cooking

6/28/2026 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.Leave a comment

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThis weekend, I am on the ball and getting the meal plan posted on Sunday!

My goal of not doing a big grocery shop was foiled last week. I ended up going grocery shopping at Walmart when I needed to order a few things for the house- like washcloths. I have no idea where they all went. It was only $40, still well below my usual weekly grocery bill.

In the summer, we get into a groove when it comes to dinners. Easy, quick foods that are tried and true.

Breakfast: The kids tend to eat cereal, a bagel, or an MBS (Mrs. Bear Special) each morning for breakfast. I usually have a proffee. I cashed in all of my points at Einstein Bros. Bagels to get a free dozen bagels. They are sliced and individually wrapped in the freezer. They are definately going to be a hit this week for breakfast.

Lunch: I’m doing lunch meal prep for the week today- Beans and Rice bowls for myself. And a batch of Mac n’ cheese for the youngest. The big kid usually doesn’t eat a big lunch. He’ll snack or have a bag of Quest Protein chips and a sandwich.  We’ll be escaping the house on some adventures. The kids will be taking advantage of the free summer lunches (find out more here) while we are out and about.

Dinner: Because of the heat, I didn’t end up making meatloaf, so we may grill burgers instead, or make Salisbury steaks. I’m not sure which.

  • Sunday:  Gyro, Rice, Salad, Naan
  • Monday: Italian Night
  • Tuesday: Something with Ground Beef, salad, and mashed potatoes

  • Wednesday: Smoothies and Charcuterie plates (this has become a Wednesday special)

  • Thursday: Chicken Quesadillas, fruit, chips

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

6/22/2026 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI took the weekend off from blogging to hang out with the kids and work on another project.

This week is less busy than last week, so I plan on hitting up the gym for yoga as often as I can.

I did a small grocery trip yesterday morning, mostly to get popsicles and a few things that were needed for a specific meal yesterday (Father’s Day breakfast for my ex and the kids). I’m going to try to go another week without a restock shop. We will have plenty of snacks, and I’ve got ingredients to make cookies and everything on the menu for this week.

The kids will be taking advantage of the free summer lunches (find out more here) as often as we can this week.

Breakfast: The kids tend to eat cereal, a bagel, or an MBS (Mrs. Bear Special) each morning for breakfast. I usually have a proffee. I cashed in all of my points at Einstein Bros. Bagels to get a free dozen bagels. They are sliced and individually wrapped in the freezer. They are definately going to be a hit this week for breakfast.

Lunch: Between free summer lunches and the tons of snacks I’ve got in the cupboard, the kids will survive.  I have two plastic totes full of individually portioned self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. There are also preportioned fruits and veggies in the fridge.

Dinner: This week is another use-it-up week. We’ve got a lot of stuff in the freezer, including ground beef, nuggets, and frozen fruit.

  • Sunday:  Butter Chicken, Rice, and naan
  • Monday: Italian Night
  • Tuesday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, & veg

  • Wednesday: Smoothies and Charcuterie plates

  • Thursday: Nuggets, fruit, and chips

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

6/12/2026 Friday Freebies and Deals

Abby H.

It’s officially summer break! WOO HOO!

Today is our “day of sloth”. I’m not doing much- just catching up on laundry, making cookies, and doing some blogging.

I  updated my birthday freebies for 2026- You can find the post here. The list mostly offers what you can find in Southern California.

If you live outside Southern California, check out this list: Free Birthday Stuff: Get The Best 100+ Freebies on Your Birthday!

Looking for some summer fun for you and the kids? Here is my list of frugal fun activities in San Diego County.

For free food resources, please refer to my comprehensive list, available here.  It is focused on San Diego County, but additional resources are available outside my area.

Freebies

Free Frazil Slushies every Friday in June!
FREE Full-Size Pure & Cimple Serum, Night Oil or Moisturizer
FREE Go Kart Workshop at Home Depot
4 FREE Frozen Drinks at Casey’s Every Friday
FREE Red Bull at Love’s Travel Stops – Today Only
FREE Sample of Maison Francis Kurkdjian Paris Gentle Fluidity Fragrance
The Best Birthday Freebies and Free Stuff for Seniors
The Best Baby Registry Websites — Get Baby Freebies and Must-Haves
FREE Frazil Slushie Every Friday in June
FREE Starbucks Sweet Cream Now At Home Chatterbuy or House Party Kit
FREE Tea at McAlister’s Deli on July 16th
Get The Top 17 Free Baby Boxes in 2026: Walmart, Target, Amazon
FREE Sample of Chomps Original Chicken
FREE Bottle of Oh Yuk Wall & Baseboard Cleaner
FREE Sample of TERPS PLUS Fertilizer Enhancer
Free Chick-fil-A Birthday Item Every Year
Get Started on Your Wellness Goals with Free Supplement Samples
FREE Clear Whey Protein Kits on June 17th & June 21st
How to Get Free Beauty Samples Without Spending a Dime
FREE $25 Purchase at Old Navy After Cash Back
FREE L’Occitane Amande Sublime Resurfacing Body Serum
How I Get Free Samples with Free Shipping
FREE Full-Size Pura Self Organic Hair Growth Oil
Get Your Free Teeth Whitening Samples: A Brighter Smile Awaits
2 FREE Movie Tickets to Young Washington
FREE Limited Edition Tote Bag for National Outlet Shopping Day
Free Chick-fil-A: The Chick-fil-A Hacks You Need to Know – Yes, It Includes FREE Chicken!
FREE IMMORTAL Wellness Shot at Sprouts
FREE Sample of Cat Years Lickable Treats
FREE Sample of L’Oreal Age Perfect Le Duo Serum
FREE Heelys PR Box
FREE Pollinator Flower Seed Packet from National Geographic
FREE Gamer Supps GG Energy Sample Pack
FREE $30 on Select Categories at Target
FREE Lunar Lemonade at Planet Smoothie on June 21st
FREE Froyo for Dads at TCBY on June 21st
FREE LEGO Disney Sunglasses, Activity Booklet Giveaway & More at Target

Deals

How to Buy Unclaimed Packages for $1 From Amazon, Walmart and More (And Save Up to 80%)
Michaels Coupons: Our Favorite Coupons for 40% Off & More Deals
Babylist Universal Baby Registry: The Only Baby Registry You Need
Tzumi Puree Warming Coffee Mug ONLY $29.99 at Macy’s (Reg $58)
3-Speed Vinyl Record Player ONLY $37.99 on Amazon (Reg $60)
What Is a Raincheck at the Grocery Store & How To Use Them?
Women’s Sandals Starting at $16 at JCPenney
Nostalgia 32-Ounce Heated Electric Lunch Box ONLY $19.99 (Reg $35)
DEWALT 20V MAX 2-Tool Power Tool Combo Kit ONLY $169 (Reg $249)
Wonder Nation Backpacks ONLY $4.97 at Walmart
DAKIMOE Weekender Bag ONLY $10 at Walmart (Reg $19)
Shark Navigator Swivel Pro Upright Vacuum ONLY $98 at Walmart (Reg $179)
Urban Outfitters Satin Mini Dress ONLY $9.95 (Reg $69)
Carote 22-Piece Ceramic Cookware Set ONLY $39.99 (Reg $90)

Coffee Cake- The Best Breakfast Ever.

Abby H.

Coffee cake is one of my favorite breakfast quick breads. I didn’t have time to whip up a batch, but if you are looking for a tried and true recipe, check out my post here. https://hewesfamilyfun.com/2021/02/10/simple-frugal-recipe-coffee-cake/

If you’ve got a boxed coffee cake mix (Bob’s Red Mill makes a great one) and want it to taste a little more scratch-made, check out my tips here for improving boxed cake mixes.  

And if you are looking for some coffee to go with your cake, here are some easy coffee shop-style recipes you can make at home without any fancy equipment.  

And if you want your coffee on the go, or any drinks for that matter, check out the Panera Unlimited Sips Club. New subscribers who sign up for a monthly Unlimited Sip Club subscription through May 31, 2026 and enter promo code SIP3 at checkout will receive three months of an Unlimited Sip Club monthly subscription for $3/month plus tax. Remember to use Promo code: SIP3 at checkout!

Making Cake on a Budget with Two Ingredients!

Abby H.

I love making cake and cupcakes, but sometimes I’m running low on eggs, butter, and milk. Sometimes I want cake, but I’m in a hurry. Enter the two-ingredient cake!

Any cake mix and any carbonated beverage- Soda (diet or regular) or carbonated water/club soda.

Above is an infographic I made with some options. My favorite combinations include Ginger Ale and Spice Cake, and Cream Soda and Yellow Cake.

Have you ever tried this before? It’s simple, easy, and if you are on a low sugar diet, this works well with lower sugar cake mixes and diet soda

5/10/2026 Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg

May is a busy month for us, so it’s important to me that I plan out our meals on Sunday nights for the week.

To keep my grocery budget down, I shop at Aldi (using Instacart, I wrote about how to do it here), our local Grocery Outlet, and use cashback rebates that offer a lot of 100% back (I wrote a post about some of my favorite apps here).

I skipped a grocery trip this week- We have plenty of food, and we had a  Yasukochi Family Farms CSA box subscription drop off last Monday and have plenty of fruit and veg to get us through this week. I did a quick grocery inventory on Saturday morning to make sure we’d be ok.

Breakfast: The kids tend to eat cereal, a bagel, or an MBS (Mrs. Bear Special) each morning for breakfast. I usually have a proffee and a slice of toast with goat cheese and spicy honey.

Lunch: Monday through Friday, I pack my own and the kids’ lunches. I bring 5 lunches to work on Monday and stash them in the fridge. I pack the kids’ lunches each night before bed, except for the cold stuff and ice pack- those I put in when I get up in the morning. This week, my lunch is a fridge clean-out. I saw a friend from out of town this weekend, and I have a lot of leftovers from cooking, plus some soup my mom gave me.

Dinner: This week, dinners are pretty simple. We have busy days, so I want to spend as much time as possible with the kids. If one of the kids ends up not liking something, they can have a sandwich, a fruit, and a homemade smoothie.

This week’s available fresh fruits are: Gala Apples, cherries, and strawberries.

  • Sunday: Leftovers (We had a lot this week)
  • Monday: Cheesy Brats, chips, fruit, and smoothies

  • Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner (bacon and eggs)

  • Wednesday: Breakfast for Dinner (I’m teaching that night)

  • Thursday: Quesadillas, beans/rice, fruit

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza and whatever leftover fruit is hanging around.

5/4/26 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg

May is a busy month for us, so it’s important to me that I plan out our meals on Sunday nights for the week.

To keep my grocery budget down, I shop at Aldi (using Instacart, I wrote about how to do it here), our local Grocery Outlet, and use cashback rebates that offer a lot of 100% back (I wrote a post about some of my favorite apps here).

I skipped a grocery trip this week- We have plenty of food, and we had a  Yasukochi Family Farms CSA box subscription drop off last Monday and have plenty of fruit and veg to get us through this week. I did a quick grocery inventory on Saturday morning to make sure we’d be ok.

Breakfast: The kids tend to eat cereal, a bagel, or an MBS (Mrs. Bear Special) each morning for breakfast. I usually have a proffee and a slice of toast with goat cheese and spicy honey.

Lunch: M-F I pack myself and the kids’ lunches. I bring 5 lunches to work on Monday and stash them in the fridge. I pack the kids’ lunches each night before bed, except for the cold stuff and ice pack- those I put in when I get up in the morning. This week, my lunch is fridge and freezer clean out leftovers.

Dinner: This week, dinners are pretty simple. We have busy days, so I want to spend as much time as possible with the kids. If one of the kids ends up not liking something, they can have a sandwich or a fruit and a homemade smoothie.

This week’s available fresh fruits are: Apples (3 kinds), oranges, and bananas.

  • Sunday:  Italian Night.
  • Monday: Chicken and Veggies

  • Tuesday: Tortellini Soup, Salad, and Bread

  • Wednesday: Breakfast for Dinner (I’m teaching that night)

  • Thursday: Vegetarian chili, bread, and salad

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza and whatever leftover fruit is hanging around.

Meal Kit Round Up and Deals!

Abby H.

I love trying out meal kits; they are a great way to try new recipes with new ingredients that I may not already have on hand. Here are a few of the meal kits that I’ve tried, links to reviews, and any deals or coupon codes I could find.

One of my favorites is still Dream Dinners. Our local location is closed, but there is one in Northern San Diego County that offers pick-ups in La Mesa. I can order online and pick up at a location convenient to me.

 

Overall, my favorite mail-order/delivery meal kit company is Dinnerly.

They have a nice mix of kid-friendly dishes and stuff that is decidedly more “grown-up food”. I wrote a review here. In addition to having a nice mix of dishes to choose from, the other thing I like is that Dinnerly is the first subscription meal kit service to offer $4.49 per serving. My big qualm with meal kits is that the meals can sometimes be upwards of $8-$10/per serving. At that point, you might as well go out for dinner!

 

Gobble has a really great deal. Choose your meals and receive a Gobble box for $36 for 6 meals. I recently ordered this, so we’ll see how it turns out! Here is why I decided to try it:

    • Choose your meals from our diverse weekly menu. Gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, & vegetarian options are available.
    • Their team of chefs does all the tedious prep work for you — no more chopping, measuring, or a sink full of dishes
  • Your freshly made 15-minute dinner kits will arrive in a refrigerated box to your doorstep. No commitment. Adjustable to your schedule.

Talk Back: I’d love to hear about any meal kits that you or your family have tried and liked. 

National Peanut Butter Day Recipes!

Abby H.

Today is National Peanut Butter Day. For those of us who love Peanut Butter, this is definately a day to celebrate.

I’ve rounded up a few recipes for y’all to try:

If you love Peanut butter but need to avoid the natural fat/oil, I use PB2 in my protein shakes. If you also need to avoid added salt, Peanut Flour is a great option in place of PB2.

I love having Peanut butter on hand in my car snack box, so I use these Jif Cups or these By Nutz pouches.

Recipe: Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Abby H.

This is a very simple recipe, and it has a lot of variations for budget, and if you are trying to use up what you have in your pantry and fridge.

I got a package of rotisserie chicken pulled off the bone from Costco not long ago. I defrosted it, and now I’m ready to start using it.  If you don’t have a rotisserie chicken, you can substitute 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken or 2 small cans/1 large can of canned chicken, drained, rinsed, and shredded.

Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked/shredded chicken
  • 1 19-ounce can green enchilada sauce
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups shredded sheese, divided (I used 1/2 Cheddar and 1/2 Asadero)
  • 10-ish corn tortillas, cut or ripped into bite-sized pieces (You may need more or less depending on how big your pieces end up)
  • Topings/Garnishes: Salsa, Sour Cream, shredded lettuce, diced onions, or picled onions (Your choice)

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix together the enchilada sauce and sour cream. Taste and add any additional seasoning as desired (onion or garlic powder, white pepper).
  3. In a 13×9 pan, coat the bottom with 2-3 tablespoons of enchilada sauce.
  4. Layer tortilla pieces, chicken, cheese, tortilla, and sauce until your pan is full.
  5. Top with any remaining cheese.
  6. Tent the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake covered for 35-40 minutes.
  7. Remove foil and cook for another 5-10 minutes until the cheese on top is browned and bubbly.
  8. Serve with toppings/garnishes as desired.

 

This meal serves 6-8, depending on the sides you choose to serve.

Leftovers can be frozen.