Kitchen Remodel Meal Dilemma Resolved: Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches! {#CBias #TysonGoodness}

My husband and I took a big leap last month and had most of the first floor of our house remodeled. Although we had started the plans quite a while ago, the process of putting them into action and getting the ball rolling still felt like we were signing on the line and crossing our fingers.

Even though we had quite a few projects completed in the last few weeks, by far the biggest one was the kitchen. Although functional, the design and layout of our kitchen made it small and difficult for more than one person to be in there at a time... not to mention that there was hardly any cupboard space, so we had to store small appliances, serving items, and other not-everyday pieces in another room.

In short, it looked like this:

This is emptied out, right before demolition began.

The time that we spent without a stove or running water in the kitchen wasn't the most pleasant, but it wasn't completely unbearable either.

The hardest part was figuring out what to do about mealtimes - in particular lunch for the kids after they arrived home from preschool. Because every day these kids come home and, after telling me all about the snack that they ate just an hour or so previously, they are somehow simply starving.

What's for lunch, Mama? Mama, what are we having for lunch today? Mama, are you making us lunch now?

On any normal day, I would stroll into the kitchen and open a cupboard or the refrigerator and we would decide what to make based on what we have. But during a kitchen remodel? We had access to the fridge, freezer and microwave, but that was it. So that immediately ruled out quite a few of the usual choices... and I can only say yes to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches so many times.

Thank goodness for Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches.

Having been introduced to these tasty and convenient sandwiches last year, they were a BIG hit, in particular with Little Sister B. So when we ran out of them, you can imagine her disappointment and the look of sadness I would receive when she asked for her chicken sandwiches and I said that they were no more.

Unfortunately our closest Walmart doesn't carry these so I couldn't just go restock, but when it came time for a family get-together upstate, all I had to do was visit TysonGoodness.com for their store locator... and success! There was a Walmart right along our trip route that carried Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches!

After a fun weekend of visiting with family, including many hours spent splashing, sliding and swimming at an indoor water park...

...we had no problem finding the Walmart during our drive home and Little Sister B and I went right in to hunt down her beloved chicken (see our full shopping trip with lots of fun photos here).

Although we had a difficult time in the past finding where these sandwiches were tucked away in Walmart, this time it only took a little while strolling around before...

Yay! We made sure to pick up two boxes of Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches so that we could take advantage of the special offer going on now (until Friday, 1/13!) while supplies last: buy two Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches at a participating Walmart and receive a $5 Walmart gift card by mail. That nearly makes it a buy-one-get-one-free deal that we just can't pass up!

Packing these into our little cooler as best we could (at this point we were only about 45 minutes away from home), we brought them home as the perfect quick and convenient meal... no stove required!

They're just the thing to pull out after school when my kids are tired and hungry and I need something fast and filling for them.

The heating instructions are printed on the box as well as on the packages of the Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches themselves, which I always appreciate (as I can never remember the exact cook times).

After around 90 seconds in the microwave...

...these come out toasty warm and ready to eat. I typically add fruit or vegetables as a side dish to finish off the meal...

I love my microwave steamer! Also perfect for when there is no stove!

...and the result is always extremely positive, particularly from my 3-year-old Tyson fanatic.

I've offered to mix things up for both girls by adding a variety of toppings or sauces to their Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches (which are available plain or with cheese), but the answer is always no. They think that they are special enough just how they are!

As for me, I love the convenience and of lack of prep work needed for a meal that is sure to get my kids refueled and on with their day - something that they need after working hard at preschool all morning.

The warm, wholesome, 100% all-white chicken is something that I know we can count on pulling out for protein as well as taste for quite some time to come... even now that we do finally have use of all of our appliances once again.

Slightly different than the Before picture from up above, no?

If you haven't tried Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches with your family yet, what are you waiting for? Remember to check out the store locator first to make sure they're near you (they aren't available in all Walmarts) and then pick up at least two boxes so that you can take advantage of the special offer for a $5 Walmart gift card while supplies last!

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias but all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own. #CBias

Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches: A Fast and Filling Breakfast! {#TysonGoodness #CBias}

Do you remember how all of your family traditions started? Were they passed down from your own childhood? Did you hear about them from someone else?

For us, I've always wanted to have everyone sit down to a nice breakfast every Saturday or Sunday morning, simply to enjoy the time while filling our bellies. It has happened a few times in the past on days where I wake up and find myself with enough extra motivation that pulling out the waffle iron or the griddle isn't too much work... but mostly we stick with cereal.

Plain old cereal.

It's what the kids have nearly every morning, actually, as our weekdays are usually a mad rush of getting dressed, eating, checking backpacks, and getting out the door in time for preschool... which has only been increased lately due to the hurry, hurry, hurry we seem to do to make it out the door for this:

Big Sister E is beyond thrilled to get to ride the bus a few days a week now and I've never seen a kid so giddy to see the bright yellow and the flashing lights heading towards us. Who knew something so mundane could be so enthralling?

So between the rushed weekday mornings and the lazy weekend mornings, I'm often left looking at a soggy bowl of cereal and wishing for more. More flavor, more long-lasting fullness, just more.

Where to turn? Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches, of course!

After enjoying these tasty sandwiches as a sporting even refuel, a fast and easy dinner, and a quick after school snack, why in the world wouldn't we try them for breakfast as well?

No matter how half-asleep I am and whether or not I've had any coffee, all I have to do is pop one of these convenient two-packs of sandwiches directly in the microwave and in minutes I have a breakfast that the whole family can enjoy.

Whether adding an easy accompaniment like fruit or toast or one that requires slightly more work like eggs, I always know that the results are going to be positive.

In some cases, extremely positive.

Little Sister B will take one peek...

...see the Tyson chicken waiting inside and get pretty happy about it...

...and dive right in!

Although I've still found that Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches are preferred plain in our house (as opposed to with cheese, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, or more), we still are easily able to customize the meal with the sides that go along with them. Everyone wins!

When it comes to a fast and easy breakfast, I now know that it isn't necessary to spend a great deal of prep time. In not much longer than it takes to pour the cereal and the milk, we can start our day with something much more filling!

If you still haven't tried these sandwiches (where have you been?), be sure to check the store locator to make sure they're at a Walmart near you and then pick up at least two boxes so that you can take advantage of the special offer for a $5 Walmart gift card while supplies last.


Have you tried Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches? What do you think?

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias but all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own. #CBias

Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches: A Quick After School Snack! {#TysonGoodness #CBias}

My girls both love school.

Love, love, love it.

We spend a good portion of each day talking about what happened at school that morning, what is going to happen at school the next day, what is going to be worn at school, what will be for snack at school, what songs are being sung at school, what events are coming up at school... you get the picture, right?

In their short school careers, there is yet to be a day that either of these two isn't brimming with excitement to head out the door... and I couldn't be more thrilled about that.

However, oftentimes all of the love and excitement and raring to go in the morning leads to a post-school need for calm. When these two get home at lunchtime, they sometimes act as though they've been running a marathon and just can't do much more than rest (their bodies, at least. Their mouths somehow never get tired).

Along with spending some quality time hanging out on the couch talking about that day at school (what else?) I always know that I have to have lunch on the table within a certain amount of time before things start to go downhill into a hunger spiral.

Fortunately, after being introduced to Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches and then enjoying them as a fast and easy dinner, there has never been a doubt in my mind that they are perfect for pulling out for a quick and tasty after school lunch as well!

Considering all I have to do is pop one of these convenient two-packs of sandwiches directly in the microwave, it barely takes more than two minutes before I have a complete lunch made.

Whether it's fruit or veggies or something else as an accompaniment, I always know that I'm going to have two happy diners.

They even make it easy on me because although I've offered to add things like cheese, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and more to customize their sandwiches, they still prefer them plain as can be.

I think in Little Sister B's case, that might just make it easy to slickly reach inside...

...and enjoy her sandwich deconstructed into pieces. Hey, whatever works!

When it comes to an after school lunch (or snack, if your child attends school for the full day), it feels like a necessity to not spend a great deal of prep time. My kids are hungry and they want to eat and move on with the day!

Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches have been the perfect thing to reach into the freezer for and know that not only will they be quick, but that the results will continually be the same:

Have you tried these great little sandwiches yet? Be sure to check the store locator to make sure they're at a Walmart near you and then pick up at least two boxes so that you can take advantage of the special offer for a $5 Walmart gift card while supplies last!

There's one last meal of the day that we've enjoyed these sandwiches for... stay tuned for our final thoughts on how versatile Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches can truly be!

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias but all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own. #CBias

#TysonGoodness Twitter Party on November 29!

If you've missed my previous posts about Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches... well, where have you been?

Available with or without cheese, these tasty little sandwiches are fully-cooked and nearly ready to eat right out of the box. Simply take them directly from the freezer to the microwave, and in barely over a minute, the chicken is heated and the fresh bakery rolls are soft and warm. Whether at home or on-the-go, your family will love this unique and tasty meal solution!

So now that you've heard all about Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches here as well as across the blogosphere, you're not only going to want to try these kid-friendly sandwiches, but you're going to want to come chat about them at the #TysonGoodness Twitter Party! Here are the details that you need to know:

What: Come join hosts @momhatescooking and @mailenavo as they discuss snacks, quick dinner solutions and Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches, while having the opportunity to win great prizes just in time for the holidays. The grand prize is a $150 Walmart gift card!

When: Tuesday, November 29th at 9:00pm EST

Where: On Twitter at #TysonGoodness. For easy following, a custom Tweet Grid has already been created: http://bit.ly/tHd0qg

RSVP: Be sure to RSVP to be eligible to win the great prizes that are up for grabs on the linky found here!

This post is compensated as part of a shop for a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias but all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own. #CBias

Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches: A Quick and Easy Dinner! {#TysonGoodness #CBias}

Did you blink and realize Thanksgiving has arrived already? I did.

As is our tradition around here, we're spending the holiday at my in-laws' house, laughing and enjoying the time with family. Most of all, we're thankful for having one another.

Our big Thanksgiving meal will be for lunch, meaning all of the cooking and eating will take place earlier in the day... leaving the rest of the afternoon for resting, relaxing, watching football, and, if you're my husband, surely taking a nap on the couch.

By the time dinnertime rolls around, who feels like cooking? I know that there are some families that revel in having yet another turkey meal, but what about those that are looking for something slightly different? Something still tasty and satisfying, but also quick and easy to make (hasn't there been enough time in the kitchen already?) and that the whole family is sure to love?

I'm talking about Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches, of course!

If you missed my earlier post that detailed our shopping trip and how much we enjoyed these fast and tasty sandwiches as a post-sporting event (or any event, really) snack, be sure to see how much fun we had being introduced to Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches.

With such easy heating instructions, I knew that we would be reaching for these sandwiches many more times in the future. Simply pull out one of the convenient two-packs, toss them directly in the microwave...

...and you're ready for a tasty meal!

So after having cooked turkey, stuffing, potatoes, rolls, vegetables, and much more for Thanksgiving, Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches are the perfect thing for an easy dinner that we can all appreciate.

In a total of around two minutes, a full dinner of Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches and steamed vegetables is one that the kids and adults around here can look forward to. Whether on their own, like my girls prefer...

...or with accompaniments like cheese, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, or whatever your taste buds desire, this is a go-to meal that can be customized easily.

The result? For us, it's usually someone who is extremely pleased to see what's on their plate.

Instead of a dinnertime where I have to continually remind Little Sister B to Eat your food. Eat your food. Hey, stop talking and eat some food. Aren't you hungry? Sit down and eat some food. C'mon, take a bite, I can rest assured that she is going to dig right in to something that will fill her up.

She prefers to deconstruct the sandwiches first, but hey, whatever works

For any night of the year but particularly during the crazy busy times of the holidays, a quick dinner is a necessity. Whether you're heading out shopping or spending time with family, don't add on any more time in the kitchen than you already are... instead, pick up a box of Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches!

But remember, if you're heading to the store to pick these up for your family, check on the store locator to make sure they're near you and then pick up at least two boxes so that you can take advantage of the special offer for a $5 Walmart gift card while supplies last!

Next up, we're trying these sandwiches out for a few other meals of the day... stay tuned!

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias but all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own. #CBias

Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches: A Great Post-Event Snack! {#TysonGoodness #CBias}

Between school and work and traveling and blogging and life, I feel like we're on a continual rush, rush, rush schedule around here. A good friend said to me recently, "And here you thought that you'd be less busy once the kids were in school!" She was right, too.

Instead, school added on another layer of commitments and between that and the various sports and activities that my kids are involved in, I'm pretty sure that there are somehow less hours in the day now than there used to be.

My 5-year-old has tried everything from soccer to t-ball and, most recently, she is on a mini break from sports and has tried acting instead. It's no Broadway, but taking part in the Preschool Players at our local library has been something that she has loved and has put her heart into just as much as athletics.

So, when we return home from a practice, she's just as tired and hungry! Not to mention that her 2-year-old sister and I have kept ourselves occupied the whole time as well and are also ready for a quick bite to eat. Fortunately, we visited Walmart recently and found a fast and easy way to satisfy our hunger with the new Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches.

Fully-cooked and nearly ready to eat, your on-the-go family will love this unique and tasty meal solution. Going directly from the freezer to the microwave, it takes only minutes to have the chicken heated and the fresh bakery rolls soft and warm.

Available with or without cheese, you can eat Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches as they are or add any of your favorite sandwiches toppings or condiments for a custom sandwich with no wait and no fuss. What could be better?

As this is a new product to the Tyson lineup, these sandwiches aren't available in all Walmart stores, so I was sure to check the store locator on TysonGoodness.com to avoid having to make any extra trips. Finding out they were available at a Super Walmart nearby, my family stopped in while driving by recently so that we would have these sandwiches when we needed them after our next play practice.

What was planned as a short trip ended up taking much longer than we thought when we had to search much of the food section of the store to find the Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches (click here to see our full shopping trip in photos).

However, that just made it all the more exciting when we were just about to give up and...

...there they were! Even though it seemed like Walmart was trying to hide them from us, we found the only two boxes of Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches they had and scooped them up for our very own.

I was especially glad that there were two boxes available so that I could take advantage of the special offer going on now while supplies last: buy two Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches at a participating Walmart and receive a $5 Walmart gift card. That nearly makes it a buy-one-get-one-free deal!

It was good timing that we found these convenient sandwiches, as the next day we had our usual day of rushing from school to home to play practice.

After dropping Big Sister E off for her practice...

Sitting on her "mark" and ready to go!

...Little Sister B and I looked at books, played games, and chatted with friends while passing the time (all the while getting hungrier and hungrier).

When it was time to leave, I jokingly said, "If you're hungry, show me where the food goes!"

I'll take that as a yes!

Back at home, my younger daughter needed a nap and my older daughter was worn out from her rehearsal, so I pulled out the Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches to save on time but not skimp on filling them up.

The heating instructions couldn't have been much easier, as the Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches come in their own two-pack that goes directly into the microwave...

...and then is flipped over to finish the cooking on the other side. I appreciated right away that Tyson had included the instructions right on the sandwich packages as well as the box, so there weren't going to be any issues of us recycling the box too early or simply standing at the microwave not remembering how long we were supposed to select.

Instead, we popped a pack of these in, flipped them over halfway through, and cut open the pouch when they were done.

I suggested that we put ketchup on them, but was met with an emphatic NO (which surprised me, considering I've always thought that my kids would put ketchup on everything), so we tried them plain instead.

Making sure mom didn't get sneaky and slip that ketchup in there!

The results?

Only the sound of chewing!

Little Sister B turned out to be the bigger fan and ended up eating two of the Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches, but both kids were able to refuel and get ready to move on with the day. I love how fast and easy these sandwiches are, as well as their small portion size so that you can heat up just the amount that you need.

Whether after play rehearsals, swim lessons, gymnastics classes, or basketball, I've come to rely on having meals that are easily prepared and that my kids will enjoy. The warm, wholesome, 100% all-white chicken in Tyson Mini Chicken Sandwiches is something that I know we can count on pulling out for protein as well as taste for quite some time to come.

Remember, if you're heading to the store to pick these up for your family, check on the store locator to make sure they're near you and then pick up at least two boxes so that you can take advantage of the special offer for a $5 Walmart gift card while supplies last!

Next up, we're trying these sandwiches out for other meals of the day... stay tuned!

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias but all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own. #CBias