Live your healthiest, happiest, most purposeful life
Author: Lacy Ngo
Lacy Ngo is a Registered Dietitian with a Masters in Human Nutrition. Lacy focuses on mindful eaitng and living and her blog provides over 400 nutrition and weight loss tips as well as inspiring faith stories
Healthy Cooking Hacks: Clever Hacks for Making the Foods Your Love Healthier
Can You Eat the Same Foods You Love and Still Lose Weight?
Well, yes, no and maybe. “Weight Loss cooking” involves substituting ingredients in recipes with similar healthier foods. Small substitutions can greatly increase nutrient content and reduce calories in the foods you already love. For example, one cup of regular mac-n-cheese has about 540 calories. If you substitute skim milk for whole milk, light cheddar cheese for full-fat cheddar cheese, and add more vegetables like broccoli; then, one cup of mac-n-cheese can go from 540 to 315 calories! Or eating a can of Tuna in water instead of oil saves you around 80 calories! You can also practice eating the SAME foods you love until you are satisfied by using mindfulness techniques. I talk more about mindfulness in other posts. However, you may want to try both mindfulness AND altering some of your cooking techniques and ingredients to tweak your favorite recipes.
This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)
You can make the foods you love healthier by either adding nutrients or, if needed, decreasing the calories. Some people may only want to increase the amount of nutrients while others may feel that they are eating calories in excess. Many tips below provide ways to increase essential nutrients in foods; while other tips provide ways to decrease calories. Many of these tips will do both! Pick a few ideas to implement based on your needs.
Can You Still Eat the Same Foods you Love and Still Lose Weight?
How to Make the Foods You Already Eat Healthier: The Basics
Add more vegetables to recipes. When you add more vegetables the same amount of food will have more nutrients and fewer calories per serving . For example, one cup of mac-n-cheese without vegetables will be more calories than 1 cup of mac-n-cheese with vegetables, or 1 cup of noodle soup with added vegetables is going to have fewer calories than a cup of noodle soup without vegetables. See how that works?
Eat fruits and vegetables at every meal. Even better, fill half your plate with a fruit or vegetable.
Choose the whole-wheat/whole grain version of rice, pasta, cereals, snacks, and breads. Remember to look for whole grain or whole wheat on the label. Multi-grain does not always mean whole grain.
Use a pressure cooker to cook flavorful meals.
Microwave, steam or boil vegetables in a small amount of water or stir fry vegetables in cooking spray.
Have more vegetables than meat.
Always drain off fat after cooking. Blot food with a paper towel before eating. For ground beef, drain meat in a colander after cooking.
Cook foods and prepare recipes using the healthier version of your favorite foods and sauces. Examples would be mayo made with olive oil instead of regular mayo or no sugar added ketchup.
Add flavor to salad with Lemon Juice, vinegar, and olive oil or use light dressings.
Evidence-based list of foods that boost mood, reduce anxiety; support the immune system; promote cognitive function,; and reduce the risk of chronic disease. Plus meal builder cards are provided to help you build healthy meals with foods from the list.
An evidence-based list of foods that boost mood; promote cognitive function, focus, attention, alertness, and memory; support the immune system; aid in weight loss; reduce the risk of chronic diseases, autoimmune diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, joint pain, and even seasonal allergies.
A simple meal plan checklist that will help you eat balanced meals on a daily basis that fuels your mind, body, and spirit.
A faith-based mindfulness and mindful eating guide: These are actual steps and strategies that will help you implement mindful eating and mindful living into your life. Also explore how faith-based mindfulness can help with our moods, behaviors, and even our health
Printable Meal Builder cards: This is an amazing tool that takes the stress out of creating healthy meals everyday. With the meal builder cards, you will be able to put together meals on the fly, without even needing a recipe.
Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals
Sometimes we might want to prepare our favorite foods in a more healthy, nutritious way, but with our busy lives we just don’t have the time to cook! Or we are so stressed and mentally drained by the end of the day that we don’t have enough energy or creativity left to think about “what’s for dinner.”
I am both a dietitian who actually LOVES to cook, AND a busy mom who couldn’t find the time to cook! I knew I needed to figure something out! This is how the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook was born.
I am not exaggerating when I say making a month’s worth of healthy freezer meals in one day has changed my life!
(Keep reading for a month’s worth of healthy dinner recipes, but if you want to learn how to make a month of healthy breakfast, lunch, AND dinner recipes in one day, you may want to look into the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals,” ebook. The recipes and grocery lists are included. Plus the ebook is much more than just recipes. The “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook also includes strategies and “pro tips” on how to efficiently cook all your meals in ONE Day!)
Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals eBook
I mean who wouldn’t love cooking for one day each month and then being done for the whole month! The benefits are endless.
I have more daily free time;
My grocery bill has decreased,
My family is eating healthier, and
I am less stressed about what to cook and when am I going to cook each night.
We are also eating at home more because we are less likely to say, “There’s nothing to eat so lets just go out.” As you can imagine, planning and prepping a months worth of freezer meals in one day is also a fantastic weight loss technique for ALL of the above reasons! Plus enjoying your food is probably one of the most important tips for lasting weight loss. These freezer meals are delicious, nutritious, easy homecooked meals that you can enjoy. Also remember to practice mindfulness to further enjoy your meals.
This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)
*One of the perks to cooking a month’s worth of freezer meals ahead of time is you can save money by buying in bulk. You also save by sticking to a grocery list. Another way I save a huge amount of money is by using ibotta whether I grocery shop in a grocery store or online. I have saved so much money ever since I downloaded the free ibotta app to my phone.
Make a Month’s Worth of Freezer Meals in One Day
After I grocery shop, I spend a few hours one day making these meals, and boom I have finished cooking my dinners for a month!
So for this post I wanted to provide you with 15 of my favorite freezer meals. One freezer meal last our family of four for 2 meals so 15 meals provides our family 30 dinners, i.e. a months worth of dinners. When you take into account that we will eat out occasionally, these 15 meals will often last our family for MORE than a month! You can always double the recipes for larger families. The recipes and grocery list are included in this post.
How to make a Healthy Plate with your Freezer Meals
When I am ready to eat a meal, I usually add a quick and easy microwavable vegetable side. After all, the whole point of making freezer meals ahead is so that I don’t have to do a bunch of cooking every day. My absolute favorites are the SteamFresh Vegetables from Birdseye and the Green Giant Steamers. You don’t even have to put these vegetables in a bowl!!! You literally put the bag in the microwave and press a button!
When I eat the slow cooker meals, I usually eat them with a healthy whole grain carbohydrate or carbohydrate substitute, I simply add the already-cooked healthy carbohydrate to the meal after the meal is finished cooking in the slow cooker. Some meals already have the starch in the recipe like the Mexican pasta for example, and for some you will add the carb or carb substitute to your meal after cooking. Again, I don’t want to do any extra cooking so I use “easy to prepare” type products like minute brown rice, whole wheat pasta, SteamFresh or Green Giant microwavable cauliflower rice, SteamFresh microwavable zucchini pasta, or Green Giant Spirals. Green Giant Steamers and Birdseye SteamFresh Vegetables seriously make eating healthy sooo easy. Again, you literally put the bag in the microwave. That is it! Then combine the cauliflower rice, zucchini pasta, or spirals with your already-cooked slow cooker meal and you have an amazing meal, and your kids are eating more vegetables.
The Infograph below explains how to make a healthy plate with your freezer meals including the suggested sides. Again, basically add one of the suggested whole grains/starch substitutes and a vegetable side and you have a nutrtious low calorie meal:
Freezer Meal Plating Steps
Sooo quick and easy!
And Here They Are: 15 Freezer Meal Recipes (Do you Want Breakfast and Lunch too? Check out the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook. Make all your breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes for the whole month in one day!)
* Updated on September 11, 2018
*Tip: Cook all the ground meat at once and chop all the vegetables at once. Then add all the ingredients to the bags and casserole dishes per each recipe directions.
This one is so versatile. It is a slow cooker, pressure cooker, saute and steamer all in one!
To find a list of all the cookware you will need to start your freezer meal routine click here.
1. Cheesy Cauliflower Tot
2. Chicken Cacciatore
3. Chicken Masala
4. Chicken Chili
5. Crockpot Mushroom Chicken
6. Sour Cream and Onion Chicken Potatoes
7. Asian Chicken
8. Chili Con Carne
9. Mexican Chili
10. Is it Really Healthy? Lasagna
11. Mexican Pasta
12. Crockpot Broccoli Tot Casserole
13. Sweat and Sour Meatballs 14. Italian Wedding Soup
15. Turkey Meatball Vegetable Soup
16. Meatball Minestrone Soup
Making Freezer Meals Ahead of Time is a Great Weight Loss Technique
Cauliflower Cheesy Tot
4 servings
Materials
1 gallon-sized freezer bag
Ingredients
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 cup of your favorite cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese
• Frozen Cauliflower of Broccoli tots
To Freeze 1. Label your freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date
2. Add all ingredients to your freezer bag
3. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Cook
1. Add to crockpot.
2. Cook on “low” setting for 8 hours.
Serve with a Vegetable side (I prefer the quick microwavable SteamFresh vegetables)
Chicken Cacciatore
Servings 4
Materials
1 gallon-sized freezer bag
Ingredients
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts- Cut into bite-size pieces
• 24 oz jar of Pasta sauce
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
To Freeze
1. Label your freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date
2. Add all ingredients to your freezer bag except chicken broth.
3. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to three months.
To Cook
1. The morning of cooking, pour contents into your crockpot.
2. Cook on “low” setting for 6-8
Serve with whole-wheat spaghetti and salad.
Chicken Masala
Servings 6
Materials
* 1 gallon-sized freezer bag
Ingredients
• 1 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup Onion
• 24 oz of Pasta sauce
• 1 Tbs Garlic Powder
• 2 tablespoons Honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 oz light cream cheese
To Freeze
1. Label your freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date.
2. Add all ingredients to your freezer bag
3. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to three months.
To Cook
1. Add contents of freezer bag to crockpot and cook on “low” setting for 6-8 hours or until the chicken is fully cooked through
Serve over naan, brown rice, or steam fresh cauliflower rice with a vegetable side (I prefer the quick and easy microwavable SteamFresh vegetables)
4. Chicken Chili
Servings 6
Materials
1 gallon-sized freezer bag
Ingredients
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite-sized pieces• 1 medium yellow onion (one cup), chopped
• 8 oz black beans, drained and rinsed
• 8 oz cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
• ½ cup chopped green peppers
• ½ cup chopped red peppers
• 4 oz cream cheese-light
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 12 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 packet chili powder
• 4 cups canned chicken broth (Not needed until the day you eat)
To Freeze
1.Label your freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date.
2. Add all ingredients to your freezer bag
3. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to three months.
To Cook
1. Add contents of the freezer bag and 16 oz. of chicken broth to crockpot and cook on “low” setting for 6-8 hours or until the chicken is fully cooked 2. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to three months.
Top with sour cream, light cheese, and tortilla chips
Slow Cooker Mushroom Chicken
Serves 4-6
Materials
1 gallon-sized freezer bag
Ingredients
• 1 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tablespoons honey
* 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
*1 Teaspoon Onion Powder Mix
• 8 oz cam mushroom
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cups chicken broth (*add to Crockpot when cooking)
To Freeze
1. Label your freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date.
2. Add all ingredients except chicken broth to your freezer bag 3. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to three months.
ToCook
1. Add contents of freezer bag and chicken broth to the crockpot and cook on “low” setting for 6-8 hours or until chicken is fully cooked
Serve over Brown rice, SteamFresh cauliflower rice, whole-wheat pasta, or SteamFresg Zucchini pasta with a vegetable side (I prefer SteamFresh)
Cream Cheese and Onion Chicken Potatoes
Serves 4-6
Materials
* 1 gallon-sized freezer bag
Ingredients
• 1 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
• 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1 cup chopped Onion
• 1 Pound of Red Potatoes
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chicken broth (not needed until day of cooking)
To Freeze
1. Label your freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date
2. Add all ingredients to your freezer bag except chicken broth.
3. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to three months.
To Cook
1. The morning of cooking, pour contents into your crockpot; add chicken broth.
2. Cook on “low” setting for 6-8
Serve over whole-wheat pasta or the SteamFresh Zucchini Pasta with a Vegetable Side.
Asian Chicken
Serves 4
Materials
1 gallon-sized freezer bag
Ingredients
• 1 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast- cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 4 Tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
To Freeze
1. Label your freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date
2. Add all ingredients to your freezer bag
3. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Cook
1. Add to crockpot.
2. Cook on “low” setting for 8 hours or until chicken is fully cooked.
Serve over brown rice or cauliflower rice with a Vegetable side (I prefer the quick microwavable SteamFresh vegetables)
Chili Con Carne
Serves 6
Materials
1 gallon-sized freezer bag
Ingredients
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped (1 cup)
• 8 oz can mushrooms
• ½ cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 24 oz pasta sauce
• 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 package chili powder
To Freeze
1. Label your freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date.
2. Add all ingredients to your freezer bag.
3. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to three months.
To Cook
Add contents of freezer bag to crockpot and cook on “low” setting for 6-10 hours or high for 4 hours. Cook until the chicken is done all the way through.
Serve with brown rice or SteamFresh Cauliflower rice; top with shredded cheese, sour cream.
Mexican Chili
Serves 4-6
Materials
1 gallon-sized freezer bag
Ingredients
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped (1 cup)
• 1 medium-sized green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 8 oz. can black beans
• 24 oz can pasta sauce
• 1 taco seasoning packet
To Freeze
1. Label your freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date.
2. Add all ingredients to your freezer bag.
3. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to three months.
To Cook
Add contents of freezer bag to crockpot and cook on “low” setting for 6-10 hours or high for 4 hours.
Serve over brown rice or over a whole-wheat roll topped with provolone cheese Serve with a Vegetable side (I like the Microwavable SteamFresh Vegetables)
Top with shredded cheese and tortilla chips.
Is this Really Healthy? Lasagna
Serves 6Materials
• 9”x13” pans (Glass, aluminum, or disposable)
• Plastic wrap
• Aluminum foil
Ingredients
• 1 pound ground turkey- cooked
• 2 large eggs
• 15 oz of ricotta cheese
• 1 cups shredded parmesan cheese
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded and divided in half
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 24 oz jars of pasta sauce
• 2 cup Frozen spinach, chopped (about 3 cups)
• 9 oz box of “oven ready” lasagna noodles with no boiling required
To Freeze
1. In a large bowl, create cheese filling by combining eggs ,ricotta, parmesan, half of the mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper.
2. Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce at the bottom of each pan.
3. Next Layer: 3 Lasagna Noodles
4. Next layer: ½ the Cheese filling
5. Next Layer: 1 cup the Frozen spinach
6. Next Layer: Sprinkle with Cooked Ground Turkey
7. Next layer: Pasta sauce
8. Repeat each layer one more time
9. Add Mozzarella cheese on top. Make sure the noodles are covered entirely with sauce and cheese so they don‘t get crunchy when they bake 10. Cover each pan with layers of plastic wrap and foil
11. Label the tin foil with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date
12. Freeze for up to three months.
To Cook
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove plastic wrap and replace foil. Bake frozen lasagna 60 minutes or until center is hot. Remove foil and bake for additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese on top is melted
Ingredients
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• One 12 oz box of Whole-Wheat Pasta
• 8 oz jar of salsa
• 8 oz jar of taco sauce (2 cups)
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
To Freeze
1. Brown the ground beef and ground turkey
2. Add taco seasoning and cream cheese to the pan
3. Stir until cream cheese is melted.
4. Cook Pasta separately per directions on the package
5. Add meat mixture, salsa, cheddar, mozzarella, taco sauce, and pasta to the 9” X 13” pan; Blend all ingredients together
6. Cover each pan with layers of plastic wrap and foil,
7. Label the tin foil with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date.
8. Freeze for up to three months.
To Cook
Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap and replace foil. Bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes.
12. Crockpot Broccoli Tot Casserole
Serves 4
Materials
• 1 gallon-sized freezer bag
Ingredients
• 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 1 cup of your favorite cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese
• Frozen Cauliflower of Broccoli tots
To Freeze
1. Label your freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date
2. Add all ingredients to your freezer bag 8. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Cook
1. Add to crockpot.
2. Cook on “low” setting for 8 hours.
Serve with a Vegetable side (I prefer the quick microwavable SteamFresh vegetables)
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Serves 6
Materials
*1 gallon-sized freezer bag
Parchment Paper
To Cook the Meatballs (skip this part if you are using frozen meatballs)
Ingredients for Homemade Meatballs
• 1 pounds lean ground turkey
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 package onion soup mix
• 4 oz. Frozen Spinach
• ½ cup Uncooked Old Fashioned oats
• 1 tsp. Montreal seasoning
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Cooking spray
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium-mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except tomato sauce. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
3. Mold your meat into balls using either your hands or a meat baller.
4. Bake on 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until internal meatball temperature registers 160 degrees.
Ingredients for the Rest of the Recipe
• 1 pounds of frozen turkey meatballs or fully cooked homemade meatballs • 1 onion, cut into slices
• 1 green pepper, cut into slices
• 1 red pepper, cut into slices
• 1 yellow pepper, cut into slices
• 2.5 cups of spicy BBQ sauce
To Freeze
1. Label your freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date
2. Add all ingredients to your freezer bag
3. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Cook
1.Add to crockpot.
2.Cook on “low” setting for 8 hours.
Serve over brown rice or Cauliflower rice with a vegetable side
Easy Cheesy Italian Meatballs
Serves 6
Materials
*1 gallon-sized freezer bag
Parchment Paper
To Cook the Meatballs (skip this part if you are using frozen meatballs)
Ingredients for Homemade Meatballs
• 1 pounds lean ground turkey
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 package onion soup mix
• 4 oz. Frozen Spinach
• ½ cup Uncooked Old Fashioned oats
• 1 tsp. Montreal seasoning
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Cooking spray
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium-mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except tomato sauce. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
3. Mold your meat into balls using either your hands or a meat baller.
4. Bake on 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until internal meatball temperature registers 160 degrees.
Ingredients for the Rest of the Recipe
• 1 pound frozen turkey meatballs or fully cooked homemade meatballs
• 1 small onion, diced (one cup)
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 cups frozen spinach
• 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon Montreal steak seasoning
• 4 cups chicken broth *not needed until day of cooking
• 1 cup uncooked whole-wheat pasta or SteamFresh Zucchini pasta *not needed until day of cooking.
To Freeze
1. Label your freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date
2. To your freezer bag, add all ingredients except pasta and broth.
3. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Cook
1. Add to crockpot with chicken broth.
2. Cook on “low” setting for 8 hours.
3. Cook Pasta per package direction and add to the crockpot when the sauce is finished cooking.
Turkey Meatball Vegetable Soup
Serves 6
Materials
*1 gallon-sized freezer bag
Parchment Paper
To Cook the Meatballs (skip this part if you are using frozen meatballs)
Ingredients for Homemade Meatballs
• 1 pounds lean ground turkey
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 package onion soup mix
• 4 oz. Frozen Spinach
• ½ cup Uncooked Old Fashioned oats
• 1 tsp. Montreal seasoning
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Cooking spray
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium-mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except tomato sauce. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
3. Mold your meat into balls using either your hands or a meat baller.
4. Bake on 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until internal meatball temperature registers 160 degrees.
Ingredients for the Rest of the Recipe
• 1 pound frozen turkey meatballs or fully cooked homemade meatballs
• 24 oz jar of pasta sauce
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 cups Frozen green beans, ends cut off and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 large zucchini, ends cut off and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small yellow onion, diced (1 cup)
• 4 cups chicken broth *not needed until day of cooking
To Freeze
1. Label your freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date.
2. Add all ingredients except broth to your freezer bag.
3. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to three months.
To Cook
1. Add ingredients to the crockpot with chicken broth.
2. Cook on “low” setting for 8 hours.
3. Cook Pasta per package direction and add to the crockpot when the sauce is finished cooking.
Serve over whole-wheat pasta or Steamfresh Zucchini pasta Serve with a Vegetable side
16. * BONUS* Meatball Minestrone Soup
Serves 6-8
Materials
*1 gallon-sized freezer bag
Parchment Paper
To Cook the Meatballs (skip this part if you are using frozen meatballs)
Ingredients for Homemade Meatballs
• 1 pounds lean ground turkey
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 package onion soup mix
• 4 oz. Frozen Spinach
• ½ cup Uncooked Old Fashioned oats
• 1 tsp. Montreal seasoning
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Cooking spray
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium-mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except tomato sauce. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
3. Mold your meat into balls using either your hands or a meat baller.
4. Bake on 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until internal meatball temperature registers 160 degrees.
Ingredients for the Rest of the Recipe
• 1 pound frozen turkey meatballs or fully cooked homemade meatballs
• 1 cup pound of carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1.5 cups of frozen green beans, ends cut off and chopped
• 1 cup Frozen Chopped Spinach
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped (1 cup)
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 8 oz can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 8 oz can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasonings
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth *not needed until day of cooking
• 1 cup uncooked whole wheat pasta *not needed until day of cooking
To Freeze
1. Label your freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date
2. Add all ingredients except pasta and broth to your freezer bag. 3. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Cook
1. Add to crockpot with chicken broth.
2. Cook on “low” setting for 8 hours.
3. Cook Whole-wheat pasta or SteamFresh Zucchini pasta per package directions.
4. Add pasta to the crockpot when the meatballs have finished cooking
Grocery List for all 16 Crockpot Freezer Meals
DRY GOODS (You can easily purchase all of these online if you prefer)
CANNED
• 16 oz Black Beans, canned (Recipe 4,9)
• 16 oz Cannellini Beans, canned (Recipe 4,16)
• 16 oz Kidney Beans, canned (Recipe 8,16)
• 16 oz Cream of Chicken (Recipe 1, 12)
• 15 Cups Chicken Broth (Recipe 4,5,6,14, 15, 16)
• 16 oz Canned mushrooms (Recipe 5,8)
SEASONINGS
• Black Pepper to taste
• Sea Salt to taste
• 2 Packet (4 tsp dry mix) Chili Powder (Recipe 4,8)
• 2 Packet (4 tsp dry mix) taco Seasoning (Recipe 9,11)
• 1 Tablespon Montreal Steak Seasoning (Recipe 14) or about 2.5 tbs total if you are making homemade meatloaf
*2 Tbs. Italian Seasoning (Recipe 16)
MISC
• 2.5 cups BBQ Sauce (Recipes 13)-Annie’s Organic or TJ’s Bold and Smoky Kansas City are healthier BBQ sauces
• 2 Tbs. Worcestershire Source (recipes 14) or 3.5 total if you are making homemade meatballs
• 8 Tablespoons (1/2 cup) Honey (Recipe 3,5,7)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce (Recipe 7)
• 1/3 cup Ketchup (Recipe 7)
• 144 oz Pasta Sauce (Recipes 2,3,8,9,10,15)
• 4 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Recipe 5,7)
• 15 cups Chicken Broth (Recipe 4,5,6,8,14,15,16)
• 9 oz “Oven Ready” Lasagna Noodles (Recipe 10)
• 24 oz Whole Wheat Pasta (Recipe 11, 14)
• 8 oz jar salsa (Recipe 11)
• 8 oz jar Taco sauce (Recipe 11)
• 2, 9” x13” aluminum pans (Recipe 10,11)
• Cooking Spray (Recipe 10)
• 13 Gallon-size freezer bags
• 3 tablespoon cornstarch (Recipe 6)
* 1 Teaspoon Onion Soup Mix (Recipe 5) or 3 packets total if making homemade meatballs
*2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar (Recipe 5)
*4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Recipe 5,7)
* 2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats (Only if you are making homemade meatballs)
PERISHABLES (Purchase these in a grocery store either a day or two before your cooking day or on your cooking day)
MEAT
• 7 Pounds Skinless Boneless Chicken Breast- Cut into Bite-size pieces (Recipes 2,3,4,5,6,7,12)
• 6 Pound Ground Turkey (Cook) (Recipe 1,8,9,10,11,12) or 10 pounds if making homemade meatballs
• 3 pounds of ground turkey to make meatballs OR 3 Pounds frozen Turkey Meatballs (Recipe 13,14,15
PRODUCE
• 9 chopped small onions (Recipe 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,13, 14, 15)-To Save time, you can by pre-chopped onion if you prefer
• 10 Cloves Garlic (Recipe 3,4,5,7,8,14)- To save time, you can buy garlic powder if you prefer
• 4 Green Pepper (Recipe 2,4,9,13)- or to save time, you can use the containers of sliced mixed peppers for all of the pepper recipes (The mixed peppers work fine in all pepper recipes even if the recipe calls for just one type of pepper)
• 2 Red Pepper (Recipe 4,13)
* 1 Yellow Pepper (Recipe 13)
• 2 large zucchini Sliced (Recipe 2, 15)
• 3 cup carrots, sliced (Recipe 13,14,15)
• 1 pound red potatoes (Recipe 6)
COLD FOOD
• 20 oz. light Cream Cheese (Recipes 3,4,6,11)
• 2 eggs (Recipe 10) or 12 total if you are making homemade meatballs
• 15 oz. light Ricotta Cheese (Recipe 10)
• 1 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese (Recipe 10)
• 8 oz. light Mozzarella Cheese, Shredded (Recipe 10)
• 12 oz. (3 cups) light shredded Cheddar cheese (Recipe 1,11,12)
FROZEN
• 2 cup Frozen Corn (Recipe 4, 9)
• 5 cup Frozen Spinach (Recipe 10,14,16) or 6.5 cups total if you are making homemade meatballs
• 2.5 cup Frozen Green Beans (Recipe 15,16)
• 2- 16 oz Bags Green Giant Cauliflower or Broccoli Tots (Recipe 1, 12)
* Serve all with a vegetable side (I prefer quick and easy like the microwavable Frozen Birdseye SteamFresh Vegetables)
See Specific side recommendations below:
Cauliflower Cheesy Tot- No added starch needed
Chicken Masala- Serve over one of the following: Naan bread, Brown rice, or Birdseye SteamFresh Cauliflower rice
Chili Con Carne- Serve over one of the following: Brown rice or Birdseye SteamFresh Cauliflower rice
Chicken Chili-Top with Sour Cream and Tortilla Chips
Chicken Cacciatore– Serve mixed with one of the following: Whole-wheat Pasta or Birdseye SteamFresh Zucchini Pasta pr Green Giant Spirals
Mexican Chili- Serve with Sour Cream and Tortillan Chips
Cheesy Turkey Italian Meatballs- Serve as a sandwich in a whole-wheat roll or with whole wheat pasta or Birdseye SteamFresh Zucchini Pasta or Green Giant Spirals
Spinach Lasagna– No added starch needed
Crockpot Broccoli Tot– No added starch needed
Slow Cooker Mushroom Chicken- Serve mixed with Brown rice, or Birdseye SteamFresh Cauliflower rice
Cream Cheese and Onion Chicken Potatoes- No added strch needed, you could serve over brown rice or Birdseye SteamFresh Cauliflower rice
Asian Chicken-Serve mixed with Brown rice, or Birdseye SteamFresh Cauliflower rice
Mexican Pasta- No Added Starch needed
Sweet and Sour Meatballs-Serve mixed with Brown rice, or Birdseye SteamFresh Cauliflower rice
Turkey Meatball Vegetable Soup-Serve mixed with one of the following: Whole-wheat Pasta or Birdseye SteamFresh Zucchini Pasta or Green Giant Spirals
And there you have it! 15 freezer meals ready to go!
When God Knocks on the Door of My Heart…During Book Club
This article has been updated and is an adapation of a segment in 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life. This unique book was written by Lacy Ngo, a dietitian nationally recognized as a top expert in faith-based mindfulness and evidence-based nutrition. She shares the exact steps that, based on science, produce the most dramatic health and weight loss success in her book, 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life. This book is like nothing you have ever seen before. It combines faith and science. Both are crucial when it comes to producing real change because real change involves the mind, body, and spirit.
God Knocks, God Whispers
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Revelations 3:20
“Heeeey,” I heard someone call as they walked into the kitchen. Another one of my dear friends had arrived for our monthly health and mindfulness book club social.
We were all gathered in the kitchen and just catching up on all of our summer happenings. I was telling everyone about my son’s latest ninja warriors camp adventures, when the door bell rang.
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Who Could That Be?
‘Hmm, must be someone new to book club because this crowd usually doesn’t bother with door bells… or knocking for that matter,’ I thought to myself as I walked to the door.
Standing on the front porch was a nice looking young man. He had a bag full all different types of books slung over his shoulder and two books in his hand.
“Hey,” I said in a curious tone. After his friendly reply, he went into his reason for the visit.
His explanation went something like this, “I am selling these books to raise money for my college tuition. We are asking for a $20 donation or more…or less…or whatever you want to give for the books.”
As he spoke, he moved his arms forward to show the two books in his hands.
I looked down at the books as he presented them. There in his hands were a healthy foods book written by a RD (Registered Dietitian) and a Christian mindful peace book.
I looked down at the books and looked back up at him, “I think God wants me to buy these books.” I bluntly blurted out.
I went on to explain…(Pay very close attention here, because this is the important part)
“You see, this isn’t just any book club social going on right now, this is a mindfulness and health book club social. And I am a RD (Registered Dietitian) who writes a blog about health, faith, and mindfulness…AND the two books in your hand are a book about health foods written by a registered dietitian and a faith-based mindful peace book!”
We talked a little more about where he goes to school and about the other books in his bag. I was intrigued by another completely different book and asked him about it. Although I wanted that book as well, I decided to stick with the first two. I paid him, and he left.
“I’m probably going to write a blog about this,” I told him as he was leaving.
When I came back into the house, I told my friends about the awesome encounter. I showed them my books and told them about the one book I had wanted but didn’t buy. We were all excited about the events that had just unfolded; so filled with joy, we began the book club social.
***
Two Hours Later…
“Bye, thanks for coming,” I called out to all of my friends as they left my house.
“I can’t wait for the next one,” someone called out as they were shutting the front door.
‘Aww, that was so much fun,’ I thought as I picked up the plates and leftover appetizers.
I was putting the plates in the sink when one of my friends comes back into the house.
“Lacy, you know that other book you had wanted?”
“Yes?” I replied.
“The guy selling the books left it on your front porch!” she exclaimed.
“What?!?! How a amazing is that!” I felt like he had left that book as a way of saying that he had felt the significance of what had just transpired as well. I was truly amazed!
Thank God for Those Unexplainable Moments
This young man’s kindness touched my heart. I went to bed so thankful for God and for those unexplainable little God moments in our lives. The next morning I awoke overcome with emotion. I thanked God for the events of last night. On my knees, I cried and prayed. I prayed for the young man, his school, and my book club friends.
I hope I never forget the conversation the three of us had on that front porch. This young man and I talked, but God’s quiet whisper was the loudest and most beautiful voice of all.
“After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:12
Update
Soon after purchasing these books, I began reading the one written by the dietitian first. I was even more convinced that I was meant to read this book. You see, I am a registered dietitian, and I felt lead to combine my nutrition knowledge with my faith on this blog, Mindfulness in Faith and Food. At the time of purchasing this book, I was in the process of writing a faith-based nutrition book, and I was nervous about how it would go. Was I doing the right thing? Opening my door and seeing this young man holding a book written by a dietitian was the encouragement I needed. And when I started reading the book, I was even more encouraged. On the first page (her acknowledgement page) she wrote about following her passion as God leads and about looking to God for guidance in every situation. Later in the book she discussed the positve impact faith has on our health. When I bought this book, I knew I was buying a book by a registered dietitian, but I didn’t know that she talked about her faith in the book as well! Doesn’t that make this story even more amazing!
Please Share Your Thoughts
If you found this “God Whispers” story helpful, I would love to hear about it! I also love hearing other’s God moment stories. Do you have any stories about when God whispers in your life? Please share your ‘God Whispers’ stories with me. You may comment below or send me an email.
Related Post
If you enjoyed this “God Whispers” story, you may also enjoy my other “God Moment” stories.
Kitchenware You Need Before You Start Your Monthly Freezer Meals
If you have read my post, ” How to Make 15 Freezer Meals in Under 3 Hours,” or been to my house, then you know making freezer meals ahead of time is a technique my family uses to stay organized, eat healthy, save money, and relieve dinnertime stress. Cooking freezer meals ahead of time can also help with weight loss and weight maintenance. Making sure your kitchen is stocked with essential freezer meal products and cookware is the first step.
These make ahead freezer meals have been life changing for me, and I love sharing how I do these freezer meals with you. I also wanted to share some of the freezer meal cookware and products I love to use. Some of them are freezer meal must-have products and some of them just make cooking freezer meals more efficient or fun. I included some of my favorite products that make dinner time easier and fun as well. * Note that I marked essential by the cookware/products that I feel are truly must-haves. The other products will make cooking freezer meals easier or more fun, but are not essential to start.
Must Have Products You Need for Making Freezer Meals
This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)
So Here is My Favorite Freezer Meal Must-Have Products
When you are cooking multiple meals at once, then you may not want to slice ALL those vegetables by hand. This Spiralizer does it for you. I also love to sometimes serve my freezer melas with noodles made out of vegetables. The Spiralizer makes the vegetable pasta for you as well!
If you love to cook then you may want to invest in a really nice knife or two. I like having one really nice knife for cutting meat and one really nice knife for cutting vegetables. Cutco has some of the best knives around.
I also love Kitchen Aids Ceramic Knives set because with these you get no rusting, or odor and taste transfers from food to food. These are also dishwasher safe.
When you cook your freezer meals in bulk, you need a large pot. I use my pot to cook my ground turkey or lean ground beef all at once. This makes cooking a month’s worth of freezer meals all at once super fast.
When you cook freezer meals for the month all in one day, make sure you have all the freezer bags and aluminum casserole dishes you need to all your dishes. I like the freezer bags with sliders so that you know they are sealed.
My freezer meals make A Lot so I usually have leftovers. Pre-portioned containers helps me portion control my leftovers for a healthy lunch the next day.
If you are planning on making and freezing meatballs for some of your freezer meals, then a meatballer will help you save so much time. I use healthy turkey meatballs in many of my freezer recipes.
12. Muffin Tins *Must Have if you are planning on Freezing muffins, omelet muffins, or mini pizzas*
I often make mini healthy pizza or omelet muffins and freeze them for later. I like to freeze several at once so I use a large 24-cup muffin tin. You can also use a 12-cup muffin tin or even have fun with novelty muffin tins. My kids love it when I make food using our heart-shaped muffin tin.
My kids eat these famiy freezer meals as well. They loved them AFTER they decided to try them. My kids don’t like trying anything new, but these Kids’ Dinner Trays turns eating into a fun game!
Once you have all the cookware and supplies that you need you are ready to cook! Learn how to cook ALL of your Breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for a whole month in ONE day with the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook.
The “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook not only includes a detailed healthy freezer meal plan and weight loss guide, but this ebook also inlcudes mindful eating strategies and techniques.
The “What is Preventing You From Living a Healthier Life?” interactive quiz
The Mindful Eating Guide
The importance of Faith
A Complete Healthy Freezer Meal Plan: You will learn how to cook all of your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for a whole month in ONE day. Don’t worry, I don’t just give you a bunch of recipes and tell you to cook them in one day. The ebook includes strategies and “Pro Tips” on HOW to efficiently cook your meals in one day.
The goals of cooking all of your meals in ONE Day are:
More daily free time,
A decreased grocery bill,
Healthier meals for the whole family,
Less daily stress, and
Weight Loss/Weight Maintenance
Learn more about the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook here.
“I have lost 17 pounds since I started eating these freezer meals. They are healthy AND taste great!!! We are now eating at home more, which has made a huge difference!” Chad, South Carolina
“As I read this book, I kept thinking, ‘this is so much more than a freezer meal cookbook! Lacy needs to be a life coach! She has such a positive outlook on life!’ “The Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook is so uplifing and encouraging!” Wendy, South Carolina
“I can actually see a decrease in my grocery bill since I started eating these freezer meals, and my kids love them! We are eating healthier now. Plus, we are eating more meals together as a family!” Nicole, South Carolina
Click here to learn more about the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook
Want a Little More?
Click Here to Get a Free 7-Day Mindful Planner Printable and Join the Mindfulness in Faith and Food Family!
In a perfect world, we would have all the time in the world to make ALL our own meals and snacks, but sometimes we need to grab a quick already ready healthy packaged snacks. Picking the best snacks can feel overwhelming so I decided to list of some of my favorite healthy packaged snacks.
Healthy Packaged Snack Ideas
I selected these snacks based on the below criteria:
Minimal Refined Grains
Minimal Added Sugar
Simple Ingredients List
Whole Grains listed as the first ingredients in a carbohydrate snack
How Do You Determine if Something is Truly a Whole Grain
Remember to look for whole grain or whole wheat not just multi-grain on the package when you are looking for a healthy packaged snack. Multi-grain does not mean the same thing as whole grain. (All though sometimes it is.) The take home message is make sure whole grain is one of the first ingredients listed on the back label.
Sometimes the food item may advertise that they contain whole grains on the front of the package, but when you read the label you find enriched grains listed as the first ingredient. Enriched grains are better than refined grains because enriched means that healthy nutrients that were removed during processing were added back into the product. Still whole grains are better than enriched. Take Whole Wheat Goldfish as an example… When you read the back label, you find enriched grains listed as the first ingredient. These Whole Wheat goldfish are still healthier than the regular Goldfish, but they are not as healthy as a whole grain snack like popcorn for example.
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My Favorite Healthy Convienent or Packaged Snacks
*You can order many of these on Amazon by clicking on the link.
Fresh Fruit or Raw Vegetables: Nothing is more convenient that grabbing a piece of fruit or a handful of Veggies!
Skinny Dipped Almonds are dipped in delicious dark chocolate. Flavors include Dark Chocolate Cocoa, Dark Chocolate Raspberry, and Dark Chocolate Espresso. These are a delicous source of nutrition like fiber and protein.
21. No Bake Energy Bites
Okay this isn’t a packaged food per say but you can use packaged ingredients to make these super easy and convenient snacks. The base ingredients are peanut butter and plain old oats. Just mix them together and add any other of your favorite ingredients like nuts, raisons, dark chocolate chips or blueberries. You can also add some super healthy ingredients like flaxseeds or chia seeds, and you can switch out the peanut butter for other spreads like almond butter. Finally simply form them into a bite-size ball, and you are finished!
Boil them at the beginning of the week, and you will have a quick snack you can easily grab throughout the week.
25. Homemade Veggie Chips.
Okay so this is not actually a packaged convience food, but veggie chips ARE a great alternative to packaged chips. To make, thinly slice veggies of your choice. Carrots, zucchini and even kale make great veggie chips. I like to use the Kitchen Aid Standing Mixer Fresh Prep Slicer/Shredder Attachment to make thinly sliced veggies. I love how the Kitchen Aid Standing Mixer has so many attachments. Attachments include things like spiralizers, slicers, vegetable sheet cutter (think Lasagna) and so much more.
After you thinly slice your vegetables, preheat your oven. Wash and dry your veggie slices. Place your slices between two paper towels to let them dry out. Spread the slices onto parchment paper baking sheets. Lightly spray with cooking spray or lightly brush them with olive oil.
For Zucchini and carrots, bake at 450 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.
For Kale, bake at 300 degrees for only 18 to 20 minutes.
(Check on them regularly when they are close to done. It is better to undercook them than over cook them)
WithNatureBox, you can order a box as you want one. You can filter your box search so that you can select the snacks with the nutrition requirements that you prefer. For example, I can filter the snack search by selecting “Good source of fiber and “no sugar added.” Snacks that meet those requirements will come up in the list of choices.
Final Notes
So whether you are looking for something sweet or savory, I hope you found some healthier snacks from this lists that you can grab in a rush. Which healthy packaged snacks have your tried and which healthy packaged snacks are your favorites?
Buy These Products with Ibotta to Save Money
Okay one more final note. I like to buy most of these snacks on Amazon using the free Ibotta app. If you want to learn more about how I used ibotta and other techniques to cut my grocery bill from $300 to $80, click here.
Grab-and-Go Snacks AND Grab-and-Throw Meals
These grab-and-go snack ideas are perfect for families who desperately want to eat healthy nutritious foods, but simply have no time to prepare healthy foods. If this is your family (it’s totally mine), you may not only want grab-and-go snacks, but also “grab-and-throw ” meals. The “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook shows you how to make a month of healthy freezer meals in ONE day. Simply grab-and-throw an already-made frozen breakfast or lunch in the micorwave and your meal is ready. Or grab-and-throw a frozen meal in the crockpot in the morning, and by dinner time, your family meal is done!
This article has been updated and is an adaptation from a chapter in 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life. This unique book was written by Lacy Ngo, a dietitian nationally recognized as a top expert in faith-based mindfulness and evidence-based nutrition. She shares the exact steps that, based on science, produce the most dramatic health and weight loss success in her book, 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life. This book is like nothing you have ever seen before. It combines faith and science. Both are crucial when it comes to producing real change because real change involves the mind, body, and spirit.
Before the Desperate Prayer
“I love you, God….”were the words that randomly pop in my head…except replace the word love with hate and you get what I actually thought. I still can’t bring myself to write it out. I never said those terrible words out loud. Even the thoughts I controlled were things like, “I love you, I trust you” and any other words I thought would “convince” God to heal my 8 year old son. I thought perhaps I could say the “right” things to MAKE God listen and intervene. We are suppose to praise God in the storm, right? But what happens if one day, you don’t praise God in the storm? This is a true story about a time when I prayed a desperate prayer, and how God answered.
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The Desperate Prayer
“I am So Sorry for My Thoughts, God”
I was eating breakfast that day those awful thoughts swiftly and briefly passed through my head. As soon as those words ran through in my head, I immediately panicked and said, “I didn’t mean that, and I am so sorry God. I DO love you.” And I was telling the truth. I did truly love God. In fact, I loved God so much that it hurt. In truth, I would not have been so upset with God if I didn’t love God soooo much. You know, we get more upset when we feel like the ones we love have abandoned us. I don’t feel nearly as hurt when a stranger does something I dislike, but when a loved one disappoints me…it’s painful.
Basically, I was being a child and having a temper tantrum with my parent. If you are a parent, you have probably heard at least one of your children say, “I hate you.” I know I have heard it a couple of times. When my kids have yelled these words at me, I always knew they loved me. I knew that what my child was really saying was, ‘I am angry and in pain.’ Although I will never stop feeling guilty for thinking those words, I know that in reality I was literally a child lashing out at my parent.
More Thoughts Ran Through My Head…
Quite honestly, those thoughts in my head scared me. I started thinking, “I really don’t want to make God cross with me so I better make sure I am saying pleasing things. I mean, look at all the pain I’m already going through. What more is God going to do to me now that I had this awful thought?!?!”
Please Heal Him
You see my perfectly healthy son developed a medical condition called Bronchiectasis. We battled this illness for 2 years until the doctors decided it was time to remove a lobe of my son’s lung. This surgery would hopefully cure my son’s bronchiectasis. We had the surgery in August of 2017. September was wonderful. My son played soccer and played like he had never had bronchiectasis.
Then in October, he developed a completely unrelated disease called HSP. HSP or Henoch-Schonlein purpura is a disease involving inflammation of small blood vessels. The inflammation causes blood vessels in the skin, intestines, kidneys, and joints to start leaking. My son’s hands and feet swelled and they HURT so badly that he needed to ride in a wheel chair to get to the doctor’s office. He also had bruises all over his feet and legs, and he had to get his kidneys checked regularly.
The scariest thing for me is that this disease could last for as little as 8 weeks to as long as several YEARS, and could potentially cause permanent damage. I just felt like I couldn’t take ANOTHER several years of battling yet ANOTHER condition. My son had just gotten through one, 2 year battle, now he has to go through another?!?! Why is this happening again, I thought?!?!
What Am I Doing Wrong?
It felt like God wanted my son to have a life long condition. It seemed like God was mad at us for trying to get rid of one problem so God gave my son another disease. As if God was saying, ‘Well if you take the bronchiectasis away, then I will just give your son something else.’ I kept thinking, ‘WHAT was I doing wrong? Was God punishing us or attacking my son?’ Yet even as I lacked trust in God, God seemed to never abandon me. I kept having these “goose-bump” experiences that gave me glimmers of hope.
When my son had bronchiectasis, I felt God’s amazing, awe-inspiring love, support and presence. You can read about that awesome experience here.
I Didn’t Put my Trust in God
You would think that I would have had more faith and trust after the bronchiectasis God moment…but I didn’t.
I was so terrified again…and yet again I had another experience that gave me a glimmer of hope.
You see, the day I was so mad during breakfast wasn’t my rock bottom. I was angry, but I still had faith and hope. I still continued to pray for God’s help. It wasn’t until a few days later that I felt like I was losing my ability to cope and function.
The Desperate Prayer
That night I prayed one of the most desperate prayers I had ever prayed. My children had just fallen asleep so I crept into the hallway near them and prayed with desperation and fear. I told God how I was feeling, and I cried, telling God that the pain and stress were just too much. I was not only worried about my son’s physical health, but also his emotional health as well. My son, who had handled the first condition with resilience, had started randomly saying, “I feel sad and I don’t know why.” Well I knew why. Being sick again was taking it’s toll on him.
During this desperate prayer, I talked to God about all of this. I was raw and honest with God about how I was feeling. After I had prayed this fox hole prayer, I went into my son’s room and prayed over him while he slept.
I finally cried myself to sleep…
After the Desperate Prayer
Do you know the next morning my son’s bruises looked even worse! It was Sunday; yet another Sunday we wouldn’t make it to church. We hadn’t been to church in a month because of this painful disease.
By Sunday night, I was a wreck. I was not only angry, but I felt this shift in my faith and not in a good way. Feeling hopeless, I texted my friend. I told her I don’t think asking God for help does anything so I am going to quit asking.
I still loved God, but I didn’t think God was going to help us. Although, I had given up on God for help, God had not given up on me.
God Can Find Ways to Speak to Us
That faithful night I had pleaded to God to listen and answer me, and yet at the same time I didn’t make it easy for God to speak to me. Remember, I hadn’t been to church in a month due to this disease. I also had finished my devotional about 2 months earlier and hadn’t picked out another one yet. In the past, when I was going through something, either a sermon, a devotional or a Bible verse seemed to somehow speak about exactly what I was going through. In other words, when I was actively seeking God, God always seemed to communicate.
But I currently wasn’t reading or listening to anything about God…until that Tuesday.
A Little Background
A while back I had purchased these conversation starter cards as a Christmas present for my children. I always give my children a Christmas present around Thanksgiving. The gift usually has Christmas pjs, a Christmas movie, or Christmas books that the kids can enjoy during the season. I figure, if you wait until Christmas to give these kinds of gifts then they won’t get to enjoy them during the Christmas season.
I planned on putting these conversation cards into this Thanksgiving/Christmas present. One pack was called the The Art of Children’s Conversation and the other set was “The Art of Christian Conversation” starter questions. I love doing children’s devotionals with my family, and we had done similar conversation cards together before. These cards were able to get my children talking and thinking about how they felt. I write about how these cards started amazing talks with my children in this post.
God Does Listen and Answer Our Desperate Prayers
On Tuesday these Christian conversation cards came in the mail. My son was stuck in bed so I decided to give this Thanksgiving present a little early. We opened the present that Tuesday night. We decided to try one of the Christian conversation cards right away.
The first cards we grabbed said, “Have you ever prayed a foxhole prayer like the one Jonah prayed in Jonah 2:1?”
Although I had heard the term before, I decided to look up the actual definition of fox hole prayer. This is what I read: A fox hole prayer is a prayer you pray in utter desperation and fear like soldiers have prayed in the fox hole during war.
I was speechless! ‘What?!?! I just prayed this fox hole prayer, and I am currently struggling with the results of THIS desperate prayer. Because I felt like God was not answering my fox hole prayer, my doubts and fears were overwhelming me!’
Then my next thought was, ‘I wonder what the fox hole prayer was in Jonah 2:1.?”
I frantically looked up Jonah 2:1 which read, “From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said: In my distress I called to the Lord and He answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and You listened to my cry.”
I can barely describe what I was feeling when I read those words, but the first words that comes to mind is utter relief.
Let Me Just Recap for a Moment.
I prayed a fox hole prayer and “in my distress I called to the Lord.” By Sunday night I had decided God wouldn’t answer me. Then the next Bible verse I randomly read was about how God listened and answered Jonah’s distressed “fox hole prayer!”
I was humbled, ashamed, relieved, and encouraged all at once. I doubted that God would answer my fox hole prayer and then I felt like God said, “I will answer and I am answering your fox hole prayer.”
How could it be that the first scripture I had looked up in a month was THIS!
Even When I Fail, God Doesn’t Leave Me
God shows me over and over…and over that God is listening and answering. How quickly I doubt over and over..and over. You know what amazes me the most? God stays by my side even when I don’t deserve it, and God continues to show me love and devotion. God continues to guide me and comfort me no matter how many times I fail. What a comfort to know that whether I say the right things or wrong things, God still loves and leads. Whether I trust God or doubt, God is still comforting me. Again, I go back to the parent/child relationship. Even when our children mess up, we continue to love, comfort, and help our children. Looks like God really does do the same for us.
When my son was first diagnosed with HSP, I tried to pray the “right” things to MAKE God love me, listen to me, and help me. Turns out, even when I said the wrong things, I couldn’t MAKE God STOP loving me, listening to me, or helping me.
Whew, what a relief because although I will continue to try to do what God wants, I KNOW I will continue to fail over and over. I will be selfish sometimes; I will lack trust sometimes; and I will be quick to anger sometimes. And sometimes… I won’t praise God in the storm, but GOD IS CONSTANT.
Update: My son’s HSP has been in remission for 5 months now. Many times HSP never comes back.
About Mindfulness in Faith and Food, LLC
Mindfulness in Faith and Food, LLC focuses on how to live your healthiest, happiest, most meaningful life through faith-based mindfulness and evidence-based nutrition. Several branches fall under the Mindfulness in Faith and Food, LLC umbrella. One is Mindful Vending, which is one of the few dietitian owned and operated vending companies in the nation! Ngo is also the author of several books including Faith, Mindfulness, & Nutrition, Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals and The Nourishing Meal Builder. You can also find evidence-based nutrition articles, recipes, convenient healthy snack lists, inspiring faith stories, and faith-based mindfulness techniques on her blog, Mindfulness in Faith and Food.
Create anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, mood boosting, immune supportive meals that reduce the risk of chronic disease and promote cognitive function, focus, attention, and memory.
In past posts, I have talked about how mindful eating can help with weight loss, but today’s post is a little different. Today I wanted to talk about Mindful Living. Mindful living even when you are NOT currently eating, can benefit multiple areas of your life including emotional eating?
In other words, mindful living can help with weight loss even when food is not directly involved. Let me explain…
You are probably not surprised when I say weight struggles are usually more about our emotional struggles that anything else. Life is HARD. Sometimes we have more stress than we can bare. We need a way to cope, and overeating can feel like a quick fix. Bottom line, stress and other emotions are a major player in weight gain. But what does this have to do with mindful living?
What Does Mindful Living Have to Do with Emotional Eating?
Mindfulness is about being in the present moment. The past is gone and the future has not happened, but the present is HERE and NOW. Think about it. What do we spend most of our time stressing and worrying about?…The past and the future. Think about how much less stress we would have if we learned to focus on the present moment. Mindful eating is about focusing on eating and enjoying every bite. Mindful living is about focusing and enjoying whatever you are doing in that moment. Mindfulness is also about having a grateful approach to life. When we are mindflully living, we focus on the positive and what we are thankful for in the present moment. For me, mindfulness is about focusing on God’s presence in our lives at every moment and focusing on the beauty in God’s world. Sounds simple right? Yeah, I know. It is a lot easier said than done. Sometimes we will still worry about the past and future, but fortunately mindfuless exercises can help us live in the present a little more often.
Does the Bible Have Anything to Say About Mindfulness?
The characteristics of mindfulness are making space for quiet time and rest, living in the moment, having a gratitude attitude, and (for me) pausing to focusing on God’s presence in our every day lives. Turns out the Bible has a lot to say about these characteristics. I listed a few of my favorite Bible verses about Mindfulness in the infograph below.
The characteristics of mindfulness are focusing on the present (and for me, the presence of God in each moment), being thankful, makng space for quiet time, and pausing during the day. That pause helps with self control and relieves stress. My favorite verse is “Be still and know that I am God.” When I hear this verse, I hear, “be still, stop frantically running around, relax, and stay calm, because don’t you realize that I AM GOD…I got this!”
So How Does Mindful Living Help with Emotional Eating?
Our emotions usually come from either worrying about the past or future. Mindfulness helps us cope with the stresses of life. By living mindfully, we can focus on the present instead of worrying about the past and future. So if you find that you often emotionally eat ( and many of us do including me), perhaps adapting some, if not all, of these six daily mindfulness techniques will be just what your soul has been longing. Perhaps these techniques can take the place of emotional eating as a way to cope with the stresses of life.
Daily Mindfulness Exercises: What does a Mindful Day Look Like?
Hopefully we have established the characteristics of mindfulness, but how do we incorporate mindfulness into our daily lives?
For me, a mindful day would look like this:
1. Pause, Breath, and Pray Before Entering a New Place
Pause…take a moment to breath and mindfully pray before entering a new environment. When I pray, I ask God to help me remember to show love and kindness in this current environment. I then thank God for being with me, and I pray that I hear and mindfully listen for God’s guidance while I am in this place. So pausing and praying before entering a new environment means, I pray on the way to my kids school, before entering the grocery store, or my friends house. I pray before a family reunion or a meeting at work. By doing this, I remember God is with me everywhere. By pausing, breathing, and praying, I better focus on the moment and on God everywhere. This act keeps me calm and comforted and helps me react in a more loving way in different situations. I actually have a cool story about this here.
2. Use Your Senses to Focus on the People and the Place
Once you have entered each new environment, place, or building, focus on the people and the place you are in. In other words, use your senses to be present in the moment instead of thinking about all the things you have to do later. This is particularly important to me when I am with my children. Worrying about all that I have to do, doesn’t help me, and I miss out on beautiful moments with my kids when I worry about things I can’ do anything about in that moment.
You know, I recently caught myself worrying instead of being present. I was late for a meeting, and I was waiting on my daughter’s teacher to arrive so that I could leave for the meeting. While I was impatiently waiting, my 4 year old daughter was twirling and giggling. I suddenly realized that I was missing out on what was right in front of me. I couldn’t do anything about being late so why should I worry? At that moment, I stopped worrying and started twirling and giggling with my daughter. This moment of waiting ended up being a beautiful, special moment, all because I chose to live in the moment.
3. Practice Gratitude (There are Actual Exercises that Help!)
When we approach life with a grateful attitude and look for the good in life, the benefits are endless. According to “Time Special Edition Mindfulness: The New Science of Health and Happiness,” gratitude practices have been associated with improved kidney function, reduction in blood pressure, decreased stress hormones, increased energy levels, and increased reports of happiness. When we focus on the positive aspects of life, we tend to have more compassion and kindness for others; thus, the the circle of positivity continues. Now the person you showed kindness to may leave feeling more grateful and positive. Now they will be more likly to pass it on.
Gratitude Techniques:
Keep a gratitude journal is a helpful gratitude technique. Every night, write down what you were thankful for that day. If that is too much, simply writing down one thing you are grateful for every day. Again, according to “Time Special Edition Mindfulness: The New Science of Health and Happiness,” even this small exercise is also helpful.
Don’t want to even write? Try this… You remember that moment you pause and pray before entering a new place? While you are praying, remember to thank God for something as well.
4. Making Time for Quiet Time
We all need to rest. We need time to clear our thoughts and feel the weight of responsibility lifted for a little while. When I take time to just relax in God’s presence, it feels like a chance to completely be myself with the only One who loves me unconditionally. The problems of the world are gone for a moment. I am safe, free, and at peace. My favorite ways to experience quiet time with God is through prayer, reading: either the Bible or uplifting faith books, and through journaling, which brings me to mindfulness technique number five…
5. Mindful Living: Journaling
You can do three of these five techniques in one with journaling. You can practice gratitude, focus on God’s presence, and have quiet time all through mindful journaling. Keeping a journal has been a part of my life for years, but I truly saw the dfference in my outlook on life when I focused on God and gratitude as I wrote.
In my mindful journal I now include:
All the positve things about the day (what I am grateful for)
Written prayers or letters to God
Any lessons I learned through either my experiences, reading, or Bible studies
Any questions I have about life
God moment stories: These are stories about when I notice God working in my life. One cool thing about taking the time to mindfully notice God’s presence every day is that…you notice God’s presence regularly.Since I started mindfully taking the time to notice God in the present moment, I have had so many “goose-bump” God moments. These are those moments that I think, ‘oh I will rememner this,’ but as time passes, I find I can’t remember the details. Before including these God moment stories in my journal, I would remember something pretty cool happened, but I couldn’t bring the vague memory to the surface in my mind. By including these God moment stories in my journal, I solidify these events to my memory, and if I do forget, I can look at my journal and experience the awe and wonder all over again.
6. Mindful Eating
Okay, I know I have been talking about non-eating mindfulness techniques that help with emotional eating and weight loss, but mindful eating techniques are a part of living a mindful day, and mindful eating can definitely help with emotional eating and weight loss. Mindful eating does more than help with weight loss though. Mindful eating is also a time to pause from the day and focus on God, feel grateful, and enjoy a peaceful experience. When I mindfully focus on God’s presence while eating, I do much less overeating. In fact, I like to say a little prayer before I eat. As I pray, I think about 1 Corinthians 10:31 which says, “ So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
My prayer before I eat goes something like this, “God, thank you so much for this food. Thank you for this time that I have to sit and enjoy the food you have given me. I want to eat for the glory of You, God.” After saying this prayer, I enjoy my food, and I enjoy my time eating in God’s presence. You can find more details about how to mindfully eat in my post, “How to Lose Weight Through Mindful Eating: A Step-by-Step Guide.”
And there you have it; six mindfulness exercises you can incorporate into your day. Adding these techniques to your daily life may just be what you were needed to reduce your emotional eating.
If you Liked these Mindfulness techniques then you may also like…
18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life takes you on an inspiring and uplifting journey with dietitian, Lacy Ngo. Thanks to faith-based mindfulness and nutrition, Ngo went from being weight obsessed to feeling healthy and happy in her own body. Ironically, during the process, Ngo ended up, not only losing weight but also strengthening her walk with God. Now she feels healthier than ever AND she truly enjoys eating! She is able to feed her mind, body, and soul nourishing foods and feel good in her own body without weight obsessing. Get ready to get goose-bumps as you read this amazing true story.
*A Bonus Mindful Wellness Journal is Included!!!
what does mindful eating AND mindful LIVNG have to do with emotional eating, health, weight loss, and wellness
The Nourishing Meal Builder
Create anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, mood boosting, immune supportive meals that reduce the risk of chronic disease and promote cognitive function, focus, attention, and memory.
The Nourishing Meal Builder and the included Nourishing Meal Builder Cards take the stress out of cooking nourishing, healing meals! Motivated by her son’s illnesses and her own symptoms, Lacy Ngo became passionate about providing an easy strategy that busy families could use to implement research-based nutrition into their daily lives.
After incorporating these strategies into her own life, Ngo was even more convinced that nutrition can change lives:
-Her mood improved
-Her seasonal allergies stopped showing up in the fall and spring
-Her energy improved
-Her acne went away
-Her family got sick less often
-Her son’s behavior and anxiety improved
What’s included in The Nourishing Meal Builder?
-Lists of nutrients and foods that boost mood; promote cognitive function, focus, attention, alertness, and memory; support the immune system; aid in weight loss; and reduce the risk of chronic diseases, autoimmune diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, joint pain, and even seasonal allergy symptoms
-A simple Meal Plan Checklist
-A faith-based mindfulness and mindful eating guide
-Printable Meal Builder cards
The “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook not only includes more mindful eating strategies and techniques, but this ebook also includes a detailed freezer meal plan and weight loss guide!
The “What is Preventing You From Living a Healthier Life?” interactive quiz
Mindful Eating Guide
The Importance of Faith
A Complete Healthy Freezer Meal Plan: You will learn how to cook all of your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for a whole month in ONE day. Don’t worry, I don’t just give you a bunch of recipes and tell you to cook them in one day. The ebook includes strategies and “Pro Tips” on HOW to efficiently cook your meals in one day.
The goals of cooking all of your meals in ONE Day are:
More daily free time,
A decreased grocery bill,
Healthier meals for the whole family,
Less daily stress, and
Weight Loss/Weight Maintenance
Learn more about the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook here.
*If you would like to evaluate your own diet and determine which tips work best for you, please take the free DIY Diet self assessment and evaluation developed by a registered dieititian.
Vacations are meant to be fun, but they also can feel hard. You want to indulge, but you also want cease the day without feeling too full to move . Fortunately, I have some tips for you that can help you enjoy your food and your vacation.
Healthy Eating Hacks for Vacations and Frequent Travelers
This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)
When traveling, bring healthy snacks instead of stopping at fast food places.
Do the eating out tricks found in the “Eating Out post during your vacation.
Find a balance. If you are eating at a restaurant you have been looking forward to all year, then go for it; get what you want even if it is a little less nourishing. At other times, choose foods that will help your body thrive while on vacation. Check out The Nourishing Meal Builder for a list of foods that help with mood, bloating, energy, and brain focus.
Eat nourishing foods for breakfast and lunch and splurge a little at dinner.
Take a walk around the terminal while you are waiting for your flight.
Do crunches, push-ups, and stretches everyday in your hotel room.
Plan fun physical activities for your vacation like hiking, swimming, canoeing, skiing, and walking while sightseeing.
As a dietitian, I am always looking for products that will help my clients, family, and friends…and ME! I recommend a product called MealEnders to all of the above and anyone who is wanting to eat less or lose weight. I have raved about this product to everyone from my pastor, to my best friend; from medical staff, to my mom, and I keep them with me as well. MealEnders use sensory and neurological science to improve portion control.
This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)
MealEnders Helps with Portion Control in Three Ways
3 Ways MealEnders Help with Portion Control
MealEnders gives your Brain time to Realize You Have Eaten
Have you ever heard the saying ‘it takes your brain about 20 minutes to realize you have eaten’? Well there is some science behind that saying. After you have eaten, your food travels from your stomach to your colon. Peptide yy is released when your food moves into your colon. Once your food hits the colon and the peptide yy is released, your brain finally gets the signal you have eaten. This whole process takes about 20 minutes!
But how do MealEnders help with this? When you suck on a MealEnder after you have eaten, you give your brain about 20 mintues to catch up and realize you have eaten. So when you suck on a MealEnder, take the time to mindfully enjoy the flavors. MealEnders really are tasty treats.
2. The Brain says, “But You Haven’t Had Dessert!”
Many of us associate dessert with the end of the meal. So when we don’t get that sweet taste, we feel like somthing is missing. MealEnders have a sweet outer layer that will help us feel satisfied. In other words, we will associate that sweet MealEnder with the end of the meal.
3. Cleanses your Palette, Stopping the Craving to Eat
Finally, the center has a strong and refreshing mint flavor. Just like the tip, “brush your teeth after a meal, to stop the desire to eat” the MealEnder’s strong mint taste cleanses your palette and stops those cravings to continue eating. Have you ever noticed that you don’t usually feel like eating after you brushed your teeth? Yeah, it’s just like that!
Final Thoughts on MealEnders
I have personally used MealEnders to help with portion control at the end of a meal or snack, and I have also found these little yummy treats helpful before I begin snacking. MealEnders comes in chocolate, citrus, cinnamon, and mocca. Every flavor I have tried has been delicious. I truly think this is an amazing product. In fact, I have yet to meet anyone who didn’t love them the minute they tried them!
I don’t like for things to get too complicated. My family wanted to save money especially on our grocery bill, but I didn’t want to get overwhelmed. So I implemented ONLY 3 simple changes to my grocery shopping, and I was truly floored with the amount of money I saved. Before these changes the same groceries costed me around $300; now, those same groceries cost me around $80!!!
This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)
Bulk Shop at Amazon Pantry Using the Ibotta and Ebates App.
I don’t spend a bunch of time clipping coupons. I pretty much stick to these two free apps! First, I downloaded these two free (yes, FREE) apps (Ibotta and Ebates) to my phone. Then I clicked on both apps to see which had the best rebates Amazon Pantry. For example, last time I grocery shopped on Amazon, Ibotta and Ebates both gave you 3% cash back for ALL the groceries you bought from Amazon through the Ebates or Ibotta app. So I could use either one that day, and get paid 3% cash back!
Simply click on the Ebates or Ibotta app, then click on the Amazon Icon, and start shopping. That is it! When you reach $20 in rebates, Ibotta will pay you through Paypal, Venmo, or Gift card. Seriously, you download a free app and get paid to shop!!! Honestly this is so good that it stresses me out to think about my friends not using it! I want everyone I love to be saving/earning this kind of money.
For Ebates, you go through the same process. Click on Ebates, then click on the Amazon icon and start shopping! Ebates pays you every 3 months as long as you have a $5 minimum in you account. If you don’t reach it, the money will just accumulate until the next pay day so you don’t lose the money. But $5 is so easy to reach. In fact, I have $20 on my Ebates app right now! My next pay check should come in May.
I use these two apps to buy my groceries in bulk. I actually like to make and freeze all my meals for the month in advance so, of course, I am able ot buy all my groceries for the month in one day. Since I buy all of them in bulk in one day, I am able to save money! If you are interested in learning how to make a month of healthy freezer meals in one day clickhere.
2. Check the Price per Ounce when I Am Making a Purchase
In tip number one, I mentioned that I buy in bulk. When you buy in bulk, comparing prices can be tricky. I don’t look at the actual price, I look at the price per ounce to see which product is actually cheaper. This has been a huge money saver.
Cut your grocery meal in more than half
3. Use Ibotta When I grocery Shop at a Local Grocery Store
Ibotta is not just for online purchases; you can also use Ibotta in your local stores. My usual grocery store is Food Lion so I linked up my Food Lion loyalty card to the Ibotta app. I did this one time when I first downloaded Ibotta, and now the card is always on my Ibotta app. (You can link other loyalty cards as well).
Right before I shop at Food Lion, I open up Ibotta on my phone; then I click on the Food Lion Icon. I usually do this after I have made a grocery list. I just look on Ibotta for any items on my grocery list, and select them before I go shopping. By the way, sticking to a grocery list helps me spend less on groceries as well so I guess you can say tip number 3 is 2 tips in one.
Here is the cool part…
When I use my loyalty card at checkout, I automatically get the rebates for my purchases! Seriously, I the cashier just scans my loyalty card as usual!
And that is it! The three major ways I have decreased my grocery bill by well over half!
*Bonus* There are More Ways to Get Paid Through Ibotta and Ebates
You can actually use Ebates and Ibotta to save money in other ways. I talk about this here, but for this post I wanted to focus on the major ways I personally use these apps.
Okay One More Thing
You will get paid $10 when you join Ibotta using my referral code. Click here to sign up for Ibotta using my referral code. That is worth it right there! You make money already just by signing up! You can also get $10 when you sigen up for Ebates using by referral code. Click here to sign up for Ebates using by code.
Cut Your Grocery Bill in More than Half
Cutting your Grocery Bill in Half with these Three Tips
or the 
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and the other set was 
? Let me know which flavor is your favorite. Has MealEnders helped you lose weight or portion control? What other strategies have helped you lose weight?
