8/1/2021 Weekly Meal Plan

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgWOO- 17 more days until school starts! Not that I’m counting, but the big kid yesterday was lamenting that it was *still* summer vacation and that we wanted to go back to school.

For the most part, summer lunch distribution is over, and we’re using up coupons and other freebies to stretch our end-of-summer frivolity.

There are a few events that we are going to this week, including this one.

I went to the grocery store on Friday and stocked up on snacks, and we also did a big Costco Trip to stock up on some staples that we were running low on (and a rotisserie chicken, because, YUM).

And I’ve been getting a lot of really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

We are skipping our CSA box this week, we’ve still got a lot left from last week.

Veggies and fruit are delivered 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.

I meal prepped over the weekend and got lots of veggies roasted, rice for lunches, and the rotisserie chicken broken down. I may be making some soup this week too.

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 have made my own and you can find them for sale here on my Etsy Store.

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: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The kids are digging leftovers from dinner, or quesadillas.

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.

  • Sunday: Chef Salad (lettuce, spinach, bacon, hardboiled eggs, carrots, corn, leftover roasted veggies)
  • Monday: Chicken Arabiatta, chopped salad, garlic bread
  • Tuesday:  Breakfast for dinner (Pancakes, eggs, fruit)
  • Wednesday:  Nugget night: Nuggets, crackers, cheese, fruit
  • Thursday: Impossible Burger taco salad
  • Friday:  Takeout Night
  • Saturday: Leftovers, fruit

Please stay safe you guys!

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

Free Food Resources for August 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.

San Diego Food Bank Distributions for August 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. If there is an income requirement/limit to participate, each location/listing will say such.

Neighbor distributions are intermixed with the San Diego Food Bank Distributions, however, they have no income requirements, and you come as you are. 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.

Here is my 2021 Free Summer Lunch for kids post. It’s got all sorts of great info on where and when to pick up free lunches for kids all summer long. Most kids start school within the next few weeks, so these distributions are coming to an end.  However, kids will be able to get free lunches at school throughout 2021/2022 school year without having to apply or reside in a low-income home.

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

August 2021: New Month, New Coupons!

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

The printable coupon market is slowly coming to an end. Smartsource no longer offers printable coupons, and you may notice that there are fewer coupon inserts in your Sunday newspaper. This is in favor of more offers available on apps. But if you love printable coupons….

  • Coupons.com (printable coupons, e-coupons, and a cashback app)

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!

August is back to school time! Deals on School supplies, lunch food, kids clothes, and electronics. Ibotta has a great cashback deal right now on school supplies and lunch food, check my post here. 

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 on ONE (1) DANIMALS® 6pk Smoothies
Save $2.25 on ONE (1) Chameleon Whole Bean Coffee, Ground Coffee, or Cold Brew Concentrates – Shelf stable packs
Save $1.00 on ONE (1) Undercover Snacks 2 oz pack of Quinoa Crisps
Save $1.00 on ANY TWO (2) Clorox® Cleaning or Laundry Products (*excludes $1, trial size and travel size).
Save $1.50 on Any ONE (1) Finish® Quantum® 22ct+, Finish® Max-In-1® 24ct+, Finish® Deep Clean 38ct+ Dishwasher Detergent, Finish® JET-DRY®
Save $2.00 on ANY ONE (1) MAUI MOISTURE® Shampoo or Conditioner (excludes all Travel & Trial Sizes)
Save $1.00 on ANY ONE (1) Garnier® Fructis® shampoo, conditioner, treatment or styling product. (exclusions apply)

Free School Lunches for ALL California Students 2021-2022 School Year!

I read about this last week, got busy, and forgot to share this!

The state of California is joining cities like Chicago and Boston in offering free school lunches and breakfasts to students.  Previously students families had to meet certain income requirements to qualify for discounted or free school meals.

I’m so glad that this is now available to everyone. There are a lot of people who didn’t qualify but are facing food insecurity.

For more information, The NPR acrticle here has some deets. Be on the look out for information coming from your school district in your email or as a flyer in your kids backpack the few day of school.

Santee School District sent out an email earlier this week.

 

Fetch Rewards: Earn 4000 Points this weekend when you refer friends!

Friends and points together? How refreshing!

 

Now through 8/6, earn 4,000 points when your friends use your code to sign up for Fetch. Even better? They’ll get 2,000 points of their own. Head to the app to start spreading the word!

Big Points in 3 easy steps. Step one: share your referral code with friends. Step two: friends enter your code and snap a receipt. Step three: points are deposited into your account.

 

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. I’ve earned over $175 in rewards in 2021 alone, just by purchasing my regular groceries and scanning in all of my receipts (grocery, mass merchandiser, gas receipts, restaurants, you name it).

 

Dream Dinners: Now Booking In-Store Events!

This is some pretty cool news! Dream Dinners is launching its new Meal Prep Workshop program in August!
This is an exciting new twist on their in-store party and it’s a great opportunity for you to introduce your friends to Dream Dinners and earn fun rewards!
Here’s how it works:
As the host, you attend the workshop for free! This includes three pre-prepped medium-size meals, our grill marinade trio, and a private, in-store event with your friends. You also have the opportunity to earn up to $75 in host rewards! You can bring wine, Dream Dinners will make appetizers and you can enjoy your evening!

Your friends pay $50 to attend and learn about Dream Dinners. They’ll each receive three pre-prepped medium-size meals (Each meal feeds 2-3 people) and assemble a seasonal grill marinade trio, plus they’ll enjoy delicious samples of our food. We also have some exciting perks for them if they place an order at the workshop!

That’s $50 for three meals and 3 marinades!
One of the best parts of the new Meal Prep Workshops is that you and your friends get to share an experience with our exclusive seasonal workshop! Our theme for August Workshops is Summer Grilling and we’ll be making a grill marinade trio that Chef Laura created just for these events.

This is a great chance for you to get out of the house and have a fun night out with friends!
Space is limited, so if you are interested, contact your local Dream Dinners for more information and to book your Meal Prep Workshop.

Here in East County, it’s the La Mesa location.  Call or Text (619) 460-6800 or email: lamesaca@dreamdinners.com

If you are located in East County and want to join a Meal Prep Workshop, I’ll be planning one in the coming weeks. Drop me a comment or PM via Facebook or Instagram and I’ll get you an invite once I get the event set up.

Tryazon: Aerodynamic Football Party Opportunity

We’ve been participating in Tryazon events for three+ years. We’ve gotten to try all sorts of fun toys, games, and food.  You can learn more about Tryazon here.

Throw like a Pro with this Tryazon Featured Party opportunity, from Spin Master,  featuring the Aerobie Sonic Fin High Performance Football. Officially endorsed by Russell Wilson, the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, this aerodynamic football puts the power of a pro in your hands. Compete against your friends to see how far you can make the football go with the #sonicfinchallenge!

Tryazon has 250 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a party pack with this brand new football and another Aerobie product to share with friends and family! Learn more and apply here: https://www.tryazon.com/aerobie-football-air-it-out-party/

7/30/2021 Friday Freebies and Deals!

Hey Gang! It’s Friday and that means it’s time for some freebies and deals.

This week has been busy, and you’ve probably noticed that I haven’t been posting much. We had family in town, and the kids and I have been out having adventures with friends. We went to the zoo yesterday! Back to school is right around the corner, and I’ve got some great posts with deals and info coming up.

As usual, let’s start this off with some ways to keep the kiddos fed and entertained this summer:

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 know y’all are vaxxed and ready to party, but I’m trying to keep you safe. Keep up the social distancing with strangers, wash and sanitize your hands, and cover your mouth and nose if you are going to be around strangers. The kids and I still mask up when we go out, and I’ve got hand sanitizer at the ready.

Freebies:

Free Sacred CBD Pain Balm Sample
Free Sample of Rituals Sakura Body Cream
3 Free CBD Tincture or Cream Samples
Free Prevent Motorcycle Theft Engraved VIN Sheatticker Sheet
FREE Chipotle Guacamole Saturday 7/31
Free Raising Cane’s Box Combo
Free Mtn Dew Frost Bite at Walmart
Free AC Pro Can Koozie
Free Slurpee at 7-Eleven in July
Free OHi Superfood Bar
Free Far Out Toys Products
Free Hand Held Vacuum
Free Sample of Gold Digger’s Delight Paydirt
Free Dr. Praeger’s Cauliflower Burgers
Free Pulled Pork Classic Sandwich at Dickey’s
Free L’Oreal True Match Nude Hyaluronic Tinted Serum Sample
Free CannazALL CBD Gummies Sample
Free Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Matrix
Free Crunchwrap Supreme at Taco Bell
Free Chanel Hydra Beauty Micro Serum Sample
Free Force Factor LeanFire Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies
Free Happiness Digest by Ellen White Book
Possible Free Hasbro Toys
Possible Free Mattel Toys
6 Months of Disney+ for Free ($47.94 Value)
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday

Deals:

Hanes Seamless Sports Bra ONLY $7.99 (Reg $23)
Corningware 10-Piece Bakeware Set ONLY $39.99 (Reg $80)
MAC Award-Winning Lip Set ONLY $35 Shipped ($55 Value)
Camel Plush-Lined Fold Over Boot ONLY $14.99 (Reg $42)
LOL Surprise OMG Remix ONLY $18.44 (Reg. $50)
Makeup Brush Set 16-Piece ONLY $7.64 (Reg. $16)
Eureka MaxSwivel Vacuum ONLY $44.99 Shipped (Reg $79)
Galanz 1.5-Pound Bread Maker ONLY $34.99 (Reg $80)
Jumbo Tennis Ball ONLY $12.99 Shipped (Reg $25)
Kids Sherpa Zip Hoodie ONLY $4.80 at Kohl’s (Reg $40)
Cuisinart 10-Pc Animal Print Cutlery Set ONLY $19.99 (Reg $40)
Traveler’s Club Kid’s 5-Piece Luggage Set ONLY $69.99 (Reg $160)
Fleece Toggle Jackets ONLY $16.99 + Free Shipping Offer
Kate Spade Leila Medium Flap Shoulder Bag ONLY $99 (Reg $379
Disney Princess Holiday Cinderella ONLY $15.99 (Reg. $40)
MUK LUKS Women’s About Us Sandals ONLY $19.99 (Reg. $40)
Old Navy Women’s Tanks ONLY $3 (Reg $6)

Upcoming Alcoholic Beverage Project Pays $125

AO Opinions is another Market Research company that I get information from. Right now they are recruiting for an upcoming research study on the subject of Alcoholic Beverages.

To be considered for this study, complete the pre-screener here.

Compensation: $125 (if chosen)

Open to: 21-55 year olds

Dates: Thursday August 5th & Friday August 6th 2021 (1-hr/day) – participate twice daily and complete the topics

Q-insights Political Study- It Pays $140

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Q-insights is another company that I do research groups, focus groups, and online surveys to earn extra money.

They have a lot of stuff in South Orange County, and less often San Diego County. These days they are doing most of their studies online via chat or online surveys.

Right now Q-Insights is currently recruiting for an online study on the topic of Politics.

The study will run on August 3rd and you will be compensated $140 as a thank you for your time.

If you are interested in participating please fill out the survey here. If you pre-qualify Q-Insights will call you to ask some additional qualifying questions.