March 11, 2010 | Groceries, Hot Hot Hot!

Regular readers know that I’m trying very hard to buy good food for my family without having to pay top dollar all the time. I mean, I like Whole Paycheck Foods as much as the next person, but I can’t really afford to shop there the way that I’d like to.

Which is why I often get the all-natural snacks my kids love when they’re on special at Amazon. It’s cheaper, and I don’t have to leave the house. Score on both counts! The last time these Brother’s All Natural snacks were on sale I grabbed a case, and my children ate up those little dehydrated banana and strawberry slices like they were chocolate-coated balls of pure high-fructose corn syrup (read: they liked ‘em). And I really liked having a healthy, portable fruit option to put in their lunches even in the dead of winter when all of the fruit at the store looks pitiful.

Here’s the deal: Browse the eligible snacks (which are already on sale), use coupon code BROTHERS to save 10%, then buy via Subscribe & Save to save another 15% on top of that and get free shipping. The fruit snacks come out to around $.70 bag this way (and each bag has the equivalent of two servings of fruit). No additives, no extra sugar, nothing but actual good food. What a concept.

March 3, 2010 | Groceries, Hot Hot Hot!

Hey, it’s March… and a new month means new Amazon grocery deals. Today I’m eyeing the current deal on Annie’s Homegrown: Buy any eligible product—which includes organic mac-n-cheese, gluten-free mac-n-cheese, and a variety of other kid-friendly snacks—and take a total of 25% off the already-reduced price. First, save 10% with coupon code ANNIEHM5, then purchase via Subscribe & Save to get another 15% off and free shipping. (You can always cancel the S&S afterward, so don’t worry about that.)

Boxed mac and cheese is one of the few convenience foods I’ll still buy. There’s just something about it that screams “comfort food.” Of course, when I buy Annie’s, it can do that without also screaming “what chemicals do you suppose made the cheese bright orange?” Ahem.

March 1, 2010 | Groceries, Hot Hot Hot!

If you have a big freezer and the resources/means at your disposal, if you eat meat I encourage you to look into buying a local animal—it comes with a smaller carbon footprint, and generally a much better taste (and more assurances about what, exactly, you’re getting). But that’s not possible for everyone, nor does it make sense to, say, buy half a cow if you’re only a family of two, or whatever.

Another option is to buy from Omaha Steaks, particular during one of their half-off sales (like now). Buy the amount that suits your needs, and it all arrives packed in dry ice. If you’re not 100% satisfied, their unconditional guarantee will refund your money.

We’ve gotten gifts from there several times and I’ve always been happy with what we’ve received. Plus, it’s fun to play with the dry ice.

Groceries, Hot Hot Hot!

If you haven’t discovered stevia yet, but you’re trying to cut down on sugar, consider this the all-natural answer: Stevia is a plant-derived sweetener with zero calories, zero carbs, zero chemical compounds invented by people in labs. I use sweeteners very rarely (generally I’d rather just go without) but lately I’ve started using stevia in muffins and the kids haven’t even noticed. Shhhh.

Want to try it out? For just $1.99 you can pick up a 50-pack of stevia packets at Amazon; either add it to your Super Saver Shipping eligible order, or pick it up for free with that free Prime trial you should still be enjoying.

February 22, 2010 | Groceries, Hot Hot Hot!

February’s almost over, you know (yeah, I can’t believe it, either), and that means you’ve got less than a week left to get in on any of this month’s Amazon Grocery Deals before they disappear. I’m just sayin’.

Of particular note, I think:

PG Tips Tea is, as many of you know, my very favorite black tea on the planet, and it’s not terribly expensive even when it’s not on sale, but right now you can save 40%! Use coupon code TIPSPG44 to take 25% off, and purchase via Subscribe and Save for another 15% off and free Super Saver Shipping. If you’re a tea drinker, this is an excellent deal on a really drinkable tea.

Similarly, it’s the last days to save 40% on eligible Kitchens of India products with 25% off coupon code GREATFD2 and the 15% off with Subscribe and Save. (I love love love Kitchens of India. Very yummy stuff.)

And finally, I cannot imagine who needs a ton of candy right now, but I don’t judge, and if your sweet tooth is still feeling unrequited, check out the sale Valentine’s candy (much of it marked down since the passing of the holiday) where coupon code VALCANDY appears to still be working for $10 off of your $59 purchase. This is actually not a bad way to stock up on more expensive chocolates if you’re so inclined.

I’m suddenly very hungry. Huh.

February 9, 2010 | Groceries, Hot Hot Hot!, Retail gone wrong

I, personally, will not be buying 10 pounds of Sour Patch Kids, because I’m on a diet and I have a kid in braces and even though they’re my family’s favorite candy ever, ten pounds is a lot of Sour Patch Kids, y’all.

But maybe you have ten kids or you’re having a “let’s ruin our teeth” party, in which case 10 pounds of Sour Patch Kids for just $25 shipped is a good deal and a great idea. Just sayin’.

February 1, 2010 | Groceries, Hot Hot Hot!

I know Amazon runs this deal a few times a year, but I get excited every time: Right now there’s a slew of eligible Kitchens of India foods where you can save 40% off the already marked-down price; use coupon code GREATFD2 for 25% off, and buy via Subscribe & Save for an additional 15% off and free shipping.

You know I’m a big proponent of cooking from scratch, but sometimes you have to cut corners. The Kitchens of India curry pastes are delicious, as are the couple of ready-to-eat meals of theirs I’ve tried. When they run this deal I’m more than happy to pick up a few “emergency staples.”

Besides, I don’t think you can put a price on a kid begging for lentils. (True story!)

January 21, 2010 | Groceries, Hot Hot Hot!

It should be enough that a portion of any purchase of Halo coffees sends some money towards helping kids in need, but if it’s not, try this: Right now Halo Coffees are deeply discounted at Amazon, so you can save money, get your caffeine fix, and do a little good, all at once.

If you need pods for your Senseo, those are the best deal. Currently 6 packages of 16-count pods will run you just $14 shipped with Prime, or buy two to qualify for free Super Saver Shipping.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to finish immersing myself in this cup of coffee I have right here. (Is it my imagination, or did morning come earlier today…?)

January 20, 2010 | Groceries, Hot Hot Hot!

Remember when I told you about thinkThin bars being on sale at Amazon this month? I didn’t even mention the thinkOrganic bars, because they’re even more expensive than the others. But looky here—today they’re the Amazon Gold Box Deal, at just $13 for a box of $15 organic bars.

Coupon code THNK8563 still works for another 15% off, so you’ll end up paying about $.74/bar for something that’s normally $2+ apiece.

Plus, I really don’t think you can put a price on diet-sanctioned chocolate. I mean, really.

January 18, 2010 | Groceries, Hot Hot Hot!

I admit it; I’ve not been the most gracious person in the world since embarking on this “lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks” plan I’m doing right now. Ahem. I’m working hard and complaining harder, you might say.

So it’s possible I got a little too excited when I saw that right now at Amazon, you can save an additional 30% on thinkThin bars, which happen to be—hello!—chocolate. Yeah, they’re protein bars, and yes, they’re natural and diet-friendly and such, but I generally hate protein bars and I kind of love these. (Yes, they’re gluten-free!)

Use coupon code THNK8563 to save 15%, plus buy via Subscribe & Save to save another 15% and get free shipping. All eligible products are already on sale, too. Check out the thinkThin Variety Pack—it’s already half off, so with the additional discounts, it comes out to just about $1.12/bar. (Edited to add: Wait, looks like they’re not offering S&S on that one. Phooey. Still not a bad price….)