deal

Tea Collection: Take An Additional 25% Off Sale & Clearance!

Abby H.

Tea Collection is hooking us up, now through 2/21/2022! Don’t miss an extra 25% off Sale & Clearance. Lots of beautiful styles at even more amazing prices.

Deal: Extra 25% Off Sale & Clearance
Code: FEB25OFF
Valid Through: Thursday, February 17, 2022 through Monday, February 21, 2022

Fine Print: Receive an additional 25% off sale & clearance prices at Teacollection.com. Offer valid from 2/17/2022 through 2/21/2022 at 11:59 PM PT. Applies to select third party products, where stated. Excludes Sets. Discount taken pre-tax. Cannot be combined with other promotions. No adjustments on previous purchases. Not redeemable for cash. Limited to stock on hand. Please note: costs have increased due to growing challenges in our supply chain. Tea Collection has added a 0.75 cent fee to all orders. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to service@teacollection.com.

Flash Sale! Exclusive February Dinner Bundle!

Abby H.

It’s back! This month, Dream Dinners get eight top-rated medium meals from our February menu for just $185. This is a great way to check grocery shopping and meal prep off your to-do list, so you have more time to do the things you love.

We’ve had a lot of these dishes before, and there are a couple that I’ve never had before ( I’m super excited about Bacon Popper Chicken).

If you can’t make my in-person event (details here), this is an excellent way to try Dream Dinners.

Order before 9am Friday (2/18/2022) by emailing or calling the La Mesa location:

Store Email: lamesaca@dreamdinners.com
Store Phone Number: 619-460-6800

Fetch Rewards: 5,000 Point Reward for shopping at Family Dollar!

Abby H.

There are four Family Dollar stores in San Diego, but none are super close to us, so I’ve never shopped there. And some of my favorite Deal Tik Tokers shop there, so I’ve been the deals, and man… they are good.

Here is another deal for Family Dollar.

Spend at least $20 on your favorite Unilever brands at Family Dollar and earn 5,000 points! Get big rewards on things you already buy from brands like Dove, Hellmann’s®, and Suave®.

Don’t forget to download the Family Dollar Tree app too. There are coupons and in-app deals that will help you save even more!

If you haven’t signed up for Fetch Rewards yet, or want to learn more, check out my post here. Find the Fetch Rewards app in your app store, and when you download it and scan any receipt, use my code ND2TB when you sign up and you’ll score 2,000 bonus points. I earned $295 in rewards in 2021 alone, just by purchasing my regular groceries and scanning in all of my receipts (grocery, mass merchandiser, gas receipts, restaurants, you name it).

It is simple, takes minutes, and the points really rack up!

2/14/12022 Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

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The kids and I have the day off school/work, so we’re spending v-day together! I’m thinking about heart-shaped pizza for lunch!

I did a little bit of meal prep Saturday night and Sunday morning. I also updated the fridge, freezer, and pantry inventories. I didn’t watch “The Big Game”, I had other stuff to do.

We are skipping our CSA box this week- I still have a lot from last week, and that’s after sharing it with my mom and a family friend!

Most other weeks, veggies and fruit are delivered by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $25, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $25. Seriously. It’s a deal. They email a preview of what will be in the boxes over the weekend, so I can start thinking about what I’d like to make.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. I’m back to packing lunches again. However, school lunches are free this year- Little Bit has been buying her lunch and expanding her palate.

Dinner: We’ve got a few Dream Dinner left, and I’ll be making those along with some other stuff in the freezer (looking at you lasagna). We’ve got out-of-town guests this week, so I planned dinners that are appropriate for company, filling and budget-friendly.

  • Monday: Nug night- crinkle fries, apple slices & strawberries
  • Tuesday: Chicken with Peanut Sauce (It’s a Dream Dinner, but I’m using rice instead of the Penne that comes with it), Rice, Salad
  • Wednesday: Waffles, eggs, bacon, fruit
  • Thursday:  Kentucky Pork Chops, taters, roasted Veg (We didn’t end up having this last week- I forgot to take it out of the freezer!)
  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday: Lasagna, Garlic Bread, roasted veggies or salad

I’ll be hosting two Dream Dinners events, one virtual, and one in person at the La Mesa store later this month- It’s a great way for those of you who want to check it out for yourselves!

It’s Girl Scout Cookie Season… 3 Recipe Ideas!

Abby H.

And that means cute little faces outside local stores, coming door to door, or like my kid, asking you politely on her mom’s blog to buy please buy Girl Scout Cookies from her personalized GS Cookie website here.

There is a really tasty new variety this year, adventurefuls, but like so many things in life right now, they are out of stock due to supply issues. You may be able to find them from a girl in your area.

Once you’ve got your hands on the cookies, there has to be more than eating them as is, right?

Yup, here are a few ideas that were brainstormed recently by some of us GS Cookie fanatics.

Thin Mint Brownies: Mix up your favorite brownie batter (either from a mix or scratch, your choice), and crumble 12-15 cookies (about 1/2 -3/4 of a sleeve). Mix into the batter, and bake per directions. Crunchy, minty bits in each bite.

Lemon Ups Cheesecake parfaits: I made these last week and they are BOMB.

For the no-bake cheesecake filling: Cream 1 8 oz. brick Cream Cheese, fold in 1 tub of Cool Whip, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.

In a parfait dish (like this one), layer, Lemon Ups cookies (I cut each one into 4 pieces and scattered them across the bottom), then the cheesecake mixture, then a layer of sliced strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries (any combination), and repeat until the dish is full. Top with any remaining berries.

Refrigerate 4-6 hours, allowing time to set up (I made mine the day before I needed to serve it to give it enough time to set up).

If you have a hankering to use your Samoas, You can substitute those in for the lemon cookies and use strawberries or raspberries only (blueberries just don’t mesh well with Samoas).

We’re making Samoas Cheescake cups next week. Using the same no-bake cheesecake filling recipe above, line the wells of a cupcake pan with aluminum cupcake liners (like these). At the bottom of each, place a Samoas cookie. Fill the remaining space in the cup with the cheesecake filling. Top with half a Samoas.

Drizzle the top with caramel syrup and store in the fridge 4-6 hours before serving.

2/11/2022 Friday Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

It’s Friday friends- This weekend is busy, as always, but let’s start off with some freebies and deals!

I’m going to try and include links to free local events as well. Please remember to follow all local public health guidelines. In California, that means wearing masks inside businesses and public spaces.

2022 Birthday Freebies are here!

Freebies:

Free Acne Dark Spot Treatment Pads + $75 eGift Card
Free Duracell Batteries at Office Depot & Office Max
35 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free Magellan Sticker Sheet
Free Lasio Keratin Pro Kit
Free Hometown Hero Delta 8 Gummies
Free Copy of Amazing Me It’s Busy Being 3! Book
Free Hometown Hero Select Spectrum Delta 9 Gummies
Free Conair Hair Dryer, Hot Rollers or Epilator
Free 16 oz. Smoothie or Juice at Nekter Juice
Free Annapolis Pride Car Magnet
10 Free Custom 3D Flamcard Photo Card at Walgreens
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free Atoria’s Family Bakery Flatbread Product Coupon
Free Hi-Chew Gummies Candy
Free Hartz Delectables Squeeze Up & Delectables Lickable Treats
Free Origins Ginzing Oil Free Energy Boosting Moisturizer Sample
Free 2022 Sand Scripts’ Magnetic Calendar
Free Dude Wipes at Walmart
Free Pizza, Chips, Cookies & More
Free Amala Beauty Skincare Product Sample
Free Bibigo GOTCHU Korean Hot Sauce Samples
Free Truly Grass Fed Natural Creamy Butter
Free I Read Banned Books Sticker & Bookmark
2 Free Hartz UltraGuard PROMAX Flea & Tick Cat Collars
Free Valentine’s Photo Box Craft from Home Depot
Free Disney, Barbie, Peppa Pig or Spiderman Toy
Free Macy’s Fragrances

Deals:

Martha Stewart 3-Pc Mixing Bowl & Utensils Set ONLY $13.93
Martha Stewart Love 3-Pc Container Set ONLY $17.93 (Reg $50)
PlayMonster Yeti in My Spaghetti ONLY $8.99 (Reg. $18)
70% Off Everything for Home at Wayfair + 10% Off Coupon
Sterling Silver Heart Pendant Necklace ONLY $22.98 (Reg $125)
25-Pound Pet Food Container ONLY $12.99 (Reg $29)
Kate Spade Lady Marmalade Bundle ONLY $45 (Reg $128)
MUK LUKS Women’s Boardwalk Stroll Sneaker $19.99 (Reg. $55)
The Berenstain Bears and the Real Easter Eggs $2.39 (Reg. $5)
Meal Prep Containers 20-Pack ONLY $12.99 (Reg $30)
50% Off Champion + Extra 10% Off at Checkout
Free VDay Robe Bundle from Super Chewer with Your First Box
Revlon Crystal C + Ceramic Curling Iron ONLY $12.59 (Reg. $25) 
Free Queso Blanco at Chipotle
Lace Up Sandals ONLY $14.99 (Reg $40)
Gemstone Bar Necklaces ONLY $5.99 (Reg $25)
Sushi Go Card Game ONLY $6.29 (Reg. $15)

 

February 2022: New Healthy Freebies From Social Nature!

Abby H.

 If you are into Organic/Natural/Healthy products, then Social Nature is right up your alley. Sign up and apply to sample products that you are interested in. I get probably 1-2 products to sample each month. And most of the time it’s full-size products, not just a tiny sample.

Social Nature has rounded up products that are available to try at a local grocery store or mass merchandiser near you.  Apply to Try the products that interest you to see if you’re a match here.

Here are some of the new sampling opportunities:

  • Primal Kitchen Mayo
  • Primal Kitchen Dips
  • Primal Kitchen Plant Based Queso
  • Brainiac Kids Applesauce
  • Ocean’s Halo Seaweed Snacks
  • Parmesan Crisps by Joyfull Bakery
  • Maxine’s Heavenly Soft Bakes Cookies
  • Seal the Seasons Frozen Fruit
  • Hand-Crafted West African Bowls by AYO Foods

And one of the things I love about Social Nature is that they don’t leave our friends with food allergies out.

There are sampling offers for Gluten-free, nut-free, meat-free foods frequently.

Canadian Friends- You are in luck, there are sampling opportunities for you too! So if you love trying new products, check out Social Nature!

Fetch Rewards: Earn Extra Points stocking up for the Big Game!

Abby H.

Fetch Rewards has a great deal just in time for the big game! I love these offers because I can redeem them Grocery Outlet, and There are a lot of brands that I already buy!

Earn big on Hellmann’s®, Knorr® & more. Spend $15 on popular Unilever brands at grocery stores and get 5,000 points*. Redeem up to four times for a total of 20,000 points.

Need a little help drawing up dinner plans? Elevate your spread with game-winning recipes from Hellmann’s.

Redeeming this offer is simple. Head to any of these 5,000+ participating grocery stores, buy your favorite products from these Unilever brands, and snap your receipts!

If you haven’t signed up for Fetch Rewards yet, or want to learn more, check out my post here. Find the Fetch Rewards app in your app store, and when you download it and scan any receipt, use my code ND2TB when you sign up and you’ll score 2,000 bonus points. I earned $295 in rewards in 2021 alone, just by purchasing my regular groceries and scanning in all of my receipts (grocery, mass merchandiser, gas receipts, restaurants, you name it).

It is simple, takes minutes, and the points really rack up!

And here is the fine print: *Offer valid 1/08/2022–2/28/2022. The offer will be live until 2/28/22 or until 150,000 offers have been redeemed. Limit 4 redemptions per household, equating to a maximum of 20,000 points. Offer is only available at these participating grocery retailers. This promotion excludes purchases made at mass/superstores, club stores, discount stores and drug store retailers. Offer valid in the U.S. only and open to legal U.S. residents 18 and older. Limits and restrictions apply. See Terms & Conditions for complete details.

Dream Dinners: Send a Dinner Care Package to Your Friends and Family

Abby H.

This is such an amazing idea- I love it! As many of you know, we lost my dad a little over a week ago, and so many people have reached out to support my mom. One of the ways is with a hot meal.

If you have someone with a loss in their family, or they are recovering from an illness, or maybe they’ve added to their family, bringing a meal is a great way to help.

Dream Dinners has a great option for February. It includes a complete, cook-from-frozen, vegetarian meal with no prep work:

Spinach & Artichoke Ravioli Bake Garlic BreadHope's Cookies

Available in 2 sizes. The medium bundle serves 2-3 and the large bundle serves 4-6. Ordering is easy, just email at lamesaca@dreamdinners.com, and Marsi’s amazing staff will work with you to schedule a pickup.

Want to send more than just one meal? Send them a Meal Prep Starter Pack with 3-6 freezer meals! For just $99, you’ll provide them with delicious, easy meals that they can thaw and enjoy any time they need a break. Marsi and her team at the La Mesa Dream Dinners location offer home delivery and can bring it right to their door for you. You can order a Meal Prep Start Pack online at DreamDinners.com.

If you aren’t in San Diego, it’s cool! There are Dream Dinners locations in 21 states, and many of those locations offer local delivery too!

2/7/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg

I did a ton of meal prep yesterday. I cleaned the kitchen, made a big pot of vegetable soup, made a big salad, and cleaned out the fridge and freezer.

And the CSA Box will be delivered this morning too- I’ve got plans for most of that stuff too! I’m sharing the box with a family friend- sometimes it’s hard to get through all those fruits and veggies in 7 days!

Veggies and fruit are delivered by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $25, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $25. Seriously. It’s a deal. They email a preview of what will be in the boxes over the weekend, so I can start thinking about what I’d like to make.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. I’m back to packing lunches again. However, school lunches are free this year- Little Bit has been buying her lunch and expanding her palate.

Dinner: The Dream Dinners I picked up 2 weeks ago are really helping with those nights where we’ve got so much going on. This week I’ll be making the salmon tarragon with crispy potatoes as lunch for grown-ups.

  • Monday: Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches, Green Salad
  • Tuesday: Nug night- I’ve got 3 different types, crinkle fries, apple slices & strawberries
  • Wednesday: Chicken enchiladas, beans, rice
  • Thursday:    Cheese and spinach cannelloni with red sauce, garlic bread, roasted veggies
  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday:  Kentucky Pork Chops, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies

I’ll be hosting two Dream Dinners events, one virtual, and one in person at the La Mesa store later this month- It’s a great way for those of you who want to check it out for yourselves!