Trying to freezer cook for a large family? Check out this HUGE list of 100+ Freezer Meals for Big Families.
Summer Bucket List
Classic View
Grid View
Shared Sep 29, 2017
comment
Comparing The Best Food Subscription Boxes: Price, Quality, Variety & More
Comparing The Best Food Subscription Boxes: Price, Quality, Variety & More
(Note: This post was sponsored by Blue Apron and contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Read our disclosure policy here.)
Food subscription boxes have become very popular in the past few years and, as I have worked with Blue Apron over the past year and shared my honest thoughts on this service, many of you have asked me if I could do a comparison post on some of the other most popular meal kit delivery services.
So when Blue Apron approached me about doing a detailed comparison post of the top five food subscription boxes, I was excited about the opportunity and have spent the last few weeks going through the ordering process, researching the different companies, and photographing and trying out the meals from these services.
While this post is sponsored by Blue Apron, they have graciously agreed to allow me to bring you what I always do: my very honest thoughts on all of the companies listed in this post — in my own words. However, they are offering something special for those of you who are interested in trying out Blue Apron. The first 50 readers to sign up through this link will get three free meals with their first Blue Apron order. Just click here to sign up!
Now, let’s dive into a detailed comparison of five of the most popular meal kit delivery services:
Blue Apron
Pros
- The ingredients are very, very fresh. The ingredients are delivered in a refrigerated box and I’m always impressed with how fresh they are for being sent by UPS!
- The packaging is fantastic. Compared to the other services, Blue Apron’s packaging is by far superior and keeps the food cold longer than any of the other services did. In fact, while I don’t recommend it, you can keep the box on your countertop for two days after you get it and the food will still be cold when you open the box. I tested it and this is not the case with the other services.
- The ingredients are high quality. Blue Apron works very hard to provide the freshest and highest quality ingredients possible. This is very evident in every box that they send. (They are working to develop a sustainable food system and use high quality ingredients.)
- There’s a fun variety of recipes and an opportunity to try new foods. We have yet to have made a recipe from Blue Apron that we didn’t enjoy. The recipes are flavorful, colorful, healthful, and delicious!
Cons
- There is a LOT of packaging. Blue Apron’s packaging is far superior (as I mentioned above), but that means that there is a lot of packaging. Gratefully, however, they do offer a recycling program and you can return your packaging for free to Blue Apron via USPS.
- The meals are more time-intensive. Blue Apron specializes in more creative recipes that are geared toward foodies and those who love to spend time in the kitchen. However, they are beginning to roll out more 30-minute meal options, which I’m happy to see!
- There are only 4 dinner choices each week. Compared to some of the other services, this is a very limited selection.
Price: as low as $8.99 per serving
Blue Apron is one of the forerunners of the meal kit delivery services and it shines in their website, the delivery box, and their recipes. I found the Blue Apron site to be much easier to navigate than many of the other sites, it’s much simpler to switch dates or recipes, and the meals are consistently very flavorful and delicious.
Hello Fresh
Pros
- They offer allergen-friendly options. All of their recipes clearly state on them what allergens they have in them or whether or not they are gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free. And most of their recipes are very allergen-friendly!
- You can see the recipe and the nutritional facts before you pick your meals. I loved that they let you see the actual recipe + the nutritional facts before you picked which meals you wanted delivered.
- They offer a Veggie Plan. If you’re a vegetarian, they have a plan specifically for you!
Cons
- They assume you’ll have salt, pepper, butter, sugar, and oil on hand. Unlike some of the other meal services, they assume that you will have a few basic ingredients on hand — and they don’t send these in your box.
- The packaging wasn’t very sturdy and the contents of the box were a little crushed as a result. While their box was really easy to recycle, I also felt like the lack of packaging hurt the contents of the box while it was shipped as it arrived not in as great of shape as say the ingredients and box from Blue Apron always does. Also, I would suggest removing the contents as soon as the box arrives as it felt like the packaging wouldn’t keep the contents cold for much longer than the actual shipping time.
- The recipe instructions weren’t as step-by-step as they should have been. We noticed that the recipes — while they had pictures and detailed steps — weren’t as easy to follow and you had to re-read them a few times to figure out what you were supposed to do.
Price: as low as $8.74 per serving (Family Plan)
I felt like Hello Fresh specializes in allergen-friendly options and would be excellent for any family who is vegetarian or deals with significant allergies. They make it easy to choose recipes that are in line with whatever allergies you have at your house — plus, you can see all of the ingredients and nutritional facts while you are picking the recipes.
Sun Basket
Pros
- They offer Paleo, Gluten-Free, and Vegetarian options. Of all the services, I felt like Sun Basket had the most options when it came to allergies and food preferences.
- You can choose kid-friendly menu plans and/or quick, 20-minute recipes. I was super impressed with how many really quick and easy recipe options they offered. And making the recipes was truly as quick and easy as they said — especially since they already pre-chopped the chicken to make it quicker.
- They make it easy to change or add recipes. You can even double or triple up on one recipe instead of getting different recipes (great option if you are hosting an event!)
Cons
- They are more pricey than some of the other services. Their prices are about $1 more per serving than most of the other services. That little bit can add up over time!
- They send all of the recipes for the week in one booklet versus sending recipe cards. You might prefer the recipe book, but I personally found it a little clunkier to have to look through the book and find the recipe I was supposed to make versus having recipe cards.
- Their packaging wasn’t as sturdy as Blue Apron. Again, you would not want to have your box sitting out at all once it arrives because they didn’t have enough cold packaging to keep it fresh for longer than just the shipping time.
Price: as low as $9.99 per serving (Family Plan)
If you are looking for quick and easy + allergen-friendly when it comes to your food subscription box service, Sun Basket definitely has you covered. However, keep in mind that you might pay more for the convenience of quick and easier meals plus the meals probably aren’t going to be as varied or flavorful as other services since they are quicker to prepare.
Home Chef
Pros
- You get to choose from 11 different meal options every week. They send you an email on Monday and you have until Friday to choose your recipes for the following week.
- They tell the allergens right on the recipes + the difficulty level and the spicy-ness level.
- They send you a recipe binder and their recipe cards are hole-punched so you can easily save them to make again in the future if you liked them. I thought this was a fantastic idea and something some of the other services should consider doing.
Cons
- Their packaging wasn’t as environmentally-friendly. There was a lot of plastic.
- Even though you get to choose from 11 different recipes, I honestly had trouble coming up with 2-3 meals our family would love. Maybe their recipes are just geared more for foodies?
- I found their website difficult to use — especially when it came to changing what recipes I wanted them to send. It seemed cumbersome to use and it took me longer to place my order than any of the other sites did.
Price: as low as $9.95 per serving
Overall, I think Home Chef was my least favorite of the food subscription box services. Not only was the website more difficult to use, but I also wasn’t a fan of most of their recipe selections. Plus, the price point is one of the highest of any of the services.
Plated
Pros
- Their sign-up process is very simple and streamlined. Choose your number of servings and nights, then mix and match your dishes in any combination.
- They also offer you the fun option to add ingredients for a dessert to your box for $8 per dessert.
- They offer you a LOT of recipe choices — I had 17 different choices on the week I ordered! When you are swapping recipes for your box, you can filter out the recipes by what kind of recipes they are.
Cons
- They don’t notify you before they get your next box ready. I was planning to cancel my order after one week, but I got the dates mixed up and didn’t get it canceled in time. Because they didn’t send me an email to let me know that they were preparing my next order, I ended up having to pay for an extra week that I wasn’t planning to.
- I noticed that a lot of the recipes they offer are Encore Recipes — which means they have already offered them before. If you like a lot of variety, this might be something that would be frustrating to you.
- A lot of the recipes weren’t things our family would personally like or eat. They seemed a little too adventurous for us.
Price: as low as $9.95 per serving
I felt like the Plated recipes were very healthful and colorful and their site is super easy to use. However, even though they offered so many choices, I wasn’t over-the-top impressed with the choices. But maybe that’s just our family and our eating preferences! 🙂
My Final Thoughts
Thank you, again, to Blue Apron for sponsoring this post. As you can tell from my honest thoughts above, I’m a big fan of them and feel like they are a fantastic choice when it comes to the price point, the flavor factor, and the packaging and freshness factor!
(After your first Blue Apron order, there’s no long-term commitment. You can cancel your subscription or skip weeks at any time!)
Shared Sep 29, 2017
comment
Brigette’s $70 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Brigette’s $70 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Aldi
1 64-oz carton Orange Juice – $1.69
1 can Pink Salmon – $2.49
1 pkg String Cheese – $1.99
1 bag Frozen Strawberries – $1.85
1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $1.75
1 16-oz carton Heavy Whipping Cream – $1.55
2 gallons Whole Milk – $4.08
1 Garlic Powder – $1.19
1 Onion Powder – $1.19
1 24-oz jar Pasta Sauce – $0.85
2 1-lb pkgs Butter – $4.90
1 3-lb bag Sweet Potatoes – $1.79
1 large jar Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.89
1 head Cabbage – $1.19
1 20-oz pkg Zucchini – $1.45
1 pkg Broccoli Crowns – $1.15
2 heads Cauliflower – $3.78
2 pkgs Baby Carrots – $1.30
1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.69
1 2-lb bag Honey Crisp Apples – $2.49
1 bunch Bananas (1.67lbs @ $0.40/lb) – $0.67
1 bag Red Grapes 2.61lbs @ $0.69/lb) – $1.80
1 3-head pkg Fresh Garlic – $0.79
1 frozen Value Pack Salmon – $5.95
1 pkg Sliced Pepperoni – $1.95
1 loaf Sandwich Bread – $0.65
2 pkgs English Muffins – $0.60
Total: $52.67
Harris Teeter
10 8-oz bags Shredded Cheese – $13.56
1 pkg Butterball Turkey Bacon – $2.50, used $0.75/1 printable (doubled) – $1.00 after coupon
1 can Pillsbury Crescent Roll – $1.00, used $0.50/1 printable (doubled) – FREE after coupon
3 pkgs Perdue Grilled Chicken Strips – $7.50, used 3 $0.75/1 Perdue Refrigerated Fully Cooked Product – 9-24-17 SS (exp. 11/04/17) (doubled) – $3.00/3 after coupons
Total after Coupons: $17.56
Grocery Total for the Week: $70.23
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Everyone is responsible for their own breakfast and clean-up. Choices include:
Cereal, Cream of Wheat, Oatmeal, Toast, Fruit, Hard Boiled/Scrambled/Fried Eggs, Homemade Granola, or Veggie Omelets (for me)
Lunches
Leftovers x 5
Baked Sweet Potatoes, Cheese Sticks, Grapes
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks, Applesauce
Dinners
Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo (I’ll use spaghetti instead of fettuccine, and the Perdue Short Cuts Chicken strips), Homemade Garlic Bread, Tossed Salad
Grilled Hamburgers on Homemade Buns, Roasted Cauliflower, Baked Potato Wedges
Homemade Pepperoni Pizza, Tossed Salad
Breakfast Sandwiches (Bacon, Egg, and Cheese on English Muffins), Fruit Salad, Steamed Carrots with Garlic and Butter
Chicken Noodle Soup (I’ll use the rest of the Perdue chicken strips in this), Homemade Biscuits
Taco Salad, Spanish Rice
Maple Salmon, Roasted Broccoli, Milk Rice
Shared Sep 28, 2017
comment
Download the RetailMeNot app to get the best retail and restaurant deals!
Download the RetailMeNot app to get the best retail and restaurant deals!
You guys know I’ve sung the praises of the RetailMeNot website in the past. And why wouldn’t I? It’s an all-in-one place for saving money when you shop online!
You can find thousands of coupons, deals, and cash back offers, plus they also offer discounted eGift Cards to stretch your savings even further!
That’s why I’m SUPER excited to see that you can now download the FREE RetailMeNot app!
Here are some highlights about the RetailMeNot app:
- As I already stated, it’s totally FREE to download!
- It features thousands of in-store and online savings offers.
- Deals can be redeemed directly from your phone.
- You can even use the “Eat” tab to get deals at restaurants.
- You can enable location-based alerts so that you know when there’s a deal at a store nearby.
- There is a wallet within the app that stores all of your saved offers and deals, discount gift cards, and cash back status.
- You can use the heart to save your favorite stores in one place.
- And you can even tap the star to save a deal for later.
Go here to download the RetailMeNot app!
Psst! They also now have a Chrome browser extension called Genie that auto-magically tests and applies coupon codes during online checkout! You don’t have to hunt down the codes. Genie does all the work for you! It’s pretty cool!!
Gretchen’s $54 Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan
Aldi
1 Frosted Flakes – $1.49
1 pkg Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.99
1 loaf Bread – $0.69
1 pkg Ground Beef @ $2.99/lb – $6.67
1 loaf Bread – $0.89
2 dozen Eggs – $0.44 each, used $0.10 Checkout 51 rebate – $0.39 each after rebate
1 gallon Milk – $1.76
1 lb Butter – $2.99
1 can Pumpkin – $0.79
1 pkg Oven Roasted Turkey – $2.39
1 pkg Monterey Jack Cheese – $1.79
1 bag Gala Apples – $1.69
1 Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.89
1 pkg Peanut Butter Crackers – $0.89
Total after rebate: $33.67
Dillons
2 Horizon Organic Good & Go Snack Packs – $1.99 each, used $1/2 e-coupon AND 2 $1/1 Ibotta rebates – $0.49 each after coupon and rebates
1 Oui Yogurt – $1.49, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Breakstone’s Cottage Doubles – $1.25, used Free catalina coupon – Free after coupon
2 Annie’s Mac & Cheese – $1.25 each, used $0.50/2 e-coupon – $1 each after coupon
2.15 lbs Bananas – $1.05 (not pictured)
2 Cucumbers – $0.50 each
1 Gold Peak Chai Tea Latte – $2, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Hormel Compleats – $2.49, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 can Kroger Green Chilies – $0.69
2 bags Kroger Frozen Veggies – $1 each, used $0.40/2 e-coupon – $0.80 each after coupon
1 M&M’s Ice Cream Bars – $2.79, used $1.50/1 e-coupon – $1.49 after coupon
1 Proyo Frozen Ice Cream – $4.29, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 Post Great Grains Cereal – $3.79, used $1/1 e-coupon – $2.79 after coupon
3 Sargento Shredded Cheese – $1.39 each
1 Sargento Sliced Cheese – $3.50, used $1/1 e-coupon – $2.50 after coupon (I thought I had rebates for this to make it almost free but I realized after I got home that I had purchased the wrong kind of cheese.) 🙁
1 Tennessee Pride Sausage – $3
1 Psst Sugar – $1.89
Used $2 catalina from last shopping trip
Used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate for any receipt
Total after coupons and rebates: $20.91
Total for both stores: $54.58
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Cereal x 3
Toast & Eggs x 3
Cinnamon Rolls, Fruit
Lunches
Turkey Sandwiches, Sliced Veggies
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks x 2
Cheese Quesadillas, Steamed Broccoli
Turkey, Cheese, Crackers, Fruit, Veggies
Mac & Cheese, Sliced Apples
Leftovers
Dinners
The Best Belgian Waffles, Skillet Apples
Meat Potato Quiche, Biscuits, Steamed Peas
Easy Baked Burrito Casserole, Fruit Salad (using up leftover fruit from last week)
Green Chili Chicken Bake, Homemade Bread, Steamed Corn
Chicken Pot Pie, Tossed Salad
Biscuits & Gravy, Eggs, Homemade Applesauce
Out to eat
It’s hard to live on a beans and rice budget
Last week, I made Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, a recipe I made often for Jesse’s lunches during our beans and rice law school days.
As I was making them, so many memories flooded my mind and heart.
One of them was the memory of going to the grocery store and longingly looking at other food and wishing we could buy it. But no, I knew that I had to stick to the list of basics and things that I could get free or almost free with coupons.
I remember thinking, “I wonder if there will ever come a day when I could go to the grocery store and put whatever I wanted in my cart and we could afford it?” I couldn’t imagine that day ever happening, because money was so tight then that every penny had to be carefully accounted for.
I know some of you can relate — and maybe that’s where you are right now. Can I just encourage you? I know that it’s hard to live on a beans and rice budget.
I know it’s hard to make big sacrifices. I know that it’s discouraging when you have to pass by so many things because they just aren’t in the budget.
But I’m here to tell you that those short-term sacrifices WILL pay off! Don’t give up!
A Peek Into Our Life This Past Week
Welcome to my weekly post where we take a break from money-related posts and I share about what I’m loving right now and give you a little peek into our life from the past week.
I added a few fall decorations to our mantle this week — thanks to the Target Dollar Spot. I just LOVE fall, even if it’s still so hot in TN!
I told you last week that we completed our second Tough Mudder. They released the professional photos this week, and I just had to share a few of my favorites.
This was our first obstacle. Can you spot me? (I’m in the orange in the left corner!)
The very last obstacle of the event — I had already earned my 2x-er headband (see my hand!) but had to go through the Electo-Shock to get to the finish line. And yes, I did get shocked — on my neck. Yikes! It almost knocked me over!
We continue to adore Quill. He has seemed to adjust so well to our family and we all love him!
Tip: want to get your kids to help with laundry? Tell them that they can watch their favorite show as long as they fold laundry at the same time!
We don’t do much screen time at our house, so this is a win-win. A win for the kids because they get screen time. A win for mom because the laundry gets done!
Not too long ago, I made the conscious decision to stop using the word “busy” to describe my life.
It might seem inconsequential, but I realized that when I would say, “I’m so busy!” Or, “It’s such a busy week!” That I was in essence claiming that I am a victim of my calendar and commitments.
Like I didn’t have a choice in the matter. That all this busyness just “happened” to me.
In reality, I have choice in the matter. I can’t change everything about my life, but there are MANY areas where I can choose — and it’s important to remember that.
I can choose to live life at a go-go-go pace. Or I can choose to slow down and keep it simple. It doesn’t just happen to me.
My decisions (to say yes to that opportunity or to accept that responsibility or to take on that commitment or to sign my child up for this or that) have consequences — both good and bad.
For me, this simple shift in mindset in how I view my day (i.e. opportunities versus obligations) and messaging in how I refer to my day (i.e. no longer feeling like I’m a victim of busyness), has given me so much freedom to make better decisions and to enjoy life more.
Sometimes, simple changes make a world of difference. (Want some encouragement and inspiration to slow down, simplify, and savor life more? Sign up for my free class on 3 Ways to Stop Feeling So Overwhelmed.)
By the way, I’ve found that I thrive with a healthy mix of go-go and then stop. I like doing and producing so long as it’s balanced with plenty of being and resting!
This year, I’ve struggled as a parent more than I ever have. My neat little boxes of how I thought I should parent have been blown to bits by some unexpected circumstances.
Someday — when the time is right — I’ll share the journey with you all. For now, I’ll just say that I’m learning to parent all over again in a brand-new way.
I’m learning to step back and stop trying to micromanage my kids’ lives.
To stop trying to stuff them into the little mold I had created for them and instead to embrace exactly who God has made them to be.
To stop being frustrated when it feels that they aren’t right where I think they should be/making the perfect decisions I think they should be making/responding or acting exactly as I think they should be.
To instead step into their world, be interested in what they are interested in, care about what they care about, and to love them right where they are at.
As I’ve done this, I’ve gotten to not only know my kids in brand-new ways, but I’m closer with each of them than I’ve ever been.
And I’m grateful. Grateful for the beautiful, humbling privilege of getting to be their mom. Grateful for a God who uses unexpected circumstances to wake me up and shake me out of my unhealthy parenting ruts. He’s a good, good Father.
Links You Should Check Out:
- Thinking of starting a blog and need some help coming up with a great blog name? I wrote about 7 questions you should always ask before picking a blog name.
- Struggling to stay focused and productive? Sign up for Michael Hyatt’s new webinar called The 7 Deadly Sins of Productivity where he’ll teach you what is undermining your productivity and how to change it! Register for free here.
- The Healthy Living Bundle Sale is back again with all-new products and resources! This time around it’s a HUGE bundle (over $3700 worth!) and it’s just one tiny price: $29.97! Go grab it here while it’s available.
- I absolutely LOVED this quote on rest that I read from The Rest of God this past week.
- Our incredibly popular Choose Raglan shirts are on sale this week — just in time for fall! You can get them for just $16.95 shipped for the next few days!
- Did you see this yummy recipe for Individual Chicken Pot Pies from my sister? Yum!
Easy and Freezer Friendly Individual Chicken Pot Pies
Looking for a great freezer-friendly one-dish dinner idea? After the popularity of my sister Olivia’s Easy Individual Mini Meat Lasagna recipe post, I asked her if she would create another freezer-friendly individual serving recipe for you all and I can tell you these mini chicken pot pies will NOT dissapoint!
You will love this Mini Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
This recipe is great for when you need a quick dinner for one or two people or when you are wanting a yummy lunch to take with you to work or school.
These can be reheated in the oven or microwave and are very portable! Also, feel free to experiment with different vegetables or meat in the filling! Enjoy!
Mini Chicken Pot Pie Recipe Ingredients
Pie Crusts:
- 3 cups flour
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 10 Tablespoons water, room temperature
Filling:
- 1 stick butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups milk
- 1 Tablespoon minced onion
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 package frozen mixed vegetables (16 ounces)
- 3 cups cooked chicken, cubed
Mini Pot Pies Substitutions and Additions
This recipe is very versatile, so feel free to make substitutions based on whatever foods you have in the house (or your family’s preferences).
You can easily substitute store-bought refrigerated pie crusts if you don’t want to make your own — just re-roll the scraps to make more mini crusts.
You can also swap cooked turkey for the chicken (great for post-Thanksgiving leftovers).
Mix and match your favorite veggies — using frozen if that’s easier, or fresh (just make sure you par-boil the fresh veggies first before adding them to the sauce).
And if you’d prefer to make one large chicken pot pie, this recipe should make enough crust and filling for one 9″ pie plate.
How to make Individual Chicken Pot Pies
To prepare crusts:
- Mix together flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- Cut in butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add water, and mix with a fork.
- Using your hands, press the pastry together to form a ball.
- Cover crust and set aside until the filling is ready.
To prepare filling:
- Melt butter in a saucepan.
- Using a wire whisk, stir in flour and salt.
- Add milk and cook until smooth and thickened, stirring continuously.
- Remove from heat, and stir in the remaining filling ingredients — seasonings, veggies, and chicken.
To assemble pies:
- Place 1 cup of filling into 6 mini greased pie pans.
- Roll pie crust to 1/8-1/4 thickness and cut out 6 circles. (I divided the dough into thirds and cut two circles out at a time using a pan lid.)
- Place circles over the filling, flute edges, cut slits in the center, and bake uncovered at 350º for 30 minutes. (Note: the pies will be partially cooked at this point, but not ready to eat).
- Let the pies cool completely, then cover securely with foil and freeze.
To reheat:
- Place frozen, covered pot pies into a cold oven (do not preheat).
- Heat the oven to 350º and bake for 30 – 60 minutes, or until heated through.
- OR, pop a pie out of the foil pan and place it on a microwave-safe dish. (You may need to slightly thaw the pot pie if it won’t slip out of the pan.)
- Microwave on high for about 5 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Note: For easier handling and to prevent oven spills, cook pot pies on a baking sheet.
How to serve individual Chicken Pot Pies
The best thing about these delicious pot pies is that they are essentially a complete meal in and of themselves! They provide the meat, vegetables, potatoes, grain, etc. all in one nice little package.
However, they also pair well with a salad, your favorite cooked, roasted, or steamed vegetable, and fresh fruit.
How to store this Mini Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
We recommend tightly wrapping the partially cooked (and cooled) pot pies in tin foil and freezing them — they will last months this way!
If you have any leftovers after fully baking the pot pies, you can refrigerate them in any food storage container.
Individual Chicken Pot Pies FAQs
How do you keep chicken pot pie from getting soggy?
There are a few things you can do to prevent your crust from getting soggy. Make sure your gravy/sauce is thick enough and not too runny (add more flour if it seems runny).
Also, allow plenty of time for your partially cooked pot pies to cool before putting them in the freezer (otherwise condensation might make the crust soggy).
And finally, make sure you cook the frozen pies long enough to fully bake the crust all the way through (up to an hour).
Can you put a frozen pie straight in the oven?
Yes, we actually recommend that you put the frozen pot pie directly into a cold oven and THEN start the preheating process. This method seems to produce the best reheated results!
Is it better to freeze chicken pot pie cooked or uncooked?
We’ve had the best luck freezing the chicken pot pies after they are partially cooked. We recommend baking them for 30 minutes, then letting them cool, and then freezing them.
Recipe
Freezer Friendly Individual Pot Pies
This recipe is great for when you need a quick dinner for one or two people or when you are wanting a yummy lunch to take with you to work or school.
Ingredients
Pie Crusts:
- 3 cups flour
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks, softened)
- 10 tbsp water room temperature
Filling:
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 cups milk
- 1 tbsp minced onion
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 16 oz. frozen mixed vegetables
- 3 cups cooked chicken cubed
Instructions
To prepare crusts:
- Mix together flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- Cut in butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add water, and mix with a fork.
- Using your hands, press the pastry together to form a ball.
- Cover crust and set aside until the filling is ready.
To prepare filling:
- Melt butter in a saucepan.
- Using a wire whisk, stir in flour and salt.
- Add milk and cook until smooth and thickened, stirring continuously.
- Remove from heat, and stir in the remaining filling ingredients — seasonings, veggies, and chicken.
To assemble pies:
- Place 1 cup of filling into 6 mini greased pie pans.
- Roll pie crust to 1/8-1/4 thickness and cut out 6 circles. (I divided the dough into thirds and cut two circles out at a time using a pan lid.)
- Place circles over the filling, flute edges, cut slits in the center, and bake uncovered at 350º for 30 minutes. (Note: the pies will be partially cooked at this point, but not ready to eat).
- Let the pies cool completely, then cover securely with foil and freeze.
To reheat:
- Place frozen, covered pot pies into a cold oven (do not preheat).
- Heat the oven to 350º and bake for 30 – 60 minutes, or until heated through. (Note: For easier handling and to prevent oven spills, cook pot pies on a baking sheet.)
- OR, pop one pie out of the foil pan and place it on a microwave-safe dish. (You may need to slightly thaw the pot pie if it won’t slip out of the pan.)
- Microwave on high for about 5 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pie | Calories: 915kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 33g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 189mg | Sodium: 1374mg | Potassium: 614mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5489IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 5mg
Love this recipe?
Make sure to share and save it on your favorite platform below!
FREE One Week Menu Plan!
Done-For-You Dinner Recipes With Simple Ingredients and a Grocery Shopping List!
Shared Sep 22, 2017
comment
Brigette’s $77 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Brigette’s $77 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Aldi
Smoked Ham – $11.73 (I’ll dice this and freeze in meal-size portions. This amount will last us quite a few meals.)
1 16-oz bag Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – $2.49
1 16-oz bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $2.49
2 tubes Cinnamon Rolls (Birthday breakfast choice for my son…I think my homemade cinnamon rolls are WAY better than the canned kind, so I’m trying not to have my feelings hurt. ;)) – $2.78
2 gallons Whole Milk – $4.08
2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.38
5 dozens Eggs – $3.15, plus receive $0.10 rebate from Checkout 51 – $3.05 after reabte
1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $1.69
3 3-ct pkgs Multi-Colored Peppers – $4.47
1 head Cauliflower – $1.95
1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99
1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.49
2 3-lb bag Gala Apples – $3.78
1 pkg Broccoli Crowns – $1.39
2 pkgs Mushrooms – $0.98
1 bag Chopped Pecans – $5.29
1 jar Hot Fudge Sauce – $1.99
1 jar Caramel Sauce – $1.99
3 16-oz cartons Egg Whites – $5.67
1 32-oz tub Nonfat Greek Yogurt – $3.49
1 pkg American Cheese Singles – $1.79
1 pkg Hamburger Buns – $0.83
1 loaf Bread – $0.83
Total after Rebate: $69.62
Harris Teeter
1 5-lb bag White Potatoes, reduced – $1.00
3 boxes New York Texas Toast – $3.87, used 3 $0.55/1 New York Bakery Garlic Breads – 9-10-17 SS (exp. 11/05/17) (doubled) – $0.57/3 after coupons
5 boxes Mueller’s Pasta – $3.38, used 2 $0.55/2 Mueller’s Pasta – 8-27-17 SS (exp. 10/07/17) (doubled) – $1.28/5 boxes after coupons
4 cans Dole Crushed Pineapple – $3.00, used 2 $0.75/2 Dole Canned Pineapple – 9-10-17 SS (exp. 11/30/17) (doubled) – FREE after coupons
2 cans Condensed Tomato Soup – $1.18
1 bag Red Grapes (2.27lbs @ $0.99/lb) – $2.25
1 bag Eight O’clock Coffee – $2.89, used $1.00/1 printable, plus receive $1.50 rebate from Checkout 51 – $0.39 after coupon
1 bag Riceworks – $1.84, used $1.00/1 Riceworks Gourmet Snacks – 9-17-17 SS; Includes 5.5 oz or Larger only (exp. 12/30/17) – $0.84
1 Atkins Harvest Trail Bar – $1.00, receive $1.00 rebate from Checkout 51 – FREE after rebate
Total after Coupons and Rebates: $7.51
Grocery Total for the Week: $77.13
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Each person is responsible for making and cleaning up their own breakfast. Choice include:
Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Toast, Boiled/Scrambled/Fried Eggs, Veggie Omelets, Fruit, Cereal, Yogurt
Cinnamon Rolls and Scrambled Eggs with Cheese (Birthday Breakfast choice for my almost 9-yr old)
Lunches
Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Peppers, Grapes x 2
Leftovers x 4
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Peppers, Apples
Dinners
Taco Salad, Ice Cream Cake (Birthday Dinner)
Turkey Gravy over Rice, Green Beans, Biscuits
Hamburger Pie, Tossed Salad, Apples
Oatmeal Pecan Pancakes, Eggs, Smoothies
Simple, Perfect Chili, Homemade Cornbread (It’s not fall weather in the South this week – so we are just pretending! :))
Ham and Beans, Leftover Cornbread
Leftovers
How to Make Money From Home as a Virtual Assistant
So many women are looking for ways to earn money from home — which I’m a big fan of! Many try signing up with some kind of company like Plexus or Young Living or starting a blog. Those are great options and I know many people making a full-time income from them and loving doing so.
But one option that is very under-explored and few people seem to consider is becoming a virtual assistant. Many online (and offline) companies will hire virtual workers to help with a variety of projects for their site and there is always a big need out there for good virtual assistants.
In fact, most of the great virtual assistants I know are turning away jobs because there is so much opportunity and not enough time!
No matter what your skill set is, there’s a good chance there is a virtual assistant opportunity for you. For instance, here are some of the ways I currently use virtual assistants on my team:
- Graphic design, website design, website maintenance
- Customer service — trouble-shooting tech issues, issue refunds, answering customer questions
- Blog posts — Finding, vetting, and drafting posts, responding to comments, designing graphics for posts
- Facebook — Scheduling posts, responding to comments
- Facebook advertising — Setting up ads, watching and tracking the results
- Email — Answering questions from readers, keeping my email organized, fielding complaints, setting up email newsletters
- Advertising and marketing — Talking to potential advertisers, negotiating contracts, keeping all of the details straight for ad buys
- Product creation — helping me create course content, managing & running the details of a course launch, setting up all of the details for affiliates
And that’s just a very short list! There’s no way that I could do what I do without having a fantastic team of virtual assistants working for me. Some of them who started out as part-time contractors are now full-time employees, but they still work remotely!
People can’t believe it when I tell them that we don’t have an “official office space” and that most of the people on my team live in different states and time zones!
That is the beautiful thing about running an internet business. You can find the best of the best people and hire them — without having to ask them to relocate to your area!
4 Steps to Getting Started as a Virtual Assistant
Over the years, I’ve had people come and ask me how you become a virtual assistant. The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all plan — especially because there are so many types of virtual assistants and there are so many different companies looking for virtual assistants. But if you are interested in becoming a virtual assistant, here are a few suggestions:
- Be a Self-Starter — Don’t wait for the opportunity to drop in your lap. Go out and teach yourself everything you can to be the best virtual assistant you can be in the area you believe you are most suited for.
- Volunteer Your Time — Is there a company you are interested in working for? Approach them and volunteer your time and services for the first 20 hours. You have to start somewhere and not only will this be great experience, there’s a chance that the company will hire you on after you’ve completed your 20 hours!
- Keep Your Rates Low — Many virtual assistants can charge upwards of $35 to $40 per hour. Which is fantastic for them, but that might be way out of reach of newer bloggers and online businesses. Start out by charging a really competitive rate like $12 to $15 per hour. As you gain more experience and the work opportunities pick up, then you can increase your rates.
- Be Incredibly Thorough — When someone will email me and offer their services or ask for a job, I quickly scan the email to see how attentive they are to detail. You would not believe how many times there will be glaring errors in an email (like spelling my name wrong or getting my website URL incorrect)! And this is often in an email from someone who says they are detail oriented or fantastic at customer service! The little details matter.
If you are interested in becoming a virtual assistant, I want to invite you to join me on Thursday for a free webinar I’ll be doing with Gina Horkey.
During the last three years, Gina has replaced her previous full-time salary with part-time virtual assistant work. And she still works as a VA – in addition to teaching others how to become or find one.
In this webinar, Gina will teach you:
- What a virtual assistant is.
- What VAs do.
- The current need that exists.
- How to get started working as one!
- Plus, she’ll take your questions live at the end!
Sign up for this free webinar here.
P.S. Can’t make the webinar live? Go ahead and sign up and we’ll send you a replay after it’s finished!
OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!
Click here to download!
Gretchen’s Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan
Dillons
We were out of a LOT of items since I haven’t done a grocery shopping trip in a couple of weeks! This was probably one of the biggest shopping trips I’ve done in quite a while!
5 Kroger Cheese – $1.99, used $1/1 e-coupon x 5 (no longer available) – $0.99 each after coupons
1 Turkey Hill Ice Cream – $2.99
1 Danimal Smoothie – $1.49
1 can Kroger Great Northern Beans – $0.59
1 bag Milky Way Bars – $1.99, used $1/1 e-coupon – $0.99 after coupon
1 Kroger Unbleached Flour – $1.29
1 Post Honey Bunches of Oats – $2.29, used $1/1 e-coupon – $1.29 after coupon
2.62 lbs Bananas – $1.28
3 Enjoy Life Chocolate Bars – $1.59 each, used $4/3 printable AND $3/3 Ibotta rebate – Free plus overage after coupon and rebate (Plus, received a $2 catalina!)
1 KidFresh Fish Sticks – $3.49 (Special treat!)
2 Casa Fiesta Refried Beans – $0.99 each, used $1.25/2 Ibotta rebate – $0.37 each after rebate
3 Navel Oranges – $2.67
2.53 lbs Sweet Potatoes – $2.50
Submitted $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate for any receipt
Total after coupons and rebates: $21.79 (Plus received a $2 catalina!)
Aldi
2 pkg Strawberries – $1.29 each
1 gallon Milk – $1.77
3 dozen Large Eggs – $0.44 each
1 pkg Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.99
1 can Enchilada Sauce – $1.89
1 can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies – $0.59
1 loaf Bread – $0.89, used $0.10 Checkout 51 rebate – $0.79 after rebate
1 pkg English Muffins – $0.79
1 pkg Rice Cakes – $1.49
1 pkg Tortillas – $0.99
3 cans Green Beans – $0.44 each
1 lb Ground Turkey – $1.89
1 lb Ground Beef – $3.19
1 Mayonnaise – $1.89
1 lb Butter – $2.46
1 pkg Peanut Butter Crackers – $0.89
1 pkg Brown Gravy Mix – $0.35
1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $0.79
1 pkg Gala Apples – $3.99
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup – $0.49
1 can Pumpkin – $0.79
1 Vegetable Oil – $1.85
1 pkg Celery – $1.29
1 pkg Hot Dog Buns – $0.83
1 pkg Red Grapes – $1.58
2 Cucumbers – $0.59 each
1 pkg Oyster Crackers – $0.79
1 Sour Cream – $1.19
1 pkg Baby Carrots – $0.99
1 bag (5 lbs) Potatoes – $2.49
1 pkg Crackers – $1.39
Total after rebate: $49.83
Total for both stores: $71.62
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Toast & Eggs x 4
Cereal x 2
Cinnamon Rolls, Fruit
Lunches
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks, Grapes x 2
Cheese, Crackers, Fruit, Veggies x 2
Fish Sticks, Fruit Salad
Baked Potato Bar
Leftovers
Dinners
Eggs, Toasted English Muffins, Strawberries
Spaghetti, Biscuits, Green Beans
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili, Pumpkin Muffins, Crackers
Brown Bag Burritos, Homemade Applesauce, Sliced Veggies
BBQ Meatballs, Homemade Bread, Steamed Peas (from freezer), Sweet Potatoes
Slow Cooker Chicken & Gravy, Rice, Fruit Salad
Homemade Cheese Pizza, Breadsticks, Tossed Salad
It was a BIG week at our house last week!
Welcome to my weekly post where we take a break from money-related posts and I share about what I’m loving right now and give you a little peek into our life from the past week.
Whew! It was a BIG week at our house last week! We got a new pet, we celebrated Jesse’s birthday, Jesse and I ran the Tough Mudder, and I spoke at the Tribe Conference! Here are a few pictures and more details…
Meet Quill, our brand-new hedgehog We have been researching, learning, and planning for him to join our family for a number of months, so getting him this week was pretty exciting!
I will try to refrain myself from sharing too many Quill photos on here, but we kinda think our hedgie is just about the cutest, so yeah, no promises that I won’t at least share a favorite photo here and there! 😉
For September 11, Jesse and the kids did the 343 Workout of the Day at Crossfit — one rep for every firefighter who lost their life on 9/11.
Since we had the privilege of getting to go to the 9/11 Museum & Memorial this summer, our kids have a much deeper understanding of the significance of this day.
Silas did all 343 reps because, he told me, he, “wanted to make sure to honor every single hero.”
There were many, many more heroes on that day, but it was a small way for our kids to stop and remember.
May we never forget.
Jesse celebrated his birthday this week and we had fun doing some fun things for the occasion — including a dinner out at one of our favorite restaurants and some surprise gifts we had planned for him. His birthday also caused me to reflect on the last few years.
3 1/2 years ago, because of how unexpectedly well the blog was doing, we made the decision for me to step into the primary bread winner role. I haven’t talked about this much online, but there were definitely a lot of challenges to us as we’ve navigated this new season.
Some days, we didn’t see eye-to-eye. Some days, we both wanted to throw in the towel. Many days, people questioned or criticized or didn’t understand our decision.
But I’m grateful we stuck with it — even on the hard days. Because we are growing in our communication skills, growing in our respect for one another, and growing into the gifts that God has uniquely equipped us with.
With each passing day, I become more grateful for this man and the sacrifices he makes so I can live out the calling God has given me. Our family is stronger, our kids are happier, our marriage has been strengthened, and individually we are more fulfilled.
This year, I feel like we’ve really found our sweet spots and both feel so content and fulfilled in knowing them. This peace was hard won and required many honest and difficult conversations. It required compromise and sacrifice on both of our parts. But it’s been worth it.
Sometimes, God calls you to take a leap of faith that doesn’t make sense to many people. Sometimes, it’s hard and lonely and filled with wondering whether you really made the right decision.
But you keep trusting, keep taking the next step, keep having the hard conversations, keep going when people tell you you should turn around.
And then you wake up one day down the road and see that it wasn’t a big mistake. It was actually the road to greater blessing and joy than you ever dared hope.
I had the opportunity to speak at the Tribe Conference on Saturday. I talked about How to Build Your Blog Without Killing Your Soul — sharing some of my lessons learned from my Year of Rest. I loved getting to be there — and to meet some of you!
On Sunday, Jesse and I ran our second Tough Mudder. It was 10 miles and 23 obstacles and we did it in less than 4 hours — which was our goal!
We had so much fun and this one was MUCH easier for me than last time around. (Read all about my very first Tough Mudder experience here.)
I realized that not only am I physically stronger and healthier than I was last time, I’m also mentally much stronger. All that working out + eating healthier + taking better care of myself + deep heart work is paying off!
Was I scared about some parts of this Tough Mudder? Absolutely! Were there times when I wondered if I’d be able to complete an obstacle. YES!
But even though I was scared, even though I had doubts, I did it scared… and I totally surprised myself by what I was capable of! Plus, I had so much fun!
Take that, fear! I don’t have to live in bondage to you. I can sign up, show up, do the thing, and have fun in the process. Because you are not the boss of me!
Links You Should Check Out:
Ever thought about becoming a virtual assistant? There is a HUGE need for this right now as I know many blogger and online entrepreneurs who are looking to hire those with excellent skills. If you are interested in what it takes to become a virtual assistant and what types of jobs you can do, you don’t want to miss Thursday afternoon’s free webinar I’m hosting with Gina Horkey. Sign up for it here.
27 Ways to Feel Happier For FREE! I had fun putting together this list of some of my favorite ways to have a pick-me-up, without spending any money.
Like free samples? Sign up to get free samples from PinchMe!
I’m so excited that the trees are starting to turn colors! I’m determined to soak up every bit of fall foliage this year and here’s why.
Looking for a yummy weekend breakfast? I highly recommend these Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls.
Did you take the free Productivity quiz yet? If not, go take it here. I found it really insightful — and encouraging!
We Paid Cash: Our Honeymoon
A testimony from Krystal of Simple Finance Mom:
When my husband and I first got married, we decided to put our money into a savings account instead of splurging on a big honeymoon. Instead, we promised ourselves we would do a big trip on our one-year anniversary. You know, when we had more money…
Then year one came and went with no trip. As did year two. And then year five. And then year eight.
Last year, our ninth year of wedded bliss, we laughed at how naive we were in thinking we would have more money later in our marriage. Kids. Pets. A home. Good ol’ Murphy who always pays a visit from time to time.
But then we realized it was time we stop putting ourselves last on the totem pole. It was time to plan a “honeymoon.” We know our marriage is one of our greatest investments. So we committed to going on a week-long trip to celebrate our ten-year anniversary, no matter what.
While we knew we didn’t want to spend an outrageous amount of money, we wanted to go on an international trip. After doing our due diligence and having a few discussions, we compromised with a budget that felt right for both of us.
In order to pay for our trip, here a few ways we saved.
We tapped into our Vacation Savings Account.
Each month, we have a small amount that is saved automatically for our summer trips. Last year, our trip was smaller knowing we would have this big trip coming up. It really helped our stockpile of savings grow little by little over time.
We set aside our tax refund.
This was a great jump start to our budget, and covered all of our round-trip airfare.
We skipped using a travel agent.
My hubby gets all the credit here. He spent hours and hours researching locations, things to do, travel expenses, etc.
We were fortunate to be gifted a timeshare for our resort stay. A family member was gracious enough to give us a week at a resort. This limited the resorts we could visit, but it literally saved us thousands!
We only paid the fees and taxes for our visit.
We planned flights well in advance. Again, hubby gets the points for this one! Once we decided a location, he price checked flights and airports. When prices dropped, we jumped and bought our tickets for a great discount.
We shopped around for excursions.
We only did the things we really wanted to do, not everything that was offered to us. Experiencing the culture was amazing! We loved every minute of it!
At the end of the day, we learned that while we can’t afford frequent trips that cost thousands and thousands of dollars every year, we also can’t afford to NOT invest in time alone as a couple. Strategically saving over time bonded us as a team, and afforded us an unforgettable trip.
The memories are worth far more than the meager budget we started out with.
Krystal is a teacher turned homeschooling mama of two. She recently paid off over $80,000 of debt with her husband, and now writes about making family finances simple. You can read her debt free story, as well as tips for budgeting, saving, and investing for beginners at Simple Finance Mom.
Have you saved up and paid cash for something — large or small?Submit your story for possible publication here.
27 Ways to Feel Happier… for FREE!
Sometimes, it’s easy to fall prey to believing that we’ll only be happier and more fulfilled when our circumstances change. But the truth is, those of us who live in first world counties have the ability to make choices that will affect how we feel.
If you ever wake up in a funk or you just wish you could spend a day at the spa but time and money aren’t at your disposal to do so, here are 27 Ways to Feel Happier — for free!
1. Hug someone.
2. Make a warm drink (coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or Decaf Chai Latte) and savor it.
3. Create a playlist of music that makes you happy.
4. Go outside and look up at the sky.
5. Write a note to encourage someone else.
6. Sing like no one can hear you. 😉
7. Take a walk.
9. Turn on some music and dance.
10. Write out three blessings.
11. Watch a comedy clip on YouTube.
12. Dress in something that makes you feel great.
13. Find a quick workout on YouTube and do it.
14. Organize something.
15. Send a text to tell a friend you’re thinking of her.
16. Tell someone thank you for something they’ve done for you.
17. Light a candle.
18. Bake something.
19. Smile at people today and see how many people you can get to smile back at you.
20. Find a joke or funny clip online and email it to a friend.
21. Listen to a podcast that inspires you. (This is one of my current favorite podcasts.)
22. Reach out and offer to help someone.
23. Make someone else laugh.
24. Create something beautiful.
25. Sign up for some freebies. (Free makes me happy!)
26. Invite a friend over for tea or coffee.
27. Open up your windows in the morning and let the fresh breeze in.
What other ideas would you add to my list? I’d love to hear! Share them in the comments.
P.S. I highly recommend grabbing a copy of The Happiness Dare if you need encouragement and inspiration to add more “shots of happy” into your life.
A Peek Into Our Life This Past Week
Welcome to my weekly post where we take a break from money-related posts and I share about what I’m loving right now and give you a little peek into our life from the past week.
This week started out with a fun family excursion to Stillhouse Hollow Trail & Waterfall. You can read all about that in this post here.
On Thursday, I flew out to San Jose, CA to spend Friday and Saturday at the beach (near Watsonville) with a few friends to celebrate one of my friends’ 50th birthdays.
It was a true vacation for me filled with lots of relaxation, beach-walking, quiet, good conversations, seeing parts of CA I’d never seen before (we got to spend an evening in Monterey and see sea otters!), and good food. It was my first trip this year by myself and I missed my family a lot. It made me so grateful for how I’ve changed my lifestyle now that I rarely travel for business and that I get to spend so much more time with my husband and kids. I’m so grateful for how much we love to be together!
I wrote this Instagram post the day I left:
I woke up at 4:00 am this morning burdened for my kids. Each of them has their own set of struggles and I was reviewing them in my head.
The reviewing quickly turned to worrying which escalated to full out anxiety.
Am I spending enough time with them?
Are they eating healthfully enough?
Did I ask her the right questions in our conversation?
Does she feel loved enough?
Should I have responded to him like that?Pretty soon, I had spiraled to a place of beating myself up and feeling so much shame and guilt as a mom.
And it didn’t help that I was leaving for California this morning to be gone through Sunday.
I got on the plane still carrying the weight and burden with me. And then I opened up my Bible reading and read this: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you REST.”
And I heard Him whisper to me, “You are free, Mama.”
“When I died on that Cross, it was for you. It was for your mistakes and your mess-ups.”
“It was so you don’t have to carry around the weight of guilt and shame and feelings of not doing enough.”
“Rest in me. Let me be adequate where feel inadequate. Trust Me in the messy, broken spaces.”
“Look to Me when you don’t know how to respond or what the next step is. Lean on Me when you feel overwhelmed with this job I’ve given you to raise these three humans.”
“Let me carry your burdens. Stop stressing and worrying and striving and trying so hard.”
“I came to give you life and hope and joy. Rest in me. You are free, Mama.”
What I’ve Been Learning
More and more, I’m noticing that I’ve stopped feeling the need to wear makeup everyday or spend a lot of time on my hair.
It’s not that I’m giving up makeup or fixing my hair, it’s just that I’m becoming more and more comfortable in my own skin.
I used to pretty much never step foot out of the house without full makeup on and my hair fixed. Now, I often leave the house or get on Instagram Stories with messy hair and no makeup.
It feels good. It feels freeing. And it’s evidence of the work that has happened in my heart in the past two years.
I still like being put together and try to spend a little time making myself presentable every day, but I stopped worrying so much about what other people think or say about how I look.
Some days, I have on a cute top, cute jeans, cute shoes, and full makeup. Other days, it’s a hat, 6-day hair, workout clothes, and little to no makeup. It doesn’t change who I am inside.
And I’m learning that the people who love you most don’t care about how pulled together you look or not. And that the people I want to attract online won’t care either.
There’s so much freedom in just showing up as YOU — on the great hair days and the messy bun days.
Links You Should Check Out:
- Struggling financially? This post might encourage you: When Your Bank Account is Almost Empty.
- If you find that you often have trouble focusing or you’re just curious how productive you are, you can take this Productivity assessment (which I found very interesting and insightful!)
- Missed my recent webinar on 3 Strategies to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed? I’m offering it again LIVE this week and it will be co-hosted by Jami Balmet from Young Wife’s Guide. Sign up for FREE here.
- Are your kids growing like weeds? Here are 27 Ways to Save on Kids’ Shoes.
- I was honored to be a guest on the Publishing Profits Podcast where I talked about How to Make Money Blogging.