Stouffers Fit Kitchen Meals Help Keep Active Dads Fueled & Ready To Go!

Disclosure: I have partnered with Life of Dad and STOUFFER’S® for this promotion.  I have received compensation and product for my participation, but my opinions are my own.

I'm a dad who always makes time to play with my kids, but I'm not so good at making time for myself to make sure I eat right.  It might because I just don't like to cook myself or from a lack of time resulting from professional and parenting responsibilities but while we normally make up healthy meals for my kids, what my wife and I eat are often fast food or not so healthy quick ready made prepackaged things.  While I feel great, my doctor has warned me that my cholesterol and blood pressure are trending in the wrong direction meaning that if I want to continue living on this world to be there for my kids and enjoying life I need to start eating better and exercising more. STOUFFER’S® Fit Kitchen meals have been fueling my efforts to be healthier when it comes to my eating and being physically fit.  They have been giving me the energy to hula hoop my pounds away and get the cardio activity I need to address my doctor's concerns.

  

As a 40-something dad of young children, I've found that I just don't have the energy I used to when I was in my 20s & 30s.  Did you know that the Recommended Dietary Allowance of Protein for men ages 19 to 70 is 56 grams of protein each day?  Many of us guys aren't getting enough protein in our diets to sustain active, healthy lifestyles.  When I was in my 20s and 30s, I had my group of buddies that were my "wingmen" - kept me out of trouble when we were out and about for nights on the town, made sure I always had a spotter for the weight bench at the gym, and were my running buddies making sure no one ever wimped out of getting their training miles in or showing up for a 5K road race.  Now we are all married with kids and hanging out with the guys, working out at the gym, and running a race have become more of occasional affairs we get together for than the regular routines they used to be.  

STOUFFER’S® Fit Kitchen meals with their 25 grams or more of protein have stepped in to be my wingman to help get me eating healthier and providing the energy I need to be active with my kids plus get back into working out more often. They take less then 10 minutes to prepare and are packed with veggies, complex carbs and proteins will leave you satisfied. STOUFFER’S® Fit Kitchen meals have some great selections to choose from that are definitely not bland and provide generous portions. At a suggested retail price of $3.99 each these meals can also keep the family budget happy and I find them to be a great deal for what you get!

STOUFFER’S® Fit Kitchen meals provide me the perfect balance of taste, nutrition and convenience in their 6 protein packed meal options:

• STEAK FAJITA in smoked red chile sauce with a mix of red & green peppers and seasoned brown rice
• CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN white meat chicken with a black bean & corn mix, seasoned brown rice and a verde tomatillo sauce
• ROTISSERIE SEASONED TURKEY with a mix of diced red skin sweet potatoes & green beans
• MONTEREY CHICKEN with diced red skin & sweet potatoes, lightly buttered green beans with BBQ style sauce
• BOURBON STEAK with chipotle mashed sweet potatoes, seasoned broccoli & red peppers

My new Wingman has helped me have the energy to keep up with my kids plus has given me the extra boost to dust off the weight stack in the basement and buy some new running shoes so that I am hoping to getting back into making working out a regular part of my daily routine again ... though I do have to say don't discount playing with and chasing after your kids as a great way to stay physically fit in itself.

You can find STOUFFER’S® Fit Kitchen meals in the frozen aisle at local Walmart, Target and other grocery stores; visit www.stouffers.com to find a store near you.

Enjoy some Jurassic World gear for your next adventure

  ** This post was made possible by Universal Pictures #TeamJurassic.  I was provided the featured products for free but all opinions expressed are honest and my own **

We had a fun family movie night watching the original Jurassic Park movie to get hyped about seeing the upcoming Jurassic World sequel which will be roaring into theaters on June 12, 2015.  NBC broadcast Jurassic Park and we showed our #TeamJurassic spirit while we enjoyed watching the movie on television. The only downside of the night was we just couldn't keep those darn velociraptors out of the popcorn!

Jurassic Park fell apart before it could ever be opened to the public, but John Hammond's dream didn't die. Twenty-two years after the events that transpired in the original movie, the park is now open for business! The theme park known as JURASSIC WORLD is owned by a huge business conglomerate called Masrani Corporation which bought Isla Nublar and the technology to create the dinosaurs when John Hammond's business went defunct after the events in Jurassic Park.  The initial public hype for Jurassic World is beginning to wane and Masrani Corporation is looking for a way to renew the popularity and profitability of the theme park.  When the park's operations manager takes some risks to increase its profitability by creating a hybrid dinosaur called Indominus Rex you just know that is going to lead to trouble!  

Enjoy an inside look at JURASSIC WORLD from our friends at Universal Pictures:



Plus thanks to Universal Pictures you can show some #TeamJurassic spirit during your next family adventure.  For a chance to win a JURASSIC WORLD backpack, cap, t-shirt, and key chain  you must be a US or Canadian resident over 18 years old and submit one or both of the following entry methods to earn up to 2 entries prior to 11:59 pm EST on Monday June 8, 2015:

Congrats to Olivia from Atwater CA who won the Jurassic Swag!

FACEBOOK (1 Entry) Visit our Facebook page and on the contest post submit a comment sharing where you would wear this Jurassic World gear.

EMAIL (1 Entry)  E-mail thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com your name and mailing address. Email subject line should be JURASSIC SWAG. 

All valid entries will be assigned a number in the order they are received and one number will be  selected to determine the winner using random.org.  E-mails will only be used to contact the winner and deleted following the selection of a winner.

Rated PG-13, JURASSIC WORLD will roar into theaters on June 12, 2015. In addition to standard theaters, it will also be available Real D 3D and IMAX 3D.  Don't worry about annoying lines or the show you want to go to being sold out, buy your tickets online in advance today: unvrs.al/JWtix

Disclaimer & Rules:

A Geek Daddy Blog will select a random winner on  Tuesday, June 9, 2015 ( 1 winner will be selected from a random draw of all eligible entries - each submitted entry will be assigned a number and a random number will be drawn to select a winner based upon total entries ).  By participating in this contest you waive any liability towards A Geek Daddy Blog or its publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.  A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this giveaway as a benefit to our readers.  Information for this post was provided by Universal Pictures.  A Geek Daddy Blog did receive items  of value in exchange for writing this blog post.  While some of the promotional information was provided by Universal Pictures the views and opinions expressed are my own. Universal Pictures is responsible for the delivery of the prizes in this promotion. 

Marvel to give out free magazines previewing its new comic book universe on July 1, 2015

DC Comics just launched a new creative direction for its titles dubbed DCYOU and Marvel is following suit by refreshing the makeup of its comic book universe later this year.  To provide fans a preview of these changes, comic book stores across the United States will be distributing a FREE 64-page full color magazine on July 1, 2015.  ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT MARVEL PREVIEW will provide a peek at what the comic book publisher has planned for when its Secret Wars special event ends in the Fall and the "new Marvel Universe begins." This magazine will provide the first look at Marvel's new comic book lineup and what changes it presents for the super heroes that live within it and the creative teams who bring this fictional universe to life.

“This is a great way to reward fans who visit their local comic shops,” noted Marvel Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, David Gabriel in a press release received by A Geek Daddy Blog. “The comic industry has undergone a renaissance this past year, starting with the launch of the new THOR #1 last fall. Comic shops have reported increased traffic, new customers, and higher sales. Free Comic Book Day 2015 was the biggest and best it’s ever been! We’re thrilled to say thank you by officially revealing the All-New, All-Different Marvel directly to those customers found in comic shops.”

It is nice to see Marvel rewarding its existing base of comic book store customers with an exclusive first look at how things will be changing especially when many of the changes are not primarily meant for their benefit but rather to bring a new younger and more diverse audience into comic book stores to join existing fans in reading the medium.  Hopefully the changes by both DC and Marvel will be balanced so that there will be products that are enjoyable for both the current base of primarily middle aged white men like myself whose spending is making these publishers profitable now and the younger female and racially diverse group of consumers the industry wants to attract to keep them viable into the future.  Hopefully DC and Marvel will be able to provide comic books that cater to the interests of a wide variety of people and make everyone happy.  It would be great to see the industry become rejuvinated and thrive! Otherwise the next generation of customers may skip comic books as an entertainment option all together with movies, television shows, and video games replacing the medium's niche.  So there will be a lot of eyes looking out for the ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT MARVEL PREVIEW on July 1 including mine. 

“This is going to be an absolute game changer for Marvel,” Gabriel added in the press release. “Similar to the most successful comics industry program of this century – Marvel NOW!, All-New All-Different Marvel is going to be presenting fans new #1’s for every title coming out during this event. This is a brand new beginning that honors our past 76 years, yet takes a bold step with daring, and accessible, entry points. Simply stated - this is Marvel!”

Marvel also released the teaser images we've included in this post showing some of the characters as they will be appearing in their "new universe".  In three more weeks, we'll have a more defined understanding of what changes will be occurring in the publisher's comic books when the free preview magazine hits comic book stores on the first new comic book day in July (7/1/2015).  Fingers crossed that we all like what we see!

It's National Doughnut Day - Celebrate with a FREE one from Krispy Kreme

It's #NationalDoughnutDay so swing by your local Krispy Kreme doughnut shop to get a FREE doughnut in recognition of the day.  Throughout June 5, 2015 Krispy Kreme locations in the U.S. and Canada will let you swing by and walk out with a free doughnut of your choice.  Whether it's powdered, filled or a hot Original Glazed® just tell them you want a free doughnut and its yours.

I stopped by the Krispy Kreme by our house this morning after I dropped the kids off at school.  I was in and out in just a few moments and it was easy as just saying "I'd like a free doughnut" to get my National Doughnut Day celebratory treat. Oh was that hot glazed doughnut good!

National Doughnut Day commemorates The Salvation Army volunteers who provided doughnuts to soldiers serving overseas during WWI to boast their moral.  It seems there is some sort of  national recognition day everyday that is promoted by some industry trade association as a marketing tool to sell stuff, but National Doughnut Day is a little different. It was launched in 1938 by the Chicago branch of The Salvation Army as a way to generate awareness of its community services and recognize its women volunteers who contributed to the war effort. LIFE posted a great story on the background of National Doughnut Day on their website, check it out!   National Doughnut Day is still going strong 77 years later ... and of course the doughnut retailers are joining in now. I'm not complaining though, I love a good freebie and Krispy Kreme doughnuts are great!

Happy National Doughnut Day everyone!

Offer valid for one FREE doughnut of any variety, including the signature Original Glazed® doughnut, at participating Krispy Kreme US and Canadian store locations on Friday, June 5, 2015 only. No purchase necessary. While supplies last. Offer not valid at convenience or grocery stores. Excludes Connecticut and Puerto Rico locations. Visit KrispyKreme.com to locate a store near you.

THE PARK IS OPEN: JUNE 12, 2015

 ** This post was made possible by Universal Pictures #TeamJurassic.  I was provided the featured products for free but all opinions expressed are honest and my own **

One of my all time favorite movie scenes is when a glass of water begins to ripple to foreshadow the arrival of a Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur in 1993's Jurassic Park.  That was such a great way to merge visual and sound effects with the suspense of the scene to immerse people so they really felt part of the movie.  Add to that the groundbreaking special effects plus the velociraptors as villains that kept you on the edge of your seat and you know Jurassic Park is on my list of summer blockbusters I deem great.  I also appreciate how Jurassic Park portrayed Michael Crichton's novel on the big screen showing that a science fiction movie doesn't always have to be about aliens and space ships to have a great plot and be a success at the box office.

While the theme park never got off the ground in the original movie on June 12, 2015 #JurassicWorld will be open to the public.  Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, John Hammond's vision of a dinosaur theme park has become a reality on Isla Nublar, an island located near Costa Rica off Central America's Pacific Coast.  This new park isn't owned by Hammond though but rather a huge business conglomerate called Masrani Corporation.  When the theme park isn't making its budget projections, the park's operations manager takes some risks to increase its profitability.  Of course you know that is going to lead to trouble!



The Velociraptors will be back on June 12 in JURASSIC WORLD! Will they be the dangerous adversaries we remember them to be in this movie ... or could they be the good guys who save the day this time?!   As part of A Geek Daddy blog being a member of  #TeamJurassic helping Universal Pictures promote the film, I received a super detailed Hasbro Jurassic World Velociraptor toy for my kids to play with.  They also sent along with it an interesting augmented reality enhanced hardcover book Jurassic World: Where Dinosaurs Come To Life and an informative paperback book titled Jurassic World Dinosaur Field Guide.  Of course we don't want to leave our blog readers out of the fun, so I also have a second of box of these great Jurassic World items to giveaway!

For a chance to win the Hasbro Velociraptor toy, the Carlton Books' Jurassic World: Where Dinosaurs Come To Life augmented reality book, and the Random House Jurassic World Dinosaur Field Guide paperback you must be a US or Canadian resident over 18 years old and submit one or both of the following entry methods to earn up to 2 entries prior to 11:59 pm EST on Friday June 12, 2015:

Congrats to Alina from Valparaiso Indiana who won the book & toy giveaway!

FACEBOOK (1 Entry) Visit our Facebook page and on the contest post submit a comment sharing which dinosaur you would most like to see on a visit to Jurassic World.

EMAIL (1 Entry)  E-mail thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com your name and mailing address. Email subject line should be DINORIFFIC.

All valid entries will be assigned a number in the order they are received and one number will be  selected to determine the winner using random.org.  E-mails will only be used to contact the winner and deleted following the selection of a winner.

Jurassic World Velociraptor Figures

Clever as ever, the Jurassic World raptors are masterful hunters on the lookout for prey. The assortment features three of the most popular raptors from the Jurassic World movie, Charlie, Delta, and Echo.  The figures each span approximately 12 inches long with articulated arms, legs, and tails.  Each sold separately. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

Jurassic World: Where Dinosaurs Come to Life (Hardcover)

The official Augmented Reality book to accompany the highly anticipated Jurassic World includes five breathtaking Augmented Reality sequences featuring life-size dinosaurs and a brand-new dual user mode. This book is the perfect purchase for every Jurassic World and dinosaur fan. Plus, a free interactive app brings the action alive . . . right at home!

Jurassic World Dinosaur Field Guide (Paperback)

Written by two noted paleontologists and illustrated in big bold colors, the Jurassic World Dinosaur Field Guide is a kid-friendly nonfiction guide that uses simple text to describe over 100 dinosaurs. Kids will learn tons of awesome facts about the most well-known dinosaurs and some of the newest discoveries.

Rated PG-13, JURASSIC WORLD will roar into theaters on June 12, 2015. In addition to standard theaters, it will also be available Real D 3D and IMAX 3D.  Don't worry about annoying lines or the show you want to go to being sold out, buy your tickets online in advance today: unvrs.al/JWtix  

Disclaimer & Rules:

A Geek Daddy Blog will select a random winner on  Monday, June 15, 2015 ( 1 winner will be selected from a random draw of all eligible entries - each submitted entry will be assigned a number and a random number will be drawn to select a winner based upon total entries ).  By participating in this contest you waive any liability towards A Geek Daddy Blog or its publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.  A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this giveaway as a benefit to our readers.  Information for this post was provided by Universal Pictures.  A Geek Daddy Blog did receive items  of value in exchange for writing this blog post.  While some of the promotional information was provided by Universal Pictures the views and opinions expressed are my own. Universal Pictures is responsible for the delivery of the prizes in this promotion. The Hasbro toy may differentiate from the one shown but will be of similar quality and value.

Welcome to Michigan BENSON the Sea Turtle

My kids and I were invited to welcome Benson the Sea Turtle to his new home at the Sea Life Michigan aquarium in Auburn Hills' Great Lakes Crossing Mall.  Benson was rescued in 2014 at Anastasia State Park in Florida after having been hit by a boat, which caused an injury called a caudal carapace fracture and induced a hypothermic reaction called cold-stunning.  He was treated for his injuries by the Georgia Sea Turtle Hospital in Jekyll Island, Georgia.  Unfortunately, the injuries the turtle sustained won't heal enough for him to be able to survive if released back into the wild. So Benson has been adopted by Sea Life Michigan and this ocean dwelling creature will now have a new home in the Great Lakes State.

Benson spent a week in a special med pool at the aquarium adapting to his new environment and getting a checkup by the staff at Sea Life Michigan prior to his big introduction.  Our family was invited to come out to give Benson a warm welcome and witness as the turtle was introduced to his new home, a 120,000 gallon ocean tank.

Notice the black square on his shell? That pad needs to be permanently affixed to his shell to bind its crack and provide buoyancy when Benson dives and swims making him non-returnable to his natural habitat and in need of Sea Life Michigan's long-term care at the aquarium.

Prior to opening the gate from the med pool to the ocean tank, Benson was weighed and measured.

A representative from Kroger was on hand announcing that the grocery store chain was pledging to sponsor Benson's food tab.  Benson's diet consists mostly of fresh produce such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cucumbers, lettuce, and peppers, which will be donated to the aquarium by Kroger.

 The kids all cheered as Benson was released into the ocean tank!

Benson the Sea Turtle appeared very happy with his new home in Michigan as he swam around exploring his new surroundings in Sea Life Michigan's ocean tank which is also filled with sting rays, sharks, and a variety of fish.

After we watched Benson dive into his new home, the kids and I were also provided an opportunity to walk around the aquarium before it opened to the public.  Wow! was it a treat to have the place pretty much to ourselves.

The aquarium has a nice display area focused on turtles, and with that being the theme of the day, we spent quite a bit of time exploring there finding out all about Benson's relatives.

A nice touch in the layout of this aquarium is that it has lots of nooks and crannies where kids can get close up views of the sea creatures on display from a variety of perspectives.

Other kid friendly aspects of Sea Life Michigan include a touch tank (filled with a variety of starfish, shrimp, sea urchins and other creatures kids can pet and touch and dedicated staff working the exhibit providing interesting tips and facts while encouraging everyone in the audience to participate) and a waste level observation tank filled with black tip reef sharks and cownose stingrays which gives you a great up close view of the fish swimming around.

It was a memorable morning of the kids playing hooky from school and their dad skipping work for a few hours.  Then it was back to school for them and the job for me, but when I picked them up from class at the end of the day their teacher remarked to me how excited they were to tell everyone about their adventure.  Sometimes it is nice to just put everything aside and spend some quality time with your children because the time does fly by.  I can hardly believe they will be wrapping up Kindergarten in just two weeks but am looking forward to all the future adventures and road trips to come.

Welcome to Michigan, BENSON the Sea Turtle! My kids are really looking forward to swinging by the aquarium to see you again.

For more information about the aquarium: visitsealife.com/michigan

Will the new DC Universe be of interest to you?

DC Comics is shaking up much of its publication lineup in June as it refreshes its titles with a new creative direction and vibe hoping to make its stories more compelling to expand its consumer demographics beyond white middle aged men like myself.  This new fictional universe is meant to have more characters and storyline to appeal to more diverse audiences and is being marketed with the slogan DCYOU.  DC promises that its comic book lineup will now have more characters and plots that are relevant and relatable to our overall societal population so that no matter who YOU are there will be something of interest for YOU being produced by the publisher.

DC Comics Convergence event in March and April put all of the publishers monthly serial titles on hold for two months and set the stage for this newest revitalization effort.  Beginning in June, DC will resume publication of 25 of its best selling comic books from where they left off before the Convergence break and will introduce 24 brand new titles that will begin at issue number one.  The new and existing comic books though will all have a focus on incorporating a more diverse focus on the racial and sexual make-up of its character base.  Expect to see more females in leading roles, more racial groups incorporated into stories, and sexual orientations being incorporated into plots.  These efforts will also attempt to refresh print characters so they are more in sync with how they are portrayed in the television shows and movies based on the DC universe that have been very popular lately.  A focus on illustrating its comic books with a contemporary vibe to be appealing to millennial and teen readers is also a priority with the DC Comics New Universe.

“This heralds in a new era for the DC Universe which will allow us to publish something for everyone, be more expansive and modern in our approach and tell stories that better reflect the society around us,” said DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Dan DiDio in a press release provided to A Geek Daddy blog.  “Whether you’ve been a DC fan your whole life, or whether you are new to comics – there will be a book for you beginning in June.”

“More than ever before, DC Comics fans are being exposed to our rich portfolio of characters through multiple sources, including an unprecedented number of highly successful TV shows, video games and upcoming major motion pictures,” added Co-Publisher Jim Lee.  “We are looking to extend that experience within publishing to ensure there is a comic book for everyone.  For example, fans of the ARROW television show may want more stories about BLACK CANARY. Now they can find modern, fresh takes on the character in the pages of her standalone series both in stores and digitally.”

The first of DC's new comic books hits store shelves on Wednesday, June 3, 2015.  Here's the full lineup for what is coming out in June with the new DCYOU creative direction and character vibe:

A Geek Daddy blog also has a sneak peek of some of the new comic books coming out.  Click on the links below to read a free 8 page preview of these upcoming issues:

 BATGIRL

BAT-MITE

BLACK CANARY 

BIZZARO

DOOMED 

DOCTOR FATE

GOTHAM ACADEMY

JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED

PREZ

STARFIRE

So what do you think? Is this a legitimate artistic and creative effort to rejuvenate DC's comic book readership with teen and millennial readers plus increase the diversity of their fan base or is it just marketing fluff by a publisher who tends to reboot its product offerings every few years?  I hope it is a good faith effort to bring in younger readers and cater more to a female audience because the medium needs to start bringing in new customers to keep itself alive down the road.  It would be a shame if the stories told by comic books are eventually replaced entirely by tv shows, movies, and video games.

If you are planning to pick up any of these comic books in the new DC Universe coming out in June, also note many comic book retailers will be giving out some fun swag to customers who venture into their stores in June.  Read my past post Free Swag at Comic Book Shops in June from DC Entertainment for more information.