Wendy's Great Eight for October 2018 #GreatEight #TryIt #BestNewProducts

The holiday season is nearly upon us again -- with Halloween next week being the official kickoff. How it got to be October already is a mystery to me...but a new month means a new batch of eight great new food and kitchen items to share with you today! This month, I'm sharing items that will make mealtime easier, a delicious spin on marshmallow crispy treats, and a delicious cold-brew for coffee lovers. Let's get started!

(1) thinThin Protein & Probiotic Oatmeal. When the weather turns cooler, our breakfast often includes fiber-rich oatmeal  -- often from a handy on-the-go container! Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, I prefer my oatmeal to maximize its healthy offerings...while still tasting great. I was really excited to discover thinkThin's Protein & Probiotic oatmeal cups -- which are ready to eat in less than 5 minutes! Each 200-calorie microwaveable bowl provides 6 grams of fiber, 10 grams of protein, and more than 1 BILLION CFUs of live probiotic for a healthy gut. Best of all, this oatmeal cooks up perfectly creamy in the microwave and comes in a trio of yummy flavors: Cinnamon Almond, Maple Pecan, and Blueberry Harvest (my personal favorite!). thinkThin products can be found at most major U.S. grocery chains. The Protein & Probiotics Oatmeal can also be purchased direct from thinkThin.

(2) Hip Chick Farms Organic Chicken Fingers. Kids of all ages -- including us big kids -- love chicken fingers! There's something about the combination of crispy breading and juicy chicken that has a universal appeal. However, typical fried chicken fingers can be a greasy, caloric roadblock to eating healthy. That's why I was so happy to find Hip Chick Farms' Organic Chicken Fingers! Each frozen, fully cooked chicken finger is cut from humanely raised chicken breast, dipped in buttermilk, and coated in crunchy Panko crumbs. Give them a bake in the oven for 10 minutes, and you have a yummy entrée that you can feel good about eating: no added hormones, no antibiotics, and zero preservatives or fillers. Each 3-ounce serving contains 230 calories, 12 grams fat, and 20 grams of protein. I like to serve these chicken fingers with lowfat ranch, oven-baked sweet potato fries, and a green salad on the side. To find Hip Chick Farms products near you, check out their convenient online store locator.

(3) Smashmallow Smashcrispy Marshmallow Rice Treats. What could be more fun for snacking than a marshmallow rice treat? Not much, that's for sure! Making them from scratch is messy and takes more time than I have most of the time. Good thing Smashmallow has introduced a line of individually wrapped Smashcrispy marshmallow rice treats for instant gratification any time! Smashmallow makes a line of yummy gourmet marshmallows in fun flavors like Cookie Dough and Strawberries & Cream. They use these artisan marshmallows in a line of kicked-up marshmallow crispy treats! Each 130-calorie Smashcrispy bar is non-GMO and made with organic cane sugar...with zero corn syrup, artificial flavors/colors, or preservatives. Smashcrispy is currently available in a trio of fun flavors: Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberries & Cream, and Cinnamon Churro (my fave!!). To find Smashmallow or Smashcrispy near you, check out the store locator on their website.

. (4) MasterPan Divided Skillet Collection. After receiving positive feedback from users of its original five-section MasterPan, its creator introduced a trio of smaller, convenient, and versatile 2- and 3-section MasterPan versions earlier this year via a Kickstarter campaign. These innovative skillets allow users to prepare full meals using a single pan -- including a full breakfast of eggs, pancakes, and sausage! The collection of safe non-stick pans features a full grill, a two-section pan that features flat skillet and raised grill sections, and a three-section skillet that's ideal for making pancakes or burger patties. I use the two-section grill in my kitchen at least twice a week to grill fish or chicken while I saute veggies on the flat skillet -- it's perfect for cooking for the two of us! All MasterPans feature a detachable handle for use in the oven -- up 360°, an induction steel plate for even heat distribution on any type of stove top, and a handy optional Universal glass lid that fits all MasterPans. To order, visit the MasterPan Kickstarter page.

(5) Caulipower Pizza. We've been eating less/smarter carbs the past few months...which meant making some changes to how we eat. We love pizza -- but not the excess carbs it comes with. We recently tried gluten-free frozen Caulipower All Natural Uncured Turkey Pepperoni Pizza...we can enjoy Pizza Night again thanks to their innovative cauliflower-powered crust! We love cauliflower rice, and the powerhouse veggie is great in pizza crust as well. Caulipower Pizza have less than 50% of the sugar of leading gluten free pizzas...as well as less calories, fat, and sodium. They also provide more protein, fiber, and vitamins than most traditional or gluten free pizza brands. That's a win-win scenario, friends! I also love to use Caulipower's Plain Crust Pizza as a blank canvas to add my favorite sauce, cheese, and toppings to create original pizzas in my kitchen! Caulipower's convenient online Store Locator will help you find their pizzas at a store near you.

(6) Lantana Hummus. I love hummus! This versatile food can be spread on pita and topped with avocado for a veg-friendly lunch...or eaten with crackers for a snack. One of my favorite hummus brands is Austin-based Lantana Hummus. They offer a line of fun, creative hummus flavors that will shake up your taste buds! All Lantana hummus items are vegan, non-GMO, and gluten free. n the more traditional end of the line are White Bean Hummus with Pine Nut and Herb Topping and Tex Mex-inspired Black Bean Hummus with a Spicy Corn Relish Topping (excellent with tortilla chips!). Other varieties are made from carrots, beets, edamame, and Cauliflower. Lantana even makes sweet fruit-based hummus varieties -- Blueberry, Strawberry, Mango, and Cherry -- which are excellent spread on graham crackers. I'm currently loving the seasonal Sweet Potato Hummus with Cranberry and Sunflower Seed Topping. With the holiday party season right around the corner, these creative hummus flavors are perfect to have on hand in your fridge! To find Lantana Hummus near you, check out the Find Lantana feature on their website.

(7) Chameleon Organic Cold Brew Concentrate. This year, I discovered I preferred chilled/iced coffee to warm. It was so easy to pour a bit of ready-to-drink cold brew coffee from the fridge into a glass over ice, then add some almond milk and a bit of flavored creamer. Instant iced coffee gratification! One of my favorite brands of cold brew is Austin-based Chameleon Cold Brew Concentrate. This versatile product can be enjoyed chilled or warm, sweet or bold -- simply mix 1:1 with your favorite mix in. I like to add vanilla almond milk, but I have heard that dairy milk or chocolate milk works great too! Chameleon Cold Brew Concentrate comes in three great flavors: Caramel, Mocha, and Vanilla (my go-to flavor). Each five-serving bottle can be found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Be sure to use the Find Us feature at Chameleon's website to find their Cold Brew Concentrate near you. It can also be purchased direct at the website.

(8) Medlee Seasoned Butter. Flavored compound butters are an easy, elegant way to flavor foods. However, I admit that I don't make them myself on a regular basis. Thanks to Medlee Seasoned Butter, I don't have to! With their quartet of flavored butters in my fridge, I'm ready to add a pop of flavor to veggies, pasta, and meat every night of the week! Medlee flavors include Lemon Herb (recommended for veggies), Red Chile (for chicken), Basil Pesto (for pasta), and Garlic Parm (for potatoes). All Medlee Seasoned Butter flavors can be used as a saute starter or finishing flavor. They're really flexible too, so have fun! I love to use Medlee Seasoned Butter in place of regular butter when making scrambled eggs -- the extra pop of flavor is a great way to start the day. The Garlic Parm also makes excellent garlic bread. Each package contains eight pre-measured medallions of seasoned butter that easily pops out when you're ready to use. Medlee Seasoned Butter is a staple in my kitchen now -- I always have a package or two on hand to elevate my meals! To find these compound butters near you, visit Medlee's online Store Locator.

Disclosure: The manufacturers of the products featured in Wendy's Great Eight provided sample products to facilitate inclusion. I only recommend products that I have personally tried myself and enjoyed. All opinions share are solely my own.