Foodie Penpal time! I love this program. I love picking out fun foods for my foodie penpal and of course, I love getting a package myself. Who wouldn’t love getting a package of treats from a kind stranger?

Foodie Penpals

Short synopsis of program: Foodie Penpals is a program where you are matched up with another blogger or foodie in the United States. You contact your penpal and find out she can or cannot eat, and then you prepare them a sweet, little care package. And the best part? Someone else is doing that for you!

Want more details? Read below. Otherwise, proceed to the next section…

On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.

You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal! 

The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!

You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)

Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.

January Matches

This month, Annie got my name. Annie has a blog called Running Los Annegeles. Her and her boyfriend are training for the Los Angeles marathon and I give really admire her! She has such a great attitude and I have to admit that I am a little jealous that she lives in California.

I knew I was in for a treat when I got this email from her:

I’m your Jan foodie pen pal!  I started with the pen pal program last month and loved it!  I’m so excited to start working on your package but I was hoping you could answer a few questions for me so I can get a better idea of what to send you:
Favorite go-to snack?
If you could choose your last meal what would it be?
Chocolate or vanilla?
Salty or sweet?
Also, what is your shipping address?

I knew I was going to get something good when I got that email and it was fun answering all of her questions.

I received Lindsay from Biking Before Bed so you can check out what I sent her by clicking here. Remember her? She just did a guest post here last week.

The Long Awaited Package

 

Blue popcorn- Annie told me that it was a family favorite and I can’t wait to try it!

Larabars– I have never had a Larabar. Are you shocked? These are dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free amazingly natural bars. She sent me Peanut Butter Cookie, Gingersnap, Apple Pie and Tropical Fruit. So far Manatee and I have had Peanut Butter Cookie and Gingersnap. We could not believe how good they were! We can’t wait to try the other flavors.

And now the big event….

Badger Girl Granola

Courtesy of Annie at Running Los Annegeles

2 cups rolled oats
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
3/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup organic sugar or evaporated cane juice
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup whole raw almonds
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine dry ingredients: oats, flaxseed meal, sugar, cocoa, and salt.
  3. Add applesauce and almond extract. Mix well again.
  4. Oil a large baking sheet and spread granola out thinly. Evenly bake for 20 minutes.
  5. Remove from oven and sprinkle with almonds on top. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven and break granola into clusters.
  7. Turn oven down to 250 degrees. Bake for 7 minutes.
  8. Allow time to cool and enjoy.

Little did Annie know, earlier that day I had bought myself some granola. It was way, way too sweet.

I decided that I would have to make my own and then voila!

This arrives in the mail. 

I am a little obsessed with this granola. 

How many people can say they have granola named after them?

Answer: Not many. 

I was so touched that Annie took the time to read my blog. 

To understand how important clean eating was to us.

To understand how important ingredients like applesauce, flaxseed meal, raw almonds, and organic sugar were to us.

Before I even tasted it, I loved it.

Then I tasted it…

…and I loved it even more.

It’s the perfect balance of sweet and salty. The perfect inclusion of chocolate and almond. 

Get Involved with Foodie Penpals


If you’re interested in participating for February, please send  an email to Lindsay at [email protected]and include the following information:

  • Your full name
  • Your email address
  • Your blog name/address
  • Your twitter handle (if applicable)
  • WHETHER YOU ARE A US RESIDENT OR CANADIAN RESIDENT. – this is SUPER important so I can get you on the right list!

I will need to hear from you by February 4th as pairings will be emailed on February 5th!


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