Wholly Guacamole Coupon = Cheap Guacamole

Wholly Guacamole is an awesome product that I will purchase whenever I see a sale or a great coupon offer. The product is so tasty and to me just like fresh guacamole. Check this out from the company's website:

"..we’re dedicated to providing the best product possible. We use real Hass avocados and natural ingredients that don’t include preservatives, artificial flavors or heat treatments. Our goal? To give our consumers made-from-scratch flavor and ready-to-eat convenience."

You'll find Wholly Guacamole in the refrigerated produce or deli aisle. It must be refrigerated but has never been frozen, though you can freeze it if you would like :)

Typically the large pack costs around $4.50-$5.00. The 100Cal Snack Packs cost around $2.30. IF there is not already a sale on the large pack, I just use the coupon on the Snack Pack and get some seriously good guacamole for about $.80. Nom nom nommmmmmmmmm!!


TO GET YOUR COUPON:

Go to the Wholly Guacamole Facebook page , “like” them, then click on the “Coupons” tab on the left under their profile pic to get a $1.50 off ANY one Wholly product coupon. This can also be used on the Wholly Salsa or Queso products, but guac is definitely my fav. This coupon will be up until Wednesday night so hurry!!

* You can also get a $1.50 of any Wholly product by signing up for the Wholly Guacamole newsletter here.

Enjoy!

Paleo Comfort Foods = I'm excited!!!

from Amazon:

"What if you could cook fantastic meals similar to the heartwarming comfort dishes your grandma used to make…and have them be good for you? In Paleo Comfort Foods, Charles and Julie Mayfield provide you with an arsenal of recipes that are healthy crowd-pleasers, sure to appeal to those following a paleo, primal, gluten-free, or "real-food" way of life—as well as those who have not yet started down such a path.

Implementing paleo guidelines and principles in this book (no grains, no gluten, no legumes, no dairy), the Mayfields give you 100+ recipes and full color photos with entertaining stories throughout. The recipes in Paleo Comfort Foods can help individuals and families alike lose weight, eat healthy and achieve optimum fitness, making this way of eating sustainable, tasty and fun."

I am so excited for this book to come out and just in time for the holidays. I own the Primal Blueprint Cookbook, Everyday Paleo and The Paleo Solution, but I am especially looking forward to owning Paleo Comfort Foods. This book promises that you can make healthy, gluten-free meals that don't just sustain - they please. Food is most definitely a comfort to me and I can't wait to get my hands on this book.

If you haven't checked out Charles and Julie Mayfield's blog by the same name (Paleo Comfort Foods), you should! They have excellent giveaways and super helpful information on their blog. Check out this post on meal-planning!

Also, check out this video introducing the book. Hooray for culinary geniuses that make my job of getting the kids to eat great food that much easier!!

Groceries for the Week

So I did my shopping for the week early this morning. I go once each week to Costco and once to my local grocery store. I will soon be going to Walmart instead to see how the veggie freshness compares. Here's how I figure out what I need for my family of four:

Each week for breakfast I need:

• 3 dozen eggs. This is enough for my husband to have 3-4 eggs each day, 1 for myself, and 1 that my kiddos share. If any of my lunch or dinner recipes call for eggs, I buy more. $2.59 for a cage-free dozen of Eggland's Best. I usually have a $.50 off of one coupon to help keep the price down.
• 2 packages of bacon. In late Spring I purchased a whole pig for my family and we have been eating on that bacon. I will blog about the purchase and cost-benefit of it soon.
• 1 bag of sausage. Sometimes we won't go through all this and I have more for next week. I really like Jones Dairy Farm if I am not eating sausage from the pig we bought.
• 3-4 sweet potatoes for my husband if he has an intense workout that morning. Poke a potato with a fork a bunch of times, throw in the microwave for around 5 minutes or until soft. Good to go.

Each week for lunch I need:

• 1 box of organic spring mix salad. My kids don't eat salad, but they like what goes on top. My one son loves olives.
• 6 or so bell peppers
• 1 3-pack of cucumbers from Costco
• Red onion. Buy a big bag and save. They stay well in a cool, dark place for a pretty long time.  
• Celery. Buy a big bag and save. This will keep for a couple weeks as well.
• Tomatoes
• Olive oil & Balsamic vinegar to top.
• 3 or so lbs of chicken thighs. I grill these ahead of time to put on the salad or for my husband to eat whenever he is hungry. This costs around $7.00.
• Cans of tuna. I buy a four pack for $2.80 and if that disappears by the next week, I just buy another.
• 2 8oz packages of Ham lunch meat. Each package is $2.00

Miscellaneous:

• Milk. My kids and husband go through about 3 gallons of milk each week. Trader Joe's, Target, and Wal-Mart are the cheapest places to purchase. Around $6.00 for a gallon of organic milk.

FOR DINNERS THIS WEEK:

• 1 5lb chicken, Perdue Cage-Free $5.60
• 2 packages of sirloin around 3lbs total $7.18
• Mushrooms 1lb $2.19
• Steamfresh Broccoli - $1.50
• Steamfresh Brussels Sprouts - $1.50
• Spaghetti Squash - Small one cost $3.16. I have spent around $5.00 after picking out a large one if I want leftovers.
• 1 jar of spaghetti sauce. Bertolli Tomato/Basil $1.99 and I had a $.50 off of one coupon
• Kale. $.99 for a bunch
• Bok Choy $3.06 for a big bunch.

I didn't have a list so I forgot to buy:
Shrimp
Roast Veggies.. but I have carrots in the fridge already so I will probably just roast those with onion
Salmon

Things I already have on hand:
Broccoli leftover from last week
Lemon
Fish Sauce
Canned coconut milk from Trader Joe's
Ground lamb in the freezer
Ground beef in the freezer


Next week I will do a complete, fresh list shopping like I have nothing on hand to give you a better idea of how much a week costs.

Super Cheap Food: Kale

If you haven't tried kale yet and are trying to save your paleo pennies, it just might be time.

I can buy a bunch of kale at my commissary (military grocery store) for a sweet 99 cents. Also availably is a gigantic, pre-cut bag for about $3.00, but I'd never go through all that kale before it went bad... unless I froze some... hmmm. Thoughts for another time. Kale is technically a form of cabbage and to me resembles collard greens. It is high in antioxidants, considered anti-inflamatory, has tons of beta-carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein and is pretty rich in calcium. But don't take my word for it! Wikipedia told me so. You can steam, microwave, or stir-fry - just don't boil if you want the most nutrient bang for your buck. Best of all, you don't need to buy this veggie organic (not alot of pesticides are needed to fend off the rabidly hungry insects). AND one of Jessica Biel's New Year's resolutions was to eat more kale. Knowing that, why would you NOT eat kale? Jessica Biel is a hottie.

BUT HOW DO I COOK THIS STRANGE VEGETABLE!?

1. Steam it! Add a little bit of garlic in there, some salt, maybe a splash of balsamic vinegar and you have super cheap, healthy side dish or "salad" you can add some protein to.

2. Stir-Fry! Try this recipe a la Bobby Flay. Going to test this one out sometime to see if it belongs in my recipe binder.

3. Microwave? Wash and chop leaves and microwave on high until wilted. DO NOT dry the kale before you zap it.

4. Bake it!! KALE CHIPS!!!

           Take a bunch of kale - remove leaves from the thick stem and tear into smaller pieces - wash and dry

           Preheat the oven to 350 F, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt (NOT TOO MUCH!!), then bake

           on a baking sheet for about 10-15 minutes until crispy and not burnt.

           * Try different seasonings like a bit of paprika for a different taste  

Kale is a pretty strong smelling vegetable just as a little warning to you guys. I just steamed some and plan on eating it with breakfast and lunch tomorrow! Happy eating.

OH! And I guess it does freeze well. Thank you Wikipedia. 

An Intro to Paleo Cents

Living a healthy lifestyle isn't always cost-effective, at least in the short term. I'm starting this blog to share with you how I save money living and shopping organic & gluten-free. My husband and I eat paleo as much as possible and I shop to give our children unprocessed, gluten-free options for eating.

I plan to share meal plans and shopping lists, as well as provide price comparisons for items like coconut milk and lara bars. I also will show you where I shop for special things like coconut oil. There will be gluten-free product comparisons for those with kiddos who want to make something special for birthdays or holidays.

I'm excited to start! I hope that you find this blog useful and benefit from my time spent browsing the internet and grocery aisles :)