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SERVICES WE TRIED: SHIPT

10/18/2020

3 Comments

 
How many ways can you get groceries during the pandemic?! We recently tried Shipt thanks to our friends at The Kitchn! 
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What are the benefits of Shipt? 

  • CONVENIENCE! Not many other services deliver straight to your door, so no matter if you are staying safer at home, don't have the time to shop for what you need, OR just don't like shopping period, Shipt is a great option. Also, Shipt claims that they can get your goods in as soon as 1 hour, but I haven't personally tried this yet :) 
  • CUSTOMER SERVICE! With Shipt, you actually get a personal shopper (aka "Shipt Shopper") who is in constant communication with you to ensure you have a great experience. During my recent order, my shopper (1) text messaged me before shopping to ask if there was anything else I needed, (2) notified me when an item was out of stock, and (3) kept me updated on his status regarding check-out and delivery the whole way. Talk about transparency!
  • VARIETY! Shipt partners with more than just your favorite grocery store! In my area, I could also order from retailers like Bed Bath & Beyond, CVS, Office Depot & OfficeMax. How cool!? 
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What are the cons to Shipt? 

  • I'm my opinion, higher pricing is not something I want to see as someone who is pretty budget-conscious. (FYI: According to Shipt, the price of items "...will vary slightly from in-store prices to help cover the costs of picking, packing and processing. Our members can expect to pay about $5 more using Shipt than they would on a $35 order purchased in the store themselves.") Don't forget this is in addition to your Shipt membership AND any tip you leave your Shipt Shopper. 
  • When items are out of stock, I find it stressful to make an decision on how to proceed. When you're shopping in-person at a store you can see all of the available options in front of you, can quickly learn about a product, and make the best decision given your options -- obviously that's not the case when you're shopping with Shipt. 
So where are you when it comes to grocery shopping right now? Are you going in-person? Outsourcing this weekly errand? I'd love to know in the comments below! 

lindsey

P.S. If you're interested in giving Shipt a try, save $10 on a full year of unlimited delivery service (just $89 vs. $99) HERE! #myshiptkitchen #shiptpartner #kitchncabinetshipt #sponsored
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FREE PRINTABLE FOOD WASTE WORKSHEET

6/14/2020

1 Comment

 
Hey friends!

You're likely all aware that the U.S. has a major food waste problem. According to the FDA, 30-40% of the food supply is wasted in the United States! Not only is this putting strain on our mother earth, but it's
money you could've kept in your wallet and nourishment that could have gone to those in need. We can ALL do better. And what better time to start doing so than now -- when our pantries and freezers are likely overloaded due to the COVID-19 craze. Keep scrolling for my simple FOOD WASTE WORKSHEET that you can print off today! 
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As a registered dietitian nutritionist, I assist a lot of people with healthier eating habits and practices. It's my passion! But no matter the exact eating issue we're trying to tackle, some form of food journaling or assessment is typical to help us uncover all the "areas of improvement". :)

​So, in similar fashion this FOOD WASTE WORKSHEET is designed to allow you to (A) track what and how much food you're currently wasting, and then (B) decide exactly how you're going to do better about food waste in the future. It's not enough to simply say, "I've got to stop wasting food!" -- we must uncover a "How are we going to reduce wasting food?" that's realistic to our households. 
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Here's an example of how I filled out my FOOD WASTE WORKSHEET. (I personally like including how much I paid for the item as it helps reinforce how much money I'm throwing away.)

​And there is no right or wrong when it comes to your "Save It Strategy" -- try to settle on something that is easily achievable for you and your family. If you're having difficulty figuring out a way to prevent food waste with any particular item, feel free to reach out to us or your personal network of friends, family, and colleagues for ideas. 
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Printable Food Waste Worksheet_TheMealPlanningMethod.com
File Size: 16 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Feel free to use this FOOD WASTE WORKSHEET in whatever way that ultimate assists you, but I would recommend going through your fridge (and pantry and freezer) for items that are on their way out before you make your next grocery store trip. Not only will this give you an opportunity to see what you already have on hand to hopefully prevent any potential food waste from happening immediately, but will also give you an extra reminder NOT to over-purchase or hoard items at your next grocery trip. 

I'd love to hear what foods items you typically waste and how you plan on "saving" them in the future! Tell me in the comments below or tag us at @themealplanngingmethod on Facebook or Instagram.

lindsey 
1 Comment

APPS WE LOVE: IBOTTA

6/7/2020

0 Comments

 
Hey friends!

Have you noticed the prices of groceries going up lately? I've noticed our weekly grocery bill being more than normal, but what's normal anymore haha. Apparently though, my observation isn't unfounded. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, grocery prices grew 2.6% from March to April 2020 and 4.1% since April 2019! And as a "self-conscious shopper," this trend does not make me happy. How are we off-setting increased food prices? Meet ibotta -- the free app giving us cash back on items we're already buying.
DISCLOSURE: There are affiliate links contained in this post, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and sign-up for ibotta.
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What is ibotta?

ibotta is a FREE smartphone app that gives cash back (not points or credit) on items you find in store and online. Their retailers currently include grocery stores like Kroger, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Walmart Grocery, as well other stores like Target, Walgreens, and Costco. 

Is ibotta easy to use?

There are hundreds if not thousands of amazing apps, but are they really worth the valuable real estate on your smartphone AND the energy it takes to rack up the dough? My response is, "YES!" 
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Over the 2 years I've been using ibotta I've earned $111.81 in cash. No, I'm not swimming in cheddar, but to put these earnings into perspective... that's $111 more than I would have had than without the app. $111 back in the bank from stuff I'm already spending on.

Absolutely the app could further be improved to make the user-experience even easier, but once you get into the routine of (1) adding available ibotta offers before you shop and then (2) s
ubmitting your receipts (or linking your loyalty accounts) after shopping it becomes just like perusing the weekly ads for deals. 

If you want to give ibotta a try, head on over to their website or easily download their app in your smartphone's app store. I'd love to hear what offers you're adding in the comments below!

lindsey 

DISCLOSURE: There are affiliate links contained in this post, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and sign-up for ibotta.
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