My $42 Grocery Shopping Trip & GF Menu for 10/21-10/27

This week's Kroger trip included a rare ice cream splurge (on sale), grass-fed
organic beef on Manager's Special (only $4.16 after my coupon!) and a package
of $.99 cilantro. I had a $.70/2 coupon for the Kroger cheese, making it $1.53 ea.

Last week I stocked up at our local bulk foods store and paid the farmer for our monthly herd share of raw, pastured milk. (We pay $11/week for milk, that I also use to make 2 qts. of yogurt.) That being said, the grocery budget is getting pretty tight and the month isn't even close to being over!

If you find yourself in a place where you are trying to drastically cut your grocery bill for a period of time, my best advice is to shop at home first. Take a complete inventory of your freezer, fridge and pantry and see what you have to work with in your menu planning. A can of diced tomatoes, a couple boxes of pasta, frozen broccoli, a package of pork chops, a can of tuna...write it ALL down. Now is the time to be creative! Head over to Pinterest or All Recipes and type in a few of your random ingredients as a search. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you can make with what you already have. 

I remember early in our marriage, long before kids and in the height of my couponing days, we had one extremely tight week where I was forced to plan a week's worth of healthy meals with only the $20 bill in my wallet. It was challenging, and required careful planning, but I did it with a few cents to spare! By starting with the things you already have buried in the back of the freezer and those random odds and ends in the pantry, you too can build a simple and inexpensive menu.

I have recently begun listing the contents of my upright freezer in dry erase marker on the door. It wipes off easily and allows me to know exactly what I have available for meals. As I use things up, I simply erase them.

We went in with some friends last year to purchase a side of grass-fed, organic beef from our local farmer and I am still in the process of using it up. Buying in bulk can really save you money--providing you use things up in a timely fashion and don't let them go to waste.

I planned this week's menu using quite a few things I already had in the freezer and pantry. I was able to spend about 50% less than I typically do at the grocery store (which offsets the crazy amount I spent last week!). 

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In the menu below, I will use an asterisk (*) to note the items that I already had on hand. Recipe links are in BLUE.


Breakfast

Steel Cut Oats* x2
GF Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
Spelt Pumpkin* Waffles (not GF) & Nitrate-free Bacon*
Banana, Blueberry*, Spinach* & Yogurt* Smoothies x2
Easy Cinnamon Granola & Oranges 

Lunch

Leftovers x2
Applegate Farms Organic Beef Hotdogs* w/Sugar Snap Peas & Apples*
Personal Pizzas w/Spelt Pizza Crust* (not GF), Spinach* Salad & Oranges*
Cheese Nachos w/Raw Carrots & Grapes
PB* & Honey* on Homemade Spelt* Bread (not GF) w/Celery* & Raspberries*
Annie's Homegrown GF Mac-n-Cheese* w/Broccoli & Homemade Applesauce*

Dinner

Steak* Burrito Bowls w/Cilantro Lime Brown Rice* 
Pumpkin* Smoothies

Roasted Turkey Breast*
Butternut Squash* Casserole
Green Beans*

 

Beef* Stew w/Potatoes* & Carrots

GF Cornbread*
Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce*

Quinoa* & Sausage* Stuffed Peppers
Fruit* Salad
Raw Nut Butter* Cups
 

 

Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole (previously frozen*)
Steamed Broccoli
GF Almond Flour Brownies--sub zucchini* for butter & eggs

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Looking for more inspiration on shopping from the pantry? Check out my Dinners By Design series HERE.

 

 

 







I'm linked up at I'm an Organizing Junkie!
 



Chicken Pot Pie (GF)

Serves 6

2 pie crusts*
2 T. butter
2 T. flour or GF cornstarch
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1/8 t. thyme
1/2 c. chicken broth (homemade is best!)
1/2 c. whole milk
1-2 c. cooked, shredded chicken breast
2-3 c. frozen or fresh veggies (corn, peas, celery, onion, carrots, green beans, etc.)

1. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan and blend in the flour or cornstarch and spices. Stir until smooth.

2. Immediately add the broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

3. Add chicken and veggies to sauce mixture. Place bottom pie crust in pie plate and pour filling into crust. Add top crust and pinch edges to seal.

5. Bake at 425 degrees for 35-40 min.

Delicious served with fresh fruit or a salad!

*For a wheat pie crust, use this recipe. For a gluten-free crust, try this one. Or purchase a store-bought crust.

Meijer Hot Deal Preview for 3/3-3/9

Don't miss these great Meijer deals on fresh, healthy foods for the week of March 3-9, 2013! Check back on Monday morning for my complete list of weekly grocery deals for Meijer, Kroger and Aldi.

$1.99 Meijer Milk, gallon (excludes chocolate & organic)

$.89 Yellow Onions, 3 lb. bag

$1.50 Organic Celery Hearts

$4.99 Red Grapefruit (15 lb?! That's what the ad says!)

$.89/lb. Green, Red or Black Seedless Grapes

$.89 Broccoli

$.99/lb Meijer Spilt Chicken Breasts

$1.67/lb. Center Cut Boneless Pork Loin

$3.49 Kraft String Cheese, 12 ct.
-$1/2 mPerks coupon*
=$2.99 when you buy 2!

$3.00 Alexia Frozen Potatoes (check out the new organic fries!)

Get $1 off instantly when you buy 2!

-$1 printable coupon HERE (print 2x)

-$1 printable coupon HERE (print 2x)

=$1.50 each when you buy 2 with coupons!

$3.49 King Arthur Flour, 5 lb. (I use their white whole wheat for everything!)
-$.50 mPerks coupon*
=$2.99!

$1.25 Mann's Snacks on the Go--veggies and dip
$1/2 mPerks coupon*
=$.75 when you buy 2!

$3.00 Maxwell House Coffee
Get $2 off instantly when you buy 2!
=$2.00 each!

*New to mPerks? Get $5 off your total purchase of groceries or general merchandise! Download digital coupons to your account and enter your mobile number at the checkout to automatically receive your discount. Click here for all the details.  I think I am going to sign my husband up, too! Who couldn't use $5 in free groceries?!



Fresh Food Deals: Eat Healthy & Save Money!

The following grocery deals are for the Dayton, OH and surrounding areas. If you spot a great deal on fresh/natural/organic foods or find a new printable coupon, be sure to let me know so I can spread the word. This is a weekly feature that will be posted on Mondays or Tuesdays, whenever time permits. Some prices are weekly advertised prices and others are unadvertised sales with varying end dates.

KROGER
Weekly Advertised Deals for Feb. 18-24
$.99 Crisp Iceberg or Romaine Lettuce
$.79/lb. Sweet Potatoes
$.99 Onions, 3 lb. bag
$1.69 Grape Tomatoes (organic)
$2.50 Blueberries (organic)
$1.99 Cantaloupes
$1.88 Pineapple
$.99 Broccoli
$.79 Tomatoes on the Vine
$.99/lb. Asparagus
$2 Strawberries, 16 oz.

10/$10 Kroger Frozen Vegetables
$2 Nature's Path Frozen Waffles
$2.99 Breyer's Ice Cream (look for one with less than 5 ingredients!)
-$1 eCoupon--see below

$3 Kettle Brand Potato Chips
10/$10 Simple Truth Organic Beans, 15 oz.
$1.99 General Mills Cheerios, etc. ($.99 w/coupon!)
-$.50/1 coupon for original Cheerios (and others) HERE 
-$1/2 eCoupon--see below--but you cannot use both together!

$1.88/lb. Tyson BLSL Chicken Breast or Thighs*
$3.49/lb. Private Selection Angus Whole Eye of Round Roast*
$3.79/lb. Ground Round*
$6.99/lb. T-Bone Steak*
$5.99/lb. Wild Caught Cod Fillets
$5.99/lb. Jumbo White Shrimp (21-25 ct.)

$1.99 Simple Truth Cage Free Eggs*
$2.50 Kraft Chunk Cheese, 8 oz.*
-$1/2 eCoupon--see below
$2 Dannon Yogurt, 32 oz. (rBST free)*
$2.99 Silk Soy, Almond or Coconut Milk
-$.55 Blinkie coupon available in some stores
$2.49 Fage Greek Yogurt, 17.6 oz.*
$2.99 Earth Balance Buttery Spread

*Local, organic, pastured meat, poultry and dairy products are the healthiest choice if you can work them into your budget. I have provided the prices listed above for those who are interested in conventional meat/dairy; however, we prefer to get our beef, chicken and eggs from local farmers or we opt for organic store varieties when necessary.

Unadvertised Temporary Price Drops
$4.29 Horizon Organic Butter, 1 lb.  (reg. $5.99) 
$6.39 Spectrum Organic Coconut Oil, 15 oz.
$1.09/$1.19 Simple Truth Organic Regular/Whole Wheat Pasta, 1 lb.
$2.49 ST Organic Pasta Sauce
$3.59 ST Organic Quinoa, 16 oz.
$2.59 ST Organic Honey, 12 oz. squeeze bottle
$2.49 Stretch Island Fruit Co. Fruit Leather, 6 ct. 
$1.67 Annie's Organic Mac-n-Cheese ($.97 w/coupon!)
-$.35 coupon HERE ~ Plus get $.75 off salad dressing & $.75 off bunny cookies or crackers
$1.67 Hormel Natural Choice Nitrate-Free Pepperoni* ($1.17 w/coupon!)
-$1/2 coupon HERE


DOWNLOAD COUPONS TO YOUR PLUS CARD AND SAVE $$ INSTANTLY! Click HERE to sign-up or sign-in and the electronic coupons will come off automatically at the register.
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MEIJER
Weekly Advertised Deals for Feb. 17-23
$.99/lb. Apples, most varieties
$1.99/lb. Gala or Fuji Apples (organic)
$.99 Cantaloupe
$.99/lb. Pears
$1.69/lb. Anjou Pears (organic)
$1.49/lb. Seedless or Seeded Watermelon Chunks
$3.99 Red Grapefruit, 10 lb. bag
$1.25/ea. Mango
$2.99 Kiwi, 2 lb.
$1.99 Potatoes, 10 lb. bag

$1.25 Campbell's 100% Natural Soup
$3 Kashi Cereal or Granola Bars
$.50 Meijer Naturals Canned Tomatoes
$2.50 Meijer 100% Pure Pumpkin, 29 oz.
$1 Creamette Pasta, 16 oz.
$5.99/lb. Meijer Whole Bean Coffee
$3 Stacy's Pita Chips, 8 oz.
$3 MorningStar Farms Products
$2 Meijer Organic Baby Puffs
$1.25 Plum Organic Baby Food Pouches ($.25 w/coupon!)
-$.50/1 Facebook coupon HERE
$2.50 Plum Organic Tot Puffs, Little Cremes, Bistro Bowls, etc.

$2.99/lb. Angus Beef Ground Chuck*
$1.77/lb. Half Boneless Pork Loin*
$3.49/lb. Angus Chuckeye Roasts or Steaks*
$7.99/lb. Angus Boneless Rib Eye Steaks*
$4.99 Meijer BLSL Frozen Chicken Breasts, 2.5 lb.*
$1.27/lb. Meijer Split Chicken Breasts*
$2.98 Oscar Mayer Nitrate-Free Hotdogs and Lunchmeat*
$3.99/b. Meijer Frozen Wild Caught Cod Fillets
$4.99/lb. Meijer Frozen Wild Caught Ocean Perch Fillets
$8.99/lb. Fresh Wild Caught Walleye Fillets

$5.99/lb. Heini's Greek Yogurt Cheese (deli dept.)*
$4.99/lb. Meijer Colby Jack Cheese (deli dept.)*
$.99 Stonyfield Organic Greek Yogurt or Dannon Oikos Yogurt ($.50 w/coupon!)
-$.50/2 coupon for Stonyfield HERE
$2 Kraft Chunk Cheese, 8 oz.*
$2 Meijer Butter Quarters*
$1.99 Meijer Milk, gallon*

*Local, organic, pastured meat, poultry and dairy products are the healthiest choice if you can work them into your budget. I have provided the prices listed above for those who are interested in conventional meat/dairy; however, we prefer to get our beef, chicken and eggs from local farmers or we opt for organic store varieties when necessary.

Unadvertised Temporary Price Drops
$2 Stonyfield Organic YoBaby or YoToddler Yogurt, 4 pk. ($1 w/coupon!)
-$.50/1 coupon HERE
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ALDI (Don't forget that Walmart and Target will price match!!)
Weekly Advertised Deals for Feb. 17-23
$.99 Onions, 3 lb. bag
$.25/ea. Cucumbers
$.69 Whole Mushrooms, 8 oz.
$.69 Roma Tomatoes, 20 oz.
$.69 Green Peppers, 14 oz.
$1.99 Mandarin Oranges, 3 lb. bag

$2.69 Fresh Mozzarella, 8 oz.
$1.99 Parmasan or Romano Shredded Cheese, 5 oz.
$.99 Lasagna Sheets, 9 oz.
$.99 Penne Pasta, 16 oz.
$1.69 Spaghetti, 32 oz.
$.59 Diced Tomatoes, 14.5 oz.


Have you spotted any other good deals I should add to this post? Is there a store where you frequently shop that could be added to this list? I love to hear from you--please leave a comment below!

Please DO NOT post these deals on your own blog or website without first getting my permission and then linking back to my site. Reach me via e-mail at these_precious_days@yahoo.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ThesePreciousDays.

Fresh Food Deals: Eat Healthy & Save Money!

The following grocery deals are for the Dayton, OH and surrounding areas. If you spot a great deal on fresh/natural/organic foods and/or find a new printable coupon, be sure to let me know so I can spread the word. This is a weekly feature that will be posted on Tuesdays whenever possible. Some prices are weekly advertised prices and others are unadvertised sales with varying end dates.

KROGER
Weekly Advertised Deals for July 16-22
$1.99/lb. Northwest Cherries
$2 Driscoll's Blackberries or Raspberries, 6 oz.
$2 Driscoll's Blueberries, pint
Sign up for Driscoll's e-mails to receive coupons!
4/$1 Sweet Corn (may be GMO-avoid by buying organic)
$1.50 Red, Yellow or Orange Bell Peppers
$.39/lb. Seedless Watermelon, halves or quarters
$2 Strawberries, 16 oz.
$.99/lb. Peaches
$1.50 Private Selection Mini-Peeled Carrots, 16 oz.
$3.99 Clementines, 3 lb. bag
$1.00 Mangos
$3.00 Lifeway Kefir (probiotic beverage)
$1.00 Fage Greek Yogurt
$2.50 Simple Truth Cage-Free Eggs
$1.25 Kroger Eggs (free-range, pastured eggs would be better!)
$1.79 Kroger Chunk Cheese, 8 oz.
$1.99 Kroger Butter Quarters, 1 lb.(organic butter is best!)
$2.50 Athenos Feta Cheese
$2.09 Daisy Sour Cream or Cottage Cheese, 16 oz. (rBST free!)
Save $.50 when you buy 10 participating products
$2.99 Silk PureAlmond or PureCoconut, half gallon
Save $.50 when you buy 10 participating products
$1.19 Honest Tea or Ade
Save $.50 when you buy 10 participating products
$1.09 Vitamin Water
Save $.50 when you buy 10 participating products
$3.29 Kashi Frozen Meals
Save $.50 when you buy 10 participating products
$3.49 Turkey Hill Ice Cream (look for the All Natural varieties!)
Save $.50 when you buy 10 participating products

Unadvertised Temporary Price Drops
3/$1.00 Stretch Island Fruit Co. fruit leather strips
$3.19 Private Selection Organic Frozen Fruit
$2.00 Kettle Brand Baked Potato Chips
$1.67 Annie's Organic Mac-n-Cheese
$3.19 Yoga Organic Brown or White Rice, 2 lb.
$6.19 Private Selection Pure Maple Syrup, 12 oz.
$2.39 DeLallo Pasta (in International aisle), most varieties
-$1.00 printable at http://www.delallo.com/coupons-and-promotions
$1.67 Private Selection Organic Pasta, 16 oz.
$5.79 Kashi Frozen Pizza
$2.50 Cascadian Farms Frozen Veggies
Download $.75 e-coupon to your Kroger Plus Card HERE
$3.69 R.W. Knudsen Organic Juice, 32 oz.
Download $1.00 e-coupon to your Kroger Plus Card HERE 
$4.69 Daiya Dairy-free Cheese
$4.13 Earth Balance Spread
$4.99 Kettle Brand Almond Butter, 11 oz.
$2.50 Blue Diamond Nut Thins (GF)
$3.49 Mary's Gone Crackers (GF)
$2.99 Back to Nature Granola Cookies (GF)
BOGO (Reg $4.99) Zevia Natural Cola, 6 pk.
3/$1.25 Earth's Best Stage 3 Baby Food
$2.99 Earth's Best Baby Cereal
$3.49 Happy Baby Puffs
-$1.00/2 coupon at www.smartsource.com
$2.99 Willamette Valley Granola Chips
$2.50 Nature's Pride Bread or Hamburger Buns (no HFCS!)
$2.49 Delilah Medjool Dates (produce section)
$3.59 Private Selection Organic All-purpose Unbleached Flour, 5 lb.
$3.19 Skippy Natural PB
$2.69 Silver Palate Thick and Rough Oats
$3.00 Hormel Natual Choice Lunchmeat
$3.99 Simple Truth Organic Butter, 1 lb. sticks


DOWNLOAD THESE GREAT COUPONS TO YOUR PLUS CARD AND SAVE $$ INSTANTLY!
Click HERE to sign-up or sign-in and these coupons will come off automatically at the register.
$1 off one R.W. Knudsen Organic Juice, 32 oz.
BOGO Sweet Leaf Tea (save $1.99)
$2/2 Good Belly Probiotic Juice
$.50 off one Breyer's product (look for ice cream with 5 ingredients or less!)
$.75 off three Larabars
$1 off one FIT Fruit and Vegetable Wash
$2 off one President Feta Cheese
$1 off one Method product, select varieties
Click HERE to sign-up or sign-in and these coupons will come off automatically at the register. You need a cell phone to sign-up, but can opt to not receive any messages from them. These coupons go onto your shopper card, not your phone!
$.75 off one Cascadian Farm product
$.75 off three Larabars
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MEIJER
Weekly Advertised Deals for July 15-21
10/$10, Get 11th Free
Greenhouse Cucumbers
Baby-Cut or Organic Baby Cut-Carrots
Raspberries, 6 oz.
Meijer Organics Whole White or Minibella Mushrooms, 8 oz.
Red, Yellow or Orange Bell Peppers
Barilla Pasta, 12-16 oz.
DelMonte Fruit Naturals Cups (produce section)
Meijer Frozen Veggies, 16 oz.
Hunt's or Rotel Canned Tomatoes
Meijer Toothbrushes
Meijer Dental Floss
Meijer Liquid Hand Soap
Trial & Travel Size Health & Beauty Products

$1.88/lb. Sweet Cherries ($2.99/lb. organic)
$1.19/lb. Seedless Grapes ($1.99/lb. organic)
$.99/lb. Red or Green Romaine Lettuce
$1.50 Blueberries, pint
$.88/lb. Yellow or Green Zucchini
$2.49 Red Potatoes (3 lb. bag)
$3.49 Galbani Mozzarella Fresca 7-8 oz.
$3.49 Meijer Chunk Cheese 12-16 oz.
$4.99 Bulk Almonds (1 lb. bag)
$6.99 Bulk Cashews (1 lb. bag)
$8.99 Bulk Pecans (1 lb. bag)
$1.49 Meijer Long Grain Brown Rice, 16 oz.
$2.79 Land O' Lakes Butter, 1 lb. sticks

Unadvertised Temporary Price Drops
$7.49 Maple Grove Farms Pure Maple Syrup, 12.5 oz.
$3.99 Log Cabin Natural Syrup, 22 oz.
$3.49 Meijer Organic Honey (in a 12 oz. bear)
$3.00 Tostitos or Lays Simply Natural (near the rice cakes & healthier chips)
$2.79 Meijer Organic Honey Graham Bears or Cinnamon Graham Sticks--CLEARANCE PRICE
$2.79 Fig Newman's Cookies--CLEARANCE PRICE
$1.60 Newman's Own Chocolate Sandwich Cookies--CLEARANCE PRICE
$2.99 Meijer Naturals Quick Oats, 42 oz.
$2.49 Meijer Organics Salad Dressing, 12 oz.
$1.09 Meijer Organics Canned Beans
$2.79 Meijer Naturals PB, 16 oz.
$2.99 Jif Natural, 18 oz.
$2.79 Meijer Organics Fruit Spreads, 12 oz.
$2.00 Meijer Naturals Cheese Puffs, Cheese Curls or Popcorn (in "healthy chips" & gluten-free aisle)
$2.50 Sargento Natural Cheese Slices
$2.99 Kraft String Cheese, 12 ct. ($3 off $10 Crayola coupon inside!)
$2.69 Breakstone's Cottage Cheese, 24 oz.

DON'T MISS THESE GREAT MEIJER COUPON MATCH-UPS!
$1 Chobani Greek Yogurt (rBST free and YUMMO!)
-$.30 printable coupon HERE (can print 3 times!) *Reminder that Meijer will only double TWO like coupons per transaction--so split them up!!!
$.40 each when you buy 2 in one transaction

$1.00 Earthbound Farm Baby-Cut Carrots
-$.75/1 EF coupon HERE (will double to $1 here in OH!)
Get 2 FREE with printable coupons!

$2.50 Food Should Taste Good Tortilla Chips
-$1.00 off coupon HERE
$1.50 after coupon

$4.99 Applegate Organic, Grass-fed Beef Hotdogs (no yucky stuff!)
-$1 Applegate coupon on their Facebook page
$3.99 after coupon (that's at least 40% off!)
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ALDI (Don't forget that Walmart and Target will price match!!)

None this week (no weekly ad in our paper or on their website)

 
*When you shop at Aldi, remember your quarter to unlock the carts (refund given when returned) and your reusable shopping bags!
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PRINTABLE COUPONS
New coupons added each week and highlighted!
$1 off McCann's Irish Oatmeal
$.65 off Florida Crystals Sugar
$1 off Applegate Farms Organic Hot Dogs (Facebook offer)
$.55 off Stonyfield Kids Organic Greek Yogurt ($1.10 off when you "like" them on Facebook)
Lots of great printables HERE for Stonyfield Farms yogurt & dairy products ($.50 off 1 qt, $.50 off YoBaby, $.50 off YoKids Squeezers)
$1 off Kiss My Face Deodorant (Facebook offer)
$.75 off any Earthbound Farms product (says "good on any" when printed)
$1 off one DeLallo Whole Wheat Pasta and $1 off one EVOO (Our Kroger carries this brand with the international food.)
$.75 off any Newman's Own Organic Chocolate Bar
Several Simply Organic spice, seasoning and extract coupons HERE (These are PDF coupons with unlimited prints!)
$1 off one Late July Organic Multigrain Chips (Facebook coupon)
$.75 off one Uncle Matt's Organic Juice (our Kroger sells this in the produce dept.)
Several Chobani printable coupons, including $.30 off one single serve HERE
$.75 off one Traditional Medicinals Herbal Tea (they make the Mother's Milk tea, among others)
$1/2 Happy Family products--HappyTot Plus pouches, HappyTimes, snacks, Toddler Meal Bowls (These can be found at most Target Stores in the baby food section)
$1 off Food Should Taste Good product
$1 off Van's Food (Facebook coupon)
$1.50/1 Better Than Bouillon product
Get up to $1.35/2 Gardein products (when you "like" them on FB)

Click HERE for the coupons listed below!
$1 off two Breyer's Ice Cream (1.5 qt.)
$.50 off Newman's Own Salad Dressing
$1 off one Seeds of Change organic product
$.65 off Domino Organic Agave Nectar
$.55 off Florida Crystals Sugar

Have you spotted any other good deals I should this post? Is there a store you frequently shop at that could be added to this list? I love to hear from you--please leave a comment below!

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. Please DO NOT post these deals on your own blog or website without first getting my permission and then linking back to my site. Reach me via e-mail at these_precious_days@yahoo.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ThesePreciousDays.

Simple Patriotic Fruit Salad

This is about the easiest "recipe" in America! For 6-8 servings (around 1 c. each), you'll need the following:


About half of a medium sized watermelon (you'll have plenty left over)
Some fresh blueberries (maybe a pint?)
Some mini marshmallows (about 2 cups--more or less!)
A small star-shaped cookie cutter (optional)


I can't even give you amounts, because you truly just layer it all in a bowl (or cute star basket!). This would be yummy even if the watermelon was in balls or chunks. To make the watermelon stars, slice your watermelon into about 1--1 1/2 inch slices (or the depth of your cookie cutter) and then use the cookie cutter to cut out some stars. Figure on about 4-5 stars (mine were about 1.5 inches across) per serving. I put all the leftover watermelon that was around the cut-outs into a bowl and we'll just eat it plain. Some of my stars fell apart after I cut them and since I'm a total perfectionist....I didn't use them! Haha! Feel free to add the "rejects" to your fruit salad if you wish. I decided to toss mine into the scrap bowl.


Whole watermelons are on sale for $2.97 at our local Meijer this week, and pints of blueberries are $1.33. You can get a small bag of marshmallows for around a dollar. For a little over $.50 a serving, you can feel good knowing you've brought a relatively healthy treat to this year's 4th of July picnic or barbecue.


Happy Birthday, America! 
Ashley

Organic and Natural Foods Printable Coupons and Deals

The following grocery deals are for the Dayton, OH and surrounding areas. If you spot a great deal on natural or organic foods or find a new printable coupon, be sure to let me know so I can spread the word. This is a weekly feature that will be posted on Mondays. Some prices are weekly advertised prices and others are unadvertised sales with varying end dates.

This Week's Deals

KROGER
$2.99 Simple Truth Organic Milk
$.99/lb. Vidalia Sweet Onions
$.99 Fresh Selections Whole Carrots, 2 lb. bag
$.99/lb. Southern Yellow  Peaches
$2.99/lb. Northwest Cherries 
$1.67 Driscoll's Strawberries (Organic $2)
Printable Coupon at www.driscolls.com when you sign up for e-mails
$1.50 Bell Peppers, red/orange/yellow (Note: conventional peppers are high in pesticides.)  
$3.99 Clementines, 3 lb.
$1 Haas Avocados
$1 Mangoes
$.79/lb. Sweet Potatoes
$1.25 Santa Cruz Organic Lemondade, 32 oz.
$2.99 Gardenburger Veggie Burgers, 10 oz
$3.00 Garden of Eatin' Tortilla Chips
$2.50 Kettle Brand Potato Chips
$1.67 Private Selection Whole Wheat or Regular Organic Pasta, 16 oz.
$2.39 Kroger Organic Sugar, 24 oz.
$4.19 Florida Crystals Sugar
2 printable coupons listed below
$3.50 Barbara's Bakery  Cereal, all varieties
$3.00 Muir Glen Organic Salsa
-$1.00 off 2 peelie coupon on select jars
$3.19 Private Selection Organic Frozen Fruit
$2 Simply Heinz Ketchup (no HFCS)
$1.79 Green Giant Frozen Vegetables (look for veggies w/no sauce)
*Save $.30 when you purchase any 10 participating Mega Sale items
$3.99 Hormel Natural Choice Nitrate-Free Bacon
$3.29 Hormel Natural Choice Nitrate-Free Lunch Meat
$4.99 Aidells Chicken Sausages
-$1.00 coupon found in Kroger My Magazine
$2 Kraft block cheese, 8 oz.


DON'T MISS THESE GREAT KROGER DEALS!
$1 Chobani Greek Yogurt, 6 oz. (rBST free)
-$.30/1 off coupon HERE (limit 3 prints). You can also call their 800 # once a month and ask for coupons via snail mail. 
*Get 3 of these for $.40 each after coupons!



$2.79 Breyer's Ice Cream (look for flavors with 5 ingredients or less)
*Save $.30 when you purchase any 10 participating Mega Sale items
-$1/2 Breyer's ice cream at www.coupons.com 
*As low as $1.99 when you buy 10 participating products and use coupon/s (Buy 2 or 4!)

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MEIJER
$.99/lb. Peaches, Plums or Nectarines (Organic $1.99/lb.)
$2.49/lb. Cherries (Organic $3.49)
$2.97 Whole Seedless Watermelon, 13-15 lb. avg. Limit 2--CRAZY GOOD DEAL!!
$1.33 Blueberries, pint 
$2.50 Meijer Organic Fresh Mushrooms, 6-12 oz.
$1 Extra Large Avocados
$1.50 ea.  Red/Orange/Yellow Bell Peppers (Conventional peppers are high in pesticides!)
2/$3.00 Meijer Organics Pasta, 1 lb.
$2.50 Seventh Generation Spray Cleaners for kitchen & bath
$3.59-$3.79 Barbara's Bakery cereals (some in cereal aisle and some in gluten-free aisle)
$1.50 Meijer Organics canned beans
$1.50 Meijer brand dry bagged beans (all varieties) 1 lb.
$2.69 Meijer Organics frozen bagged veggies
$7.99 Alaskan Wild-Caught Sockeye Salmon Filets
8/$6 Earth's Best Organic Stage 2 Baby Food, 4 oz.
$1 Earth's Best Organic Baby Food Pouches, 3.1-4.22 oz.


DON'T MISS THESE GREAT MEIJER  DEALS!
$3 Morningstar Farms Veggie products (Buy 3, get coupon for $4 off your next purchase!)
-$.80 printable coupon HERE (use one)
-$1 printable coupon from www.coupons.com (use two)
**Pay $6 out-of-pocket and get $4 back...that's like paying $.67 each!


2.50 Stonyfield YoBaby or YoToddler yogurt, 4 pk
-$.50/1 coupon at www.stonyfield.com (Look for "Coupons" in upper right corner)
$1.50 after coupon!



All Simply Organic Spices, extract, etc.on Price Drop thru 7/8
-$.50/1 and $1/2 coupons HERE (PDF coupons--unlimited prints!) 
*These should be a great price after price drop and coupons!


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ALDI (Don't forget that Walmart and Target will price match!!)

$1.99 Pineapple, each
$1.49 Blueberries, pint
$1.99/lb. Cherries
$1.29 Strawberries, 16 oz.
$3.49 Seedless Watermelon, each
$.99 Sweet Corn, 20 oz. (Most likely GMO corn, however!)
$6.99 Sangriana Sangria, 1.5 L
$1.99 Feta Cheese Crumbles, 4 oz.
$3.99 Pure Canadian Maple Syrup, 8 oz. (reg. price)
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PRINTABLE COUPONS ~ New coupons added each week and highlighted!
$1 off Pom Wonderful
$1 off McCann's Irish Oatmeal
$.65 off Florida Crystals Sugar
$.75 off Santa Cruz Organic Applesauce ($1.99 min. purchase)
$.75 off Santa Cruz Organic Soda 4 pk. ($2.49 min. purchase)
$2 off Applegate Farms Organic Hot Dogs (Facebook offer)
$.55 off Stonyfield Kids Organic Greek Yogurt ($1.10 off when you "like" them on Facebook)
Lots of great printables HERE for Stonyfield Farms yogurt & dairy products ($.50 off 1 qt, $.50 off YoBaby, $.50 off YoKids Squeezers)
$1 off Kiss My Face Deodorant (Facebook offer)
$.75 off any Earthbound Farms product (says $.75 off lettuce on website but reads "good on any" when printed print by July 3!)
$1 off one DeLallo Whole Wheat Pasta and $1 off one EVOO (Our Kroger carries this brand with the international food.)
$.75 off any Newman's Own Organic Chocolate Bar
Several Simply Organic spice, seasoning and extract coupons HERE (These are PDF coupons with unlimited prints!)
$.55 off Morningstar Farms Veggie Food product.($.80 off when you "like them on Facebook)
$1 off one Late July Organic Multigrain Chips (Facebook coupon)
$.75 off one Uncle Matt's Organic Juice (our Kroger sells this in the produce dept.)
Several Chobani printable coupons, including $.30 off one single serve HERE
$.75 off one Traditional Medicinals Herbal Tea (they make the Mother's Milk tea, among others)
$1 off one WOODSTOCK Organic or Natural Nut Butter
$1/2 Happy Family products--HappyTot Plus pouches, HappyTimes,snacks, Toddler Meal Bowls (These can be found at most Target Stores in the baby food section)


Click HERE for the coupons listed below!
$.55 of one Sargento Natural Sliced Cheese
$1 off two Breyer's Ice Cream (1.5 qt.)
$1 off one Morningstar Farms Veggie Product
$.50 off  Newman's Own Salad Dressing
$1 off one Seeds of Change organic product
$1.25 off two half-gallon Silk Pure Almond Milk
$.65 off Domino Organic Agave Nectar
$.55 off Florida Crystals Sugar
$1 off one So Delicous Dairy-Free product

I'd love some feedback on this new post. Is it user friendly? Do you shop at other stores that I could add in the future? Are you pleasantly surprised with the number of printable coupons listed?

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. I will try my hardest to share "the best of the best" deals, but just because a product is listed here doesn't mean I necessarily endorse it or purchase it for my own family. If you feel strongly that a product listed shouldn't be considered "natural" or "organic", please let me know. Do NOT post these deals on your own blog or website without first getting my permission and then linking back to my site. Reach me via e-mail at these_precious_days@yahoo.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ThesePreciousDays.

Organic and Natural Foods Printable Coupons and Deals

The following grocery deals are for the Dayton, OH and surrounding areas. If you spot a great deal on natural or organic foods or find a new printable coupon, be sure to let me know so I can spread the word. This is a weekly feature that will be posted on Mondays. Some prices are weekly advertised prices and others are unadvertised sales with varying end dates.

This Week's Deals

KROGER
20% off Simple Truth Natural and Organic Chicken (select varieties)
-$1 off Simple Truth Natural Chicken coupon found on store display
$2.99 Simple Truth Organic Milk
$1.50 Driscoll's Raspberries or Blackberries (Organic $2)
$1.67 Driscoll's Strawberries (Organic $2)
Printable Coupon at www.driscolls.com when you sign up for e-mails
$3.99 Clementines, 3 lb.
$1.69 Broccoli
$1.00 Fage Greek Yogurt
$1.25 Santa Cruz Organic Lemondade, 32 oz.
$2.99 Kroger Cheese blocks, 16 oz.
$1.99 Kroger Butter, 1 lb.
$3.00 Garden of Eatin' Tortilla Chips
$2.50 Kettle Brand Potato Chips
8/$10 Annie's Homegrown Mac-n-Cheese
$1.67 Private Selection Whole Wheat or Regular Organic Pasta, 16 oz.
$2.39 Kroger Organic Sugar, 24 oz.
$4.19 Florida Crystals Sugar
2 printable coupons listed below
$3.50 Barbara's Bakery Cereal, all varieties
$3.00 Muir Glen Organic Salsa
-$1.00 off 2 peelie coupon on select jars
$3.19 Private Selection Organic Frozen Fruit
$2.79 Breyer's Ice Cream (look for flavors with 5 ingredients or less)
*Save $.30 when you purchase any 10 participating Mega Sale items
$1.79 Green Giant Frozen Vegetables (look for veggies w/no sauce)
*Save $.30 when you purchase any 10 participating Mega Sale items
$3.99 Hormel Natural Choice Nitrate-Free Bacon
$3.29 Hormel Natural Choice Nitrate-Free Lunch Meat
$4.99 Aidells Chicken Sausages
-$1.00 coupon found in Kroger My Magazine

MEIJER
$1.79 Daisy Brand Cottage Cheese or Sour Cream (rBST free!)
3/$4 Blackberries, Raspberries or Strawberries (Organic $2.50)
$.99/lb. Peaches or Nectarines (Organic $1.99/lb.)
$2.88/lb. Cherries
$1.50 Blueberries
$3.29 Organic Portabella Cap Mushrooms
$2.00 Kraft Chunk Cheese or Natural Cheese Slices
$3.50 Galbani or BelGioioso Fresh Mozzarella (rBST free!), 7-8 oz.
BOGO Salemville Blue Cheese or Gorgonzola Crumbles, 4 oz.
$3.99 Stella Fontina Cheese, 7 oz. (Great for fondue!)
3/$4 Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese, 8 oz. brick or tub
$3.99 Sargento Natural String Cheese
$6.49/lb. Pisachios or Walnuts, 1 lb.
$4.99/lb. Raw Almonds, 1 lb.
$1.79 Simply Heinz Ketchup (HFCS free!)
$3.00 Breyer's Ice Cream (look for flavors with 5 ingredients or less)
15% off Lipton Tea, all varieties
$1.00 Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Pasta, 1 lb.
2/$3.00 Meijer Organics Pasta, 1 lb.
All Simply Organic Spices, extract, etc.on Price Drop thru 7/8
-$.50/1 and $1/2 coupons HERE (PDF coupons--unlimited prints!) 
2.50 Seventh Generation Spray Cleaners for kitchen & bath
$3.59-$3.79 Barbara's Bakery cereals (some in cereal aisle and some in gluten-free aisle)
$1.50 Meijer brand dry bagged beans (all varieties) 1 lb.
$2.69 Meijer Organics frozen bagged veggies
$2.50 Stonyfield YoBaby or YoToddler yogurt, 4 pk
-$.50/1 coupon at www.stonyfield.com (Look for "Coupons" in upper right corner)

ALDI (Don't forget that Walmart and Target will price match!!)
$1.99 Pineapple, each
$1.49 Blueberries, pint
$1.49 Cantaloupe
$1.29 Strawberries, 16 oz.
$3.49 Seedless Watermelon, each
$1.68 Peaches, Plums or Nectarines, 2 lb. bag
$5.99 Jennie-O Turkey Burgers, 3 lb. box
$3.99 Pure Canadian Maple Syrup, 8 oz. (reg. price)


PRINTABLE COUPONS ~ New coupons added each week!
$1 off Pom Wonderful
$1 off McCann's Irish Oatmeal
$.65 off Florida Crystals Sugar
$.75 off Santa Cruz Organic Applesauce ($1.99 min. purchase)
$.75 off Santa Cruz Organic Soda 4 pk. ($2.49 min. purchase)
$2 off Applegate Farms Organic Hot Dogs (Facebook offer)
$.55 off Stonyfield Kids Organic Greek Yogurt ($1.10 off when you "like" them on Facebook)
Lots of great printables HERE for Stonyfield Farms yogurt & dairy products ($.50 off 1 qt, $.50 off YoBaby, $.50 off YoKids Squeezers)
$1 off Kiss My Face Deodorant (Facebook offer)
$.75 off any Earthbound Farms product (says $.75 off strawberries on website but reads "good on any" when printed)
$1 off one DeLallo Whole Wheat Pasta and $1 off one EVOO
$.75 off any Newman's Own Organic Chocolate Bar
Several Simply Organic spice, seasoning and extract coupons HERE (These are PDF coupons with unlimited prints!!)


Click HERE for the coupons listed below!
$.60 off any half-gallon or larger Silk Milk (Soy, Almond or Coconut)
$1 off one Morningstar Farms Veggie Product
$1 off Newman's Own Salad Dressing
$1 off one Seeds of Change organic product
$1 off one half-gallon Silk Pure Almond Milk
$.65 off one bottle of Domino Organic Agave Nectar
$1 off one Gud product from Burt's Bees
$.55 off Florida Crystals Sugar
$.75 off 3 Larabars
$1 off one So Delicous Dairy-Free product

I'd love some feedback on this new post. Is it user friendly? Do you shop at other stores that I could add in the future? Are you pleasantly surprised with the number of printable coupons listed?

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. I will try my hardest to share "the best of the best" deals, but just because a product is listed here doesn't mean I necessarily endorse it or purchase it for my own family. If you feel strongly that a product listed shouldn't be considered "natural" or "organic", please let me know. Do NOT post these deals on your own blog or website without first getting my permission and then linking back to my site. Reach me via e-mail at these_precious_days@yahoo.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ThesePreciousDays.

3 Easy Ways to "Sneak" in More Fruits and Veggies

1. Drink them! Smoothies can be made with or without dairy products. You could do frozen fruits (like bananas, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, etc.) and add some almond or coconut milk and ice. Or blend fruit and veggies with water and ice for more of a "slushy" of sorts. You can make endless smoothie combinations with yogurt, frozen/fresh fruit, a splash of milk/juice and a few ice cubes. Throw in some spinach for good measure! Blueberries will hide it well and the sweetness of the fruit will mask the taste of the spinach. 

Of course, if you own a juicer that would be another fabulous way to get your kids (or spouse) to increase their consumption of fruits and veggies. The sweeter fruits hide taste of the not-so-sweet veggies. Nice, huh?  The last time I made juice in our juicer I added small amounts of broccoli, spinach and carrot to the watermelon, apples, grapes and pineapple. Delicious!! Even my hubby drank two glasses, unaware of the broccoli and spinach. Shhhh!

2.  Add veggies to your breakfasts, snacks and desserts!  It's easy to add veggies like pumpkin, sweet potato or carrot to muffins, pancakes, and other baked goods. Mashed banana, applesauce, and sweet potato puree all add sweetness and moisture to baked goods.Oils and sugars can be cut back when recipes call for these sweet fruits/veggies. I regularly make pumpkin french toast for my kids by adding a few tablespoons of canned pumpkin to the egg mixture when dipping the slices of bread. I feel good they've gotten some extra vitamin A and fiber at breakfast, yet they have no idea it's in there! Check out this yummy recipe for Peanut Butter Muffins with Carrot & Banana.

3. Make them invisible! Sometimes you just have to go undercover with the picky eaters in your house. Try to use veggies whose colors blend into the food you're serving and add it in very small amounts, tasting as you go. You could add a small amount of mashed butternut squash to mac-n-cheese, some diced or pureed red pepper & carrot into spaghetti sauce, cauliflower in the mashed potatoes, a bit of finely chopped zucchini or mushrooms into sloppy joes or hamburgers, etc. Cooked and pureed veggies also make it easy to "hide" the "yucky" foods in other more appealing and readily eaten entrees. Start sparingly as not to overpower the dish with the vegetable flavors. For more recipes with "hidden" nutrition, check out the books Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld or The Sneaky Chef by Missy Chase Lapine. Click here to see my recipe for Spaghetti Sauce with Hidden Veggies.





How do you increase your number of fruits and veggies served in your house? Post your best ideas in comments section below. I can't wait to hear what tips and tricks work for you!