Grocery Mama

Get Out and Pick your Own!

This weekend, my family went out to Miller Farms to do our annual Hay Ride and Pick Your Own Veggies day! Since we went in a group - we paid $40 for our family. Then entire right side of the bench and the lower bottom portion is what we were able to pick!

So guess what I'm doing today! I'm freezing it all. We picked corn, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, carrots, pumpkins and a few other goodies. If any one has an easy and yummy spagetti sauce recipe, please let me know! I have a ton of tomatoes.

If you would like to do something in your state, just google your state name and agritourism. Please try to do something this fall! It supports your local farms and let's kids see where food actually grows!

I'll keep you updated on all I have to freeze!  Righ now, I have to get back to my freezing!

$5 off $20 or more at walgreens!

If you didn't get this in your inbox - don't miss it. Walgreens has a special coupon good for today and tomorrow, Get $5 off when you spend $20 or more.

What's even better, if you use this and the layover of the Easy Saver rebate program, you can actually make a profit!

Here is what I'm buying today:

Item Name	Org. Price	Coupon Amt.	Rebate Amt.	Item Total
Nivea For Men	$4.99	$1.00	$4.99	-$1.00
L'Oreal Revatalift	$16.49	$3.00	$16.49	-$3.00
Crest Pro Health	$3.79		$3.79	0.00
LypsSyl chapstick	$1.99		$1.99	0.00
Revlon Nail Care	$4.79	$2.00	$4.79	-$2.00
L'Oreal Skin Cleanser	$7.99	$1.00	$7.99	-$1.00
Pantene ProV Shampoo and Conditioner	$4.99 each	$2.00 off 1	$5 on 2	$3.00
Pantene Styling product	$4.99	free when you buy pantene shampoo and conditioner		0.00
		$5.00 off $20 Walgreens coupon

So I will spend $57.51, with my coupons I will save $19.99. So out of pocket, I'm spending $37.52. I'm going to get my rebates back that comes to $52.53.

So when it's all said and done, I got all those great products and made $15.01!

Freebie for the day

I found this in my newspaper yesterday.

Get a coupon for a free can of Campbell's new Select Harvest soups.

Text "TLC" to 467467 from your cell phone.

Samples from last weeks newsletter

In case you missed it, here are some free samples from last week. I also added an archive button so you can see past newsletters!

Touch of Gray: Get a coupon for a free box

Kotex: Try 3 products in a sample pack.

Tampax: Try the pearl product.

Nature's Bounty: Get a reusable hand tote.

Pledge: Get a sample of the multi surface wipes.

Jergens: Get a sample of their new Natural line of moisturizers.

Cesar Dog food: Does your discriminating dog love cesar® canine cuisine? Simply answer a few questions, and we'll reserve a free sample of a cesar® paté just for him.

Jelly Beans: Gimball's Jelly beans in an assortment of flavors.

Cascade: All in One - New product.

Slenda: Sample includes two (2) SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener flavors For Coffee packets 

Clean & Clear: Oil absorbing sheets.

Eukanuba: Get a sample of thier new wild flavors!

Reach Access: Get a sample flosser!

Enjoy,

Kashi: Get a chocolate cookie!

The Key to Coupons – Organization

A friend of mine once commented to me “I bought the Sunday paper today for the coupons – and didn’t find any to use.” My response was – that’s because you need to keep them.

I remember when I was younger, my mom would get the Sunday paper and toss the coupons aside. Her reasoning was that she didn’t use anything they advertised for. We didn’t eat processed foods. I still don’t – but I always find plenty of coupons to save me some money.

If you buy paper product, deodorant and other items – I bet there is a coupon for you. I also see ones for meats, eggs and other perishable items.

When you start keeping all the weeks and weeks of coupons, they can start piling up and get out of hand. After all, if you can’t find a coupon – what good is it!

Here is how I organize my weekly coupons.

Each Sunday, I clip the coupons I think I am going to use. Not just use that week – but use eventually. I place those coupons in my Couponizer. (Get 10% off your entire order use STARTNOW at checkout. exp 10/15/08) After that, I keep the entire coupon circular intact and place it into a folder in a three ring binder. On the front of the folder on a sticky note, I write the date the coupons were in the paper.

This way, I have my most used coupons at hand and know just where the other ones are!

What do you do to organize your coupons?

Happy First Day of Fall!

It's the first day of fall and I'm so excited! It is my favorite time of year!

I love the harvest! And it's a great time to be outside.

Find some fun things to do with your family. Find an orchard and pick your own apples! Don't just pick up a pumpkin from the grocery store - go to a pumpkin patch and pick your own. We also load up on pie pumpkins and cook them down and freeze the pulp for year round pumpkin pies and breads!

If you are fortunate enough - find a farm where they allow you to pick your own produce. You will create memories for years to come!

Do you have any special fall activities you do with your family? Please share!

When life hands you ground beef . . . make meat balls!

Ok, I'm on a kick - freezing fun! But I'm trying to show you how to buy when it's on sale and to store it for later. Now you can buy ground meat on sale and just throw it in the freezer. But if you take it home and prepare it - it's so much easier to use later.

Last night, I made a batch of meat balls! They are super easy to make and freeze easily.

Try this recipe:

3lbs ground meat

12 oz can evaporated milk

1 cup uncooked oats

1 cup bread crumbs

2 eggs

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp salt

then I throw in spices like pepper, oregano and other italian seasonings. Just have fun with it. I don't measure anything!

Mix everything together and form in to balls. I usually make them fairly big, ones that fit into my palm. This way it goes faster and they are more meal size! But make them the size that fits you.

Bake at 350 for about an hour.

Take out and let them cool. Place on single layers on wax paper and let them freeze. Once frozen, place them into freezer bags.

To use them, just take out how many you need and warm up in the sauce. Whether you use them in spaghetti or meatball sandwiches, they work really well!

Free Sample Finds

I am working on the newsletter now and thought I'd put up some of the free samples I found from last week:

Cascade® Complete All-in-1 formula

- try a free sample.

Cottonelle Toilet Paper and towlets - try cotenelles new product.

Gain with Baking Soda: try the new scents.

Huggies Diapers: Get a free sample of their Natural Fit shape.

Betty Crocker Warm Delight Minis: Create your profile below to sign up for the Dinner Made Easy email newsletter, access exclusive member benefits on BettyCrocker.com.

Betty Crocker Potatoes: sign up for the newsletter and get a free sample.

Sundance Teas: Get a sample of the Organic Life teas.

Quaker Simple Harvet: Try one of the all natural granola oat bars.

Don't miss this week's newsletter!

Sign up here:

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Wordless Wednesday - Ice Cream result

Here is the result of the Banana Ice cream I was making a couple days ago (I added mini chocolate chips too). I tried to make a homemade ice cream cone as well! It wasn't perfect but it sure tasted good!

For more Wordless Wednesday fun click here!

Calling all Moms!

Become a REV. Spokesperson and win $1,000.00 cash, a 6-month supply of REV, and free bragging rights!   Five winners will be awarded throughout US.  Enter now and show us what you’ve got!

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Get creative! Send in a video, photo, or text submission describing why you should be REV.’s next spokesperson. Sing a song, write a poem, make us laugh, make us cry, we want to hear all the ways you find energy for life.

Join the contest and take a look at our site. Tell us why you, why now! You know more than you think you know. So, share it!