Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Aldi Favorite Foods - Recommended Items from Aldi

With grocery prices rising on pretty much everything, I have recently started doing most of my shopping at Aldi since they tend to have the best prices. With this switch, I have been trying out a lot of their different items, most of which have been good, some have been ok, and some not so great. From this experience, I decided to make a list of my favorite Aldi items I have found so far.

1. Casa Mamita Bean and Cheese Burritos

 
If you are looking for a great deal to get a lot of food for your money, this is it. These frozen burritos come in an 8 pack and are only about $3! In most other stores a single wrapped burrito sells for about the same price. Now there is nothing fancy about them, in fact the flavor is pretty mild and the filling seems like mostly beans, but they are perfectly satisfactory for a good meal. Only downside is since they are all packaged together, it can be hard to get them apart sometimes when they are frozen.

2. Simply Nature Apple Banana Squeezable Fruit Blend Pouches

For a convenient serving of fruit, these squeezable packets are unbeatable. They come in a 4 pack for about $1.50 which is a lot less than I have seen for any other similar product at any store. They are very delicious and easy to take on the go. I have also tried the apple strawberry flavor, but this one is my favorite. My only complaint is that at only 3.2 oz, they are gone before you know it and leave you wanting more!

3. Breakfast Best French Toast Sticks Original

I have been a fan of french toast sticks for a while so I had to try out the Aldi brand when I saw they had them. I get the original flavor since they are already sweet and don't need extra cinnamon and sugar. These come in a 16oz box for about $2.65 which is a pretty good deal compared to other options out there. They are easy to make in the microwave and the taste is very good. They make a nice snack any time of the day.

4. Bremer Chicken Melts


I tried these out not really knowing what to expect, but overall I was pleasantly surprised with how good they are. They come as 6 individually wrapped flat bread pockets with cheese and a chicken patty for about $5. I found the chicken to be very juicy and flavorful. These are also easy to make in the microwave as well. The bread can get a little hard sometimes but overall these make a great little meal that is tasty and convenient.

5. Elevation Meal Replacement Chocolate Shake


I had been looking for a nutrition shake to try out from Aldi so I decided to try out their Elevation meal replacement shakes. They come in a 6 pack for about $6 which is ok. The price actually went up from $5 when I first tried them out. They are 11 oz each and give you a good blend of nutrition in an easy to drink shake. Overall the taste is good and I would recommend them if you are looking for a nutrition drink like this.

Have you tried any of these items or do you have any other favorite foods from Aldi? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

Saturday, March 19, 2022

Sometimes a Little Persistence Can Pay Off

Recently I had been looking for a new job and happened to find one that looked like it would be a great fit. So I filled out the application and waited for a call back. After a couple weeks I had not heard anything yet but I saw that their ad for the job was still posted.

I decided to go to their company website and see if there was any contact information. I found their contact and decided to send them an email to let them know I was very interested in the position and would be happy to answer any questions they might have.

I figured I would get a response saying that they receive a lot of applications and that I would be contacted if they were interested in setting up an interview. None the less, I figured it was worth a shot.

Then within about 30 minutes I get a call. I answer it and it is the guy in charge of the department that I was applying for. He said they were still looking for someone and that I could come over and meet with him to learn about the job. So I was able to set up a meeting right then and there.

The next day I met with him at the facility and he showed me everything about the job. They had only one other person interested in the position so I had a good chance to get it. Unfortunately the job turned out to be very different from what I was expecting. The job listing was not very accurate and it turns out they wanted someone to do a lot of other work that I was not interested in, so in the end I decided to turn it down.

Even though it did not work out, it was still a good lesson in how a little persistence can pay off. Had I not taken that little extra effort to follow up with them, I probably never would have even heard back from them. Because I took the initiative to contact them, I ended up with the opportunity to get the job.

Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Unclogging a Bathroom Sink Drain - How To

Recently I noticed my bathroom sink was not draining well, as water started to back up into the sink while it was running. I decided to research solutions on how to fix it without having to call a plumber. There are many suggestions out there on ways to fix it. Using this information, I was able to clear the drain, so I thought I would share the experience here to help others who may have the same issue.

First I took an unfolded wire hanger and fished it down the drain to see if I could knock anything loose. It did get a lot of gunk on it so I could tell there was probably some build up around that area of the pipes.

Next, I looked underneath and found the drain pipe. It has a curved section known as a “p-trap” and this part can unscrew to take it off. I decided to try this to see if there clog was in this section.

First I put a bucket underneath and then started unscrewing the p-trap. It was a little hard to do, but I managed to unscrew it. As it came off, some water came out as expected, as well as a lot of gunk. Sure enough this is where there was a clog. Years of toothpaste and soap residue can really build up over time inside the pipes. It does smell pretty bad so be prepared for that.

I started cleaning out the pipe with the wire hanger and some paper towels. I cleaned the section attached to the sink as well as the pipe attached to the wall. I also cleaned out the p-trap pipe. Overall it was not too hard, just messy, so you will probably want to have rubber gloves and plenty of paper towels or rags.

I also ran the water a bit to clear out any loose material while the pipe was off so it would just go into the bucket instead of into the drain again.

Once clear, I put it back together and tested it out. The drain worked perfectly and the clog was clear! I think this is a project most people can do so if your bathroom sink is clogged, I recommend trying this method to clear it before calling for a plumber.