Wholly Guacamole Review And GIVEAWAY! 4 WINNERS! 7/12

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You may remember a few weeks ago, I posted my homemade guacamole recipe. It's chock full of creamy avocados, fresh lime juice, cayenne pepper, fresh cilantro, and some other yummy ingredients. It is perfection in a bowl...Guacamole is definitely one of my guilty pleasures. Or should I say NOT so guilty? It's actually pretty darn good for you, in moderation, and is definitely satisfying!

Most of my life, I was afraid to even try guacamole! I thought it looked gross...slimy...inedible...Until last summer when I was pregnant with Xander and would eat things that were totally out of character for me. I am an incredibly picky eater, and do not try new foods often at all. I even ate a steak that was cooked to medium doneness while pregnant! This was WAY out of my comfort zone, since I never eat any meat that even has the slightest tinge of pink to it. Ever. At all. But pregnant, all bets were off, and I tried new foods. Including guacamole!

My love affair with guacamole began at a get-together at my Father-In-Law's house last summer. We love going up there because there is always great conversation, a ton of laughs, and food, glorious food! My in-laws had some friends over, one of whom looks uncannily like Alton Brown from the Food Network. His name is Jim. Well, Jim, like Alton, is a wonderful chef and brought some of his famous guacamole for the occasion. I was preggo and starving, and hesitantly gave it a shot...And then another...and another...Until I had devoured half the bowl single-handedly! I had discovered one of my new favorite foods! How is it possible that I never tried this stuff before?

Anyway, I have made my own guac many, many times now, and order it from restaurants whenever it appears on the menu. Often, I am disappointed with the results. Homemade guacamole has spoiled me somewhat, so the bar has been set very, very high. The problem with guacamole is that I do not always have the time or ingredients to make it from scratch. And when I do have the chance to make it, it spoils rather quickly, even with the acid from the lime juice and added salt. So unless I plan on eating a whole batch immediately or serving it to friends, I just don't make it. I hate being wasteful, and my husband will not eat guacamole.

That's why when I heard about Wholly Guacamole, I was quite eager to try it! Wholly Guacamole offers a wide variety of prepackaged guacamoles, salsa, and even queso that is ready to eat and can be found at your local supermarket! I must admit, I was quite skeptical about pre-made guacamole. I did not expect it to taste fresh. I have been seriously disappointed by other so-called-guacamole dips found at the store and restaurants alike. They tend to be full of chemicals and preservatives, and this is definitely reflected in the overall quality of such products.

Wholly Guacamole has found a unique way to tackle these very issues. Their founder, a restaurant owner, Don Bowden, discovered a unique way to preserve guacamole without the aid of fillers, chemicals, heat treatments or artificial preservatives. In fact, his method uses a highly pressurized water system that totally seals in the naturally delicious flavors in guacamole and allows it to keep for weeks in the refrigerator or months in the freezer! That's because Wholly products are "Fresherized." This method was so successful, Fresherized Foods, the makers of Wholly products was born and is now the best selling brand of pre-packaged guacamole in the United States. They are even the official guacamole of "The Biggest Loser!"

I received a cooler full of Wholly products and was so excited by the variety! There was Classic Guacamole, Spicy Guac, Organic Guac, Pico De Gallo Guac, and even convenient 100 Calorie Packs! Accompanying this bevy of deliciousness were Wholly Queso and Wholly Salsa. I was in Heaven! Needless to say, my guacamole cravings kicked in, and I made nachos for dinner that night. I used the Classic Guacamole, the Wholly Salsa, and the Wholly Queso for this dish.

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Nachos made with Wholly Guacamole, Wholly Queso, and Wholly Salsa...And sharp white cheddar, romaine lettuce, black olives, seasoned beef, and jalapenos! YUMMY!

And if that wasn't enough Guaca-Goodness, I went back for a midnight snack consisting of a Hebrew National Reduced Fat Beef Hot Dog, some classic yellow mustard, and one of the Wholly Guacamole 100 Calorie Packs! Yes, I eat guacamole on hot dogs...And burgers...And in tacos....And on steak...Heck, I will eat guacamole on ANYTHING! If there were such a thing as guacamole ice cream, I'd probably eat that, too! I wonder if they have a 12 step program for Guac-Addicts?

Wholly Guacamole on a Hebrew National Beef Hot Dog...Yep...That's how I roll!

MY OPINION?

When it comes to guacamole, I am a tough critic who has been spoiled by fantastic homemade guac. I have to say, I was very pleasantly surprised by these products! They are fantastic! Especially considering they're store bought. I loved the creaminess of this guacamole, and the flavors are spot on. I particularly loved the Spicy variety, as it packs a bit of a punch! The nachos I made using the Classic variety were restaurant quality, and really hit the spot. Even the sad little hot dog I made as a midnight snack was satisfying with Wholly Guacamole on it! The consistency of Wholly Guacamole is very smooth, which was different for me. I usually make my guacamole slightly chunky, as I add roasted corn, minced garlic, plum tomatoes, and coarsely chopped cilantro. But although Wholly Guacamole isn't texturally the same as mine, the flavor is very, very similar! I won't say it's identical, but it is incredibly tasty and will now be my go-to-guac for everyday use.

The Wholly Queso and Wholly Salsa are also mouth-wateringly delicious, and very fresh tasting! I have made my own quesos and salsas, and these are just as good as homemade. The queso is rich and cheesy, and the salsa is simply to die for. There is a wonderful balance of flavors in the Wholly Salsa, and just the right amount of acidity that compliments the spices and crisp vegetables beautifully. These products rival any others I have tried, even in restaurants!

Sure, I will probably still make my own from time to time for special occasions, but when I have a guacamole craving I will definitely be purchasing Wholly Guacamole. Yes, it's THAT good. If you have not tried Wholly products in fear that they wouldn't measure up to homemade guac, I challenge you to give it a try...Walk...No, RUN to your nearest grocer and pick up some of these products. You will be pleasantly surprised! I sure was!

BUY IT:

You can learn more about Wholly Guacamole on their website.

These awesome products can be purchased at many retail grocers, such as Wal-Mart, Safeway, and Costco. Use this handy retail locator to find Wholly products near you!

You can also follow Wholly Guacamole on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest news and promotions!

WIN IT:

The very generous folks at Fresherized Foods are so sure you'll love Wholly Guacamole, they're offering FOUR of my readers the opportunity to try it for themselves!

• One winner will receive the Grand Prize: The same cooler of products that I received!

• Three runners-up will be receiving Free Product Coupons!

Please complete the mandatory entry FIRST. Also include a valid e-mail address in each comment so I can contact you if you win! Feel free to use the following format to prevent spammers from bugging you! yourname(at)aol(dot)com.

MANDATORY ENTRY:

• You MUST be a public GFC follower of this blog
• Visit Wholly Guacamole and tell me another product you love or something you have learned!
  

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#GIVEAWAY Win Guacamole Goodness from @eatwholly @oopsimpregnant 4 WINNERS!Ends7/12 http://alturl.com/j3jm2

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This giveaway will be open until 11:59PM EST on 7/12/2011. I will choose my winners using random.org. I will post the winners on this blog as well as tweet, share on Facebook, and contact them via e-mail. The winners will then have 48 hours to respond or I will be forced to redraw. 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.***