{product review & giveaway} Vita-Weat Lunch Slices

I recently had the pleasure of test-driving the new Vita-Weat Lunch Slices as a part of the Soup Blogger Project. I've always been a fan of Vita-Weats so when this opportunity came up, I jumped at the chance. I must add in here that I have a very particular taste when it comes to crackers and crisp-bread so it's pretty much a yes or a no for me, never a maybe. 

My favourite Vita-Weat product has always been the Vita-Weat 9 Grain. Just a superb little snack that is full of goodness. Love it! As my little girl got to the toddler stage and was eating all sorts of food, I was always on the hunt for nutritious and healthy food that was easy to take with me wherever I went. I then discovered the Vita-Weat Grain Snacks in a multipack, my girl loved them, so they became our pantry staple. Then we moved into the Vita-Weat Grain Sticks. Tomato & Basil in particular!

There are four flavours in the Lunch Slices range: 

• Soy, linseed & sesame
• Sunflower, oats & chia
• Sunflower, pumpkin & canola
• Poppy, sunflower & rye

When I received the packs of the new Vita-Weat Lunch Slices I automatically thought this would be our natural family progression as now my kids are that bit older. I got to try out the slices over a few days for lunch in my own serenity with a variety of toppings and I must say.. the taste and texture of each flavour was great. They're much softer in texture than the 9 Grain. The size lets you pack more toppings on and experiment with the combinations. They stay together much better than I thought they would so you don't end up with everything on your lap and two slices are really quite satisfying. 

I love the packaging and love the fact that they are in two separate sealed bags inside, meaning that you don't have to rush to finish the box. 

I served them up on a couple of occasions when friends came to visit and the reaction to the taste was great, but as a party or get together food I could tell it was a little cumbersome as a plate was most certainly needed, which made running around after kids a little tricky. So I guess, as the name suggests, it really is a Lunch Slice rather than a party cracker.. oops on my behalf. 

I served the Lunch Slices up for my kids on a number of occasions, but the outcome was a little disappointing. They were way too big for them and even with simple toppings like vegemite and cheese, just didn't get eaten. I did kind of hope for that progression to the Lunch Slices as I don't love having too many open packs of crisp type bread in the pantry at once. But the progression might just need to wait a little. The visible seeds, which put a big smile on my face when I saw them, kind of had the opposite reaction with the little ones. 

So my verdict so far is that I love them as a WAHM, as I can add fresh toppings to them just before eating them, but the fam's not with me on this one. I can't pack them filled with goodies for hubby for lunch and him juggling cans of tuna when out an about would just be too messy. I still think my #1 favourite Vita-Weat 9 Grain is a much better option for a mum's group get together. The size is just much easier to manage. It's something that will definitely have a home in our pantry however, and I guess I'll just need to rotate the flavours until someone else joins me. 

I'll keep testing these guys out though, and will be back to share some of my favourite toppings soon. Till then, I'd love to share the love with you, my lovely readers, and give you a chance to try these Lunch Slices yourself by winning this fab hamper full of goodies. 

For your chance to win, simply leave a comment with a topping that you'd love to try out on the Vita-Weat Lunch Slices. The winner will be drawn on Monday 24th of October 2011. Each new topping suggestion gets you an additional entry, so get commenting and don't forget to check back here next week to see if you're the winner.