Playdate Party with Nestle and DiGiorno #TheIceCreamSocial

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I am lucky to have found two moms with three kids each (all ages 5 and under) with whom I absolutely love having playdates. Not only do our kids get along great but I really enjoy the adult conversation. It works out perfectly and gives us all something to look forward to, especially now that school is out!

It was my turn to host so I was excited to take part in a DiGiorno and Nestle pizza and ice cream party that made it super easy for me to plan my party. You can’t get much easier than pizza and ice cream and of course it was something everyone would love.

So off to Walmart I went with my family to get some pizza and ice cream! I must have been blind lately because while I just bought a DiGiorno pizza last week, I didn’t even realize there were now options to get a packaged deal with your choice of cookies, breadsticks or Wynz (a.k.a. boneless chicken wings).

The Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookies looked so delicious but I thought it would be a bit much with the ice cream treats I had envisioned already. However this would be a perfect choice if you wanted to make ice sundaes or sandwiches!

I decided on the DiGiorno Three Meat Rising Crust Pizza and a DiGiorno Pepperoni Hand Tossed with cheesy breadsticks and dipping sauce! The combo pack includes a regular size pizza and cost approximately $1.75 more than the rising crust pizza.

I made my way to the ice cream options, my favorite part of the trip! There were so many wonderful Edy’s ice cream options but given my limited space left in my freezer I decided it might be easier to go with a novelty ice cream treat instead.We’ve always been big fans of Nestle Drumsticks but I was very please with the variety available at Wal-mart.
I was tempted to go with the traditional drumstick we know and love until I saw the Nestle Drumstick Lil’ Drums. I immediately knew I had to get some. Since I’m trying to watch what I eat, especially monitoring my portions, this is the perfect size for me with only 110 calories and 5 grams of fat per vanilla drumstick. Now I can indulge without the guilt! They also happen to be the right size for my 3 and 4 year old and come in two varieties.
I couldn’t resist throwing in a few other treats from Edy’s including individual smoothies and shake cups, both $1.50 each, and single serving sizes ice cream for a $1 each. This makes it easier for me to have plenty of variety in my freezer without having to take up a lot of my precious freezer space, not to mention prevent overeating.

The day of the party did bring some disappointment as one of my friends couldn’t come because her daughter was very sick and  devastated. However, we decided we’ve have a good time with our other friends and felt sorry they had to miss out.

Preparing for the party really couldn’t have been easier. I simply popped the rising crust pizza in first since it needed to bake the longest and covered it in aluminum foil to stay warm until the second pizza was finished.

At first I wasn’t sure what to make of the breadsticks as they seemed small when they were baked together. However, after cutting them they looked more substantial. DiGiorno made it very easy to prepare together as they cook at the same temperature as the pizza, just for 3 minutes less.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the taste. The breadsticks with cheese were very flavorful and everyone really enjoyed them. I would definitely consider buying them again with my only hesitation being that the pizza box was almost twice the thickness with the breadsticks. I always seem to be a bit short on space in my freezer.

I served the pizza and breadsticks with carrot sticks and dip, fruit and some juice boxes. The combination was a big hit with the kids and really rounded out our lunch. (Are juice boxes as big of a deal in your house as they are in mine?)
The kids enjoyed their usual chatter throughout lunch and we often giggling over each other’s silliness. Overall the meal seemed extra special, simply because I made the extra step of serving the food on fun platters and colorful bowls. If there is one thing I’ve learned with my kids, presentation is often everything!

After lunch we headed outside where my friend Sarah and I could chit chat on lawn chairs while we watched the kids run around. It always amazes me what they will think of to play and that day was no exception. Apparently aliens were attacking and they were running around and crying out to let everyone know of their arrival.

After a while I went back into the house and brought out our box of Nestle Drumsticks Lil’ Drums and let each child choose their flavor of drumstick. They loved getting to pick between chocolate and vanilla and I loved that both kinds were included in the box.

The serving size was perfect in every way. Not only did our kids not overeat and load up on sugar but the smaller size made it easier for them to hold and I didn’t have to worry about any of them knocking off the ice cream top.
My almost five year old son Lucian had a little extra fun with his drumstick and his face certainly proved it! We look forward to having our friends over again soon for another lunch and certainly more adventures!

Disclosure: This project has been compensated as part of a campaign for via Collective Bias. All thoughts and opinons remain 100% my own.