Spike The Ball! Thirty Day Challenge is One for The Books! #chewyinfluencer

A PROUD Influencer

I did it. I completed for Chewy.com a 30 day challenger EATING Rachel Ray Nutrish Peak Wetlands Formula Grain free Formula Dog Food. I gotta say this was NOT a difficult challenge at all. In fact, to call it a "challenge" is inaccurate. Getting me to eat is the EASY part.

To remind you, I was testing the poultry blend (Chicken, Duck and Pheasant) which are all proteins that suit me well. But, there is one SMALL protein that does NOT suit me all too well, PEA protein. And like all good foods these days, Rachel Ray Nutrish Peak utilizes pea proteins in their recipes. It is a great source of protein and in MOST pets (and people) it causes minimum allergic reactions and other kind of reactions. In this PUG PRINCESS, though, it causes a continuance of SMELLY BELCHING. Not as much as the last food I tried, but not a cessation of the event, either.

So taking this fact out of the storyline, how did I do according to the GOALS as set out by Nutrish itself? These are based on the Benefits section of Chewy.com for Rachel Ray Nutrish Peak Grain free Dog Food:

 1.   Peak is an easily-digestible animal protein to fuel active muscles
         C+  As I said above, the animal protein is not causing me problems - the vegetable protein is

 2.  Peak natural omegas (Flax seed, fish meals, etc) support a healthy skin and coat
         A   My coat is shiny and I am not too itchy at all
         
3.   Peak contains vitamins and minerals for overall well-being
         A   I feel like a puppy again. I even grabbed a toy the other day and raced through the house                    with it

4.   Peak protein packed formula is satisfying and nourishing
         A   This is hard to tell. I will beg for food if I am hungry or not. But Mommy thinks I walk away                 as IF I am not so hungry. So there's that

Over all, I give this food a B++ because I like it and it, mostly, likes me. And it is a reasonably priced food. There are THREE different formulas of Rachel Ray Nutrish Peak Grain free, so there really is something for everyone - Open Range: Beef, Venison, Lamb; Northern Woodlands: Turkey, Duck, Quail; and Wetlands: Chicken, Duck, Pheasant.

** I received one bag of RR Nutrish Peak Grain free Wetlands formula free of charge from Chewy.com. This was sufficient to eat the dog food for every meal for 30 days. I am not paid for my opinions and observations AND all opinions are MY OWN.

Sunshine-y Corner - Why I like American Journey #chewyinfluencer

Hi. Sunshine here with another addition of DID I LIKE IT OR DID I NOT? That is the game I, and, honestly, most cats, play ALL the time with our humans. Keep 'em guessing as to what you will eat. This tendency is EXACTLY why I love all of the options at Chewy.com. So many kinds of FELINE FOOD that one simply does not get bored.

April meant a new #Chewyinfluencer newsletter and since Noodles (and to some extent Molly) were doing a 30 day challenge for Chewy.com, it meant Jade and I FINALLY had an opportunity to choose something new. . . something exciting. . . something - FOOD. As you know, I am a slightly older kitty and as such it is important that I watch what I am eating. Nothing too rich. . . nothing too spicy . . . nothing with too many artificial ingredients. . .

This is exactly why I chose American Journey Poultry in Gravy Variety Pack Grain Free
Canned Cat Food 3 oz. It was very important that it be grain free as GRAIN is not good for cats, young or old. And being older means I need to be extra careful about grain.

So TWO days after I ordered MY TREAT, the case arrived.

I was pretty excited to crack open that case and try the food. It was nowhere near mealtime, though so I really had no hope of an early dinner to try this food.

I dutifully posed with the case to give my fan base an idea of what the American Journey Poultry in Gravy grain free looked like. Frankly, I don't think you can tell much from a can. Is it just me who thinks this way?

In a final attempt to coerce my HUMAN into letting me at least try a nibble of the food, I decided to SING the praises of American Journey by MEOWING the ingredients and the benefits of the Food-I-Chose. It went something like this

Meow, meowmeowmeow, Meow Meow, meowmeowmeow. . . Meow Meow, meowmeowmeow. . .

Ingredients
Chicken Recipe: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Turkey Broth, Chicken Liver, Dried Egg White, Peas, Dried Egg Product, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Flaxseed, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Sunflower Oil, Fish Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Taurine, Potassium Chloride, Cranberries, Blueberries, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Inulin, DL-Methionine, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract.

Turkey Recipe: Turkey, Turkey Broth, Chicken Broth, Turkey Liver, Dried Egg White, Peas, Natural Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Guar Gum, Flaxseed, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Sunflower Oil, Fish Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Taurine, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Cranberries, Blueberries, Choline Chloride, Inulin, DL-Methionine, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract.

Chicken & Turkey Recipe: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Turkey Broth, Chicken Liver, Turkey, Dried Egg White, Peas, Natural Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Guar Gum, Flaxseed, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Fish Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Taurine, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Sunflower Oil, Cranberries, Blueberries, Choline Chloride, Inulin, DL-Methionine, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract.

Please note the ABUNDANCE of chicken, turkey, chicken and turkey, chicken broth, turkey broth, chicken and turkey broth, chicken liver, turkey liver, turkey and chicken liver. . .

Then I spoke of the benefits of this FINE FOOD

Mew. Mew. Mew. Mew. Mew.

• Complete and balanced diet with real meat and gravy
• Complete animal proteins, important because cats need high protein diets
• Grain free for easy digestion (and because cats do not need grain)
• Lean meat and omega fatty acid for healthy muscles, skin and coat
• Made in the USA

It worked. She let me TRY it. . . but not before first posing AD NAUSEUM for photos

FELINES! This is some seriously GOOD eats. I got just a nibble for the photo shoot but at dinner time I got a FULL ON SERVING. I cannot express how good this food is. And since there are 3 flavors, there is enough variety for me to stave off food boredom.

I do, I do, I do recommend you visit CHEWY.COM right now - click here (this is linked) - and order some today. You simply will not be disappointed.

Money shot (but no money was offered)

** Chewy.com supplied us with a case of American Journey free of charge so that I may savor this food. I also had enough time to see the benefits or problems that might happen from changing a food. I was not paid for doing this review, for eating the food, and certainly no posing for photos. All opinions re CAT products on A Bowl of Noodles are mine, Sunshine the Cat.

Wrangling Up Some Good Grub #chewyinfluencer

Hi. Sunshine the Cat here with another scintillating review for Chewy.com. If you recall, I was SILENCED last month in favor of a BIRD named Jade. Okay, I admit it was exciting for Chewy.com to now be including exotic pets in their array of pet products. But it meant someone had to be shoved aside for a month and it can't be NOODLES (it is her blog, after all). By default that shoved aside one was ME. So I pouted for a small while and then put on my Happy You're Happy face for Jade. In other words, I started plotting for June.

It totally worked. I got to pick something to review in JUNE.

The selection in the June newsletter was so vast that I had some difficulty narrowing the choices down to a reasonable size. I eventually decided to go with Nature's Variety Chicken Cravings because it is a brand I have history with. Plus CHICKEN! Need I say more?

I think you know as well as I do that the picture on the package seldom looks like the real thing. I don't know what I was expecting but this was not it. I doubted it was this nice looking.

BUT

Fooled me! It VERY MUCH looks just like the photo on the pouch! And the smell? Well, I almost fell off the counter when it wafted my way. Wafted is too delicate of a work to describe the aroma of this pouch of pleasure. I was completely engulfed in the sweet aroma of the chicken bits (REAL CHICKEN) and accompanying gravy. It was heady, I tell ya.

The taste, to which the picture does not do justice, was an amazing melange of sweet chicken and savory chicken flavor gravy. Let me tell you, I am not a pretty site right now all looking at this photo, remembering the flavor, and drooling. MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmm!

But, as you no doubt know, liking a food is not the whole deal. It must be nutritious and provide protein and moisture to a CAT'S diet. Nature's Variety Chicken Cravings does that by being

• Grain and Gluten FREE
• Devoid of dyes, preservatives and artificial flavors
• A good hydration source
• Good for all ages and breeds
• Corn, wheat and soy FREE

The calories are reasonably low for GOOD food which lists its ingredients as Chicken Broth, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Eggs, Pea Flour, Natural Flavor, Sodium Phosphate, Guar Gum, Salt, Sodium Carbonate, Dl-Methionine.

As tasty and nutritious as it is, Natures Variety Chicken Cravings is not meant to be a whole meal and should only be served as a topper or supplement. But believe me, a topper is all that is needed to make you culinary dreams come true.

Nowadays when you see me sleeping, notice the smile on my face. I am dreaming about my meal of kibble topped with Nature's Variety Chicken Cravings.

If you are not a real chicken fan, Nature's Variety Cravings come in several flavors (from real meat, fish, fowl): Chicken, Duck, Tuna, Salmon, Lamb, and Rabbit.

I graciously give this product FOUR dignified PAWS UP for flavor, smell, and overall healthiness.

** I was provided free of charge a sufficient number of pouches to allow me to try, taste, and assess the food. I am not being nor have I ever been paid to write a post nor for my opinion. Furthermore, all opinions expressed in this blog are this of the blog owner only. So if you're gonna blame anyone, blame Noodles (snicker, snicker)

Now it is Time for a Little Affirmation