Healthy, Allergy Friendly Groceries on a Budget

I've talked about this a few times, but never in much detail. With a soy allergy, eating on campus is an absolute NIGHTMARE. Most of the food that's safe for me to eat is not calorie dense, meaning I basically starved the entirety of freshman year before I really got the hang of the art of dorm room cooking. I spend $200-300 a semester on food outside of my meal plan, with the bulk of the cost coming from almond milk being bought basically weekly.

My secrets: Aldi, Neighborhood Walmart, Publix deals, and ibotta.

Aldi
God's gift to broke college students. Seriously. I got my succulent (his name is George), as well as all of my bread and most of my almond milk from here. I don't go here for the bulk of my shopping, but I also do not overlook it, especially when I know what's safe for me to eat and what's cheaper here. Its proximity to campus is also fantastic.

Neighborhood Walmart
If you think People of Walmart is rough, y'all ain't ever been to a Neighborhood Walmart. As trashy as it can be, it's SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper and involves less traffic on the drive, even though distance wise, the regular Walmart isn't much farther away. I get my gas, my canned goods, my fruits and veggies, pretty much everything, unless my fiancé's mama decides to buy me the fancy Target stuff (which does happen on occasion). I've gotten some really good deals on produce here for surprisingly better quality that what I've found at regular Walmart. The canned goods can be hit or miss. If they look funky, off I go to regular Walmart. I will do a lot of things, but using busted canned or boxed goods is not one of them.

Publix Deals
Apparently an unused fact among the Southern population: Publix deals will be honored even if you don't buy the quantity, unless otherwise stated. So if it's a buy one, get one free, you get one item half off. It's how I've been able to get good looking mangos for $1 even though technically it's buy 5 for $5. I also only buy my meat from here because I genuinely only trust Publix. It's low key a problem at this point.

Ibotta
If you don't know about ibotta, I want to know how little time you spend on the internet. My mom and I have both been using it since I've been in high school. It's a rebate program, where if you've added deals to your account, the money gets credited to your account. The stuff I tend to buy usually isn't on ibotta, but the 10-50 cents off any item, as well as the any brand cashback are LIFESAVERS. I've gotten $1 back on any brand of vitamins, pads, cereal, and almond milk before. Just make sure you're buying it from the right store who currently has that deal!

You can use my code neqxjej to get started earning and to start with a bonus.


I meal prep as well. I typically cook a meal a week and save the leftovers, which gives me between 3 and 5 dinners, not including the rice and pasta I eat, as well as frozen meals (I try to save these for lunch), and the ever popular breakfast for dinner. If you want my meal prep ideas, everything on my food board is either soy free or can easily be made that way. The college section you'll find here. It's primarily slow cooker meals, but others use a griddle, microwave, blender, or just simply a fridge.

For those of you going into college or are in college and have food allergies, don't worry, it IS possible to eat healthy, even if you feel like it's impossible on a shoestring budget.

30 Day Holiday Declutter Challenge

With the holidays coming up, that means it's time for finals and time for new things to be taking up space in a tiny dorm room. To try and minimize these effects, especially before I have to really buckle down and plan this wedding, I'm doing a mini 30 day challenge, starting today.

Rather than starting with a full blown "this amount has to be accomplished" plan, I'll instead be going through everything and deciding if it's worth paying for housing it in a storage unit over the summer or if I should just get rid of it. It's also giving me a chance to see what all doesn't need to be added to our registry either- because trust me, the initial list is long, even with both of us removing items. (To be fair, dish sets and pretty much any other kind of dinnerware are designed for the typical American family of 2 kids, but we also aren't going to assume we'll be that size family either. We do know that anytime we invite people over, we'll need at least 5 of each dining item, so no matter what, it's two sets of dishes and 2 sets of glasses.)

My system for this 30 day declutter spree is based off location:

1) dorm room- this is a big one, but will probably be one of the easiest. All of my stuff here is mostly organized and necessary to start. I have to go through my papers and my food, but other than that, there shouldn't be much to do.

2) mom's house- this one will take longer than the dorm, but like my dorm, I already have most of that purged and organized from my move last summer. I mostly just need to go through the items that got brought from the family storage unit because I am missing some things.

3) dad's house- this will be the hardest, I'm sure. Since I don't see my dad frequently (really, I see him maybe 3 or 4 times a year), the stuff I have there has piled up exponentially, even though I did a thorough purge the summer after graduation. This is where I want to focus my efforts, since I'm fairly certain I can use the furniture and decor from this room in my future house. I'm expecting to see the most bags leaving from this room.


There is a two-fold benefit to this: not only do I get to free up space, potentially making money, as well as mentally shift my preparations towards Christmas and the Sacrament of marriage, but I also get to help others by donating or selling items. Maybe others can get their Christmas presents from the items I have that are either new with tags or gently used. Maybe someone just genuinely needs what I have. Either way, this will be a good way to lose some of the focus I have on unnecessary material items.

My challenge to you, dear readers, is to do the same thing. How much will you be getting rid of to prepare for the holidays? It can even be digital clutter. I know that's where I tend to start. Let me know in the comments and on the updates!

Announcement

It's been a minute since the last time I've published a blog post. I'd like to apologize for the delay, while also sharing some very exciting news! I'm currently in the process of planning my wedding, so blogging has been and definitely will continue to be something I do as I can find the time.

I'm in the process of writing several posts, so hopefully there will be one auto published at least once a week for the next few months. Of course, there will also be "organic" posts, ones that aren't as queued, but still contain the same amount of effort.

First up on my list of posts is allergy friendly eating on a dorm room budget. After that, I think I'm going to stick with food recipes, especially with the holidays coming up, as well as a gift guide or two. Once the holiday season has wrapped, posts will either shift towards school or wedding planning.

It's a very exciting time, to say the least, but blogging around this adventure will be something that might take a hit. Hopefully, I'll be back again soon, this time with consistency.

10 Things I Didn't Need in College

It's a rite of passage. Freshman year, if you didn't bring too much stuff, are you really a freshman? Some things were suggestions from my mom, some were from online, and some were things that I'm very thankful I absolutely did not pack. Beware: some of these are considered controversial here in the college world.


   1. A shower caddy

I know everyone and your mom will tell you that you'll need a shower caddy, but as someone who lived in a suite and doesn't have to wash their hair every day, a shower caddy would be too much for only needing body wash most days. It also took up a lot of space that first month in my dorm floor and I was honestly grateful to be going home over labor day just so I could get that $10 plastic bin out of my life. It literally never got used.

   2. A TV/Netflix/Hulu/HBO/whatever else you can think of

I can count on one hand the exact number of times I used Netflix and Hulu combined my entire freshman year, and it probably adds up to a grand total of 24 hours due to Marvel movies. The only time I watched TV (like with an actual screen) was during kickbacks and we'd all be watching Harry Potter or something via PlayStation. Well, and the one time we watched CSPAN. I had free movies every Friday and Sunday, and I had friends who commuted and would bring their gaming systems into the student center every Friday morning.

It was never that I was always busy- it was just that my idea of entertainment does not involve movies or TV, especially paying for them.

    3. Flash drives

This one definitely depends on your major and where you go to school. UAH uses Google drive, so there's honestly no reason to use a flash drive. One of my lab partners used it once to take a graph from our physics lab to put it in our lab report before we found an easier way to do it. An external hard drive on the other hand, I really can't recommend enough.

   4. Graph paper/looseleaf paper

Any time I needed paper, I just took a sheet out of a notebook. Graph paper never really came up until I took calc B, and even then, it wasn't really every useful. I do keep graph paper around simply because of my major however, worst case scenario, you can buy some later.

   5. Graphing calculator

This may just be my school, but we're not allowed calculators in math classes and we can only use scientific calculators, even in calculus based physics. That was a tough adjustment- I've used a TI-84 since 8th grade, so my mom had to find my brother's spare TI-30 and mail it to me first week of classes. Yeah, not a fun time. I do keep a TI-84 around for checking math homework or physics labs, but as a freshman, you won't need one. Worst case scenario, someone will have done what I did and have one you can borrow.

   6. Extra binders

I use some binders for my looseleaf textbooks. I use one for the parts of the book we use in that class in the series while the rest of the book goes into another binder for the next class. It keeps the binder from being so heavy and pages from being lost. Unfortunately, I brought more than 5 binders when I only have 4 textbooks (including my sophomore year books), and only 2 are looseleaf editions. They took up a lot of space on my bookshelf that I could have used for things I used more frequently. I'll explain my textbook organization more in a future post.

   7. Nail polish and remover

I barely used this stuff, but one of my friends used it all the time. I'm personally only bringing one color this year, especially since I might start getting dip done before spring semester and again before spring break. It took up precious counter space, but at least now I know I actually have room for all the makeup I love and use.

   8.  Second set of sheets

I straight up forgot I had a second set of sheets. It's not a complete waste since I'm the oldest and my brothers can use my extra set, but the package still sits unopened on my shelf in my room. I already don't use a flat sheet, so I basically already have a built in second sheet. Even if you do sleep with your flat sheet, I promise, no matter how trash your dryers are, the sheets will dry quick. It's the comforter/quilts you have to worry about.

   9. Dryer sheets

This was one of those things that it feels like everyone uses, but it's actually worse for the dryer and your clothes. I stopped using mine maybe halfway through the first semester and just brought them home. My family used them up for me.

   10. Leggings

This is definitely just a me thing, but I wore my leggings exactly ONCE all of freshman year, and it was just because I was dying part of my hair in the sink and didn't want to ruin any of my nice pajama pants. I lived in running shorts or dresses and only really wore jeans for chem labs or when it was painfully cold in the winter. I actually sold my leggings not long after that day, so needless to say, I'm not bringing them this year.

There you go! These are the 10 things I really, truly did not need my freshman year of college. Hopefully this helps you out if you're trying to decide what to bring.

 

 

 

 

My Updated College Packing List

I'm going into my sophomore year now, and freshman year, I either brought stuff I didn't need, or didn't bring the right things. This is what I learned works the best for me to bring:

**Since then, I've also discovered that I have a soy allergy, so I'm even more reliant on my own cooking than I already was. Without allergy worries, you can honestly ignore a good portion of my food and kitchen lists, as they're heavily tailored to someone who cooks/meal preps and is overly cautious about labels.**


Clothing:

• Dresses (x5)
• Sweaters (x2)
• Tshirts (x14)
• Shorts (x10)
• Pjs (x14)
• Hoodies (x2)
• Underwear (all of it)
• Socks (x20 pairs)
• Bras/sports bras (all)
• Rain coat
• Jeans (x5)
• Professional outfit
• Fleece jacket
• Sports jersey (x3)
• Rain boots
• Chaco's
• Booties
• Tennis shoes
• Hats (x3)
• Slippers
• Jewelry

Kitchen:

• Griddle
• Blender
• Brita (with extra filter)
• Cutting board
• Set of 3 knives
• Forks
• Spoons
• Protein shake cup
• Thermos
• Water bottle
• Cooking spoons
• Crockpot
• Plate
• Bowl
• Pyrex containers
• Silverware holder 
• Mugs (x2)

Food:

• Cereal
• Protein powder
• Probiotics
• Fiber boost
• Tea
• Honey
• Sugar
• Brown sugar
• Spices
• Vitamin powder
• Fruit bars
• Brownies
• Granola bars
• Barbeque sauce
• Cream of chicken soup
• Cream of mushroom soup
• Almond milk
• Greek yogurt
• Fruit
• Rice
• Pasta
• Tomato paste
• Canned diced tomatoes
• Frozen meals
• Marshmallows
• Frozen fruit/veggies (buy there)
• Fresh veggies (buy there)
• Meat (buy there)

Bathroom:

• Hair dryer
• Flatiron
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Mouthwash
• Shampoo (x2)
• Conditioner
• Body wash
• Face wash
• Moisturizer
• Face mask
• Contacts
• Eyedrops
• Contact solution
• Mousse
• Makeup
• Makeup remover
• Essential oils (for both aromatherapy and topical use)
• Vanity organizers (x2)
• Trashcan
• Hand towel
• Towels (x3)
• Washcloths (x7)
• Bathmat
• Hand soap 

Bedding:

• Mattress topper
• Mattress protector
• Pillow with protector (x3)
• Fitted sheet
• Comforter
• Body pillow
• Backrest
• Blanket (x2)
• Stuffed animals (x5)

Décor:

• Fan
• Curtains
• TN flag
• Canvas print
• Photos
• Photo string
• Eiffel tower
• Porcelain dog
• Photo frame

Organization/Cleaning:

• Drying rack
• Laundry basket
• Laundry detergent 
• Steamer
• Lint roller
• 4 cube storage organizer
• 2 canvas bins
• Medium bins
• XL bins
• Command hooks
• Command strips
• Storage drawers (x2)
• Clorox wipes
• Shower cleaner
• Windex
• Dish soap
• Dish brush
• Paper towels
• Toilet paper 
• Step stool
• Ziplocs

School/Desk:

• Trashcan
• Whiteboard
• Textbooks
• Binders (x3 for LL books)
• Notebooks (3 or 5 subject, depending on if a series class)
• Pencil pouch
• Pens
• Pencils
• Lead
• Scissors
• Hole punch
• Stapler
• Tape dispenser
• Planner
• Highlighters
• Post it notes
• Index cards
• Calculator
• Clicker
• Printer
• Lab coat
• Lab goggles
• Laptop
• Chargers
• Surge protectors (x2)
• Craft supplies 
• Ruler
• Backpack
• Headphones 

Emergency:

• Batteries (AA and AAA)
• Flashlight
• Meds
• Tissues 
• Safety pins

Religious:

• Prayer candle (can't light it)
• Crucifix
• Bible
• Missal
• Veil with chapel bag (x2) 
• Rosary

Miscellaneous:

• Swim equipment bag
• Swim bag
• Goggles (x3)
• Caps (x3)
• Suits (x3)
• Beach towel (x2)
• Costume box
• Poshmark box
• Cards against humanity

Reflections on Mass

Here's a post I started writing back in February, but I'm glad I didn't finish it. I actually have more to add, especially about the Easter Vigil last weekend.

From February:

Last week, I went to my first traditional Latin Mass, and honestly, I can see why people love it. Although it's definitely a bit more difficult to follow along since it's mostly silent, it was a lot easier to focus on Jesus. I've also found that veiling really does help to keep me more focused on what's going on. My mind can't wander to what's going on around me for two reasons:

1. I can't really see what's beside me.
2. I have a physical reminder that I'm in the presence of God
I'm not here to say of veiling is right or wrong, but I am definitely saying that it helps me to focus. If anyone has advice for how to keep a veil on, I would appreciate it! Mine slipped so badly that my boyfriend had to help me put it back on 😂.

I did not go to Mass this week- I was exposed to the flu earlier and I was showing several signs of it last night. I slept off most of it, but I'm still not feeling well enough to be willing to expose really young or really old people to something that is making me, a fairly healthy person, absolutely miserable.
Ultimately, I've learned that I definitely prefer the more traditional way of doing Mass, even though I do not find TLM to be the one true way of Catholicism.

Updates from last weekend:

Earlier this semester, I attended a retreat where I had the chance to have first Confession and receive the Eucharist for the first time, but I decided instead to wait until I was back at my parish, partially because I was told "some priests will allow you to receive before the vigil, some won't" and partially because I wanted to be able to spend time for my first Confession. It still only took 20 minutes, but I had no idea what to expect, so I'm thankful I waited until I was back home.

At Palm Sunday Mass, I was able to receive my first Communion in the Catholic Church. I teared up, my deacon was tearing up, it was a good time. In all honesty, being able to receive Jesus, completely and fully, in the Eucharist for the first time was an experience like no other. 

Easter Vigil, however, was something completely new. I cried a little bit after being Confirmed, and definitely was trying not to cry when I hugged my priest at the reception after the Mass had ended. 

I'm so thankful for everything I've experienced this semester as I finished preparing to enter the Church.