Nom nom nom!

Dinner time has always been a struggle around my house. I'm picky. My husband is particular. My kids are, well, kids.

Going out to eat has very little appeal with three wee-ones in tow. Cooking stresses me out beyond belief. I painstakingly labor over recipes, wondering if what I'm making will turn out to be even edible. Dinner time is nothing short of an olympic event when I'm in charge and when we finally sit down to eat, I'm usually crabby and have no appetite.

I've become a master couponer, but truth be told, I still fail when it comes to buying for meal preparation. I either buy too much or too little for my recipes and food goes to waste.

I have several friends on the west coast who have raved about meal preparation places. I did a little research and decided that maybe it was something I should try. On a whim and a prayer, I donated a portion of this month's grocery budget to Dream Dinners.

Oh. My. GAWD!!!

Dream Dinners is an answer to the hell that has become dinner time around my house. I am not lying. I'm also not being paid or compensated for this in any way, shape, or form. Plain and simple, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Dream Dinners!!!

I ordered 22 items, main dishes and veggie sides, for right around $200.00. That might sound like a lot of money, but really it isn't!!! We have enough to get us through the month. There is NO waste. No chicken sitting in the fridge forgotten and going bad. No veggies that were hidden under the salad bag to become next year's science project. And those were the benefits before we even tasted the food!!!

Last Saturday I went to the DD location and was ready to roll. In a little under two hours, I prepped, labeled, and drove off with dinner for my family for the rest of the month! I got home, put it in the freezer, and was done. Easy Peasy.

I made our first meal on Sunday night and it was amazing. I was in a hurry, and start to finish it only took 5 minutes to prep, 30 to cook.

Everything was already measured, bagged, and ready from the day before.


Like I said, it took me five minutes to get everything ready. Honestly, preheating the oven took longer!


I didn't get a picture of the finished product, but here are the judges enjoying a (GASP!) well rounded, HEALTHY (but don't tell them!) meal!!


A moment for the history books, my friends. An empty plate from my 3 year old.


Seriously, you HAVE to check out Dream Dinners. It is the absolutely best thing EVER. I didn't have to clean up after cooking. I didn't have to worry about not having ingredients on hand. I saw exactly what went into my food and our portions were exactly right. No waste. No muss. No fuss.

I STRONGLY encourage you to give DD a try. It is a decision you will absolutely not regret!!!

Love, hugs, and blessings,
The Mama

Coupon Me Not

First of all, I have to say that I have sooooo much respect for the cost-shaving and coupon-cutting moms of the world. There are thousands of blogs and websites available with tips and tricks to help a non-couponer like me get started.

That being said, I have officially failed at the process.

My friend was able to save $60 off of her $100 grocery bill on Sunday. A-MAZ-ING. Inspired by her success, I decided I would give it a try.

All in all, I spent six hours yesterday scouring the internet and newspaper for coupons. I made a menu, wrote out a list, and with coupons and frequent shopper card in hand I headed to Kroger.

Walking through the store, I was mindful of store specials as well as the coupons I had in hand. I'm a big supporter of supermarket-brand items. As long as they meet the standard criteria I have set in my mind, they generally cost significantly less than the national brands. So when I could, I purchased store brands. I utilized what coupons I had, and I made the most of Kroger-Plus deals.

As a basis of comparison, two weeks ago I saved $50 on my grocery bill and stayed right at my budget of $100. My bill for this grocery adventure was $184 and I only saved around $15.00. Needless to say, I went over my weekly budget.

I left the store frustrated, mentally tired, and humbly ready to admit defeat. I don't know where I failed because I didn't indulge in any impulse buys.

Upon reflection, the experience was not a total bust. I found a wonderful meal planning website, Meals Matter, that helped me prepare my grocery list so I didn't over-buy. I did buy healthy foods for my family, including some gluten free treats for N. I have a plan for our meals for the next seven days, so we don't have to go through the nightly "what do we eat" conversation.

Here are some of the sites I visited to help me through my introduction to couponing. Perhaps you will be able to navigate more efficiently than I did and can share some of your wisdom with me.
Coupon Mom
Money Saving Mom
KC Penny Pinching Mama
Meals Matter
Mommy Savers

Good luck in your own couponing adventures!

Love, hugs, and blessings,
The Mama