodium monofluorophosphate as its active ingredient to provide cavity protection and calcium to clean. Real strawberry flavor oils—not artificial sweeteners, dyes, or sparkles—are the basis for their kid-friendly appeal. And, it is Kosher and Halal…and that is a huge thumbs up for this kosher foodie mom. Vegetarians can also benefit from it being both Kosher and Halal. Why?

This was something I was not aware of until I participated  in the OU Advanced Kashrut Seminar for Women this past summer. Oh, Glycerin, how you can be both a blessing and a curse. As an emollient, an ingredient that helps to balance or maintain moisture levels, Glycerin is commonly derived from oils or created as a by-product of soap. These oils can be vegetable, animal, or petroleum in origin. The glycerin used in Tom’s toothpaste is domestically sourced and derived from soybean oil, canola oil, coconut, palm kernel oil, and palm oils. It is not derived from corn, does not contain diethylene glycol, and is not genetically modified. Thank you!!!

How would you like to have your kids reminding you that it is time to brush your teeth? You could win a sample of this total success story-I am giving away five tubes of Tom’s of Maine  Children’s Natural Toothpaste in Silly Strawberry- all you have to do is:

1. Visit http://bit.ly/4oHKMf and come back and tell me what product you would like to try and why.

Additional entries:
2. Join my fan page on facebook here http://tinyurl.com/yfgnc8h

3. Tweet @primetimeparent is giving away five tubes of Tom’s of Maine Children’s Natural Toothpaste Anticavity w/ Fluoride http://bit.ly/4Z0S6Z 

This contest will end at 11:59pm, January 30, 2010..

I did not receive payment for this post. I received samples of the toothpaste and had my daughter give it a whirl-I tasted it as well- in order to write a review of the product. The opinions and comments are my own.