Saved 68% at Publix!

Yes, that is 40 cans of organic diced tomatoes...

Typically I am not one to "stock up" on items (for one, I don't have the space) but at .40 cents a can I couldn't pass this deal up! 

Total Before Savings: 142.98

Total Savings: 96.67

Actual Cost: 46.31

And almost everything is organic!

Here's the deals:

Publix Buy Theirs, Get Ours:

Newman's Own Salsa 2.59 x2 (.50 coupon from newspaper, $1 FB printable)

GreenWise Organic Salsa FREE x2

Heinz Organic Ketchup 2.99

Publix GreenWise Organic Ketchup FREE

Muir Glen Organic Diced Tomatoes 1.67 x20 ($1 off two printable, .75 off one printable, $1 off 2 Publix coupon x10, $5 off 20 item publix coupon)

Publix GreenWise Organic Diced Tomatoes FREE x20

Other Deals:

Alma Organic Pastas on sale B1G1 $1 each x6

Gortons Frozen fish  (wild caught!) B1G1 (.50 off coupon from newspaper, $1 off coupon printable, .75 off Publix coupon)

Liberte yogurt (not organic but RBrH free and pastured dairy) 10 for $8 ($1 off 3 coupon from earthfare coupons x3)

Talenti Gelato (pure ingredients, hormone free dairy) B1G1 2.35 each x2 ($1 off coupons from earthfare coupons x2)

Almond Milk 2.50 each ($1 off coupon from newspaper, .75 off Publix Yellow Advantage Flyer)

Athenos Yogurt (RBrH free, no fillers) $1 each ($1 off coupon, printable)

Muir Glen Organic Soup 1.67 each ($1 off coupon from Healthy Clippings x2, $1 off 2 Publix coupon)

Sprout Organic Baby Food (yes, I make mine but when traveling the resealable packets are wonderful!) .99 each x8 (B1G1 coupons [no longer available] x4)

Florida Organic Strawberries 2/$5 (price honored from greenwise sales flyer online)

Smart Balance Organic Spread B1G1 (price honored from greenwise sales flyer online) $1.90 each ($1 off 2 printable coupon)

We also ran to Babies R Us tonight and got some other great deals:

All Annies items are B1G1 50% off so we purchased some mac-n-cheese for quick meal nights

Honest Kids pouches are 2 for $6 and we needed juice so that one was an ok deal (the honest kids/tea site is being updated so I couldn't print the coupons and nothing has yet to beat .99 each at Publix!)

Tomorrow I will be going to 14 Carrot Whole Foods for their 30% off produce sale and we should be set!

Tell me about your shopping successes and remember, you CAN shop locally, organically and naturally on a budget!

Who Knew?

Freezer bags and sandwich bags are very convenient...and very wasteful. I have gotten away from using plastics when packing my lunch by using the pyrex brand round containers (for my oldest sprout we use reusable BPA-free plastic because she is still only 2 1/2). But when making baby food I can't get away from freezer bags. I feel a little better knowing that Ziploc bags are now BPA-free but even though we wash and reuse the bags (if no meat has been in them) I felt so wasteful when I eventually had to toss one into the trash. Sure, they make great, eco-friendly, super cute silicone, glass and BPA-free plastic freezer containers for the foods but when it comes to price you can't do better than some $1 (for 2) BPA-free Rubbermaid ice trays and Ziploc freezer bags. And after all, my goal is to be planet friendly but also to save my family money!

Well, today I read an article on The Daily Green (click here for article link) that was wonderful news! Who knew that you can recycle your used plastic storage bags! You know the grocery bag recycling stations at grocery stores and even now at Wal-mart and Target? You can put the bags right along with those! I'll never trash one again. Recyclebank is now also partnering with Ziploc to give rewards for each bag you recycle (the pilot is starting in Texas). What is Recyclebank? Well, that's for another article on another day, but suffice to say you get rewarded for recycling and get points toward tons of great (often organic) coupons...check out www.recyclebank.com for more information until I post about all their great programs!

So, all my eco-friends, while I am still an advocate for removing as much plastic (and ALL BPA loaded plastics) from your home use as possible I think it is wonderful that we now have this option as well. So if you find yourself with some storage bags that are on there last leg don't trash them...RECYCLE!

Kid's Clothing Deals: It's Consignment time!

"It's the best time to save money each year..." (to the tune of Most wonderful time of the year) With the coming of spring brings one of the most eco and pocket friendly things in my area. Consignment sales! Namely, Belles & Beaus in Lexington, SC (March 11-13) and Tot Trade in Columbia, SC (March 24-27). And let's face it, kid's cloths are typically outgrown before they are worn out.


I learned about Belles & Beaus thru a friend at church when I was pregnant with my first child. My husband & I signed up for there new mom's early entry day and off we went. I was about to pop at full term but was determined to find great deals while helping keep waste out of the landfills. Boy am I glad we went! We got a like-new baby swing that goes side-to-side or front-to-back for $70! Half the cost of a new swing and with the added bonuses of reducing waste thru reusing and the materials have long since lost that "new product" chemical smell. Belles & Beaus does a wonderful job of screening the items they accept as well so we purchased tons of great cloths for a fraction of the cost. Since that first visit to Belles & Beaus I have also started to consign items we no longer need; and each time I have made back at least half of what I spend at the sale...not a bad deal! They are helping the community as well by giving consignors the option of 1) selling items the last day at 50% off and 2) if the consignor so chooses, the items that do not sell go to a needy family free shop evening. I am so excited for the sale this year! It is the first time I will go and have two little ones to shop for (my son came home from the hospital the day before the last sale...but my wonderful husband went for me!) & I am sure that lots of great money saving and planet friendly deals to be had!



Another friend introduced me to Tot Trade when my daughter was about 8 months old. I got a wonderful deal on a baby pool float for $2! This sale is HUGE (and Belles & Beaus certainly isn't small)! Tot Trade also has a sale in Charlotte NC for those of you in that area.

Both sales are worth checking out and if you have time, volunteer to help work, set up or cook a meal... you get in even earlier! If you do shop these or other consignment sales I highly recommend doing these three things: 1) shop as early as you can, popular items go quickly (ie-Robeez, swings, strollers) 2) go back on the 50% off days...it's likely you missed something the first time around; I sure did! and 3) wash your reusable shopping tote and take them to stuff full of goodies, it is much easier than dragging around a laundry basket plus you have bags to take your items home in.

So, what if you need something now or are not in the Midlands of SC? No fear, other options are here! Here are a few shops and sites that I recommend:

Good as New - a Lexington, SC consignment shop (you have to be willing to search here but it's worth it!)
Once Upon a Child - a kid's consignment store with many locations
www.zulily.com - new items but they frequently have organic clothing at great prices
www.totsy.com - very similar to zulily
www.lilluxe.com - again, very similar to zulily
www.mykidscloset.com - an online consignment site
www.thredup.com - kids clothing and toy swap online

Even Goodwill can have great finds (Target in my area sends there zeroed out inventory to Goodwill!) And yes, while saving money is great this is a chance to reteach the way our children think about shopping... it doesn't mean your poor if you shop this way. It is a way to tread lighter on the planet and look super cute doing it!

Here's a deal too good to miss!

Click here to see the "Buy theirs, Get ours" at Publix this week...tons of organics WITH coupon links! And don't forget the mambo sprouts and healthy clippings coupons because those are not listed here!

More money saving deals and where to find them!

Here are some deals I got this week and a few key coupons I wanted to let everyone know about:


Publix:

Muir Glen soup 3/$4.00 sale

$1.00 off coupon from Healthy Clippings Flyer (3)

= 33 cents each!

Florida Crystals Organic Sugar $4.29

55 cent off coupon from Kiwi magazine (Thanks Kiwi!)

= $3.75

Cascadian Farms frozen veggies $2.99

$1.00 off coupon from Healthy Clippings Flyer

= $1.99

Organic Valley Cheese $2.99

50 cent off coupon (Publix doubles!) from Earthfare coupon book & $1.00 off from Organic Valley website

= $1.99 each

Organic Grape Tomatoes on sale for $1.99


14 Carrot Whole Foods

in add 20% off total purchase coupon for month of February !

30% off produce sale from 1-6 Thursday and Sundays!

Cascadian Farm Frozen juices on sale for $3.49

$1.00 off coupon from Healthy Clippings Flyer

= $2.49 (not as good as Earthfare but saved on gas)



Other Great Coupons to get your hands on (I am going to use them this week!)

Mambo Sprouts has a $1.00 off Maranatha nut butters (the BEST organic no stir peanut butter!)

75 cent off Voskos organic Greek yogurt "blinky" in supermarket

Silk soy $1.00 off and Publix store $1.00 off makes it 50 cents this week!

50 cent off Honest Tea (Publix doubles & its on sale for $1 so that makes it FREE!)

$1.00 off meat at Publix from baby club mailer (can be used on organics!)

There are tons more out there so keep searching and you can feed your family organically & on a budget too!

Homemade Baby Food: Don't be Intimidated!

Do you have a little one just starting solids? Does a friend or family member? Have you ever tasted the jarred stuff? It's pretty disgusting. Don't be afraid to make your own homemade organic baby food. I promise it is 1) easy 2) fairly quick 3) healthier and 4) taste delicious!

I made about 90% of my daughter's baby food and now my son is beginning solids so I am starting this adventure again. I love making baby food! I will typically take my Sunday afternoon and make 3 or 4 kinds of food in about 2 hours or less. Honestly, not a lot of time to devote when the result is better tasting and more nutritious. I truly believe that this has also contributed greatly to the fact that my 2 1/2 year old has a diverse palette. She loves tomatoes, hummus, avocado and a vast array of things other 2 year olds wouldn't dare touch. But do you blame them? I have tasted baby food (for a classroom geriatrics project) and it was bland and not even close to the "real deal". Plus, most stage one options are super limited. I mean apples, bananas, green peas or beans, and sweet potatoes... BORING after a while.

So, here's my philosophy: make your own food as often as possible, START with veggies and lots of them then go to fruits (introduce one per 4 to 5 days to make sure there are not allergies)...I truly feel this is key in raising a child that will eat and enjoy their vegetables, and finally, just because you've never had it don't be afraid to try it! We tried parsnips along with our daughter and now they are a seasonal staple in our home.

All you need to get started:

A mesh sieve

food processor, mill or blender

BPA-free ice trays

freezer bags

fresh or frozen organic produce

Is an E Reader more eco?

I want your opinions! Is a new E-reader more eco friendly than buying books? Or is the library still the most planet friendly option. What do you think?

Know your Meat

If I am asked if I am a vegetarian my answer is typically, "it's complicated." For about 3 years of college I was a true vegetarian, my reason was that I did not (and still do not) think that the conventional, modern meat methods are at all humane or proper. Animals are not made to live that closely together, cows are meant to eat grasses and hays, basically animals should be allowed to live like animals. Natural and sustainable...but I didn't realize I had any option other than being a vegetarian.

As I am growing on my eco-journey I have learned that there are options...and local meats are the way to go! If they are not available then organic, pasture raised/fed, hormone/antibiotic free is an option. The first organic beef my husband and I had blew our minds! The flavor is so buttery and rich it's delicious! And because of the richness it is much easier to eat a proper portion.

Now, in general we tend to eat vegetarian twice or more a week because 1) Americans consume WAY too much meat and 2)*surprise* you can get protein from plant sources! But my choices for meats are from the following: Legacy Family Farm, Native Meats, Caw Caw Creek and if it's not farmer's market season - Publix Greenwise or Kroger Organics. I feel wonderful feeding my family meat in it's purest form...free from cruelty and chemicals. Plus, supporting local farmers and sustainable practices is great for the planet and the community.

Now you may wonder...what in the world do I eat at restaurants? Well, if I don't eat vegetarian you can bet I have done my research. For example, Panera and Moe's both use meat that is equivalent to the Publix Greenwise line. But, no, I am not perfect...sometimes a dish just sounds so good I will order it. But then I drive past the chicken plant on my way to work and feel horrible that I made that choice. In the end, every small change you make can have a major impact on local economy and the planet.

If your in the Midlands of SC I encourage you to give the above farms a chance. If not, use sites like Local Harvest to fine something similar near you. Go a little greener with your meat and take it back to the way it was before the meat packing industry went crazy.