2021 Holiday Resources

I usually do these types of posts before Thanksgiving, but I’ve been looking for as many resources as possible to help those in need.

Much like last year, there aren’t a lot of free events, and most resources are stretched thin, as 2021 was as hard as 2020 for a lot of families.

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 of any additional food or gift distributions will be done.

As of now, I am not aware of any free Christmas tree giveaways, however, as I gather more information, I will update this post.

Toys for Joy will not be holding their annual event this year, instead, their site sends you to other resources such as The Rock Church for food, and The Salvation Army for other additional resources. The Salvation Army does an Angel Tree program to gather gifts for children in need. For more information about this program, contact your local Salvation Army location.

Sunday, December 19th, 2021 from 11am-2pm  is the annual H.O.P.E. event hosted by New Vision Church. Every child ages 0-11 will get a free toy! This is an all-free family fun event filled with free toys, carnival games and prizes, a live petting zoo, big bike giveaways, food, haircuts, jumpers, arts and crafts, live performances, DJ, and a whole lot more! The event will be held at both New Vision Church and Colina Del Sol Park and Recreation which is directly across the street. The entrance is at 5310 Orange Ave., San Diego, CA 92115.

Hope Leadership Academy is hosting an Event, Toys for Hope on December 18, 2021,9:00am – 1:00pm at the King Chavez School: 415 31st St. San Diego, CA 92102. Toys for Hope will be a walk-thru experience this year! Free toys for kids 13 and younger, free groceries, and bike raffles!

211 San Diego has a listing of all sorts of holiday assistance from food to toys, events- all free. Some programs/events require proof of need, but not all.

santeesantas.pngIf 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 window to apply for Santee Santas is closing in just a few days, so if you want to apply, I recommend checking their website TODAY and apply ASAP.

Talk Back: If you know of any free local events, please leave a comment. 

11/26/2021 Friday Freebies!

Better late than never, right? I promise I Was not out Black Friday shopping today. I was doing some crafts and taking the kids to the zoo, finished up with dinner with my mom (dad is still in the hospital).

I’ll have some good deals and money-saving posts this weekend and next week. So glad the kids are going back to school on Monday. I love them, but… this week has been brutal.

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

The List of Freebies is small this week, but there are all sorts of great deals coming up. I’ll have breakdowns and such coming up!

Freebies:

Ulta – Free BECCA Cosmetics Plumping Lip Balm for Your Birthday
Free Pair of 2 Carat Diamond Earrings $79.95 Value
Free Pinkizh Pink Clay Mask, Applicator & Konjac Sponge
Free Sample of TBH Kids Shampoo & Conditioner + Hair Scrunchie
Free CeraVe Baby Moisturizing Cream or Shampoo
Free Conair Reflections Lighted Mirror or Selfie Ring Light
Free 8×10 Photo Print at Walgreens
Free Large Fries at Checkers and Rally’s on 26th – 28th
Free Maddy’s Sweet Shop Shortbread Snaps

 

November 2021: New Healthy Freebies From Social Nature!

 If you are into Organic/Natural/Healthy products, then Social Nature is right up your alley. Sign up and apply to sample products that you are interested in. I get probably 1-2 products to sample each month. And most of the time it’s full-size products, not just a tiny sample.

Social Nature has rounded up products that are available to try at a local grocery store or mass merchandiser near you.  Apply to Try the products that interest you to see if you’re a match here.

Here are some of the new sampling opportunities:

  • Mac & Cheese By Freak Flag Organics
  • Frozen Wraps By Cool Beans
  • 100% Plant-Based Pork By OmniFoods
  • Sunflower Cream Cheese By Spero Foods
  • Notco Plant-Based Milk Alternative
  • Plant-Based Spicy Nuggets By Alpha Foods

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, meat-free foods frequently.

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

Rubio’s Black Friday Deal: Taco Cheer Holiday Box & Giveaway!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year- Time for gift giving and tacos!

If you have a taco lover in your life, check out this sweet (mostly savory) deal from Rubio’s Coastal Grill this Black Friday.

 SPREADING TACO CHEER” GIFT BOX AVAILABLE FROM RUBIO’S COASTAL GRILL

Cozy Collection Includes Fleece Blanket & $30 in Rubio’s Meal Cards 

Rubio’s Coastal Grill is offering a limited-edition “Spreading Taco Cheer” holiday gift box, specially curated for the ultimate taco fan. Available beginning on Black Friday, November 26, boxes can be purchased at www.rubios.com. Each gift box is $49.99, plus tax & shipping, (valued at $120), and features a unique collection of hand-selected items, perfect for a tacos & chill night this holiday season. The box includes:

  • $30 in Rubio’s free entrée cards, redeemable at any Rubio’s location
  • A 50″ x 60″ fleece blanket
  • Beanie with custom-embroidered taco
  • Lined, 5″ x 7″ notebook
  • 18-oz mug, perfect for sipping cocoa
  • Exclusive dessert taco recipe card, created by Rubio’s culinary team

“Last year’s gift box sold out in 24 hours,” said Rubio’s Co-Founder Ralph Rubio. “This year,  we’ve created the ultimate box for taco fans and expect the boxes to go quickly. Our “Spreading Taco Cheer” box is filled with specially curated items to send holiday warmth and good vibes to family and friends this holiday season.”

I’m giving away one of these fabulous boxes to one of my readers! Entering is easy, leave a comment on this blog post with your favorite kind of taco! I’ll choose a winner on November 28, 2021 in the evening. You will be notified via email.

 

Thanks to Rubio’s Coastal Grill for this sweet deal and giveaway!

 

11/22/2021 Weekly Meal Plan

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg

This week is Thanksgiving break, so no school for the kids, and… Bitty Bird is in two below the knee casts, so it’s going to be an interesting week.

We’re taking a break from our CSA box for now- with everything going on, I’m trying to cut down costs for the time being.

We’ve borrowed a larger stroller, and we’ll be using it to get Bitty Bird around town this week. She’s still in pain from her surgery, so she’s not too keen on using her crutches all the time.

I reorganized the pantry and freezer the other day and we’ve got enough to last us at least through this week, excluding milk (which I’m going to go buy today).

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

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. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. The Ancient Grain bagels from Einstein Bros. are the current family favorite. I pick them up on Mondays when a dozen is only $7. I slice them and freeze them to keep them from going bad too quickly.

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. I’m back to packing lunches again. However, school lunches are free this year, but so far, there is nothing on the menu that appeals to the kids.

Dinner: I did some batch cooking yesterday, so we’ve got all sorts of yummy stuff ready for this week. I even made brownies yesterday!

  • Monday: Nuggets, fresh fruit (green grapes and bananas are on tap), cheese, and crackers
  • Tuesday: Cheesy hashbrown casserole, poached eggs, garlic bread, melon
  • Wednesday: Pollo Asada Taco Salad with cilantro lime rice
  • Thursday:  The kids are having dinner with their dad, and my mom and I are visiting my dad in the hospital.
  • Friday: take out
  • Saturday: Turkey dinner with my mom
  • Sunday: Pancakes and fruit

Please stay safe you guys!

Recipe: Copycat Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole

I don’t really like Cracker Barrel, and there isn’t one close to us, but these potatoes are delish. In some places, these are called Funeral Potatoes. While doing my weekly meal prep this morning, I realized I had all the ingredients and decided to make a pan. It’s a great side dish for any holiday event. I improved it a bit as well.

I’ve included substitutions to make it vegan below.

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

Serves 6-10

Ingredients:

  • 1 large bag frozen hashbrowns, defrosted
  • 1 can condensed cream of soup (I used cream of mushroom because I have a vegetarian in the house, other people use cream of chicken)
  • 8oz sour cream
  • 2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar, but Colby jack is good too), divided
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1T. butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste
After being baked. It was..sampled.

Directions:

  1. Preheat over to 350 degrees, Spray a 9×11 baking dish with spray release.
  2. In a small pan, saute onions in butter until translucent- about 5-10 minutes.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine soup, sour cream, 1 cup cheese, hashbrowns, and sauteed onions.
  4. Pour mixture into a greased baking dish, top with remaining cheese.
  5. Bake for 60-70 minutes.
  6. Serves 6 as a main dish or up to 10 as a side dish.

This casserole is great reheated and is good for up to 3 days in the fridge, but it won’t last that long.

Vegan substitutions: In lieu of dairy sour cream and cheddar cheese, use your favorite vegan brand. In place of soup, use your favorite white sauce and 1/4 cup diced mushrooms. Saute onion in your favorite spread or oil. If you need a good white sauce recipe, there are directions in this recipe.

11/19/2021 Friday Freebies!

My new computer has arrived and set up! I’m ready to blog- I’ve got a bunch of outlines, recipes, and posts coming up each day until the end of the year.

Bitty Bird had surgery to lengthen her heel cords yesterday, so she’s recovering, and learning to use crutches. The big guy is getting a haircut this weekend. I’m looking forward to going to the chiro after work today.

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

Freebies:

Free Thanksgiving Dinner From Ibotta (ends next week)

Free Awake America Bumper Sticker
Free SE Grocers Potato Chips at Winn-Dixie
Free Exclusive Gift & Free Shipping – a $15.99 Value
Free Can I Bother You Stickers
Possible Free $350 Cannabis Research Study
Free Face Mask
Free Sample of Sasmar Personal Lubricant
Free Orijen or Acana Dog Food
Free 30-Minutes of Play at Main Event
Free Ren Bio Retinoid Youth Concentrate Oil
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free LimeLife by Alcone Foundation Samples
Possible Free $150 Grocery Shopping Research Study
Free WholeBerry Passion Fruit Snack Rounds
Free B.Shaye Happiness Nail Polish
Free USPS Shipping Supplies
Mail a Letter for Free
Free Sample of Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream
FREE Homer Learning-To-Read App (reg $10) + Black Friday Special
Free Elora Fragrance Discovery Set
500 Free Kellogg’s Family Rewards Points
Free Pillsbury Crescent Rolls at Select Stores
Free Sample of Dark & Lovely Blow Out Cream
Free Twenty/Twenty Eye Shadow Stick & Double Duty Eye Liner
Free Men or Women’s Silicone Rings
Free Rue21 Fragrance Samples
Free Demand Undocu Relief Sticker
Free Fabric Conditioners
Free JuneShine House Party Kit
Free Sample of Enfagrow Toddler Formula
Free Hartz UltraGuard ProMax Flea & Tick Collar
Free Books, Journals, Stickers & More
10 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free KID A MNESIA EXHIBITION PC Game
Free Personalized Birthday Call from a Nick Jr Character
Free Tom Clancy Splinter Cell Chaos Theory PC Game
25 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free Guild of Dungeoneering PC Game

Turkey and Thanksgiving Meal Giveaway 11/21/2021 Faith Chapel!

Our Friends at Faith Chapel in Spring Valley are at it again!

This Sunday, the annual Great Gobble Giveaway (GGG) takes place! They’re giving out 200 turkeys & Thanksgiving meals.

The Details:

  •  Registration begins at 8:00am in the main Faith Chapel lobby
  • First come first serve basis
  • While supplies lasts (200 registrants)
  • Must be present to register. You may not register persons who are not present.
  • Once registered, you’ll receive a voucher. Hold onto your voucher and turn it in when instructed to do so in order to receive your turkey and meal. No voucher = no turkey or meal.
  • They’re giving away 3, $100 gift cards during the 10:30am service and you must be present to win!
  • Instructions will be given during Faith Chapel’s 10:30am service. Plan to be in the service to hear the instructions and to win some giveaways.

For more information, or to learn more about all the great programs that Faith Chapel offers, including their upcoming December 6, 2021 Food Distribution, visit their website: www.faithchapelsd.com

11/5/2021 Friday Freebies and Deals

This week has been so busy. Minimum days all week due to parent/teacher conferences.So I’ve been running around After I finish working scooping them up, and getting them to all of their usual weekly appointments and commitments.

 

 

after I finish working scooping them up, and getting them to all of their usual weekly appointments and commitments.

Next week we go back to our regular schedule, which I am looking forward to.

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

Veteran’s Day Freebie list can be here.

Freebies:

2021 Thanksgiving dinner Freebies with Ibotta

Free Poise Light Leaks Pads Sample Pack
Free Spero Foods Sunflower Cream Cheese
Free 240GB SSD Drive at Micro Center
Free Belfast Movie Screening
Free Turkey Topple Kit at Lowe’s
Free PCA Skin Clearskin Moisturizer or Hyaluronic Lip Booster
Free 4-pk of Seemore Meat & Veggies Natural Sausages
Menchie’s – Free $5 Frozen Yogurt Reward
Free Dude Wipes & Gear
Free Subscription to Vanity Fair Magazine
Free Sample of Flor Biz CBD Oil
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free 8×10 Photo Print at Walgreens
Sephora – Free NARS, Laneige, Moroccanoil or Kerastatse Mini Set
Free Green Garden Freeze Dried Herbs
Free Big Mountain Foods Products
Free Gain Ultra Flings at Select Stores
Free Subscription to American Farmhouse Magazine
Free Daily Crunch Sprouted Almond Snacks
Free OmniFoods Plant-Based Pork
Ulta – Free BECCA Cosmetics Plumping Lip Balm for Your Birthday
Free Alpha Foods Spicy Chik’n Nuggets
Free Amphibious Military Vehicle Craft from Home Depot
Free Rise Brewing Co. Organic Oat Milk
Free Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation
Free Jumbo Egg Roll at Jack in The Box
Free Cards Direct Greeting Cards
Free Life is Better with Clean Hands Sticker Sheet
Free Headlamp/light, Clip On Book Light or Camping Lantern
Free Treat During Your Birthday at Pressed

Deals:

Hard Sole Slippers ONLY $19.99 Shipped (Reg $40)
Traveler’s Club Kid’s 5-Piece Luggage Set ONLY $76.49 (Reg $180)
Kids Fire 7 Tablet for $59.99 + $15 Kohl’s Cash Back FREE
Intex 18-Inch Queen Air Mattress ONLY $49.88 (Reg $80)
Matching Holiday Pajamas for the Family 50% Off + Extra 15% off
Farberware 3-pc Nonstick Cookware Set ONLY $10 (Reg $20)
The Big One Oversized Plush Throw ONLY $8.49 (Reg $27)
Cuisinart 11-Piece Cookware Set ONLY $49.99 (Reg $200)
Charter Club Packable Hooded Puffer Vest ONLY $24.99 (Reg $75)
Hanes Men’s Black T-Shirt 4-Pack ONLY $7.54 (Reg $14)
Food Network 10-Piece Cookware Set $55.25 + $15 Kohl’s Cash
Earn $15 Kohl’s Cash TODAY ONLY + Black Friday Deals
Men’s Cruise Hooded Puffer Jacket ONLY $16.99 (Reg $70)

2021 Veteran’s Day Freebies!

Veteran’s Day is next week, and this year there are some pretty cool.

Some of these offers require proof of service either via a Military ID Card (active duty or retired) or a DD214.

Since I’m in So Cal, I choose to post offers that are available in my area, however, there are tons more offers available if you live elsewhere in the US. I suggest googling, “Veteran’s Day 2021 and your location”.

Applebee’s Veterans and Active Duty Military members can choose a free meal from a limited menu on Veteran’s Day with proof of service.

BJ’s Restaurants On November 11, all current and former military members receive a free entree up to $14.95 plus a free Dr. Pepper beverage. Dine-in only.

California Pizza Kitchen Veterans and active military get a complimentary meal from a select menu. Dine-in and walk-in takeout only.

Chili’s Veterans and active-duty service members get a free meal from a select menu on November 11 Available for in-restaurant only.

Denny’s Veterans and military personnel get a free Build Your Own Grand Slam on November 11 from 5 a.m. to noon. Dine-in only.

Dunkin Donuts On November 11 veterans and active-duty military receive a free donut at participating locations. Offer available in-store only.

Famous Dave’s Military personnel get a free Free Georgia Chopped Pork Sandwich + Side at participating locations on November 11. Valid for Dine-In, To Go, and Online Ordering. Not valid for call-in orders.

Farmer Boys Veterans and active-duty military receive a free Big Cheese cheeseburger on November 11 at participating locations.

National Parks All U.S. National Parks will be offering free admission to the public on Veteran’s Day.

SeaWorld Parks offer free admission to the active and retired military (plus up to 3 dependents) through their Waves of Honor program.

Great Clips: One free haircut to be redeemed the day of with a voucher on another day.

Sports Clips: One free haircut with military ID

Grace for Vets Car Washes:Free car washes at independent car washes across the country.

 True REST Float Spa: On Nov. 11, True REST Float Spa will close every location to the public and invite retired military to float for 60-minutes, free of charge. True REST Float Spa recommends veterans who would like to float on Nov. 11 make an appointment soon by visiting TrueRest.com/free-floats-for-military-veterans. Individuals must bring a form of military identification to their appointment, such as a D.D. Form 214. True REST has a total of 37 open locations across 22 states, with some locations having up to six float pods equipped with showers, changing rooms, an oxygen bar and an oasis room to elevate the spa-like experience.

Talk Back: If you know of any Freebies for Veterans, please leave a comment below!