If you love soup as much as I do, this deal will excite you. Now through Friday (4/24) Olive Garden is offering their unlimited Soup, Salad, and Breadsticks lunch for only $5!
To print your coupon, click here!
I see a few bowls of Zuppa Toscana in my future!
Recently I spied .79/can Starkist Tuna can, 10 lbs of potatoes for .99, 1 lb packages of fresh Dole Strawberries for just .99, and name brand ketchup, mustard, and BBQ sauce for just .69/each.
Who doesn’t love pizza? Ok, I know 1 person, but other than that, everyone loves it! Lil’ Man is no exception. He requests, “Cheesy pizza dinner” at least once a day, but I only acquiesce to his request once a week.
I tend to stock up on the crust mix and cans of salt free tomato sauce, so it’s easy to throw together a pizza on those days when I don’t really feel like cooking, or pizza is requested. With the only limitations being your imagination (and what’s in your fridge and pantry) you never have to have the same pizza twice!
Henry’s Cheese Pizza
Ingredients:
Directions:
Variations: Use white sauce, bbq sauce, or even Robert Rothschild Farm Roasted Pineapple & Habanero Sauce
This pizza costs us about $4.00 and serves 3-4 hungry people. And since I make it at home, I know exactly what goes into it!
It’s BAAACCCCK!!!
Tomorrow is the day! Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry’s locations all across the US from noon until 8pm.
Find your local participating location here.
After our doctor’s appt, Lil’ Man and I will be heading down to Seaport Village for a free scoop, a walk, and a picnic lunch!
There are two locations in San Diego: Horton Plaza Mall and Seaport Village.
If you’ve never been, the line at Seaport Village goes pretty fast. It’s a great time, enjoying a tasty treat and watching the boats in the bay!
I love this cake recipe. It’s quick, easy, and it disappears so quickly! And the best part, it’s loaded with pumpkin, so you don’t have to feel bad about serving it to your family. It’s easy enough that you can let even the littlest chef help you prepare it without risking a total cake failure!
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake
Ingredients:
Directions:
This is the yummiest, fudgiest cake you’ll ever have. This is a great cake to take to potlucks!
It was so good that we snuck some cupcakes for breakfast!
We also shared it with our friends at a play date! Even our pickiest eaters gobbled up the cupcakes!
With the second small friend on the way, as well as many friends having kids, I’ve been whipping up batches of lactation cookies like whoah. A batch of these cookies makes a great gift!
The key ingredients to these cookies are Flax, Brewer’s Yeast, and Oatmeal. Brewer’s Yeast and Oatmeal are galactagogues, meaning they promote lactation. Flax contains Omega-3’s, which are needed for brain function and development and can be passed through breast milk. You need all three of these ingredients.
Don’t Worry: If your spouse or relatives eat these cookies, they won’t start lactating!! Galactagogues only stimulate milk production in those already lactating!
This Recipe makes A LOT of cookies (4-5 dozen). I freeze them, and thaw them 3-4 cookies at a time. 4-5 dozen cookies will last a new mom a few weeks.
Unlike my other recipes, there are no substitutions or work arounds. Each one of these ingredients is needed. This recipe cannot be made nut/seed free, or vegan.
Mother’s Milk Lactation Cookies
Ingredients:
Optional: Nuts, dried fruit in place of the chocolate chips
Directions:
Sales are cyclical- certain items are on sale during specific times of the year, either due to holidays or special events. For example- Barbeque sauce is on sale in the summer, when people barbeque a lot. Manufacturers and stores will put out coupons and places items on sale to entice shoppers to spend more. Use this to your advantage. Combine sales with coupons and increase your stockpile and plan your menu.
Here are some examples (but not a complete list):
JANUARY
Diet Food and Weight Loss Equipment (New Year’s Resolutions)
Gyms have sales and free trials
Healthy Food including Veggies
Television and other Electronics (Super Bowl Sunday)
OTC Medications (FSA’s expire in Jan./Feb.- Use it or Lose it!)
Winter Clothing and Shoes (Formal clothes are usually 75%+ off)
Organizers (totes, Christmas ornament storage containers)
White Sales (Sheets/Towels)
Snack-y food for Super Bowl parties: chips, dip. Velveeta, salsa, taquitos. There are often times really great rebates for snack food and beer or soda around the Super Bowl.
FEBRUARY
Diet Food and Weight Loss Equipment (New Year’s Resolutions)
Healthy Food including Veggies
Furniture and House wares
Candy and Chocolates
MARCH
March is National frozen food month. Many Stores like Albertson’s have a “fill a bag” sale where you are given a paper or plastic bag and you receive a discount (typically 15-25%) on each frozen item in that bag.
Spring Apparel (Easter Dresses and Suits)
Depending on when Easter falls, look for sales on Easter Dinner food: Ham, Prime Rib, stuffing, veggies, eggs, and Easter Basket Supplies.
Luggage and Travel (Spring Break)
Spring-cleaning sales will start and there will be rebates for cleaning supplies- especially with SC Johnson Products.
Between March 13-17th (St. Patrick’s Day) Corned Beef, Potatoes and Cabbage are all Dirt Cheap. Stock up!
During Lent, seafood is inexpensive.
APRIL
More Spring cleaning sales and rebates
Paper products (plates, napkins) start to have really good sales.
Paint & Wallpaper (In the same vain as spring cleaning, a lot of people start to spruce up their homes in the spring)
Jewish Foods and Eggs (Passover)
MAY
May is the start of picnic season. Barbeque food, Hotdogs, hamburgers, ribs, condiments will all be on sale throughout the summer and will be until September.
Auto Maintenance (tires, oil changes, tune ups)
Beverages, Hot dogs, Ground Beef, BBQ sauce, Ketchup, Mustard, Ribs (Often times there are some really great rebates WYB beer or soda)
Bug repellents – Sprays and Candles
Home Maintenance (carpet cleaning, duct cleaning)
SPF and After Sun products (like Aloe)
JUNE
Summer Clothes
June is National Dairy Month- Dairy Products
Summer Activities (local attractions sometimes have “locals only” days or rates)
Beverages, Hot dogs, Ground Beef, BBQ sauce, Ketchup, Mustard, Ribs (Often times there are some really great rebates WYB beer or soda)
JULY
Air Conditioning units
Summer Sports Equipment & Craft Supplies (things for families to do together)
Beverages, Hot dogs, Ground Beef, BBQ sauce, Ketchup, Mustard, Ribs (Often times there are some really great rebates WYB beer or soda)
AUGUST
BBQ and Patio Equipment (Just in time for Labor Day!)
White Sale – Linens and Towels
Back to School Supplies – Sales may Start in Late July, Depending on when school starts in your part of the world)
Bathing Suits and the last remnants of summer clothes
Back to school clothes
Jackets and light coats for fall
Beverages, Hot dogs, Ground Beef, BBQ sauce, Ketchup, Mustard, Ribs (Often times there are some really great rebates WYB beer or soda)
Breakfast foods (cereal, oatmeal, juice, bars) Cereal sales will start this month and continue into September as school starts up.
Lunch box food- juice boxes, lunchables, snacks, chips, yogurt
SEPTEMBER
The traditional Back to School Sales will start. For most school, classes begin the Tuesday after Labor Day. This is a great time to stock up on snacks that are healthy and shelf stable. 100 calorie snack packs, fruit leathers, 100% juice boxes, bottled water, peanut butter. Watch the inserts for Lunchables coupons too- they will start going on sale!
Back to School Supplies (Office Depot, Staples, and Walgreen’s often have Freebies)
Canned Goods. Canned soup and spaghetti sauce also starts to go on sale in September.
Frozen Pizza
The last three months of the year are packed full of holidays. Now is the time to stock up on “holiday foods”- Stuffing, turkey, instant mashed potatoes, broth/stock, cranberries (you can freeze the real ones for up to 6 months!), marshmallows, pudding, gelatin, flour, sugar, French fried onions, cream of mushroom soup. These ingredients can be used in everyday foods, not just once a year. Stock up when they are cheap (OR free!) and you will eat well all year.
There are LOADS of rebates during the last three months of the year for “holiday” foods, especially food that is usually served when entertaining, like crackers and cheese.
OCTOBER
Home goods such as serving dishes, and glassware (to prepare you for the onslaught of entertaining you will be doing for the holidays)
Candy, nuts
Baking/candy-making items (choc chips, sprinkles, vanilla, corn syrup, nuts, etc)
Fall/Winter clothing
Fabric, Patterns, sewing machines (Halloween)
Coats/Jackets
NOVEMBER
Winter Clothing
Blankets and flannel sheets
Heating Devices (space heaters, in wall heating units)
Turkey, ham
Canned goods (soup, chicken broth, condensed milk, veggies etc)
Baking goods (flour, sugar)
Baking wear
DECEMBER
Toys –Coupons.com usually has coupons for Fischer Price Toys in December
Gift Items There will be a lot of TMF offers and rebates on personal care this time of year. Stock up and fill your stockings and keep your wallet full.
Post-Holiday Sales I like to stock up on plain colored paper goods after each holiday and stockpile them to use throughout the year for parties and events. No one will know the red napkins are from Valentine’s Day, not from Christmas. Light Blue gift paper from Chanukah will wrap a present for a baby shower gift just the same.
Party Foods, Baking Goods, and Various Meat There will be a lot of rebates, keep your eyes open!
Canned goods (broth, soups, etc)
Prime Rib, Turkey, Ham
Year-round after a holiday, you can always pick up cheap cookie dough. Cookie dough freezes really well for about two month. You can also find plain colored paper goods, including plain colored wrapping paper and tissue paper after each holiday in the clearance section.
Right now, most 99 Cents Only locations have Dole Fruit & Oatmeal for 99 Cents a 2 pack.
A Facebook fan told me these retail for $2.00 a pack at the mainstream grocery store- that’s nuts!
Here is a way you can score these little beauties for free- and make .50 on each package!
There is a Snap By Groupon rebate for $1.50 back! Which means you pay $.99, submit for the $1.50 Snap Rebate and it’s a .50 Money maker (and there is no limit as to how many you can purchase and receive the rebate on).
Not a SNAP by Groupon member, You can sign up here! SNAP by Groupon is an app for your enabled device that gives you cash back when you buy specific items (at any store!)- items change about once a month, and there is always in interesting mix of items, including fresh fruits and veggies! You can cash out once you reach $20 in savings!
I tried one of these oatmeal cups this morning, and it was pretty good (but a little sweet). They’d be great to stash in your desk at work, or to donate to a food bank or shelter. Deals like this are just one way that you can help others and maintain your food budget!
Lil’ Man and I love to cook together. Recently I was fortunate enough to receive a Danish Dough Hook from the nice folks over at Kitchen Simple and Tomoson. Since it’s been pretty warm recently, we decided to skip making a complicated recipe that would have us in the kitchen for a long time. We opted to make beer bread!
Beer bread is an amazing, easy to make, versatile food. It can be made to go with any meal, or it can be a meal itself! For this batch, we used Butterscotch Beer (it’s actually soda), butterscotch chips, and semi-sweet chocolate chips, in addition to the basic ingredients below.
It was a very sweet, light dessert bread. Lil’ Man ate 3 pieces before the bread cooled!
If you’ve never used a dough hook before, it’s a kitchen tool that’s great for mixing up bread, cookies, even batters! It has a long, sturdy handle, and a wire loop that helps incorporate the ingredients. It’s a great addition to any kitchen, whether you are an every day baker, or only bake during the holidays. If you’ve got a cook in your family, they make a great gift too!
The basic recipe is as follows:
Ingredients
Directions
You can add any one of the following before your mix it together:
½ cup of the any of the following (feel free to mix and match). If you want more “stuff” in your bread, feel free to add more than 1/2 cup:
Any of the following spices are delicious (add to your taste):
Cinnamon, nutmeg, apple pie spice, Pumpkin pie spice, Italian seasoning, Mural of Flavor, garlic powder, onion powder. Add the herbs/spices into the flour before you add the liquids.
If you want to make a sweet dessert bread, make a crumble to top the bread with prior to baking:
*For a different texture, try different varieties of soda (fruit or cream sodas are great), soda water, light beer, Guinness or other dark beer. Match the type of beer with the other added items. When using soda, add 2 teaspoons of yeast so you get the correct rise (beer contains yeast!). Feel free to use whatever beer or soda you have in your house! I don’t recommend using Root Beer- it makes the bread bitter. Don’t use diet soda! Baking with artificial sweeteners other than Splenda can make the bread bitter.
Yummy combos:
I want to thank the great people over at Kitchen Simple and Tomoson for the chance to review this product. I was not financially compensated to review these products, however I received a Danish Dough Hook for free to facilitate my review. I only recommend products and services that I feel may be a good fit for my readers.
One thing that I get asked a lot when I’m shopping (besides, “Where’d you get all those coupons!”) is, “What’s that’s little book?” The Answer: It’s my price book! It’s a little spiral bound notebook, like this one.
A price book is a list of the items you use and the prices they sell for in the stores in your area.
It is a perfect tool for tracking price per ounce, which will help you determine the best price. Prices in a price book should be listed by cost per unit so you can easily compare different size packages from different stores. Your price book is a great tool to help you determine if a sale is really a deal.
Your price book can be as complex or as easy as you want it to be. You can calculate price per unit, or just list the regular price of each item at each of the stores you visit in your area.
If you have an iPhone or other smartphone, there are several apps available for purchase that take the guess work out if it. If you are computer savvy, you can do a price book in Excel and print a copy when you go to shop. There are several available for download free on the Internet. Google search “Excel Price Book download”.
Your price book can be as simple or as complex and you want it to be. If you are new to the concept of prices books, you may wish to add as much detail as possible, to track your savings to the penny.
Basic information for every price book should include:
Name of store– This is helpful if you are trying to find the cheapest price for an item within a range of stores. Is deodorant really cheaper at the grocery store, Target or CVS in your area? Start price book and find out!
Because of my price book, I know the cheapest place to get bananas is 99 Cents Only: .49/lb all the time! We eat about 2-3 lbs of bananas per week. Most grocery stores charge .69-.79/lb for bananas. By buying the least expensive bananas each week I am saving approximately $30.00/year. That’s just on one item we shop for each week!
Additional info:
Listing sale information may assist you in tracking when sales occur, and plan your shopping trips throughout the year. Knowing when to stock up on specific items may save you a couple hundred dollars a year.
Your price book will help you determine if that 50-gallon drum of yogurt at Costco is a better deal than the 32-ounce tub from the supermarket. Not all bulk purchases are a better deal.
I have a sheet in my price book for each store that I shop at. One page is for food items, and the second is for HBA/toiletries. I tend not to buy toiletries at Costco, as they are generally NOT a good deal.
My grocery stores include: Albertsons, Costco (so I can determine what is a good deal), 99 Cents Only, Wal-Mart, and Target.
I update my price books once a quarter. When it’s time to update, I take a little extra time when I visit each store and just double check prices and sizes. Sometimes the size of the product changes too.
Here are some websites that talk about price books and give examples:
Hewes Family Fun 