2012 Vegan Care Package Swap!

Over the summer, I signed up for the Fourth Annual Care Package Swap over on @RunWithTong’s blog.

Lindsay explained on her blog that:

This swap gives participants a chance to connect with other bloggers by the exchange of goods. The care package that you create can be filled with homemade or store bought items and can include any items you like such as food, clothes, health living items, etc.

At the end of August, I received an email with info about my “swappees”.  Imagine my surprise when I clicked on the blog link enclosed and found Meggie & Ben’s blog! I started reading their adventures living as vegans in Utah over the summer and was thrilled that I was matched with them for the swap. (They are the cutest vegan couple ever & if they lived closer, I would invite them to join us for dinner when Sarah and her friends are home from school. That would make a great dinner party!)

Meggie emailed me almost immediately, and we wrote a number of emails back and forth learning more about each other.  Turns out, we have a lot in common (even though I’m like 100 years older than they are).  Ben is a front-end web developer – check out his website – and Meggie is an Information Developer who creates content strategies, how to videos, stuff like that.

Yes, I DID immediately invite them to Skype with my Web Design and New Media classes!

Of course, I went into vegan overdrive planning once I realized how awesome a couple they are when BAM! the new school year started.  I didn’t make it over to Delicious Orchards to shop until September 26th and barely made the shipping deadline but they got their package in time! You can read all about what I sent here.

I came home to a box on my front doorstep after a long school day complete with students still struggling with Java coding.  Boy, was I happy to see that box of vegan goodness!  Meggie included a very nice card with descriptions of what they bought and why they chose it.  Below is a picture of what I received along with a slightly edited version of what she wrote and my comments in italics:

Whole Wheat Sesame Sticks – love these to snack on! From our local health food store, Good Earth. Delicious!

Chia Seed Chunks of Energy – Great for snacking, also from Good Earth. Interesting. The texture is a bit odd but I liked them as a morning snack.

Pro Bars – Made in Park City, Utah, only an hour away from where Meggie & Ben live. Took these to Teacher Training from Hell.  They were LIFE SAVERS!!

Rice Chips – Ben’s favorite chips. I love chips almost as much as coffee, and these are way better than the ones in our local grocery store.

“Chicken” Ramen -   I good for long days at school I have a bunch of these in my desk at work. This is where I show my age; ramen = college food to me BUT I did take this to school and will be very happy to have it that one day this winter when I forget my lunch!

Whole Foods Lavendar Lotion – My favorite scent. OMG LOVE THIS. Nothing else needs to be said.

Two packages of “beef” jerkey in Teriyaki and Texas BBQ – Love these. OK, I haven’t had jerky we drove cross country in the ’80s but these are really good.  Gotta score some more for afternoon snacks!

Coffee – Roasted only an hour away from our house. Excellent!!!

Lush Soap – My favorite soap/body care company.  I know this says its named after a cheese – but it’s vegan and smells like “creamy lather meets sexy jasmine and honeysuckle with smokey velvet undertones”. THE BEST GIFT IN THE BOX! I had to fight off my daughter for this one

Almonds & Sea Salt in Dark Chocolate – I know you’re not a dessert person, but this is kind of savory! It’s our favorite treat! The first thing I ate (it was a rough day) and loved.  Discovered that my local health food store also carries this and I’ve already bought 2 more bars.  Meggie is now my chocolate enabler! (I should introduce her to Martine.)

This was a great experience, and I can’t wait for the next vegan swap! Thanks Lindsay for putting this all together.