Category: Product Reviews

What Cooking Games Taught Me About Creativity in the Kitchen (Even If I’m Not a Gamer)

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date March 30, 2025

I’ll be the first to say it: Online games have never been my jam (or jelly or even preserves). If given the choice between chopping carrots or chasing virtual coins, I’ll usually opt for the carrots. But when I came across CulinarySchools.org’s collection of food-themed games, I couldn’t resist exploring. After all, I’m all about finding joy and confidence in the kitchen. Why not see if play could unexpectedly spark that same spirit?

So I dove in.

I might not be the target audience since I got stuck on several levels. Still, I learned some surprising insights. I think they’re worth sharing, especially for creative cooks, playful parents, and food lovers seeking something new.

1. Play Can Shake Up Routine

Let’s be real: Cooking the same meals week after week can get stale. That’s why I tried Pop the Balloons and Bubble Fruit. These are simple games that test reflexes and coordination with bright, juicy visuals. While they’re clearly kid-friendly, they offered a light-hearted reset from a busy day. Just like swapping basil for mint in a favorite recipe, these little detours brought a bit of whimsy to my usual rhythm.

2. Challenges = Creativity in Disguise

Watermelon Brick Breaker was oddly satisfying. Think paddle, bouncing fruit, and a splash of chaos. And Food Grinder? Let’s just say it’s a great metaphor for what dinner prep feels like after a long day. Both games required problem-solving and persistence. They reminded me that creativity often hides behind challenges. Whether you’re leveling up in a game or experimenting with a new spice, there’s value in pushing through the mess.

3. Nostalgia Meets New Perspective

Remember Frogger? Chicken Road is its poultry-inspired cousin. I may have sacrificed a few digital chickens in the name of research (sorry, birds), but the experience was strangely meditative. It was like a puzzle in motion. Meanwhile, Drift Boss had me navigating curves like I was trying to time flipping pancakes without burning them. Spoiler: I crashed. Repeatedly.

4. Games for Grown-Ups (Sort Of)

While many of the games are geared toward kids, some like Cosmic Bee and Idle Lawnmower Advanced require strategy and offer satisfying progression loops. Ideal if you like low-stress distractions that keep your brain buzzing. I wouldn’t call them culinary exactly, but they fall under the broader brain and arcade game categories and are definitely worth exploring.

5. Quirky Fun for the Whole Family

My favorite quirky pick? Apple & Onion: Messin’ Round. It’s weird. It’s colorful. And it had me grinning more than I expected. If you’ve got kids or grandkids, this one’s a good laugh. And might just open up a fun conversation about food personalities. Yes, I just said “food personalities.”

Games Are Weirdly Insightful

Did I become a gamer? Nope. But I did walk away with a fresh appreciation for the way play and curiosity go hand-in-hand…whether you’re wielding a spatula or dodging digital hazards.

So if you’re a home cook looking to break out of a rut, or a parent hoping to get your kids more curious about what goes on in the kitchen, CulinarySchools.org’s games might offer a surprising spark.

Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself unexpectedly rooting for a bee in space.

P.S. They’ve also got a really handy ingredient conversion tool that I bookmarked immediately. Because who remembers how many teaspoons are in a tablespoon after a long day?

Tags cooking games, culinary games for kids, online food games

Product Reviews

Pyrex Easy Grab 4-Piece Value Pack [Product Review]

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date December 21, 2020

Pyrex Easy Grab Dishes are great for solving one of the classic issues home cooks have during the holidays, and throughout the year: Storing left-overs after supper is done. If the dish you baked something in doesn’t a lid, then you either have to awkwardly cover it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, or find a plastic container with a lid and transfer the food into that.

And, if you need to transport that cooked dish for a holiday dinner or work potluck? Good luck!

Aluminum foil often falls off, allowing the food to slosh out onto your car seat. And plastic wrap comes off if it doesn’t stick well to your dish or too much stress is put on it if you have to brake quickly.

General Description of Pyrex Easy Grab 4-Piece Value Pack

This 4-piece set comes with a 3-quart oblong baking dish, a 2-quart oblong baking dish, and matching red plastic covers. They can be used in the oven, microwave, fridge, and freezer, and they are dishwasher-safe.

The 3-quart dish is 9″ x 13″, which is a standard size for baking a sheet cake. The 2-quart dish is 7.5″ x 12″, and good for making casseroles.

What Works for Me

These Pyrex dishes not only provide you with a glass dish for cooking or baking your meal, but they have lids to make it a little easier to transport it. No longer do you need to try and create a makeshift cover with plastic or aluminum foil. A better option is to use these pans to cook the food and cover it with the lids that go with them.

The Pyrex dishes are very popular even just for how well they cook or bake your food. The glass is completely food-safe and since it is non-porous, it won’t hold onto any odors or stains after it has been cleaned. It also lasts longer in its current state than if you were to use reusable plastic containers. The inside of the dish has contours that make it easy to keep clean by wiping them down and making sure no food is caught in the corners or edges. I received one as a gift a few years back and I love it!

What Doesn’t Work for Me

While the dishes themselves are very high quality, the flexible lids might give you some problems. The main drawback to these dishes is that the lid might be a little hard to fit properly. This usually just takes a couple of tries before you get it fully on the dish, but you also need to be super careful so your dish doesn’t spill. Some lids may bend if stored improperly, so the best thing to do is store the containers together in the cupboard where the lids won’t get bent. Or, you can store the lid snapped onto its dish, which is what I do.

My Pyrex Easy Grab 4-Piece Value Pack Recommendation

Aside from the slight issue with the lids, I highly recommend this set. They are great for when you need to transport food and, because they are stackable, they can help you find room in your fridge for all the holiday leftovers!

Rating for Pyrex Easy Grab 4-Piece Value Pack

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Get yours at Amazon today!

NOTE: I did not receive a free set of these dishes in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, if you’ve read past product reviews, you’ll know that I don’t pull my punches when I believe they are warranted. I also try to provide balanced information so you can make your own decision to buy or not buy the product, even if you disagree with my opinion.

Tags baking

Product Reviews

Product Review: Food Cubby

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date September 14, 2020

When I was little, I suffered from a mild case of brumotactillophobia, the fear of foods touching on one’s plate. It would freak me out when the gravy started oozing over to the veggies. And heaven forbid if the mashed potatoes touched the peas! I think life would have been much easier for me if Food Cubby had been around.

What Is Food Cubby?

Food Cubby is a semi-circle of BPA-free, food-grade silicone that you suction onto your plate so that your food doesn’t run into each other on your plate. Priced at $14.99, it’s available on the Food Cubby website and Amazon. It is dishwasher safe, and easily transportabl for when you’re on-the-go.

You can see it in action in this video:

What is Food Cubby Suitable for?

If you have kids (like me) that hate when their food touches, this product could be a Godsend. You don’t have to deal with their fussiness or find room to store a bunch of divided plates just for your finicky eater. Instead, toss Food Cubby into your utensil drawer to have ready for mealtime. It’s suctioning action makes work just fine on the plates you already own.

In addition, the Food Cubby can make it easier to portion control your food if you are watching your weight, and can make it easier to scoop food against for those having trouble using utensils.

Overall Thoughts

When I saw this product, my first reaction was, “Where were you when I was five?” These days, I don’t mind too much if my food touches, but boy did I mind when I was a kid! One theory around the cause of brumotactillophobia is that it is a way for a child to control their environment. When I was five, there was a lot of chaos going on in my world, so I suspect that’s why I had it. (Who knew there as a name for this?)

NOTE: I did not receive a free copy of this product — however, it did come to my attention because I was sent a press release. If you’ve read past product reviews, you’ll know that I don’t pull my punches when I believe they are warranted. I also try to provide balanced information so you can make your own decision to buy or not buy this product, even if you disagree with my opinion.

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Take Charge of Your Health!

Changing your eating habits can be tough. But it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to think it out and create a plan.

This Healthy Eating Worksheet will walk you through the process of creating a healthy eating plan. All you need to do is print it out, set aside some time to complete it, and then fill it out. Then you can create your plan, knowing that you have addressed potential obstacles and came up with some creative ways to handle them.

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Product Reviews Tools of the Trade

Product Review: Bamboo Cheese Board by Royal Craft Wood

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date April 20, 2020

Bamboo has become an increasingly popular cutting surface for the kitchen. And there are a lot of benefits of using this material, which I will mention in this post. However, the main focus is the Bamboo Cheese Board by Royal Craft Wood, which I received today.

Product Description: Bamboo Cheese Board

This bamboo cheese board can be used to spruce up your appetizer buffet, displaying cold cuts, cheeses or both. Because it is made of bamboo, it resists absorbing the odors of various foods, so your crackers won’t taste like gouda or prosciutto.

This particular design has a drawer with a four-piece stainless steel cutlery set inside, including a chisel knife, cheese fork, narrow-plane knife, and almond knife.

Why Bamboo?

Due to the hard density of bamboo, cutting boards made from this material are almost maintenance-free. Bamboo resists absorbing water and therefore will not warp or crack as easily as other woods. To keep your bamboo cheese board for years to come, simply follow these care recommendations:

Wash by hand — NOT in a dishwasher. The extreme heat can damage it.
Don’t let the board soak in water.
Wipe the board dry after washing by hand.

Also because of its hardness, bamboo resists knife scaring and therefore is less likely to have pockets where moisture, food particles, and bacteria can accumulate. This makes bamboo boards much more sanitary than boards made of other materials.

Because bamboo grows so readily, it is an easily sustainable and renewable resource. That makes products made out of bamboo more environmentally friendly.

What I Liked About Royal Craft Wood’s Bamboo Cheese Board

First off, it is the look of the board. This is a beautifully crafted cheese board that I will be proud to put on display for my guests. But it doesn’t end there.

I love the design, as well. That drawer with the cutlery set is ingenious. Until I saw this board, I had no idea cheese boards had such a feature. It makes is much easier to make sure that when you want the set, you can find it.

The quality is clearly there. The board has a certain amount of heft to it, so it feels durable. And, the little design details, such as the carved-in trays at either side for easily displaying small items (and keep them from falling off). The side handles — again carved in — make it easy to pick up off the table and carry. And the drawer is so seamlessly built-in, you wouldn’t know to look for it!

What I didn’t like about Royal Craft Wood’s Bamboo Cheese Board

This is nit-picky, but I really wish it came in some nice, protective packaging. It is such a lovely board, I would like to have said packaging around to keep it safe when not in use, and, since I’m in the middle of moving, it would make me feel more at ease that it won’t be damaged in transit.

Recommendation

If you would like a long-lasting, durable and versatile cutting board that you can tastefully display your meat and cheese appetizers on when you have company, this bamboo cheese board fits the bill. It has a lovely design, is well designed, and provides you with a handy cutlery set that is perfect for those types of occasions.

Rating for the Bamboo Cheese Board by Royal Craft Wood

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Pick up your board on Walmart.com here.

NOTE: I was reimbursed the cost of this cheese board in exchange for an honest review. If you’ve read past product reviews, you’ll know that I don’t pull my punches when I believe they are warranted. I also try to provide balanced information so you can make your own decision to read or not read the book, even if you disagree with my opinion.

Tags bamboo, cheese board, entertaining

Healthy Living Product Reviews

Product Review: Solely Fruit Jerky

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date March 7, 2019

I’ll admit it, when I first heard of Solely Fruit Jerky, I did not have high hopes. I figured it would be some sort of fruit roll, like the ones I had as a kid. They were always a bit too sweet for me — and I have a serious sweet tooth! But I was dead wrong.

About Solely Fruit Jerky

Solely products follow a “Clean Label” philosophy, which means what you see on the label is what you get. Their fruit jerky contains one or two ingredients with no added sugars, additives, colors or flavoring.

They claim to select the ripest fruit at the farm, and it certainly tastes like it.

Currently, Solely makes six flavors of fruit jerky, all of which are available on Amazon.

Organic Banana
Organic Banana with Cacao
Organic Banana with Pecan
Organic Mango
Organic Pineapple
Organic Pineapple with Coconut

What I Liked About Solely Fruit Jerky

They were surprisingly delicious–in fact, so addictively so, I ate all six in one sitting! Yum.

My favorite flavors were the three banana strips, with Organic Pineapple with Coconut coming in second. The Mango and plain Pineapple were a bit too acidic for my palate.

The texture was nice. Not too chewy like so many dried fruit products are, and not as sticky as I remember fruit rolls being.

I really like that what I was eating was basically a piece of fruit. Nothing else was added, and the flavor supported that claim.

I don’t usually say this, but I also like the packaging. They are easy to open–there is a pull strip in the bottom right corner. And the design aesthetically is pleasing.

What I Didn’t Like About Solely Fruit Jerky

I found the pineapple and mango strips too sweet and acidic for my taste. But I could totally see someone else really digging them.

I wish I had known how tasty they would be. I would have hidden some to eat another day. They are deceptively small. I basically ate six pieces of fruit in one sitting! Yikes!

Overall Comments on Solely Fruit Jerky

I would whole heartily recommend this product. They are tasty. They are organic. They don’t have added sugar, additives or fillers. However, I would make sure that they aren’t easily accessible or you might find yourself with a binge eating tummy ache.

What Is Solely Fruit Jerky Good For?

Because they are basically dried fruit, they are great for taking on the road. Put them in your (or your children’s) lunch box. Take them on a road trip. Take them when camping or hiking. They make a great portable, healthy snack.

And, because they are so tasty, you could probably use them for dessert, as well! Hmmm. I wonder if they would taste good with whipped cream?

For More Information Or To Order Some of Your Own

Solely products are available at 365 by Whole Foods Markets nationwide and select Sprouts Farmers Markets. More retailers are being added, so visit their website to find a location near you.

They plan on upcoming promos and giveaways. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram to get in on those goodies!

My Video Reaction

Score: 5 out of 5

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NOTE: I received a free copy of this product in exchange for an honest review. If you’ve read past product reviews, you’ll know that I don’t pull my punches when I believe they are warranted. I also try to provide balanced information so you can make your own decision to buy or not buy this product, even if you disagree with my opinion.

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Take Charge of Your Health!

Changing your eating habits can be tough. But it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to think it out and create a plan.

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Tags dried fruit, Fruit, fruit jerky, Soley

Creative Cookery Product Reviews Tools of the Trade

Review: Handy Baking Club

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date January 1, 2019

Do you like getting cook baking stuff in the mail? Me too! So when I was asked to post a video review of the Handy Baking Club in return for a free sample, I said, “Totally!”

What: Handy Baking Club – Star Wars embossing rolling pin and The Baking Times Newsletter, Dec. 2018

Where: To be announced?

Mentioned in the video:

Product link on Amazon: Embossing rolling pin Star Wars. Wooden embossing rolling pin with Star Wars

Books about the chemistry of cooking:

Tags baking

Healthy Living Product Reviews

Product Review: Caesar’s Frozen Foods

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date April 27, 2018

This review of Caesar’s frozen Italian meals is a bit late … I actually received and tasted these pasta dishes over seven years ago, but their flavor lingers on. In fact, I can safely say that their potato gnocchi is the best I’ve ever tasted and I’ve looked for them ever since. Turns out that although this product is available at dozens of store chains, it is not available at the stores I shop at.

I was provided a sample of six different frozen Italian meals. This is what I remember:

[one_half]

Caesar’s Vegetable Lasagna and Cheese Lasagna

These frozen lasagna products were tasty, but I still like Stouffer’s better. Perhaps I just like meat lasagna the best and both of these were vegetarian. These are both gluten- and wheat-free, however, they are just as thick and plump as normal lasagna noodles. [/one_half]
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Caesar’s Manicotti with Cheese and Marinara Sauce

I’m not a big fan of manicotti, but these were quite tasty. They had a little too much tomato sauce for my tastes. Again, I really didn’t notice that they were gluten- and wheat-free. [/four_fifth_last]

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Caesar’s Potato and Spinach Gnocchi

I can still taste how awesome this gnocchi was. They were very potato-y, which I really liked. It was almost like eating potatoes themselves. These products can be found at stores in my area and might well be worth a special trip just to buy them. [/one_third]
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[four_fifth]

Caesar’s Stuffed Shells

Again, I’m not much of a fan of stuffed shells and marinara, so this item fell flat for me. [/four_fifth]
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Recommendation

If you are looking for a tasty gluten- and/or wheat-free option, these pop-them-in-the-microwave options are a good buy. They are tasty and truly Italian in flavor. You can learn more, as well as find stores near you that sell them, at their website, caesarspasta.com.

Score: 4 out of 5

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NOTE: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. If you’ve read past product reviews, you’ll know that I don’t pull my punches when I believe they are warranted. I also try to provide balanced information so you can make your own decision to read or not read the book, even if you disagree with my opinion.

[divider]

[one_third] [/one_third]
[two_third_last]

Take Charge of Your Health!

Changing your eating habits can be tough. But it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to think it out and create a plan.

[/two_third_last]

Tags Caesar's, frozen food, gluten-free, Italian, wheat-free