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clean fridge

A Fresh and Clean Refrigerator

We have reached the last task of our January kitchen refresh! Cleaning out the fridge likely doesn’t fall high on anyone’s priority list; however, it always feels good to get it done.

oven cleaning

Smelly Drains and Grimy Oven?

As we continue our January refresh of our kitchens, we have two more tasks to complete.  These are cleaning our sinks and oven. Neither of these are tasks that we look forward to doing, but after they are done our kitchen will be ready to tackle anything that the winter months bring us!

food waste

Foiling Food Waste Frustrations

There are a few things that frustrate me in the kitchen. Want to hear about them?

kitchen spices

A Spicy New Year

We are refreshing our kitchens here at Spend Smart. Eat Smart. in the new year. Last week Jody shared how she is working on getting back in the groove of meal prepping by making some meals ahead to pack for her lunch. She highlighted our Vegetarian Chili recipe and also shared some great tips on managing our canned food at home to make sure we use the oldest items first. The same principle applies to our spices and the start of a new year is a great time to take a look at what you have.

Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Chili

Welcome to a new year! As I start the new year I have a goal to get back into the habit of preparing food on the weekend that I can take to work for lunch during the week. A new recipe on Spend Smart. Eat Smart. that I find perfect for this is Vegetarian Chili. I find this recipe easy to prepare since it uses canned tomatoes and beans and frozen corn. The only vegetables I need to chop are some onion and bell pepper. Using canned and frozen items means I can keep them on hand to have ready when I want to make the chili.

kids jumping on a couch

Baby, It’s Cold Outside! Staying Active During Iowa Winters

I am not the biggest fan of Iowa winters. I grew up on the coast with mild winters. My first experience in Iowa, where the temperatures reached single digits and schools were still open, was an adjustment! One thing that has stuck with me since relocating to a colder state is ‘there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing’. Now that I have two young kids at home, it’s important to keep my family as active as I can during the winter to burn off their energy while increasing mine.