With fewer grocery trips planned in the coming weeks, I've been trying to come up with simple ways to make the food we do have last longer. Here are 7 super easy food hacks to stretch the groceries in your refrigerator and pantry further. These are definitely crazy times we're living in. Although, I have to admit, not that much has changed in my family's day to day life, other than we're all at home. I work from home so I'm used to it. I'm also used to my parents being at home [they're retired and have lived with us for 5 years now], but having the kids at home all day and my husband working from home now too, there's an adjustment period. Another thing that has taken some time getting used to is cooking and groceries. While I cook dinner for the 6 of us nightly, now I'm cooking breakfast and lunch for all of us as well. On … [Read more...]
From a Side to Main 15 Minutes: Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Ham and Broccoli
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Smithfield®. The opinions and text are all mine. When I think life couldn't get busier, it does. I now have to meal plan and write out all our activities at the beginning of each week just to stay afloat. The girls are in Girl Scouts, take piano lessons, are in the school choir, and play soccer. And on top of that, Rob and I have taken on running the local soccer league so in addition to the girls' busy schedules and our work schedules, there's even more! I'm not complaining though, as we love being busy and living a fulfilled life, but sometimes something has to give a bit. Making a weekly menu definitely helps me stay on track with dinner, but it also helps me see that I don't have an hour in the kitchen during the week to prepare a meal. … [Read more...]
Homemade French Toast with Almond Milk
Looking to eliminate dairy or already living a dairy-free lifestyle? You can still have homemade french toast! Check out how easy it is to make french toast with almond milk with just a few ingredients! When Sophia was diagnosed with a dairy allergy in January of this year, we were all in shock. Here we were with a 3 1/2 year old that consumes dairy every single day and we were all of a sudden supposed to stop that?! I was overwhelmed with just how much dairy was in almost every single food she consumed. I can't tell you how much research I did for dairy free recipes. I was nervous that as a pretty picky toddler she would struggle to replace her dairy favorites with dairy alternatives. We started the transition slowly. That's not to say we continued to give her dairy, but she was very slow to drink the alternatives. We found … [Read more...]
Picky About Your Produce? Me Too!
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PickyAboutProduce #CollectiveBias If you're picky about produce, you're not alone. I don't just buy produce anywhere, and neither should you. I buy produce at the store I know is just as picky as I am. Here's where you should buy your produce and 5 tips to get your kids [and entire family] to eat more fresh produce too! Living in a small town in East Tennessee definitely has its advantages and sometimes disadvantages too. While we only have 2 main grocery stores in town because of a lower population, you get to know those stores really well... and the employees too. While sometimes it's great to have lots of choices, it's even better to know exactly what you'll find when you visit your favorite grocery store in … [Read more...]
THE Snack You Need to Try Today
This post was sponsored by Blue Diamond® as part of an Influencer Activation and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. Do you crave salty and sweet? Crunchy and soft? Spicy and tart? Blue Diamond Almonds & Fruit are the snack that you need to try today. No matter your paired snack cravings, these bags have you covered! It's over. I've done the work. I've found it. THE ultimate snack for us Moms. Ok, Dads can enjoy too, but I'm currently hiding my bags of Blue Diamond Almonds & Fruit so they are mine, all mine. Now that my girls are back in school, my snacks no longer consist of finishing off what they didn't eat at lunch. It's time for a snack for ME and the new combinations from Blue Diamond are definitely one of my current favorites. They pair perfectly with your favorite non-cartoon binge-worthy … [Read more...]
Mini Meatball Subs – Perfect Size for Little Hands and Lunch Boxes
This post was sponsored by King’s Hawaiian as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. These mini meatball subs are the perfect weeknight dinner and meal for the lunch box. Think outside the sandwich and pack a delicious, savory meal for your kids for their school lunch. We're just a couple weeks into packing school lunches and I'm sharing one of my girls' favorites. They've both told me that when they open up their bento boxes at lunch and these adorable sized Mini Meatball Subs are inside, they do a little happy dance! While the girls are fine with eating school lunches, I prefer to pack their lunch because I know just what type of nutrition they are getting throughout the day. I can also watch to see how much they're eating [or talking] during lunch … [Read more...]
DIY Yogurt Parfait Bar for an Easy Family Breakfast
This post is sponsored by Greek Gods but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. Breakfast is hard, y'all. Does anyone else struggle with making one of the most important meals of the day with time to spare on weekday mornings? I love make ahead breakfast ideas, and sometimes I totally succeed at them, but other mornings are rushed and I just come up empty handed. But one thing we always have in the refrigerator is fresh fruit. My girls are fruit-obsessed and easily go through a container of strawberries and blueberries a day! So I always have some on hand, which had me thinking how I could serve fruit more in the mornings. On my most recent shopping trip to Walmart, I found a new-to-me brand of yogurt that I couldn't wait to try. I found Greek Gods® Greek-Style Yogurt in the lower, refrigerated bottom well of the yogurt … [Read more...]
How I’ve Become a Caregiver to My Parents + Healthier Macaroni and Cheese with Butternut Squash Recipe
There are many ways you can offer assistance and caregiving to aging parents. Today I'm sharing some of the ways my husband and I are doing that with my parents after moving them into our home four years ago in a sponsored conversation on behalf of Amerigroup. Four years ago, we made the decision to sell our home and move into a new one. We were motivated by a few different reasons. One being that we wanted our girls to go to a particular school and our current home wasn't zoned for that district. And another being that we kept contemplating moving my parents in with us. Just like the decision to move, there were a few reasons we were considering this huge life change too. While some husbands might not jump at the chance to live with their in-laws, my husband was very much on board and actually the main supporter of … [Read more...]
All About Hemp Hearts + Blueberry Mug Cake with Hemp Hearts
If you're looking to add in more vitamins and minerals into your daily diet, consider adding hemp hearts. Let's take a look at the nutritional benefits of hemp hearts and how to incorporate them into your favorite foods and even new foods like this Blueberry Mug Cake recipe. Compensation for this post was provided by Manitoba Harvest. The opinions expressed here are my own and not indicative of the opinions of Manitoba Harvest. It's the New Year and if you're like me, and most people who I've seen posting on social media, you've made a goal to be better this year. Better at a hobby, better at parenting, better at exercising, better at... you name it, and being a better version of ourselves should probably always be something we strive for, right?! This year, I'm determined to eat better and put better foods on not just my plate, … [Read more...]
Easy, At-Home Chinese Food with Ling Ling Potstickers
This post was sponsored by Ling Ling, all opinions expressed in my post are my own. If Chinese food is one of your favorite cuisines, you don't have to grab take out to enjoy easy meals at home. Check out this easy and comforting at-home Chinese inspired meal that comes together in under 30 minutes! Chinese food has always been a comfort food for me. Although that might sound a little funny coming out of the mouth of an East Tennessee girl that also considers chicken and dumplings as a comfort food! But it has - when I feel like I'm getting sick, I crave Chinese food. When it's cold outside, all I want is a plate full of rice and veggies. Thankfully my family loves it as much as I do, so at-home Chinese food is on our menu very regularly. While I love to eat take out [and love the break from cooking every now and … [Read more...]
Strawberry Brie Bites with Bays English Muffins
This is a sponsored blog post; while the views expressed here were genuinely mine, consideration was paid to me by Bays English Muffins to review this product. Who says English muffins are just for breakfast?! These Strawberry Brie Bites elevate them to a savory and sweet appetizer ready for any get-together. If you have 5 minutes, you'll have delicious Strawberry Brie bites that everyone at the party will love! I don't know about you, but my family loves appetizers. We love throwing small get-togethers and having our friends bring an appetizer and sometimes I even make our favorite apps for dinner. It's one of those categories that I always love perusing on Pinterest and when I find a good appetizer, I want to share it! These Strawberry Brie Bites are definitely one I'm excited to share because they are SO easy [my food love … [Read more...]
Low Carb Veggie Pizza Made with Cauliflower Pizza Crust
This post was sponsored by Green Giant as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. Are you looking for a delicious low carb pizza crust alternative? This veggie pizza is made with a premade cauliflower pizza crust that is delicious and both crunchy and chewy and a perfect choice for a low carb pizza option. While I have never been one to go on a diet, I do try to watch what I eat for the most part. Especially when we're nearing the Holidays and I know I'll be indulging a little more than normal. I'm the type of person that as soon as I tell myself "I can't eat carbs or sugar" I'll crave it and eat more than I ever would before! That's why I'm totally on board with making small changes to my diet that can make big impacts. Small swaps and alternatives that when you … [Read more...]