I hear a lot about “Meatless Monday” and we go practically meatless everyday in our house, so I was happy to read that going meatless has a lot of benefit for EVERYONE even if it happens in a household just one day a week. With all the animals we visit on our travels, the kids have made it very clear they do not want to EAT the animals they love and it’s made the hubby and I even more sensitive about the foods we eat too.
I was only too happy to try some Lightlife veggie dogs that were sent my way. I also received some coupons to give to friends and it was a nice way to share some veggie love. These ‘smart dogs’ are great as a replacement for traditional hot dogs and I like to chop them up and add them to fried rice and vegetables too!
I also liked these SunRype energy bars we brought on a few hikes and around the city. They’re not granola bars or cake-like energy bars; they have more of a chewy texture. I really liked the chocolate coconut flavor and my kids liked the mango twist. I drank a lot of SunRype juice as a kid growing up in Canada, so it’s nice to see this brand with roots in my homeland here too. (I carried them in a “retro pack” from Fabletics. I like this pouch for running because it can hold my phone and snacks.)
We brought our snacks to the Ballard Locks in Seattle one afternoon and I realized we haven’t been here in forever. The Ballard Locks are such a great place for families because there is a lot to see. There were tons of fish swimming in the locks and there were a few seals waiting for them outside the locks too! (Someone should tell these guys about meatless Monday!!!) We can spend hours watching the boats go in and out of the locks and I can’t believe this is a free to visit tourist attraction in Seattle.
We also took our snacks hiking up to Snow Lake which is such a Pacific Northwest picture perfect hike.
It’s about 6-7 miles round-trip and it had some steep parts so we were all a little tired and it’s not a beginner hike by any means but we really enjoyed all the beautiful scenery. There are so many amazing hikes near Seattle in the summer. I almost don’t mind that it hasn’t been really hot yet this summer-it makes it easier to hike with kids.
On the next rainy day we have I need to figure out where to see Finding Dory before it goes out of the theatre too. We still haven’t seen it and I’ve heard so many great things.
AND I’m still putting together our summer bucket list which we usually do at the beginning of summer. It just feels like we’re a little late this year and now somewhere in the next few weeks my guys are turning 8!! (Maybe that’s why I’m procrastinating. 8 just seems like such a big number….)
At least I found out what this delicious cheese from my Instagram is called. It’s a “Delice de Mon Sire Triple Cream” and it’s exclusive to Metropolitan Market.
And I tried a Raindrop cake. (It’s up near Vancouver BC, but going to the Night Market to get it is definitely worth the drive.)
So do you ever do meatless Monday in your family? And do you have any fun birthday ideas for 8 year old boys?!! And do you know how to slow down summer? It’s going by way too quickly!
(PS. I was given some SunRype bars and Lightlife veggie dogs for review, but the opinions in this blog as always are my own.)
Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys. She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live. She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)
I’m a pescatarian so I have meatless meals every day (except for seafood maybe once a week). My favorite brands are Lightlife, Go Veggie, Daiya, and Beyond Meat!