The definition of Frugal is: sparing or economical with regard to money or food. Is it possible to have fun without spending a bundle? If you are on social networks, I’m sure you have seen your share of fancy trips, elegant dinners out, and expensive events your “friends” have shared. When I was a kid there was no such thing as social networking. It was, in my opinion a better life. My parents were full of frugal family fun ides. We used to go to a roadside park with a picnic lunch, where the big draw was climbing up and down a big sand hill. My siblings and I were so excited about the outing we could hardly sleep the night before. As an adult, I asked my dad “how did you make that outing sound so fun?”
His response “It’s all in the hype! You just have to make it sound super great and kids will believe you.” The truth is it was actually really fun and we always looked forward to it. Kids don’t need expensive vacations, fancy meals, and extravagant events. They just want to play and enjoy time with their families. It’s adults who need to spend a bundle to impress their social network “friends”.
International Frugal Fun Day is the first Saturday in October. The idea is to do something fun that costs less than five dollars. I’m assuming this is five dollars per person. It is a great day to get started with a frugal fun home life.
Frugal Fun Ideas at home:
Dinner and a movie
At my house we usually eat dinner at the table, but as a special event we allow the kids to eat in front of the TV. For little ones we set up a table, but older kids can manage with a tray. We make a big deal about how much fun it will be to enjoy dinner and a movie. We ask the kids for movie suggestions, dinner suggestions, and dessert suggestions. Our kids always get so excited, even help set up for the big event!
Make your own pizza night
This is a family favorite at my house. In the summer we grill the pizza, in cooler seasons we just bake them either way it is fun. We make our own pizza crust and prepare a bunch of topping options. Everyone makes their own creation. We bake or grill them in shifts and eat on the deck in good weather or at the dining room table in cooler weather. The kids love it!
Family game night-best games by age
Family game night is a frugal family fun idea. In my opinion the fun increases for the parents as the kids get older. I can’t stand playing mind numbing games like Candyland and Chutes and Ladders. What are the best family games for each age?
A Family craft can be excellent frugal fun. It can be a simple as making slime or playdoh or as complicated as building a birdhouse. Or anything in between. Make candles, soap, birdfeeders, decorations, jewelry, or anything fun!
Bake Something as a Family
Nothing could be more frugal fun than baking together as a Family. Pick out a seasonal favorite and get to work. Maybe a pie would be a nice choice. Try my best pie crust with your favorite filling. Or choose something that will be fun to decorate like cookies or cupcakes.
Enjoy the great outdoors as a family
Playing outside is usually free of charge. There are plenty of ways to have fun in your backyard or neighborhood.
Go for a walk, with or without a scavenger hunt
Play catch or frisbee
Go for a bike ride
Do something seasonally appropriate: run through a sprinkler, jump in the leaves, build a snowman
Draw with chalk, play hopscotch
Build a fort
Climb a tree
Climb a tree
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Are you the proud owner of a Traeger Silverton 620 because of all of the features? Do you want to be able to Grill, Smoke, Braise, Bake and Roast live a pro? I have used all of the features, and would like to share them with you.
This post may contain affiliate links, I earn commission on qualified purchases at no additional cost to you.
How to Smoke on a Pellet Grill
My experience is with the Traeger Silverton 620, but any pellet grill should be able to use the smoke feature. Smoking is a way of slow cooking with smoke. It’s best for meats, it will give your meat a delicious smoked flavor. The Traeger Silverton 620 does not have a smoke setting, but you can smoke using low heat 180-225 degrees F. I’ve used it for pork tenderloin, brisket, pork butt, ribs, and I even use it for starting out steaks and burgers. Here is my fabulous fall off the bone ribs recipe.
Any pellet grill should be able to braise. By definition braising is slow cooking with liquid. Often, after smoking a meat on the pellet grill, the meat can be wrapped with foil or butcher paper along with a liquid. The liquid used will vary depending on the recipe. For pork I usually use apple juice because pork works well with sweet ingredients, for beef I usually choose beef broth. Braising on the pellet grill is done at 225-275 degrees F.
Some pellet grill models may not be able to get a high enough temperatures to Grill. This is not a problem for the Traeger Silverton 620. You can use it just like any other normal gas powered or charcoal grill and just heat it up to the high temperature required for grilling by definition 450-500 degrees F. Then add your burgers or steaks, flip at desired interval and grill the other side to desired doneness. But what is the fun in that? You have a multitasker pellet grill. Use the features!
How to grill burgers on a Traeger
I love to grill burgers on my pellet grill. I usually start by smoking the patties at 180 degrees F for 30-60 min. This is wonderful because it gives me time to enjoy spending time with my guests or family. When my guests or family start to get hungry, I simply turn up the heat to 350 degrees F. I know I said grilling needs a higher temperature, but during the heating process the burgers will become overdone. Check on the burgers during the heating process, flip them and periodically check the temp of the meat. You will still get the desired grill lines, and you will end up will delicious smoked flavor!
How to grill steak on a Traeger
For grilling steak I start with the same process I did with the burgers. Obviously you will want to add some smoky flavor, so start by smoking the steaks at 180 degrees F for 30-60 min. Remove the steaks, and turn the temperature up to 450 degrees F. Return the steaks to the grill and flip after the desired time depending on how done you want your steaks. Check the meat temperature and grill the other side to desired doneness.
How to Bake/Roast on a Traeger
I will discuss baking and roasting together because by definition they are very similar and seem to have a lot of exceptions. This feature should only be used if your pellet grill has a bake/roast feature.
What is the difference between baking and roasting?
Baking and roasting differ in two ways: by the dry heat temperature or by what is being baked/roasted. Baking requires the grill to be able to self maintain a desired temperature in the range of 325-375 degrees F depending on the recipe. Whereas roasting requires a grill temperature >400 degrees. Baking generally refers to dry heat cooking something that will change and become more firm during the cooking process, for example: cakes, pies and casseroles. Roasting is generally the term used for foods that have a firm texture prior to cooking, such as large cuts of meat or vegetables. Cakes, pies and casseroles are baked. Turkeys, and vegetables are roasted. Pizza seems to be an exception, since it is baked at 425-450 degrees F.
You can also bake pizzas on the Traeger. For pizza I preheat my Traeger Silverton 620 with pizza stones to 425 degrees F. A pizza chef once told me that the best pizza dough recipe is from King Arthur Flour, if you have sourdough discard this sourdough discard pizza crust recipe is even better! So that’s the recipe I always use. If we make pizza on the Traeger it is an event. We load the table up with pizza toppings and each person creates their own pizza on a piece of parchment paper. Before placing the pizza on the stone, I trim the parchment paper and slide it onto the warm stone on the grill. Check the crust after 6 min, and continue checking every 2-3 min until desired crispiness. Usually small personal pizzas bake for 6-10 min.
What can you roast on a Traeger Silverton 620?
Once again the options are endless. I usually roast vegetables. It’s easy to roast broccoli, brussels sprouts, potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes and more. Roast veggies at 400 degrees F. Whole potatoes and sweet potatoes for about 60 min. Other veggies or cubed potatoes I roast on a metal tray or pan with oil and seasonings for 35 min, periodically mixing or flipping.
I also attempted roasting a turkey for Thanksgiving. I say attempted, because although I was able to start the cooking process by smoking my turkey, I ended up having to finish in the oven, just as this author described, due to the cold Michigan temperatures in November. This is the only drawback to the Traeger Silverton 620. Due to it’s rear venting system the company has not made a heat blanket for use in cold temperatures. I really don’t mind because the main reason I like to bake/roast on my grill is because I don’t like to heat up the kitchen in the Summer. I don’t mind using my oven in the cold winter months and my grill is still useful for smoking in the winter, even if I have to finish in the oven, it still adds the smoky flavor.
It’s easy to make healthy packed lunches for kids and adults using a bento box. Use the healthy bento box packed lunch ideas for kids and adults above to make a balanced meal. School lunches sometimes get a little boring and repetitive, but these bento box packed lunch ideas will help you spice it up a bit. The free school lunches are mostly made up of processed food that lack fiber and fresh fruits and veggies. These bento box lunches are easy to prepare ahead and a much healthier option to the school lunches. They will also help your child learn to pack and eat healthy options for life.
Bento Box packed lunches are great for adults too. Make a quick and easy well balanced packed lunch for work. Packing a lunch saves time and money. No more waiting in line for food on your lunch break. Just sit down and enjoy your packed bento box, then use the extra time for a relaxing walk instead of waiting in line.
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What are Bento Boxes?
Bento Boxes are lunch boxes with sections that separate the different food options. They originated in Japan and initially contained common foods from that region. Mostly rice, fish, pickled vegetables and some fruit, to make a balanced meal. Bento is a Chinese slang term for convenient, which is fitting since they are very convenient for packed lunches.
Why Choose a Bento Lunch Box?
The Bento box makes a very convenient lunch box. It is so simple to choose items to fill the sections. The sections encourage small servings of a variety of foods to help include more food groups to make a more balanced lunch. The convenient sections also reduce waste from packaging. If your box doesn’t have enough sections you can purchase extra dividers. You don’t have to wrap sandwiches in paper or plastic. Many items like yogurt and apple sauce can be purchased in bulk instead of individual servings which not only reduces waste but also saves money. Check out my other post for more ideas on how to save money on groceries.
Which type of bento box is right for you?
Bento boxes are made in a variety of different materials, shapes and layouts. They are also available in reusable and disposable format. Here are some pros and cons of each option:
Wooden Bento Box:
Traditional wooden bento boxes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can have a variety of layouts. Some are stacked. Pros: They are traditional, all natural, BPA free, stylish and reusable. Cons: They are difficult to clean, not dishwasher safe, not microwavable, and my be difficult for young children to open and close. Wooden boxes are not able to keep liquid ingredients separated.
Lacquered Bento Box:
Traditional lacquered bento boxes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. These are most often found in restaurants. Pros: They are traditional, stylish, and reusable. Cons: Many do not come with tight lids for transport. If they do have lids, they may be challenging for kids to open and close. They are not dishwasher or microwave safe. They lack a tight seal and my not be great for liquids.
Plastic Bento Box:
Plastic bento boxes come in a large variety of shapes and sizes. These are the easiest type to use for a packed lunch. They are available in reusable and disposable varieties. Pros: They are lightweight, and easy to open and close, Plastic bento boxes can be dishwasher, microwave, and freezer safe, and are often BPA free. Cons: They are not traditional. Disposable varieties are not good for the environment.
Metal Bento Box:
Metal bento boxes are the most durable option. Pros: They are easy to open and close, dishwasher safe and BPA free. Cons: They are not microwave safe. Metal boxes do not have a tight seal may not be the best option for liquids.
Glass Bento Box:
Glass bento boxes usually have plastic lids. Pros: They are microwave, dishwasher, oven and freezer safe. Glass is BPA free and lids usually are also. They have a tight seal. Cons: They are fragile and heavy.
Paper bento boxes are single use and disposable. Pros: They are lightweight and disposable. Perfect for situations when you do not want to carry a container around with you for the rest of the day. Cons: They will not handle liquid ingredients, and they can leak. Disposable products are not environmentally friendly.
What are some Healthy Bento Box Packed Lunch Ideas for kids and Adults?
The Asian Bento box
This traditional bento box includes: sushi, snow peas, pickled ginger, and kiwi.
The Superfood Bento box
This bento box includes: Broccoli salad, blueberries, almonds, and Greek yogurt.
The Berry Nutty Bento Box
This bento box includes: Almond Butter and Jam sandwich triangles on Whole Wheat bread, blueberries, Greek yogurt, and granola. For a very healthy granola recipe check out my other post. This Bento box could also be a breakfast bento.
The Quick and Easy Box
For this Bento Box I just used whatever I had in the fridge. This Bento Box includes: Pasta salad, Raspberries, Oranges, and a hard boiled egg. Use the chart above to make any box you would like using the current contents of your fridge.
Greek Bento Box
This Greek bento box includes a Greek salad, grapes, Hummus, and whole wheat Pita bread. Find a great homemade pita bread recipe here.
Very Fruity Bento Box
Sometimes you just want some extra fruit. This bento box is a great example of that. It is loaded with healthy berries, with a side of mandarin oranges, pecans and Greek yogurt. It still has some protein to help keep you full!
Farmer’s Market Special
This bento box includes potato salad, with a side of fresh blueberries, Greek yogurt and fresh tomato slices. Find the potato salad recipe here.
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Are you are getting ready to send your teen off to their college dorm? Look no further for some practical pharmacist recommended college dorm medications. These items will make a very helpful medicine and first aid kit. I am a pediatric pharmacist with over 2 decades of experience and I am also a mother of three teens. Obviously I need to caution that I cannot just give blanket recommendations because all medications have some contraindications and potential drug interactions. Always read the product safety information and/or speak directly with your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking other medications or have any health conditions or medication allergies.
Make sure your teen is up to date on immunizations and has a copy of their immunization record and health insurance card. Here is a link to the vaccine recommendations for 19-26 year-olds.
Always send all college dorm medications prescription and non-prescription in the original containers so your teen can read the instructions.
As a pharmacist I usually recommend single ingredient medications. It might save space to include multi-symptom cough and cold medications, but it is not worth the saved space to have you teen taking medications that are not needed. It is also easier to overdose on acetaminophen or ibuprofen with multi-symptom medications. Which is why my pharmacist recommended college dorm medications are nearly all single ingredient medications. I usually buy generic medications because they work just as well as brand name medications. Sometimes I prefer brand name medications due to better flavor.
Which medications should you bring to your college dorm?
Prescribed Medications
Please make sure your teen has all of their prescribed medications and knows how and where to obtain refills. If your teen is going out of state make sure they are still able to obtain refills in that state. All state laws are different, so make sure you have a plan in place ahead of time. Please also make sure your teen is aware of their medication allergies and what their reaction was to the medication. If your teen is taking any prescribed medications or has any medication allergies or health conditions, check with their doctor or pharmacist if any of the other medication listed are still safe to include in their kit.
Pain/Fever medication
Include a small bottle of Ibuprofen (MOTRIN, ADVIL) and/or acetaminophen (TYLENOL). The bottle size depends on how much how much you expect your teen will need. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are both good choices for pain or fever. They can both provide relief from a sore throat or headache. Ibuprofen is better for menstural cramps, tooth or bone pain, and is also an anti-inflammatory. It would also be a good idea to include a digital thermometer.
Gastrointestinal medications
Heartburn medication. A small bottle of Tums. Even if your teen does not have trouble with heartburn now, they may start to have problems when they get to choose all of their own food for the first time. College meal plans are sometimes all you can eat, including many dessert options. If they use up their supply and request more, that would be a good time to discuss better food choices and smaller meal sizes.
Diarrhea/Constipation medicine. Travel size Imodium. If they make poor food choices or get sick from close living quarters they will love you forever for including medication for diarrhea. This would not be the medication they will want to walk to the nearest pharmacy to obtain. For constipation I recommend better food choices and exercise as first line treatment for occasional constipation. Fruits, veggies, All-bran, prunes, prune juice, more water, and nice walk. If that doesn’t work, and it’s a new problem, it’s probably due to lack of fiber in their diet. Most college students to do not eat enough fiber in their diet. It would not hurt to include a fiber supplement in the medication kit. If they take the fiber supplement, make sure they are staying hydrated.
Hydration. Diarrhea and vomiting can cause dehydration. Including a few packs of Pedialyte or Liquid IV will help if your teen is dehydrated. Staying hydrated can also reduce the risk of constipation. Check out my other post on how to increase your fluid intake.
Cold and flu medications
Nasal Congestion medicine. I recommend including something for allergies and at least one decongestant. Maybe your teen does not suffer from allergies, but could if they move to a new area. I prefer Zyrtec for allergy symptoms, but Claritin and Allegra are also good choices for a non-sedating antihistamine. I would also include a decongestant incase the congestion is from a cold or flu. In this case pseudoephedrine is my first choice. In some states it can only be purchased from a pharmacist. I would also include a bottle of Afrin nasal spray. This can only be used for three days, six doses. It is dosed 1-2 sprays each nostril every 12 hours. It cannot be used for more than 3 days, but it will be three glorious days of breathing through your nose during the worst of any cold or flu.
Cough medicine. For cough in teens and adults it is okay to use Delsym. There are age restrictions on the purchase of Delsym in some states due to abuse potential. This should not be a problem for most college students because the age to purchase is 18. I still think it is the best over the counter option for cough for teens and adults and I am sending a bottle to college with my teen. I would also include cough drops that have menthol as the main ingredient and some that are just soothing throat drops with pectin as the main ingredient. The menthol drops are best for cough suppression. The pectin drops are better for sore or irritated throat, but can also help a bit with cough.
Topical medications
For cuts and scrapes I recommend triple antibiotic ointment and a package of a variety of sizes of Band-Aids.
For itchy rashes a tube of 1% hydrocortisone cream will be a helpful medication to bring to your dorm room.
Canker sores can be brought on by stress, which is why I recommend including Kanka, a topical anesthetic for mouth sores.
Sleep Aids
I prefer non pharmacological treatment as first line for insomnia. I can understand how sleeping in a new place might be a problem due to noise, stress, or just a new environment. Honestly, I used a box fan to block out the noise when I stayed in a dorm. Earplugs are an inexpensive option that might be helpful. A sleep mask might help if your teen is sensitive to light. Good sleep hygiene would be ideal, but if all else fails it wouldn’t hurt to have a small supply of melatonin. I’d recommend 2.5mg or less as a starting dose.
College dorm medication checklist
Disclaimer: Always check with your teen’s doctor or pharmacist if they have any allergies, medical conditions, or are taking any prescribed medications before including these medications in your college dorm medication kit.
Prescribed medications
Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil)
Cough drops (menthol)
Throat Drops (pectin)
Tums
Imodium (loperamide)
Fiber
Pedialyte packets
Non sedating antihistamine (Zyrtec, Claritin or Allegra)
A pulled pork leftover street taco recipe so good it must be shared. I’m a big fan of using my leftovers. It is a great way to save money on groceries. For more info on how to save money on groceries check out my other post.
I made my pulled pork on my Traeger Silverton 620. This is the recipe I used to smoke the pulled pork on my Traeger. I did not add anything to the pulled pork after shredding it. I prefer to allow each person to choose their own BBQ sauce.
What is the best way to use leftover pulled pork?
My favorite way to use my left over pulled pork is by making pulled pork street tacos. I got the idea for this recipe from a Hello Fresh recipe. I gave Hello Fresh a try and really enjoyed it. My family ended up with a couple of new favorite recipes from our trial subscription. This recipe is a creative spin on one of our favorites. It will not work if you have already added BBQ sauce to your pulled pork.
How to prepare leftover pulled pork for pulled pork street tacos.
Put your leftover pulled pork in a frying pan. Toss it around in the pan until warmed evenly. Add sweet soy sauce to coat. I used ABC Sweet Soy Sauce. Add about 1 tablespoon of sweet soy sauce per 1 cup of leftover pulled pork, and mix. If not fully coated add 1 tablespoon of sweet soy sauce and mix, continue adding 1 tablespoon at a time until fully coated but not soupy.
Pulled pork for street tacos.
How to prepare coleslaw for your leftover pulled pork tacos.
I always make coleslaw as a side dish with my pulled pork. personally, I do not like soggy leftover coleslaw so I only dress (add dressing to) what I think my guests will eat. This way any leftover coleslaw mix will last weeks in the refrigerator and I can dress more whenever I feel like eating some. Also, I’m able to switch up the dressing for different recipes such as leftover pulled pork tacos.
Here is my basic coleslaw mix: 1 head of cabbage chopped (I like to use half red and half green), 3-4 carrots peeled and shredded, 1 sweet onion chopped. This mixture will last for 2-3 weeks in your refrigerator. For this leftover pulled pork street taco recipe I use 2-3 cups of my coleslaw mix, 3-4 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro, and 3-4 tablespoons of Seasoned rice vinegar. Mix right before serving. If you prefer less crunch, mix 20-30 min before serving and add a little salt.
Coleslaw for pulled pork street tacos.
What other toppings are needed?
For my leftover pulled pork street tacos I also make a quick crema. Just add a tablespoon or two of Sriracha hot sauce to 3 tablespoons of sour cream and mix!
Crema for pulled pork street tacos.
You can also add some shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
1 head of cabbage chopped (or ½ a head of each green and red cabbage)
3-4 Carrots peeled and shredded
1 onion chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Pinch of salt (optional)
¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
4 cups leftover pulled pork
½ cup sweet soy sauce (more if needed)
½ cup sour cream
1-2 tablespoons sriracha sauce ( more if desired)
4 ounces grated Monterey jack cheese (optional)
16 4-inch street taco shells
DIRECTION
Prepare the crema:Â
Mix the sour cream and sriracha. Add more sriracha if desired.Â
Prepare the coleslaw mix.Â
Mix the chopped cabbage, shredded carrots, and onion. Measure out 4 cups of the mix. Save the remainder for another use. Add the cilantro and vinegar. Mix to coat. Add salt if you prefer a softer coleslaw, and mix.
Prepare the pulled pork.
Put the pulled pork in a frying pan and warm it while mixing. Add the sweet soy sauce. Mix until coated but not soupy, add extra sauce if needed to coat the pork. Remove from heat.
Assemble the Tacos.
Warm the taco shells if desired. Top with pork, slaw, crema and cheese.
NOTES
You can store the extra coleslaw mix in your refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.
Many of us focus on budgeting and paying off debt at the beginning of the year. I am a Dave Ramsey fan and have worked his plan for many years. It is a very good plan , and although I did not follow every step exactly as he presents them in his book The Total Money Makeover, I have successfully become debt free. This article is not intended to help you become debt free, just to help you save money on one of your biggest expenses, groceries. Dave pushes for a diet of beans and rice while working his plan. I’m pretty sure he does not mean that you literally have to live on beans and rice alone. Beans and rice are both inexpensive foods that can really stretch a meal. In other words, fill you up for less money. There are plenty of other inexpensive foods that can stretch a meal and other ways to save money on groceries.
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Save money by wasting less
Food waste can be a huge drain on your grocery budget. A study published by the American Journal of Agricultural Economics found that the average American household wastes 31.9% of the food it buys. This works out to be over $150 of wasted food per month per household on average. If you feel you may be wasting too much food it’s definitely worth taking a look at some strategies to help you stop the waste.
How can you reduce household food waste?
Put a list of leftovers on your refrigerator
Use your leftovers! Here is how to save money on groceries. We recently started a list of leftover food on the refrigerator door. We told the kids if we end up throwing away any leftovers we will not be able to get take out for 2 weeks. Using this system we have not thrown away any leftovers in 4 weeks! Download my leftover list below.
Use up your produce. Unfortunately those produce drawers have a way of hiding your fruits and veggies. Out of sight out of mind. I like to keep a few fruits on the counter in a fruit bowl. Most fruits can be kept at room temperature for a few days. If they are in the bowl, they are more likely to be eaten. I also cut up a tray of fruit and leave it on the counter each weekend. It really disappears fast this way. Smoothies are another great way to use up produce quickly. Make sure you have a plan for the produce you buy. Dig through those produce drawers often and make sure you rotate stock.
Use your freezer. Use this chart from foodsaftey.gov for guidelines on how long your food will be safe to eat. Note that the freezer recommendations are for quality only, the site explains that food can be store indefinitely at 0 degrees F or less. So don’t start throwing out food in your freezer based on that chart. If you do not think you will be able to finish a food fast enough, then freeze it if possible.
Save by making things instead of buying premade items:
Hummus is easy to make at home. It is less expensive than the premade product and is so simple especially if you have a mini food processor.
Make your own foaming hand soap. Just mix hand soap with water to get a lot more soap! All you need is a foaming soap dispenser.
Save money by packing your Lunch.
How much can you save by packing your own lunch?
Packing your lunch can be a huge cost savings over buying lunch every day. Only you can determine your actual savings. There are savings estimates out there, but it really depends on what you personally have been spending. You should be able to prepare a meal at home for less than half of the cost of the same meal as take out. For example if you buy a taco salad at a restaurant for $10.00, you could make that same salad at home for less than $5.00. Even if you could manage to save just $5.00 per day, that would be a savings of $25.00 per work week or $1300.00 per year.
Don’t just take your lunch for a ride either. You have to eat what you packed, resist the temptation to order out with your co-workers or choose that favorite dish at the cafeteria. If you end up ordering out and taking your lunch home, you may end up having to waste what you packed. Then you will have paid for 2 lunches!
How do you find the time to pack your lunch?
Make sure you pack your lunch the night before. If you save this task for the morning you will inevitably be running late. If you have children any number of things could distract you from your lunch making task, a forgotten homework assignment, a spill you have to help clean up, a lost shoe, or you name it. Trust me, if you want to save money you need to make your lunch the night before. Teach your kids to do the same.
Why should you pack your kids lunch?
I know what you are thinking. Why would I pack my kids lunch? The school lunch is only $3.00/day. Sure it would be difficult but not impossible to pack a lunch or less that $3.00/day, so why do it?
It teaches responsibility. Kids can learn valuable skills by packing their own lunch. How to make a sandwich or salad. Knife skills for chopping fruit. Even how to add items to a grocery list when they are getting low.
It’s healthier. I know Michelle Obama tried really hard to make school lunches healthier, but they could still use some work. Currently these lunches are free for all and my kids are still packing their lunches at home. My son tolerated the low quality tasteless food the longest. He finally gave up and started packing his own lunch after reading the ingredients on the Uncrustable in his school lunch. He said “It had too much added sugar and 50% of my daily fat. I just can’t continue to eat that food.”
You will waste less food. Leftover dinners make great lunches. We try to use up our leftovers within 4 days. It really helps if every family member helps. If you end up throwing out leftovers because you bought that bargain $3 lunch, you have not saved anything.
You can save money by buying in bulk. It’s easier to buy in bulk if your whole family is packing lunches. Once you open a bulk package of lunchmeat, you should use it up in 3-5 days. If only 1 or 2 people are packing sandwiches, you may end up throwing some of it out.
Cranberry sauce is a staple at any Thanksgiving dinner. It's so easy …
What should you pack for lunch?
Soup or chili. I like to make a big pot of homemade soup or chili every week. Find my favorite soup recipe here. This is a quick and easy chili that makes great leftovers. I use a Corningware meal mug for packing soups. When my kids were younger I always packed their soups in a Thermos Funtainer. We would heat them up in the morning and the soup was still warm at lunch time. This way they could skip the microwave line and had more time to eat.
Leftover Dinner. You have to pack up your leftovers anyway, why not just pack them for lunch. Casseroles and pasta make great leftovers for lunches.
Salads. You can really get creative with salads. Try pasta salad, coleslaw, bean salad, Waldorf salad, or just a traditional lettuce salad. Check out my article about quick and easy packable salads.
Sandwiches. Meat and cheese, PB &J, leftover pulled pork, leftover meatloaf. Have some fun! Get creative.
Try Bento Box lunches. These containers are an excellent alternative to packing everything in Ziplock bags. You will save on plastic bags and benefit the environment while saving money on your food budget. Check out my bento boxed lunch post for some great ideas for kids and adults.
Save money by shopping sales
How do I find time to save?
I know you are probably thinking you don’t have time to shop several stores to get the best prices. I’d like to say that you probably do. Sales are a great way to save money on groceries. There have to be some high use non perishable items in your home. Maybe a particular sauce, or salad dressing. These are the items you want to find the best prices on. For example, I always buy Smuckers natural peanut butter at Walmart. It’s cheaper there than sale prices anywhere else. I don’t stop there every week, I just stop in and buy 3-4 jars when we are getting low. Just a few trips a year. Take the time to find the best deals on you highest use items, this will be worth your time.
Never pay full price.
I never pay full price for pasta, canned soup, BBQ sauce, mayo or any food with a long shelf life. When I grocery shop weekly, I’m mostly there to pick up fresh produce, eggs, and dairy items like milk and yogurt. I only buy meat if it is a really good sale, otherwise I defrost some meat I bought on sale earlier. Lastly, I always pick up a few nonperishable sale items for later use.
Save on Chicken breast during Super Bowl week.
By the way, the week of the Super Bowl is a great time to stock up on chicken breast. Chicken wings are so popular for the game that the rest of the chicken parts are usually marked down for quick sale.
Why coupons are not so great
You were probably expecting an article on saving money on your grocery budget to include a bunch of ways to save with coupons. I’m not saying that I never use coupons or that they will never save you money. I’m just saying that in my experience they have not really been worth the time. It takes a lot of time to search for, clip and sort coupons. Then to keep track of expiration dates. I believe that time could be better spent saving money in other ways like meal prep or managing leftovers.
Most of the time when searching for grocery coupons they tend to be for name brand products I don’t buy. It’s much cheaper to purchase generic items. One study showed that most grocery coupons were for unhealthy food.
There is nothing worse than spending your time clipping a coupon, finding the product in the store, only to find that the store brand equivalent is less expensive than the brand name product even with the coupon. Overall I don’t believe clipping coupons is the best way to save money on groceries, and defiantly not a great way to make healthy choices.
Save money by planning your meals
Meal planning seems like a daunting task, but it’s not. Start by checking the grocery store ad for produce sales. Sales are a great way to save money on groceries. I always start my plans with what ever produce is on sale. If there is a big sale on mushrooms, I’ll plan to make my favorite recipe with mushrooms. Big sale on broccoli and cauliflower, then stir fry will be a great choice. A sale on bell peppers would be a great time for stuffed peppers.
Meal planning is not just about shopping the sales it’s about finding the time to prepare the food. If you know you will be too busy to make dinner on Wednesday night due to soccer practice, then plan that to be a leftover night. There is nothing worse than having a house full of hungry family members and no plan for dinner. These are the nights that will cost you a lot because you will cave under the pressure and order take out. There goes your food budget! Save money on groceries by making the meals on your less busy days. Make sure you defrost your meat, you might even be able to trim the meat ahead of time. Chop a few onions on the weekend, you can use them in recipes and on sandwiches and salads throughout the week.
Save with grocery apps or manager specials.
Save money on groceries by using the Flashfood app to get great deals on marked down produce and meat that is close to expiration. These items can be used right away of frozen for future use, either way the savings is usually at least 50%. Use the referral code KRIS4BP8W to save $5 on your first purchase of $10 or more.
$10 bargain haul from the Flashfood app
If you are driving home from an evening event, stop in any grocery store on your way home. Managers begin to mark down items with a sell by date of the following day within a few hours of closing. You can often find great Manager Specials on meat and deli items that are close to expiration. If you don’t know where to find the manager specials, ask an employee. You’ll be glad you did! If you can’t use the meat before expiration, toss it in the freezer when you get home. Pull it out for an inexpensive meal later!
How to stretch your grocery budget with low cost foods
There are some foods that are budget friendly and can be used to feed your family for less. Here are some examples of low cost foods that can help you save money on groceries:
Low cost food #1, Potatoes
There are plenty of recipes that include potatoes. Soups and casseroles like Shepherd’s Pie. If you are trying to save on your grocery budget you can add a couple extra potatoes to these recipes to expand the number of portions. A baked potato can also be a very easy and inexpensive side to any meal.
Pasta. It is not difficult to find a sale on pasta. This ingredient can easily be added in excess to most recipes to expand your number of portions. It also makes an inexpensive side dish or salad.
Want to add some inexpensive protein to your meal? Consider adding eggs. I like to keep some hard boiled eggs in my fridge. They make a quick and easy inexpensive breakfast. They are also a great addition to fresh salads. You can also use eggs in fried rice.
This is a very inexpensive vegetable and it is so versatile. You can make coleslaw as an inexpensive side dish. Add it to salads, soups, or sandwiches. It can also be a meal itself. It has a very long shelf life, longer than lettuce so it can also help reduce food waste.
Low cost food #6, Beans
Add some beans to your meat. I used to add one can of beans to every one pound of ground beef when I made chili. I have found that I can add an extra can of bean per pound of beef and the chili is still delicious, and I get an extra serving. Here is my chili recipe.
Low cost food #7, Rice
This is a very inexpensive ingredient that can be prepared as a meal or side dish. There is seemingly no end to the varieties of ways you can prepare rice. I love fried rice, Spanish rice, and Caribbean rice. You can add it to pretty much any soup and many casseroles.
Low cost food #8, Onions
I’m not suggesting you eat a plain onion as a side dish, well maybe I am. It’s just that onions are very cheap and they are included in many recipes. If you double the onion you could add an extra serving to many dishes, plus make them healthier and more flavorful. If you are grilling, wrap and onion in some foil and throw it on the grill. Grilled onion is a delicious addition to pretty much any grilled meal.
According to the CDC the average American adult drinks about 39 ounces of water per day. This is below the recommended amount. If you are like many adults who wish to increase your water intake, read on for five sneaky tricks to increase your fluid intake.
Why should I drink more water?
Water is essential for life. Your body is about 60% water. You need water for temperature regulation, clear thinking, eliminating waste, and proper circulation.
Drinking adequate amounts of water prevents dehydration, keeps your skin healthy, reduces fatigue, prevents constipation, and reduces the risk of kidney stones.
These are just guidelines for adults with average activity. There are other factors that could change your water needs such as physical activity, climate, age, sex, pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Warm climate could increase your fluid intake needs.
How can I increase my hydration?
Increasing your daily fluid intake could be as easy as just setting a goal and finding ways to stick to it. If you don’t really care for drinking plain water than finding ways to flavor it could help. Maybe you just need to find ways to fit drinking more fluids into your daily routine. Read on for some great ways to increase your daily fluid intake.
1.Set a goal to increase your fluid intake
Use an app to keep track of your water consumption goals.
If you already enjoy drinking water you may just need to set a goal and find a way to stick to it. Believe it or not there are plenty of apps out there to help you keep track of your water consumption goals. These apps will be best used with a water bottle with measurement marks on it to help you keep track of your consumption.
2. Flavor your water to help increase your fluid consumption
Tea is a great way to flavor your water.
If you struggle to drink plain water it may really help if you flavor your water. I like to infuse fruit flavor into my water. My favorite is lemon, but there are plenty of fruits and vegetables that can give your water a pleasant flavor without adding too may calories. I like to use a water pitcher with infuser to add fruit to my water because it keeps the seeds out of my water. It is also easy to clean out and refresh the fruit. If you prefer you could drink iced or hot tea as an alternative to plain water or fruit infused water. It’s best to try decaffeinated teas if possible. I’d recommend trying several teas before you rule this out. There are so many different teas you could try; there has to be at least one you would like.
3. Make drinking water a habit to help increase your hydration.
You can easily increase your fluid intake by making drinking water part of your daily routine. Jim Kwik, author of Limitless has a great example of this in his morning brain enhancing routine. He drinks a tall glass of water every morning to help replace overnight losses from breathing. You could also make it a habit to drink a tall glass of water before each meal. This can also help you to eat less and could improve your weight loss goals.
4. Eat your water to help increase your fluid consumption.
Celery is 95% water
Simply increasing you consumption of fruits and vegetables could help to increase your overall fluid consumption. Some fruits and vegetables are very high in water. Examples of fruits and vegetables with the high water content are cabbage, celery, watermelon, peaches, bell peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, oranges, cantaloupe, and strawberries. Other foods with high fluid content are yogurt, cottage cheese, and soup. Try adding some of these foods to your diet. You could swap French fries for coleslaw, or swap a sandwich for a salad or soup. Have a breakfast smoothie or try my Immune Boosting granola with yogurt.
5. Keep water convenient to help increase consumption.
Find a water bottle you love and make sure to take it with you. Make sure it fits into the cup holder in your car. Find one with a handle that is easy to carry, or invest in a water bottle carrier.
Leave a glass of water on your night stand at night. Keep a glass near you at work. Fill a pitcher with plain or fruit infused water and keep it in the refrigerator. Keep a tray of fresh sliced fruit or veggies in your refrigerator.
Grab and Go veggie tray to keep in your fridge.
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It has been 15 years since I first tried Rachel Ray’s Italian Mac ‘n Cheese. A friend from my mom’s group brought me the dish after I had my third child. It was part of a meal train we put together to help out moms for the first couple of weeks after giving birth. Of the meals I received, this one was by far my favorite. I asked my friend for the recipe and for the past 15 years I have been modifying this recipe. I believe I have perfected the recipe now, because it is always a hit at my home. I am now ready to share with you my Better than Rachel Ray’s Italian Mac ‘n Cheese recipe.
Please feel free to compare my recipe with Rachel Ray’s Italian Mac & Cheese. My recipe is better because it has onions and because it has more sauce. The sauce in my recipe is also more flavorful due to the addition of more tomatoes and seasoning.
Pre heat the broiler to high. Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix. Top with remaining Italian blend cheese. Place the dish under the broiler for 3-5 min until the cheese in lightly browned. Serve with parmesan cheese.
Customers are flooding into local pharmacies in search of immune boosting supplements. Many of these immune boosting ingredients can easily be included in your diet. It’s much less expensive to eat your vitamins than to purchase supplements. I’m a pharmacist and I would love to share my recipe for Immune Boosting Granola. Granola is a quick and easy breakfast or snack that can easily be added to any daily meal plan. Add some to you favorite yogurt or just pack it for a quick and easy snack.
Disclaimer: The statements made regarding this recipe have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of this recipe has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. This recipe is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Immune Boosting Nutrients
In order to make an immune boosting recipe, one first needs to know which nutrients are known to boost immunity. I have compiled a list of immune boosting vitamins and minerals, because adding more to your diet can help boost your immunity.
Vitamin C- There is research to support Vitamin C supplementation in reducing the length and severity of respiratory infections.1 Vitamin C plays an important role in immune response.
Zinc – Plenty of research is certainly available supporting zinc supplementation in reducing the length and severity of infections.1 Zinc is an important player in immune response.
Vitamin D – There is some evidence that vitamin D could reduce the risk of Influenza and COVID-19 infections and death.2
Vitamin B6- A deficiency in Vitamin B6 reduces your ability to make antibodies to fight off infection. Vitamin B6 could help strengthen immunity.3
Vitamin E- Immune response is enhanced by Vitamin E. It can provide protection against infections.4
Selenium- The immune system relies on adequate dietary selenium.5
Immune Boosting Ingredients
I selected my granola ingredients to include as many immune boosting vitamins and minerals as possible so they can help boost immunity. Here is a list of my ingredients because it is important to understand why they were included in my recipe.
Elderberry syrup (find it here): Elderberry syrup is also used to enhance immunity. Elderberries are high in flavonoids, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. It may also help reduce symptoms of viral infections by stimulating immune response.6
Matcha (find it here): Another natural superfood, matcha is green tea powder. It is made by grinding green tea leaves into a fine powder. Regular consumption of green tea could decrease influenza infection rates and cold symptoms.7
Hemp hearts(find them here), pumpkin seeds and Flax Seeds: I included all of these mostly for the zinc and omega 3 and 6. These polyunsaturated fats also have been extensively studied for their role in immune health.8
Nuts: These serve as a good source of selenium and zinc. I also chose Brazil nuts because they have the highest amount of selenium. Cashews are also high in zinc.
Sunflower seeds: These seeds also have some healthy fats, but I chose them mostly because they are an excellent source of vitamin E. They are also a good source of selenium and vitamin B6.
Ginger: Can also help reduce the severity of respiratory infections.9
Blueberries: Another natural superfood. Blueberries are a good source of Vitamin C. I included them because they are one of the best sources of antioxidants, mostly flavonoids.
Immune Boosting Granola Recipe
Ingredients:
4 Cups Oats
1 Cup mixed nuts (cashews, almonds, and Brazil nuts)
1/4 Cup sunflower seeds
1 Cup shelled pumpkin seeds
1/4 Cup hemp hearts
1 Tablespoon matcha powder
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
2 Tablespoons flax seed
1/3 Cup dried cranberries
1/2 Cup shredded dry coconut
1/3 Cup dried blueberries
1/2 Cup honey
1/3 Cup Peanut butter
2 Tablespoons Elderberry Syrup
1/3 Cup coconut oil
Directions:
First preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the oats, nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, matcha, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and flax seed. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl mix the peanut butter, coconut oil, honey, elderberry syrup. Once mixed, pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix until evenly coated.
Cover a Jelly Roll Pan with parchment paper. Spread the granola over the paper. Bake for 15 min. Remove from the oven and mix in the dried coconut. Bake for 10 more minutes. Remove and mix again. If the coconut is not completely toasted, bake for 2 more minutes or until most of the coconut is toasted but not burnt. Lastly, remove from the oven and stir in the dried fruit while the granola is still warm. Finally, allow the granola to cool to room temperature. Although it is difficult not to finish it all in one sitting, you may have some leftover. If so, you can store in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Finally, after multiple attempts, I have been able to perfect my fall off the bone smoked baby back ribs. These ribs are fabulous! I’ve tried 3-2-1 recipes in the past; but in my opinion this recipe is better than 321 ribs. They are certainly award winning according to my family. I want to share this wonderful recipe for how to make fabulous smoked ribs with you.
Smoked ribs Ingredients
2 racks of Baby Back Ribs
4 Teaspoons garlic powder
4 Teaspoons Traeger Pork and Poultry Rub
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup apple juice
4 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar
BBQ sauce to taste
How to prepare fabulous smoked ribs
The first step is to remove the silver skin from the baby back ribs. This may have been done by your butcher, but if not it’s a really simple process. Just turn over the rack and use a paper towel to find the skin and pull to remove. Once the silver skin is removed season both sides with garlic powder and a generous portion of Traeger Pork and Poultry Rub.
How to prepare the Traeger Silverton 620 for ribs
Clean the Traeger from any previous cook. Ribs can be really messy so you should use a Traeger tray liner to protect your grill. This Trager grill liner is slightly wider that the liner that came with my Silverton 620 grill, but it is bendable and actually provides more coverage. You could just use foil for this step, but the tray liners do work better. Initially I tried to clean the tray between cooks, but I ended up finding the best cost saving option to be lining the tray with foil. This way I just remove to foil and reapply clean foil to the tray. I get several uses out of each tray, and keep my grill clean. Fill the hopper with Traeger Signature Blend Pellets. Preheat the Traeger to 200 degrees F.
How to make fall off the bone ribs on the Traeger Silverton 620
Place the prepared ribs directly on the rack of the preheated Silverton 620 Treager grill. Smoke at 200 degrees F for 2 hours.
Baby Back ribs prepared to smoke
Line a 21 x 13 Inch foil pan with aluminum foil, make sure there is excess foil to wrap the ribs.
Remove the ribs from the grill, use a hand held Probe Thermometer to check the meat as close as possible to the center between two ribs. The internal temperature at this step should be approximately 150 degrees F. Turn the Traeger Silverton 620 temperature up to 235 degrees F.
Smoked baby back ribs
Place the ribs in the foil lined pan. Drizzle the ribs with honey, approximately 1/3 cup.
Baby back ribs drizzled with honey
Pour one cup of warm apple juice over the ribs. Then sprinkle each rack with dark brown sugar, approximately 2 tablespoons each.
Baby back ribs with dark brown sugar
Tightly wrap the foil around the ribs and return to the Traeger.
Baby back ribs wrapped in foil
Smoke the foil wrapped ribs for 2.5 hours.
How to make your own BBQ sauce
While your ribs are smoking prepare your own BBQ sauce.
BBQ Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons apple juice
Mix all ingredients together in a sauce pan over low heat. I highly recommend the Ballarini Parma sauce pan for this. If you choose to buy one you will thank me when it comes to clean up time. Stir occasionally while maintaining a simmer. Taste your sauce. If it is:
Too sour? Add more apple juice or brown sugar
Too sweet? Add more apple cider vinegar
Not enough mustard, garlic, onion? Add more of those ingredients.
Continue to simmer until sauce is slightly thinner that you would desire your BBQ sauce to be. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
Homemade BBQ sauce
Final step for perfect fall off the bone baby back ribs
After your wrapped ribs have smoked 2.5 hours, remove them from the Traeger Silverton 620 with, heat resistant silicone gloves , and once again check a temperature with a hand held probe thermometer. The temperature at this step should be approximately 200 degrees F.
Use a silicone basting brush to coat the top side of each rack of ribs with your homemade BBQ sauce.
Smoked baby back ribs coated with BBQ sauce
Return the ribs to the Traeger. This time they go right on the rack, unwrapped. Continue to smoke at 230 degrees F for 30-40 minutes or until the sauce is tightened.
Baby back ribs with sauce on the Traeger
Remove from the Traeger with large tongs, slice or break apart and enjoy!
Smoked baby back ribs
Hope you enjoyed learning how to make fabulous smoked ribs.
