food

Celebrate National Baking Day!

Abby H.

I love baking- cookies, bread, even biscuits. To celebrate National Baking Day, here are a few of my favorite recipes:

Want cookies but don’t want to turn on the oven? Try these:

9/22/2024 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI’m back to posting Meal Plans. I took some time away to try and get back into the back-to-school/work swing of things.

I’m working on batch cooking to have soups/stews in the freezer. I made chicken noodle soup and chili from scratch this weekend. I split each batch into three: 1 for the fridge, one for the freezer, and one for my mom.

I add a lot of veggies to my soups and stews to increase the fiber content and help us get in our five a day.

Thanks to the great freebies from Social Nature and Aisle, we’ve been trying new foods lately. It’s fun to try new foods.

If you 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 good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same.

Breakfast: I’ve been really into protein coffee lately. It helps me hit my protein goals and keeps me full until lunch. I use premade protein shakes like these. The kids request bagels and fruit most mornings. The big kid is on a smoothie kick; his favorites are here. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. I have a post here about our lunches. School lunches are free for kids in California, but my kids usually bring lunch from home.

Dinner: I reorganized the freezer over the weekend and discovered some spaghetti sauce, and a few other things that were buried under frozen fruit. Because we’ve got a busy week ahead (doctor’s appointments after school/work), we’ll be utilizing a lot of batch-prepped foods.

  • Sunday:  Spaghetti with veggie/meat sauce, garlic bread
  • Monday: Chicken noodle soup or smoothies with avocado toast

  • Tuesday: Chili, tortilla chips, fruit

  • Wednesday: Chef Salad, garlic bread

  • Thursday: Breakfast for dinner- Probably Quiche

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

8/18/2024 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg4 days until school starts for us… Not that I’m counting.

I meal planned for the next two weeks last night as I was inventorying the kitchen. But to make it easier, I am only posting 1 week at a time

I’m trying hard to increase the kids’ fiber and protein intake. I can tell the difference when they are filling up on both- if nothing else, it helps them sleep better.

Thanks to the great freebies from Social Nature and Aisle, we’ve been trying new foods lately. It’s fun to try new foods.

If you 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 good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same.

Breakfast: I’ve been really into protein coffee lately. It helps me hit my protein goals and keeps me full until lunch. I use premade protein shakes like these. The kids request bagels and fruit most mornings. The big kid is on a smoothie kick; his favorites are here. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. We eat lunch at home most days, and I pack snacks and water for us when we are out having summer adventures. Now that we are focusing on BTS, I reorganized the snack totes (yes there are two) and set up for making school lunches. I take my lunch to work and meal prep lunches once a week.

Dinner: Now that I’m back to working full time, I’m leaning heavily into meal prepping. I’ve got all kinds of meals in the freezer, and hopefully, once the temperature drops- It’ll be soup time!!

  • Sunday:  Dream Dinner, Salad (Dream Dinner Deal here)
  • Monday: Beans, Rice, and Quesadillas, Salad

  • Tuesday: Pasta Bake, Green Beans, Garlic Bread

  • Wednesday: Mac n’ Cheese, Smoothies, chips (first day of school)

  • Thursday: Breakfast for dinner- Pancakes, smoothies, sausage

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

Dream Dinners: $15 Off Your Next Purchase!

Abby H.1 Comment

As you are all aware,  Dream Dinners is one of my favorite ways to save time and get tasty, healthy meals on the table in 45 minutes or less!

If you’ve never tried Dream Dinners, or if it’s been a while since you ordered, check out this awesome offer!

Use Coupon Code 15NEW24 at check out and save $15 off your next purchase, whether you pick it up in-store, or have it delivered, $15 off is a great deal.

If you aren’t familiar with Dream Dinners, check out my post with details and my review here.

 

Back to School Recipe Round Up: Casseroles and Hot Dishes!

Abby H.
Casseroles and Hot Dishes are a great way to add extra veggies to your family meals!

For some parents, the end of August and the beginning of September means Back to school time. With all of the moving parts, having an easy dinner that is tasty and comforting can be a welcome way to end the day.

Many casseroles and hot dishes can be prepped the night before and stored in the fridge until it’s time to cook them in the oven, and some can be made in a crockpot!

Here are just a few of my favorite casseroles and hot dishes:

8/11/2024 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg10 days until school starts for us… Not that I’m counting.

I grocery shopped on Thursday and picked up a lot of staples for smoothies and mac n’ cheese- The two current food hyper focuses.

I’m trying hard to get the kids to increase their fiber and protein intake. I can tell the difference when they are filling up on both- if nothing else, it helps them sleep better.

Thanks to the great freebies from Social Nature and Aisle, we’ve been trying new foods lately. It’s fun to try new foods.

If you 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 good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same.

Breakfast: I’ve been really into protein coffee lately. It helps me hit my protein goals and keeps me full until lunch. I use premade protein shakes like these and these. The kids request bagels and fruit most mornings. The big kid is on a smoothie kick; his favorites can be found here. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. We eat lunch at home most days, and I pack snacks and water for us when we are out having summer adventures.

Dinner: It’s so hot here in Southern California, that I’m trying hard not to turn on the oven. We’re enjoying a lot of ready-to-eat sides (chips and fruit), so that time in the kitchen is minimized.

  • Sunday:  Sweet and Spicy Pork, Basmati Rice, Roasted Green Beans (any leftovers will be meal-prepped for lunches for the remainder of the week)
  • Monday: Chicken Noodle Soup, Smoothies, garlic bread

  • Tuesday: Mac n’ Cheese, Smoothies, chips

  • Wednesday: Chicken Fajita Veggie Skillet, tortilla chips or cheese quesadillas (kids choice)

  • Thursday: Breakfast egg bake (sausage, eggs, hashbrowns, veggies)

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

8/5/2024 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThis week I’m starting the back to school prep. Littlest Kiddo’s Bestie is visiting for a few more days, and I’m trying to cram in as much summer fun as I can, while staying on budget.

Thanks to the great freebies from Social Nature and Aisle, we’ve been trying new foods lately. It’s fun to try new foods.

If you 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 good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same.

Breakfast: I’ve been really into protein coffee lately. It helps me hit my protein goals and keeps me full until lunch. I use premade protein shakes like these and these. The kids request bagels and fruit most mornings. The big kid is on a smoothie kick, and is favorites can be found here. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. We eat lunch at home most of the time over the summer. Sometimes we take advantage of the kid’s free summer lunches (info here).

Dinner: It’s so hot here in Southern California, that I’m trying hard not to turn on the oven. We’re enjoying a lot of ready-to-eat sides (chips and fruit), so that time in the kitchen is minimized.

  • Sunday:  Snack Trays and smoothies
  • Monday: Bean, Rice, and cheese burritos

  • Tuesday: Dream Dinner, fruit salad

  • Wednesday: Chef Salad and smoothies

  • Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner (eggs, hashbrowns, fruit, toast)

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

Need Help with Back to School Supplies?

Abby H.

The Larry Himmel Neighborhood Foundation is here to help!

For the past eight years, they have been hosting our annual Back-To-School Haircut Drive, where kids aged 18 and under can enjoy:
Free haircuts
Free school supplies
Free food
Tickets to local attractions throughout San Diego County

Event Details:
Date: Saturday, August 10
Time: 9am – 1pm (Last haircut starts at 12:30pm)
Location: Skyline Church (11330 Campo Rd, La Mesa, CA 91941)

For more information, check out their Facebook Page. 

SMOAC is hosting a FREE BACKPACK GIVEAWAY on 8/3/2024. More info can be found here.

Free School Supplies is a website with listings by state of charities and non-profits that provide free and low-cost school supplies.

If you are a military family, check out Operation Homefront. They have Back-to-School Brigade events all over the country.

 

7/28/2024: Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI am trying hard to keep my grocery budget at $100 weekly for the foreseeable future. It’s super rough, but I’ll be cooking from scratch, and reaching into the freezer and pantry to use up what we’ve got and keep our out-of-pocket for groceries down.

I picked up a a few drinks and some smoothie ingredients courtesy of Aisle, and it’s been fun trying new beverages with my lunches.

Thanks to the great freebies from Social Nature, we’ve been trying new foods lately. It’s fun to try new foods.

If you 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 good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same.

Breakfast: I’ve been really into protein coffee lately. It helps me hit my protein goals and keeps me full until lunch. I use premade protein shakes like these and these. The kids request bagels and fruit most mornings. The big kid is on a smoothie kick, and is favorites can be found here. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. We eat lunch at home most of the time over the summer. Sometimes we take advantage of the kid’s free summer lunches (info here).

Dinner: It’s so hot here in Southern California, that I’m trying hard not to turn on the oven. We’re enjoying a lot of ready-to-eat sides (chips and fruit), so that time in the kitchen is minimized.

  • Sunday:  Quesadillas, rice, fruit
  • Monday: Grilled Cheese sandwiches (cheese of your choice), fruit, chips

  • Tuesday: Dream Dinner, fruit salad

  • Wednesday: Tamales,  beans & rice

  • Thursday: Turkey Sandwiches, chips, fruit

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

It’s Dinner Time: Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

This week;s dinner are going to slap. I think that’s what the kids say.

I picked up a bunch of free drinks courtesy of Aisle, and it’s been fun trying new beverages with my lunches.

Thanks to the great freebies from Social Nature, we’ve been trying new foods lately. It’s fun to try new foods.

If you 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 good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same.

Breakfast: I’ve been really into protein coffee lately. It helps me hit my protein goals and keeps me full until lunch. I use premade protein shakes like these and these. The kids request bagels and fruit most mornings. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. We eat lunch at home most of the time over the summer. Sometimes we take advantage of the kid’s free summer lunches (info here).

Dinner: I’m back in the kitchen again and the CSA boxes are coming weekly. I’ve got all kinds of plans for batch-cooking soups and stews over the coming weeks.

  • Sunday:  Sloppy Joes, chips, fruit
  • Monday: Breakfast for dinner: eggs, hashbrowns, bacon, apples slices

  • Tuesday: Dream Dinner

  • Wednesday: Grilled Cheese sandwiches (cheese of your choice), fruit, chips

  • Thursday: Ravioli with red sauce and salad or fruit

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza