Budding Chefs? Check Out Green Toys Pizza Parlor Review And GIVEAWAY 1/27

As the mother of 3 amazing kids, I love encouraging imaginative play. One thing my daughter really seems to love is pretending to cook, probably because Mommy loves cooking so much! She has a great play kitchen and play foods and will spend hours creating yummy dishes and trying to "feed" them to her baby brother.(Or the dog...Or her parents...Or any other unsuspecting "customer" she may come across!) It's actually quite cute to see her budding culinary interest. Perhaps I have the next Giada or Paula Deen on my hands!

One of my biggest concerns about these types of toys is that they are often made of plastic. Sure, plastics may seem harmless enough, but many plastics can contain BPA, pthalates, and other substances that are known to pose significant health risks. Scary, huh? Nasty ingredients aside, plastics are often not very environmentally friendly. You see, not all plastics are created equal. The best types of plastics, especially in the manufacturing of toys, are those that are recycled and recyclable, such as high-density polyethylene (or HDPE). This material is considered one of the safest, cleanest plastics around.Where can you find HDPE? In milk jugs! Yep, the same gallon jugs we all have in our refrigerators right this very second.

That's why I was so excited when I learned that Green Toys makes all of their children's toys from this very material! Not only are the materials used in Green Toys safe, having undergone rigorous testing for quality and safety, they are made primarily from recycled milk cartons! Talk about a great way to re-purpose something most would see as trash.

Here's some more info about Green Toys, from their website:
"All Green Toys products are 100% made in the USA. To be more specific, they are produced in California, a state known for strict toy safety and environmental laws. It's cool to buy USA, but also think about this: transportation is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gasses. We all know driving less is good for mother nature, but did you ever think about how many miles a toy logs before it ends up in your local store? Our toys are truly local creations. Every step in the process, from milk container recycling to toy production to final assembly, occurs in California. Our raw materials and toys aren't shipped from overseas, which saves a lot of energy and reduces greenhouse gasses. It also guarantees your toys won't get seasick before they get to your home!"

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How cool is that!? And Green Toys' commitment to the environment even extends to their packaging. They use as little material as possible when packing their toys, and they use recycled corrugated boxes with no plastics, cellophane or twist-ties, and are 100% recyclable. So, not only are they earth-friendly and ready for your recycling bin, they are also very easy for even small children to open. That's right, no need to break out the kitchen shears to cut through impossibly stubborn plastic ties or fasteners. Green Toys just got MAJOR brownie points for that!

Not only are the folks at Green Toys dedicated to providing eco-friendly toys for families, they also want our kids to have fun just being kids. Their toys allow just that! Green Toys offers a wide variety of great toys for boys and girls alike, such as cookware and food sets, cars and trucks, some adorable tool sets, and much, much more! When I showed my husband, a self-proclaimed "car guy" the tool sets, he said we MUST get them for the babies. Yep, Green Toys even got the hubby's seal of approval, which isn't easy to do with items that don't light-up and make noise!

I was thrilled to receive the Pizza Parlor from Green Toys for my review. First of all, what kid doesn't love pizza? I know mine would eat it all day long if their "mean mommy" would let them. (According to my 11 year old, I am mean because I won't allow him to polish off a whole large pizza by himself.) Secondly, this pizza kit is absolutely adorable, and contains everything a budding chef would need to create their own ultimate pizza pie. It even comes with a very realistic looking delivery box and a notepad on which orders can be taken. What else is inside? The set includes 4 pizza crusts, 20 pizza toppings (4 sauce, 4 cheese, 4 sets pepperoni, 2 sets mushrooms, 2 sets onions, 1 green pepper, 1 red pepper, 1 red tomato, and 1 green tomato), and even a cute little pizza cutter, just like Mommy uses!

The Pizza Parlor is great fun for little ones, and very easy to use. Each slice of pizza can be customized with all of your favorite toppings by simply stacking them onto the "crust". Sophie and Xander have spent many hours playing with their pizza set, and Sophie even tried to eat the pepperoni! Normally when my babies put things near their mouths, I worry. But with Green Toys, I don't need to, since all of the components of the Pizza Parlor are BPA-free and guaranteed to be perfectly safe. They're also dishwasher safe, which comes in handy to sterilize the pieces after silly children try feeding pizza to the family dog.

Take a look at how cute this is!

This is how the Pizza Parlor arrived.

Looks good enough to eat!

Sophie and Xander each "cooked" a slice. Guess who made each one!

My kids, like most, enjoy playing with packaging, too.

Mama Mia! Toppings galore!

May I cut you a slice?

Overall, I love Green Toys. Not only do they provide families with fun products that are safe for children and help fuel their larger-than-life imaginations, they are also committed to helping the environment by using recycled products, minimal packing, and reducing greenhouse gases in the production and transportation of their toys. It just doesn't get much better than that!

I have my own Green Toys Wish List now, since I see how much my kids love their Pizza Parlor. I think the tool sets, Sandwich Shop, and Indoor Gardening Kits are next on my list! I would definitely recommend Green Toys to any eco-friendly families out there. These products are incredibly detailed, well made, and are totally safe for kids to enjoy. Plus, they're guaranteed to bring a ton of smiles to children's faces as they play.

BUY IT:

You can check out the awesomeness that is Green Toys on their website.

You can also follow Green Toys on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest products and promotions!

WIN IT:

The generous folks at Green Toys would like to give one lucky reader their own Pizza Parlor! How cool is that?!

Please use this handy Rafflecopter form to enter!

This giveaway is open to US residents 18+ until 12:00AM on January 27, 2012. No PO Boxes. Winner will be drawn using Rafflecopter's Random Number Generator. All entries will be verified, so play fair! I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This contest is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. Thanks for entering, and Good Luck!

***Disclosure: I received complimentary products to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

a Rafflecopter giveaway