8/18/2024 Weekly Meal Plan

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg4 days until school starts for us… Not that I’m counting.

I meal planned for the next two weeks last night as I was inventorying the kitchen. But to make it easier, I am only posting 1 week at a time

I’m trying hard to increase the kids’ fiber and protein intake. I can tell the difference when they are filling up on both- if nothing else, it helps them sleep better.

Thanks to the great freebies from Social Nature and Aisle, we’ve been trying new foods lately. It’s fun to try new foods.

If you 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 good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I 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.

Breakfast: I’ve been really into protein coffee lately. It helps me hit my protein goals and keeps me full until lunch. I use premade protein shakes like these. The kids request bagels and fruit most mornings. The big kid is on a smoothie kick; his favorites are here. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. We eat lunch at home most days, and I pack snacks and water for us when we are out having summer adventures. Now that we are focusing on BTS, I reorganized the snack totes (yes there are two) and set up for making school lunches. I take my lunch to work and meal prep lunches once a week.

Dinner: Now that I’m back to working full time, I’m leaning heavily into meal prepping. I’ve got all kinds of meals in the freezer, and hopefully, once the temperature drops- It’ll be soup time!!

  • Sunday:  Dream Dinner, Salad (Dream Dinner Deal here)
  • Monday: Beans, Rice, and Quesadillas, Salad
  • Tuesday: Pasta Bake, Green Beans, Garlic Bread

  • Wednesday: Mac n’ Cheese, Smoothies, chips (first day of school)

  • Thursday: Breakfast for dinner- Pancakes, smoothies, sausage

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

Penzeys Sale: $35 for $50 in Gift Cards!

This is one of my favorite deals. It makes a great gift for the home cook, baker, or foodie in your life. It can be used in-store or online.

This deal is back, but only until Sunday, August 18, 2024

Penzeys is offering a $50 Embrace Hope Gift Card for $35 and a $100 Heal the World Gift Card for $70. The sale price is applied when added to basket. Limit of TWENTY Embrace Hope Gift Cards per household during the run of the promotion. It cannot be used on the date of purchase. It cannot be used to purchase other gift cards. It is not applicable to prior sales and is not valid with other offers. Not for resale. While supplies last. The offer ends at midnight on Sunday, 8/18/2024.

Weekend Freebies and Deals!

I’m in the final stretch of BTS prep, which is why there was no Freebie Friday post yesterday. But there are some

The 2024 Birthday Freebie post is here! Check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday.

My comprehensive list can be found here if you are looking for free food resources. It is focused on San Diego County, but additional resources are outside my area.

Freebies:

Free Air Wick Plug in Scented Oil Advanced Gadget
Free Sample of dermaFIT Muscle Retention Cream
Free Sample of Stopain Extra Strength Pain Relieving Gel
Free Make Your Own Sloth Door Hanger Craft Kit at JCPenney
Free Sample of SUNSHIELD+ Tinted Mineral Sunscreen + Organic 3-in-1 Cream
Free Sample of Crave Me Cookies + Free Shipping
Free 2025 Rainin The Art of Pipetting Calendar
Free Mini-Treehouse Craft for Kids at Lowe’s
2 Free Bags of Undercover Snacks Chocolate Quinoa Crisps After Rebate
Free Sample of John Frieda Frizz Ease Secret Weapon Touch-Up Creme
Free Green Valley Lactose Free Cheese After Rebate
Free 6-Pack of BUBBL’R Antioxidant Water
Free 4-Pack of ProGo Protein & Energy Bars
Free Fries Every Friday at Wendy’s
Kleenex is Giving Away $500,000 to Schools
Free Kim Crawford Summer Club Party Kit
Free Stay at the Rice Krispies Re-Treat Suite
Free Marinela Sweet Snacks Chatterbuy Kit
Free e.l.f. Lash XTNDR Mascara
Free LEGO Creativity Workshops – Sign Up Now
Free Sample of Friskies Party Mix Original Crunch Cat Treats

 

Deals:

Target Kid Boots as low as $14
Kate Spade Jewelry as low as $12 (Reg $39+)
Free Crest Toothpaste
Kate Spade Wristlets From $29 (Reg $139) + Free Shipping
Purex Detergent ONLY $2.99 (Reg. $8.99)

Dream Dinners: $15 Off Your Next Purchase!

As you are all aware,  Dream Dinners is one of my favorite ways to save time and get tasty, healthy meals on the table in 45 minutes or less!

If you’ve never tried Dream Dinners, or if it’s been a while since you ordered, check out this awesome offer!

Use Coupon Code 15NEW24 at check out and save $15 off your next purchase, whether you pick it up in-store, or have it delivered, $15 off is a great deal.

If you aren’t familiar with Dream Dinners, check out my post with details and my review here.

 

P&G Good as Gold Rebate!

P&G is offering a $15 rebate when you spend $50 or $5 when you spend $20 on selected P&G brands, including Tide, Gain, Charmin, Puffs, Venus, and more.

To learn more, or submit a rebate, check out the P&G site here.

You have through 9/4/2024, and multiple receipts are allowed!

Back to School Recipe Round Up: Casseroles and Hot Dishes!

Casseroles and Hot Dishes are a great way to add extra veggies to your family meals!

For some parents, the end of August and the beginning of September means Back to school time. With all of the moving parts, having an easy dinner that is tasty and comforting can be a welcome way to end the day.

Many casseroles and hot dishes can be prepped the night before and stored in the fridge until it’s time to cook them in the oven, and some can be made in a crockpot!

Here are just a few of my favorite casseroles and hot dishes:

8/9/2024 Friday Freebies and Deals!

School has already started for a lot of kids, my kids have less than 2 weeks of summer break left.

The back-to-school freebies and deals are pretty sweet this week.

The 2024 Birthday Freebie post is here! Check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday.

My comprehensive list can be found here if you are looking for free food resources. It is focused on San Diego County, but additional resources are outside my area.

Freebies:

Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free TruRanch Collagen Sticks Dog Treats Dog Chews
Free Color Your Own Pencil Pouch Craft Kit at JCPenney
Score Free Full-Sized Product Coupons from Social Nature
Free IndestrucTable ECO Table Tryabox
Free 8×10 Photo Print at Walgreens
Free Pair of Underwear at Duluth Trading Co. Stores on August 10th (Midwestern friends only)
50 Free Bonus Box Tops with Box Tops for Education = Free $5
Free Winged Wellness Product After Rebate
Free Week of Smoothies at Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Teachers – Possible Free Pets in the Classroom Grant
PINCHMme New Free Samples Every Day
Free Perfect Bar at Aldi
Free Amazon Prime for Students for 6 Months
Possible Free MONDAY Haircare Shampoo & Conditioner
50 Free Burger King Crowns Reward Points Daily
Free HunYule Skincare Samples

Deals:

Kate Spade Staci Dual Zip Crossbody ONLY $79 (Reg $259)
Galanz 3.3 Cu ft One Door Mini Fridge ONLY $118 at Walmart (Reg $190)
50% Off School Uniform Multipacks + Extra 20% Off 3 or More
Garnier Shampoo ONLY $1 (Reg $5.49)
Free Rind Dried Fruit Snacks & Mixes
$50 Off Converse Back to School Kit
Starbucks 50% Off Handcrafted Drinks – TODAY 8/9

 

AARP: Awesome Discounts!

Did you know you don’t have to be a senior citizen to join AARP?

Seriously. I’m 45 and I’ve been a member for 2 years.

Did you know that with an AARP membership, you can score discounts and deals on travel, car buying services, and even a lower price on your cell phone contract?

Perhaps my favorite deal is saving money at Denny’s. The cost of membership pays for itself when I take the kids to Denny’s twice in one year.

AARP provides many opportunities to save money, play, learn, and volunteer. And right now when you join here, you get a free gift. Your Choice-pick your FREE gift – Insulated Trunk Organizer or 6-Port Power and USB Charging Donut.

 

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Free Fun at JCPenney’s Kid Zone (8/10/2024 & 9/14/2024)

Y’all know I love JCP. They have great sales, an incredible loyalty program, and the Kids Zone!

The Kids Zone is an in-store program where kids can make and take a free craft in-store once a month.

Parents receive a 10% off in-store coupon. The best part is that the 10% off coupon can be stacked with other JCP coupons.

August’s craft is a cute pencil pouch and notebook!

Find your closest JCP location here.

And if you are a teacher, JCP is offering a 35% off coupon. You can learn more and sign up here. 

 

Need Help with Back to School Supplies?

The Larry Himmel Neighborhood Foundation is here to help!

For the past eight years, they have been hosting our annual Back-To-School Haircut Drive, where kids aged 18 and under can enjoy:
Free haircuts
Free school supplies
Free food
Tickets to local attractions throughout San Diego County

Event Details:
Date: Saturday, August 10
Time: 9am – 1pm (Last haircut starts at 12:30pm)
Location: Skyline Church (11330 Campo Rd, La Mesa, CA 91941)

For more information, check out their Facebook Page. 

SMOAC is hosting a FREE BACKPACK GIVEAWAY on 8/3/2024. More info can be found here.

Free School Supplies is a website with listings by state of charities and non-profits that provide free and low-cost school supplies.

If you are a military family, check out Operation Homefront. They have Back-to-School Brigade events all over the country.