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Do Food Expiration Dates Matter?

April 19, 2020 by Kristen Leave a Comment

We all head to the grocery store and want to purchase the freshest products we can afford. I know that when grabbing milk, I go through all of the gallons to see if I can find one that has the latest date on it. If I am lucky, I will find one that is a day after all of the others. Score!

Recently, as I looked at the various items throughout my kitchen, I started to realize that they were all labeled differently — sell by, freeze by, use by. Which got me thinking, what the heck did it all mean? How can you tell if food is spoiled? Do food expiration dates matter?

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

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The Best Meal Planning Apps of 2020

January 11, 2020 by Kristen 1 Comment

It’s a New Year, and it’s time to start right. Is part of your New Years Resolution to get organized? Perhaps you want to get fit? Or maybe you want to save some money? If any of those are your goals, it’s time to start meal planning.

We are big proponents of meal planning here at The Kitchen Chalkboard. The benefits are enormous. But starting can be daunting. There are so many ways to meal plan; it’s hard to know what to do.

Technology to the rescue! We reviewed twelve different meal planning apps, and the experience varied from life-changing to frustrating. Want to learn what the best meal planning apps of 2020 are?

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

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Black Friday Deals for Cooks

November 6, 2019 by Kristen Leave a Comment

Raise your hand if you love a good deal! I know I do! Especially around the holidays when you have a bunch of people to shop for. And Black Friday is a great way to save some money. But not all sales are worth it if the price isn’t right or the item is a dud. So how do you know what is worth your precious dollars? I’m here to help. Read on for the best Black Friday Deals for Cooks.

I’ve analyzed the circulars of most major retailers from the past few years to see what goes on sale. Then I did the research to see what’s the best items in each category. Below you will find the best Black Friday Deals for cooks.

Let’s go to the Chalkboard.

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Online Grocery Shopping Comparison

November 1, 2019 by Kristen Leave a Comment

Which Online Grocery Shopping Service is Right for You?

I needed to run to the store to grab a few things and I took the boys with me. As we were walking through the aisles my youngest said, “Woah they sell food here? This is unbelievable,” he marveled as we walked around. The women in the store were having a good laugh. It was at that moment that I realized just how much I grocery shop online.

I’m forever on the quest to simplify my life. I love to use technology to make things easier, and with two kids, it is a necessity. Based on my son’s reaction to the grocery store, one may even say I’ve gone too far. I’m not alone in my obsession. According to industry estimates, online grocers are said to be worth $100 billion by 2025.

That estimate was proof that I’m not alone in my thinking — online grocery shopping may just be the greatest invention ever. Being able to meal plan and shop anywhere, at any time? Amazing!

But which service should you use? After using three different services over the past few years, I have out these services to the test and learned their strengths and weaknesses. Want a comparison of three popular services, Amazon Fresh, Instacart, and Peapod?

Let’s go the Chalkboard.

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How to Use Up Freezer Food

October 8, 2019 by Kristen Leave a Comment

Let’s be honest, how many times have you gone in your freezer and found something that you had no idea what it was? You couldn’t even remember the last time you bought or cooked that. If I am being honest, it’s too many to count for me.

Each time it happened I felt terribly guilty. I was just throwing away money I thought. It had to stop. So over the past few years, I have made a conscious effort to use up the food in my freezer. I’m happy to say I haven’t thrown anything away since.

Do you want to save money and stop throwing away food? Want to learn how to use up freezer food?

Let’s go to the Chalkboard.

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10 Tips to Save Money Grocery Shopping Online

October 3, 2019 by Kristen Leave a Comment

Online grocery shopping is exploding in popularity. There’s an abundance of services available to us. You can read a comparison of some of them here. And the advantages of shopping online are many. Shopping from your couch in your pajamas has a certain allure. Also, the time you save from having to drive to the store and pack up the groceries is priceless. Not to mention the time spent wandering the aisles looking for that one ingredient. Maybe that’s just me? Seriously though, where do they keep the genoa salami?

But convenience comes with a cost, right? Or does it? Is it possible to save money grocery shopping online?

Want to learn 10 Ways to Save Money Grocery Shopping Online?

Let’s go to the Chalkboard.

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How to Repurpose Leftovers Like a Champ

July 10, 2019 by Kristen 2 Comments

Ever make a huge dinner and look at the leftovers with huge eyes? You think what the heck am I going to do with all of this food? I get it! And as someone who loves food and doesn’t like to eat the same thing over and over, I am here to help!

Over the years, I have learned how to easily make new meals with leftovers. Want to learn how to repurpose leftovers like a champ?

Let’s go to the Chalkboard.

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Say Goodbye to Rubbery Chicken Breast

June 5, 2019 by Kristen 1 Comment

You’ve made dinner. It’s a chicken recipe you’ve cooked dozens of times. You followed the recipe to a “t,” and yet the chicken is rubbery.

It’s so frustrating!

There are several causes of rubbery chicken, and a few of them may have nothing to do with how you cooked it. Perhaps the chicken is to blame.

Want to find out what causes rubbery chicken breast and how to fix rubbery chicken once it happens?

Let’s go to the Chalkboard.

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Is it Cheaper to Buy Groceries Online?

May 16, 2019 by Kristen Leave a Comment

Grocery Shopping online. Have you tried it?

I’m a huge online shopper and purchase my groceries online every week. It’s to the point where my children go into a grocery store and are amazed at all the food they have in there. We go to the food store that infrequently.

I was aware of the fees for delivery but what about food costs? Are the prices inflated? I was curious and set out on a mission. After comparing various online retailers with brick and mortar stores, I can now answer the question, is it cheaper to grocery shop online? Want to learn more?

Let’s go to the Chalkboard.

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The Ultimate Guide to Meal Planning

April 3, 2019 by Kristen Leave a Comment

How to meal plan the Kitchen Chalkboard way.

Is your late afternoon hectic? Maybe you are racing around to take your kids to activities or getting home from a crazy day at work. The hours between 4-7 can be nuts. You get home and stare at the refrigerator and think, what the heck am I going to make for dinner? I hear you and I’m here to help.

I used to do the same thing and we wound up eating a fair amount of takeout food. Until I started meal planning. Ever since then, I saved money and time. Dinner is no longer something I worry about. I still think about it obsessively because I love food (wink) but I do not worry about what’s for dinner.

Now you may have wanted to meal plan before and never got around to it. Or you just don’t know where to start. I get it! I am here to help. Read on to find the step-by-step instructions on how to meal plan and stick to it. I’ve done this method for years and it works.

Let’s go to the Chalkboard.

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