2021 Summer Lunch Programs for Kids (And Other Free Food Resources in San Diego)

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I have been working on this post for weeks, making phone calls and researching. I wanted to get this post up as soon as I could. Unfortunately, there are still some areas that haven’t posted their plans for free summer meals for kids.

Santee School District will be providing summer drive-thru meal distribution from June 14 through July 30, Monday-Friday, from 10:00-10:30 am, at Pepper Drive and Rio Seco schools.  Extended school year (summer school) and students attending Project Safe will be provided with food.

San Diego Unified School District has partnered with San Diego Parks and Recreation to have food available at neighborhood schools and Recreation centers throughout the city of San Diego. The complete list of locations can be found here. Times vary by location.

Grossmont Union High School District will be providing lunch for kids 2-18 all summer. Kicking it off, they will be giving out meal boxes on Monday June 7 from 11:30 to 1:30 on a first come first serve basis in the same area where lunches are distributed.  Summer meal distribution starts on June 14th 11:30-1:30 Monday through Friday.

Other school districts may be offering free lunches this summer, but currently there isn’t much information available.

If you don’t find any facilities near you offering free lunches, I recommend contacting 211, they may have more updated information.

And the San Diego Food Bank is continuing their neighborhood distributions– Lots of produce and goodies are available each week. No proof of need or residency requirements.

There are all sorts of organizations looking to help families in need.

Even if you are not in dire need, if you need help stretching your budget, these resources are here for you!

Talk Back: How are you stretching your food budget this summer?

Free Food Resources for June 2021 (San Diego County)

A new month means that it’s time for the monthly update of free food resources in San Diego.

You can still find resources here for Central and East County, and Here for North County.

If you are located outside San Diego County, call 211. If you are not familiar with 211, here is their website and it can point you in the right direction.

Neighborhood Distributions for June 2021 can be found here. Enter your address (or just your zip code) and the map will show you all of the distributions in your area or closest to you. You can filter by the days of the week to find food when you are available.

These Distributions are primarily fruits & veg, however, some locations may also distribute canned goods, dairy, and bread.

Super Pantry Locations can be found here (this listing is countywide). The San Diego Foodbank website also has resources for Diaper banks, free food resources for seniors, and more.

I will be posting Free Summer Lunch information for kids 2-18 in the coming days.

If you know of other resources, please leave a comment! And feel free to share this post with anyone you may know in need.

June 2021-New Month, New Coupons!

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!

June is here! It’s National Candy Month, and it’s also time for Father’s Day (June 20th), and Graduation season (starting as early as June 5th in some places). There will be deals on men’s wear, technology for grads (like new laptops), and of course, summer stuff like swimwear, pool toys, and sunscreen! 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 $1.00 any ONE (1) EXTRA® Refreshers® Gum Bottle (40 ct.)
Save $1.00 on TWO (2) Borden Cheese products


Save $1.00 off Two (2) C&H® Sugar Products 2lbs. Or Larger

Cross Country Cafe: K-Cup® Coffee Free Ebook + $5.00 coupon!

I love Cross Country Cafe– They have awesome deals on k-cups, coffee, and supplies to make your morning cuppa Joe even better. Right now they have a cool offer: Free K-Cup® Coffee Ebook + $5.00 off coupon! In addition to their ebook, they also have a section on their website dedicated to coffee recipes- it’s a great resource, especially if you love coffee shop coffee, but you are trying to avoid the drive-thru!

10 Iced Coffee Recipes to Keep You Cool this Summe

And every month, Cross Country Cafe gives away four boxes of K-cups. To enter or learn more, visit their giveaway page here.

She Speaks Knudsen Cottage Cheese Doubles Deal is back AGAIN!

I posted about this deal before and I know a lot of you took advantage of it, and it’s BAAACK!

For every ten Knudsen Cottage Doubles you buy between today and next Tuesday, June 1, She Speaks will give you $25 (up to $100 dollars)! Just send them your receipts by Wednesday, June 2.

It’s bonus money on top of bonus money!

Aren’t you heading to Walmart to buy Memorial Day supplies this week? Just pick up  Knudsen Cottage Doubles (in whatever flavors you choose) while you are there.

How the Program Works:

  1. Shop for it: Head to one of the Walmart stores on this list and buy  Knudsen Cottage Doubles. Purchase 10 Knudsen Cottage Doubles to receive $25 reimbursement (cost is approx. $10 total)
    Purchase 20 to receive $50
    Purchase 30 to receive $75
    Purchase 40 to receive $100
  2. NEW! Email or Upload Your Walmart Receipts: You can now email a photo of your full Walmart receipts to info@shespeaks.com.Or upload the photo HERE. Make sure to send it by Wednesday, June 2 to receive your bonus money. SheSpeaks will reimburse you within two weeks via PayPal or a Walmart e-gift card (your choice).
  3. Enjoy the products you purchased!

For more information, including FAQ and specific product details, visit the program toolkit here.

5/28/2021 Friday Freebies and Deals!

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Hey Gang! I hope everyone had a great week. I’m moving a little slow this morning. We did Legoland yesterday to cover the opening of The Lego Movie World, and I clocked in about 16k steps wearing a heavy backpack full of snacks. Then we came home and the kids wanted to swim. It’s been 18 months since we hit Legoland, and I’m feeling it today.

I’ll be posting summer reading programs, free summer lunch programs, and more fun free stuff to keep the kiddos entertained in the next week or so, as info becomes available.

If you are looking for birthday freebies, fret not! I put together a list new for 2021- Check it out here.

Most of these freebies and deals are online. I am not encouraging anyone to go into stores or go out into public. Mask up, wash your paws, stay socially distanced, get vaccinated when it’s your turn!

Freebies:

Free Dart Ball Blaster Toy
Free Suave Pink Walmart Chatterbox Kit
Free Sample of La Roche P Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer UV
Free Perricone MD Growth Factor Firming & Lifting Eye Serum
Free Sample of Coach for Men Cologne
Free Clinique Even Better Clinical Serum Foundation Sample
Free Depend Sample Kits for Men & Women
Free V8+ Energy Sparkling Drink
Free Sesame Street Fire Safety Color & Learn Activity Book
Free Shaving Cream + $75 eGift Card
Free Babybel Plus+ Probiotic Dairy Snacks Package
Free New Bright & Adventure Force RC Toys
Free Sample of Estee Lauder Beautiful Magnolia Perfume
Free Sample of L’Oreal Revitalift Glycolic Acid Serum
Free Subscription to Car and Driver Magazine
Free Back to the Roots Organic Potting Mix
Free Sample of Giorgio Armani GIO Cologne
Free Sample of MiN New York Stardust Fragrance
Free Hope Postcard
Free Organicville Pantry Staples
Free SOS Breakup Box – Porkless Rinds, Stickers & More

Deals:

Michael Kors Leather Billfold Wallet ONLY $32 (Reg $118)
Rainbow Print Shorts 2-Pack ONLY $7.99 (Reg $20)
Steve Madden Jackets ONLY $8.99 with Extra 10% Off
Up to 50% Off Toys + Extra 10% Off at Checkout
FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer ONLY $45.99 (Reg $76)
Hanes Women & Men Apparel ONLY $5.99 Today Only
Walgreens Custom Photo Poster $1.99 with Coupon (Reg. $11)
Dash AirCrisp 6-Quart Air Fryer ONLY $49.99 (Reg $104)
Savage x Fenty Women’s Underwear & Lingerie 65% Off
LeapFrog Blue’s Clues & You Blue Learning Watch $5.34 (Reg. $11)
Vera Bradley 70% Off Sale
WikkiStix Traveler Playset ONLY $13.00 (Reg. $20)
Limited Edition NBA Box and FREE NBA Team Jersey with BarkBox
FREE Dog Yacht Float with Your First BarkBox
Burberry Touch Men’s Cologne ONLY $31.99 (reg $75) Father’s Day
Harry Potter Dobby 1000 Piece Puzzle ONLY $8.46 (Reg. $15)

Fetch Rewards: Mix and Match Grocery Rewards (Unilever)

Boost your points with these popular brands!

Are you ready for another round of Mix & Match? Now through 6/19, spend $15 on a wide range of popular Unilever brands and get 5,000 points*. Redeem this Special Offer up to four times for a total of 20,000 points.

 

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! I’m stoked about this deal because Grocery Outlet is included.

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.

 

5/21/2021 Friday Freebies and Deals

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This week has FLOWN by. Fridge is fixed (if you read posts earlier this week, the freezer stopped working and we lost alllll of the food in the freezer. Yeah again).

If you are looking for birthday freebies, fret not! I put together a list new for 2021- Check it out here.

Most of these freebies and deals are online. I am not encouraging anyone to go into stores or go out into public. Mask up, wash your paws, stay socially distanced, get vaccinated when it’s your turn!

Freebies:
Join Sam’s Club for $45 and get $45 in Savings!
Free Olga Lorencin Red Carpet Facial in a Box Mini Sample
Free Comic Book Day
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free OLIPOP Sparkling Tonic
Free Fast and Furious Movie Tickets
Free Care Packages for Students
Free Tabasco Sauce Sample at Sam’s
500 Free Tickets at Chuck E Cheese
Free Sanitizing Spray
Free Gone Rogue Chips
2 Free Pints of Nightfood Ice Cream
Free Subscription to Conde Nast Traveler Magazine
Free Genexa Flu Fix
Free Aloe Up SPF 30 Sunscreen Samples
Free Genexa Senna Laxative
Free Ice Cream at Baskin Robbins
Diamond Pet Food Class Action Settlement
FREE Amazon Baby Box Samples Back in Stock
Free Higher Education No Brainer Cleanser & Lip Balm
Free Magnetic Eyelashe Kit, Mascara, Tweezer & Mirror
JCPenney Portraits – Free 8×10 for Military Families
Free Sample of Valentino Born in Roma Men or Women’s Fragrances
Free Genexa Kids’ Cold Crush
Free Subscription to Outside Magazine

Deals:
$1 Summer Movies are back!
WowWee Ploosh Kissimal Interactive Plush ONLY $5.62 (Reg. $13)
FREE Lorax Toy with Your First BarkBox
Coach Apple Graphic Camp T-Shirt ONLY $23.75 (Reg. $95)
MUK LUKS Beach Blanket Platform Sandals ONLY $24.99 (Reg. $55) 
Fuel Backpacks ONLY $9.99 (Reg $40)
Levi’s Mid-Length Cuffed Jean Shorts ONLY $25.49 (Reg $45)
Sonoma Goods For Life Men’s Supersoft Tee ONLY $6.99 (Reg $15)
MUK LUKS Groove Artist Platform Sandal ONLY $24.99 (Reg. $60)
LOL Surprise OMG Styling Head ONLY $17.49 (Reg. $31)
Little Tikes Rescue Tales Easter Pup ONLY $7.49 (Reg. $15)
Miracle-Gro Garden Soil On Sale for $2.50 at Home Depot
The Big One Reversible Comforter ONLY $25.49 ($100)
Pampers Splashers Swim Diapers ONLY $5.52 Shipped

5/17/2021 Weekly Meal Plan

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgYOU GUYS! Our Fridge DIED again last night. Less than 10 hours after I went to the grocery store and bought food for the week, including the ice cream, popsicles, ice cream sammiches. UGH.

As a result, we lost most of the food in the fridge, AGAIN. The fridge is ROOM TEMP inside (blergh). So the meal plan for the week is up in the air at this point.

Thankfully the extended warranty comes with a clause where we can file a claim to be reimbursed for the groceries.. So fingers crossed? I filed a claim for the last time this happened. And after the repair person comes today, I’ll file a claim for all the food we lost this time.

I’m not sure if any of you have noticed, but the price of food has gone up lately. It’s due to several factors:

Gas shortages and the price of gas has increased. That means the price of food has gone up to cover the increase. WHY? Food is shipped on trucks across the country.

Some countries have seen an uptick in Covid-19 cases, and as a result food from those countries is in short supply. The law of supply and demand is real!

The one thing that makes my day today is that the CSA box comes this afternoon. I’m looking forward to strawberries and CORN! The CSA emails us in advance to give us a heads up as to what may be in our boxes each week, and that really gives me an upper hand when it comes to meal planning for the week.

Veggies and fruit are delivered each Monday 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. I spend about an hour on Monday afternoon cleaning and prepping veggies for the rest of the 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.  The kids are nuts about pancakes. The Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

Lunch: Kids take lunch to school. I eat leftovers. Everyone rejoices.

Dinner: 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.

Because I have no freaking clue WTF is going on with the fridge and the food sitch, the menu for this week is mostly up in the air. Thankfully we have a pantry full of canned goods and shelf stable food that I can use to feed the fam while we wait.

  • Sunday:  Southwestern Chicken Stew (recipe coming this week)
  • Monday:   
  • Tuesday:   
  • Wednesday:
  • Thursday:
  • Friday:  Pizza/Takeout Night
  • Saturday:  

Please stay safe you guys!

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

Cents Of Style Fashion Friday- 5/13/21- Tees & Tanks Collection BOGO FREE Starting $5

Favorite Tops** This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Cents of Style has a great stock-up sale this week!  They are having an incredible sale on tee shirts and tank tops. There is a variety of styles, colors, and sizing available from S-3XL. Believe me when I say this deal is TOO GOOD to miss!! This whole collection is BOGO FREE with the code SUNSHINE which makes this collection start at ONLY $5!!

The Deets:

Deal: Tanks & Tees BOGO
Coupon Code: SUNSHINE and remember FREE shipping over $35.00.
Active: NOW until 5/18/21 at midnight.