food

My Top Ten Grocery Items to Buy at Dollar Tree

Abby H.

Now that The 99/ 99 Cents Only has closed, and inflation continues to cause the price of groceries to skyrocket,  more of us frugal shoppers will be headed to Dollar Tree. I’ve been doing more shopping at Dollar Tree since The 99 changed over from 99 Cents Only a few years ago.

One thing I love about Dollar Tree is that you can buy items from their website in bulk. That means if you love, for example, Powered Drink Mixes, you can buy a whole case (12 packages) for the same price as in-store. This is one of my Top Ten items, in case you were wondering.

Here are my top ten must-buys at Dollar Tree and their price that other nationwide retailers:

1. Belvita dupes – These come in a couple different flavors. Brand name Belvita biscuits and store brand varieties can cost between $2.99-$4.99 depending on the retailer.

2. Frozen onions and peppers, sometimes called stir fry blend. Dollar Tree sells them in 12 oz bags for only $1.25 each.  The same items can cost between$1.99-$2.72 depending on the retailer and brand.

3. Prime, Monster, and other energy drinks. This is a big savings strategy if you like energy drinks. You can buy Monster, Prime, Rockstar, and other brands online by the case! At Dollar Tree, they are only $1.25 (plus any CVR), and other retailers sell energy drinks $2.99-$4.00 depending on the retailer and beverage.

4. Boost Protein drinks. Dollar Tree sells them individually, but most stores sell multi-packs that break down to $2.50-$2.75/each drink.

5. Instant beverage powders, as mentioned above, you can buy an entire case of one flavor online, or go to the store and see all the varieties. They retail in stores for $2.00-$3.99 per box depending on flavor and retailer.

6. Hungry Jack Pancake Mix. This is a favorite in my house. It’s great for pancakes, and waffles, or you can make baked pancakes. Our favorites are from Dollar Tree Dinners on TikTok.  a 16 ounce box is only 41.25 at Dollar Tree vs. $2.72 at Walmart.

7. Spices- This is one where you need to go into your local Dollar Tree. Brands like Kingsford, Tajin, Mortons, Fresh Success, Kraft, and more. There are single spices, spice blends, and seasoning kits like Taco Seasoning and Chili seasoning. These are all available for $1.25 each, whereas other stores charge $1.50-$5.00 depending on blend and retailer for the same items. 

8. C&H brown sugar, 16 oz. This is a pretty good value at just $1.25, my local Target has it for $2.99. 

9. Pillsbury frosting. I usually make my own frosting, but sometimes, in a pinch, you need a can of frosting. Most Dollar Tree locations have a selection of flavors for $1.25 a can. Other retailers sell the same size can for $1.99-$2.49 depending on the retailer.

10. Full-size boxes of cereal. This is one where you need to go into your local Dollar Tree. Varieties and availability differ by location. Recently our local Dollar Tree had Family sized Cheerios varieties for just $1.25 a box! Meanwhile, full-size boxes of cereal can cost upwards of  $7.99 depending on variety and retailer.

 

Talk Back: I’d love to hear about your favs and must-haves from Dollar Tree!

 

This post contains affiliate links, to learn more about how affiliate links work, check out my disclosure page.

This Week’s Meal Plan!

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI forgot to hit Publish on this post on Sunday night and just discovered it in my drafts. Oops.

We are back in the kitchen, and I will be posting pics of it on Instagram this week. I absolutely love my new kitchen. It has tons of counter space, and cabinets, and my new dishwasher is 1000 times better than the old one.

I picked up a bunch of stuff that was stashed in my mom’s chest freezer that I was unable to make without a kitchen, so the only grocery shopping I did this week was for some milk and plain bagels for the girl child.

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:  Dream Dinners (Chicken Tarragon with roasted potatoes)
  • Monday: Smoothies or Protein shakes and snack trays

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

  • Wednesday: Sloppy Joes, chips, fruit, and veggies with hummus

  • Thursday: Chicken nuggets or a veggie burger, fruit, and chips

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

Family Recipe: Chow Mein Hotdish

Abby H.
My mom made some recently and sent some home with me!

OK, so growing up we used to have this like once every few weeks. It’s quick, it’s easy, and I swore that it was a family recipe.

When researching this recipe, I then found out that apparently, this is a hot dish that’s made all over the Midwest. And according to my mom, it’s in tons of church cookbooks.

This recipe is pretty simple, and it’s delicious, and it is kind of weird. And definitely not at all Asian.

Chow mein hot dish 

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon of dehydrated toasted onions, or 1/4 diced white onion
  • one can of cream of mushroom soup
  • half a can of cream of mushroom soup filled with water
  • One cup of uncooked rice
  • Two ribs of celery, diced
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1 small can of water chestnuts slices, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can of chow mein noodles

Directions

  1. In an electric skillet over medium heat, cook and crumble ground beef and onion.
  2. Add all remaining ingredients except chow mein noodles.
  3. Cook on medium stirring often until rice is tender.
  4. Remove from heat, top with chow mein noodles, and serve immediately.

Serves 6.

If you want to add extra veggies, add 1 cup sliced mushrooms when cooking the meat and onion.

You can cook this on the stove, but I’ve always cooked the majority of my hot dishes in an electric skillet. I’m not sure why. Probably because my entire family does.

Some people like this served with a little bit of soy sauce, but I find that the condensed cream of mushroom soup is salty enough as it is.

Family Recipe: Calico Beans

Abby H.
Beans, Beans…

This recipe is one of my favorite Fourth of July favs.

Calico Beans. Easy to make, so good, gets better as leftovers (if there are any).

This will be one of the few recipes I will not change, so vegetarian/vegan/GF friends, scroll on.

Calico Beans -Makes a crockpot full

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground beef, crumbled, cooked, and drained
  • 1 package (12 ounces) bacon, chopped, cooked, and drained
  • 1/2 onion, diced (Or use 1/4 cup dehydrated onions)
  • 2 large cans of Campbell’s Pork & Beans
  • 3 cans of beans, your choice (Great Northern, Black Eye, Cannelli, Kidney, Butter Beans are all solid choices) DRAINED AND RINSED
  • 1/4 c brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

  1. Put all of the ingredients into a crockpot.
  2. Stir to combine.
  3. Cover with a lid and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

These beans are amazing. They are so filling, and taste like summer (at least to me). A friend of my grandfather always brought these beans to potlucks and swore it was a special secret family recipe.

It’s not. This recipe, or a variation is in almost every midwestern church cookbook. Gatekeeping family recipes is a no-no in my book. If you don’t share recipes, the food is lost to your family and friends when you pass. Share the recipe and your memory and the happy memories of eating your food will live on!

 

 

Family Recipe: Chili Mac in an Electric Skillet

Abby H.

When I was a kid, my mom cooked a lot in an electric skillet in the summer. It was a great way to make dinner without heating up the entire house. And it’s all cooked in one pan.

Since we’ve been living without a stove/kitchen for almost 7 months (the end is in sight), I decided to revisit one of my favorite childhood meals.

Chili Mac (serves 6-8)

  • 1 lb of your favorite ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken, pork, or ground meat-free crumbles to make it vegetarian)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves diced garlic
  • 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 envelope of Chili seasoning
  • 14 ounces water
  • 2 cups protein pasta (I like Brami)
  • 1-3 cups of sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

  1. In an Electric Skillet, cook and crumble the ground meat over medium heat.
  2. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, add garlic and cook until fragrant.
  3. Add remaining ingredients, turn the electric skillet down to low, and cover.
  4. Allow mixture to cook on low for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add extra water 1/4 cup at a time as needed. Pasta will absorb some of the liquid as it cooks.
  5. Once pasta is Al Dente, top with cheese to your liking and serve.

Perfect with cornbread and a green salad.

Chili Mac is better the next day- perfect for meal prep!

6/30/2024 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThe countertops were installed today- the appliances will be reinstalled tomorrow (fingers crossed).

That means I’ll be able to cook in the oven and on the stove top.

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: With the kitchen renovation ending, I can cook from scratch again. I am looking forward to making pizza, cookies, roasted veggies, casseroles, and baked pasta dishes.

  • Sunday:  Fridge clean-out night aka leftovers

  • Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner (pancakes, fruit, sausage)

  • Wednesday: Dream Dinner, salad

  • Thursday: Snack trays (turkey, cheese and crackers, fruit, popcorn, cookies)

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Baked pasta casserole (recipe will be forthcoming this week)

New Offers from Social Nature!

Abby H.

Social Nature has started offering 100% cash-back, similar to Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. I love this because I can select exactly what I want, Social Nature tells me which local stores have it, and I can add it to my next shopping list.

And it’s just as easy as Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. Snap a pic and upload it. You can select Venmo, Paypal, or an Amazon Gift Card for your rebate.

Here are just a few of the offers available now:

  • Gluten-Free Mexicali Dip by Rojos
  • Falafel Bowls by Afia Foods
  • Freeze Dried Herbs by Litehouse
  • Organic Nut Butter Bites by Sweet Nothings
  • Dairy-Free Fy Yogurt by Nature’s Fynd
  • Grass-Fed Butter by Vital Farms

I am picking up the Organic Nut Butter Bites and Grass Fed Butter on my weekly Sprouts trip this afternoon.

  • And Sample offers include:
    Interactive Cat Treats by “I and love and you” Pet (a coupon for a free product will be mailed to you).

And one of the things I love about Social Nature is that they don’t leave our friends with food allergies out.

There are sampling offers for Gluten-free, nut-free, and meat-free foods.

Canadian Friends- You are in luck! There are sampling opportunities for you too! So if you love trying new products, check out Social Nature!

FTC Disclosure: As with some offers I post, I receive payments for clicks, purchases, and/or registrations made through affiliate links in this post.

$5/$25 Coupon from Grocery Outlet

Abby H.

Just in time for summer break, when your kids are so hungry all the time. Grocery Outlet is hooking us up with a $5 of $25+ purchase!

Check your email, and get your printer ready!

Summer Grill Bundles from Dream Dinners!

Abby H.

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!

Just in time for summer, Dream Dinners is offering Grill Bundles. The perfect easy meal plan for camping, your next vacation, or a staycation. There are two Bundles, One available in June, and the second in July.

And it gets better- If you are new to Dream Dinners, order 3 or more dinners, and get a free medium Creamy Chicken Risotto as their gift to you. Use code SHARE at checkout.

If you don’t live near a Dream Dinners location, don’t fret! New Guests can receive free shipping on their first box of 4 medium dinners as a special offer just for you. Use the code FREESHIP at checkout.

2024 Summer Reading Programs!

Abby H.1 Comment

Summer break from school means summer reading programs from the local library systems, plus a few other places.

Here are a few of our favorite summer reading programs. I’ve listed the prizes that I could find, but at the time this post was published, not all of the prizes were known.

Unless specifically stated, the programs start June 1st.

Book It has a summer program called Camp Book it, where kids can read, and earn free personal pan pizzas from Pizza Hut! Book It is the FAVORITE reading program in my house. parents can enroll their kids for the summer!

The City of San Diego Library system program has published its prizes this year, and lemme tell you, it’s pretty amazing.

Children (Ages 0- 11)

  • 1 Book
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Natural History Museum (the NAT)
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Model Railroad Museum
  • Pass for 2 for the San Diego Automotive Museum
  • Pass for 4 for The San Diego New Children’s Museum
  • Free 3 oz yogurt from Yogurtland
  • Free kid’s meal from Mendocino Farms
  • Free kid’s meal from Panda Express

Teens (Ages 12-17)

  • 1 Book
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Natural History Museum (the NAT)
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Model Railroad Museum
  • Pass for 2 for the San Diego Automotive Museum
  • Free 3 oz yogurt from Yogurtland

Adults (Ages 18+)

  • Free book at participating Friends of the Library Book Sales and Used Bookstores
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Natural History Museum (the NAT)
  • 1 reusable utensil kit

For more information or to sign up, click here. 

The County of San Diego Library summer reading program started June 1st. They have all sorts of prizes for kids and adults.

If you want your family to experience a multicultural world through reading, I  recommend PJ Library.  PJ Library sends free, award-winning books that celebrate Jewish values and culture to families with children from birth through 12 years old.

My kids love learning about faraway places and experiences different from their own. The PJ library books have opened their eyes to new holidays, customs, and ways of life.

Read Conmigo provides free books for kids by mail in Spanish and English to children ages preschool to fifth grade. They are only available to kids in CA, TX, and Florida. We used to receive the books, and they are ok, but my kids aren’t interested in learning Spanish. The books were super useful for me learning to read in Spanish (Beyond what Duolingo teaches).

Barnes and Noble have a summer reading program starting July 1st. More info here.

Dolly Parton has established the Imagination Library, it is available in select regions (sadly not available in San Diego California), and those who live in participating areas can receive one book for their kids every month via mail.