Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

How a Bag of Doritos® Will Rescue Dinner Tonight

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It is the not-so secret ingredient for a delicious home-cooked meal that your children will eat without complaining. No, wait, it gets better– they will ask for a second serving.

Dorito dinner

Take Doritos out of the chip bowl and into your casserole.

It is the not-so secret ingredient in a no-fuss dinner that won’t break your budget. It’s also the punch of flavor in a quick meal that you proudly serve guests.

This not-so secret ingredient is a bag of Doritos®, found on sale this month at your military commissary.

Yes, Doritos®.

That seasoned tortilla chip with the bold flavor deserves to come out of the chip bowl during May and claim a place in your pantry. Doritos®? Yes. Doritos®.

Here is how Doritos® will rescue your dinner tonight.

Eldorado Casserole

Eldorado Casserole is where cheese, ground beef, and Doritos® blend together in perfect casserole harmony. I make a lot of chicken enchiladas, tortilla soup, and chicken tacos in my house. Many times I crave that spicy Southwest flavor, but don’t want to take the time to assemble a batch of enchiladas.

The Eldorado Casserole is the answer. The recipe is easy for you. Your family will thank you for making this casserole for dinner. But only after they’ve licked their plates clean.

Walking Tacos

This is my go-to recipe anytime I am hosting a party with more than 2 children. It is a recipe slam dunk. For Walking Tacos, you need to buy the individual chip bags, which double as your plates. Score!

Brown 1 pound of hamburger before adding the taco seasoning as instructed on the package. I brown the meat ahead of time and keep it warm in a small crock pot. Then when the kids start yelling for lunch, I hand them a small bag of Doritos which they immediately open. The kids put a scoop of meat, chopped lettuce and chopped tomatoes in their bag.

Close the bag. Shake it up. Hand out forks. Dinner is done.

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Mexican Chicken Meal

Doritos are not doomed to the bottom layer of the casserole dish. If you want crunch at dinner, try this Mexican Chicken Meal. In this recipe, the chips are crumbled and placed on top minutes before eating. Once the top layer of chips is spread over the chicken, bake the Mexican Chicken Meal for an additional 2 minutes. Set a timer. Nobody likes the smell of burnt Doritos®.

All American Taco Salad

As the temperatures start to rise, I won’t turn on my oven. I won’t. Instead I take leftover ground beef and reintroduce it to my family as the main ingredient in this All American Taco Salad. Leftovers taste better transformed into a new main dish for dinner. I couldn’t agree more.

shredyourcheese

Save money by grating cheese at home.

One slight modification to the recipes listed here: I buy block cheese when it’s on sale and then I sweetly ask my husband to shred it and put it in 1-pound freezer bags to use later. It is the same convenience of the bagged shredded cheese. But with his help, we can save money and it tastes better.

Luckily for you, the dedicated savvy shopper, Doritos® are on sale this month at your military commissary.

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Commissary Specials Answer the Question: What’s for Dinner?

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3426318832_9456852540_z(1)At least once a week, the majority of military spouses are shopping for groceries at our military commissary. We are the ones who do most of the cooking. We are the ones facing the daily question: What’s for dinner?

The answer is found in the weekly commissary specials.

It’s hard to figure out what to make for dinner every night. Meal planning is best and can save money when you plan meals based on what’s on sale.

Slow cooker meals can be very easy and convenient to make, especially with our busy lives. The hardest part is to remember to turn it on at the right time. Start it too early and dinner will be done in the middle of the afternoon. Start it too late and you will be ordering pizza for dinner. I admit I have done that a time or two.

For a savory slow cooker dinner, I like to take a chicken breast, add water or chicken broth and some spices. I might do something simple like salt or pepper. You can also add in some convenient slow cooker sauces for flavor. There is a lot you can do to create different meals.

Save time and money by making dinner in your slow cooker.

Save time and money by making dinner in your slow cooker.

I also like making deli sandwiches at home. They taste great and you can customize them the way that you want. Plus they are a lot cheaper than buying them from a store or eating out. Studies show that families on average spend less than $2 a day packing a sandwich for lunch. It is a good idea to have two types of deli meat in your refrigerator. Add cheese, veggies, and your favorite sauce or dressing and you are good to go.

Sandwiches are a healthy and affordable lunch.

Sandwiches are a healthy and affordable lunch.

Making your own desserts is a lot cheaper than buying them baked and packaged at the grocery store. You just need a little time to prepare. Cake and brownie mixes (where you only need to add oil, water, eggs, or butter) are basically foolproof.

I like to stock my pantry with cake and brownie mixes and have them on hand. Then I am ready to bring a yummy dessert to an FRG meeting, Bunco social, or a neighborhood barbecue on a moment’s notice.

The items I mentioned in this post are on sale at your military commissary this month. Did I spark some ideas for meal plans? I hope so. Happy cooking!

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Ways to Save in March

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Here are a few simple ways to save in the month of March.

March marks the return of spring, preparations for the Easter Bunny, and warm weather! Well, the weather part hasn’t exactly been panning out for most of CONUS, but this month does mark new beginnings. Here are a few new ways you can actually save this month, whether it’s on clothing, home decorations or groceries.

Home 

Air Conditioners – this is a great time to price check air conditioners for your home. While most thought that the dead of winter was the best time to find a deal, great clearance prices are released right before May. New models are displayed at the end of April, so the older models are put on clearance this month and during the beginning of April.

Garden Seeds – Spring IS on it’s way (I promise), so now is a great time to get those coveted seed packets that gardeners are looking to grab up. Some of the best deals on seed packets are found online and at you local dollar stores.

Clothing

Easter/Spring Outfits – These types of outfits actually started to go on sale back in January, so now is the time when you’ll get them at a clearance price before stores put out their second wave of Spring and Easter outfits. Here’s a tip: check online to see what styles are trending for spring(yes even for the kids), and search for those in the stores. These styles will be the ones that will be on clearance, since the fashion world has been wearing them since December.

St. Patrick’s themed clothing – Since the holiday is now officially over, you’ll be able to stock up on green clothing pieces, and those cute but funny t-shirts that everyone wears each year. For kids, be sure to grab shirts or clothing pieces that are at least 2 sizes bigger, as they tend to grow by 2 sizes each year.

Groceries

Frozen Foods – Clean out that freezer and take advantage of the many frozen food sales that are happening at your local grocery stores and the commissary. Frozen vegetables tend to last the longest in the freezer, as well as frozen dinners for those of us that have busy after school/work lives. Frozen breakfast items tend to yield good prices during this time as well. Don’t forget the ice cream! You can stock up on ice cream now for those ice cream socials in May.

Cleaning supplies – It’s the month of spring cleaning, so this is a great time to buy your favorite cleaning items while they are on sale. Take advantage of cleaner sales, which may also include paper products like paper towels, facial tissue and toilet tissue.

What items are you planning to stock up on this March? Let us know in the comments below.