Summer Play Date Fun With Arla Dofino #sponsored #HavartiParty #MC

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Arla Dofino. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Summer is officially here and now both Liam and Josiah are home. Let me just say that I never knew just how much two boys could eat and, now that school is out, I've had to restock our kitchen in preparation for breakfasts, snacks, and lunchtime. Earlier this year our family made a pact to start eating healthier and, I have to admit, our plan has gone very well so far. Our diet has changed drastically since last year and we've incorporated more healthy, natural items into each meal, along with fruits and veggies.

Josiah with his teacher on graduation day! He is now a 2nd grader!

This was Josiah's first year in public school, so I was surprised and delighted at the end of the year with all of the notes passed between parents with contact information. It seems Josiah made quite a few friends who wanted to stay in touch over the summer months and get together for play dates. Liam and I have play dates with our homeschool group and with other kids from his hospital, so we are excited Josiah and his friends can now join in on the fun, too. I love play dates with my boys and other kids! Seeing all of them get together, laughing, running around and having a blast is just music to my ears. We practically live outdoors in the summertime, so I couldn't wait to make plans with some friends.

Other fun we've already had this summer break!

I love any opportunity to pack a delicious lunch or snack, so when play dates come along, I take along goodies for all of us to share. Just a few weeks ago, we had the ultimate play date... my son's 7th birthday party! He didn't want anything elaborate this year and requested a day at the park along with family and friends, so that is exactly what we planned. He loves army men, camouflage, which was the theme of his party. Along with his Granny, I set up a snack area under the pavilion as the kids ran around on the playground and had everything set up in no time.

This play date stood out in many ways, including the fact that we used Arla Dofino Cheese to kick it up a notch and make our snacks even more delicious. Arla cheeses fit right into our healthy lifestyle because they are all-natural, hormone-free, and made with quality ingredients. Arla Foods actually happens to be the largest organic dairy company in the world. Not to mention, they also do their part to help the environment and reduce their own carbon footprint by practicing sustainable farming, using recyclable packaging and much, much more.

So, back to the party...

Time to eat!

We supplied many snacks for the party, including organic fruits and veggies, but the main attraction was definitely the delicious sandwiches we made with Arla Dofino Havarti & Gouda cheeses. We made a huge platter of turkey and ham sandwiches, which were also filled with organic lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles before we added in slices of cheese. We used Arla Dofino Havarti Sliced Cheese on half of the sandwiches and Arla Dofino Gouda Sliced Cheese on the other half. You won't believe just how quickly these sandwiches disappeared. I barely got any photos of them before they were devoured. I loved the gouda paired with ham. It went perfectly together.

Our guests enjoying their snacks & sandwiches

Our party was so much fun and the kids had a blast. With such active kids, snack time is a must and gives them the extra energy they need to get through the day. As you can see from all the photos, all of our play date guests played and played. I hated for the day to end, but luckily we've already made some play date plans for this coming week!

As the Arla Dofino brand spokesperson, Kelsey Banfield, believes, being a mom goes hand in hand with being a foodie. Why? Because we are constantly trying new ideas and recipes. Josiah used to be such a picky eater and, because my husband and I are always looking for new recipes and incorporating new ingredients, we've opened him up to foods he never would have tried before. I think it's so important to introduce children to a variety of different healthy foods, even those you didn't enjoy as a kid because you never know when you will find a new favorite to add to the menu. At our birthday party play date, we definitely made many new Arla Dofino fans and had many parents asking us about the cheese and where they could purchase it.

So, if you are a cheesy family like we are, you are probably craving some dairy right now! Luckily, you have a chance to win a 3 month supply of Arla Dofino natural cheeses thanks to the current sweepstakes on the Dofino Cheese Facebook Page. Be sure to enter today for your chance to win! 

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Arla Dofino. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.