Etsy Shop::: dedeetsyshop

Reason NOT to eat fast food: Happy Meal Ageless

How about another::: 4 yo Cheeseburger

Story of Hope::: Celebrating Our Story

• Works For Me Wednesday- Gift Ideas
• Works For Me Wednesday- Happy Meal Toys
• My New Favorite
• Frugal Friday- Boston Market Kids Eat Free Promotion
• My New Favorite

When my clients or friends start transitioning into eating better, one of their first concerns is always cost: “Isn’t healthier food more expensive?”

Well, if we’re talking about Ramen noodles and off-brand macaroni and cheese, I’m not going to compete with that kind of budget. And if we’re talking about expensive processed cereals that say they’re organic or the substitutes we’re seeing on the shelves – like organic pop-tarts – then, yes, that food IS expensive.

But eating healthier doesn’t mean we just grab a different box of cereal because it has the word “organic” on it. When I see “eat healthier,” I mean getting back to real, whole foods – the ones found on the outside edges of the grocery store. This kind of eating is not only better for your body, but is also friendly to your pocket.

There’s so much information to discuss with this topic that I just want to scratch the surface with some very basic elements of eating well and doing it on a budget. I have outlined three categories to focus on when you start making good changes in your diet and lifestyle (because changes to your diet will also mean changes to the way you shop, the way you cook, and the way you eat).

1. Water – frankly, this should be its own category on the food guide pyramid. Most people don’t drink nearly enough water. In my house, this is our beverage of choice. And when you are drinking water, this means you are NOT drinking all the other sugary juice, pop, and tea that don’t do anything to hydrate you and will also strain your food budget.

2.  Vegetables – I will put it simply: eat more vegetables. We’re coming into spring and summer, the perfect time to get acquainted with the best vegetables of the year. During this time, you can buy fresh, local produce at farmer’s markets and even some grocery stores will sell locally grown foods. Have you ever tasted a just-picked-that-day carrot? Oh, the sweetness and the crunch…so delicious! Food is fresher and tastier the sooner you eat it once it’s been picked and buying seasonal produce is always cheaper (you’ll notice your grocery store will often feature sale items on produce because it’s in season – like oranges in the winter!). Better yet, purchase a share in a local farm, save even more money, and get a weekly pick-up of locally grown foods.

3. Whole Grains – this category can be confusing because even a box of Lucky Charms boasts that it’s made with whole grains. True, most foods start off as a whole grain…and this is where we want to stop. Heavily processed cereals are just that, processed. Eating whole grains means eating the WHOLE grain. I’m talking about foods like brown rice, quinoa, millet, oats, and barley. Any of those sound like Greek to you? It’s time to get acquainted. Visit your local health food store and ask for help. Most health food stores sell grains in bulk (which is much cheaper) and they can teach you how to cook and prepare the grains. A good online resource for recipes with alternative grains is wholefoodsmarket.com.

4.  Alternative Proteins – Whose husband is sick of baked chicken? Most of us learn how to cook dinner based around meat. What if, instead, you started with a vegetable or a grain or a bean? Think differently about the proteins that you cook with, especially at dinner. A meal with beans can be just as filling as a steak dinner. And, dried beans are much cheaper than meat! I am not necessarily advocating a vegetarian diet. I have plenty of friends who do well without eating meat, but my body is not made like that – I need some beef to keep the meat on my bones. But I don’t necessarily plan my meals around meat. When I added more variety and better vegetables and whole grains into my cooking – more creativity – I found I could use less meat. I often think about meat as a condiment rather than the main-stage production.

This is just a start to eating well on a budget. But we all have to begin somewhere, right? When I first started eating well, I didn’t think about replacing the foods that I was already eating, and I didn’t think about starting from scratch. Instead, every time I went to the grocery store, I decided that I would try one new vegetable. In this way, I kept things creative in the kitchen and was trying new recipes with new foods, but I also made slow, positive changes. After a few months, the make-up of my kitchen was very different and I was eating more whole, natural foods…these foods had crowded out the junky, processed foods I had been eating before and I barely noticed the transition.

For more frugal tips, head over to Life As Mom.

• Frugal Friday- Aroma Rice Cooker
• Things I Love Thursday- Yo Kids Squeezers
• Frugal Fridays- Homemade Baby Food
• Frugal Fridays- Frugal Gone Bad
• Frugal Friday- Coupon Mom (GIVEAWAY!!)

I have mentioned before on my blog that I have some raccoon eyes so I have a really hard time finding concealer that actually covers up my dark circles. I like an undereye concealer to be really creamy as well because at times my eyes can get dried out and flakey.

I bought Cover Girl Simply Ageless Concealer on a whim because there was a good sale on it a few weeks back at one of the drugstores. I can’t remember the last time I found a concealer I loved so well. It is super creamy and provides great coverage. It is swirled with Olay moisturizers that are supposed to help with the appearance of fine lines and help with aging. I don’t know anything about that because I am ridiculously young. Not a wrinkle in site. Ahem.

What do you love this week? I am sorry I haven’t been getting around to reading all of you every week. I am behind in everything. Please don’t come over because my house is downright scary.

• Things I Love Thursday- Clorox Disinfecting Wipes
• Oh Max, you had me at hello
• Works For Me Wednesday- Book Club
• Works For Me Wednesday- Help for My Raccoons
• Things I Love Thursday- Spray Suntan Lotion

So I thought I would share with you what I have tried and what “works for me.” See how I made that work?

• Moby Wrap: This was the first wrap I tried. And it might be my favorite. I won it in a blog contest and was a bit overwhelmed by it at first. It is basically a long wide piece of fabric that you wrap around your shoulders, waist, and your baby. So the nice thing is you can adjust it to fit perfectly for you and your baby. And you can wrap it in several different ways to hold your baby in many different ways. It takes a while to get the hang of the wrapping but once you figure it out it becomes easier and easier. And I love how closely I can cradle Silas. It has been a life saver on the few plane rides he has gone on because he falls right to sleep in it.
• Hugamonkey: I got my hugamonkey after seeing a tweet before BlogHer last year offering them to attendees with babies. Since I was pregnant and I knew I wanted to try slings I asked them if they would let me try one. They graciously agreed. This is a really easy sling to use. You just put it over your shoulder and slide your baby in. Ridiculously simple. I found it held Silas really secure and has worked really well. I do think however he is starting to outgrow it. Either that or I don’t what I am doing. Which is highly probable. Oh and one last in the pro column. It is really affordable. Which is a big plus where slings are concerned.
• Mod Mum: The lovely people at Mod Mum offered me a gorgeous sling to review. Seriously it is so, so pretty!! I got the Olivia. I love how stylish they are. I consider myself a stylish mom and love that I have a sling that reflects that. The sling is made to hold newborns up to 35 pounds. Which means if I chose to I could wear my 3 yo. I don’t, but you might, so that is good. I have found this sling the most comfortable to wear Silas on my hip. Silas isn’t much a fan of the front carry or cradle carry. Maybe if I would have started him in it younger. But I think it might also be because I am not a full time babywearer. I just dabble in it on occasion. I am a big fan of the hip carry however. And I love how helpful the website and the people at Mod Mum are. I would highly recommend them.
• Ergo Carrier: To me, this seems like the granddaddy of all carriers. It is very sturdy and well designed. I still haven’t quite gotten the hang of getting it on and off smoothly. I usually try to do it where no one can see me cause to call it awkward would be an understatement. But this carrier is ridiculously secure and from what I understand from talking to others can help you to carry the heaviest of babies. I also like that I can carry Silas on my back. I haven’t tried that yet cause he still seems too little, but I think that would be great for long distances. It also seems like it is a little bit easier for the hubby to wear without feeling all girly.

So I think whether you are a hard core babywearer or a bit of a poser (yeah, I probably am), there is something for everyone. I would encourage you to give babywearing a try.

For more tips, head over to We Are That Family.

• Baby Sling Giveaway
• Tis The Season- Faith Baby
• Another Contest
• Things I Love Thursday- Avent Bottles
• Things I Love Thursday- Shabby Apple Fashions

1. I got slammed with a cold. I haven’t been sick since early fall and had been bragging about that fact. So there you have it. No more bragging. Also, colds suck.
2. My cold coincided with my hubby’s business trip. Which makes the suckiness ten times worse. I normally don’t announce to the world when he travels (which is thankfully rare these days), but by the time most of you read this he will be home. Plus I sleep with a golf club and am not afraid to use it Elin Woods style. That was possibly a tacky sentence, but it fits.
3. Taking care of three kids with a nasty cold involves entirely too much using of the TV for babysitting purposes. My kids probably watched more TV today than they do in a typical month.
4. Lily was not happy with her dinner choice tonight. In all fairness, neither was I. I took the lazy way out and went through a Taco Bell drive through. My kids normally would be excited about that, but I accidentally ordered supreme tacos and she was having none of the “icky white stuff”. So I told her to go find something else to eat. She poured herself a big bowl of organic yogurt with homemade granola and said, “This is the life.” I about peed my pants laughing.
5. Clearly single motherhood and a nasty head cold is having a negative affect on the whole “real foods” thing. We will hop back on that wagon tomorrow…..or when this head cold dies.
6. Giving up sweets for Lent got a whole lot harder when I got this cold. Apparently cold = insane need for sugar.
7. My parents were awesome today and came and took the kids for an hour so I could get a nap. I slept like a rock.
8. Also this post is not seeming so random, but instead a list of reasons to whine about my cold. Suddenly, it seems like I have a “man cold.” Will someone come rub my head and say “Poor little bunny?”
9. Remember last week when the hubby posted about the yummy direct trade coffee? Well if you want to try it, use the coupon code diaperdiaries before May 1, 2010 to get a 10% discount on any order! Feel free to share with friends too.
10. How bout nine things? I can’t think of a tenth. Did I mention I have a horrible cold?

For more (probably far more interesting) top ten lists, head over to Oh Amanda.

• Things I Love Thursday- Rozini Smart Taste Pasta
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For me, that place is Taylor’s Maid Rite. You may have had something called a Maid Rite before. It is sort of a chain. But Taylor’s is the one they write books about and do PBS shows about (seriously, it is always featured in best sandwich kind of shows). It is simple: loose hamburger on a bun with pickles, mustard and onion. Never ketchup. A true Taylor’s fan would never ruin their sandwich with ketchup. In fact they only added ketchup to the counter 70 years after it opened because customers asked for it. But the purists among us find that to be sacrilege.

You would order one…two…for the bravest and hungriest three. You can order them wet or dry. With everything or my personal favorite: mustard extra pickles. Always with a malt or a root beer float. I preferred a butterscotch malt. No fries on the menu so you went with chips. The waitress would put down your sandwich with a spoon. Why would anyone need a spoon? To scoop up all the meat that fell out while you ate of course. It was too good to let any go to waste.

It was my first job. I waited counters. There is a u-shaped counter with red swivel stools. No tables. No room. It is a tiny restaurant that is often packed 2-3 deep at lunch and dinner. The counter is worn down from so much wiping that most of the print is gone. The prices have gone up a bit, but other than that little has changed on the menu. Some of the older ladies have worked there for 20-30 years. To my 14 year old self it was the coolest job I could have. My hands stunk of onions for days. Which was a bit of a bummer because I don’t know if you know this, but onions somehow smell a bit like BO.

I don’t have any family in Marshalltown anymore so I don’t have a real reason to go back. I try and think up excuses to drive the nine hours just so I can have a taste of home again. But now, the restaurant that means so much to me is being threatened. The cooking method they have used for 80 years is coming under fire. It seems to be about health safety, but I have a feeling it is really about politics (isn’t everything?). It makes me as horribly sad there is so little I can do about it, but if it closes you can bet I will make the nine hour trip for one last taste.

What “tastes like home to you?”

*I am honestly not sure if it will make a difference or not, but there is a Save Taylor’s Maid Rite Facebook page. They are trying to reach 10,000 people. If you feel so inclined, head over and join.

• Is this heaven? No It’s Iowa.
• A Great Contest
• Now if I could just find some sparkly red shoes
• Frugal Friday- Boston Market Kids Eat Free Promotion
• Tag, I’m It

Love Story::: Till Death Do Them Part

Perspective on Frugality::: Frugal, Cheap or Poor

Thoughts on Blogging::: The Little Blog

Post that resonates with what God is teaching me:::: There Will Be Rocks

Link up your weekly favorites over at It’s Come 2 This.

• I’m climbing on my soapbox
• My New Favorite
• Frugal Friday- $5 Dollar Dinners
• Works For Me Wednesday- Frugal Edition
• Sick and Tired

Anyway, are you using Huggies rewards program? I have to admit that I have thrown away many a diaper package paying no attention to the sticker with a code on it. But no more. You simply enter the code over on Enjoy the Ride Rewards. You can cash in those points for prizes, to enter sweepstakes or to play fun little interactive games to win instant gift cards.

In poking around the website, I also see that you can earn points by watching quick videos, taking polls, referring friends and surfing Huggies related sites. So easy. Also I discovered a bunch of codes over on Money Saving Mom. Not sure they are all still valid, but it wouldn’t hurt to try. And I have a feeling if you googled around you might find some more. I am too lazy to do that for you, but knock yourself out. I might attempt it while watching TV this weekend cause I have my eye on a super cute bib for the little man.

For more money saving tips, head over to Life As Mom.

• Frugal Friday- Tropicana Juicy Rewards
• Frugal Friday- Nielsen Home Panel
• Frugal Friday- Coupon Mom (GIVEAWAY!!)
• Frugal Friday- Priority Club Rewards
• Frugal Friday- Old Navy Sale

Hey Everyone! Mr.  Diaper Diaries here with a chance to guest-blog about something near and dear to my heart (and heart rate) – coffee!  As Jill can attest, I’m a true coffee lover.  I drink six cups or so a day {does that seem excessive to anyone else????}, and I consider my French press to be one of the most crucial items on my list of household amenities – right after running water and just before flatware.

So where does a coffee lover turn for the best coffee? Well, there are lots of places to go for a cup of joe, but what if you could get your hands on coffee from a roaster that has purchased the best possible beans directly from the farmers that grew them? You can! And, you’ll be surprised at the positive impact that obtaining that coffee will have on the local communities where the beans are grown!

Introducing the Direct Trade Coffee Club: an organization started by a small group of individuals, including my friend Chad, who are committed to the concept of direct trade.  If you’re not familiar with direct trade, it provides an alternative means of linking roasters and farmers that counteracts the effects of commoditization. You see, roasters of coffee normally purchase beans through wholesale middlemen. But in doing so, these brokers separate the roasters of coffee from the farmers that grew the beans and depress the price of beans by applying price pressures to the farmers. The brokers need to add in their own profit margin, which prevents the farmers from making a good profit, but those savings don’t get passed to the roasters or consumers.

Alternatively, the direct trade approach that the Direct Trade Coffee Club uses links the roasters directly with producers of high quality beans (the best 15% of beans available, according to industry standards!), ensuring that the farmers can make a decent profit by producing great coffee by environmentally-responsible means. In other words, the standard for a great cup of coffee shouldn’t  just include how the coffee tastes, it’s should consider the positive effects of obtaining that cup of coffee on the local communities where the coffee is grown.

As an example, before I leave for work tomorrow morning, I’ll pour myself a cup of coffee that I brewed with beans from Madcap roasters, one of the Direct Trade Coffee Club partners. I know from their website that the beans came from a farmer named Ellen who washed and patio-dried them in the Franjilos region of Guatemala. While I’ll never meet Ellen, her hard work will help me get through my hard work, and I’m glad to know that she’s been paid a decent price for producing a more-than-decent product.

If you’d like to support the Direct Trade Coffee Club, and the farmers with whom they work, consider purchasing your coffee from one of the roasters that have partnered with them. Me again. This fits so well with our family’s new goal of trying to eat more local and “real” foods. Although the coffee isn’t necessarily local, I love that we know where it comes from. Thanks Ellen!!

Didn’t he do good. And he’s super cute on top of it. We were provided with coffee in order to facilitate a review, but as usual all opinions are mine alone. Or in this case his. Whatever.

What do you love this week? Check out the Things I Love Thursday guidelines and link up below. And have I told you lately that I love you? And that you are the wind beneath my winds? Seriously. You guys rock.

• Things I Love Thursday- Fiber One Bars (and a giveaway!!)
• Works For Me Wednesday- Book Club
• Things I Love Thursday- Bodum French Press
• Top Ten Random Things I Want To Tell You
• Frugal Fridays- Cheap Spa Day

But at some point post babies “She’s Come Undone” became replaced with “Where the Wild Things Are” (I love that book by the way, not knocking it at all). It could also have been squeezed out a bit by this little internet thing and a ridiculous amount of DVR’d shows. Anyway, I really began to miss a good book. Enter book club.

It was started a few years back with a group of moms. Some of us were life long book lovers. Some more trashy beach novel readers. And truth be told it is half book club, half night away from the kids and hubby with a good glass of wine club. But every six weeks we are forced to put down the remote and curl up with a good book.

I haven’t loved every book, but I loved reading every book. Does that make sense? I just love the art of reading. Of escaping and delving into another world and another person’s mind. I love having a grown up conversations about plots, character development and allegories. I look forward to book club night every month. And I look forward to cracking open the spine of a good book.

Are you in a book club? If not, start one. If so, what good book have you read lately?

For more helpful tips, head over to Rocks in my Dryer.

• Works For Me Wednesday- Share the Reading Load
• Pay It Forward Book Exchange
• What I Am Reading
• November Pay It Forward Book Exchange
• Frugal Friday- Summer Reading Extravaganza!!