Under $5

Elf on the Shelf Gifts Under $5

December 7, 2018 by Stacy Craft 5 Comments

Our elf has been hanging around our house for the last 3 Christmas seasons. Lots of days she just moves to a new location and does not do much else. But on a few special days, she brings a little treat or gift to the kids. Here are several elf on the shelf gifts under $5 that our littlest member of the family has brought to our home in the past.

Just remember, the elf is fun just to find. My daughter (just turned 5) gets the biggest kick out of searching for her every morning. So don’t get tied up in thinking that the elf needs to bring a treat every day. Ours usually brings something a few times a season.

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Elf on the Shelf Gifts Under $5

When thinking about elf gifts, there are lots of options. I like small gifts because well the elf is small. Also, since it is so close to Christmas, we don’t want to overdo it. But a fun little surprise from the elf is a great way to increase the anticipation and magic of the upcoming holiday.

Here are some of my favorite small elf on the shelf gifts under $5 for your elf to bring.

Breakfast with the Elf

The elf moves at night. So breakfast is one of my favorite elf ont he shelf gifts under $5 to bring. I mean, your kids have to eat breakfast so a fun Christmas inspired breakfast delivered by their elf is oh so special.

Your kids will think your elf is the coolest for bringing these special breakfast treats! Throw in a banana or something to add a little nutrition! Of course this is just a treat – I don’t want the organic breakfast police on me!

Christmas Crunch Cereal – This is the breakfast treat that our elf brought this year.

Gingerbread Spice Oatmeal – I am not sure if my kids would eat this but it sounds good to me!

Hot Cocoa & Marshmallow Mini Donuts – I found mine at the grocery store. And can I just tell you, I broke my diet for one of these. And then I noticed the serving size was 4, so I went ahead and had a serving. I got these for the kids and the combo did not even sound that good to me but they are really yummy!

Sugar Cookie Poptarts – We had these at Halloween and they are so fun.

Clif Bar Peppermint Bark – What a fun flavor for a holiday granola bar.

Books from the Elf

The Littlest Elf – What is cuter than the elf bringing an elf book? We read this during our 24 Book Christmas Advent Countdown! It is a cute book about a tiny elf looking for his purpose.

Stained Glass Christmas Coloring Book – This is a small book with 8 pages that you color and then hang in a window for a stained glass effect. Cool concept and great price (especially if you need to get a couple to prevent fights).

A Christmas Celebration Sticker & Activ ity Book – This is by The Beginner’s bible which we own and love. We don’t have this activity book but it gets good reviews and looks like a fun way to remind kids of the reason for the season!

Disney Princess Christmas Eve Coloring Book – With 40 pages, this is a big coloring book of Princesses in Christmas settings. If your little one is Frozen obsessed or princess obsessed like mine, this might be a good choice.

Candy from the Elf

Candy Canes – We did a candy cane hunt this year during our A to Z Christmas countdown. My 4 year old searched around for candy canes hidden in our living room and had a blast. Your elf could hide the candy canes!

LOL Surprise Finders Keepers Eggs – My daughter would probably eat broccoli if it had an LOL Surprise doll on it. I made a huge list of LOL gifts because she loves it so much. The toy in these is very small but it is still a fun little treat and the chocolate egg gets eaten quickly!

Magic Seed & Candy Cane filled Candy – Our crazy little elf did this the other day. She brought two magic seeds (you could use M&M’s, cheerios, dried beans, raisins, tic tacs) and a bowl of powdered sugar. The note instructed that we plant the seeds and wait to see if they would grow. When we got home from school, the seeds had grown into two candy canes filled with candy! So fun and easy.

Hot Cocoa & Snowflake Shaped Marshmallows – We like to do hot cocoa and a Christmas movie a few times during the month of December. I would usually buy this anyway but it is a little more magical coming from the elf.

Other Cute Elf on the Shelf Gifts Under $5

Good to Grow Character Top Juices – My kids go bananas for these.

Frozen $1 Bill – Fill a 4 oz Glad container with water. Put a $1 bill in a snack size ziplock bag and seal it. Roll up the bag/dollar combo and stuff it in your water filled container. The elf will deliver a frozen $1 bill in the morning for the kid’s piggy bank. The elf should sit with an Elsa doll if you have one!

Christmas Grinch Bandaids – Kids love bandaids. Your elf could get into this box of cute bandaids & put a couple on herself. She leaves the rest for the kids. My kids always get bandaids in their stocking too and they are thrilled.

Christmas Grinch PJ Pants – You can find cute pajama pants for $5 at Target. Our elf has even brought Elf on the Shelf pjs for our kids before (but those fall out of the $5 range).

Holiday Goldfish – The elf goes fishing and leaves some special goldfish for snack! Use a toothpick, lollipop stick or even a skewer for the “fishing pole.”

Hopefully this list of elf on the shelf gifts under $5 gives you some new ideas to make the magic of the elf come alive on the cheap!

Check out my other gift guides while you are here to make your Christmas shopping even easier! We have LOL Surprise dolls and Frozen gift guides. Stuff your stockings for under $5 for your 1 year old and your 3-5 year old.

Stocking Stuffers for 1 Year Old

November 25, 2018 by Stacy Craft 7 Comments

12 stocking stuffers for 1 year old to include this Christmas season. All items are under $5 and fun for babies age 12 months to 24 months.

Finding stocking stuffers for 1 year old babies should be easy. They can only say a few words. He/she doesn’t care about the hot new toy this year. They are mostly interested in boxes and tearing up wrapping paper. Yet it seems easy and hard all at the same time.

This list gives 12 stocking stuffers for 1 year old toddlers that will be useful, entertaining and budget friendly. All of these toys and baby items are less than $5 and can be purchased online. So now you have your toddler stocking filled easily and without any junk.

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12 Stocking Stuffers for 1 year old Toddlers Under $5

Here is the list of stocking stuffers for 1 year old babies this Christmas season.

Munchkin Baby Bath Ball – Bath toys are a favorite of mine to buy as gifts because bath toys seem to have a shorter life span in our house (if you are not diligent about cleaning, which I am not). This is a great price point and my little boy would love this!

Winter Baby Touch & Feel Book – Touch and feel are our favorite books for little ones (& my 5 year old still touches too. If we are being honest, I do too!).

Goldfish Crackers – My one year old’s stomach is probably 50% full of Goldfish crackers at all times. He would be delighted to see “fish” in his stocking! You can find these at the grocery store for a couple of dollars or buy in bulk on Amazon.

Munchkin 360 Cup – this is the best sippy cup ever. I switched my daughter to this when she was a little older but my 13 month old is already using these. I like them because they can’t bite through the spout like other sippy cups & these are better for their developing teeth. This is a 2 pack that makes each one just over $5 each. I love practical stocking stuffers.

Kids Divided Plates – Ok, so maybe your 1 year old may not be thrilled over a plate, sometime soon they will like it. I like buying things that will be useful in the coming year, especially since they don’t care about this year’s hot toy.

Kiddy Forks – We have a ton of tiny baby spoons but pretty soon our baby will be looking to use a fork like his big sis! Stock up now for the coming year.

Hair Bows – Bows are stocking stuffers for 1 year old or 5 year old! Bows have been in her stocking every year for 5 years! They are inexpensive and cute!

Toddler Snack Bars – a fun snack is a great treat to add to a stocking for a 1 year old without having to add candy. Although I will likely put in a pack of M&M’s because my little one loves them!

Duplo My First Bus – How cute is this first Lego set? Perfect for little hands.

Munchkin Bath Letters – These are a great way to discuss letters, numbers and even colors with your child.

Cookie Jar Mega Bloks – This is the cutest thing ever! It is on sale right now for just over $5.

Character 10″ Ball – Toddlers love chasing balls around! This one would fit perfectly at the top of the stocking.

Hopefully this list of stocking stuffers for 1 year old toddler helps you get your shopping done. If you have a 3-5 year old little girl, be sure to check out this list of stocking stuffers for her under $5.

What do you plan to use for stocking stuffers for 1 year old toddler?

No Junk Stocking Stuffers for 3-5 Year Old Girls

November 5, 2018 by Stacy Craft 12 Comments

30+ No junk stocking stuffers for 3-5 year old girls under $5 that you can buy online! Make shopping easy and affordable this holiday season.

Back in October, I wrote a post about no junk Halloween favors to hand out at trunk to treats or class parties. It was pretty popular, mostly because I think parents are tired of finding tiny little trinket toys all over their house. You know, those things that get played with for 1 minute and then thrown on the ground as the kids move on to the next thing.

That got me thinking about Christmas and stockings. Stockings can easily become a breeding ground for junk if they become a last minute after thought. I wanted a big list of stocking stuffers for 3-5 year old girls that was under $5. Yes, I wanted inexpensive but not junk.

My last parameter was that I didn’t want a stocking full of candy. There will be candy in my soon to be 5 year old’s stocking (thanks Santa) but this list doesn’t include any food/candy. Only toys, accessories, crafts and essentials are included in this stocking stuffer list.

(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.)

Meal Time

I have one kiddo that dislikes meal time and fun dinnerware can sometimes help that situation and encourage eating. These cute items are perfect stocking stuffers for 3-5 year old girls.

Zak! Frozen Divided Plate – This brand of kid plates is the very best in my opinion. I previously bought other brands and this is the only one that has stuck around for 4 + years. The colors stay vibrant and they don’t warp in the dishwasher.

Zak! Frozen Water Bottle – We can always use a new water bottle for lunch boxes or to take in the car. If you have a Frozen lover, check out this Ultimate Frozen Gift Guide.

Moana Silverware Set – Kid size silverware makes it easier for little ones to eat without messes. Their favorite princess on the front just makes it more fun.

Bath Time & Hygiene

The daily routine will be much more fun with some special bath products.

Frozen Kid Bubble Bath – Princess bubble bath is fun and tear free.

Sudprize Bath Bombs – My kids love bath bombs! This one turns the water a bright color without staining your white tub.

Crayola Sugar Cookie Slime Soap – OMG! Slime meets soap in this cool little product. How cool! Icky slime with holiday scents to get you clean? My kids will go crazy for this! Also available in Jolly Jellybean & Artic Mint.

Munchkin Bath Crayons – If my kids can make a mess, they are happy. These are nothing that a little wipe down after a bath can’t clean up and the kids enjoy them.

Munchkin Bath Letters – I actually got these for my 1 year old but my 4 (almost 5) year old has been playing with them like crazy lately. She loves for me to give her words to spell since she now recognizes letters.

Oral-B Princess Battery Toothbrush – I use a Sonicare and I know my daughter will love brushing her teeth like Mom.

Frozen Toothpaste – Essentials with characters are so much more fun. True story, I would not buy my daughter a toy at Target this weekend. She was sad until I told her she could pick out some toothpaste. My kids are easy to please!

Unicorn Lip Balm – Lip balm is great because little girls feel like it is makeup but with no color, there is less of a mess chance.This one is in a cute unicorn shape.

Character Band Aids – My kids go bananas for bandaids. These are even better than stickers. My daughter will have 10 bandaids on by Christmas dinner, I promise.

Accessories

Wearable accessories make fun additions to the girly girl’s stocking. My daughter loves dressing up and a few accessories will surely put a smile on her face.

Cat & Jack Hairbows – I love the Cat & Jack brand at Target. It is nice quality at a good price. These cute little bows would fit perfectly in a stocking.

Kid Sunglasses – Sunglasses are always a fun little treat. Sunglasses remind me of the beach even if it is cold & dreary outside.

Magic Gloves – A pair of warm gloves to go with those cool shades!

Crafts

I like arts and crafts because they are typically inexpensive and unlike some other “cheap” toys, they provide an activity for kids and get used.

Sidewalk Chalk – This might seem like something better suited for an Easter basket, but my kids love playing outside even if it is cold.

Barbie Color & Style Purse – this would be a fun little coloring craft that is under $5 to include in a girl’s stocking.

Crayola Coloring Book – coloring books are a great way to occupy the kids and provide a minute or two of quiet time.

Play Doh Multi Pack – Play Doh is always good for entertaining kids.

Nail Polish – Polishing the nails is basically an art form. I like that this polish is non-toxic.

Crayola Twistables Crayons – These are the BEST crayons. They are encased in plastic to prevent breakage.

Model Magic – Modeling clay is a great way to encourage imaginative play and building.

Silly Scents Colored Pencils – Scented coloring elevates the expereince. My daughter got some of these over the summer and has really enjoyed them.

Trolls Giant Coloring Pages – Huge fun for a small price tag.

Toys

Here are several toy options for stocking stuffers for 3-5 Year Old Girls under $5.

Bottle, Rattle & Pacifier Set – If your little one loves baby dolls, this is a cute set for her baby.

66 Pcs. Lego Set – My daughter has legos on her Christmas list. I love that you can get this educational toy for less than $5.

LOL Surprise Dress Up Dolls Activity Kit – My daughter loves anything LOL doll related! If you need more than 20 other LOL Gift ideas that are not the dolls, check out this post!

Crayola Slime – Slime gets a bad parental rap in my opinion! (don’t hate me!) I have strict rules about it but we love it at our house. My daughter’s favorite is to slime her toy figurines and LOL Dolls.

Frozen Lip Gloss & Mirror Set – We have this and my daughter loves to apply the lipstick. The mirror is plastic so there it won’t break if dropped.

Books

Of course books are always a welcome purchase at my house. Reading to your kids is super important and there are quite a few choices that you can find under $5.

Fancy Nancy Book – We are into Fancy Nancy right now but there are lots of book options under $5.

Wipe Clean Workbook – Doing Pre-K school work is more fun with a dry erase marker!

I hope this list of stocking stuffers for 3-5 Year Old girls helps Santa fill those preschool stockings this year. Merry Christmas!

$5 Chicken Sausage and Grilled Vegetables Meal

July 23, 2018 by Stacy Craft 5 Comments

It is a miserable and very humid 92 degrees here today. I spent a large portion of my morning pinning images of pumpkins, bonfires and autumn colored leaves. Just dreaming of Fall. Since my family still wants to eat (even when you could fry your meal on the back porch), I have to come up with simple ideas to beat the heat. This simple $5 chicken sausage and grilled vegetables meal comes together quickly. My favorite part is that it is healthy, packed with colorful vegetables and it is cheap.

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Actually, that is not my favorite part. I like that it is inexpensive. It is nice that it has vegetables full of vitamins. Love quick meals. But my absolute favorite part about this grill meal is that my kids not only eat it, they love it! The cheesy stuffed chicken sausage kind of resembles a yummy hotdog. The vegetables taste like the State Fair on a plate. It is probably my favorite healthy meal that I make (and it doesn’t hurt that it is also probably the easiest and super cheap)!

$5 Chicken Sausage and Grilled Vegetables Meal

Making yourself a list of 5 or 10 easy, cheap family favorite meals really helps to make your weekly meal planning much easier. I usually rotate 1 of our top meals into my weekly meal plan. It also helps to have these super simple meals in the back of your mind. So if you have the choice of running out and grabbing fast food or hitting the grocery store to grab a couple of things, that you can make the right choice for your budget!

If you have been hanging around here, you know that I follow the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle to lose baby weight and stay in shape. Depending on the amount of oil and the type of chicken sausage that you use, you might be able to squeeze this in as a Fuel Pull (FP) meal. If you can’t get under the fat threshold then it would be an S meals. Meals with sausage are usually an S but sometimes i can find a spinach stuffed chicken sausage that keeps the fat very low. This is also a low carb option if you follow some other type of low carb diet.

If you want some more of my THM recipes, try my super popular Cheesy Salsa Verde Chicken with Cauli Rice, Parm Crusted Pork Chops and Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Roll Ups.

Under $5 Supper

Here is what you need for this $5 Chicken Sausage and Grilled Vegetables Meal:

Chicken Sausage (I love the Aldi brand) – $2.99

Bell Peppers (I prefer red or yellow but if you can’t get them on sale, green work fine) – $0.99

Zucchini – $0.30

Olive Oil

Cajun Seasoning (I use this one)

Total: $4.28

This feeds our family of four. I usually give my kids a baked sweet potato to ensure they are getting some healthy carbs and my husband will sometimes add some french bread with his meal.

You could also add onions or asparagus to this if you wanted more yummy grilled vegetables in the mix.

Prep

I am not even really sure you can call this a recipe. More like food assembly. Just chop your chicken sausage and vegetables into bite size pieces and place them in a medium bowl.

Add some olive oil. I just drizzle it on but 1/2 of a tablespoon to a tablespoon should be fine. Add in some cajun seasoning. I just sprinkle some on but for this amount of food, I use about a teaspoon. If you don’t have cajun seasoning, just throw on whatever you have. The beauty of this is that it is so versatile.

Dump your chicken sausage and veggies into a grilling basket or skewer it as kabobs. I like the grill basket because it is quicker to throw it all in the basket and grill.

Cook on low for about 15 minutes or medium for 6-10. You just want to warm your sausage and get your vegetables softened up some. I like my veggies to still have a little “bite” to them so don’t grill until they are mush.

If you need a cheap and easy meal for your dinner rotation, try this $5 Chicken Sausage and Grilled Vegetables Meal. I hope it will be a family favorite at your house like it is at mine.

Infant Easter Basket Fillers Under $5

March 12, 2018 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Filling an Easter basket for an infant can be challenging. They don’t need or want anything but you want them to have something. This time around our baby will be right around 5 months but his big sister will be expecting the Bunny to leave her brother a basket filled just like hers.

For baby baskets I try to focus on practicality and things that the baby might need in a few months. The list here shares lots of ideas for items that baby needs for less than $5 and the best thing is that they can all be purchased on your Amazon Prime account! We all know that it can be impossible to get out of the house with a baby and no sleep so the Easter Bunny can deliver it straight to your door!

If you don’t have a Prime account yet, you can try it free for 30 days here! Prime was a lifesaver for me me a little over less than 5 years ago when I was pregnant with my first baby. It was getting harder and harder to lug paper towels, groceries and my BIG belly around. I still have Prime deliver lots of our essentials and it really helps with another new baby in the house to not have to drag everyone out to the store!

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.

Baby/Infant Easter Basket Stuffers Under $5

Nuby 4 Pack Hot Safe Baby Spoons
Nuby Teething Blanket Toy
Happy Baby Greek Yogis Snack
Cute Animal Baby Socks
Baby Buddy First Toothbrush
Baby Einstein Soft Book
Tomme Tippee Pacifiers
Link Ring Toys
Baby Sippy Cup
Sprout Curlz Snacks – Sweet Potato & Cinnamon, Yum
Animal Plates – these are slightly more than $5 but they come in a 3 pack so individually you pay less than $5 and they are so Adorable to add to a basket.
Waterproof Bibs
Baby Bows Headbands
Sleepy Baby Wash
Baby Octopus Washcloths

More Baby Basket Stuffers from Target

The following list is more baby stuff that would be great in a first Easter basket. This list has links to shop at Target. I signed up for a Target debit card years ago and love that it just comes right out of my bank account plus you get free shipping and your 5% Red card discount! Win. Win.

Dr. Seuss Board Book
Coffee Cup Teether
Baby Food Pouches
Baby Hangers – Not a traditional Easter basket item but we always need these and the baby won’t mind!
My First Easter Socks for Boys or Girls
Pacifier Clip
Reusable Snack Cup
Touch & Feel Easter Board Book
Disney Baby Nail Care kit
Baby Joggers with Bunny Feet
Bunny Onesie

These little Personalized basket liners are too adorable not to list too! The best part is that they stick with the under $5 theme! This is a great way to still have a personalized basket and save money.

Don’t forget to check out this post on Preschool Easter Basket fillers under $5! What are you putting in your infant’s basket?