Plan

Low Carb Dips for Pork Rinds

April 6, 2019 by Stacy Craft 1 Comment

Are you loving that you can have crunchy store bought pork rinds on your low carb lifestyle but struggling to find something to dip those little piggies in? 29 easy low carb, THM S and keto friendly dips are listed below to help you in your snack sessions.

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

What is the hardest part of staying Low carb or Keto for you? For me it is when I am invited to some type of social event. There are always tons of yummy dips and treats there to tempt me off my diet.

Instead of falling off the wagon, just take one of these yummy low carb dips for pork rinds and a big bag of skins to curb your need to dip!

Low Carb Dips for Pork Rinds

Creamy and cheesy dips are one of the best part of a keto/low carb diet, right? They are so decadent and taste like you are cheating! But what do you dip into those delicious dips? Pork rinds of course.

And I have a low carb confession. I really don’t enjoy pork skins plain. I like the crunch that they provide but the taste is just a bit overpowering for me. So I find that some kind of dip really helps to mellow out the pork rind’s flavor.

I actually don’t follow a Keto or low carb specific diet. I have lost 60 lbs postpartum following the Trim Healthy Mama Plan. On THM, they recommend that you eat every 3 hours. Although there are several things on the plan that I don’t do, if I do eat an afternoon snack some of these dips are easy enough to be used then!

And if you are joining here on the THM journey, all of these are going to be used with “S” meals or snacks.

Dip Ideas for Pork Skins

Guacamole

Tuna Salad

Ranch Dressing mixed with hot sauce

Tzatziki

Salsa

Egg Salad

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Buffalo Chicken Jalapeno Popper Dip

Easy Pimento Cheese

Sour cream, lime juice and hot sauce

Roasted Cauliflower Hummus – great option when traditional hummus is not friendly on the carbs.

Grilled Avocado Hummus

Warm Ranch Crack Chicken Dip

Mississippi Sin Dip

Mustard

Chicken Salad

Slow Cooker Spinach and Artichoke dip

Cheese Dip

Salsa mixed with Sour Cream

Crab Dip

Sausage Cream Cheese Rotel

Cream Cheese sprinkled with Everything Bagel Seasoning

Creamy Feta And Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Creamy Cheddar Bacon Dip (just omit the Ritz & sub your Pork Rinds)

3 Layer Mexican Dip

Cuban Ham Spread

Dill Dip

Instant Pot Hot Onion Dip

Chorizo Pizza Dip

So if you are like me and don’t just LOVE pork rinds, try them with some delicious dip. And then bread your pork chops with them too!

Beach First Aid Kit for Kids

March 30, 2019 by Stacy Craft 6 Comments

Beach trips are fun for kids of all ages (and adults too)! But getting a beach boo boo can cause a major meltdown if you are not properly prepared. My beach first aid kit for kids is geared toward little ones but it can be easily modified to provide relief to any beach goer.

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

Beach First Aid Kit for Kids

Keeping the proper first aid items in your beach bag and at the condo (or home if you are lucky enough to live near the beach) is essential to a relaxing trip. No one wants to experience minor ailments, but especially when a little one experiences the issue a tiny problem can be dramatized into much more!

If you have a properly packed beach first aid kit for kids, you will be prepared to tackle any problems that the surf or sand may bring. And if you have a long trip to the beach, be sure to read the less than $15 must have road trip items for kids to make your drive easier.

What to Pack in Your Beach Bag

In the beach bag, I want first aid items that can help me address minor injuries that may occur on the beach or in the ocean. These are the items that I find useful:

Bandaids

Not just any bandage either. You need super cool bandaids.

We were at a Mother’s Day Out function the other day and my daughter fell down. No blood. No scrape. But the tears, oh they were flowing. Another mom reached in her purse and pulled out a cute little character bandaid for her. You know what? The tears magically dried up. And I quietly swore to always keep fun bandaids on me. At. All. Times.

Jelly Fish Sting Relief

Sting Relief will be useful if anyone is unfortunately stung by a jelly fish. This is one of those things that you hope you don’t have to use but will be so glad you have it if it is needed. Web MD also recommends the use of vinegar and hydrocortisone cream.

Reusable Cold Pack

When prepping a beach first aid kit for kids, an ice pack should be on your list. I love this adorable pink pig reusable ice pack. Just throw it in your cooler and be prepared for any boo boos that an ice pack would instantly cure.

Electrolyte Freezer Pops

Staying hydrated is so important and my kids do not always drink as much water as they should. Popsicles though, they are always welcome. Instead of a sugary normal pop, these electrolyte pops help keep everyone hydrated and well. Throw them in your cooler. If it is really hot, you may need to consume quickly if you are wanting them in frozen form but they are still good melted as juice!

Pocket Tissues

Trust me, a yucky sneeze is not something you want to be wiping up with your cute beach towel. We have these Paw Patrol tissues in our beach kit now. My kids always seem to have a runny nose from allergies.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen is of course a must for your beach bag. I look like a crazy person constantly applying sunscreen to my kids, I do not want burns on their perfect skin. This is the only sunscreen my kids can use without breaking out.

Hand Sanitizer

Yes, I know the ocean is right there for a little rinse. But before we start eating our snacks, I like to have a squirt of “Magic Soap” as my little calls it. It makes me feel better so we do it.

I got in the habit of doing this when we lived near Galveston, TX. The bacteria in the ocean there is regularly high and so I liked to rid as many germs as we could.

Baby Powder

I am sure you have seen this hack floating around Pinterest. Keeping sand out of mouths and eyes is kind of your part time job if you head to the beach with little ones. A bottle of baby powder might just help your sanity. It really does work to make your skin silky so that the sand slides right off.

I hope this beach first aid kit for kids helps you on your next beach trip. And if you are brave enough to take your baby under 1 to the beach, read this on the #1 item that you have to take with you. I just got back from the beach with our 8 month old & I could not have enjoyed the beach without it!

Honey Bun Easter Egg Treat

March 30, 2019 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Egg-cite your kids with this iced honey bun Easter Egg treat that they can decorate exactly the way they like!

At my house, we love store bought treats that can be turned into holiday inspired desserts quick and easy! This year we have already made mummies from Little Debbie cakes and a turkey from oatmeal cream pies. For this honey bun Easter egg treat, all you do is open up the pastry, provide some embellishments and let the kids have fun.

(Affiliate links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Honey Bun Easter Egg Treat

A simple, no bake Easter treat for kids is great for everyone. The kids will have a great time decorating and of course eating their beautiful creations. And you will love the easy set up and not having to actually cook anything!

The iced honey buns are the perfect egg shape and the white icing on top provides a perfect canvas for all of your pretty pastel toppings. If you are looking for the iced honey buns at your local grocery, I usually find them near the cash registers on an end cap with other premade cakes and donuts.

The best part about this DIY Easter dessert for kids is that you can add just about anything on top of your honey bun that your kids like. I bought a couple of things and then raided my pantry for the rest.

Topping Ideas:

Cookie Icing or Gel Icing

Spring M&Ms

Starburst Jellybeans

Bunny & Carrot Sprinkle Mix

Fruit Loops

Gummies

Creating A Honey Bun Easter Egg Treat

My five year old helped me make a couple of these treats after dinner the other night. I just opened up the iced honey bun for her and set out all of the toppings that we had chosen.

She had a great time applying the M&Ms, jellybeans, and icing into a perfect masterpiece. And she of course spent lots of time licking icing off her fingers and sampling her egg decorations.

After we finished decorating and of course taking some pictures, we wanted to test out that beautiful honey bun Easter egg treat that we had worked on. But the honey bun is a pretty large treat for the small tummies of my toddler and preschooler. I just cut about a third of it to serve to my 5 year old. We saved the other part of it in a ziplock bag to enjoy at another time.

These easy Easter treats would be a fun project for a class party or a Sunday school class that can do pretty inexpensively. If you wanted to make it even less expensive, you could buy the regular box of honey buns. These types of honey buns are a more appropriate size for young kids. Then top them yourself with store bought icing.

The icing would not be as smooth as the iced honey bun but I think it would work just fine. I hope you enjoy this easy way to interact with your kids on a simple Easter project.

Don’t forget to check out 39 Preschool Easter Basket Stuffers Under $5, Infant stuffers under $5, Personalized Easter Fillers for Kids and for teen girls.

One Rotisserie Chicken, Five THM Lunches

March 19, 2019 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Stretch your budget and minimize your time in the kitchen by taking one rotisserie chicken and stretching it into five Trim Healthy Mama lunches. Since you don’t have to cook your protein, these come together fast!

(Affiliate links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Trim Healthy Mama is great but there is too much cooking and dish washing!! Ever felt like that before? Spoiler alert: it’s not true but it can feel that way!

Eating on the THM plan can feel overwhelming but with a little strategy it can be easy and become second nature to you.

Find out how to stretch one rotisserie chicken into five THM lunches that are easy to prepare. These meals will leave you feeling satisfied and happy that most can be prepped and served in just a few minutes!

Turn One Rotisserie Chicken Into Five THM Lunches

Rotisserie chickens are one of the few convenience foods at the grocery store that are a pretty good value for the money. By dividing that one rotisserie chicken into five THM lunches, you can feed yourself for much less than you would spend at a drive through.

Carve The Rotisserie Chicken

Since some of these meals are E and some are S, we want to keep the white and dark meat separate so that we don’t end up with a XO.

Simply carve your rotisserie up with a sharp knife. I usually pull the skin off and carve the breasts first. Then, the chicken should be tender enough that you can gently pull at the thighs and legs and they should pull right off.

For the dark meat of the legs, thighs and wings, I just pull it off with my fingers since it doesn’t carve up as nicely as the breasts do.

Store the breasts in one container and the rest of the meat in another container.

Take those bones and skin and make some yummy chicken broth before you discard! By doing this you are stretching that rotisserie chicken cost even further. Of course, if you are a Drive Thru Sue, just throw those chicken bones in the garbage and move on with your life!

Five Trim Healthy Mama Lunch Ideas

Now that your chicken is ready to use, your lunches are going to come together even quicker. Some of these ideas you could meal prep ahead of time but they come together quickly enough that I usually just prep it at the time that I want to eat.

Buffalo Chicken Wrap

S Meal: Warm a portion of the dark meat. Toss with Buffalo Sauce. Place the buffalo chicken in the center of a low carb tortilla or wrap, add chopped romaine, shredded cheese, and ranch. Roll up and slice down the middle.

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

S Meal: Slice a portion of the dark meat and warm if desired. Pile the chicken, shredded cheese, about 1/3 a cup of Dreamfield’s Penned Pasta and a handful of grape tomatoes on top of a large bed of chopped romaine. Add an on plan Caesar dressing.

Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwich

E Meal: Shred about 3/4 of a chicken breast. Warm the chicken and toss with an on plan BBQ sauce. Serve on two pieces of toasted sprouted bread.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

E Meal: Chop about 3/4 of a chicken breast. Dice a stalk of celery and add it to the chicken. Chop a small handful of grapes. Add non-fat greek yogurt to taste and mix well. You can also add a small amount of mayo to make this taste a bit more like traditional chicken salad. Just make sure that you don’t go over the allowed fat for an E meal. Serve on Sprouted bread.

S Meal: To make this an S meal, sub some pecans or walnuts in place of the grapes and use mayo for the base in place of yogurt. Instead of serving it on sprouted bread, try it in a lettuce wrap or a scoop on top of a bed of salad greens.

Chicken Taco Soup

E Meal: I love this meal and make it for dinner fairly often for my family. It is so easy though, that it makes a nice lunch!

Combine a can of enchilada sauce, the remaining chicken breasts (chopped or shredded), a can of black beans, a can of red kidney beans, can of chicken broth (or use the broth you made!), can of mexicorn.

Just warm on the stove for a few minutes until desired temperature. You may want to add another can of broth or water if you like it a bit more soupy. You will have leftovers from this!

Want to remember how to turn your rotisserie chicken into five THM lunches? Then make sure to Pin it!

You can also find 6 THM lunches to take to work and the popular THM S Green Queso chicken on the blog! And if you need other ways to save money while on Trim Healthy Mama, be sure to save these 7 frugal and family friendly THM Dinner ideas.

Kroger Ad & Coupons For THM Week of 3/13 – 3/19

March 11, 2019 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Trim Healthy Mama can seem daunting and expensive but it doesn’t have to be that way! Here is the Kroger ad & coupons for THM products for the week of 3/13-3/19.

The easiest way to get the coupons is searching for the item listed or scrolling on the Kroger app. All coupons listed are digital coupons. If the item has a “5x event” next to it, that means you can buy up to 5 and use the coupon on each item. So if it is an item you use often, stock up!

The Fuel source is also listed under each item to make it easier for you to plan your meals or grasp the plan! I have lost 60 lbs on THM.

If you need help, I have lots of Trim Healthy Mama resources on this blog. You can find free meal plans, easy THM lunches, recipes like this salsa verde chicken over cauli rice and 7 Frugal THM Family Dinners.

(Affiliate links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Kroger Ad & Coupons For THM 3/13/19 – 3/19/19

Dairy

Kroger String Cheese 10 oz , $3.37

Save $0.40 on Kroger String Cheese (digital download, 5x event)
Reduced Fat – use in E or S meal; Regular varieties use in S meals only unless you have not other fat source in your E.

The Greek Gods Traditional Plain Greek Yogurt, 24 oz, 2 for $7

Save $0.75 on one 24 oz, (digital download)
Use in S meals (this is a full fat yogurt)

Kroger Shredded Cheese or Bars, 16 oz. , $3.49

Save $1.00 on shreds or bars, 16 oz (digital download, 5x event)
Use in S meals

Oikos Triple Zero Single Serve Yogurt, 5.3 fl. oz, 1o for $10

Save $2 on 10, (digital download, 5x event)
Full container in an E meal, a whole container in a S meal IF it is your protein source or 1/2 a container in a S meal as a yummy dessert.

Chobani Single Serve Cups, 4-5.3 oz, 10 for $10

Save $2 on 10 Single Serve cups, (digital download, 5x events)
Buy 5 and save additional $1 on Checkout51
Buy non-fat and use in E meals or S

Kroger Brand Butter, 16 oz, $3.29

Save $0.55 on one, (digital download) Best Customer Bonus
Use in S meals

Philadelphia Cream Cheese Brick, 8 oz, $1.99

Save $0.75 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in S meals

Kroger Natural Cheese Slices, 12 oz, $3.99

Save $1.00 on one 12 oz, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in S meals

Kroger Cottage Cheese or Sour Cream, 24 oz, $1.99

Save $0.50 on one 24 oz, (digital download, 5x event)
Use full fat in S meals; Use low fat cottage cheese in E meals

Silk Almond Milk, 64 oz, $2.99

Save $1.00 on one, (digital download)
FP (unsweetened)

All Whites Liquid Egg Whites, 32 oz, $4.99

Save $1.00 on one, (digital download)
Use in E meals

Simple Truth Organic Hard Boiled Eggs, 6 ct, $3.49

Save $0.80 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in S meals

Meat

Kroger Tub Lunchmeat 7-9 oz, 2 for $5

Save $0.50 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
Use lean meats in E, fattier meats in S. Avoid sugary add ons like Honey ham etc.

Kroger Pepperoni 5-6 oz, 2 for $5

Save $0.50 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in S meals (make Pepperoni chips!)

Private Selection Cracker Cuts, Gourmet Variety Pack, $4.99

Save $1.00 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in in S meals

Kroger Frozen Chicken Breasts or Tenders, $6.99

Save $1.00 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
FP – use in S or E meals

Private Selection Smoked Salmon, $6.49

Save $1.00 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in S meals (make Cucumber Salmon Roll ups or Jalapeno Salmon Poppers)

Simple Truth Hot Whole Roasted Chicken, $9.99

Save $1.00 on one, (digital download)
Use White Meat in E meal or White or Dark Meat in S Meal

Tennessee Pride Sausage Rolls, 2 for $6

Save $1.00 on two, (digital download)
Use in S meals

Simple Truth Ground Turkey, 1 lb, $3.99

Save $0.50 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in E meals

Kroger Ground Turkey, 1 lb, $3.29

Save $0.50 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in E meals

Simple Truth Bacon, 12-16 oz, $7.49

Save $1.00 on one, (digital download, 5x Event)
Use in S meals

Simple Truth Genoa Salami Panino, 1.5 oz, $1.99

Save $0.40 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in S meals

Snacks

Lindt Excellence 85% Dark Chocolate Bar, 3.5 oz, $2.99

Save $1 on 1, (digital download) Best Customer Bonus
Use in S meals

Endangered Species 88% Cacao Chocolate Bar, 3 oz, 2 for $4

Save $1.00 on two, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in S meals

Private Selection Snack Nuts, 8 oz, $6.99

Save $1.50 on one 8-9.5 oz, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in S meals (Avoid the flavored items and instead choose plain nuts only)

Skinny Pop, 4.4 oz, $2,99

Save $1.00 on one 4.4 oz, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in E meals

Mac’s Pork Rinds, $2.69

Save $0.50 on one, (digital download)
Use in S meals

Skinny Pop Cakes, 5 oz, $2.99

Save $1.00 on one any variety, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in E meals

EPIC Strips

Save $0.50 on any variety/size, (digital download)
Use in S Meals

ParmCrisps Tubs, 3 oz

Save $1.00 on one, (digital download)
Use in S meals

Beverages

Bai Bubbles, 11.6-33.8 fl oz)

Save $0.50 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
FP

Produce

Kroger Anjou Pears Pouch, 2 lb, $2.99

Save $0.50 when you buy two, 2 lbs, (digital download)
Use in E meals

Private Selection Snacking Tomatoes

Save $0.50 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in E meals or up to 1/2 a large tomato in a S meal

Kroger Brand Avocados, $2.99

Save $0.75 on one bag, (digital download)
Use in S meals

Kroger Veggie Party Platter, $8.99

Save $0.50 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
FP for the veggies

Canned Goods

Kroger Canned Tomatoes, any variety, 14.5-15 oz, 2 for $1

Save $0.50 on three, (digital download)
FP

Kroger Dill Pickles, 16-24 oz, $1.79

Save $0.50 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
FP

Private Selection Pasta Sauce, any size/variety, $2.99

Save $0.50 on one (digital download, 5x event)
FP ( Heirloom Vine Ripened has no added Sugar)

Kroger Chunk Light Tuna in Water, 5 oz, $0.79

Save $0.40 on three, (digital download, 5x event)
FP – make an E Tuna Salad or make it an S with mayo and whole eggs served in a wrap or over romaine.

Simple Truth Organic Creamy Peanut Butter, 16 oz, $3.99

Save $0.50 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in S meals (buy one with peanuts & sea salt only).

Truvia Stevia, $3.89

Save $1.50 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
FP

Frozen

Halo Top Ice Cream, $4.49

Save $1.00 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in S meals

Bread

Pepperidge Farm Soft Sprouted Whole Grain Bread, $3.49

Save $1.00 on one, (digital download, 5x event)
Use in E meals

Ole XTreme Wellness Wraps

Save $1.00 on one, (digital download)
FP – use in E or S

Follow my Trim Healthy Mama Board on Pinterest here for tons of delicious recipes!

And follow my THM Instagram to see daily images of what I eat and other great THM resources.