Presented by MBP Spotlight Sponsor

Dottie Brown, Independent Thirty-One Gifts Director

With summer in full swing, I almost dread going grocery shopping. Why? It's simply too hot to even want to go outside! Dragging items back and forth between the car and the house just seems icky! If I have to grocery shop during the week, it's usually because we're out of a staple, like milk, eggs, coffee creamer, sour cream. Oh yes- it's always something that needs to be kept refrigerated. And guess what? We do that frugal thing, where we go to one store for some items, and then head down the road for a few other items, because they're less expensive.
This is the wrong time of the year, though, to be leaving cold items in the back seat or trunk of the car, even for just a few minutes. Truly, it's so hot here in the Carolinas, that we don't even attempt to buy ice cream anymore, for fear of it melting before we can get it home. The hot weather should not dictate what I can or can't buy! Thanks to MBP friend and Spotlight Sponsor, Dottie Brown, never again will I have to put back a cold item in the store!

 Market Thermal Tote by Thirty-One Gifts in Lots-a-Dots...

Dottie was very kind to send me my new favorite mom-must have: The Market Thermal Tote from Thirty-One Gifts. I have expressed my love for Thirty-One Gifts many times, but it never seems like that's enough. Each and every time I receive a new item from Thirty-One Gifts, I am beyond pleased with its performance, functionality and durability. The Market Thermal Tote does not disappoint! 

 Can you imagine how much you could fit into this thermal tote!?

This roomy tote features the Lots-a-Dots pattern by Thirty-One. I love the neutral pattern, and my husband commented that he didn't feel embarrassed using it without me being present. The entire tote is lined with thermal material to keep cold items cold! The Market Thermal Tote features two handles for carrying, and a wide side pocket.

On the Fourth of July, we were spending the day at my mom and dad's house. I needed to pack a few essentials for Balian, like milk, string cheese, fruit, etc. These were all things that I definitely needed to keep cold. I also needed to bring a couple of snacks, like crackers and animal cookies, plus a can of fruit pie filling, and some play toys. Since the Market Thermal Tote is so roomy,  decided to ditch two or three different bags, and pack everything into the tote! It did a fine job of keeping the cold things cold, and containing the other items. I easily slipped Balian's coloring board and a couple of catalogs into the side pocket.

 I love the side pocket on this large, thermal bag! 

It's definitely an unexpected bonus feature!

 Plenty of room inside of this to pack essentials to take to grandma's house!

Since receiving this tote, I have used it both for toting groceries and toting other things, as well! We frequent a grocery store that does not provide paper or plastic bags for its customers. I like this- it's much better for the environment. So, We usually take our own bags. I had been using my Large Utility Tote, also from Thirty-One Gifts to hold our groceries, which was wonderful. Now, I take both the Market Thermal Tote, and my Large Utility Tote to the grocery store. I use the Market Thermal Tote to hold all of my cold items: eggs, milk, sour cream, cheeses, meats, frozen products, etc. This keeps all of the cold items together. I then use the Large Utility Tote for my produce and non-perishables. Win-win!



Features of the Market Thermal Tote from Thirty-One Gifts:

 Twice the size of the Picnic Thermal Tote -
 it's deep enough to carry a case of soda and wide enough to carry a casserole dish. 
Create a complete matching picnic set with other thermal totes. 
Measures approx. 13.75"H X 17.5"W X 8.75"D

I absolutely wish that I'd had this thermal bag when we were on vacation earlier this summer! We ended up having to throw so much food away at the end of our trip, simply because we had no good way to keep the perishable items cold during the four-hour ride home. Now, it's important to note that the Market Thermal Tote is water-resistant, but it is not waterproof. So, you definitely wouldn't want to dump a bag of loose ice into it, like you would in a cooler... you may end up with a big, leaky mess. You can count on this tote, however, to keep your cold items cold. So go ahead and buy that carton of ice cream! Place it in the Market Thermal Tote, along with your fresh produce, meats, cheeses, dairy, frozen foods, etc!

I can't wait for my next trip to my favorite organic grocery store. It's about forty-five minutes north of where I live, so you can bet I'll be taking my Market Thermal Tote with me to keep our items cool on the ride home!

If you've got road trips, beach trips, picnics, or even day trips planned for this summer, the Market Thermal Tote from Thirty-one Gifts should be on your packing list! This wonderful thermal tote comes in a variety of patterns, and like all of the items available from Thirty-One Gifts, you can have it personalized for an additional fee. To customize your tote bag, consider using a top-rated embossing machine.

I'd definitely want to personalize mine with something corny, playing on 'cool,' or 'cold,' but 'The Witts' would also suffice. 

If you're in the market for a new thermal tote for trips or just for grocery shopping, the Market Thermal Tote by Thirty-One is definitely one to consider!

Want It? Buy It!

Ready to keep cool with the Market Thermal Tote? Head to Dottie's Thirty-One Gifts website, and start your shopping engines! Here's something else that's totally cool... Thirty-One has an incredible special going on during the month of July! For every $31.00 you spend, you can purchase one of five featured items for just $5.00! Choose from the Cinch It Up Thermal Tote, Thermal Tote, Littles Carry-All, and more! What a sweet deal!

You know what else would be cool? Requesting to join Dottie's Thirty-One Group on Facebook. Members of this group receive exclusive updates and deals from Dottie's Thirty-One Gifts! It's also just a wonderful way to stay connected with Dottie, a wonderful consultant. Reach out to Dottie, if you so choose, and ask about joining her group!

Special thanks to Dottie Brown for helping us (and our groceries) stay cool in these scorching temps this summer!

Thanks for reading!

~Ondria~

Disclosure: Other than the above-featured item, which I received directly from this representative, free of charge, for review purposes, I was not compensated for facilitating this review. All opinions expressed are my own. Your experience may differ.