mmmmm...gluten free french spring chicken pot

this post is sponsored by rachael ray's nutrish. the thoughts and opinions are my own.

i have been eating gluten free for six months now. it is not by choice or because of a fad diet (no judgment, just not for me.) my doctor put me on it so see if it could help with a recent medical diagnosis. so, begrudgingly, i have given up all the wonderful things i love about bread. while i'm not completely healed, my migraine headaches went from two or three a week down to about one a month. that's pretty miraculous. so, i'm continuing on the gluten free road. 

i was recently sent the loveliest of packages from rachael ray's nutrish. in it i found bags of their newest premium dog food for my sister-wives dogs and an amazing recipe for a french spring chicken pot. (if you want to know why i have sister-wives dogs, you can read that here.) i couldn't resist either the recipe or the new dog food for the "wives," especially when i noticed that simply by switching to gluten free flour, the recipe was something even i could enjoy. 

with my own food sensitivities, i am hyper aware of others who struggle with food allergies or sensitivities of their own. these sensitivities can be a part of our pets' lives as well. my family feels comfortable with DISH from rachael ray nutrish because real u.s. farm-raised chicken or beef is always the #1 ingredient, there's never any corn, wheat, soy or gluten (i'm pretty sure even i could eat it) and each recipe is made with whole ingredients you can see, like carrots, peas and apples. 

the best part about this pet food? you can buy DISH where you buy your family's groceries or visit nutrishforpets.com to purchase online. i'm a huge fan of shopping in one location if at all possible for every member of my family, pets included. 

DISH is available in two flavors, beef and brown rice recipe with veggies and chicken and brown rice recipe with veggies and fruit. i have to admit, it was the best looking dog food i think i've ever seen and i know that the apples, farm-grown potatoes, carrots and peas all have huge health benefits to our pets...and to me and my kiddos too. if i'm going to take the time to make healthy, delicious meals for my family, the least i can do is include some of that food love for my pets. rachael ray makes it easy to do just that. 

***if you are interested in receiving a care package from rachael ray nutrish, leave us a comment in the comment section. one reader will be selected to win the same beautiful gift i received as well as some coupons for free packages of DISH pet food. ***

healthy, delicious food for my pets and a healthy and delicious meal for my family...i'm totally #winning at parenting today. this recipe is delicious and is full of so much flavor that my kids didn't notice it was full of veggies. gluten free goodness means that i can enjoy it as well. did i mention #winning? here's hoping you enjoy it as well...

gluten free french spring chicken pot

from rachael ray's kitchen

(serves 4)

4 pieces skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 onions, one halved and one chopped (or one halved and one bag of frozen chopped onions)

1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons butter

1 baking potato, peeled and cut into small cubes

2 carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes (i just bought a bag of sliced carrots)

3 small ribs celery, cut into small cubes

1/3 pound white mushrooms, quartered

1/3 pound thin green beans cut on an angle into one inch pieces

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons gluten free flour

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup frozen peas

3 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped

2 tablespoons dijon mustard 

1/3 cup heavy cream

gluten free bread for dunking

in a large, heavy pot or dutch oven filled with simmering water, cook the chicken, halved onion and bay leaf until cooked through and tender, 15-20 minutes.

transfer the chicken to a cutting board and cut into bite-size pieces or, using two forks, shred in a bowl.

wipe out the pot, add the butter and melt over medium heat. one vegetable at a time, stir in the chopped onion, potato, carrots, celery and mushrooms. cover the pot, lower the heat and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. add the green beans and season with salt and pepper. sprinkle the gluten free flour into the pot and stir for one minute. stir in the wine, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and cook until slightly reduced, about one minute. stir in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. stir in the peas, tarragon and mustard and simmer for 5 minutes. 

add the chicken to the vegetables. stir in the cream and heat through. serve with gluten free bread. 

enjoy!

about rachael ray nutrish

in 2007, with the help from pet nutrition experts, rachael ray created nutrish super-premium food and treats for dogs inspired by recipes from her own kitchen. in 2014, the brand grew into the world of cat food. whether intended for dogs or cats, nutrish recipes are made with simple, wholesome ingredients like real meat or fish, and do not contain poultry by-product meal or fillers. 

rachael's personal proceeds go to rachael's rescue which was created to help shelter pets in need. to date, she has donated over $10 million. this money has gone toward food, medical supplies and treatments for those unfortunate animals. all of the rachael ray nutrish products are available where you shop for your family's groceries, making specialty recipes accessible and convenient for every pet parent. 

please follow nutrish on social media:

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march monthly must-haves: organizational storage products that will change your life

those that know me well know that i love organization. my label maker is my best friend....but the key to great organization is great products. this is the truth. 

genelle and i were sent these amazing acrylic organizers from whitmor . they are sleek and so beautiful. they are intended for make-up organization, however we both found that they work so well for organizing hair accessories and jewelry, too. we love how the well designed organizer makes it so easy to see everything that you have in there. you know, not like the drawer that you currently have everything shoved into. (wink, wink). 

whitmor 5 tier acrylic cosmetic organizer 

what i learned, after falling in love with my organizer is that i actually already own and use a ridiculous amount of whitmor brand products (no joke)! the following are other organizational products that i use and love and that changed my disorganized life into organized bliss. try a few...they will change your life.

whitmor over-the-door shoe rack
this is the best item i have. it store 36 pairs of my shoes (even heels), sits neatly on the back of my bedroom door and isn't in the line of sight when people come over to our home. *love* it. i even own a second one for the kiddos shoes. now all of their shoes are tucked nicely behind the door and not thrown all over the closet floor. it's a minor miracle!

whitmor storage cubes

love the locker-style look these give in a boys room or can provide in a garage or mud room. i personally use mine with canvas storage cubes to hide some of the toys and clutter that my little men accumulate. 

whitmor gift wrap organizer

goodness, does wrapping paper take up so much space! it was overtaking my hall closet, until i found this simple case. it fits perfectly under my bed and is there in a snap when i need to wrap something but stays tucked away until then.

whitmor kid's canvas collection raccoon collapsible cube

whitmor shark collapsible cube

these canvas cubes (and a couple other styles) are the cutest things. not only are they an adorable addition to the decor of a playroom or bedroom, but they are so functional. from matchbox cars to rescue bots and pokemon cards....there is a bin for everything. 

what are some of your favorite organizational products? 

xo- heather

calling in sick

once upon a time, i had a job that actually paid me a salary. i left my house every morning, ate lunch with people over the age of five, and come home each evening. when there were holidays, i spent the day lounging around my house. when i was sick, there were magical days called, "sick days" and i simply didn't go into work and slept. all. day. long. 

then i had kids and like mothers and fathers everywhere, sick days became a thing of the past. i would simultaneously vomit in the bathroom while sanitizing it with clorox to keep everyone else from getting sick. i would be coughing up a lung but would still manage to make carpool. it's just the way it worked. parenting stops for nothing. absolutely nothing.

and then this last monday happened. monday night after being up until 12:30 with my youngest not feeling well, i started to feel bad as well. by 3:30 am i had not only thrown up for three hours straight but i'd also managed to pull out my back in the process. at this point i woke up my husband, told him what was going on and said simply, "i can't do tomorrow." 

because i know my husband and know the kind of man that he is, i wasn't surprised when he simply said, "i'll stay home tomorrow." if i had known how easy it was to make this happen i might have been bowing out of "tomorrows" much sooner. that was it? the sky wasn't going to fall? the earth wasn't going to stop spinning? just, "i'll stay home."? 

i've known all along that the hang up with 'calling in sick' was all my own. while my husband can't take days off all the time, when things are particularly rough for me, he is happy to take a sick day to care for his wife and family. for some reason, i have just hated to ask. 

why do we do that as wives and mothers? why do we feel that it is okay for our spouses to take sick days when they are sick but when we are on death's door, we still feel the need to power through? when are kids are sick, we will keep them home and nurse them. when my husband does take a sick day, he is up in bed the entire day, resting and getting better. why don't we allow ourselves the same courtesy? 

somewhere along the line i decided that i could manage without a sick day. i decided that, because i was no longer at a paying gig each day, my ability to call in sick had ended. well, no more. it's time for moms everywhere to call in sick. imagine how we would feel if we actually spent a day and rested and got well instead of powering through miserably for weeks of a prolonged sickness. wouldn't we be better wives and mothers in the long run if we just stopped and took care of ourselves once in a while? 

i know i am better off for having a couple of days of help and rest. honestly, i couldn't have pulled myself off the bed this week if i had tried. still, i am grateful to be recuperating and well rested. i couldn't have done that without my husband taking one for the team...and i know i'd be nowhere near as well as i am now without having called in sick from the job of motherhood. i may just make a habit of it. 

color your stress away

i have been under an exorbitant amount of stress the past few years due to all sorts of unexpected curve balls and sucker punches. 

despite the blows, i have been able to keep a positive outlook on life by utilizing mantras like "just keep swimming", focusing on the positive as much as humanly possible, leaning on fantastic friends and family for emotional support.......and unexpectedly, i have found a recent love for adult coloring books. yep. it sounds a little weird, right? i am myself guilty for judging the recent craze before even giving it a try....and i can now say that i totally get it. i have been drinking the coloring kool-aid and it's deliciously calming and wonderful. added bonus? i have beautiful artwork to write notes on for school lunchbox surprises for my littles. (who doesn't need a little rockstar mom moment?!) what are you waiting for? try it.....you'll like it. 

stress relieving animal designs

stress relief coloring book: garden designs, mandalas, animals, and paisley patterns

butterflies and flowers : stress relieving patterns

secret garden: an inky treasure hunt and coloring book

swear word coloring book 

okay...not going to work for lunchbox notes.....but it's fun and would make a perfect gift for the stressed out mama in your life

doctor who coloring book

color me fearless: nearly 100 coloring templates to boost strength and courage

i can't catch my breath

today my youngest turns four. with that one sentence my heart skips a beat and i can't catch my breath. 

when did my baby stop being a baby? when did he become an independent, strong-willed preschooler? i feel like i closed my eyes for one second and he grew up. somehow time passes without my consent.

it all seems ridiculous. i've reached this milestone before. i have walked through four other four year old birthdays...but they were all different somehow. there was always a younger sibling stealing the show, a younger child who needed attention, who was toddling about, who was so small in comparison to my four year olds that the four year old birthday didn't seem so significant. i once felt grateful that my other kids were getting a little older, a little easier, a little less dependent because all of my energy was being poured into their younger brother or sister. when my oldest turned four, i had a 19 month old and a four month old and i was drowning. his birthday felt like a blessing.

now i'm in uncharted waters. i am walking down a road i've never walked with eyes fully wide open and i'm seeing today for what it is...the end of an era. 

as my youngest came up to me and said, "look, mommy. i'm so big," i outwardly cheered and inwardly wept. while i am so excited for the adventure that lies ahead for my sweet boy, i am mourning the loss of all things baby. there are no more bottles, pacifiers, diapers, carriers...those things are long gone. now, though, i have to prepare for the loss of chubby little hand holding, cuddling up on the same chair, taking naps together, carrying him on my hip, carting him off to preschool. i'm well aware that these days are moving much too quickly and for the first time in my life as a parent, there isn't another baby coming along to ease the pain. 

so today i spent hours holding the birthday boy on my lap while he still fits. tonight he got to go to sleep next to me in my bed because he still wants to cuddle just a little bit longer. as i said goodnight prayers with him, he echoed back prayers for me. 

"thank you, god for my sweet asher." 

"and mommy." 

"thank you that he is so special and precious to me." 

"and mommy." 

"thank you that you love him so, so much." 

"and mommy."

and just like that the pieces of my heart started to come back together again. i am raising one precious little boy. i'm blessed to be his mommy...and for the first time ever, i'm truly understanding how fast time is moving and the importance of not taking a moment of it for granted. so here is to chubby hand holding, comfy chair sharing, bedtime snuggles, slobbery kisses, spontaneous "i love you"'s, preschool snacks and bath-time giggles for as long as they last...and to cherishing each and every one of them. 

organization tips for the highly unmotivated

i'm going to be real. i get that it's a new year and i'm supposed to be highly motivated to become new and improved. but let's be real. it is the same old me. i'm totally fine with that. i don't make resolutions. i'm pretty content with my life and this version of myself. i'm also old enough to realize that 99.9% of the time resolutions don't stick. i'm realistic. there is no chance i'm going to overhaul my entire life this year. there is no chance that i'm going to become some totally different person who hates sugar and loves to go running. i'm not going to decide to give up my starbucks or caffeine in general. i'm not taking up yoga or fung shui. this is me. for better or worse. besides growing in wisdom and some more knowledge as this year goes by, i'm probably going to be a similar version of myself come january next year...and i'm completely fine with that.

i am, however, quickly realizing that i have lived in the same house for the last eight years. eight years, people. that is the longest i have every lived anywhere besides my childhood home. before this stint in my current home, i moved every two years or so. moving is a pain but it also forces great purges of unneeded items, consolidation and organization. i'm sorry to say that my house needs a major "move" overhaul right about now. 

we are not going anywhere, however, so it is time for me to get motivated and reorganize on my own. i am completely unmotivated to do so but i can stand the clutter no longer. here are my tips for organizing when you have absolutely no desire to do so.

tips for the organizationally unmotivated

1) pick one room at a time.

let's be honest. when i look at my house as a whole, it completely overwhelms me and i decide it is a better idea to go get a piece of chocolate and a cup of tea. that can no longer happen. if i focus on one room, however, it is somehow less daunting and more manageable to tackle. i don't care how much other rooms beacon, pick one room and stick with it. you will feel so much more accomplished when one room is complete than having one drawer organized in five different rooms.

2) do one drawer or one cabinet a day.

i have five kids with homework, extra curricular activities, stomachs that need to be filled, and bodies that need to be clothed in relatively clean attire. i don't have a ton of free time. if i am realistic, an entire room will not get done in a day. one drawer, however, is probably do-able. i pick a drawer and go for it. at the end of the day, that is a huge win in my book. 

3) if you can't do a drawer, pick five things.

some days i can't even get to a drawer. my closet? forget about it. that closet is going to take me a month to get to (or more likely it will just sit in its current state for another year.) i may not be able to tackle a big closet or a pantry in one day but i can do five things. when i go in my closet, i find five things i can do without, five things i can give to salvation army or throw away. i can clear the clutter of five things and, even though it's a small something, it's something. i'm claiming small victories in this process.

4) if you haven't used it in the last year, pitch it.

i was really good about doing this when i lived in south america. people with tremendous need were around me all the time and i felt extremely selfish keeping something that i maybe would use once over the course of a year when someone else could use it everyday. now when i'm not faced with poverty on a daily basis, i am quick to forget. i hold onto clothing and kitchen items that i really don't need. i read those tips about turning all the hangers backwards on new year's day and if you haven't turned them around by the next december, to get rid of them. i think that's a good idea but, really, are we that slow that we can't look at our clothes and know what we have used and what we have not? do we need that big of a reminder? i would go one step farther and say that if there isn't some kind of happy emotional attachment to an item of clothing or personal use, get rid of it. i'm sorry, but do we really need items of clothing or things in our house that we don't feel good in? do i really want to keep that pair of sweat pants that i always feel frumpy in simply because they are there? probably not. don't get me wrong, i'm keeping some of my comfy clothing. i'm just scaling back. there are people that could use a big sweatshirt a lot more than i can. in reality, i won't wear it but once or twice a season. that is not enough to keep it. same goes for household items. unless it is something that actually is useful or brings you joy, there is no need to keep it. that item you hold on to in case the person who gave it to you happens to come by in the next twelve months but that you secretly hate? life it too short. get rid of that thing!

5) share your accomplishments with someone who cares.

this person is probably not my husband. my daughter and my fourth born, however, are perfect for this. i can open a drawer for them and my daughter will say without promting, "nice, mommy." i have trained her well. my fourth born will notice the drawer without being shown and will thank me for my hard work and for how nice it looks. that's just how he is. either way, i get some accolades for my work each day. that's all i really want when it's all said and done. i want to open a drawer and not cringe and then have one other person who notices and gives me a high five. 

there you have it. organization tips for #reallife people like me. don't get me wrong. there are days when i can't even manage one of those five. there are also days i manage to do five cabinets at one time. i figure it all balances out and my house is looking better and better each day. that is #winning at this whole new year thing in my book.

mason jar cookie mix gifts for the holidays

i love the holidays. there is something magical about this time of the year and i absolutely love it. i do struggle, however, to find fun little gifts to give to neighbors and friends that are festive and thoughtful but reasonable as well. enter ALDI. this year i was helped by the team at ALDI with the idea for these adorable cookie mix jars. with these semi-homemade creations, i can quickly and easily make sweet, personal treats for people in my life without breaking my back or the bank. it's a complete win.

mason jar cookie mix gift

what you need:

• large mason jars (there are a ton of these at stores like michael's or hobby lobby)

• Baker's Corner or liveGfree cake mixes (these can be either vanilla cake mixes or chocolate. either works fine for these.)

• a large variety of mix-ins: these can all be found at your local ALDI store. the options are really limitless. if you have ever wondered what something would taste like in a cookie, give it a try! my favorite options are the Baker's Corner chocolate morsels, white chocolate morsels and butterscotch morsels, Southern Grove pecans or walnuts, and any of the Moser Roth chocolate bars cut into chunks. seriously, all of those options in a cookie are to die for.

• ribbon, twine or other decorative items.

• tags printed with baking instructions.

preparing the jars:

• fill each of your mason jars with two cups of cake mix. if you have a friend with gluten sensitivities, use the liveGfree cake mix. it's a fantastic option. 

• it's best to create several jars at once to facilitate the process and create a large number of gifts to give to friends, teachers or neighbors.

 

• add your mix-ins. this can be as elaborate or as simple as you would like. as you wander the aisles of ALDI, pick out several options that would work in cookies. 

• place these in bowls and then scoop them in layers over your cake mix in the jars. these make really beautiful jars full of goodness.

• create tags with baking instructions for each jar. the instructions should include the following:

• add some decorative ribbon or twine and pass out some holiday joy! it's as simple as that. 

• this would be a fun task to complete with girlfriends as well. holiday happiness all around!

that's it! simple, delicious, and cost effective. they are a great little treat for all the people in your life. happy holidays indeed.

holiday hostess gifts for any party

'tis the season for holiday parties. i love them...each and every one but i struggle to find something to bring for the hosts and hostesses. this year, i have it covered. i made a trip to ALDI and was able to purchase a beautiful basket full of products that anyone would love for their holiday meals or just to snack on while preparing for meals with friends. i know i would love to receive a basket full of this goodness so i'm counting on others feeling the same.

holiday hostess baskets

making your basket:

• you will need a large basket. you can find these at a variety of places. one of my favorite locations to purchase baskets is at marshall's or home goods. we have both about two miles from my house and they always have a wide variety of baskets at reasonable prices.

• purchase a couple of beverages of your choice. ALDI has a great selection of reasonable wines. during this time of the year, i am also able to find sparkling juices for gift baskets for friends of mine who do not drink alcohol. these are always a great place to start and do wonders for making a basket look festive.

• buy a large selection of holiday and seasonal items from ALDI. i love this time of year at ALDI as they have a huge selection of their Specialty Select items for the holidays. we found a beautiful orange cranberry sauce, adorable striped bowtie pasta, chocolate covered cashews, chocolate coated butter cookies, lacey dark chocolate almond crisps, delicious Moser Roth chocolates and a host of other items to include. 

• load up your basket. i like to place the wine bottles/sparkling juices in the back of the basket followed by the larger and taller items and concluding with the smallest items in the front. i want everything to be visible from the front of the basket.

• end with something festive. add a lovely red bow. i included a simple christmas ornament that can be added to their christmas tree. something small will be perfect to accompany all the food goodness and will add something personal to your gift to others.

the basket took no time at all to put together and, as the majority of the purchases were made at ALDI, it was extremely easy to gather all the necessary items as well. it is the perfect little "something" to say thank you for a holiday invite and it is sure to bring holiday cheer wherever you go. i feel merry, bright and hungry just looking at it!

an insider's guide to the best of ALDI

i know i've said it before but it is worth repeating. i love ALDI. i moved to the south eight years ago not knowing one thing about the store. as more and more friends shared their addiction to the store with me, i decided i needed to see for myself what all the buzz was about. i was not disappointed. ALDI saves me (literally) hundreds of dollars each month. it has become a budget saver for my family of seven.

when the lovely people at ALDI corporate invited me to visit their headquarters and test kitchen, i jumped at the chance. i have many friends who already are regular shoppers but want to know all the ins and outs of the store. i have other friends in the state where i grew up (can i hear a shout out for my california friends?) who have no reference of ALDI whatsoever but who may be getting an ALDI store near them soon. for everyone, there are several things i learned on my trip to ALDI headquarters and one of their illinois stores that can help enhance everyone's shopping experience. 

for all of my friends, near and far, here is my insider guide to the best of ALDI.

insider guide to the best of ALDI

come to ALDI prepared: 

you will need two things when you head to ALDI for any visit. first, you will need a quarter. in order to get a grocery cart (or a buggy as they say here in the south), you will need to insert a quarter to release the cart. once you have finished your shopping, you will get your quarter back when you return the cart to its location. this is just one way that ALDI ends up saving the customer money. the store does not need to employ workers to collect grocery carts in the parking lots of their stores as the customers do that work themselves. that savings gets transferred to the customers.

the second item you will need for your ALDI trip is a handful of your own re-usable shopping bags. i have a collection of ALDI bags which are my favorite reusable bags because of their sheer size. if you forget your bags, they are available for purchase in the store. you will need to bag your own groceries so come prepared with plenty of bags. i also use the insulated bags for my frozen and refrigerated items purchased in the store. again, when the customer bags their own groceries, the store does not need to spend money employing baggers. this savings again is passed on to the consumer and we as customers get to reap the benefits.

ALDI does not accept credit cards:

ALDI accepts cash and debit cards only. this is due to the fact that stores are required to pay around a 3% charge to the credit card companies in order to process those payments. 3% of each grocery bill adds up tremendously. i only shop with my debit card or cash on any occasion so i, for one, am grateful that i'm not paying for other people to use their credit cards by paying more for items in the store.

ALDI is built for efficiency: 

there are multiple ways that this is true. first, the store is smaller in square footage than other grocery stores. most grocery stores average 60,000 square feet. ALDI stores average 10,000 square feet. this enables customers to get in and out of the store quickly.

ALDI focuses on selling items that customers will buy every time they shop. they stock the items that move off the shelves quickly and you will find those items in the same location in the store each time you shop. you will also find that each of the ALDI stores have the same or similar layouts. this enables you as the customer to get in, find your needed items and get out quickly. it also cuts down on the time employees need to be trained and to set out new products. each ALDI employee knows the store layout well, knows where each new box of products should be placed, and gets things out to customers quickly. it also ensures that employees can transfer from location to location with minimal retraining. again, efficiency among the ALDI workers means they can hire fewer workers to do the job providing the consumer with greater savings. it's definitely a win for the shopper!

this efficiency in shopping is also the reason ALDI does not carry dozens of different brands or a huge variety of exclusive or specialized items. their products are designed to move off the shelves. if an item is too exclusive, it won't move quick enough for the store to deem it worthwhile for that small square foot space. one of my friends wanted them to carry kombucha. i'm just throwing out a guess here but i'd wager that isn't an item that would fly off the shelves. i could be wrong. for specific specialty items, you may have to look at a different store to supplement your ALDI purchases. 

ALDI is also efficient in its display of products. ALDI products come in ready to use boxes. the tops are ripped off of the boxes and the entire boxes full of product are placed on display for the customers. restocking takes seconds. within each box are mixed products. one of our favorites is the SimplyNature granola bars. within one box, i can find various flavors of granola bars to purchase for my kiddos. it takes two seconds to find their favorites and i am on my way. once the display cases/boxes are empty, customers can take the boxes to carry their own groceries home or the cases are recycled. ALDI recycles 100% of the boxes in the store. 

you will also find as you look at ALDI products that there are multiple UPC's all over the products. this means that the employees at the check out do not need to search for a bar code when scanning. they can literally run the box along the scanner on any side of the box and get a reading. that means faster check-outs, fewer checkers needed, and again, more savings to the consumer!

efficiency saves time and money. i'll take that!

2015 is a huge year for ALDI:

this news is huge...huge! by the end of 2015, all ALDI exclusive products (products that use that ALDI private label) will be completely free of synthetic colors, MSG, and partially hydrogenated oils. what? what other grocery store gives the customer that promise? that alone is reason to shop there.

their brand SimplyNature is mostly organic or non-GMO verified:

ALDI has an increasingly large number of SimplyNature products in its store. SimplyNature products are mostly organic or non-GMO verified. on the ALDI website, the company has a list of all the items not allowed in the SimplyNature line the number of SimplyNature products in this line seems to be growing each time i shop. this has been a great, economical way for me to shop for organic products for my family.

G-free products are increasing:

much to my dismay, i've recently been told by a doctor to go gluten free. i mourn over the loss of fresh made bread often. still, i'm so happy to have found a complete line of gluten free products at ALDI. i've purchased a ton of their gluten free items and they are all equally delicious. i may or may not have eaten almost an entire pan of liveGfree brownie mix brownies. it had been so long since i had that kind of goodness i couldn't resist. the liveGfree items are truly a life saver for me and they are extremely reasonable as well. 

for those with other allergies or food sensitivities, the liveGfree products are also the best labeled products in the store, in my opinion. on each box it lists all the things the item is "free" of. from dairy-free to gmo-free, it is a wealth of information.

they listen to their customers:

ALDI corporate listens to their customers. customers requested 1% milk. ALDI delivered. customers asked for cilantro. ALDI added cilantro. customers asked for higher quality meats. ALDI now sells grass fed ground beef and Kirkwood Never Any! chicken, without any antibiotics, hormones, animal bi-products or steroids and raised cage free on vegetarian feed. if you have a product that you feel ALDI is missing (keeping in mind their standards of efficiency), send them an email. they care about their customers and they listen to us when we speak. 

they are growing: 

currently there are nearly 1500 ALDI stores in 32 states. there are not any stores on the west coast...yet! over the next five years, ALDI will be opening another 650 stores across the united states. here is the best news for my southern california friends...the first ALDI stores in california will be opening in march of 2016! you all will be the first west coasters to experience the store for yourselves. i am so excited for you!

they taste test extensively:

on our ALDI test kitchen tour, we were privileged to see where the actual taste testing takes place for ALDI products. ALDI does blind taste tests of ALDI products comparing them to the leading top national sellers of similar products. we tasted a wide variety of items and for some items, i couldn't tell a difference in any way. in other products, i preferred the ALDI product hands down! they tasted so much better and with each product i could save between $1.00 and $6.00. it is truly amazing. the company is dedicated to making their products taste good to the consumer. they take pride in their products and you can tell when you taste them as well.

they sell alcohol:

this is dependent on stores and what each state allows as far as alcohol sales is concerned. ALDI does sell very reasonable bottles of wine and some imported beer as well. we sampled several varieties while on our trip to ALDI headquarters and, well, let's just say...none of us were complaining! the most expensive bottle of wine in the entire store was $13.00 at the illinois store we visited with some bottles as inexpensive as $5.00. 

seasonal items are in stores temporarily: 

this information is key! seasonal items are brought into ALDI stores for a couple of months at a time. once they are gone...they are gone. if you love some of these products, i fully support stock piling. these products are usually placed together and are often on end caps. the Specially Selected private label is a dead giveaway. those products are only in the store for a limited time because they will sell well during certain times of the year. once those products have moved on, it could be 10 months before you see them again. i repeat...stock. pile. 

they have a money back double guarantee:

this little tidbit was news to me. all ALDI exclusive brand food products (anything with the ALDI private label) including produce and meats are eligible for a money back double guarantee. that means that if you are not satisfied with any of your products, you can bring them back to ALDI and, not only will they give you a full refund, but they will also give you another product to try...money back double guarantee. what a great store, right?

ALDI employees are treated well:

ALDI employees are some of the only associates that get to sit down while checking people out at the registers. this is better ergonomically for the checkers and it also seems to expedite the check out process. employees are also offered benefits even if they are still part-time employees. if an employee works 25 hours a week or more they get full dental and medical insurance and get offered 401K options as well. happy employees make for a better shopping experience for everyone. 

they have a great selection on produce

ALDI sells produce...and many times it looks better than the produce at other stores. they also have a growing selection of organic produce to choose from. i've purchased their produce many times and each time have been thrilled with the quality of the items i have purchased.

what do you think? did you learn something new? i know that i grew even more excited about the ALDI shopping experience after spending a few days with their corporate employees. they were beyond professional, were thoughtful and courteous, and clearly loved their job and the company they represent. that alone says a great deal about a company. i don't know about you but i'm proud to be an ALDI shopper. i am able to save my family money on a monthly and even weekly basis while still getting great products through a company i believe in. that's a definite win for me.