Squeezing in (or blending, mashing, hiding) our Veggies

I'm on a mission to get more veggies into my family's diet. My oldest eats most pretty well...save squash or peppers. My 15 month old, however, pokes at and smashes peas and carrots with his chubby little finger like I've served him worms! Fresh, canned, or frozen: doesn't matter. I keep serving a required vegetable and sometimes he'll eat it...sometimes he won't even eat mashed potatoes! Since he's allergic to milk, the doctor suggested I serve him plenty of high fat foods- like avacado- Hah! You should see how he pokes at that green slimey goodness!

The rest of us don't eat many vegetables outside of dinner either, because we prefer cooked to raw and that takes time. So, I'm researching practical ways to get more veggies in. (The fact that I'm pregant with our third child makes it even more important...Can I eat peanut butter toast all day and just take my prenatal!?!)

Smoothies: Our saving grace! I started making smoothies for the boys and my after school/ afternoon snack. I've been playing with different mixtures, but I've found that fresh spinach and carrots are good add-ins to the usual fruit cocktails. The spinach can make it an unappealing color if it's not balanced with brighter fruits, like dark berries. Although , I served a bright green smoothie and called it "The Hulk Smoothie" and my 6 year old gulped it down ;).  I've also found that a scoop of sherbert sweetens up the smoothies and makes them really creamy! Sometimes I add in soy yogurt instead.

The Hulk Smoothie:
1 can pineapple and juice
1 large banana in chunks
2 large handfuls fresh spinach (stems and all) torn into smaller sections
1 cup ice
1 scoop orange sherbert
1 cup cold water if needed for consitency (or milk/ soymilk)
*Makes 3-4 small glasses

My latest experiment was More-Veggie Spaghetti sauce- attempting to get in some less-than-kid-favorite vegetables. It tasted like veggie lasagna! Yummy!

Chop and cook 1 squash, 1 zucchini, 1 bell pepper, and 1/4 onion in a skillet with a little cooking spray until tender.

Put them into blender with 1/2 jar spaghetti sauce. Blend until smooth.

Pour back into skillet and stir in other 1/2 of jarred sauce.

Add seasoning to your liking. I added basil, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Serve with spaghetti noodles and lots of grated Italian cheese. Delicious!

I've also been adding more veggies to my sandwiches at lunch...Cucumber and avacado are my current faves.

Couponing= Clutter!!!

I began to notice rather quickly that as my couponing "hobby" was growing,  so were my piles of clutter: Papers, ads, Sunday coupons, printed coupons, mailer coupons....and the stock pile itself! In a perfect world I would have hours to browse deals, organize ads, sort, file, clip, shop, and put each item purchased neatly in it's row. Well, that's just not happening!

To Address the Paper Clutter:

Previous idea: Coupon binder. Although I love the organization of it, it's just not practical for me to clip and file each and every coupon. So, I now use it for clipped coupons that need a home (ones I clipped and didn't use, mailers, ones from magazine ads, register coupons, etc) and items that I always need to buy (like diapers, formula, and protein bars). It is a great tool, and I still carry it with me for unadvertised deals and I have gotten some great savings with it...Just too time consuming.
*Tom Thumb has a clearance section (at the back behind all the aisles near dairy usually). I have gotten AWESOME deals there (by having my binder handy) on everything from Gerber products and formula to canned black beans!

 A plastic divider with pocket for each store. Put list, ads, and envelope with specific coupons for a trip here.

 I removed the pages from a photo album for large coupons or store coupons that print out at the register to keep behind the plastic divider for each store.

 Clear page protectors for large coupons or fast food coupons that I always keep in my binder in the car.

 And of course the baseball card pages ($1 at Dollar Tree for pack of 10) labeled with categories for coupons. Categories are: baby, baking, batteries, bread, candy, canned, cereal, cleaner, condiments, dairy, eggs, frozen, fruit, hygiene, jelly/peanut butter, meat, medicine, paper, pasta, pet, salad dressing, seasoning, snacks, target, toothpaste, toys. ( I cannot remember which coupon site I adapted these from, but I'll add it later!)

Current Idea: I write the date the coupons came out on the front of the coupons as soon as I get them. I then file them in file folders labeled with the date and store them in a sterilite container. (Idea adapted from Couponmom.com) The majority of coupon sites do the major work of matching deals with coupons for you. They list the date the coupons came out and from what source (smart source, red plum, etc.). No need to spend hours clipping and filing...just file them by date and clip it when/if you need it for a deal!

  I also have a file for:
-Store ads
-Target coupons (the ones that come randomly in the mail. I put the ones that print out at the register in my binder)
-All You Magazine (great coupons and Couponmom lists these deals also)
-Food
-Fun
-Car, home (like oil change coupons, floor cleaning, etc...)

 

I reused file folders by placing address labels over the old writing.

Now all those ValPak coupons that I save have a home. (Which means I can actually locate one when I need it!)

To Address Product Clutter:

If you want to save the most money, you have to buy in larger quantities than you normally would when things are on sale or at their "rock bottom price". It's a lot of work in planning and storing, but it really pays off! You don't have to go crazy...Just enough of a product for your family for a few months (when the product will most likely go on sale again). I shopped A LOT the first couple of months, but I have just been filling in with perishables and freebies for quite a while now. Average savings on trips is 50%. Sometimes everything is free...Sometimes I only have a couple of $2 off coupons, but I just need something.

Now to the storage...
The grocery stores are on to something! I organize my food like a grocery store...In rows in my pantry- by expiration date (aka ones that expire sooner in the front)
Patrick (my wonderful husband and handy man) added shelves to the coat closet to turn into a linen/storage closet for hygiene items.

**My rule of thumb (and to avoid becoming a hoarder) is to stop buying when pantry and/or linen closet is full. If I just can't resist freebies, they go directly into the charity box or to family and friends! A free bag of food and hygiene products can really help out sometimes!

I hope this is helpful to someone! Happy Couponing! =)

BOGO Sales and Coupons

I've been trying to figure out how to use coupons with Buy One Get One Free sales... Can you use a BOGO coupon with a BOGO sale? Can you use a coupon for each item...One for the item you pay for, one for the "free" item??? I found 2 good articles that address this:

Consumer Queen: Lesson-8-buy-one-get-one-free-sales-coupons

http://www.livingrichwithcoupons.com/2011/03/bogo-sales-and-coupons-questions-answered.html

Some More Aquired Coupon Knowledge

So, I've learned a couple more things in this crazy coupon game:

1. Many stores (Kroger, Wal-Mart) will allow you to use the "overage" from your coupons to pay for other items in your cart. For example, if pasta is on sale for 50 cents and you have $1 off (or a .50 that doubles!) coupon, you'll have 50 cents overage for every package of pasta you purchase. Awesomeness. Check your store's coupon policy.

2. So, there's a great deal on an item and you have a coupon that makes it free or better...The trick is FINDING IT!! It can be difficult to find the "hot" items b/c of the other couponers out there. Solution= Rain checks!! You can get a rain check for an item at the sale price (good for 30 days usually)...Just hope your coupon hasn't expired by the time you can actually find the item!

Sites I use to check deals:

http://www.southernsavers.com/

http://moneysavingmom.com/

http://www.couponmom.com/

2 Kroger Trips Today... $30 (Including: Over 20 packages of pasta, 6 boxes baby cereal, 20 jars baby food, 9 boxes of cereal). Easter merchandise is marked down 90%. Baskets were $1.00!!!  (Two for us and two for our neighbors) An employee at Kroger gave me coupons for FREE packs of diapers and a container of formula. (Maybe this is God's way of telling me it's OK to completely wean Shayde)   1/10 to the charity box!

Great Deals: Mega Event at Kroger going on now. But 10 participating items, get $5 off at register. Check the coupon websites for deals and coupons. Happy Couponing!!! =)

Target Cereal Deal! 04-19-2011

Target has Kelloggs Cocoa Krispies on sale 2/$5. Go here to get a $1/2 coupon, making them $2/box. Plus, on the front is a coupon for a free bag of M&M's (9.9-12.6oz) for every 2 boxes. You'll also have 2 M&M coupons for later.
Patrick doesn't like my "super healthy" "hale bales" or "bales with raisins" cereal, so I'm always looking for deals on the "good" stuff!  Happy Couponing!!

Surplus!

I love good deals and especially freebies, but I DON'T want to become a hoarder! I've been thinking about how to prevent this. So, first things first, I started a charity box. At least 1/10 items go straight into this box (the tithe principle). When it's full, I'll take it to the community store house with my helper (see handsome guy pictured below). There are great coupons from this past Sunday, so I'm going to need a bigger box!

Second, I'd like to offer my friends (who don't have the time to coupon or shop around) an occasional surplus box... "Jeni's Dollar Spot," if you will ;). Ten items for $10... Better than 50% off retail price at Walmart/Target...Much better than you could get walking through a "dollar spot" for sure!!

I don't know how often I'll have them, but I'll post when I do. Obviously, it's better if you live close to me so there's no shipping. I'm in the Mansfield area from time to time also, visiting my parents. So, I could drop it off in that area also. I really just want to give a good deal to friends. I'm not interested in ebay or anything like that. Just text or message me if you're interested! Happy Couponing!! =)

Pics of my current surplus lots:

                                          Lot 1- sold

                                           Lot 2

                                          Lot 3

                                          Lot 4- sold

Coupon Crazy!!!

A couple of months ago, my neighbor asked me if I had heard of couponmom.com.... Well, I hadn't. Now, hundreds of coupons and several shopping trips later I think it's time to share what I've learned and some of my trips. Keep in mind that I'm still a newbie.

1. Multiple coupons for an item are needed to be able to stock up when something is on sale
2. Couponmom is a great site to get the best weekly deals... Others, like Money saving mom have good posts about freebies, etc.
3. Multiple trips are necessary to get the most deals... Difficult with young children! (WalMart and Target match some types of ads, but they don't multiply coupons, so not a solution)
4. In order to take advantage of clearance items or unexpected deals, you need to keep coupons on you (What nerd carries around a coupon binder!?! Um...)
5. Don't buy things just because you have a coupon! Sometimes store brand is still a better deal.
6. Kroger is great overall, but Albertsons and Tom Thumb have great deals and in ad coupons too!
7. CVS is much better than Walgreens in my experience. If you use your "walgreens dollars" to make a purchase, you cannot earn more walgreens dollars. At CVS, you can use your "Extra Bucks" and still earn more. ( And the employees are way more helpful!)

8.  This one I'm still learning... It's not worth being completely stressed out with your family to get every deal. Family first! (Although it's hard to resist freebies!)

04-17 Wal-Mart Trip... FREE!!!

Recent Target Trip... FREE!!! ( Bought more at kroger later with a great Spend $25, get $5 off your bill) Shayde is primarily breastfed, but moving towards formula, so I thought I should stock up! Worst case, I give them to a friend or charity.


I'm sure I'll think of more later! :)

Faith Album- Entry #1 "Blessings in the Trash" (don't judge me!)

I wanted to share something pretty cool that happened this morning....These things may all seem unrelated, but they intertwine....

1-Last night I was reading Heaven is for Real! by Todd Burpo about a little boy's trip to heaven while he was near death in surgery. I was struck by how much the little boy emphasized Jesus' love for children. His father said he talked about that one point "constantly"... to the point of being annoying about it!

2- Sean's beloved Cocoa bunny passed away recently. Very sad for him, but he's been a trooper. I still get sad when I walk by the space in the kitchen where his cage was. We named a beanie baby rabbit "Cocoa"  in his memory ;)

3- I've talked with Patrick about how therapeutic painting is for Sean and that he needs a designated space that is ready whenever he wants to paint without 15 minutes of set up by me! Well, this morning on the way to school, Sean was talking again about how much he enjoys his art class. He said he likes it more than music class, but he doesn't tell the music teacher because it would hurt her feelings. Awe!

4- Also this morning, I took a different path through our neighborhood to get home after dropping Sean at school. It's bulk trash day and I'm amazed at the things people throw away! There in someone's pile of "trash" was a child's art desk. Well, friends, this is not my first time to find a treasure in the trash (remember I said not to judge me!). Sean now has a new painting station.... And it fits just right in the spot where Cocoa's cage was!

As I was cleaning it and setting it up for him, I was thinking about how loved he's going to feel when he gets home from school today and sees it. Then I was struck by what I read last night and it occurred to me that there's someone who loves "my" little Sean more than I ever could.... Someone who also knows his momma loves a good find! Seriously, the God of the Universe cares about my kid. I was thinking about the "best mom in the world" comment that this may elicit from him when he sees it...and realized I need to point him to where this and all blessing truly come from. As Colton Burpo said over and over to his parents, "Jesus said he really, really loves the children!"

I hope this doesn't come off hokey and "churchy"... but I really wanted to share it. It's a great day when you directly feel the love of Jesus for you and your offspring!!!

** I'm going to put this pic in an album.... A Family Faith Album. Every time we see God's hand directly in our lives we will add it to the album. My hope is that it will strengthen our children's faith and be something to fall back on when they're older. I know it has already strengthened mine. :)

May you all find a blessing in the trash today! xoxo