Cha-Ching on a Shoestring™

Living Large on a Limited Budget

Fun and Healthy Snack Idea: Apple Peanut Butter Lips

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Apple Peanut Butter Lips

I have been a Mom for 11+ years. Not only that, but I have been a mom to BOYS for 11+ years, so I should have a corner on the market for ridiculously easy, silly and healthy snack ideas, right?

I can’t figure out how I am just now discovering the joy that are Apple, Peanut Butter, Marshmallow Lips. I first discovered the idea here and it was a LIGHT BULB MOMENT. I knew immediately I was about to earn some major Fun Mom points with a very minimal, 5 minute effort on my part.

If you would like to elevate your status as the FUN mom, I give you:

How to Make Apple, Peanut Butter, Marshmallow Lips:

Apple Peanut Butter Lips

All you’ll need: 

-An Apple
-Peanut Butter
-Marshmallows
-A knife
-Apple corer/slicer (optional)

I used my apple slicer to quickly slice up the apple. I then discovered that the lips work better if I cut each slice in half – plus you can make twice as many that way!

Apple Peanut Butter Lips

I then spread a thin layer of peanut butter on one side of two apple slices.

ALDI Simply Nature Organic Peanut Butter

I used ALDI’s SimplyNature Organic Creamy Peanut Butter, which was an easy way to up the healthy factor since it contains only organic peanuts and sea salt, with no added sugars or oils. My kids never even noticed that I switched up the peanut butter. It worked perfectly to hold the lips together – and it was the perfect complement to the sweetness of the apples and marshmallows.

Apple lips

Then place the marshmallows in the peanut butter one one apple slice as the teeth and set the other apple on top to complete the set of lips. I let my sit for about 5 minutes to let them set before enjoying them.

That’s it. Easy peasy, yummy and so fun!

Disclaimer: 8 year old boys will likely want to create their own set of lips and might go heavy on the marshmallows. But hey – there’s a few more fun mom points for you!

And now to celebrate ALDI’s line of SimplyNature Organic Macaroni and Cheese, Nature’s Nectar Grape Juice and SimplyNature Organic Creamy Peanut Butter receiving the Parent Tested Parented Approved Seal of Approval, ALDI wants to offer one of my readers a $50 ALDI gift certificate!

$50 ALDI Gift Certificate Giveaway: 

Here’s how to enter:

You have up to three possible methods of entry:

  • Leave a comment below letting me know any other fun and healthy snack ideas that you recommend. 

Note: Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post to leave your comments.  (If you are reading this is an e-mail click here to do so.) By leaving a separate comment for each entry you will have a greater chance of winning!  E-mail responses will not be considered as an entry in the giveaway.

This giveaway ends at 10:00 am EST on Friday, November 4, 2016. I will randomly select the winning comment. Winner will be notified by email and listed on this site.

Disclaimer: This giveaway is sponsored by ALDI.  But as always, the rest is all me!

And The Winner Is…

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

aldi

Here is the winner of my recent giveaway:

$50 ALDI Gift Certificate Giveaway: Laruen: lec1@

I have contacted you by email with details on how to claim your prize.

Thanks to all who entered and stay tuned for even more fun giveaways soon!

Our Favorite Sandwich Alternative for School Lunches

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

ALDI Lunch Ideas

Update: The giveaway has closed, but read on to learn about an easy way to make your non-sandwich-eating kids happy!

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not one of those fancy school lunch Moms. The chances that I’ll ever cut my kids’ fruit and veggies into the shape of Minions or Bunny Rabbits are slim to none.

I like simplicity. I like lunch ideas that don’t require more brain power than I can muster at 7 am. And I like giving my kids’ food that is healthy and I know they will actually eat.

We have one son who is not a sandwich eater and one that is. After some trial and error, I stumbled onto a lunch idea for my non-sandwich-eating son that is just as easy and passes his test.

Sandwich alternative

It involves the same components as a sandwich – ham and cheese and Miracle Whip – but I wrap it up in a flour tortilla like a pinwheel instead. Easy peasy.

I discovered ALDI’s Never Any! Uncured Black Forest Ham a while back and seriously love it better than any other lunch meat I’ve had.

The Never Any! line of meats includes a variety of meats like chicken, turkey and sausage, and each product is certified by the USDA as meeting three criteria:

1. No antibiotics

2. No added hormones or steroids

3. No animal by-products (vegetarian fed)

Add to this fact that it’s just $3.29 per 7 oz. package and I’m sold. I never leave ALDI without it.

My son loves it too and gobbles up his lunch daily without a single carrot carved in the shape of Mickey Mouse. That’s a win-win in my book.

Our favorite alternative to Sandwiches for School Lunches.

I’m excited to share that one lucky Cha-Ching on a Shoestring reader will win a $50 ALDI Gift Certificate in honor of their new Never Any! Line of Meats.

Here’s how to enter:

You have up to three possible methods of entry:

  • Leave a comment below letting me know if you have tried any of ALDI’s Never Any! meats yet. 

Note: Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post to leave your comments.  (If you are reading this is an e-mail click here to do so.) By leaving a separate comment for each entry you will have a greater chance of winning!  E-mail responses will not be considered as an entry in the giveaway.

This giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on Sunday, August 21, 2016. I will randomly select the winning comment. Winner will be notified by email and listed on this site.

Disclaimer: This giveaway is sponsored by ALDI.  But as always, the rest is all me!

And The Winner Is…

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

aldi

I have selected the winner of my $25 ALDI Gift Certificate Giveaway.

The winner is: Latanya: dlatany@

I have contacted you by email with details on how to claim your prize.

Thanks to all who entered and stay tuned for even more fun giveaways soon!

Last Call! Enter Now to Win a $25 ALDI Gift Certificate

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

aldi

I can’t wait to give one of my readers a $25 ALDI gift certificate! Here’s your heads up that the giveaway ends on Friday, July 15 at 10 am EST and I’ll be selecting my winner then.

You can’t win if you don’t enter, so click here to enter now! It only takes a minute.

Easy Peasy Caprese Bites Recipe

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Easy Peasy Caprese Bites

One of my favorite summer go-to recipes is Mozzarella, Tomatoes and Basil sprinkled with oil and vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. It’s easy enough to whip up on any old night with ingredients fresh from the garden.

So when, I tried the Savoritz Rosemary & Olive Oil Woven Wheat Baked Crackers from ALDI, I immediately imagined how delightful they would be topped with mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. And how right I was!

Yesterday, I headed to our little garden and snipped a handful of basil leaves. In a couple more weeks, I’ll be able to grab some plump, juicy tomatoes while I’m out there as well. (I can’t wait!) Thankfully, I had some lovely little cherry tomatoes on hand and a package of Priano Fresh Mozzarella cheese (only $2.69 at ALDI).

Since the crackers already pack a flavorful punch, I didn’t even need to add any additional seasonings. I simply sliced the toppings and placed them on top of the crackers – easy peasy and so yummy!

If you don’t believe me, ask my boys, who devoured every. single. one. of these little beauties after I took the picture, then proceeded to make their own to devour. Each cracker was one happy little bite of yum.

Caprese Bites with Rosemary and Olive Oil Crackers

Award-Winning Crackers

Knowing what I do now, it’s no wonder that ALDI-exclusive Savoritz Rosemary & Olive Oil Woven Wheat Baked Crackers have been voted Best New Savory Snack by consumers in the 2016 Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product Awards. These crackers are robust, hearty and made with 22g of whole grain per serving. They are also available in Cracked Black Pepper & Olive Oil, which I look forward to trying!

$25 ALDI Gift Certificate Giveaway

Giveaway has ended.

I’m excited to share that one lucky Cha-Ching on a Shoestring reader will win $25 in ALDI gift certificates and two boxes of ALDI exclusive Savoritz Rosemary & Olive Oil Woven Wheats Baked Crackers!

Here’s how to enter:

You have up to three possible methods of entry:

  • Subscribe to this site by e-mail and leave a comment letting me know you subscribed.  If you are already a subscriber, simply let me know in a comment.

Note: Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post to leave your comments.  (If you are reading this in an e-mail, click HERE to do so.) By leaving a separate comment for each entry you will have a greater chance of winning!  E-mail responses will not be considered as an entry in the giveaway.

This giveaway ends at 10:00 a.m. EST on Friday, July 15, 2016. I will randomly select the winning comment. Winner will be notified by email and listed on this site.

Disclaimer: ALDI provided me with a gift certificate and crackers to try.  But as always, the rest is all me!

And The Winner Is…

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Kindle Fire Giveaway

And the winner of my Kindle Fire giveaway is: 

Andrea: andrea2russia@

I contacted you by email with details on how to claim your prize.

Thanks to all who entered and stay tuned for even more fun giveaways soon!