7/11/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgSummer break is here! We’ve got all sorts of adventures planned, you can check out some of our adventures here.

Summer school started, and I’m back on campus helping teachers and kiddos for the next two weeks. Then the big kid is going to equestrian camp for a week- he’s stoked.

This weekend we delved deep into our summer to-do list. I cleaned the garage, and pictures were posted on Instagram.  We also washed, dried, and put away ALL of the laundry, it was an insane undertaking.

The kids and I went to Costco late last week for our quarterly stock-up trip- Trash bags, toilet paper, paper towels, and of course we got a rotisserie chicken. It’s featured a bit in this week’s meal planning.

No CSA boxes until the weather cools down and I can be home when the boxes are delivered. With the heat and the lack of shade on my patio, if we aren’t home when it’s delivered, some of the more delicate foods can spoil.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods. I received a few more coupons over the weekend, so I’ll visit Sprouts sometime this week to pick up the new foods. I’m focusing on snacks and treats from Social Nature.

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.

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. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

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. This is really helpful for the summer when for some reason, kids are starving all the time. The kids get free lunch at summer school too!

Dinner: We finished our last Dream Dinner last week! I’ll be ordering more next month once the new menu comes out. I’m trying to get us to eat together as a family more often and get the kids into eating more fruits and veg, so you’ll notice that our meals are pretty simple this week.

  • Monday: Buttered noodles, fruit, cheese & crackers

  • Tuesday: Beef kebabs (from Costco), rice, salad, pita bread

  • Wednesday: Chicken broccoli casserole 

  • Thursday: homemade chicken soup, grilled cheese

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday:  Breakfast for dinner, I’m hoping for waffles or omlettes.

Saving this summer with Dollar Tree!

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

Y’all know I love Dollar tree for crafts, party planning, and even stocking up on snacks. 

Recently, I made this cute Welcome sign for our front door with Dollar Tree Supplies.

But did you know you can order online from Dollar Tree? It’s perfect for parties or weddings! Cases of craft supplies, wedding decor, or even your kiddos’ favorite snacks. 

$5.99 Flat Rate Shipping is back for a limited time! From Sunday, July 10th through Saturday, July 16th, Dollar Tree is offering $5.99 Flat Rate Shipping with exclusive code: SAVENOW.

If you are looking for some inspiration from Dollar Tree, check out their website here!

Stay healthy This Summer and Save $5 with Mucinex!

Feeling stuffy? Illness comes all year round, and if you are feeling cruddy remember to give yourself time to heal. 

Here are my tips for recovering from the summer cold:

  • Hydrate! Push water, electrolyte drinks (I like this one LINK), teas, and even 100% fruit/veggie juice. 
  • Wash your paws. Especially if you will be in shared spaces. Use hand sanitizer if you don’t have access to running water and soap. 
  • Stay home! Or if you can’t, mask up! Protect others from your germs by covering your nose and mouth with a mask. We all probably still have masks at home. 
  • Rest! Don’t push yourself to work, exercise, or complete chores. Take care of your body with naps, and go to bed early. No Doomscrolling on social media. 
  • Get your 5 a day! Remember fruits and veggies while you are sick. Whole produce is best because it contains fiber as well as other nutrients, but in a pinch, 100% fruit or veggie juice will suffice. 

And if you need some OTC meds to get you through it, check out this offer from Mucinex!

Join Mucus Fighters+ and get an exclusive $5 off Mucinex® coupon today, plus other kick-sick offers and tips.

7/8/2022 Friday Freebies and Deals!

We spent time at the pool this week and eating popsicles. If you are looking for some frugal adventures for this summer, check out this post.

There are so many awesome freebies and deals this week, and thankfully the weather is set to cool down through the weekend and into next week!

Mask Mandates are changing constantly in California and can vary by city and county, so please do your part if you are going to any in-person freebies.

2022 Birthday Freebies are here!

Freebies:

Text for $10 Off at Lane Bryant = Free Item
Free Sample of Garnier Miracle Nectar Leave-In Treatment
Free Sample of Hit! Balm Extra Strength or Daily Relief
Free Sample of Xyzal Allergy 24H
Free Sun-Maid Recipe Booklets
Free Sample of Hit! Balm Extra Strength or Daily Relief
25 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free Orijen & ACANA Single Protein Dog Food
Free Item of Your Choice at Micro Center
Free Magical Herbal Soap Sample
Free Sample of Carol’s Daughter Shampoo & Conditioner
Free VTech Tag You’re It Party Kit
Free $10 ThredUP Credit = Free Womens & Children Items
Free Beaded Glass Jars Craft Event
Free Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peels Samples
Free Dippin’ Dots on July 17
Free Sample of Sorion Herbal Cream
Free Access to MyHeritage Ancestry Tools for 2 Weeks
25 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free Gain Fireworks Scent Boosters at Sam’s
Free Biosteel Sports Drink at QuikTrip
Free Gain Fireworks Scent Boosters at Select Stores
Prime Members Score GrubHub+ FREE for a Year ($119.88 Value)
Free Perricone MD Acne Relief Treatment
Free Sample of CLIF Kid ZBar
Free $10 Every Friday with Samuel Adams
Free Goody Bag at buybuy BABY Stores
Free Amazon Smart Thermostat After Rebate
Free Nutpods French Vanilla Almond + Coconut Creamer at Walmart
Free Daily Crunch Sprouted Nut Medley
Free I Heart Equality Sticker
Free Sub at Jersey Mikes
Free Freestyle Snacks Natural Greek Olive Snacks
Free PRIDEFUL Bath & Body Bundle
Free Body Lotion
Free Gatsby Chocolate Bar
Free Cirque du Soleil 60 Minute Specials
Free Killing Floor 2 PC Game
FREE 12 Easy Weeknight Dinners eCookbook
Free Geneforge 1: Mutagen PC Game
Free Ancient Enemy PC Game

Deals:

Marble 15 pc Makeup Brush Set ONLY $8.49 (Reg. $17.99)
Women’s Notch Collar and Pants Sleep Set ONLY $9.99 (Reg $20)
40% OFF Select Faux Greenery at Target
Amazon Prime Day 2022 Deals & Freebies
Michael Kors Bedford Leather Pocket Tote ONLY $99 (Reg $198)
Free So Delicious Ice Cream at Select Retailers
Morphe 18A Blue Ya Away Palette ONLY $5.40 (Reg $20)
Kate Spade Spencer Kisses Crossbody ONLY $75.60 (Reg $168)
Traveler’s Club Kids 5-Piece Luggage Set ONLY $69.99 (Reg $180)
Today ONLY: $8 Kids and Toddler Jeans at Old Navy
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Bella Pro Series 4.2-qt Analog Air Fryer ONLY $24.99 (Reg $60)
Lysol Bathroom Cleaner Spray ONLY $2.34 (Reg $7)

Frugal Fun at the Zoo!

We are big zoo go-er’s and have been for decades! We’re always looking to live on the frugal side, and for us having zoo memberships is a great way to support our local zoological society, their conservation efforts, and see the cool animals whenever we want.

Here are a few ways to save money and get the most out of your visit when you visit the San Diego Zoo:

  • If you plan on visiting more than twice in 12 months, consider getting a membership. Memberships for aduts start at just $95/year, whereas a 1 day ticket is $69.00. Membership has it’s perks including discounts on concessions and merch.
  • Don’t forget your snacks and water bottles! There are tons of water fountains to refill your bottles throughout the day. And if you have a refillable Zoo cup, you can get unlimited refills of fountain beverages each day for $5 per day. We have a zoo cup, but usually we just stick to our water bottles. We also bring our Snack backpack with us, stocked and ready to go!
  • Take advantage of all of the perks of buying a ticket or pass. Animal Encounters, Skyfari, free shows, the bus tour, the Kangaroo bus, all of these and so many other cool things come free with your ticket/pass.
  • Seasonal Events. There are a lot of cool events that happen throughout the year- Night time zoo happens all summer, there are fall/halloween/harvest events, and Junglebells in the winter. And these are all included with your ticket/pass.

And with the new Children’s Zoo area, there is a fun water feature for kids to play in- so if you anticipate your kiddos wanting to play, bring extra clothes and/or a towel.

The San Diego Zoo is an awesome zoo full of animals and plants of all kinds! It is definately a must visit for Southern California.

Talk Back- How do you and your family enjoy your favorite places on a budget?

7/5/2022 Weekly Meal Plan!

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI took Sunday and yesterday off to hang out with the family and play with the kids. But we’re back, and ready to get down to work!

Summer break is here! We’ve got all sorts of adventures planned, you can check out some of our adventures here.

We’re having two dream dinners this week, and I’m making the pesto bbq pizza, but I’ll be cooking it in the oven (we don’t have a bbq).

I’m trying to stay out of the store this week, and rely heavily on why we have on hand.  I do need to do a quarterly Costco trip, but that’s mostly to get essentials (sturdy trash bags, ziplocs, paper towels, etc.). However, a rotisserie chicken may end up in my cart…

We’re taking a break from the CSA. It’s been so hot here, and we’re not home when they are delivered and I don’t like leaving the box out in the heat. It’s been almost 100 at our house for the past week. 

As soon as my summer job is over and I’ll be home during the delivery time slot, we’ll be back to it.

And the big kid decided that maybe he wants to try meat after being a vegetarian for 6-ish years. So, we are slowly trying to introduce meat back into his diet. I’ve planned meals this week that have some meat but also allow him to eat semi-vegetarian if he wants.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the 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.

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. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

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. This is really helpful for the summer when for some reason, kids are starving all the time. We’ll be hitting up the free lunch sites several times a week over the summer.

Dinner: We finished our last Dream Dinner last week! I’ll be ordering more next month once the new menu comes out. I’m trying to get us to eat together as a family more often and get the kids into eating more fruits and veg, so you’ll notice that our meals are pretty simple this week.

  • Monday: Family party (bbq pulled pork, salad, brownies, fruit)
  • Tuesday: Nuggets, fruit, chips/crackers
  • Wednesday: Al pastor tacos, salad, corn
  • Thursday: BBQ chicken, salad, fruit
  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday: Pancakes, eggs, and fruit

July Sprouts Farmers Market Monthly Freebies!

Sprouts is hooking us up and helping us stay healthy! Every month on the Sprouts app in the Digital Coupon section, there are between 4-6 free items (they are marked “SAMPLING PROGRAM”).

Quantities are limited on the app, so if you are interested in any of these, I recommend that you add these coupons (by opening the Sprouts app, click on digital coupons, and click on each coupon in the lower corner where the little green circle is) to your app ASAP.

Not all Sprouts locations will have these freebies, so I suggest trying larger Sprouts locations in your area.

These are full-sized freebies- not small sample-sized products. they are located in the store with the other products of the same type.

Not all accounts will receive all the same products.

07/01/2022 Friday Freebies and Deals!

This week has been a hot one! Lots of swimming and eating popsicles here, and of course, our first week of summer school.  If you are looking for some frugal adventures for this summer, check out this post.

There are so many awesome freebies and deals this week, and thankfully the weather is set to cool down through the weekend and into next week!

Mask Mandates are changing constantly in California and can vary by city and county, so please do your part if you are going to any in-person freebies.

2022 Birthday Freebies are here!

Freebies:

Free Subscription to Entrepreneur Magazine
Free Item at Taco Bell
Free Sample of Breathe Right Extra Strength Strips
Free Museum Admission – Bank of America/Merril Lynch Cardholders
Free Nike Products
4 Free Cinnabon BonBites + Free Birthday Treat
Free Think Baby Massage Moisture Cream Sample
Free Teaniru Tea Sample
Free ClarityRx Return to Calm Facial Mask Sample
Free Sample of Teaniru Tea
Free SMN Sampler Samples
Old Orchard Fan Club – Earn Free Juice, Gifts & More
Free Beauty Without Cruelty Leave-In Conditioner
Free Brave Robot Ice Cream After Rebate
Free Black & Decker Coffee Maker & Travel Mug
Free Clio Bars & More
Free Felt Flag Keychain Craft Event at Michaels
Books-A-Million – Free Pencil Pouch
10 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Kids Skate Free
Free Gratsy Birthday Sample Box
Free Sample of Enfagrow Toddler Formula
Free National Geographic Kids Books Explorer Academy
Possible Free Garlique Sample
Free $18 eGift Card
Free Love, Career, & Magic Fantasy Character Stickers
Free Schar Gluten Free Crackers
Free Schar Gluten Free Deli Style Sourdough Bread
Free Brave Robot x Coolhaus Animal-Free Ice Cream Sandwiches
Free Transfer Express Screen Printing Sample Set
25 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free Crayola Fourth of July Coloring Pages
Free Fall Guys PC Game

Deals:

IMUSA Nonstick Bistro Saute Pan ONLY $5.99 (Reg $13)
Beach Towels ONLY $5 (Reg $12) + Free Shipping
Ring Video Doorbell with Echo Show 5 $84.99 (Reg $185)
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Food Truck ONLY $39.97 (Reg $70)
KidKraft Mosaic Magnetic Play Kitchen ONLY $69 (Reg $130)
Bella Pro Series 8-Qt Air Fryer ONLY $49.99 (Reg $150)
BS-MALL Makeup Brushes 14-Piece ONLY $9.99 (Reg $20)

Tryazon: Host a Tapple Game Night!

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.

 

The creators of Telestrations and Blank Slate introduce their newest edition of Tapple in this new Tryazon Featured Party opportunity, sponsored by The OP! Tapple is an award-winning, fast-paced word game that gives the family game night a rush as they compete to beat the timer. Pick a category, say a word that fits, tap the first letter of the word, then pass the Tapple wheel. No spelling is needed so kids can play too! Bring Tapple to your next game night!

Tryazon has 150 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a party pack with two copies of Tapple, one to enjoy and one to give out as a door prize! Learn more and apply here.

6/27/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgSummer break is here! We’ve got all sorts of adventures planned, you can check out some of our adventures here.

Summer school started, and I’m back on campus helping teachers and kiddos for the next month.

We went to Knott’s Berry Farm over the weekend and had a really fun time.

I did no meal planning over the weekend- It was all hanging out with kiddos and playing/swimming. So tonight I’ll hit the store and grab some stuff (thankfully we don’t need too many items this week).

Our veggies and fruit are delivered by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $28, 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 $28. Seriously. It’s a deal. They email a preview of what will be in the boxes over the weekend, so I can start thinking about what I’d like to make.

With the increase in food costs, we are leaning more and more on our CSA box each week as the base of most of our meals.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods. I received a few more coupons over the weekend, so I’ll visit Sprouts sometime this week to pick up the new foods. I’m focusing on snacks and treats from Social Nature.

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.

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. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

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. This is really helpful for the summer when for some reason, kids are starving all the time. The kids get free lunch at summer school too!

Dinner: We finished our last Dream Dinner last week! I’ll be ordering more next month once the new menu comes out. I’m trying to get us to eat together as a family more often and get the kids into eating more fruits and veg, so you’ll notice that our meals are pretty simple this week.

  • Monday: Nuggets, fruit (apples or oranges), chips or crackers
  • Tuesday: Meatloaf sandwiches, salad, fruit
  • Wednesday:  Sonoma Grilled Steaks, Roasted broccoli
  • Thursday: Protein shakes and fruit
  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday:  Peach Bourbon Chicken with Almond Green Beans