Last year I started keeping track of the prizes I won. You can read that post here 2024 Contest Prize Wins. It is a great post to have for memories so I’m going to start a new post for 2025.
Updated September 2025
I received two more prizes from the Coke contest that I won the prize pack from in August. The first item was the emoji cup.
It’s a thicker cup but I think it’s a plastic cup with a wiggly straw. Nice cup but it’s not dishwasher safe so I will probably give it away. I just went to look up the value and people are selling this for $25. Its value is $14.99. The best part of this prize was learning exactly what those mysterious lockers are for. I’ve lived in my building for three years we have Canada Post lockers, and a package room but there are these other lockers. None of my neighbors knew what it was for. This was delivered to one of those lockers. They texted me a code and I went an opened it and the box with my prize in it appeared.
The second prize was a tote bag. I have been using this as my shopping bag and I’m loving the coupon pocket. Time to thank @yourcouponingsis for posting these contests. Again went to look up the value and it’s being sold for much higher than the value of $28. I’m only using the values of prize per the contest wins as I don’t sell my prizes maybe I’ll do a giveaway in the future.
value of prize
Tote bag $28
Cup $15
Total value of prizes 2025 $1181
Updated August 2025
It took me a while to update this so read the next paragraph first if you haven’t already. The second event was tickets to stories and sweets from @chapchapsnacks. I had no idea what this event was but I was at the concert with my friend who lives in Orleans asked her if she wanted to go and she said yes. I think she said yes so she could make me visit her house as the event was at the Shenkman arts center in Orleans. I knew there were opportunities to win other prizes. We are both so glad that we went.
I don’t really know how to explain the event it was so amazing but you had to be there. It was the stories of book authors. These weren’t any authors they are professionals in their fields that saw a need for books. I haven’t felt the energy of an event like that in years. I was going through a really stressful period in life and it’s now more than two weeks later I’m still living of all that positive energy. I also found a lot of people in Ottawa that have professional practices in things I’m interested in. The other part of the event was a fair with the authors and other vendors. I was happy to learn chapchap snacks is vegan friendly.
There were door prizes at the event and I won a $25 metro gift card. My friend won the book I wanted she let me have it because I entered her in the draw so that counts as my prize to. I haven’t read a book in years after I finished CPA I was pretty much done with books except for once a year on vacation. I still read magazines and newspapers but I haven’t even read my once a year book since I moved to Ottawa three years ago. I have tried but I was not able to get into it. I did purchase a couple of books at the event because there was definitely a need for books like this. Since the event I have started reading for ten minutes every morning the books are the perfect size prints. I really enjoy the change in my morning routine it sets me up for the day and it’s one less press the snooze button.
The authors signed my books. If you don’t know I am actually an accountant yes a certified CPA because I enjoy money no I don’t do taxes. A Canadian book about managing money was the perfect win for me and I have almost finished reading the book our money narrative was a great read. The other nice thing about the event was the story about how a lady in Ottawa got involved with providing school fees for children in Africa A donation to provide 15 children a semester of school fees was made.
value of prize tickets to stories and sweets $70
Metro gift card $25
Book $20
Total value of prizes 2025 $1138
I had such an amazing weekend thanks to contest wins. I had a few different wins. The first event on the weekend was 2 tickets to Walk of the Earth and Luminati Suns at the brand new hard rock theater in Ottawa. I don’t know too much about bands but I was really excited to see the new theatre. The theatre was nice you can see a YouTube short here New Theatre at Hard Rock Ottawa. The spotlights that rotated hurt my eyes. If I go to that theatre again I would sit farther away from the stage. The band was amazing so much talent I was pleasantly surprised. You can see a YouTube short of the band here Walk of the Earth at Hard Rock Ottawa. I looked up the price of the ticket and they were around $70 each.
value of prize tickets to Walk of the Earth $140
Total value of prizes 2025 $1023
I won a prize pack from the coke contest that @yourcouponingsis posted. I won a few other prizes but this was the first to come and it was the biggest one. The package came with Coke FIFA branded bag, water bottle, soccer ball and pump. I really like the bag it’s exactly the right size for me to wear cross body and use as my grocery bag. I gave the rest of the items to my friend. This was a great prize when I won the prize it said the value was $99. I can’t remember exactly what other prizes I won from this contest. They were smaller ones but I am excited to see what they are.
value of prize $99
Total value of prizes 2025 $982
I won a 1kg bag of Vinker vegan chicken from vegan supply. I have already tried this brand of vegan chicken because my friend @munchieswithlove won a few smaller bags in the past and shared with me. I wish I could share this 1 kg bag with someone but it arrived defrosted so I had to cook it. There were no instructions on the bag I assume it is cooked so I just heated in the airfryer. I will likely be eating this for the next week but I think I found someone to share with.
It is a very interesting product made in Korea. The main ingredients are pea protein, enoki mushrooms, wheat gluten, soy protein and it does contain msg along with other seasonings. The breading on the outside texture is good but it is lacking flavour I can taste salt and flour. Under the breading there is something that resembles skin it’s a nice texture. Inside that is a nice flavourful meaty piece that can also be pulled apart. The inside is really good different than other vegan chicken I have had. Vegan supply is in Vancouver but I got this very quickly in Ottawa after being informed I won. It did come wrapped in an envelope with cooling packs but the cooling packs were still cold but not frozen. The weather has been pretty good for Ottawa the last couple of days that still means 30 degrees. It is understandable that the packs wouldn’t stay frozen especially coming from Vancouver.
The value of this prize including shipping costs is $53.00
value of prize $53
Total value of prizes 2025 $883
Updated July 2025
I have won a few prizes this month from the contests @yourcouponingsis posts on Instagram. The first to arrive is a FIFA Club World Cup jersey from Michelob Ultra. It is a very good quality soft jersey. I don’t own any other jerseys and I knew this was expensive but when I looked up the value I was surprised that it is worth $150. There were a variety of prizes in this contest there may still be a chance to win more but there was only 100 jerseys so this a nice exclusive
value of prize $150
Total value of prizes 2025 $830
My latest prize is definitely the biggest so far. It was a 4 part prize from Stoked Oats, Nuts for Cheese, Graza, and Queen Street Bakery. Every time I received a package I was surprised at how good it was.
Nuts for Cheese was the first box to arrive. I love a fermented cashew cheese so Nuts for Cheese was already one of my favourite vegan cheese brands. I got a box with a few wedges and the new dips. Dill Pickle flavour yes all of these items were eaten within a few days. I really like the new packaging on the wedges as well now it’s much easier to open and store now.
Next to arrive was olive oil from Graza. I am a huge fan of high quality olive oil and before receiving this prize I had bought a few bottles of early harvest olive oil from a local business. I was thinking this oil won’t compare. I was really suprised at how good this is. The box contained a bottle of cooking oil and finishing oil. There were also refill cans of both. I really like the bottles the oil is in it’s very easy to add to food without spilling. This oil is from Spain and the other one I have is from Italy. I can’t decide which one is better but I’m using the Graza oils constantly.
I had heard a lot of good things about Queen street bakery but I had never tried it. I got six packs of the English muffins. I have shared some with friends and kept some in my freezer. I was pleasantly surprised at how good those are. I never thought gluten free could be this good. I really like these they keep me full and don’t hurt my sensitive stomach. I will likely be buying these regularly once i finish what is left in my freezer.
The last package to arrive was a variety of oats, granola, and oat rice from Stoked Oats. I have shared some with friends and kept some for myself. I forgot about the oat rice so I haven’t tried it yet but it sounds good. These items were great
I don’t know what the value of each package is but I will guess they average $100 each.
value of prize $400
Total value of prizes 2025 $680
I won a limited edition veg’n bake box from Wholly Veggie. This is a very interesting prize because there are only 100 of these limited edition boxes made so I’m excited to be one of the rare people that received one. These are coating blends but they don’t have wierd chemicals ingredients in them. They are made with vegetables, seasonings, and a few other normal ingredients. There are three flavours and the clover one smelled so good I had to try it.
These shakers can be used on anything just wet the ingredients shake it up in a container with a lid and bake. I was thinking when I was vegetarian I used to make shake&bake tofu often and since I have been vegan I haven’t made it. I like these seasonings because I try and avoid chemicals in my food and using a container to shake instead of a plastic bag seems better. I didn’t make tofu yet but I had cut up a potato to make airfryer fries and decided to use it on some of them. They turned out pretty good potatoes got nice and crispy and the seasonings didn’t burn in the airfryer.
This was a fun prize I don’t know the value since it’s such a rare item. I will guess $30 which is likely very conservative.
value of prize $30
Total value of prizes 2025 $280
I won a $200 Purdy’s giftcard from @foodaholic_ayesha on Instagram. I love this account name for those that don’t know my name is also Ayesha and I think everyone knows I’m a veganfoodaholic. It’s not me even though I think the account name would suit me. It took awhile to get this gift card I did have to follow up a few times and search my email for the card that hadn’t been sent. I almost gave up but luckily I finally got it so lesson learned don’t give up on following up on your prizes. I have many posts of my vegan Purdy’s finds on my @vegancanadianfinds account. I actually used the gift card I won from St Laurent to buy my last Purdy’s haul
Vegan Purdy’s haul on Instagram. I look forward to using this gift card to buy gifts in the future.
value of prize $200
Total value of prizes 2025 $250
I received the first prize of 2025. It took a little to get it because my friend picked it up for me. This was a prize pack from Ottawabloggers and Tiffinit. I thought the prize was just going to be spices as that is all the contest indicated. I got a basket with spices, some cookies that are likely not vegan, 2 toques and some other knickknacks that will be given to my non vegan friend. The spices smell really good and they are vegan. I don’t know what the value of this basket is so I’m going to estimate $50.
value of prize $50
Total value of prizes 2025 $50
Thank you for reading. For more vegan food follow me on Instagram @LivingOttawaLocal and @VeganCanadianfinds
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