food

12/14/2020 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI went to the grocery store over the weekend and picked up some much-needed essentials (bagels, fruit, and vegetables chief among them).

I’m trying hard to stick to our budget of $100/week for groceries and prepare dinners that are filling and hearty. We’re looking at some cold night time temps this coming week, so soup is on the menu twice this week! I made potato cheese soup and broccoli and cheese soup on Sunday, and The batches are separated and being stored in the freezer for later this week and beyond. I’ll be posting the broccoli cheese soup recipe this week.

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. If you are looking for a kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

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.  I also keep sandwich Ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular. recently the Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

Kids are back to school and that means that school-provided lunches are coming home again. Neither kid loves them, but there are things that each kid eats from them, so I try to include those in their daily lunches. The Littlest kiddo has lunch at home, the big kid takes his lunch to school.

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday:   Soup, Salad, & Rolls
  • Monday: Veggie Burgers, Veggie Fries, fruit
  • Tuesday: Quesadillas and & salad
  • Wednesday: Avocado Toast (with everything but the bagel seasoning- sooo good), poached eggs, orange slices
  • Thursday: Soup, Salad, and garlic bread
  • Friday:  Pizza Night
  • Saturday: Leftover Shenanigans

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

San Diego, CA Area Residents: FREE Produce and Perishable Groceries-12/11/2020

Abby H.

Our friends over at Faith Chapel understand that with all that’s going on in the world that some of us still need help finding healthy food during this difficult time. And that’s it not always safe for us to go to the store or hit up a farmers market.

Distribution is happening this Friday, December 11, 2020, beginning at 10:00am.

This is a drive-thru style event, so you don’t have to leave your vehicles. There is no paperwork, no questions asked. Show up, pop your trunk, and fresh food is loaded for you, and you are on your way!

Here is a picture of what was available in previous weeks! Sometimes you get produce, sometimes is eggs, milk, and other dairy products and meat- it changes weekly!

Faith Chapel is located at 9400 Campo Road Spring Valley, CA 91977

12/6/2020 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI went to the grocery store on Friday while the kids were in school. I picked up some essentials and dug through the cupboard once I was home and discovered that I hadn’t updated the cupboard inventory after my last trip.

I’m trying hard to stick to our budget of $100/week for groceries and prepare dinners that are filling and hearty. We’re looking at some cold night time temps this coming week, so soup is on the menu twice this week!

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 the 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. If you are looking for a kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

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.  I also keep sandwich Ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular. recently the Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

Kids are back to school and that means that school provided lunches are coming home again. Neither kid loves them, but there are things that each kid eats from them, so I try to include those in their daily lunches. Littlest kiddo has lunch at home, the big kid takes his lunch to school.

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday:  Leftovers (this week we had leftover Chinese and pizza)
  • Monday: Soup, Salad, Garlic Bread, and Fruit
  • Tuesday: Nuggets, Salad, and Fruit
  • Wednesday: Veggie Soup, garlic bread, and fruit
  • Thursday: Breakfast for dinner (probably waffles and fruit, maybe eggs too)
  • Friday:  Pizza Night
  • Saturday: Leftover Shenanigans

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

12/4/2020 Friday Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.
bright boxes

It’s Friday again! Time to score some freebies, pick up a few deals online, and stay home (or if you have to leave home, wear a mask and wash your paws).

Most of California is going into lockdown (AGAIN), so I’ll only be posting deals that can allow you to socially distance.

Freebies:

Free Chobani Coconut Yogurt for Kroger & Affiliates
Free Dental Assessment Kit
Free 3-Pack of Hallmark Greeting Cards
Free Ritual of Namaste Cream & Serum Sample
Free Subscription to Allure Magazine
Possible Free $150 Research Study
Free Coffee Wednesdays at Dunkin
Free Samples of Smell of God Perfume
Free Subscription to Wine Spectator Magazine
Free Breakfast Baconator at Wendy’s
Coca-Cola Insiders Club – Limited Enrollment for Freebies 12/8
Youtube Premium Free for 3 Months
5 Free 4×6 Photo Prints From Walgreens
Free Bone Broth Soup

Deals:

Merry Christmas Cards For Kids 28-Count ONLY $2.98 (Reg. $12)
Altavida 12-lb. Weighted Blanket ONLY $31.99 (Reg. $80)
L.O.L. Surprise S1 Ultimate Collection ONLY $49.99 (Reg. $100)
WowWee Pixie Belles ONLY $4.99 (Reg. $15)
MUK LUKS Women’s Bardot Slide Slippers ONLY $14.99 (Reg. $32)
Dreamworks Dragons Hatching Toothless ONLY $19.97 (Reg. $60)
Cooking Class: 57 Fun Recipes Kids Will Love to Make ONLY $8.69
FREE 2 Months of Kindle Unlimited Reading (Save $19.98)
Shrek 4-Movie Collection ONLY $14.99 on Amazon (Reg. $30)
Trolls & Trolls World Tour 2-Movie Collection $14.99 (Reg. $45)
Bed Head One-Step Hair Dryer And Volumizer ONLY $26.39 (Reg $60)
Sneezy the Snowman Paperback ONLY $4.79 (Reg. $10)
Amazon Smart Plug ONLY $0.99 (Reg. $25) for Select Users
Bella 5Qt Slow Cooker with Dipper ONLY $17.99 (Reg $40)
Vintage Faux Turquoise Jewelry 3-Piece Set ONLY $2.99 Shipped
Clinique 2-Pc. Merry Moisture Gift Set ONLY $8.07 ($31 Value)
Save $10 on $40 of Select Household Items on Amazon
Cuisinart 22-Piece Aluminum Kitchen Set ONLY $69.99 (Reg $200)
KidKraft Wooden Kitchen Play Set ONLY $99 at Walmart (Reg $190)
Morphe Whoa La La Lip & Eye Set + Bag ONLY $15 ($37 Value)

If you find an amazing deal or freebie, please share it in the comments below.

Exclusive Avocados from Mexico- Recipes, Savings and More!

Abby H.

Growing up in California, everyone knew someone who grew avocados. Creamy, rich, delicious… Avocados are one of my favorite toppings for toast, salads, omelets, enchiladas.

Avocados from Mexico wants everyone to enjoy this amazing veggie! More than just a yummy ingredient in guacamole, check out these important ‘Cado facts:

 

  • Avocados From Mexico contain good fats and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals making them part of a balanced lifestyle.
  • When you eat a meal with avocado, the fruit acts as a nutrient booster to help your body absorb the fat-soluble nutrients found in the other foods.
  • Avocados are a good source of fiber, which slows down digestion helping to leave you satisfied.
  • Fresh avocados are a heart-healthy fruit. They provide naturally good fats, are low in saturated fat, and are cholesterol, sugar and sodium free.
  • Eating dietary fat helps the body absorb vitamins A, D, E and K. Avocados contain mainly naturally good fats with 5g of monounsaturated fats per serving (1/3 of a medium avocado).

Now that you know all of that, aren’t you longing for creamy avocados from Mexico? Join new Avocados from Mexico – The Avosauce newsletter and get your customized scoop on avocado recipes, health tips and much more.

December 2020: New Month, New Coupons!

Abby H.

file000786402730Here is your monthly reminder!  A new month means new printable and electronic coupons!

Check out the following sites:

One of my favorite websites is the Sunday Coupon Review.  It helps me plot out scenarios in advance and I can email friends to ask for coupons in advance. Remember if clipping coupons isn’t your thing, but saving money is, check out my list of Smartphone apps that can save you the big bucks! New offers are added on the Smartphone Savings Apps all the time!

December means it’s time for the winter “feasting” holidays (Hannukah, Christmas, and Yule- depending on your religion), so there will be lots of deals on traditional holiday foods. For a complete list of types of foods and items that will be on sale, check out this post on the cycle of sales.

Here are a few of my favorite new coupons:


Save $2.00 on any ONE (1) Incogmeato™ MorningStar Farms® Product
Save $0.50 on ONE (1) Clorox® Liquid Bleach Product, 77oz+. (Excludes trial sizes and pens.)


Save $1.00 On any Unbun product, limit one per visit
Save $1.00 on any ONE (1) package of Green Giant® Veggie Tots, Riced Veggies, Mashed Cauliflower, Roasted Veggies, Harvest Protein Bowls, or Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Save $1.00 on any ONE (1) package of Green Giant Veggie Spirals™
Save 35¢ On Any California Dairy Product That Carries The Real California Milk Seal

11/30/2020 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg

I went grocery shopping last night and it was a pretty light trip, just the usual goodies: Eggs, coffee, and of course: popsicles.

I rearranged the freezer over the weekend and cleaned out the fridge (oh hi 4-year-old salad dressing!), and discovered some ground beef hidden behind a stack of frozen veg. I’m trying hard to stick to our budget of $100/week for groceries.

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 the fridge done (I update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste. If you are looking for a kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

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.  I also keep sandwich Ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular. recently the Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

This week is Thanksgiving break- the kids are home all week. Since we are in the Purple Tier as far as the county’s Covid Cases, a lot of the fun things we usually do are off the table. We will probably skip the zoo this week, even though it is open. It’s a holiday week for most of the county’s school districts, and there will be a lot more people out and about. We’ll be doing outdoor stuff where we can socially distance ourselves from others. We’ll be having a lot of leftovers from Thursday onward. Lunches will probably be protein shakes, pasta and veggies, Peanut butter sandwiches, and beans and rice.

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday:  Tri-Tip & Spanish Rice
  • Monday: Salad, Garlic Bread, and Fruit
  • Tuesday: Nuggets, Salad, and Fruit
  • Wednesday: Burgers & Veggie Fries
  • Thursday: Chicken Chili on Baked Potatoes, and Salad
  • Friday:  Pizza Night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Shenanigans

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

11/22/2020 Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg

I did not go grocery shopping for this week over the weekend. The craziness of Thanksgiving shoppers and increased traffic to stores has made me back off a bit. I made a quick trip for bread on Friday night, but that’s it. The store was packed and everyone was too close for my comfort. I grabbed my bread and booked it.

This week focuses a lot on what we already have. I may run to the store to fill in some blanks. We are running low on eggs, coffee creamer, and salad fixings. If we could make it a whole week without a trip to the store, I’d be amazed!

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 the fridge done (I update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste. If you are looking for a kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

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.  I also keep sandwich Ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular. recently the Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

This week is Thanksgiving break- the kids are home all week. Since we are in the Purple Tier as far as the county’s Covid Cases, a lot of the fun things we usually do are off the table. We will probably skip the zoo this week, even though it is open. It’s a holiday week for most of the county’s school districts, and there will be a lot more people out and about. We’ll be doing outdoor stuff where we can socially distance ourselves from others. We’ll be having a lot of leftovers from Thursday onward. Lunches will probably be protein shakes, pasta and veggies, Peanut butter sandwiches, and beans and rice.

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday:  Veggie Soup & Garlic Toast
  • Monday: Baked Sweet Potatoes, Veggies, Grilled Cheese
  • Tuesday: Nuggets and Fruit
  • Wednesday: Mac n’ Cheese and Salad
  • Thursday: Thanksgiving dinner with my parents
  • Friday:  Pizza Night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Shenanigans

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

Mid-Month Coupon Round Up!

Abby H.

I was cruising my favorite coupon sites this morning and I found some great stuff.

The two sites I use the most for printable coupons are:

One of the things I am digging right now is that Fetch Rewards is giving 10,000 points ($10 in points basically) when you buy $30 in Unilever products from Grocery stores. What’s making that deal even better now is that you can use coupons when you buy these products. Here are some Unilever brand coupons:

Save $1.00 on any ONE (1) pint of Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy
Save $1.00 any ONE (1) FINISH® QUANTUM® 22ct+, FINISH® Max-In-1® 28ct+, or FINISH® Deep Clean 38ct+
Save $2.50 on any TWO (2) Dove Deodorant Products (excludes twin/multi packs and trial/travel)
Save $1.50 on any ONE (1) Dove Even Tone or Dove 0% Aluminum Deodorant (excludes twin/multi packs and trial/travel)
Save $1.50 on ONE (1) DM+C Deodorant Stick (Excludes Trial & Travel & TwinPacks)
Save $0.50 on any ONE (1) Degree Men® Original Protection Antiperspirant Deodorant product (excludes twin packs and trial and travel sizes)
Save $0.75 on any ONE (1) Degree Women® Motionsense® or UltraClear Antiperspirant Deodorant, Deodorant Wipes, Dry Spray Antiperspirant or
Save $1.00 on any ONE (1) Axe Stick product (excludes Twin packs and Trial & Travel sizes)
Save $1.50 on any ONE (1) Axe Body Spray product (excludes Twin packs and Trial & Travel sizes)
Save $2.50 on any TWO (2) Axe Body Sprays or Sticks products (excludes Twin packs and Trial & Travel sizes)
Save $1.00 on ONE (1) DM+C Deodorant or Antiperspirant Stick (Excludes Trial & Travel & TwinPacks)
Save $2.50 on any TWO (2) Dove, Dove Men+Care, Axe, Degree® or Degree Men® Dry Spray Antiperspirant products (excludes Trial & Travel

If that’s not your jam, here are a few of the coupons that grabbed my attention:


Save $1.00 on ONE (1) Nestle Pure Life Fruity Water 8-pack

Save $1.00 ONE (1) Montchevre® Goat Cheese Product

Save $2.25 on any FIVE (5) SMART ONES products

And don’t forget to check out my list of Smartphone apps that can save you the big bucks! These apps add new offers and deals daily!

A Practical Guide to Setting A Budget (Part Three)

Abby H.

The first two parts (Part One, Part Two) of this series talked about the essentials of how to budget. This third part is for those of you who are having a difficult time making the ends meet to get your needs met.

I’m talking about when cutting cable and going cash only for groceries isn’t enough. When you need help. When there isn’t much (or anything) to eat. When the power might be shut off. When there isn’t money to put gas in your car to get to work or job interviews.

This is the most important thing to remember: It is ok to ask for help. It is ok to seek out services and take advantage of programs. Do not worry about what others will think- This pandemic and all of the fallout that has happened has affected so many of us. So many hardworking families and individuals need a hand up right now. 

A lot of the services and programs listed below are specifically for San Diego County. If you live outside San Diego County, I recommend that you call 211 anywhere in the US. They can help you find resources- all judgment free!

So when I talk about needs being met, I mean:

  • Shelter (Rent/mortgage assistance/utilities)
  • Food (Healthy food for you/your family and pets)
  • Comfort (Clothing, healthcare, medication)

Shelter:

  • If you have a mortgage, contact your lender for a forbearance. You may have to provide them with proof that you are unable to pay.
  • If you are a renter in San Diego, here is the County Rental Assistance site.
  • If you require assistance with your utilities, SDG&E has many programs and assistance available.
  • For your water/sewer bills, you will need to contact them directly. There are so many water municipalities in San Diego County.

Food: Food insecurity is a cause near and dear to my heart, so I have all kinds of resources to share!

Many food banks give out pet food as well- don’t forget to mention your furry friends when you complete your intake paperwork (which is oftentimes to find out demographic information to obtain additional funding from the government or private grants). Some do not require any paperwork at all.

Comfort: Being housed and fed is important, in addition to this I’ve added the comfort category. This includes clean, well fitting clothes, access to health care, and prescription medicines.

  • There are many resources for no and low cost clothing (besides thrift stores, which have become increasingly higher in cost in the past year). Naomi’s Closet, Closet on 54th, Charity’s Closet at Sonrise Church, Sharia’s Closet are all San Diego resources. I’ve been told that some Salvation Army churches offer free clothing vouchers to be redeemed at their thrift shops. Don’t forget your local Buy Nothing Group too! So many of your local neighbors are cleaning out their clothes and purging while they are stuck at home, you’d be surprised what your neighbors are will to share with you.
  • If you are in need of healthcare, there are several options. Medicaid/Medi-cal may be available for some. If you have had a “life event” (job separation, birth of a child, death of a spouse, marriage, etc.) you can look for health insurance in your state’s Health Insurance Exchange. Here is a link to California’s Exchange. There are frequently lower rates or discounts for those with certain income limits.
  • If you or family members take prescription medicines, look into discount programs like Singlecare (which you can access via the Fetch Rewards App and earn cashback/points), or GoodRX. Some pharmacies have their own discount programs too. Make sure to ask the pharmacy staff. Another option is to ask your doctor for medication samples when you are visiting them. Many doctors have medication samples in their offices, and most doctors are willing to help you when you tell them you need assistance with medication costs.