Dinner Delivered to Your Door

Nearly every Sunday night, I sit down with my menu plan notepad, and sketch out our week.

First, I put in all of our standing appointments/commitments.

Then I add in what’s specific to that week.

Then I figure out which nights I’ll have time to cook, which night will be a crockpot night, and which nights we’re having frozen pizza.

Glamourous, I know. My kids are picky, which can make it even more complicated, but that’s another blog post. I fill in the blanks based on time- what time we will get home in the afternoon, and what time we’ll leave in the evening for whatever it is we’re doing. Is there time to bake a meatloaf? Is there time to eat what’s in the crock pot? Am I passing out sandwiches in the car??

Last month, I learned there’s another option in my menu planning arsenal. One that falls somewhere between crock pot night and frozen pizza on the easiness scale, and one that surpasses what I  typically make on the taste scale. Enter: Fresh Artistry.

A couple of weeks ago, Fresh Artistry knocked on my door. I was handed a large box, which claimed to have everything I needed to create a delicious balanced meal for my family. People- that box is MAGIC. With that box, I created this meal, in about a half hour.

FreshArtistry_meal

Fresh Artistry is now serving the Indianapolis area, delivering everything you need to create a gourmet meal with quality, local ingredients. EVERYTHING, except the pots, pans and utensils is included.

FA_fridgebagFA_directions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not only is everything included- everything is sorted by where it goes in your kitchen. There’s a bag for counter items (potatoes, spices, oil), and a bag for fridge items (butter, cheese, green beans), and a separate bag for meat.

Step-by-Step instructions make cooking a snap. Between the instructions that include what to do when (while the potatoes are boiling, mix the sauce, etc) and the fact that everything is pre-measured, dinner came together in no time flat. And because everything was measured already (in the cutest tiny condiment containers), dishes were minimal and my kitchen stayed clean.

Dreamy, right?

Dreamy, and available for families in the Indianapolis area! Fresh Artistry offers meals sized for two adults, and for families with two adults and 2-3 kids. Our meal was plenty for the four of us, plus one delicious lunch the next day (please note however, that my kids only ate about ten bites between them- clearly their problem, not mine).

So what are your options?

For a limited time, you can order just one box to see how it works for your family. After that, you place an order each week for three meals- three meals that included everything from locally sourced ingredients to the 3 tsp of cumin you will need. Each week there’s a set menu, but customized options are available. Each family sized meal is prices at $30, for a total of $90 per week, and the smaller option is $20 per meal/$60 per week. For us, that’s about what we would spend at a very casual (read: fast food or SteakNShake) restaurant. We don’t do that three times a week, but we also don’t eat locally sourced very often either.

Each week, there are 7 recipes from which to choose. Fresh Artistry is happy to do the choosing for you, or you’re welcome to customize your menu each week. That’s it. The BOX OF MAGIC will then arrive at your door on the pre-appointed delivery day.

December is the perfect month to try Fresh Artistry- between the holiday obligations and the weather, who wants to go to the grocery store?

Thank you, Fresh Artistry, for letting us try your services!

First Grader Snack Rollups and a {Giveaway}

Thanks to Azteca for sponsoring today’s post, as well as today’s after school snacks!

Back to school has happened, and now I think we’re just in “school” mode. After 10 days, the shiny newness of their supplies and the routine has worn off, and now our goal is just not to be marked tardy each morning. That Back to School fever is nice while it lasts, but it’s getting shorter every year around this place.

We’ve also adjusted to the “school year” grocery list, which includes ample lunch supplies, snack-in-the-car supplies, snack-before-dinner-supplies, and snack-because-I’m-STILL-hungry-and-can’t-wait-til-six-o’clock-supplies. I’m making lunches every day, and feeding them non-stop from the time they get home until dinner time every afternoon. Learning seems to make them just as hungry as swimming, which is weird in my opinion, but so it goes. They don’t get to snack during the school day, and they can only drink water, so I kind of understand. But pre-packaged snacks, as easy and tasty as they are, can get expensive. And honestly, a little boring. “Oh look! It’s granola bar #48 from the 60 count box I bought on Monday.” And while the giant warehouse sizes look like they’ll last forever, they won’t. I make MaM do the math when she requests more than one of something- if there are 32 in a box, and everyone in the house has one per day, how many days will it last? is how I get her to see my side of the rationing. Of course I offer a good selection of fruit, and you know, there are always carrots, but that doesn’t always hit the spot either.

When Azteca invited me to share with you the goodness that is their no-preservative  tortillas, it gave me an idea. What if there was a snack the kids could make themselves with them? It would be more of a process than tearing open a wrapper, but it could be a good experience! Plus, it could slow down the mass consumption of everything within arms reach every week day between the hours of 3-6pm.

Now before you think my kids suddenly started making tacos or something crazy that involves vegetables and seasoning other than ketchup, let me explain. What I discovered is that peanut butter and/or  chocolate hazelnut spread  on a tortilla is easy enough for my first grader to concoct himself. That’s it. Nothing fancy, no knives or offensive vegetables required. I always have these ingredients on hand (Azteca no preservative tortillas can be found in the refrigerated section of Kroger), and it’s something they can orchestrate on their own.

Their favorite combinations include:

  • peanut butter and chocolate chips
  • chocolate hazelnut spread and raspberries
  • peanut butter and bananas
  • chocolate hazelnut spread and peanuts

 

snackrollupscollageWant to give this make-your-own snack idea a try? Azteca would like to help in that department!

{The Giveaway}

Azteca has graciously offered up the following prize pack for one lucky reader:

·         $50 Kroger Gift Card

·         Azteca Free Product Coupon

·         Meal Planning Notepad

·         Tupperware Containers

·         Dry Erase Wall Decal Calendar

 

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post, telling me how you handle the munchies- from your kids or even yourself. For additional entries- do any of the following, and leave a separate comment for each action. A winner will be chosen on Friday, August 22nd around 9pm, and will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Additional Entries:

-go like my Facebook page:

-promote this giveaway on Facebook to

-promote this giveaway on Twitter

-pin this recipe on Pinterest

Good luck and happy snack making!

Disclosure: I received a prize pack identical to the giveaway provided for Azteca for the purpose of this post. All opinions, snack ideas and kitchen messes are my own.

Here are some other friends running the same giveaway- go visit them and increase your odds of winning!

Chaos Is Bliss

Mom 4 Less 

 

 

Earth Fare Offers Local Goodness and Better Shopping (a review) and {A GIVEAWAY}

Updated: This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for playing- the winner has been notified and confirmed! Oh the grocery store. We all have to go there, all of the time, and it can be….it can be so exhausting, so overwhelming, so expensive, and so mentally draining that drinks are in order by the time you’re done. And then, just when you’ve recovered making all of those decisions, your six year old announces that you’re out of “his” cereal, and your nine year old laments that the yogurt is gone again (as the six year old licks that last of said yogurt off his own lips). And so it’s back to the store you go.

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to tour a different kind of grocery store- Earth Fare. We’ve had them here on the north side of town for a couple of years, and now there’s a location for south siders in Greenwood. As I toured the store, staff was busy getting everything for the July 16th grand opening. Amanda walked me through the store, section by section, and I was impressed with everything that I saw.

Earh Fare has some store rules, which make shopping easier and if you’re a label reader, a whole lot faster. The food rule are as follows:

  • NO high-fructose corn syrup
  • NO artificial fats or trans-fats,
  • NO bleached or bromated flour
  • NO artificial preservatives
  • NO artificial sweeteners
  • NO artificial flavors
  • NO artificial colors

And for fresh meat and dairy products? NO antibiotics and NO synthetic growth hormones.

Case in point? Check out this candy- it tastes just like it’s supposed to, only with all natural ingredients.

EarthFare Rainbow Drops

 

Earth Fare also focuses on fresh and local produce, and sources a lot of its stock from as close as 100 miles away. It’s good to know that so much of Indiana is represented in the store, and that food producers right here benefit from Earth Fare’s business model.

Take a look and see all of the goodness they are ready to serve up to you and your family:

The bulk dispensers dispense not only granolas, but also things like peanut butter (top).

BULK FOODS

There are a lot of items available for purchase, including nuts, granola, all natural candy, and nut butters. Customers are welcome to bring their own containers or use the ones provided in each area. 

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WELLNESS

The wellness area includes all kinds of over the counter remedies, skin care, and vitamins. There are products for children, as well as natural makeup options. 

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LOCAL OPTIONS

Earth Fare specializes in carrying local products. Local is defined as being sourced from within a 100 mile radius of each store. This shelf offered a selection of local honey, granola, preserves and more. 

See the different shelving? The wood accent denotes Gluten Free items across the store.

 

GLUTEN FREE 

Gluten free shoppers will appreciate the signage, as well as the wood shelving to denote the location of Gluten Free items throughout the store.

I could go on and on (there’s a deli! and a cheese center! and fresh meat! and a smoothie bar! and Kids Eat Free on Thursday nights!), but Earth Fare is one of those stores you have to see to believe. Just go and check it out- you’ll be happy you did. 

{THE GIVEAWAY}

The folks at EarthFare really want you- yes, YOU (well, one of you), to experience Earth Fare for yourself, I’m giving away one $50 gift card to any Earth Fare location to one lucky reader. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment, telling me how Earth Fare’s Food Rule will make your shopping trip easier- maybe you’re a label reader, maybe you’ve got food allergies or sensitivities, or maybe you’ve committed to eating more locally sourced food. Whatever it is, you can tell me!!

For additional entries, you can share on social media (twitter, Facebook, Google+) however you like, and come back here and leave an additional comment for each share that you make, you may make one share per network per day of the giveaway. For each social share, be sure to link back to this post.

This giveaway will be open until Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at 9pm. Winner will be notified by email, and have 24 hours to respond. After that, a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

 

Thanks, EarthFare, for the tour and for my giftcard, so that I can have some fun shopping too! 

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