Monday, January 24, 2011

The $5 Dinner Mom Breakfast and Lunch Cookbook Review and Giveaway


Erin Chase, The $5 Dinner Mom, has created over 200 new breakfast, lunch, and snack ideas to eat at home or to pack for school. It's obvious, through her writings, that she desires the best nutrition for her family while keeping a good eye on the budget! She's authored The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook and blogs at $5 Dinners; I personally have gotten great tips from Erin as well as other readers on the blog.

Honestly, I'm not really a cookbook kind of girl -- I either have recipes given to me, or I look them up online because my cookbooks sit on the shelf, permanently! I normally get discouraged looking through lots of lists and then realizing that I don't know what half of the ingredients are, suspecting that most would be pricey to purchase. When I received The $5 Dinner Mom Breakfast and Lunch Cookbook today, I was so excited to browse through the book -- her prologues were quite thought-provoking, as she gave tips about saving time and money preparing breakfast or lunch, as well as other tidbits (like batch cooking and freezing) that I've tried to intellectually process but haven't successfully integrated in my life. Interestingly, I enjoyed looking at the recipes; I recognized all the ingredients, and her list at the end showed me that the entire meal would be less than $5, often averaging between $2-3.

I knew Erin had this new cookbook out (Jan. 4, 2011), and part of me wondered why she created one just for breakfast and lunch. But she has me sold! I really appreciate the unique ideas she has for breakfast besides my grand ideas of cereal, oatmeal, or omelets -- even our picky eater perked up when I mentioned homemade whole wheat apple waffles. And lunch recipes can easily work for dinner too.

She really has something for everyone. We're on our Daniel Fast right now, which is a pretty strict vegan diet, but I found several recipes we can use, like White Bean Chili as well as Avocado, Corn, and Black Bean Salsa. And the recipes are so versatile that they can easily translate to dinner ideas too.

Buy It!
You can purchase The $5 Dinner Mom Breakfast and Lunch Cookbook: 200 Recipes for Quick, Delicious, and Nourishing Meals That Are Easy on the Budget and a Snap to Prepare on Amazon for $14.99, but it's on sale for $8.82 -- keep in mind Amazon prices may change at any time.

Win It!
This is open to U.S. To enter, you must be a Google Friend Connect Follower (and you don't have to be a blogger to sign up) and tell me, on average, how much does your lunch cost! This is required and must be done before the extra entries count! PLEASE leave your name and email address with your entry.

Extra Entries!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do along with you email address.


2- For ONE extra entry, Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway.

3 - For ONE extra entry, Like $5 Dinners on Facebook and leave some comment love!

4-For ONE extra entry, Subscribe to my blog via email.

Contest ends at 10pm EST on Sunday, February 13, 2011 when I will draw a winner at random. PLEASE leave your email address in your entry. I will notify the winner, and s/he will have 36 hours to respond!

****This is not a paid post. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others. Thank you to Erin and Sarah for the review and giveaway products!****

49 comments:

  1. Hi - I am a google friend connect follower. I spend about $4.00 on lunch every day when I make and bring my lunch - but when I buy my lunch I spend about $7.

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  2. I tweeted (or retweeted your tweet) www.twitter.com/andreaberg

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  3. Hi, I follow via GFC. I spend about $1.50 to make my husband's brown bag lunch, and my daughter and I usually eat simple lunches here at home. They probably cost $2 total for both of us.

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  4. I probably spend $8.00 a day for the family when I make it at home.
    I follow on GFC
    Kims2312@verizon.net

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  5. I think our lunches at home cost about $2.
    I follow via GFC: allibrary.

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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  6. I'm following you. I spend about $2 a day on lunch?? I think. It's $1.85 for each of my 2 kids to eat a lunch at school. If my hubby packs, it's about $3 for him to eat. if he eats out, about $6-7.

    Cathy
    cdavenport(at)charter(dot)net

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  7. I liked you on Facebook

    Cathy
    cdavenport(at)charter(dot)new

    ReplyDelete
  8. Like $5 dinners on FB and left a comment.

    Cathy
    cdavenport(at)charter(dot)net

    (last comment should have been .net not .new)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lately I have been horrible about bringing my lunch, so it costs me anywhere from $7-12!! Would love to win this cookbook for some new ideas.

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  10. Also tweeted the giveaway http://twitter.com/#!/SweetBellaRoos/status/31482795444412418

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  11. I follow on GFC!
    ThankfullyThrifty at gmail dot com

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  12. I follow on Twitter
    @ThankfulThrifty

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  13. We try to keep lunches pretty cheap - I would sayunder a $1 per person. PB&Js, mac and cheese with fruit...all pretty cheap stuff

    I'm a follower

    SamanthaD
    thegiveawayqueen at hotmail.com
    http://www.themomanddadreviews.com/

    ReplyDelete
  14. I like $5 dinners on FB

    Giveaway Queen

    SamanthaD
    thegiveawayqueen at hotmail.com
    http://www.themomanddadreviews.com/

    ReplyDelete
  15. I like you on FB

    Giveaway Queen

    SamanthaD
    thegiveawayqueen at hotmail.com
    http://www.themomanddadreviews.com/

    ReplyDelete
  16. I follow you on twitter

    @momdadreviews

    SamanthaD
    thegiveawayqueen at hotmail.com
    http://www.themomanddadreviews.com/

    ReplyDelete
  17. I follow via GFC. My lunch costs $7 when bought, $3-5 when i make it.

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  18. My lunch costs about 2 bucks.. each child ( I have 3) spends 2 a peice each day at school and hubby packs a lunch that costs about 2 bucks too.. so between all of us 10 a day!

    pontowd at yahoo dot com

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  19. Like you on facebook
    pontowd at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. like 5 dollar cookbook on facebook

    pontowd at yahoo dot com

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  21. I follow on GFC

    pontowd at yahoo dot com

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  22. My lunch generally costs between 3-4 dollars.
    sara.iteachk@gmail.com

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  23. I liked your page on facebook
    sara.iteachk@gmail.com

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  24. my lunch costs between $1.00 to $3.00. i'll eat leftovers, canned soup or a lean cuisine or a blackbean and cheese quesadilla

    kathleenkmccoy at hotmail dot com

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  25. Follow on GFC!
    I spend about $5 on lunch give or take.

    radmom07@yahoo.com

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  26. Following Discovering the Me in Mommy on FB!

    radmom07@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  27. following on twitter and retweeted!
    @tams2008

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  28. following $5 Dinners on FB

    radmom07@yahoo.com

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  29. GFC follower. I spend around $5 daily on lunch for me and my toddler.
    awhitehead357@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  30. Following via GFC.

    I don't like to spend more than about $2 per person, for a lunch. That is $6 for the family.

    courtney.davies@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. Liked you on Facebook (Courtney Davies).

    courtney.davies@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. Following you on Twitter (@raisingcasey)

    courtney.davies@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  33. I'm a GFC follower and usually my lunch costs around $2 (lean cuisine!)

    frugalfab (at) gmail (dot) com

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  34. I'm guessing that most days when we eat at home, it costs about $5-7 to feed me + my 5 children. If we're out, that's another story altogether ($20+ just for fast food - and not with kids' meals either!).

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  35. on average my lunch costs between $1.00 to $3.00 b/c i always eat leftovers and i frequently make the $5.00 dinners! would love this cookbook for new ideas

    kathleenkmccoy at hotmail dot com

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  36. I follow you on GFC...my lunch usually costs $2 or less.

    judywhatilivefor at gmail dot com

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  37. new gfc follower. when i make lunch at home it's about $10-$12 for our family of 5.

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  38. I follow you with GFC...I'm not sure how much lunch costs me. We usually eat leftovers or sandwiches.

    penguinlover_23 at yahoo dot com

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  39. I follow you on FB

    penguinlover_23 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  40. I like $5 Dinners on FB and told them you sent me

    penguinlover_23 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  41. I follow you on GFC (Andrea)
    We always eat at home, and I make my own bread. I would estimate they cost $2 maybe.
    benandrea102607 @ gmail dot com

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  42. I like you on Facebook
    benandrea102607 @ gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  43. I follow you on Twitter (@DoableDiapers)
    and tweeted
    http://twitter.com/DoableDiapers/status/36852044253888512
    benandrea102607 @ gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  44. I like $5 Dinners on FB and wrote on their wall (Andrea Hamilton)
    benandrea102607 @ gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  45. gFc follower- usually $2.This is a frozen single serve entree- like healthy chice, lean cuisine, etc.

    ReplyDelete