No tricks: Treats for stay-at-home Halloween celebration

MANILA, Philippines — This Halloween, nothing can be scarier than coronavirus, right?

Kids might be unable to roam around to play trick-or-treat this year due to pandemic restrictions. Still, their Halloween can become “spooktacular” at home with the help of decorations and other treats such as these: 

Do-it-yourself dessert kit

Have fun decorating your own Fuzzy Monster Cake as Bizu launches its Halloween collection, including this complete cake kit that already includes icing equipment and toppers.

Likewise, the French-inspired bakery chain offers Halloween-themed chocolate moist cake and vanilla cake pops available in dozens or pieces. There are also Ghost Cookies (shortbread cookies topped with icing and chocolate ganache), Frankenstein's shortbread cookies with almond bloody nails and Trick or Treat Boxes packed with different Halloween party snacks and toys that your little goblins will enjoy. Enjoy an exclusive 20% discount on the Halloween collection until October 31 via Bizu.ph.

Pre-Halloween musical galore

Gardenia Philippines invites you to its celebration of World Bread Day through music with the Laging Kasama Online Concert 2020 that can be viewed via Facebook.com/gardeniaph.  

The online music gathering is meant to bring joy to everyone by inviting some of the best stage acts in the country - Kim Molina and Jerald Napoles, Gloc-9, Ebe Dancel and Keiko Necesario.  

Let 'em eat cake

The long quarantine is both for good cause and opportunity. Staying at home means we are contributing to the safety and wellness of our family, frontliners, and the whole nation. It also means appreciating our blessings, the most important of which are family and loved ones.  

Life goes on and there are so many reasons to celebrate. Aside from the usual occasions, accomplishing a task, learning a new skill, or finishing a renovation call for a celebration... And, what’s a celebration without a cake?

Cravings, whose humble beginnings are rooted from its now famous cakes and desserts, delivers a sundry of cakes straight at your doorstep, for any occasion or reason that calls for a celebration. Cravings has been ramping up its online services, delivery and pick-up packages to suit all your celebration needs.

“Through almost 32 years, (we have been) known for (our) cakes, some of which became award winners and all-time favorites,” said Badjie Trinidad, the brand’s owner. “With what’s happening in the world, we decided to make it convenient for our loyal customers and new followers to enjoy our cakes through new flavors, services, and online apps.”
 
From the brand’s Caramel Cake, Devils' Food Cake, Carrot Cake to Cherry Walnut Cheesecake, among others, new cakes are available for your selection and enjoyment -- The Impossible Cake (rich chocolate cake stacked with vanilla flan and dripping with caramel!), Fruit and Cheese Square (awarded Inquirer Lifestyle's Best Dessert), Original Chilled Blueberry Cheesecake (an all-time favorite bestseller with its made-from-scratch baked cookie crust), and Mocha Praline Crunch Cake (an indulgent treat for espresso and premium nut lovers).  All these cake creations should be the centerpiece of any special gathering.
 
For “Ber” months, the brand also introduces its limited-edition Bibingka Cake Soufflé. Inspired by the famous C2 Bibingka Soufflé, it was reinvented as a bibingka, cake, and soufflé, all-in-one. A light coconut-based cake with fluffy salted egg custard, it is topped with shavings of queso de bola and slices of salted egg. It comes with salted egg cream sauce, for drizzling to your liking.
 
The second is the must-try Dayap Cake. Three layers of soft vanilla chiffon, generously filled with zesty-citrus dayap curd, and with rich cream cheese frosting all over makes this cake one-of-a-kind. Truly a must try to lift up your mood this season.
 
The third is the Berry Mascarpone Cake -- a chic cake made of two layers of vanilla chiffon cake, fresh berries, and mascarpone cream that is light and heavenly!  While the fourth is the Peanut Butter & Jam (PB&J) Cake. This nostalgic cake is made of two layers of chocolate chiffon, whipped cream, fresh strawberries and jam filling, topped with peanut butter frosting, chocolate, Chocnut, peanuts and pecan. 

Also launched is Happiness Box, a box of treats including s’mores, bars and cookies. If you want to make celebrations grander and create more memorable moments, the brand also launched its Cake Concierge, a service allowing one to choose one’s cake toppers, and candles; personalize greetings and messages; customize cakes and pastries and arrange special deliveries and set-ups. 

Visit the brand’s website and social media sites for more information. The bakeshop is at 287 Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City.

Nutritious shortcakes for your ‘shorties’

Looking for something delicious and nutritious for your little ones?

Frootees shortcakes are there for your little ones to enjoy between busy play and online learning days. These jam-filled cookies are packed with vitamin C and Zinc.

‘Nut’ your ordinary break

Everyone’s still adjusting to the new normal. Being at home constantly—working long hours or idling away the afternoons—can sometimes leave us feeling restless and overworked.

It’s okay to take a breather from everything—to just pause and relax. Go watch a movie, read a book, or grab a quick snack. Indulge in that sweet moment with the new Jack ‘n Jill Cloud 9 Peanut Butter.

This new variant of Jack ‘n Jill Cloud 9 lets you enjoy moments even further as each bite delivers an exciting chocolate bar experience with its unique combination of ingredients and textures – a rich peanut butter cream, combined with luscious chocolate, chewy caramel, crunchy crushed pretzels and peanuts. It is now available in all leading groceries, supermarkets, and convenience stores nationwide. This well-loved chocolate bar is also available in Classic, Overload, White and Choco Fudge variants. 

Virtual Halloween events

All treats no tricks at Ortigas Malls’ Halloweek Mask-erade. Visit Greenhills, Tiendesitas and Estancia and until October 31 for games, prizes and promos.

Whether you’re spending at home or at any Ortigas Mall, ready to welcome the spooky season with a Treats No Tricks loot bag that comes free for every P2000 single or accumulated receipt/s from any Greenhills, Tiendesitas or Estancia store. 

By taking a socially distanced selfie at any Ortigas Mall Halloween Nook, you can be a lucky winner of more goodies. Just make sure to post it on your public social media profile with the hashtag #OrtigasMallsHallloweek2020. Post from October 25 to 30 to qualify.

If you’re visiting any of the malls this week, celebrate Halloween with your fur babies by dressing up together in matching costumes and posting it with the hashtag. Only three winners who posted from October 26 to 30 will win from each mall.

For those who would rather stay at home, you can still win exciting prizes by posting a Halloween-themed makeup transformation video on your TikTok. Simply follow the malls’ TikTok account and use the hashtag on your video from October 28 to 30. 

Explore possibilities with the right nutrition

Parenting may be the most challenging job, but by raising the future of tomorrow, it is also the most rewarding. With the world living through these unprecedented times, parenting now comes with even more challenges, which unfortunately does not come with a guidebook. 

Living in the “next normal” means a drastic change to our everyday. For a parent, this ranges from managing a full household to shifting to homeschooling or distance learning. To add to that, there is also the looming fear of contracting sickness at the most unwelcome time. Needless to say, our current reality comes with even more uncertainties than we could have prepared for. 

With all these challenges, parents are continuously looking for ways to not only strive, but instead, thrive in these trying times. At the top of the list is ensuring their family is strong and healthy, making them better prepared for whatever may come. This is even more crucial for children growing up who need a strong, healthy body today to have a future full of possibles.

When you cannot watch over your child’s every movement, you are left relying on a strong immune system to keep your child safe from sickness. But first, what is the immune system and how does it help you? The immune system— built and developed from nutrient intake— protects the body from toxins, infections, and microorganisms. Boosting immunity can be done in many ways— from providing proper nutrition through macronutrients and micronutrients, to giving only the best that science has to offer:

Optimized protein - An exclusive, optimized protein blend that is high in quality that may support age-appropriate weight gain and development.

Bifidus BL Probiotics - Extensive research has proven that a type of live bacteria, specifically known as the probiotic B. Lactis, supports immunity by strengthening the gut and maintaining balance among bacteria.

Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HM-O) - The third largest solid component in human milk, HM-Os promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, assists gut barrier function, prevents pathogen adhesion in the gut, and directly modulates the immune system. 

With the even more pressing need to strengthen immunity, parents are faced with another challenge of researching what’s best for their children. When the overwhelming amount of information leaves them uncertain, they have to cut through the clutter and only trust what’s credible; choose what’s science-proven. 

Backed by over 150 years of Nestle’s nutrition and scientific expertise, Nankid Optipro Four’s advanced formulation, guaranteed to be its best formulation yet, is now made even better with HM-O. 

This highly innovative and scientifically designed formula provides children with all they need and more. It is not only packed with optimized protein— a high quality, low quantity protein that is optimal for age-appropriate weight gain and development— but it also contains Probiotics, and is made with zero sucrose.

“Raising children in this current environment can be rather daunting for parents who want to protect their kids while also allowing them to develop and grow. This is why Nestlè is proud to launch Nankid Optipro Four, now with HM-O. Through this advanced formulation, we are confident that we can support parents in their parenting journey by providing them a scientifically-backed powdered milk drink formulated to provide optimal growth and immunity that will help prepare children for a life full of amazing possibles,” said Nestlè Premium Milks Lead Aubrey Iñigo.

Related: Moms and dads share why they rely on science when it comes to children’s nourishment and immunity

Share the spook

Krispy Kreme is owning the Halloween season once again with its newest Share the Spook doughnuts that are available until October 31. Flavors include Halloween Sprinkles, the ghost-inspired Boo!, one-eyed slimy monster Oozey, dark chocolate glaze doughnut Mr. Mummy, Jack the Pumpkin, green apple Frankie, charcoal-colored Spider Web, chocolate cake RIP, and The Slime in yellow and lavender.

Spread Holiday cheers

Smile Train, the world’s leading cleft charity, continues to provide comprehensive cleft care services for individuals in need in the Philippines and in 90+ countries around the world.

With a baby born with cleft every three minutes, even during a pandemic, it is Smile Train’s hope that more patients and their families know that the organization is there to help them.

Global Ambassador Catriona Gray first worked with Smile Train during her reign as Miss Universe.

“When I met children and their parents, I saw how grateful they were for the help they received. I felt an incredible motivation to continue raising awareness for Smile Train,” shared  Gray.

In March of this year, she was in La Union during a screening for cleft patients hosted by the provincial government. Recently, she participated in a public online discussion with Smile Train on speech therapy where viewers learned about the challenges to produce sounds and words for children born with cleft.

“Working with Smile Train has given me a great avenue to use my voice and make a difference in the lives of children born with acleft. Can you believe that there were more than1,000 Filipino babies born with a cleft since community quarantine began in the Philippines? I hope that parents will know that Smile Train is there for them,” she added.

Smile Train continues to provide comprehensive cleft care services around the country even as community quarantine is in place.

“While services are limited, we have partner hospitals who provide surgeries and virtual consultations. Since April, we have started to provide one-on-one speech therapy telehealth sessions, as well as online discussions on breastfeeding, nutrition, oral health, orthodontics, speech therapy and psychosocial services. We hope that this isa good way to provide information and guidance for parents during this time,” explained Smile Train’s Area Director for SouthEast Asia, Kimmy Flaviano. “Smile Train has always been here for them. We are grateful to Catriona for her commitment in helping more patients in need.”

For more information about Smile Train Philippines’ local efforts and to refer a patient in need, visit smiletrain.ph/get-help. 

Relive the joys of eating out

Remember when eating out meant heading for the family’s go-to fast-food place to eat our all-time-favorite fried chicken? We just couldn’t have enough of crunchy breaded fried chicken smothered with delicious gravy!
 
Gravy reminds us of fun and laughter and relishing comfort food—the stuff unforgettable meals were made of. And these days, when we need to be safe and socially distanced, the cravings do not really go away. We still yearn for the chance to step out just to eat chicken dipped in delicious gravy.
 
Fortunately for us, we can now have delicious gravy any time and any day we want—with UFC Gravy Sa Sarap, a ready-to-eat gravy product from leading producer and distributor NutriAsia, tastes just like every Pinoy’s favorite restaurant gravy.
 
“We want Filipinos to relive that joyful feeling they had when eating out—right in the comforts of their home. UFC Gravy Sa Sarap helps them to reconnect with these simple and precious memories,” said NutriAsia Senior Group Category Manager Jean Reyes.
 
Believed to be the first of its kind, the gravy is handy and convenient—no need to prepare or cook before enjoying it. This delicious gravy is not just for fried chicken. To add flavor to home-cooked meals, it can be paired with different viands.
 
“It is reminiscent of the classic gravy flavor we savored during restaurant visits with our families,” Reyes says. “Adding gravy to our list of top sauces and condiments turns home dining into a more memorable experience.”

Start that season of parties and gift-giving

To us Filipinos, Christmas is one of the most wonderful days of the year. And the parol has always been the most significant symbol of the season wherever we go.
 
And though the new normal will not allow the usual Christmas parties, Coca-Cola reminds us that Christmas remains in our hearts and the best gift we can give to our loved ones, is our presence in their life. Being there in good and bad times, ready to give love and care in whatever way we can.
 
One of the most important part of the holidays is meal time, where the family gets together and shares stories, good food and  ice cold Coca-Cola, which has been a staple in most celebrations for more than a hundred years now.
 
The brand aims to be the shining beacon of hope, inspiration and togetherness this season as they come out with limited edition Christmas parol designed PET bottles and cans. A beautiful reminder that our presence is the light and the best gift we can give in this pandemic.

Say goodbye to creepy crawlers

Lamoiyan Corporation, a leading manufacturer of personal hygiene and home care products in the country, donated over three million worth of Lamoiyan products to Department of Education (DepEd) as it celebrates Head Lice Awareness Month and 5th year of Kilusang Kontra Kuto (Movement Against Head Lice) initiative.

In support of DepEd’s Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan amidst the pandemic, the corporation distributed packs of Licealiz Head Lice Treatment Shampoo, Hapee Toothpaste, and Dazz Dishwashing Liquid to selected regions for distribution among the students. 

Selected regions in Luzon are Central Luzon, CALABARZON and National Capital Region. Whereas, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao and Davao are the beneficiary regions for Visayas and Mindanao.

The company initiated Kilusang Kontra Kuto in 2016, a coalition that has been battling head lice infestation nationwide for a kuto-free Philippines. The campaign includes yearly nationwide shampoo activity in schools in its commitment to fight head lice infestation or pediculosis and eliminate the social stigma associated with it.

In light of the 5th year of this initiative, the company aimed to support DepEd’s Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan in the time of COVID-19 (BE-LCP). This is the department’s response to the challenges posed by COVID-19 which covers the most essential learning competencies, multiple learning delivery modalities for teachers, school leaders and learners, required health standards in schools and workplaces, and special activities like Brigada Eskwela, Oplan Balik Eskwela, and partnerships.

Apart from encouraging good oral hygiene, the company is also advocating the correct way of treating head lice infestation, which is considered the second most common health problem of public school children after tooth decay. Licealiz Head Lice Treatment Shampoo effectively kills lice and nits after two weeks of use and prevents lice infestation from recurring. Its active ingredient, pyrethrin, a natural extract from chrysanthemum flowers, is clinically tested and proven safe and successful in killing lice and nits, while its conditioning formula keeps your kid’s hair soft, smooth and fragrant.