Kid-Friendly Southwest Dip

**This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**



This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kroger. The opinions and text are all mine.

My kids love to eat.  Anything in “dip form” will get demolished in a matter of mere seconds with this crew.   Moreover, I love to find ways to create things with them.  ….and if I happen to sneak in some extra little nutritional boosts, well, then that’s even better.kid-friendly southwest dip

So this week, we headed over to Kroger, and created a fun, delicious southwest dip.  We even got creative and made it into a cat-faced southwest dip.  ….unfortunately, I first created another installment of “How Not to Cook”.  (Remember my infamous meatball debacle?  Or the overly-cinnamon’ed Vitamix applesauce?)

When I was asked to create a kid-friendly activity using things I got at Kroger, it seemed like a no-brainer.  I decided to go with a southwest-style dip and home made baked tortilla chips, which is an easy recipe for the kids to get involved with, AND which I could get everything I need at my neighborhood Kroger store.  Y’all already know I love Kroger, not only because they have competitive prices, but because Kroger helps me to find healthy options for me and my family.

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Making our own tortilla chips was a snap. It was basically what we did when we made tortilla strips for our chicken tortilla soups. Using Halloween-themed cookie cutters just added to the fun, too!

But first I had to “pull a Barbara”, and take too many liberties in what I created.  I found a handful of taco dip recipes, calling for cream cheese and refried beans, along with salsa, and other garnishing.  But I decided I wanted to make a healthier version, and replaced the refried beans with black beans and added corn, as well.  It didn’t turn out too well, but it made for a great conversation about how we dust ourself off and try again when things don’t go as planned.  This was actually perfect timing, since I’m trying to work with my 4 yo son on tackling the monkey bars at school.  He’s been reluctant to try them because he’s afraid of falling.  I’ve been encouraging him to try them, and that the worst that would happen is he drops to the ground and gets up and tries it again.  (His feet dangle about a foot from the ground on the monkey bars at his school, fwiw.)  So when my initial crack at this recipe was less than stellar, I made a big stink about getting right back in there and trying the recipe again, figuring out what I did wrong, and how I could make it better the next time.

I digress.

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We made our own taco seasoning for this recipe, thanks to a super-simple recipe I first heard about from Krystyn of Really Are You Serious. It was an easy and delightful task for my son!

Here’s what how we did it.  There are plenty of opportunities along the way to get the kids involved with each step, depending on their age, your comfort level, and their abilities – and perhaps your threshold for messes.

Kid-friendly Southwest Dip

  • 8-oz sour cream
  • 1 tbs. chia seeds
  • 1 tbs. flax seed
  • 2 tsp. taco seasoning mix (Did you know how easy it is to make your own??)
  • 1/2 c. salsa
  • 1/4 c. sliced ripe olives (+4-5 individual olives on reserve)
  • 1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
  • 1/2 c. black beans
  • 1/2 c. sweet corn
  • 1 c. chopped lettuce or spinach (or let the kids use scissors to snip it in to strips)
  • 2 cherry tomatoes
  • tortilla chips  (It’s super easy to bake your own tortilla chips!)

Mix the sour cream and taco seasoning until well-blended.  Spread as bottom layer of dip in your deep dish.  Next evenly spread salsa over cream cheese mix, then sprinkle chia and flax seed over the salsa.   Layer the beans, then the corn.  Top with shredded cheese.  ….now for the fun part.  Have kids create a face: use the tomatoes (cut in half) to create eyes, then place olive slice over tomato.  Cut olive slices in half to create a mouth.

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Pin me!

I ended up sticking ours in the oven with the baked tortilla chips for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese.  This is completely optional.

Giveaway opportunity:
I want to give one of y’all a chance to create something with your own kiddos, so I’m offering you a chance to win a $50 Kroger giftcard.  Simply comment below with your favorite Halloween activity or recipe to do with your kids.  Then fill out the form below.  See?  Simple!

Remember, you can earn extra entries daily, so make sure to stop back in and update your form to increase your chance of winning.  Good luck, y’all!  🙂


Kroger $50 Giftcard

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Little Ways to Save BIG on Gas at Kroger

**This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**



gas-at-Kroger_banner

What goes up must come down.  And in the days of cheap gas, what goes down, must come back up, right?  Argh, while we enjoyed gas prices hovering right under two bucks, it was inevitably fleeting. But no matter what the price of gas is, I am really enjoying reaping the benefits of Kroger’s fuel points rewards program.

A friend of mine recently posted his big savings on Facebook, during the low gas prices in the hay days, a few weeks ago.  99¢ a gallon = SWEET, right?!

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Find out how you can make the most of this amazing program.

Ways to Save BIG on Gas at Kroger

  • Use your Kroger card every. single. time.  Period.  Simply put, if you don’t scan that card or input your alternate id each time you shop at Kroger, you’re losing out.  Each dollar spent on your Kroger card goes toward your fuel points rewards.  For each $100 spent each month, you can get an additional 10¢ off per gallon.  Remember: whenever you use your Kroger card at the Kroger gas pumps, you automatically get 3¢ off per gallon.

[Read more…]

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Cleaning Out My Pantry with Kroger’s Simple Truth

**This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**



The good people at Kroger recently hosted an event for local Atlanta bloggers, where we learned a heaping helping about their natural and organic products, including but not limited to, their Simple Truth line.  In exchange for attending and sharing this post, I was compensated with a SWEET goody bag, filled with ahh-mazing natural and organic goodies as well as a Kroger gift card.  All opinions, however, are mine.  Also, stay tuned for a chance to win $100 Kroger gift card!

As I’m writing this, I keep hearing Eminem singing “I”m sorry mama ….  but tonight, I’m cleaning out my closet.”  (Does that show my age????)  And although it’s done a little cheekily, there is more meaning behind that.  You see, I come from a LONG line of Southern women who love to eat and who love to feed their family.  In doing so, we don’t *always* prepare the healthiest meals.  However, as I keep peering in to my pantry, I keep getting both overwhelmed and sickened by the amount of junk I’ve allowed in to my home.

Kroger's Simple Truth Foods

Overwhelmed by “healthy buzz words”:

Overwhelming with all the talk of GMOs, organic, natural, whole grain, — and a never-ending list of words.  Some buzz words, while some having meaning behind them.  All seemingly overwhelming when you’re trudging through a pantry full of ooey-gooey goodness.  Also, overwhelming in formulating proper responses to nay-sayers who argue “well we were raised on this stuff, and we turned out just fine.”  Ok.  Maybe that’s easy: “would you let your kids eat paint chips, just because someone else did it before you??!”  We know better now, therefore we DO better now.  Right??

Ch-cha-cha-changes

So, I vow to break the bad habits lead out before me, and clean out my pantry.  I’ve been taking baby steps over the last few years, but now it’s time to kick it in to overdrive.  So Kroger’s timing was absolutely perfect!

One thing I’m working on doing for myself and my family is weeding out processed foods, or simply foods that have no sustenance whatsoever, and focusing on buying more organic options (both fresh and frozen).  Aaand it’s difficult to part with treasured childhood favorites!  (Remember: long line of Southern women!)  Additionally, bulking up classics with fruits and veggies wherever I can.

Back to Kroger.  They make this super-simple with their newly-extended line of natural and organic products.  Throughout the store you will find natural and organic items, not just in the “natural foods department.”  Kroger is utilizing their exclusive brands, Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic to help bring natural and organic foods to consumers of all walks of life.

Kroger's Simple Truth - in store products

Frugally Fresh and Fit:

And I wouldn’t be me (frugal) if I didn’t share how this will NOT break the bank.  First, I have done the comparisons.  A canister of Simple Truth organic raisins is within 10-20¢ of the same (non-organic) canister of raisins.  I’ll spend the extra 20¢ for something my son happily eats in bulk!  My point is this, prices on these items are already set at a competitive rate.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t deepen your savings:  make sure you have signed up and have current information (mailing address and email address, mainly) to your Kroger card.  It’s your main vehicle to savings.  In addition to instant savings simply by using your Kroger card when you shop, you also help to customize the coupons that are sent to you home and inbox.  And the Kroger Fuel Program?  Yeah, it rocks my socks, too!

GIVEAWAY TIME!
Want to give it a whirl at Kroger?  I’ve teamed up with three other lovely ladies to offer one lucky winner a chance to win a $100 Kroger gift card.  It’s simple.  First, comment below with what natural or organic products you enjoy OR would like to try.  Then fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

Good luck, y’all!  🙂
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Which stores double coupons?

**This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**



which stores double coupons

Which stores double coupons these days?  In light of recent news at Kroger’s allegedly lowering prices and -more importantly- ending their double coupons as of 9-21-13, I felt compelled to create a list of stores around the southeast that still DO double coupons.  If there’s a store I left off, please let me know.  🙂

 

Publix
Update 1/2017: Sigh.  Publix no longer doubles coupons in Georgia.  You can still stack store and manufacture coupons, but they are no longer doubling coupons.  I am deeply saddened by this news and their explanation, but it is what it is…  First and foremost, Publix remains the most user-friendly grocery store around.  Hands down.  While they have acquired the reputation for being “too expensive” – I certainly do not find this to be the case.  While I wouldn’t buy non-sale items from there, their BOGOs and sales each week, along side double coupons stacked with store coupons simply make for exceptional deals!  You can read more about my hints and tricks for shopping at Publix.

Target

Although they do not double coupons, they do allow you to stack manufacture’s coupons with store coupons on top of Cartwheel discounts, as well as combine with awesome Shopkick and Ibotta deals.  In my opinion, it’s worth keeping Tar-zshay on your list!

 

Bi-Lo

Bi-Lo doubles up to 10 coupons per transaction per day, up to 60¢ when you use your Bi-Lo Bonuscard.  See their full policy here and locations here.

Ingles

Ingles has a tiered doubling policy.  Coupons 50¢ or less will double: $10 transactions will allow for 3 doubled coupons, $20 for 6 doubled coupons, $30 for 9 doubled coupons, and so forth.  You MUST have an Ingles Advantage card in order to benefit from doubled coupons. You can read their full coupon policy here and find a location here.

Piggly Wiggly

Piggly Wiggly will double coupons up to 99¢, but only 10 coupons in one transaction per day per household.  Also only 4 “like” coupons allowed in one transaction.  For more on their policy, go here; find a location here.

Kmart

Kmart does not double every day, but on designated days.  They do not have a policy available online, but according to AllYou.com, Kmart doubles manufacture’s coupons to 99¢ on doubling days, up to 10 coupons per day, and only 4 like coupons.  Find your local Kmart store here — you may wish to verify your store’s specific policy.

Harris Teeter

Doubles up to 20 manufacture’s coupons per customer per household per day, up to 99¢.  Up to three “like” coupons will double in a single transaction.  Read full coupon policy here, and find locations here.

Farm Fresh

With stores in North Carolina and Virginia, Farm Fresh does not appear to have their coupon policy posted online, but according to several frugal websites, I have gathered the following: doubles 99¢ everyday, but $1 on Wednesdays; up to 20 coupons per customer, per day; maximum of two “like” coupons per customer per day.  Find locations here.

Winn Dixie

In Alabama and Georgia Winn Dixie will double coupons up to 50¢.  However, Florida locations do not double.

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Atlanta's Frugal Mom is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. In other words, if you click through to Amazon from some of the books or products I recommend and make a purchase, I get a small percentage in exchange for your purchase. It's a small way you can support AFM.