SHOPRITE SUMMER GETAWAY

Most days I share fashion with you and while I absolutely love to do that and I’ll never stop sharing fashion there is so much more that I love to share with you all. One of the things I love most about being an influencer is working with brands and sharing a brand’s story. Not only do I get to discover and then share great brands with you but I get to learn a brand’s story, their missions and who they are beyond the logo.

Think about a store you have shopped at your entire life. Maybe it’s a department store, maybe it’s a grocery story, maybe it’s a drugstore. We take those stores for granted. They are always there for us. We trust them. We rely on them. We know them. But have you ever taken the time to get to know the people behind the store? The brands that fill the shelves of those stores? I got to do just that during the ShopRite Summer Getaway.

If you watch my stories or follow me on IG or FB then you already know that I had the amazing opportunity along with 5 other influencers to stay at a gorgeous beach house in Avalon, NJ for 2 nights and get firsthand exposure to some of ShopRite’s best brands.

WHO IS SHOPRITE?

ShopRite has been my go to grocery store my entire life. From riding the back of the grocery cart as a little girl to now pushing my own little girl in the cart — it’s where we do 99% of our shopping.

With about 250 stores in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland owned by 50 families (yes families!) they are the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States and the largest employer in New Jersey. With tons of community giveback they have a huge presence in the communities that their stores are in.

While at the ShopRite Summer Getaway we got to test and sample top brands and hear from brand reps themselves. Some highlights were beauty makeovers by personal ShopRite beauty advisors. Did you know that some ShopRite stores have beauty advisors in store to give beauty advice and makeovers? While my local ShopRite doesn’t offer this I think it’s great that some do! Brands we tried: Maybelline, Olay, Pantene, Venus and Crest. What I loved: Crest Charcoal toothpaste. Amazing for whitening!

Several ShopRite chefs were at the house to prepare all our meals and let me tell you — we had some amazing meals. I’ve been using ShopRite’s Wholesome Pantry line for quite some time. All organic and super affordable items. Many of our meals incorporated Wholesome Pantry foods, produce and meat. If you haven’t tried the Wholesome Pantry line yet — get on it! Some of my favorites include their chocolate covered almonds, blue corn chips and cinnamon raisin bread.

While I truly loved everything we tried I had 6 top discoveries. I’m a BIG snacker. Guilty! Blue Diamond Nut-Thins are hands down my new favorite snack. Made from rice flour and nuts they are a guilt free snack option and so delish. Try these ASAP!

Next favorite were McCain Dip’N Wedges. These were delicious with burgers but also so good as an appetizer with dips and salsas. Definitely serving these at our annual holiday party.

What’s a trip without breakfast? When in doubt I always go for cereal and there was plenty of Kellogg’s brands to choose from. BUT their new Pop Tarts cereal was off the charts.

And for a healthy option I loved these Happy Healthy Smoothies. Filled with fruits and vegetables they were both refreshing and filling.

And drink of choice? Dasani Sparkling. Erik and I are BIG into sparkling waters but these by Dasani were so flavorful and made with no sweetners, no artificial flavors and have zero calories!

And finally I am now hooked Acai bowls using Organic Amazon. These little tubes of acai are great for on the go but also taste great when you add granola, fruit and coconut. Sourced from the best acai in Brasil Organic Amazon acai is high in antioxidants, dairy and GMO free!

Another activation I loved was the consultation with a ShopRite dietitian. All ShopRite’s have a dietitian in store who offer complimentary services to help you with meal planning and shopping for healthy meal choices. I learned a TON about healthy food options during this session.

We also had a fun floral arranging workshop using gorgeous blooms from ShopRite. ShopRite takes such pride in their floral department. With blooms coming in from overseas they have gorgeous flowers that will last and last. Did you know they are even capable of doing flowers for weddings? My blooms from the workshop are still going strong a week and 1/2 later!

The ShopRite Summer Getaway had a huge focus on healthy living and eating which I loved. You all know how much I love to workout when on vacation and we had the most beautiful beach yoga session bright and early on the beach featuring smartwater. While I totally stink at yoga it was a great way to reflect on my journey in the influencer space and how I have the amazing opportunity to connect with brands old and new and think about how much I have grown personally and professionally.

The ShopRite Summer Getaway was more than just food and beauty. The entire ShopRite PR team and the brand reps that flew in to speak to us had such energy about them. You can tell how much they love the company they work for. Seeing their pride and excitement for the brands they exposed us to only solidified why I have been loyal to ShopRite all these years. It’s more than just a grocery store. It’s a lifestyle. ShopRite is very much a part of my life. Always has been. Always will be. It’s where our mothers shopped. It’s where we shop. It’s where our children will shop.

Connecting with brands on a deeper level lights me up. Take the time to get the know the stores and the brands that are a big part of your life. Every brand has a story and I’m forever grateful I got to really learn what ShopRite stands for and have this incredible experience at the ShopRite Summer Getaway.

**Thank you to ShopRite for sponsoring this trip. As always, all statements and opinions are my own.