Saving Money on your Family Meals PLUS Enter to Win a Grocery Store Gift-Card!

We've learned why family meals are important, steps to meal planning, and tricks to get meals on the table quicker. Let's now learn ways to save on those family meals!

Have you noticed your grocery bill rising lately? Grocery store prices have jumped by 3% in the last year, with even higher spike for staples such as dairy and beef. As a result, even if your purchasing habits haven't changed, your grocery bill is likely going up. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American family spent $4,000 per year on groceries in 2013, or about $330 each month.

There are lots of ways to keep your grocery bill on the lower end. The first is meal planning and shopping your own food supplies which we discussed HERE. Other great ways to keep your grocery bill in check include:

Printable Coupons: It's not necessary to subscribe to a newspaper to access high value coupons. There are several coupons available to print or link to a grocery loyalty card.

• coupons.com
• smartsource.com
• redplum.com
• Smiths Food and Drug
• CVS
• Target Cartwheel

Want to increase the coupon savings? Sign up for a SwagBucks account and earn 10 points for every coupon you print and redeem. Savings on top of savings!

Stockpile Great Deals: If you stock up a little each week on the BEST deals, you will eventually have everything you need in your own "grocery store." Stock piling is not only an economical way to live, but gives you peace of mind and the satisfaction of knowing you are preparing your family for whatever hardships may come your way.

• DealsToMeals.com - Utah Based. Each week's grocery store deals are uploaded and then rated from "Buy Only if Needed" to "Great Deal!" You can create custom lists and then price match at Walmart to save time and money. 2 week FREE trial + $4.95 monthly subscription cost.

CashBack Rebates: The savings don't stop once you've checked out! There are several cash back programs you can access online or through your smart phone. Typically you'll have to hit a certain dollar amount before you can cash out but you're getting cash back for items you're already purchasing!

• Snap by Groupon - Browse through the different offers available and buy items from the Offer List at ANY store - not that some of the offers can be redeemed as many times as you'd like! Each offer's redemption limit is clearly noted on its details page. Then, just upload a photo of your entire receipt using the app or website within 2 days of purchase. When you account reaches $20, you can request payment under the 'My Account' page and select 'Cash out.'
• ibotta - You can unlock offers by completing various tasks, such as learning a fact or watching a short video. Then, search for offers in-store by scanning the barcode of items that are in your shopping cart. After making a purchase, you can submit a rebate by tapping on "redeem" for eligible items purchased. Then scan the product bar code and submit a picture of your receipt.
• Checkout 51 - Browse through the different offers available and buy items from the Offer List at ANY store. Upload a photo of your entire receipt using the app or website (it is recommended that you upload your receipt immediately after purchase since there are only limited quantities of offers available). When your account reaches $20, you can cash out and they'll mail you a check. Note that offers go live on Thursdays at 12AM in each time zone and they expire the following Wednesday at 11:59PM in each time zone. You must submit the receipts while the offers are live.
• SavingStar - View offers on your mobile app on online - there are often 100% cash back "surprise" freebies during the month. Then, use your registered card at checkout as your normally do. For receipt-scan stores, take a picture of your receipt and submit through the SavingStar app or website. Note that discounts are not received at checkout but will be posted in your account within 2-22 days depending on the store. In addition to cashing out your earnings using your bank account or PayPal, you can use your earnings to score Starbucks eGift Cards, AMC Theatres eGift Cards and iTunes Gift Codes.

How Do You Save Money on Family Meals?

Let us know in the comments and Be Entered to Win a Groceries Gift Card!

Must be a Weber County Employee to Win

Include your name and department in your comment

Healthy Fast Food PLUS Enter to Win a Groceries Gift-Card!

Congrats to Monica Dolan in the Assessor's Office!

She is the winner of the groceries gift card!

Is there such a thing as Healthy Fast Food? Yes and No! You can have a week of healthy meals put together quickly if you're willing to put in 1-2 hours of preparation time to make it happen! It just takes some planning in deciding what to cook and then committing to a few hours to make the food.

BREAKFAST. Prepare 2 or 3 big batch breakfast items. Oatmeal, boiled eggs, pancakes, waffles, breakfast sandwiches, quiche, muffins, fresh fruit and veggies. Oatmeal can be pre-cooked and in the fridge for busy mornings. It takes hardly any time to heat a bowl of oatmeal in the microwave. You can also throw some in storage containers or freezer bags and stick some in the freezer for later. Pancakes, waffles, muffins, and breakfast sandwiches can be made ahead of time and frozen individually. To thaw, microwave for 30 seconds (microwave times will vary, add increments of 20 seconds until heated through). 

MAKE A SALAD. Make a big salad and use whatever vegetables you have on hand so there is less food waste. Don't add tomatoes until just before serving because tomatoes can go soft very fast. A salad already prepared in the fridge can be eaten with meals as a side or can be packaged for lunches to take to school or work.

MAKE A SANDWICH. Start with one loaf of french bread, cut lengthwise creating a giant sub sandwich. Using your preferred lunch meat and sliced cheese, top the french bread. Don't add any condiments until you're ready to eat as it will make the bread soggy. Cut the loaf into individual sections. Smash the subs down slightly and tightly wrap in saran wrap removing as much air as possible. This will help the flavors fuse together and keep them fresh for days. Store in the fridge.

MAKE SIDE DISHES AHEAD OF TIME. Cook a large batch of rice to last the whole week. Boil noodles, once done, toss with olive oil and store in the fridge. You can then use different sauces on the noodles. Prep Produce. Pre-cut fruit for easy eating or to throw into a smoothie. Pre-cut vegetables can be added to rice, noodles, omelets, salad, etc. Cook several potatoes for easy baked potatoes throughout the week.

SNACKS. Have individual portions of yogurt, applesauce, and baggies with fruit and veggies ready to go. Stock to-go cheese like Babybels and string cheese. Create your own 100 calorie snacks by repackaging crackers, nuts, dried fruit into snack size Ziploc bags.

How about you?

Do you have certain foods cooked and ready in the fridge to help in making meals fast & easy?

Let us know in the comments and Be Entered to Win a Groceries Gift Card! (giveaway has ended)
Must be a Weber County Employee to Win
Include your name and department in your comment

Planning for Success PLUS Enter to Win a Groceries Gift-Card!

Congratulations to Chloe Kinney from the Library! 

She is the winner of the Groceries Gift Card!

We all know the phrase, "a little planning goes a long way" - and the concept applies to healthy living habits. Busy families are familiar with the day-to-day chaos called "life" and preparing healthy meals, on top of everything else, can feel overwhelming! Planning your meals can help alleviate some of that!

If you've never sat down and planned your meals you may not know how to start. To be successful, start small by planning one week's meals at a time. Once you have that down, try two weeks, three weeks, even a whole month or more! 

The simplest way to begin meal planning is to open the cabinets, fridge, freezer, pantry - wherever it is you store food and see what you have to work with. This quick strategy will help you determine what you have before you begin the planning process. It's also a good way to make sure you use items before they expire and see if you're running low on staples.

Brainstorm with family members different meals you enjoy, to create a list of options to choose from. This will also make grocery shopping easier as you can build a shopping list of ingredients to keep on hand. 

Once you have an idea of what you have stocked and what meals your family enjoys, write it down! You can use your smart phone or an old piece of notebook paper, but write it down. 

All that is left is shopping for ingredients you may need and deciding which day you're going to have Grandma's famous lasagna!

What are your tips for meal planning?

Let us know in the comments and Be Entered to Win a Groceries Gift Card! (giveaway has ended)
Must be a Weber County Employee to Win
Include your name and department in your comment

Sun Safety: Preventing Skin Cancer PLUS Enter to Win a Sportbrella!

Congratulations to Javis in IT! He is the winner of the Sportbrella!

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, with Utah having the highest rates of melanomas; the most deadly form of skin cancer; in the nation!

There are many things that may lead to skin cancer. Some of these things are out of our control, but by reducing exposure to the sun and other UV rays we can lower our chances of getting skin cancer.

Things We Can't Control:

Family history

Light skin type

Intensity of the sun

High altitude

Things We Can Control:

Time spent in sun

UV rays from tanning beds

Amount of skin exposed to sun

Only a doctor can tell if you have skin cancer. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you notice any unusual moles, bumps, or red patches, or if you notice a change in any moles you already have. It may be a good idea to perform monthly self-skin checks as well. Things to look for include:

• Moles with a dark color (blue, black, purple, green, etc)
• Moles that are not the same color or shade throughout
• Moles with irregular/wavy borders
• Moles that are asymmetrical (one side looks different than the other side)
• Moles that are bigger around than the eraser on the top of a pencil
• Spots that itch or bleed
• Changes in any moles, bumps, or rough patches

To lower the chance of skin cancer, adults and children should always wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15. In addition to sunscreen, these tips should be followed:

• Avoid being in the sun at the hottest times of the day. This is when the sun's UV rays are the strongest.
• Stay in the shade as much as possible
• Wear long pants and long-sleeve shirts
• Wear sunglasses
• Wear a hat

What Do You Do to Protect Your Skin?
Let us Know in the Comments and Be Entered to Win a Sportbrella! (giveway has ended)

Must be a Weber County Employee to Win

List your name and department in your comment

Prepared, Not Scared: Family Emergency Preparedness PLUS Enter to Win a 72 Hour Kit!

Save the Date!

Safe Kid's Day is Saturday April 25th from 10am to 4pm at the Newgate Mall. 

Earn a half hour vacation for attending by submitting THIS form.

FEMA reports that thousands of people are affected by disasters each year. 

Does your family have a plan in case disaster strikes? 

A family emergency plan consists of several steps. We're going to focus on the first step which is collecting supplies for 72 hour kits. You will need a 72 hour kit for each member of your family. Remember to keep your family's unique needs in mind. Do you have pets? They'll need their own supplies. If you have infants or toddlers, They'll need different items than for older children. Visit THIS website for printable 72 hour kit checklists for adults, children, infants, and pets, as well as critical household items and must-haves for your car!

Want to win your own 72 hour kit?

Comment below telling us what your family has done or will do to be prepared for an emergency.

Must be a Weber County Employee to Win

List your name and department in your comment 

National Nutrition Month: Snack-Time! PLUS Enter to Win a National Nutrition Month Goody Bag

Time is running out to take the Employee Health Risk Appraisal worth 

2 hours of vacation time! This survey should only take 10 minutes and will help direct the future of the Wellness Program. 

Hurry! It's only available thru March 31st!

We all know it's super hard not to over-eat during lunch or reach for a bag of chips an hour after. After all, we're hungry and live fast on-the-go lifestyles! Lucky for us when you have easy portable ingredients, creating an on-the-go snack becomes relatively simple.

Here are a few nutritious grab-and-go snacks for when hunger strikes!!

1. Whole grains, nuts, and seeds: Whole grain crackers make a tasty snack and nuts pack a ton of protein and fiber as well
2. Greek yogurt: Mix with fresh fruit to take in 7 grams of fiber.
3. Hardboiled egg: Only around 70 calories and you can boil a bunch at the beginning of the week to save time.
4. Whole wheat tortilla and hummus roll up: (1 tortilla, 1 Tbsp. hummus). The first ingredient in hummus is chickpeas (garbanzo beans), which provides you with lots of fiber and protein.
5. Fruits and veggies: You can easily prep and throw into Ziploc baggies to grab-and-go throughout the week.
6. Whole wheat breakfast cereal mixed with dried fruit and almonds: You get plenty of fiber from the cereal and protein from the nuts.

...and last but certainly not least,

1. Water: It is so important to stay hydrated! Dehydration causes you to believe you need to eat when actually you really need liquid intake. Keep a bottle with you at all times and refill it throughout the day.

What are your Go-To Healthy Snacks?

Tell us in the comments below for your chance to win a National Nutrition Month Goody Bag!

Giveaway closes on March 14th. 

Must be a Weber County Employee to win.

Start Your Day with Breakfast! PLUS Enter to Win a Nutrition Month Goody Bag!

Two lucky employees will win a National Nutrition Month Goody Bag that includes a gift card to a local grocery store! 

To be eligible for this awesome prize tell us what your Favorite Healthy Breakfast Food is in the comments below. 

The giveaway will close Saturday, March 7. 

We all have heard the phrase, "Breakfast is the Most Important Meal of the Day." While that may be true, with work, school, and the general craziness that is life, it is also one of the most overlooked meals of the day!

Why is breakfast so important? In general, people who eat breakfast have more energy, are more productive in their work, and eat healthier throughout the day. Without breakfast, people can get irritable, restless and tired.

Are you struggling with eating a healthy breakfast in your rushed mornings? Here are some quick and healthy breakfast ideas you can try:

• Spend some time over the weekend and make freeze ahead breakfasts. Thaw overnight in the fridge or zap in the microwave before heading out the door!

http://totallythebomb.com/freeze-ahead-breakfast

• Got 10 minutes? Here are 16 ideas that can be prepared in 10 minutes or less!

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=64#_a5y_p=1306599

• Make your breakfast the night before with overnight oatmeal. There are bunches of different recipes out there but you can use this simple outline to create your own! 

• Try these breakfast themed snacks any time of day.

http://greatist.com/health/healthy-fast-breakfast-recipes

What's your Favorite Healthy Breakfast Food? 

Tell us in the comments below for your chance to win a National Nutrition Month Goody Bag!

Giveaway closes on March 7th. 

Must be a Weber County Employee to win.

2014 End-of-Year Prize Winners!

Congrats to all the Weber County employees who won a prize for turning in their 

End-of-Year Summary!

Do you want to win prizes too? 

To never miss a giveaway, sign up for email updates at the top right hand side of the page!

End-of-Year Prize Winners:

Autumn Whitten - $100 Walmart Gift Card

Cheryl Andreason - Luggage Set

Holy Okuhara - Luggage Set

Amanda Conley - Popcorn Maker

Corinne Dichter - Cookware Set

Jill Moore - Awning and Lawn Chairs

Nadene Allen - Set of 4 Ice Sheet Passes

Emily Jane Sawyer - Set of 4 Ice Sheet Passes

Louis Cooper - $5 Great Harvest Gift Card

Kirsten Dohmen - $5 Great Harvest Gift Card

Cheryl Potter - $5 Great Harvest Gift Card

Nicole Plowman - $5 Great Harvest Gift Card

Pedro Lozano - $5 Great Harvest Gift Card

Crystal Scott - $5 Great Harvest Gift Card

Cindy Pitcher - $5 Great Harvest Gift Card

Gloria Zanbrano - $5 Subway Gift Card

Jessica Geiger - $5 Subway Gift Card

Suzanne Clifford - $5 Subway Gift Card

Nicole Maw-Pena - $5 Subway Gift Card

Annette Jacobs - $5 Subway Gift Card

Amy Jo Prince - $5 Subway Gift Card

Ryan Jacobson - $5 Subway Gift Card

Please pick up your prizes in Chris Ward's Office by the end of February. 

All unclaimed prizes will be returned to the Wellness Program's prize pool.