snacks

Healthy, Frugal Summer Snacks

Abby H.

The kids eat so much when school is out of session.

Because of our current schedule, we are missing out on the free lunches available throughout San Diego County for the next few weeks.

That means I need to spend my money a little more wisely and fill our pantry with healthy snacks.

Here are a few of our favorite snacks- and yes, I buy some of them in bulk from Dollar Tree.

Freeze-Dried Fruit: I love freeze-dried pineapple, Bitty loves freeze-dried strawberries, and Bubs likes freeze-dried mangoes.

Flavor Blasted Goldfish are the kids’ favorite. I like the original goldfish crackers, but really, most flavors are good.

Meji Chocorooms– These are part cookie, part candy. Sometimes Dollar Tree has them, but they are also found at Cost Plus and Costco.

Sobisk Honey Graham Cracker Bear Cookies, 10-ct. Packs. These are really good by themselves or dipped in yogurt.

Sometimes in stores, they have other flavors like chocolate chip or chocolate.

 

Select Choice Chewy Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Granola Bars, 6-ct. Boxes. These bars are comparable to the Quaker Chewy bars. Some locations have other varieties in store, including chocolate chip.

And if you are looking for a wide variety of beverages that everyone will love, Dollar Tree has a great selection of drink mixes.  Our current family favorites include Sonic Limeade, Wyler’s Strawberry Lemonade, and Welch’s Orange Peach.

And while not a snack, the kids and I have been carrying around our 40-ounce insulated Stainless steel tumblers from Michael’s. Yes, I had a coupon for each one. It’s keeping us all hydrated, and it’s saving me trips to Sonic, Starbucks, or the gas station while we are out this summer.

 

New Sampling Opportunities from Tryazon!

Abby H.

I’ve been a fan of Tryazon for about 7 years. It’s an amazing company that works with manufacturers of toys, games, food, and recreational/sporting goods. Manufacturers supply their goods to consumers to try out and review for free.

The kids and I have received toys, games, craft kits, and art supplies to test and have fun with.

Right now, Tryazon has five different opportunities to which you can apply.

Applying to host a party is quick and easy. If you want to learn more about Tryazon, their website has tons of information about all of the cool campaigns, parties, and past events.

 

May is National Salad Month!

Abby H.

May is National Salad Month and we are 100% here to celebrate.

Here are some of my family’s favorite salad recipes:

And if you are looking for an awesome salad bowl to take your creation to a potluck, this is my favorite bowl with a lid!

A few of my other salad must-haves are this lettuce knife, these salad tongs, and of course, this salad dressing bottle with recipes on the outside to help you stretch your creativity.

Free Formula Offer from Kabrita!

Abby H.

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

When my littles were wee, they both had delicate tummies. It’s hard to know what kinds of formula to trust, so after lots of research, trying samples, and talking to other moms (really our pediatrician was ZERO help- she’s a nice lady, but formula wasn’t her wheelhouse), I stumbled upon Kabrita.

Our pediatrician is really big on making sure babies get prebiotics and probiotics, especially if they are formula fed. Kabrita has prebiotics, which is a natural digestive aid.

I like Kabrita because it doesn’t have any added white or processed sugar- just lactose, the sweetener from milk! Also, Kabrita formula smells like goat’s milk and tastes like goat’s milk. I will confess: after smelling some formulas I wouldn’t want to taste them, but I tried an ounce of Kabrita once just to see. It tastes like goat’s milk.

I’ve been telling moms about it for a few years now, and one thing I love is that they have a really great sample program.

Try Full-Sized $40 14oz Kabrita’s Gentle Goat Milk Formula FREE

All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own. I’ve used Kabrita for both of my kids. This post contains affiliate links and I may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Atkins Coupons!

Abby H.

I know a few people who follow the Atkins Diet, and while I don’t, I really like the Atkins treats. Perfect for times when I want a little sweet snack or treat, but don’t want lots of sugar!

Choose Get Atkins Coupons for Free!   Submit your email address to print coupons for discounts on Atkins products.

Save on your next purchase of Atkins snacks, nutrition bars, shakes, and meals, as well as get access to our online community!

  • Save $2.00 on any ONE (1) Atkins®Bar, Shake, or Treat Multi-pack.
  • Save $1 on any ONE (1) Atkins Frozen Entrée

 

AO Opinions: Upcoming Salty Snacks Project $125

Abby H.

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 Salty Snacks!

Compensation: $125 (if chosen)

Open to: 24-60 year olds

Times Currently Available: MUST join 15-mins early

Wednesday, September 7th, 2022

  • 1:00pm–2:00 pm ET / 12:00pm-1:00pm CT / 10:00am-11:00am PT
  • 2:30pm–3:30 pm ET / 1:30pm-2:30pm CT / 11:30am-12:30pm PT
  • 4:00pm–5:00 pm ET / 3:00pm-4:00pm CT / 1:00pm-2:00pm PT
  • 6:00pm–7:00 pm ET / 5:00pm-6:00pm CT / 3:00pm-4:00pm PT

Thursday, September 8th, 2022

  • 3:00pm–4:00 pm ET / 2:00pm-3:00pm CT / 12:00pm-1:00pm PT
  • 5:00pm–6:00 pm ET / 4:00pm-5:00pm CT / 2:00pm-3:00pm PT

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

Not everyone who completes the pre-screener will qualify.

Tryazon: Go Back to School With LesserEvil Snacks

Abby H.

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.

LesserEvil is on a mission to make healthier, less processed, earth-friendly snacks with this tasty Tryazon Featured Party opportunity.  Introducing Lil’Puffs! A toddler-friendly snack delicious enough to be enjoyed by everyone! Lil’Puffs are made with good fats from coconut oil, doesn’t include sugar, and is vegan, grain-free, gluten-free, Kosher and Organic making them ideal snacks for school, on the go or at home! The Lil’Puff line comes in 4 flavors: Strawberry Beet, Non-Dairy Cheddar, Sweet Potato Apple & Veggie Blend. Simple Acts. Clean Snacks.

Tryazon has 100 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those chosen will receive a party pack with a sample of Lil’Puffs to showcase and sample with friends and family!  Learn more and apply here.

Frugal Fun at the Zoo!

Abby H.

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?

Time to Hit the Road: Don’t Forget the Snacks!

Abby H.

I’ve talked about our snack basket at home, but what about when we leave home? Oh yeah, we take snacks everywhere!

When it’s time for the zoo or another day out on the town, I pull out the “snack backpack” which is one shoulder slingback bag like this.

Here are a few of our family’s favorite snacks and other stuff I keep in our snack bag:

  1. Re-usable water bottles (I fill them daily). Each child has their own, and I have a larger one. I put lots of ice in mine in addition to water. I also carry extra water in my trunk at all times (in case of emergency, but frequently the emergency is just hot thirsty kiddos).
  2. Powdered drink sticks. Dollar Tree and 99 Cents Only have lots of great flavors to choose from.
  3. Freeze-dried Fruit. Strawberries, Pineapple, and mangoes are favorites here.
  4. Protein bars, granola bars, goldfish crackers, fruit squeezy pouches, Yogurt squeezy pouches, individual cups of peanut butter, crackers to go with the PB (usually Ritz), Pirates Booty, Individual bags of popcorn, homemade trail mix (extra M&M’s no raisins), Ziploc bags of cereal, fruit leathers/fruit rollups, Mott’s Fruit Snacks (these are specifically requested), and depending on what is on sale, juice boxes/pouches or sometimes shelf-stable milk boxes/pouches.
  5. In a zipper pouch (this one), I keep hand wipes, plastic utensils, straws, and napkins.  I also carry a ziploc bag with extra ziplocs in it, and a few small trash bags.

While the initial outlay of money to buy a backpack and stock of food to keep in the snack bag and water bottles may be steep (it was about $65 for us), you will save that much money in just a few weeks in the summer. You’ll be able to avoid drive-thru lines, and you can better control what your family is eating.

file0001779824833.jpgWhen we are going to be gone all day, I also pack a small soft-sided cooler bag with blue ice and cold treats like frozen tubes of yogurt, berries, cheese, and cold cuts. I like using reusable plastic containers, instead of zip-top bags. They are usually better for keeping food cold and for squishable items like berries in good condition. These are all the same things that we eat for lunch during the school year, so our food budget in the summer does not increase- We also take advantage of summer school lunch programs as well.

I’m really looking forward to our spring and summer shenanigans!

Vegetarian Recipe Round Up

Abby H.

It’s time for some yummy veggie meals!

Most of these are vegetarian, not vegan. These are recipes that I feed my family, so they are kid-approved and don’t require any weird, expensive ingredients.

And as a bonus, many of the ingredients for these ingredients are frequently given out in Neighborhood Distributions.