Does it sound crazy? Maybe a little, but believe it or not, letting my kids plan, buy, and cook all of their own food was one of the highlights of our summer. Hi, I’m Steph from CheapskateCook.com, where I teach people how to save money and eat healthy at the same time. I’ve been learning how to save money and eat healthy ever since Chris and I were first married and had $25 a week for groceries. During the really lean seasons of our lives, I was grateful for all of the life skills … [Read more...]
Quick Pot Roast Recipe | Super Simple Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Dinner
There's something for everyone in this pot roast recipe! Pick one of four flavor variations to try this week and then come back for another round later. My mother-in-law says that the best pears are the slightly brown, bruised, so-ripe-they’re-almost-overripe, and her litmus test of perfection is whether the pear juice runs all the way down to your elbows when you eat it, such that you must stand over the kitchen sink to reach the core. I feel the same way about a roast in the Instant Pot … [Read more...]
I’m unvaccinated. Here’s what a PhD said to try to convince me to get the shot.
Science has been thrown into the national spotlight since 2020, as has National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, a man who would otherwise be relatively if not absolutely unknown to the general American public. Even common folk like a mom of 4 who teaches kids to cook now know him down to his Catholic upbringing, and we’ve all expanded our vocabulary to include words like “spike protein,” “viral load,” and “herd immunity.” I was honored to speak at a … [Read more...]
Simple Sweet Potato Air Fryer Recipe | Sweet Potato Tots – Perfect for Kids!
The last time my husband's family was together we were celebrating my brother-in-law's graduation. Since there are 18 of us in total (including 10 young kids!), we opted for takeout. Everyone got to choose what they like. Being a family with food allergies, it's always tricky to navigate these situations. We have to be very selective about the food. Thankfully we found enough safe options that my kids both could and would eat. But there was one item on the menu that we had never tried … [Read more...]
Sunbasket Review! | Is Sunbasket Worth the Money? | Healthy Meal Kit Subscription
We recently set out to determine if Sunbasket is worth it. I was really curious to see if it was easy enough for kids to make and if the meals were kid-friendly. Watch our Sunbasket review or read the details below the video to see if Sunbasket is a good healthy meal subscription option for your family! Sunbasket Review From The Kimballs Can't see the video? Watch our Sunbasket review here on YouTube! Is Sunbasket Good for Kids? Honestly, we had some bumps in the road, we thought that … [Read more...]
Plant-Based School Lunch Ideas Kids Can Make
Okay, it’s that time, parents. School lunches. Love ‘em, hate ‘em, make what you want of them, but they are here, and we need a plan. If you’re like me, one of your big goals for your kids is that they eat plenty of plants. While our family still eats meat for other meals (we try to get it from quality sources, and that gets expensive!), plant-based school lunches are our best friend. We focus on the veggies and fruit and other plants (like beans and legumes!) and let everything else … [Read more...]
Simple Snack Kids Can Make: Hydrating Watermelon Slushie Recipe (No Added Sugar!)
My ten-year-old son wrapped up his soccer season in late spring. His last game was a make-up game that had been moved to early June. And it was HOT. It was an intense game where all of the kids were playing hard. My son, in particular, was going all out (in typical Active Eater fashion). He pushed himself as hard as he could and scored the final goal to tie the game and finish the season undefeated. His adrenaline was pumping, and his emotions were running high (as was all the … [Read more...]
Do You Have to Love Cooking to Eat a Real Food Diet?
“I just don't like cooking,” is often an excuse when people want to avoid cooking real food and stick with processed foods and quick meals. That phrase turns my head quickly, and my shock factor kicks in. “You don't like cooking?” the voice in my head cries. But...when I analyze my own time in the kitchen, it could be said that I don't always like cooking, either. Eating, on the other hand, I love. Nourishing my family is an obligation in my book, a promise I made to my kids when I … [Read more...]
GRAYL Water Bottle Filter Review! | What’s the BEST Backpacking Water Purifier
What does it take to get clean water when you're out in the woods? I've recently enlisted the help of my husband Kris to review a filtered water bottle. He was supposed to go on a big backpacking trip this summer, so I thought that would be the perfect opportunity to test out a GRAYL water bottle purifier. Unfortunately, Kris's trip was postponed due to a huge, once in a hundred years snowstorm in Montana at the end of May. We're talking feet and feet of snow! However, there's … [Read more...]
Need Healthy Food for Kids at Lunch? Eat the Rainbow
What would you guess is the most eaten color on a school lunch tray? I'm wagering on brown. (Maybe white. I like to hedge my bets.) Deep fried chicken. Slimy beef patties. Corn dogs. Rolls. Pretzels. Pancakes. Buns. French fries. Pasta. Gravy. Chocolate milk. Brownies. Cookies. "Muffins" that ought be called "cupcakes without frosting." Not only is a rainbow on a plate much prettier to look at than a bunch of brown food, but it has a far greater nutrient variety, … [Read more...]
