food

11/16/2020 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI wrote up the meal plan for this week last night and posted it on Instagram, but I was too pooped to sit down last night and write this post.

This weekend was busy (like all weekends):

  • Playmobil adventures
  • Lego Building
  • Barbie shenanigans
  • Drawing
  • Writing Practice
  • Shopping for new clothes because a little girl grew overnight

The past few weeks I’ve been cooking larger batches of recipes, and we’ve been relying a lot on them. This week will be a “refill” week for that. A big batch of meaty red sauce, a few batches of soup made directly to go in the freezer, and I’ll be making some mire poix bags up as well. I’ll be posting on Instagram for sure.

If you have kids between 2-18, check with your local school to see if they are offering free lunches and/or breakfasts. You can also check the USDA Website– but it might be a little out of date.

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 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 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.

Lunches will be whatever the kids want for the time being. The big kid has lunch at school, so it’s whatever he chooses from the lunch box in the cupboard, plus some fruit and juice or milk. Since the little girl is in the morning cohort at school, she has lunch at home. Buttered noodles, yogurt, apple slices, and a popsicle are her go-to lunch.

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/Fend for yo’ self
  • Monday:  Shakshuka, Salad, and Salad
  • Tuesday: Pasta with Meat Sauce, Salad, Garlic Bread
  • Wednesday: Veggie Nuggets, Fish Sticks, Veggie Fries, and Salad
  • Thursday: Breakfast (Most likely Pancakes, Eggs, and Fruit)
  • 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?

Earn Even More Fetch Rewards Points with The New Fetch Debit Rewards Card!

Abby H.

 

 

 

 

If you use Fetch Rewards, check your email for this offer. If you are new to Fetch Rewards, click here to learn more about this awesome cash app and how you can earn rewards, such as Amazon gift cards just by doing your regular shopping and scanning in your receipts.

Fetch Pay card features include:

  • Earn Fetch Points for every dollar you spend with your new Fetch Pay card.
  • Use your card anywhere Mastercard® is accepted, and at over 55,000 nationwide, surcharge-free ATMs in the Allpoint Network.
  • Receive up to 10,000 bonus points when you start using your card, plus 100 bonus points on each purchase made in the first 30 days.**

Directly from the email, “To give you the easiest and best card experience, we’ve partnered with One. They provide the expertise and customer support to power the banking side of Fetch Pay. Plus, you’ll have access to all of One’s other awesome banking features.***”

I signed up because I’m willing to a guinea pig for all of you. I transferred $50 into my account, and my debit card will be here in about a week. I plan to use the card a few times and see how the point awarding goes. I’ll report back once the thirty days are over.

I’ve been using Fetch Rewards for about 3 years and I consistently earn $20/month, just by doing our regular shopping. Now that Fetch Rewards accepts virtually all receipts, even tris to the gas station earn rewards!

The best part of Fetch Rewards is that it is not store specific, which is great. If you havent’ signed up yet, Use my code ND2TB when you sign up and you’ll score Bonus Points (amounts vary from 1500-4000, depending on the current promotion they are running).   

Fine Print:

  • *This card is issued by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard International.
  • **Up to 30 purchases
  • ***Banking Services provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC.

Vons and Albertsons Shoppers: Check Your Accounts!

Abby H.

If you shop at Vons or Albertsons, you may have a freebie or high-value coupon waiting for you! Log on to your Vons account (either on vons.com or the Vons app), click the Items You Buy tab, and check for something good.

What you’ll get varies, but I got a $5/$5+ offer! Woo hoo! If you don’t find anything, click the Just4U button, and search FREE in the search bar. I’ve been seeing reports online of free pizza, candy, bread, even butter!

Talk Back: Please let me know what freebie or high-value coupon you scored!

San Diego, CA Area Residents: FREE Produce and Perishable Groceries- 11/13/2020

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 every Friday in November, 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

11/10/2020 Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI’ve been trying to meal plan on Sundays, but this weekend got away from me. It was raining, so we spent a lot of time playing indoors: Playmobils, Legos, drawing and doing crafts. Not a lot of time to sit down at in front of the computer.

The past few weeks I’ve been cooking larger batches of recipes, so this week we’re pulling out a batch of Salsa chicken from the freezer. I found a batch of veggie red sauce in the freezer too. I’m hoping to put together some soups this week for lunches and stash some in the freezer. I love making soup- It’s easy and frugal. and sooo tasty.

If you have kids between 2-18, check with your local school to see if they are offering free lunches and/or breakfasts. You can also check the USDA Website– but it might be a little out of date.

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 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 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 (they love the Kodiak Cakes Mix).  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.

Lunches will be whatever the kids want for the time being. The big kid has lunch at school, so it’s whatever he chooses from the lunch box in the cupboard, plus some fruit and juice or milk. Since the little girl is in the morning cohort at school, she has lunch at home. Buttered noodles, yogurt, apple slices, and a popsicle are her go-to lunch.

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
  • Monday:  Soup, veggies/fruit, and garlic bread
  • Tuesday: Veggie Nuggets and Fruit (Big kid has OT in the late afternoon, so it’s always a quick dinner on Tuesday)
  • Wednesday:  Salsa Chicken, Rice, and steamed veggies
  • Thursday: Spaghetti with veggie red sauce, salad, and garlic bread
  • Friday:  Pizza Night!
  • Saturday: Leftovers

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?

2020 Veteran’s Day Freebies

Abby H.

a480c0f99b8b6578a86a997c14a14036.jpgWednesday is Veteran’s Day, and there are so many companies that want to show their appreciation for those who have served. Below are just a few, the complete list of over 100 freebies for Veteran’s Day can be seen here.

In addition to a free meal, There are many museums and amusement parks are offering free admission, including the USS Midway located in San Diego, CA. As a special thank you for your service to our nation, Active Duty Military and Veterans and up to two additional family members will receive free admission to the USS Midway Museum on November 11, 2020. For more information, click here.

National Parks are waiving their admission price on November 11, 2019 to everyone!

Flagship Cruises & Events – Veterans, active duty, retired, and reserve members of the military to enjoy a free ride on the Patriot Jet Boat or the narrated Harbor Tour. Military family members and friends can purchase 50% off tickets with an active-duty military member. This deal is valid for both Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day.

Grace For Vets – Free Car Wash

Great Clips – Free Haircut or Haircut Card

Target – 10% off Military Discount Nov 1-11th

 

New PinchMe Samples Drop tomorrow, 11/10/2020!

Abby H.

Sample Tuesday is Coming tomorrow, 11/10/2020- Mark your calendars, set an alarm on your phone!

Don’t have any idea what I am talking about? PinchMe! Join PINCHme and receive free samples that you can provide feedback on.

PinchMe is awesome! Once you are signed up, they will email you reminders when new samples are about to drop, and remind you when it’s time to leave feedback.

Answer a series of questions about your household and shopping habits in the Member Profile. PinchMe learns what you like and offer samples just for you.

Here are the companies participating in the October Sample boxes:

  • Mighty Patch
  • HelloFresh
  • BioTrue
  • SlimFast
  • Hartz
  • And More!

Once you’ve had a chance to try the samples, complete a short feedback survey to tell PinchMe what you think of the samples.

What are you waiting for? Sign up here and get on the free sample bandwagon! I’ve gotten all kinds of awesome sample/trial size items, as well as full-sized items to try out from PinchMe!

Free Thanksgiving Dinner from Ibotta!

Abby H.

Ibotta and Walmart has hooked up to offer you a free Thanksgiving dinner! Seriously! If you are new to Ibotta, it’s a cashback app that is super easy to use.

This deal is super easy to do:

  • Download the Ibotta app.
  • Download the Ibotta browser extension to your computer and log in to Ibotta to discover our newest, most convenient way to shop online.
  • Once you’ve logged in and linked your Walmart account, all nine free Thanksgiving offers will appear in your browser extension immediately (and in the Ibotta app within an hour).
  • Link your Walmart Pickup & Delivery account to shop online with the browser extension. Or, shop at Walmart in-store with the Ibotta app. Either way, you’ll get cash back!
  • After you shop, scan your receipt in the Ibotta app. Once your receipt is verified, the funds will appear in your Ibotta account. You can cash out for Paypal or gift cards- your choice.

So what are you getting for free?

  • FREE Butterball Turkey Breast Roast ($9.98) Offer valid for 100% cash back on all flavors of the 3 lb Butterball turkey roast, which includes a gravy packet. Also valid for $9.98 cash back on Butterball whole turkeys.
  • McCormick Gravy, 0.87 oz Pouch Offer valid for all 0.87 oz McCormick gravy packet flavors. $1.12 Cash Back.
  • Great Value Stuffing Mix, 6 oz Offer valid for all 6 oz Great Value Stuffing Mix flavors. .82 Cash Back.
  • Idahoan Mashed Potatoes, 8 oz Pouch Offer valid for all 8 oz Idahoan Mashed Potato flavors. $1.88 Cash Back
  • Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, 10.5 oz Can Offer valid on 10.5 oz can only .98 Cash Back
  • Great Value Cranberry Sauce, 14 oz Offer valid for all canned 14 oz Cranberry sauce varieties. .98 Cash Back
  • Great Value Green Beans, 12 oz Offer valid on Great Value Fine Green Beans, 12 oz frozen bag $1.34 Cash Back
  • French’s Crispy Fried Onions, 2.8 oz Offer valid on French’s Original Crispy Fried Onions, 2.8 oz. $1.92 Cash Back
  • Coca-Cola, 2 Liter Bottle Offer valid on 2 Liter bottles of Coca-Cola: Cherry Zero Sugar, Vanilla, Caffeine Free, Caffeine Free Zero Sugar, Original Taste & Zero Sugar. $1.25 Cash Back

This is a great opportunity to pick up a meal for free after cashback. And if some of these items aren’t food that you normally eat, food banks will be looking for donations for holiday meals.

You can download the Ibotta app here. When you use my referral code qmo4a, you will receive a bonus (the amount varies) after you redeem your first offer (like this sweet one).

If you’ve got questions, check out the FAQ about this deal here.

 

Faith Chapel Free Food Distribution UPDATE for November 2020

Abby H.1 Comment

Heads up friends! I received an email from Pastor Josiah over at Faith Chapel and there is NO food distribution this Friday, November 6th.

However, they are expecting to have distributions every Friday throughout the rest of the month of November, beginning November 13th & all of December.

The next food distribution at 10:00am on November 13th, 2020 at Faith Chapel. 

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

 

2020 Holiday Resources

Abby H.

2020 has been, quite frankly, a kick to the balls for so many of us. I’m posting holiday resources now, and I’ll be updating with as many other resources as I find them to help y’all out.

With all of the CDC recommended safety measures and well as local and state regulations to help limit the further spread of COVID-19, many of the programs that I have written about in past years have been changed or altogether eliminated.

If any of these programs look like a good fit for your family, I urge you to apply ASAP. There is a greater need for assistance this year, and many of these programs are spread thin.

The holidays are more than food and gifts, but no one should go hungry any time of year!

Here is my post with a list of food banks/pantries in San Diego. Many of the food pantries also have special holiday distributions, it is worth a call to find out if any additional food or gift distributions will be done.

A Facebook friend posted this link a few weeks ago, Operation Santa 2020 is a group I am not entirely familiar with, but it looks like they will be helping out some families this holiday season. Nominations for Operation Santa 2020 close on 11/6/2020 (that’s this Friday), and there are two requirements:

  • Operation Santa is only considering nominations for families with reliable contact information, whether it be email or phone number.
  • Nominated families must reside in San Diego County to be considered.

If you live in Santee and need help with food and gifts for the holiday, contact Santee Santas. You can download and print forms, check into eligibility (it is income-based and they are very strict from what I’ve been told), and see what forms you need in addition to the application here.

The dates for turning in completed applications starts this week (Tomorrow to be exact). You can find specific information here.

Screen Shot 2017-11-13 at 1.53.34 PM.pngToys 4 Joy has served San Diego County families for over 20 years. Because of COVID-19, they are unable to host their amazing events. One of their main sponsors is The Rock Church. I would recommend contacting The Rock Church to see if any of their locations will be hosting a toy or food giveaway for the holidays.

The Salvation Army also has programs to help families during the Christmas Season. You can find out more here.

Toys For Tots is also a resource for holiday gifts for kids.

211 San Diego also has a lot of great resources. If you are outside San Diego County, check 211 in your area!

If you know of any other holiday events or programs that can help those in need, please post links in the comments!

Talk Back: What is your favorite way to help others?