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What’s In the Bag? Backpacking Dad’s Mystery Prize Giveaway

Posted on 04/09/2011 by Backpacking Dad

I went to Trader Joe’s to buy some things for the kids’ school snack. While planning this trip, I decided that I would buy something there, then Give it away to someone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

However, I will not divulge its nature. It’s a mystery prize.

You can be the proud owner of the contents of the Mystery Prize Bag. It’s value is anywhere from $0.01 to $10 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000. Think of it! What would you do with a prize possibly worth that much?

It could be anything, really. In fact, I may not have even bought it at Trader Joe’s. Maybe I stole it. Maybe I found it on the ground. Maybe I made it! Maybe it’s my junk mail!!!! The possibilities really are endless.

Now all you want to do is own this thing, right? Right. I knew it. It’s very exciting. I feel like Wayne Brady.

So, how can you be considered for the Mystery Prize Giveaway?

It’s easy: Leave a comment here and tell me what you think is in the bag. Each comment is an entry.

Enter as many times as you like.

Further, if you tell someone about this giveaway, and they enter, if they do so by using the comment form to REPLY to your comment, and tell me, in their comment, that you sent them, YOU get another entry. For example, if your comment is entry #25, and they reply to your comment with their guess, and confirm that you are the one who sent them, their entry will be #26, and your extra entry will be #27. How awesome is that? I’m doing extra math!

Guessing correctly does not win you the Mystery Prize. However, if you do guess correctly I will promote the charity of your choice for three days using all of my social media avenues. You’ve seen how much I talk about things that aren’t even worthwhile, so this is a good thing, right?

Entries are open from now until Tuesday, April 12th, 2011 at 11:59 PM PDT. I will choose a winner using Random.org on Wednesday April 13th, 2011.

Come on. It’s a mystery prize. Who ever regretted winning a mystery prize? Do not answer that.

This contest is open to those with a U.S., Canada, or U.K. shipping address. And Australia, because what the hell. And, if you enter anyway, even though you do not have an address in one of the aforementioned countries, and you win, then maybe I’ll mail it to you anyway. You’ll have to convince me. But I’m not promising that. Be advised.

Good luck!

*Disclaimer: This giveaway is in no way sponsored by or affiliated with Trader Joe’s. The Mystery Prize was simply procured during a trip to Trader Joe’s and was placed in a Trader Joe’s paper bag. This giveaway should not be construed as any kind of statement about Trader Joe’s, positive or negative, beyond saying that they have very convenient bags, and there is a store on the way to my kids’ school.

75 thoughts on “What’s In the Bag? Backpacking Dad’s Mystery Prize Giveaway”

  1. Eryn says:
    04/09/2011 at 10:40 PM

    I bet that it is a giraffe. Trader Joe's has a very nice selection of kosher foods & giraffes are kosher. It is an organic, free-range, leaf-fed giraffe.

  2. TwentyFourAtHeart says:
    04/09/2011 at 10:42 PM

    I'M GUESSING IT'S SOAP. I SAY SOAP! I'M YELLING THAT THE PRIZE IN THE BAG IS SOAP!!

  3. TwentyFourAtHeart says:
    04/10/2011 at 5:42 AM

    I’M GUESSING IT’S SOAP. I SAY SOAP! I’M YELLING THAT THE PRIZE IN THE BAG IS SOAP!!

  4. Columbiarose says:
    04/09/2011 at 11:53 PM

    Schrodinger's cat

  5. Columbiarose says:
    04/10/2011 at 6:53 AM

    Schrodinger’s cat

  6. Columbiarose says:
    04/10/2011 at 6:53 AM

    Schrodinger’s cat

  7. Columbiarose says:
    04/10/2011 at 6:53 AM

    Schrodinger’s cat

  8. Heather says:
    04/10/2011 at 12:07 AM

    Its *definitely* a time machine. I saw a fabulous woodcut of one in the last "Fearless Flyer". They must be on sale.

  9. Laura says:
    04/10/2011 at 1:05 AM

    My 1st guess was toilet paper, because well everybody uses it and it would be cheap to ship. But then I saw that you are NOT actually giving away the contents of the bag, so now my 2nd and final guess is a bell. Not just any bell, but I think you stole the good job bell from TJ's so you could hang it up in your house. "Ring my belllllll ring my bell….."

  10. Linda says:
    04/10/2011 at 4:13 AM

    The last time I was in Trader Joe's, I bought castille soap and pistachios. And I had to drive 6 hours to Minneapolis to do it. But I'm gonna guess starfruit. Because I've been looking for starfruit in our little backwater to prove to my kid that it exists.

  11. Bethany says:
    04/10/2011 at 5:42 AM

    I think you wrote down a joke Erin told you, and really funny knock-knock one, and put that in the bag. Or maybe cheese.

  12. Annette Kiesow says:
    04/10/2011 at 7:50 AM

    It's a Rick Astley cd.

  13. melanie says:
    04/10/2011 at 8:33 AM

    Trader Joe's doesn't exist around here, but I am guessing its spicy…. yup something spicy

  14. Marcy says:
    04/10/2011 at 10:40 AM

    I'm guessing it's dark chocolate covered almonds. Because those are my favorite thing to buy from there, ever.

  15. Courtney Alt says:
    04/10/2011 at 10:41 AM

    I've never been to a Trader Joe's but I've had some kick ass truffles from there. I'm thinking it's not the Rick Astley cd but instead the Milli vanilli cd.

  16. andrewburrows says:
    04/10/2011 at 1:05 PM

    Dark Chocolate Covered Ginger?

  17. Trish Smith says:
    04/10/2011 at 1:22 PM

    I'm guessing it's Joe-Joes. Because the one and only time we've been to a Trader Joe's everyone told us to get the Joe-Joes but we couldn't because they were SOLD OUT and that SUCKED and ever since then I've had a yearning to try some Joe-Joes because everyone says they're even better than Oreos although that's hard to believe because Oreos are just so damn good but maybe they are because they're organic…

    Either that, or commas. Joe-Joes or commas, that's my guess. I could really use either one.

  18. Emilys Banks says:
    04/10/2011 at 1:32 PM

    I'm gonna guess. Um. Lemon curd. No, wait! I'm gonna guess….chocolate blueberies. No, cherries! No, crap. Wait, yeah. Chocolate blueberries. I don't want the mystery item; I walk to TJ's about a gazillion times a week. I wanna guess right for the charity promotion, cause I'm way behind on some fundraising up in the hizzy. Hizzy? God, I need a nap. Is that what's in the bag? A nap? If so then I take back my previous comment and I totally want to win.

  19. Emilys Banks says:
    04/10/2011 at 8:32 PM

    I’m gonna guess. Um. Lemon curd. No, wait! I’m gonna guess….chocolate blueberies. No, cherries! No, crap. Wait, yeah. Chocolate blueberries. I don’t want the mystery item; I walk to TJ’s about a gazillion times a week. I wanna guess right for the charity promotion, cause I’m way behind on some fundraising up in the hizzy. Hizzy? God, I need a nap. Is that what’s in the bag? A nap? If so then I take back my previous comment and I totally want to win.

  20. Heather says:
    04/10/2011 at 2:51 PM

    Rick Astley's face.

  21. Michelle Sydney Levy says:
    04/10/2011 at 5:01 PM

    A gallon of organic apple juice!!

  22. Bobbie says:
    04/10/2011 at 7:01 PM

    Triple-gingersnaps?

  23. Columbiarose says:
    04/10/2011 at 7:30 PM

    Hope? It's good at breakfast, you know.

  24. Karen6460 says:
    04/10/2011 at 8:20 PM

    Knowing you…I'm guessing air

  25. Karen6460 says:
    04/10/2011 at 8:20 PM

    or could be pickles

  26. Karen6460 says:
    04/10/2011 at 8:20 PM

    Maybe deoderant?

  27. Kyddryn says:
    04/10/2011 at 9:03 PM

    I'm guessing that there's particulate matter of some sort in there. And maybe some bug poo, because paper bags are havens for bugs, and everyone knows that bugs love to poo, especially in paper bag folds.

    Shade and Sweetwater,
    K

  28. Babyshrink says:
    04/10/2011 at 9:12 PM

    Of course — it's your long-lost dissertation! It will be way more useful to one of us than to you, right? Or maybe it's some of those TJ's peanut butter cups. Those things are awesome.

  29. Marlene Ashley says:
    04/10/2011 at 9:17 PM

    I don't know and I REALLY hope it is from Trader Joe's…I love their carrot cake cookies…wait…is it carrot cake cookies???? PLEASE let it be carrot cake cookies…I don't have Trader Joe's in SW FLA and I NEEEEEEED carrot cake cookies…

  30. Absence/Alternatives says:
    04/10/2011 at 10:56 PM

    Waldo!

  31. Absence/Alternatives says:
    04/10/2011 at 10:57 PM

    I'm sharing it on SOCIAL MEDIA (capitalized to show how respectful I am of this new force within the universe) because the comment stream is HILARIOUS.

    1. A Vapid Blonde says:
      04/11/2011 at 5:04 AM

      I saw SubWOW share this and came here.

  32. A Vapid Blonde says:
    04/11/2011 at 5:05 AM

    Oh and it's definitely poop.

  33. Chad, the Shannon ty says:
    04/11/2011 at 5:12 AM

    It's a Slap Chop. You obviously hate whomever you are sending this mystery gift to.

  34. Tracy J. says:
    04/11/2011 at 7:00 AM

    I have never been to a Trader Joe's. So I must assume it's something magical and mystical that I can't get here. Like… meyer lemons?

  35. Columbiarose says:
    04/11/2011 at 9:03 AM

    A wish sandwich, a ricochet biscuit, a cool water sandwich, a Sunday-go-to-meetin' bun, and an autographed glossy of Frank Oz as the corrections officer.

  36. The JackB says:
    04/11/2011 at 10:40 AM

    Damn, I keep hearing Brad Pitt scream "what's in the box!"

    1. Columbiarose says:
      04/11/2011 at 12:00 PM

      " 'The bag is a fine thing and worth the fighting for.' I agree with the second part."

      Apologies to Papa Hem.

  37. Columbiarose says:
    04/11/2011 at 10:42 AM

    Squid steaks? Cephalopodalicious! With ink sauce. But not cuttlefish. I can't eat anything with w shaped eyes. Gave me issues during the sepia fad too.

  38. Mary Greene says:
    04/11/2011 at 10:44 AM

    It's sprinklecorn. Still don't know what the heck that is…

  39. Mary Greene says:
    04/11/2011 at 5:44 PM

    It’s sprinklecorn. Still don’t know what the heck that is…

  40. Kalanicut says:
    04/11/2011 at 10:50 AM

    Since you're the backpacking dad, it seems 20 lbs of trail mix might be in order….

  41. Kalanicut says:
    04/11/2011 at 5:50 PM

    Since you’re the backpacking dad, it seems 20 lbs of trail mix might be in order….

  42. Merrilymarylee says:
    04/11/2011 at 11:10 AM

    Absence of Alternatives sent me. I hope she wins.

    Or maybe I hope I will win. You weren't walking a dog when you filled that bag, were you?

  43. Jenniferparker says:
    04/11/2011 at 11:11 AM

    A smoke and a pancake?

  44. fadkog says:
    04/11/2011 at 2:46 PM

    The head of a hobo. The head of a hobo wrapped in plastic wrap so it doesn't leak through the TJ bag and create suspicion as you carry it from one place to the other, as one is wont to do with the head of a hobo wrapped in plastic wrap.

    That, or yogurt-covered pretzels.

  45. Columbiarose says:
    04/11/2011 at 7:16 PM

    Something with a higher dollar value than what Judge Kozinski gave the Winklevii today.

  46. Nicole Pelton says:
    04/11/2011 at 11:18 PM

    only because of the TJs commercial I heard this morning, i'll guess seaweed snack. I love trader joes, and this is quite yummy i must say, but they actually suggested giving a case of it as a teacher's gift. uh, that would just be weird.

  47. Columbiarose says:
    04/12/2011 at 8:25 AM

    Fancy Dijon ketchup? (but not a real green dress, that's cruel)

    1. Criss says:
      04/13/2011 at 1:10 PM

      If I reply under Columbiarose's guess, does that give hir and extra chance to win? Because BNL references deserve extra chances to win.

      My guess is it's a Picasso. Or maybe a Garfunkel?

      1. Backpacking Dad says:
        04/13/2011 at 1:30 PM

        Sorry, the contest is over. It would indeed have done so.

        1. Columbiarose says:
          04/13/2011 at 3:38 PM

          From your perspective, it appears over, but from ours, including your recipient and charity-namer, at this moment in time, it remains in the realm of unended hypothetical outside of our control–a bleak winter without Christmas as it were. ;)

      2. Columbiarose says:
        04/13/2011 at 3:25 PM

        heehee At first I was gonna say Kraft Dinner, but nobody'd get the BNL reference. Does Trader Joe's even stoop to selling Kraft Dinner (one of my guilty pleasures)?

  48. MinnesotaJoY says:
    04/12/2011 at 9:58 AM

    I guess noodles. Probably because I want noodles right now.

    Yep, definitely noodles.

  49. Pingback: How to make me hate your contest | Mr. Topp and the Big Bad Blog
  50. ~ Emily says:
    04/12/2011 at 1:08 PM

    I'm guessing beer. Or maybe I'm just being hopeful.

  51. Karianna says:
    04/12/2011 at 1:10 PM

    Aw, it is those coconut dog biscuits. Or chocolate-covered grasshoppers.

  52. Dana says:
    04/12/2011 at 1:13 PM

    coffee. because i generally need it in order to keep up.

  53. Dana says:
    04/12/2011 at 8:13 PM

    coffee. because i generally need it in order to keep up.

  54. Dana says:
    04/12/2011 at 1:15 PM

    or three buck chuck. because some of us lame-os in weirdo states can't have any. And really, what's better than getting sloshed for $3.00? ($6.00 if you're me, but i'm an expensive date)

  55. Anonymous says:
    04/12/2011 at 1:16 PM

    Whats this Trader Joe's place? I will guess its chips. Do they sell chips?

  56. pamela says:
    04/12/2011 at 1:18 PM

    I've never been to a Trader Joes so I'm going to REALLY guess…

    A… time turner? A wand? How about a candle? A.. wine glass?

  57. stacy asby says:
    04/12/2011 at 1:41 PM

    Everlasting Gobstoppers. The real ones from the movie not the skimpy ones they sell at the store now

  58. Goonsquadsarah says:
    04/12/2011 at 1:47 PM

    Losse change and some gum.

  59. Goonsquadsarah says:
    04/12/2011 at 8:47 PM

    Losse change and some gum.

  60. Gwen I. says:
    04/12/2011 at 1:50 PM

    Llama eyes?

  61. Luann says:
    04/12/2011 at 2:59 PM

    The "Tangled" video so I can finally see it now that you ruined it for me.

  62. C. says:
    04/12/2011 at 5:53 PM

    Red snapper! Very Tasty!

    Mr.Topp sent me here, and I wanted very much to make help him win $unknown_prize. Can my comment count for him instead?

  63. TheDivineMsB says:
    04/12/2011 at 6:06 PM

    I think if you picked it up off the ground it's probably chewing gum… already chewed. I bet you even tasted it cause you want to know the exact flavor because you want us to be exact…So I am thinking original Bubble Yum Bubble gum. My first guess was perhaps a body, but you don't look like a killer, of course it could have been an accident, but it's not a hefty bag after all but a paper bag. Do they sell garbage bags there? I go there for the chocolate, wine, and cool foods. Mmmmmm chocolate… but I digress… I actually guess it is banana chips.

  64. Lindvall102999 says:
    04/21/2011 at 10:18 PM

    I bet its a bar of chcolate!!!!

  65. dog allergies treatm says:
    05/27/2011 at 6:08 PM

    i love mystery prize giveaways

  66. Pingback: Find Out What Was in the Bag, and Let’s Do Some Good — Backpacking Dad
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  68. RosieB53 says:
    04/05/2012 at 10:42 AM

    It could be Joe’s Nuts in the bag with some freeze dried Strawberries, and Blueberries and freeze dried unsweetened bananas and a few pouches of Livin’ Lean.  Add some Cacao Dark Chocolate, Cookie Butter and Pumpkin Butter, and your back pack is ready to go!

  69. Heideedaisy says:
    04/05/2012 at 11:04 AM

    it could be an ipad or a kendel that you stold! Maybe even money that you found on the ground. i bet it’s all of those things. 

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