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  • Natasha Behnam Shares the One Food She Makes for Every Dinner Party [Exclusive]

    Natasha Behnam Shares the One Food She Makes for Every Dinner Party [Exclusive]

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    Want the best of both worlds? Start by watching Natasha Behnam on Max’s The Girls on the Bus, and then have her throw you an Iranian American dinner party. Great vibes required for entry. 

    The California-born actress has always had bright dreams and even brighter taste buds. Much of that is due to her family, who immigrated to America from Iran in 1979, bringing their strong traditions, cultures, and cuisine along. Many of Behnam’s fondest memories revolve around the kitchen when she was growing up and the lessons she learned from her grandmother — including to take your time. But Behnam’s time is now, both personally and professionally.

    Behnam stars as Lola Rahaii in Max’s new series, a political drama that follows four journalists tasked with following the election’s presidential hopefuls. Lola is a bright personality in the group: A confident, outspoken TikTok star who cares about helping the younger generation better understand politics, even when others underestimate her potential or platform. And bringing that character to life was incredibly important to Behman who aims to use her words and actions to make a positive difference in the world and, most of all, to start conversations.

    And when it comes to starting and maintaining a conversation, Behnam is a rockstar. Her bubbly and bold personality shines through as she discusses her food and cultural influences. And although she may sometimes be panicked when it comes time to throw a dinner party — often assisted by her best friend and sous chef, Danya — she’ll always ensure that there are great vibes, great tastes, and great heaps of food to devour. 

    For this edition of Cooking Diary, Natasha Behnam explains how food continues to shape her life, and how that relationship can be extremely healing.

    From childhood to adulthood, what role has food and the culture attached to it played in your life? 

    I’m Persian, and food was always a party for my family. When I was a kid, we would have Monday night dinners at my house where my grandma would cook and my aunts, uncles, and cousins would all come, and then on Wednesday nights it would be at my aunt’s house. So we had family dinner twice a week where everyone would come and the tables would be full of these beautiful big dishes of different Persian food. For me, food has always been about community and family. And as I’ve grown up, it’s become a lot more about healing as well. I feel like food is like a spiritual practice for me now because, quite literally, we are what we eat, but I found that I can heal things in my body based on what I’m eating, and I can also harm things in my body based on what I’m eating. So I’ve now been really getting in touch with the spirituality of food.

    Looking back, what did those family dinners teach you? 

    From that childhood experience, I feel like it’s in my bones to understand that community is everything. We have to eat together and get together once a week. My two best friends and I now do Monday night dinners together in Los Angeles. It’s just a space to know you’re not alone. You need family, whether it’s chosen or blood.

    Any lessons in particular that your grandmother taught you in the kitchen that you still uphold today?

    There are two things: The first is to take your time, which I never do. And the other thing that was actually so valuable is telling me to wash your dishes while you’re cooking. If something’s sitting on the stove, she turns and she’ll wash a couple of dishes and then go back to it, which actually is so helpful so that it doesn’t pile up.

    So imagine it’s a typical Monday night dinner between you and your besties, and maybe you’ve invited some friends over. What role are you playing in this extravaganza?

    I’m definitely way more of the vibe queen at the dinner parties. I will cook, but again, I panic the whole time. But I am really good at making sure that everyone knows each other and everyone is chatting and having a good time.

    If I’m cooking, I’m making Persian food, which is hard to make and takes a long time. I learned from my grandma who does everything from scratch and everything takes like three days. But there’s one dish that I’ve perfected that is the only thing that I’ll make now. It’s called khoresh gheymeh. It’s a rice dish with a stew. The stew is a beef and yellow split pea base. Persian [cuisine] is famous for our tahdig or crispy rice, which, not to brag, but I absolutely have mastered. You put the rice, oil, butter, saffron, salt — all of that and you cook the rice until all the water is gone. Then you take a towel and wrap it around the lid of the pot and you put it on low heat for about 25 minutes. What that does is makes a layer of crispy rice on the bottom, and then you flip the pan over and you take the pot off so you have like this [crispy rice] pie. Then you take that and put the khoresh gheymeh on top. Traditionally it’s actually made with french fries on top of the stew, which is so delicious. So usually I’m making all of that and I’m always making a yogurt cucumber dip on the side to mix with the rice.

    Okay, so we know the menu. Now, what’s the dinner party vibe? How are you entertaining guests?

    Well we just moved, but my best friends, Danya and Hannah, lived with me in this big house, so we would invite maybe 10 to 12 people. We had a big table, we had music going, we got a little tablecloth, and it’s really like a homestyle party. I feel like we are all young, so our dinner parties are chaotic. We definitely will have some wine and we like to set the table pretty. And then by the time the food is ready, the food’s always on the stove and we’re like, “Alright, it’s ready, come get it!” That part’s not cute at all. But then we all get to bond and have really good food and it’s great.

    You mentioned earlier about using food as healing. Is there one food in particular that is your go-to when you need a pick-me-up?

    It’s boring, but it’s broccoli. I love just crispy salted broccoli. It’s so silly but it really tastes like potato chips to me when I have really crispy salty broccoli. It’s so boring.

    You’re now based in LA — what’s your favorite restaurant? 

    I live next to McCall’s Meat & Fish Co in Los Feliz, and they have the best olives, dips, breads — anything you could want for a charcuterie board.

    And what about when you were in New York filming The Girls on the Bus — any favorite spots there?

    The restaurant abcV changed my life. It’s the best food I’ve ever had in my life; I cannot wait to go back. I also loved Nami Nori sushi. So good; I would always go there. I also loved to go to Joseph Leonard in New York. Huge shout out to them, I feel like I became best friends with the entire staff there. And then I lived by a Birch Coffee, so I would pop down and would get a perfect oat milk latte with cinnamon on top from there.

    We talked about your love of Persian food, but what other cuisines are you obsessed with? 

    Thai food is my favorite. I love drunken noodles. I could go for Thai every day.

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    Gianluca Russo

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  • Dollar General Just Announced a Major Store Change — and Shoppers Are Freaking Out

    Dollar General Just Announced a Major Store Change — and Shoppers Are Freaking Out

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    Many of those tried-and-true discount stores are making a lot of changes right now in an effort to cut costs and increase revenue Dollar Tree recently announced an expansion of their offerings with a price increase of $5 and even $7 for some items. Walmart announced major renovations to increase its product offerings. And now, Dollar General will be reducing the number of items you’ll see on shelves.

    Dollar General announced it will be eliminating 1,000 unique items on shelves from their usual product lineup, reducing their current product lineup by 8%-9%, depending on the location. The discount retailer previously carried between 11,000 to 12,000 stock keeping units (SKUs) at its stores.

    This news comes less than a year after Dollar General’s announcement to expand fresh grocery items in stores such as perishable items and produce, along with the brand’s typical offering of pantry staples. During a December 2023 earnings call, Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos announced over 5,400 stores have fresh produce offerings in stores, with a targeted 1,500 additional stores in 2024.

    However, while this news seems fresh to the public, Dollar General executives have been open about reducing SKU offerings since the end of last year. This particular move is meant to simplify things in stores for employees and customers.

    “Our merchant teams have focused on reducing activity for store teams by reducing the number of floor stands and monthly end cap resets and increasing the number of products that go straight to the shelf, all which saves time in our stores and enhances the customer experience,” Vasos explained in the December call.

    Although the retailer will be offering less products on shelves, this doesn’t mean the fewer items will take a direct hit to the company’s success. Costco is famously known for keeping its SKU count low at stores (only offering 4,000 items at the company’s warehouses) yet still brought in over $6.29 billion last year.

    Dollar General reported a 0.7% decrease in net revenue between 2022 and 2023, clocking in $2.41 billion, and is currently seeing a decline in sales year-over-year. Only time will tell if this discount store’s efforts to simplify stores and clean up shelves will pay off in the long run.

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    Kiersten Hickman

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  • This $3 Trader Joe’s Treat Is Flying Off Shelves Right Now (It’s “Amazing”!)

    This $3 Trader Joe’s Treat Is Flying Off Shelves Right Now (It’s “Amazing”!)

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    How can you possibly resist a delicious new seasonal treat from Trader Joe’s? TJ’s is always cycling through tasty treats to match the seasons, and the latest snack find taking over social media feeds might be one of their best ones yet: Chocolatey Drizzled Strawberry Kettle Corn!

    Priced at $3.49 a bag, the snack has kettle corn as the base, drizzled with chocolate and topped with freeze-dried strawberries. Meant to be a mix between a chocolate-covered strawberry and a carnival snack, this sweet and salty snack is the perfect after-dinner treat if you’re looking for dessert and popcorn for your late-night movie at home.

    Trader Joe’s snackers say one of their favorite reasons for loving this snack is the fact that Trader Joe’s relies on freeze-dried strawberries for flavor instead of using any artificial flavors to get that taste.

    Natasha from Trader Joe’s List did a review of this chocolate strawberry popcorn treat in one of her recent shopping haul videos on YouTube, and she was raving about it. “It really does taste like strawberries! [It’s] really good.” She also swears by combining this chocolate strawberry kettle corn with another one of Trader Joe’s not to be missed groceries, the Piquant Popcorn. These treats are seasoned with nutritional yeast, sea salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. Serve these two popcorns in bowls for movie night for the ultimate salty-sweet snack combo.

    Many Trader Joe’s shoppers agree with how delectable this snack is. “I ate it in one sitting,” says one shopper on Reddit. “They gave out very effective samples of this at my store this week, unexpectedly great,” writes another.

    Didn’t get a chance to snag this limited-time treat while it was on shelves? Try making your own version at home! Pop your own batch of homemade kettle corn, then spread the popcorn out on a large sheet pan with parchment paper so you can easily drizzle with chocolate and top with freeze dried strawberries. (Trader Joe’s sells them for $2.99 a bag!)

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    Kiersten Hickman

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  • The “Beautiful” $10 Costco Bowls Shoppers Are Clearing Off the Shelves

    The “Beautiful” $10 Costco Bowls Shoppers Are Clearing Off the Shelves

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    There’s nothing like a fresh Costco deal that makes you want to grab your Gold Star member card and hit the warehouse. Whether it’s for cheap luxury freezer finds or breakfasts we can’t help buying in bulk, Costco knows what it takes to give us what we want. And right now, we want bowls. Specifically expensive-looking bowls that only cost $10 for a set of 10.

    That’s right — one beautiful bowl for a dollar each in this newly spotted set of signature stoneware snacking bowls. Posted in a roundup of latest Costco deals by @costcofinds75 on TikTok, these bowls come in a variety of cool colors and designs: deep blue, teal, gray, beige, and seafoam green. Each set of 10 has five matching pairs of bowls with colorful, artistic designs that look like they came from a luxury kitchen store.

    The bowls hold 14.5 ounces each, so they are small; but they work well for snacking and, of course, desserts. Your ice cream sundaes this summer are going to look even more beautiful in these stoneware bowls!

    Not only are these bowls beautifully crafted, but the price is really truly shocking — we had to do a double take! Costco sells a variety of stoneware bowl sets in stores and on their websites, but this $10 price point seems to be the cheapest deal yet. So grab your own set for your summer festivities before they’re gone.

    Once you have your bowls, it’s time to make tasty snacks. This homemade Chex mix is a staple in our pantries, and we also love this berry walnut trail mix when we’re looking for something sweet and salty. A no-churn ice cream could be a unique dessert for guests, or even this vegan strawberry “nice” cream. This set even works well for yogurt bowls in the morning if you’re hosting guests for breakfast.

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    Kiersten Hickman

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  • Marshalls Is Selling a Disco Cowgirl Cookie Jar and People Are “Driving Hundreds of Miles” to Find It

    Marshalls Is Selling a Disco Cowgirl Cookie Jar and People Are “Driving Hundreds of Miles” to Find It

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    Who doesn’t love a cute statement piece in the kitchen? Especially if it’s a disco ball cookie jar with a cowboy hat. Yes, you read that right — disco ball, cookie jar, and cowboy hat. This adorable kitchen find is available at Marshalls, and shoppers are frantic trying to find it on their local shelves.

    According to shoppers, this disco ball cookie jar is priced at $14.99, but it’s rather impossible to find. Disco-ball lovers are flooding the comments of videos featuring the cookie jar hoping for some kind of intel on where to find them. One shopper says she’s been “on the hunt for weeks” and another commented they drove to “every Marshalls within 100 miles” with no such luck on finding this coveted sparkling jar. TikTokers are even banding together and helping each other out, buying these jars in bulk and mailing them off to friends who can’t find them in their hometown stores.

    The popularity of this cookie jar makes sense for the trending disco ball cowgirl aesthetic we’re seeing lately. Disco cowgirl fashion is currently on the rise, with sparkly hats and boots filling social media feeds and making appearances at music festivals. Bachelorette parties with sparkly disco cowboy cups and glitter party streamers are all over Amazon.

    Needless to say, disco cowgirl isn’t going anywhere, so you might as well go on the hunt for that cookie jar at Marshalls; it’s only a matter of time before you’ll be hosting your own sparkly rodeo.

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    Kiersten Hickman

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  • Costco Is Rolling Out a Major Change to Its Rotisserie Chicken — and People Are Not Happy

    Costco Is Rolling Out a Major Change to Its Rotisserie Chicken — and People Are Not Happy

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    There are a number of reasons why we love shopping at Costco, but nothing can beat that juicy rotisserie chicken for just $4.99. Costco has made it very clear that the price of their iconic rotisserie chicken will never change, even if it means losing tens of millions of dollars a year. Unless, of course, they make a few changes that will cut costs — like swapping out the usual hard clamshell packaging for a thinner plastic bag.

    According to a recent Reddit post from user u/ExternalRip312, Costco will be rolling out new plastic packaging in a move to reduce the warehouse’s overall carbon footprint. By selling rotisserie chickens in plastic bags — a switch that other retailers such as Whole Foods and Walmart have already made — Costco is able to reduce plastic use by 75 percent (more than 17 million pounds of plastic a year) and remove 1,000 trucks from roads, resulting in a carbon reduction of 4,000 metric tons. People are already reporting on this change in their warehouses, and customers in Canada claim this packaging swap happened over a year ago. Some speculate that this could save Costco almost $20 million a year.

    Of course, with any major change to beloved Costco items, shoppers have thoughts. While making an environmental difference is certainly a pro for this new packaging — as well as being able to hold multiple chickens at once, according to one Reddit user — there are a number of cons that customers can’t help but notice.

    The first is the flimsy packaging. It may save a large amount of plastic, but shoppers have already commented on the hot chicken juices leaking from bags, splattering on shoes and all over the bottom of their cars.

    The clamshell packaging also allows for chicken-lovers to evaluate the different chickens to choose from. Looking for the plumpest one? Prefer golden or crispy dark skin? The plastic bags make it a bit more difficult to scope out the ideal chicken.

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    Kiersten Hickman

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  • Marshalls Just Dropped “Adorable” Strawberry Cups That Are Selling Out Fast

    Marshalls Just Dropped “Adorable” Strawberry Cups That Are Selling Out Fast

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    It’s officially spring, and our favorite retailers are rolling out all of the adorable kitchen and home decor we could possibly ever need. But that would never stop us from finding and collecting all of the cute hidden kitchen gems, especially in a treasure trove like Marshalls. And their latest collection of spring goodies is just “too cute” to miss, according to shoppers online. The ultimate goodie to grab? This strawberry tea cup with a cheeky matching lid.

    This strawberry tea cup comes with a plastic top to keep your tea warm for those cooler spring days. The clear cup features festive red strawberries and gold flower details, with a delicate round handle for lifting and sipping. The lid also has a small strawberry on top, making it easy to remove when it’s time to take a sip of tea. This cup is a bit smaller than most mugs, so if you’re the kind of person who loves to host a tea party (or have a tea party with your kids!) and you’re looking for a new set for spring, these cups may just be what you’re looking for.

    For something quirkier, these tea cups also come with balloon animal designs instead of strawberries (yes, balloon animals!) and don a purple lid on top.

    Marshalls is full of all kinds of playful spring finds right now — especially if you love anything strawberry-themed. There’s a strawberry cup and saucer set where the saucer is a sliced strawberry (so cute!) and a mug that is quite literally shaped like a strawberry. Makes you want to bake a strawberry rhubarb pie, doesn’t it?

    This popular discount retailer also has other spring kitchen decor finds like a purple butterfly mug, gummy bear-shaped glass tumblers, yellow honey bee tumblers, and all things cowboy. Because who wouldn’t want a bright pink mug with cowboy boots that says “Let’s Go Girls?”

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    Kiersten Hickman

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  • These Gorgeous $20 Goblets at Walmart Look Twice the Price (Shoppers Are Buying Every Color)

    These Gorgeous $20 Goblets at Walmart Look Twice the Price (Shoppers Are Buying Every Color)

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    Glassware certainly isn’t cheap. If you’re looking for something beautiful and high-quality, you typically have to be willing to pay a steep price. But when shopping at a place like Walmart — where you can get $3 glass tumblers or $8 wooden serving trays — there are always a few hidden kitchen gems on the shelves, and their latest gorgeous set of glassware is certainly one of them.

    Priced at just under $20, these beautiful scallop glass goblets are an expansion of Drew Barrymore’s Beautiful, a line of cook and kitchenware available only at Walmart. The set of four come in two stunning colors — Cornflower Blue, or classic Clear — and hold up to 16 fluid ounces each. The cups are dishwasher safe, are made with lead-free crystal, have an ornately designed stem, and stand at 6 1/2 inches tall. They are the perfect elegant touch for all of your springtime festivities and at such a low price point!

    Shoppers are raving about these glasses in the comments, saying how “beautiful” and “chic” they look on their tables. Some even say these glasses look like “a small work of art.”

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    Kiersten Hickman

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  • The Surprising Breakfast Combination Ayesha Curry Makes on Repeat [Exclusive]

    The Surprising Breakfast Combination Ayesha Curry Makes on Repeat [Exclusive]

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    “I have to get a little sweet somehow in everything I eat.”
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    Alyse Whitney 수지

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  • Trader Joe’s Just Dropped a “Beautiful” $3 Decor Gem, and People Are Buying 2 at a Time

    Trader Joe’s Just Dropped a “Beautiful” $3 Decor Gem, and People Are Buying 2 at a Time

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    If you’re taking a trip to Trader Joe’s for a grocery run, don’t skip over the plant section this season. While TJ’s is known for selling all kinds of hidden tasty gems, they also offer an extensive selection of flowers and plants at a cheap price point — and their most recent springtime planters are not to be missed. 

    Sold at a remarkably low price point of $2.99, Trader Joe’s is selling a few of their signature mini succulents in beautifully crafted white planting pots. The design is a simple, elegant drawing that comes in two different colors: dark blue and teal. These planters are the same prices as their normal mini succulents sold in terra-cotta pots, so if you’re a plant mom or dad looking for something new to add to your collection, snatch one of these up before they’re gone!

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    Kiersten Hickman

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  • Egg Prices Are Going Up — And Not for the Reason You’d Expect

    Egg Prices Are Going Up — And Not for the Reason You’d Expect

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    You might want to do your Easter shopping sooner rather than later.
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    Alexandra Foster

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  • Dollar Tree Just Announced a Major Price Change — and Shoppers Are Furious

    Dollar Tree Just Announced a Major Price Change — and Shoppers Are Furious

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    Items at the dollar store no longer just cost a dollar, but this isn’t news. Popular dollar stores such as Dollar General and Dollar Tree raised their prices to $1.25 over the past two years. Dollar Tree — and its subsidiary Family Dollar — also made the move to elevate some of their prices to $3 and $5 in 2023, all in an effort to expand the number of products they offer in stores. And now, during their fourth quarter earnings call, CEO Rick Dreiling announced the discount store will increase their price threshold to $7.

    “This expanded assortment will offer Dollar Tree shoppers a wider range of choices across a variety of categories, including food and snacks, beverages, pet care, personal care, and more,” explains Dreiling during the call. “Even as our multi-price assortment expands over time, the vast majority of the items sold in Dollar Tree stores will remain at our entry level fixed price point.”

    The news of this price increase is also followed by the news of Dollar Tree shutting even more doors; the company will close 1,000 Dollar Tree stores in 2024, and 600 Family Dollar stores during the first half of the 2024 fiscal year, as well as an additional 370 closing when their leases expire.

    Although this change does mean an expansion of offerings on shelves — like frozen and refrigerated items for $3, or bags of dog food for $5 — loyal customers aren’t too pleased about the price increase, and have taken to social media to voice their complaints.

    The speculation started when customers noticed the added price scanners in stores. Why have a price scanner if everything’s the same price? After taking a closer look, videos circulated online displaying the price differences, showing food items like hamburger buns for $4 or sunscreen for $5. Some are even commenting on how their local dollar store is turning into the new Five Below.

    Will dollar stores like the Dollar Tree or Family Dollar still be the cheapest option for customers? Shoppers and employees are saying no, especially when you compare food prices. A can of beans costs $1.25 at Dollar Tree, but only $0.82 at Walmart.

    “They are pricing themselves right out of business,” comments one shopper on a TikTok video. “Now I feel like they are taking advantage,” writes another. “Some of these prices are more than Walgreens.”

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    Kiersten Hickman

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  • The “Absolutely Gorgeous” $5 Target Storage Find You’ll Want for Every Room (Even the Pantry!)

    The “Absolutely Gorgeous” $5 Target Storage Find You’ll Want for Every Room (Even the Pantry!)

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    Posted by @target_junkie on Instagram, these ribbed glass containers come in two different sizes. You can buy the larger containers separately, or buy a set of two smaller containers for the same price as the larger ones. These ribbed glass containers have a sealed wooden lid, making them the perfect container for all kinds of kitchen storage needs.

    Target shoppers are raving about these containers, saying they “look gorgeous” in their pantries, and are “so versatile” for your home. Customers also love how affordable these containers are, given the quality of the product, and are stocking up even if they don’t know what to do with them yet.

    Not sure what to use them for as well? We’ve got some ideas. Turn your pantry from a chaotic mess to a serene, organized space with a set of these containers. The flat wooden lids make them ideal for stocking a pantry, as you can easily stack the containers on top of one another to make more room for storage. 

    These containers are also beautiful enough to have on display in your kitchen. Want snacks easily on hand? Did you bake a fresh batch of cookies? Do you need a place for your coffee beans or loose-leaf tea? They even work well for other storage needs in your home, like cotton balls or Q-tips in your bathroom.

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    Kiersten Hickman

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  • Aldi’s New $10 Daisy Casserole Dish Has Shoppers Running to the Store (It’s So Pretty)

    Aldi’s New $10 Daisy Casserole Dish Has Shoppers Running to the Store (It’s So Pretty)

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    People can’t seem to get enough of Aldi’s incredible deals — and we can’t either. From their delicious frozen dinner finds to essential pantry staples and beautiful home decor, we sometimes can’t believe Aldi products have such a low price tag. The grocer has even become so successful that they’re set to open 800 more stores by the end of 2028. While there’s a lot to love when it comes to Aldi, there are a couple of new kitchen gems this week that you may want to add to your collection.

    The mini casserole set is only one quart, making it perfect for individual servings or a dinner side dish. The enameled steel offers incredible heat conductivity and remains oven safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Not to mention, the pot is compatible with all cooking surfaces, including induction. You can make your favorite mini casserole, concoct a serving of chili, or even make a baked dessert. However you choose to use the dish, its $10 price tag is truly the selling point, as other brands like Williams-Sonoma and Wayfair are selling similar products for more than $20.

    The 12-quart stockpot is ideal for large groups or meal prepping. Similar to the mini casserole dish, the stockpot provides great heat conductivity, is oven safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and is compatible with all cooking surfaces. The pot would be perfect for cooking soups, stews, or hefty batches of pasta. Like the mini casserole dish, the stockpot is a fantastic deal as Williams-Sonoma and Wayfair are selling versions for $115 and $130, respectively.

    If you’re in the market for more cookware, you may want to grab these while you can.

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    Emma Taubenfeld

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  • Jennifer Aniston Just Taught Me Her Trick for Making Her Favorite Creamy Pasta — Without a Drop of Cream

    Jennifer Aniston Just Taught Me Her Trick for Making Her Favorite Creamy Pasta — Without a Drop of Cream

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    As self-proclaimed food people, we have our celebrity chefs we love to follow for recipe inspiration: Ina Garten, Giada De Laurentiis, Gordon Ramsay, Bobby Flay … the usual suspects. And then there are the celebs who take you by surprise, like Jennifer Aniston. Jen’s favorite salad to eat on the set of Friends blew up on TikTok last year, so when we stumbled across her recipe for carbonara, we couldn’t help but give this hidden gem a try. Is her pasta recipe just as good? Is Jen a secret culinary star who has yet to truly be discovered and appreciated? Let’s find out.

    Get the recipe: Jennifer Aniston’s Carbonara

    How to Make Jennifer Anniston’s Carbonara

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While you wait, cook slices of turkey bacon and a small red onion (both diced small) in a large skillet. Cook until the bacon and onions are crispy and caramelized, about 10-15 minutes. Add in minced garlic cloves and stir, cooking until the garlic is fragrant — another 1 to 2 minutes.

    While you cook, whisk together a large egg, low-fat milk, and grated Parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Set aside.

    When the water is boiling, cook 1 pound (16 ounces) of spaghetti. Boil according to the package instructions. Once cooked, reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta water before draining.

    Pour 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water slowly into the bowl with the egg mixture, whisking continuously so you don’t scramble the egg.

    Toss the hot pasta in the skillet with the cooked bacon and onion. Pour in the egg mixture, then turn the heat on low and toss the pasta until the sauce has thickened. If it seems too dry, add in the other 1/4 cup of pasta water.

    Season with salt, pepper, and extra grated Parmesan cheese.

    So is Jen a culinary star? For the average working adult who needs a quick, delicious pasta on a weeknight, I say yes. All in all, I did enjoy this recipe. Carbonara isn’t the easiest dish to make; it requires a careful hand and a lot of patience to get the sauce just right. Jen’s recipe turns a complicated dish into an easy weeknight meal, which I do appreciate.

    However, it’s also clear from the ingredients that this recipe was meant to be a lighter version of the classic carbonara by using turkey bacon instead of guanciale, and lightening up the amount of egg yolk and cheese by adding in low-fat milk. While these swaps did work for this recipe, I knew instantly that this recipe was missing a key ingredient for the cooking process: olive oil.

    Typically a fatty pork like guanciale, prosciutto, or bacon is used for a carbonara, so meat cooks in its own fat. However, turkey bacon doesn’t have as much fat to cook in, so cooking it by itself in the skillet without some kind of fat was not going to work. Plus, the onions need something to cook in, too! So I went ahead and added a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet when cooking the bacon and the onion, which helped immensely.

    After that small tweak, cooking this recipe was an absolute breeze, and I absolutely plan on making it again for dinner soon. Maybe tonight!

    3 Tips for Making Jennifer Aniston’s Carbonara

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    Kiersten Hickman

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  • Dairy Queen Is Bringing Back Free Cone Day and We’re Counting Down the Days

    Dairy Queen Is Bringing Back Free Cone Day and We’re Counting Down the Days

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    One of the best parts about the warm weather months is the abundance of ice cream. While we firmly believe that ice cream can (and should) be consumed year-round, it just tastes better after a long day out in the sun. Lucky for us, one of our favorite sweet treat establishments is kicking off the sunshine season with a deal that feels almost too good to be true.

    On March 19,, Dairy Queen is participating in a Free Cone Day where ice cream-lovers everywhere can receive one small vanilla soft-serve cone (limited to one per customer), while supplies last. The day is the official launch of Dairy Queen’s beloved “Treat Szn,” when the only things that should be cold are “sweet treats that come in a cup or a cone.”

    “Nothing says warmer weather is around the corner quite like Free Cone Day. We’re inviting fans everywhere to grab their friends and families and get their ‘Treat Szn’ started with something sweet — on us!” said Maria Hokanson, executive vice president of marketing at American Dairy Queen Corporation, in a press release. 

    It’s important to note that not all Dairy Queen locations are participating in Free Cone Day so you’ll want to check out the Dairy Queen website to find a location that’s closest to you. If you’re not a fan of vanilla soft serve, you can always grab a cone for a friend (about to be your best friend after you bring them ice cream) and grab a Blizzard for yourself while you’re there. Although, you will have to pay for one out of pocket, if you have ever tasted a Blizzard before, you know it’s totally worth the price.

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    Emma Taubenfeld

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  • I Tried the Viral 2-Ingredient “Crookie” That’s All Over TikTok and Yes, You Should Make It Immediately

    I Tried the Viral 2-Ingredient “Crookie” That’s All Over TikTok and Yes, You Should Make It Immediately

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    Paris is no stranger to a tasty treat. The City of Lights is renowned for its incredible bakeries and their seemingly endless supply of unique recipes like this almond croissant cookie. The best part is you don’t have to visit Paris to try one of the many bakery treats hailing from the city of romance. Macarons, éclairs and crêpes are just a few of the French-born recipes that are menu staples in countless bakeries across the US. 

    Lately, however, one Austrian-born flaky pastry has been having a serious renaissance in Paris. Thanks to the novel idea of combining a classic chocolate chip cookie with a freshly baked croissant, foodies everywhere have been chomping at the bit for a taste of this one-of-a-kind Parisian creation known as The Crookie. 

    Whether The Crookie is an ingenious idea or an over-the-top execution is still up for debate, however there is no denying the fact that the controversial treat has completely taken the internet by storm. I love cookies and I love croissants, but do they need to be together? I was eager to find out.

    Get the recipe: The Crookie 

    Starting with the croissant, you will have a couple of choices to consider before combining it with cookie dough. Using mini croissants will result in a smaller, more palatable bite as compared to using full-size croissants. Being that croissants already boast a rich flavor as is, the addition of chocolate chip cookie dough could put the sweetness factor over the top for some when using a full-size croissant. 

    Once you’ve acquired your croissants, go ahead and cut each of them in half from end to end and place them down on a baking sheet face up. Next, place a layer of chocolate chip cookie dough on the open face of one side of each croissant. You can use either a store bought cookie dough, or even better, make one from scratch. 

    After you’ve laid out the layer of cookie dough, close the other half of the croissant on top of the cookie dough and proceed to place another layer of cookie dough on the top side of the croissant. You can get creative with this step and use as much cookie dough as you like. Create small little dollops, or spread it out across the entire surface area of the croissant. 

    Place each croissant on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then place into an oven preheated to 350°F. Bake for about 14 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden brown. When ready, remove the crookies from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before digging in and enjoying a bite of Parisian-inspired goodness.  

    My Honest Opinion of The Crookie

    Personally, I love the idea of this recipe. It combines two treats that I love indulging in and creates one very sweet and savory treat. I was impressed with how gooey the inside of the crookie became after biting into it, and each subsequent bite was just as flaky and food coma-inducing as the last. I can see why this recipe has been so popular as of recently and it has been a lot of fun to witness all of the creations that have spawned from it. 

    I will say that the next time I make crookies I am definitely using mini croissants. While I do love the flavor and texture, I found having to eat through an entire jumbo-sized crookie to be too much. I think this recipe is perfect as a bite-sized appetizer to be served when entertaining guests. The croissant would be less than half the size of a normal croissant and you could use way less cookie dough. Not only would it be smaller, but you would probably eat just as much due to them being so darn easy to eat. 

    2 Tips for Making The Crookie

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    Nathan Hutsenpiller

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  • If You Buy One Thing from Target This Week, Let It Be the $5 “Emotional Support” Mug

    If You Buy One Thing from Target This Week, Let It Be the $5 “Emotional Support” Mug

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    So cute!
    READ MORE…

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    Alexandra Foster

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  • Dollar Tree’s “Amazing” $2 Cups Are Flying Off Shelves (You’ll Want Every Color!)

    Dollar Tree’s “Amazing” $2 Cups Are Flying Off Shelves (You’ll Want Every Color!)

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    Tumblers have been all the rage recently, likely due to the popularity of the Stanley cup. If you were looking to make some small environmentally-friendly changes to your lifestyle, investing in some reusable cups would certainly be a step in the right direction. Plus, keeping plastic bottles out of landfills will certainly go a long way. However, Stanley tumblers are expensive, so some of our favorite budget grocers have been rolling out their own tumblers that won’t break the bank.

    Dollar Tree is the most recent to stock the shelves with some new tumblers, as spotted by Instagram account @dollartreeinsider. The 21-ounce tumblers have a gem-like exterior if you’re looking for a little extra sparkle in your life, and are retailing in four colors: white, orange, pink, and blue. Each tumbler is selling for $2 a cup. While we know the Dollar Tree is only supposed to be $1, a $2 cup is definitely a bargain compared to a $45 Stanley tumbler.

    Since we keep mentioning Stanley products, it’s important to note that these Dollar Tree cups aren’t a replacement for the Stanley tumbler. They won’t provide the same insulation so your beverage of choice might not stay cold for as long. However, this Dollar Tree version would be great for water or iced coffee in a pinch, especially if you have a long commute to work. You can even bring this to your favorite coffee shop and have them fill it up to eliminate single-use plastic cups.

    If you happen to spot these at Dollar Tree, just remember that these are seasonal, so you may want to grab one or two while you can. And, since we’re doing our part to help the environment, if you’re going to stock up on these, make sure to use them until you can’t anymore to honor the people who made them and reduce your environmental footprint as much as possible. 

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    Emma Taubenfeld

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  • Aldi Just Announced a Major Store Expansion Across Key States That Has Shoppers So Excited

    Aldi Just Announced a Major Store Expansion Across Key States That Has Shoppers So Excited

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    Aldi is one of our all-time favorite budget grocers — and we’re not the only ones who think so. From delicious snacks to inexpensive home decor and even wine selection, it’s nearly impossible to walk out of an Aldi with a less than full shopping cart. But not everyone is lucky enough to have an Aldi close enough to where they live to make it a justifiable trip. Fortunately, the brand has big expansion plans in the works to make the grocer a bit more accessible to those who can’t get to one, according to Aldi’s most recent press release. 

    Aldi is set to open an additional 800 stores across the United States by the end of 2028. This will be a combination of brand-new openings and store conversions. With our current economy, people are looking to save money however they can, so this expansion will hopefully bring more fresh food choices with a low price tag to places that may not have too many inexpensive options otherwise.

    “For more than a decade, Aldi has added hundreds of stores per year across the country,” said Jason Hart, CEO of Aldi. “This success would not be possible without our dedicated team members and supplier partners that bring our customers value and convenience every day. With our growth comes exciting opportunities for our teams and suppliers to grow with us.”

    The brand is investing a whopping $9 billion on the nationwide expansion by continuing to add stores to the Northeast and Midwest, but also growing its presence on the West Coast (particularly in Southern California and Phoenix) and entering new territory like Las Vegas.

    Aldi has also recently acquired Southeastern Grocers and their Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket labels, which will convert to the Aldi layout over the next few years. The company is continuing to ensure that as it expands, the environmental footprint doesn’t expand as well. Aldi is remodeling stores to include energy-efficient LED lighting, environmentally friendly refrigeration systems, and rooftop solar systems.

    While there are a lot of changes in the works, customers can expect the same grocery experience they’re used to — the one that keeps them coming back.

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    Emma Taubenfeld

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