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Fresh & Healthy: Having Fun with Produce
Fruit and Veggie Snack The girls have enjoyed helping pick vegetables and fruits from our garden this summer. They don’t get too excited about pulling the weeds but have gotten better at spotting produce and picking it. Once the fresh produce is washed they are always fascinated at seeing all the goodies spread out on the counter. Many times they pick a variety of pieces to eat at that time. One night as they were getting into their pj’s I put together a special fruit / veggie snack from the produce we had picked that day (see picture above). They giggled as they ate their special goodies from the garden and talked about how to grow food in a garden.
Smile – sliced Green Peppers
Nose – sliced Strawberry
Eyes – halved Cherry Tomato
Eye Lashes – cut up Purple Beans
It’s a simple way to get the kids excited about eating fruits and vegetables. I love surprising them with special treats and seeing their joy at getting something fun to eat.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of June 15 – 21, 2011
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. There are a lot of great deals that are continued this week at Save A Lot for $1.00. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Eckrich Hot Dogs or Bologna (16 oz) – $1.00
Carolina Ground Turkey (16 oz ) – $1.00
Butterball Turkey Bacon (6 oz) – $1.00
Use $0.65/1 coupon from insert 5/22 Smart Source (Expires 7/10/11)
$0.35 each after couponGwaltney Pork Sausage (12 oz) – $1.00
Center Cut Beef Spare Ribs – $2.49 per lb
Ground Beef (1 lb) – $2.49
Sugardale Bratwurst – $1.99
Smoked Sausage – $0.99
Chicken Breast Strips – $0.99
Meatballs (8 oz) – $0.99
Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).
Fridge and Freezer
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – $1.00
Reser’s Assorted Salads & Coleslaw – $1.00
Use $1.00/1 printable coupon from Coupon Web
Free after each couponMinute Maid Lemonade or Fruit Punch – $1.00
Tony’s Crispy Crust Pizza – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 5/22 Smart Source (Expires 7/31/11)
Use $1.00/5 coupon from insert 4/17 Smart Source (Expires 7/9/11)
Use $0.50/4 coupon from insert 5/22 Smart Source (Expires 8/13/11)
As low as $0.67 each after couponTotino’s Pizza Rolls – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 5/22 Smart Source (Expires 7/31/11)
Use $0.50/4 coupon from insert 5/22 Smart Source (Expires 8/13/11)
As low as $0.66 each after couponBanquet Dinners – $1.00
Fisher Boy Fish Sticks – $1.00
$0.75/1 printable coupon Fisher Boy
$0.25 each after couponT. J. Farms Sweet Potato Fries – $1.00
Party Treats Ice Cream Sandwiches (4 count) – $1.00
World’s Fair Orange, Grape and Cherry Popsicles – $0.99
Lemonade – $1.99
Home Churned Squeeze Spread – $0.99
Bright & Early Beverage Drink – $0.99
Household
Poly Steel Sandwich Zipper Bags (50 count) – $1.00
Joy Dish Liquid – $1.00
Produce
Fresh Express Coleslaw (16 oz) – $1.00
Fresh Express Salad Mix (12 oz) – $1.00
Baby Carrots (16 oz) – $1.00
California Cherries – $1.99 per lb
Roma Tomatoes – $0.89 per lb
Red & White Grapes – $1.29 per lb
Grocery
Knorr Side Dishes – $1.00
Use $0.50/2 coupon from insert 5/22 Red Plum (Expires 6/19/11)
$0.75 each after couponHamburger Helper Dinner – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 5/22 Smart Source (Expires 7/16/11)
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 5/1 Smart Source (Expires 6/25/11)
Use $0.75/3 coupon from insert 5/1 Smart Source (Expires 6/25/11)
As low as $0.67 each after couponSave A Lot Apple Juice (64 oz) – $1.00
Sundia Fruit Cups (8 oz) – $1.00
Red Gold Ketchup (40 oz) – $1.00
Use $0.50/2 printable coupon from Red Gold
$0.75 each after couponWoeber’s Mustard (24 oz) – $1.00
Kurtz Sweet Relish – $1.00
Shasta Soda (4 pack) – $1.00
Deer Park Spring Water (3 liter) – $1.00
Crunch & Munch Butter Toffee – $1.00
Dippables – $1.00
Mantia’s Pasta Sauce – $1.00
Shelby’s Grove Sliced Peaches – $1.00
J Higgs Pretzels – $1.00
Chicken of the Sea Chunk White Tuna – $1.00
Allure Zero Calorie Sweetener – $1.00
Jade Dragon Soy Sauce – $1.00
Kraft BBQ Sauce – $0.88
Bugles – $0.79
Harvest Select Juice Cocktails – $0.99
On the Go Powder Drink Sticks – $1.00
Crisp Lemonade – $0.99
Swift Mac – $0.75
Toast Em Strawberry or Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Ups – $0.99
Malt O Meal Cereal – $0.99
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends.
For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.
Fresh & Healthy: Community Supported Agriculture (Week 4)
It is our fourth week receiving fresh produce from our CSA! Our family purchased a half of share and will be receiving fresh produce, local honey, eggs and more for 20 weeks. I plan to give an update on the items we receive from week to week. Jake picked up the fresh veggies this week for us while I was delivering a meal to a friend that recently had her first baby.Week 4 of Fresh Goodies from our CSA!
Fresh Vegetables from our CSA!
Items in our Basket this Week:
- Bundle of Swiss Chard
- Bundle of Beets
- Bundle of Carrots
- Half a Dozen of Fresh Eggs
- Onions
- Potatoes
- 3 – Zucchini
I am looking forward to eating these goodies this week! Thanks everyone for the delicious Recipes!!! Do you have any amazing recipes to share that use Chards?
To find out how you can be a part of a local CSA check out this post – Fresh & Healthy: Community Supported Farms
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
Another week of doing Groceries $40 for 4. I was able to stock up on some items for our freezer and pantry so we should be good for awhile. I stocked up on a mix of perishable and non-perishable products this week. A lot of the items we picked up will be great for the upcoming road trips we have this summer! Below are my grocery shopping adventures for the week!
Aldi’s Groceries Deal:
- $30.02 at Aldi’s for Graham Crackers, Tator Tots, Vidalia Onions, 4 Cotton Candy, 3 packs 93% Lean Ground Beef (on clearance), Sandwich Wheat Bread, Celery, Ice Cream Cups, 3 packs Easter Frosting, Cheese Sharks, Baby Carrots, Cucumber, Parmesan Cheese, 2 cans Cut Green Beans, and Watermelon.
I am excited to be back doing our Groceries $40 for 4 budget again. This week I spent $30.02 on groceries. Even though I was close to budget I was still able to stock up on several items. Thankfully I was able to keep the amount within reason although I would like to see a little extra left over for those weeks when I find a really good deal or go a little over.
It is my goal to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks! As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me. I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too. The purpose of our family doing this it to watch our grocery spending while allowing us to feed our family, enjoy life, share with others, and yet stay on track with our budget.
Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances. Life doesn’t always go as planned. We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given. Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life. A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others. There is so much more to life than having all the stuff. We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.
Family Recipe: Luscious Baked Chocolate Cheesecake
My mother in law, Kay, is a wonderful cook. I didn’t grow up making cheesecakes but have made a few since marrying into the family. Kay makes amazing cheesecakes, however, her Luscious Chocolate Cheesecake is my favorite! For those of you who enjoy chocolate and cheesecake this is a recipe you need to try, it’s delicious! Add a few fresh strawberries to the finished product and you have an awesome dessert ready for when guests arrive or to celebrate a special evening with your family.Luscious Baked Chocolate Cheesecake:
- 1/3 cup Margarine or Butter, melted
- 1/4 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 3 – 8 oz packages Cream Cheese
- 1 – 14 oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 – 12 oz package Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, melted OR 8 – 1 oz squares of Semi-Sweet Chocolate melted
- 4 Eggs
- 2 teaspoons of Vanilla
Preheat the oven to 300°. Combine margarine, crumbs and sugar; pat firmly into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add condensed milk and beat until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes or until the cheesecake springs back when lightly touched. Cool to room temperature. Chill. Remove the side of the pan. Garnish as desired. Garnish Ideas – chocolate curls, syrup, fresh strawberries, white chocolate sprinkles, whipped cream, or anything that compliments the chocolate cheesecake.
Photo by CEThompson
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of June 8 – 14, 2011
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. There are a lot of great deals that are continued this week at Save A Lot for $1.00. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Eckrich Hot Dogs or Bologna (16 oz) – $1.00
Carolina Ground Turkey (16 oz ) – $1.00
Butterball Turkey Bacon (6 oz) – $1.00
Use $0.65/1 coupon from insert 5/22 Red Plum (Expires 7/10/11)
$0.35 each after couponGwaltney Pork Sausage (12 oz) – $1.00
Fresh Pork Tenderloin – $3.88 per lb
Boneless Chicken Breast – $1.88 per lb
Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs – $0.88 per lb
Half Boneless Pork Loin Roast – $2.49 per lb
80% Lean Ground Chuck – $2.88 per lb
Simmons Buffalo or BBQ Boneless Wings (32 oz) – $6.59
Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).
Fridge and Freezer
Oscar Mayer Lunchables – $1.00
Reser’s Assorted Salads & Coleslaw – $1.00
Use $1.00/1 printable coupon from Coupon Web
Free after each couponMinute Maid Lemonade or Fruit Punch – $1.00
Tony’s Crispy Crust Pizza – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 5/22 Smart Source (Expires 7/31/11)
Use $1.00/5 coupon from insert 4/17 Smart Source (Expires 7/9/11)
Use $1.00/5 coupon from insert 3/20 Smart Source (Expires 6/11/11)
Use $0.50/4 coupon from insert 5/22 Smart Source (Expires 8/13/11)
As low as $0.67 each after couponTotino’s Pizza Rolls – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 5/22 Smart Source (Expires 7/31/11)
Use $0.50/4 coupon from insert 5/22 Smart Source (Expires 8/13/11)
As low as $0.66 each after couponBanquet Dinners – $1.00
Fisher Boy Fish Sticks – $1.00
T. J. Farms Sweet Potato Fries – $1.00
Party Treats Ice Cream Sandwiches (4 count) – $1.00
Tombstone Brick Oven Pizza – $2.49
Curly’s BBQ Pulled Pork or Beef – $3.99
Crisp Frozen Lemonade – $1.19
World’s Fair Sundae Cups – $2.49
Household
Poly Steel Sandwich Zipper Bags (50 count) – $1.00
Joy Dish Liquid – $1.00
Bounty Basic Paper Towels (6 count) – $5.99
Use $2.00/2 coupon from insert 4/10 Red Plum (Expires 6/30/11)
Use $1.00/1 coupon from insert 4/10 Red Plum (Expires 6/30/11)
As low as $4.99 each after couponProduce
Iceberg Lettuce – $1.00
Fresh Tomatoes (3 pack) – $1.00
Baby Carrots (16 oz) – $1.00
Seedless Watermelon – $3.99
Fresh Strawberries – $1.99
Valencia Oranges (3 lb) – $1.99
Vidalia Onions (4 lb) – $1.99
Grocery
Pringles (Original and Sour Cream & Onion) – $1.00
Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 5/22 Red Plum (Expires 6/30/11)
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 5/1 Proctor & Gamble (Expires 6/30/11)
As low as $0.50 each after couponKnorr Side Dishes – $1.00
Use $0.50/2 coupon from insert 5/22 Red Plum (Expires 6/19/11)
$0.75 each after couponHamburger Helper Dinner – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 5/22 Smart Source (Expires 7/16/11)
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 5/1 Smart Source (Expires 6/25/11)
Use $0.75/3 coupon from insert 4/17 Smart Source (Expires 6/11/11)
Use $0.75/3 coupon from insert 5/1 Smart Source (Expires 6/25/11)
As low as $0.67 each after couponSave A Lot Apple Juice (64 oz) – $1.00
Sundia Fruit Cups (8 oz) – $1.00
Red Gold Ketchup (40 oz) – $1.00
Use $0.50/2 printable coupon from Red Gold
$0.75 each after couponWoeber’s Mustard (24 oz) – $1.00
Kurtz Sweet Relish – $1.00
Shasta Soda (4 pack) – $1.00
Deer Park Spring Water (3 liter) – $1.00
Crunch & Munch Butter Toffee – $1.00
Dippables – $1.00
Mantia’s Pasta Sauce – $1.00
Shelby’s Grove Sliced Peaches – $1.00
J Higgs Pretzels – $1.00
Chicken of the Sea Chunk White Tuna – $1.00
Allure Zero Calorie Sweetener – $1.00
Jade Dragon Soy Sauce – $1.00
Kellogg’s Cereal – $1.88
Use $1.00/2 printable coupon from Kellogg’s
Use $1.00/3 printable coupon from Kellogg’s
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 5/15 Red Plum (Expires 6/26/11)
As low as $1.38 each after couponHawaiian Punch (1 gallon) – $1.88
Baumann’s Best Barbeque Sauce – $1.19
Cowboy Billy’s Baked Beans – $0.79
Bakery
Mini Cupcakes (12 count) – $2.49
Bundt Cake – $5.99
Bakery Fresh Cherry or Apple Pie – $2.99
Sliced Loaf Cake – $2.99
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends.
For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.
Summer Activities: Enjoying our First Juicy Watermelon of the Season
Thanks Daddy for the Yummy Watermelon! Yes I made the girls eat it outside, we know how messy they can get with this juicy treat! As a special treat Jake brought home a watermelon recently! It was our first watermelon of the season so we were super excited to dig into the juicy melon. The last watermelon I purchased wasn’t great but this one was AMAZING!!!! Maybe the key is to have dear hubby pick them out in the future.
Eating watermelon brings back memories…..the first few watermelons the girls ate were the sweet yellow watermelons because we got a bunch on sale at the local Farmer’s Market. When we gave them the regular “pink” watermelon for the first time they didn’t believe us at first that it really was watermelon because it wasn’t yellow! Every summer season we enjoy sharing our first watermelon together, this year we kicked off the season with a traditional seedless pink one. Maybe we’ll have to head to the local Farmer’s Market and get yellow to enjoy soon.
Brina munching away on the sweet watermelon! Too busy eating to even look at the camera! 
Karlie licking off her sticky fingers! Ummm.....Mom where's the napkins? She was more concerned about the mess she was making! Thanks babe for the delicious treat, it hit the spot on a hot day! All of us enjoyed eating our first watermelon of the season and are already looking forward to the next one!
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
Another week of doing Groceries $40 for 4. I was able to stock up on some items for our pantry so we should be good for awhile now. Most of the items I stocked up were non-perishable products this week. A lot of the items we picked up will be great for the upcoming road trips we have this summer! Below are my grocery shopping adventures for the week!
Walgreens Grocery Deals! Groceries from Walgreens:
- $2.71 at Walgreens for 2 Pure Bottle Water Packages (24 count each), 4 Sugar Free Strawberry Jello, 1 Sugar Free Orange Jello, 1 Walgreens Cashew Halves, 1 Celsius Ice Tea, 1 Arizona Tea with Blueberry, 1 Arizona Tea with Pomegranate, 1 Arizona Tea with Raspberry, 1 Arizona Tea with Lemon, and 1 Illy Cappucino Coffee Drink. With upcoming road trips and hot months these will come in handy. I spent $2.71 but received $5 in Register Rewards back to use on future purchases.
Walmart, Dollar Tree, and Save A Lot | Riteaid Groceries Groceries from Walmart:
- $0.90 at Walmart for French Bread on Clearance
Groceries from Dollar Tree:
- $1.01 at Dollar Tree for 1 loaf of Nature’s Own Whole Wheat Bread
Groceries from Save A Lot | Riteaid:
- $21.64 at Save A Lot | Riteaid for 1 Whole Chicken on clearance, 5 packs of Hotdogs ($0.69 each), 1 bag of Carrots, 1 package String Cheese, 1 block of Sharp Cheddar Cheese, 1 can Pringles, 1 package of fresh Mushrooms (on clearance), 2 Ham Lunchables, 1 bag Red Delicious Apples, 1 bag Granny Smith Apples
I am excited to be doing our Groceries $40 for 4 budget. This week I spent $26.26 on groceries. Even though I was under budget I was still able to stock up on a couple items. Thankfully I was able to keep the amount within reason and I was able to have a extra left over for those weeks when I find a really good deal or go a little over. I am grateful for the coupons and Register Rewards I was able to use this week on the few items I purchased.
It is my goal to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks! As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me. I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too. The purpose of our family doing this it to watch our grocery spending while allowing us to feed our family, enjoy life, share with others, and yet stay on track with our budget.
Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances. Life doesn’t always go as planned. We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given. Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life. A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others. There is so much more to life than having all the stuff. We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.
Family Recipe: Grandma Willa’s Peanut Butter Cookies
Grandma Willa has a delicious peanut butter cookie recipe. These are great cookies to make for an after school snack or to take with you on a trip or to a picnic in the park. The best part is they are easy to make and you probably already have the ingredients in your fridge and pantry to put them together!
Grandma Willa’s Peanut Butter Cookies:
- 1/2 cup Peanut Butter
- 1/4 cup Shortening
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Egg, well beaten
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup sifted Flour
Cream Peanut Butter and Shortening together. Add sugar gradually, continue until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg, sifted flour and baking soda. Mix well. Drop mixture by teaspoon onto a cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 350°. Yield’s 4 1/2 dozen.
Photo by Maggie Hoffman
One Stop Plus: 20 Piece Picnic Set 90% Off + Free Shipping ($3.99)
One Stop Plus has their 20 piece “Woman Within” Picnic Set for 4 normally $39.99 is on clearance for 90% + free shipping for a total of $3.99
To get the FREE Shipping Use coupon code: RD19755
Set of 4 place settings in durable plastic & stainless steel, great for your family or as a gift:
- 4- 10 inch Plates
- 4 Knives
- 4 Forks
- 4 Tablespoons
- 4 Teaspoons
UPDATE (6/2/11): This set is now listed as only 75% Off giving you a total of $9.99. It’s still available if you want it just not for the lower price it was yesterday.
