Preppy Fashion Lover Gifts Guide

***Please note that this Preppy Fashion Lover Gifts Guide will be updated and recirculated periodically to reflect the most up-to-date information. This gift guide was most recently updated as of October 2025.***

Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines, J Crew, and Kate Spade, OH MY! As a self-proclaimed preppy fashion lover and grand millennial, I could not share some preppy fashion lover items for my Christmas Gift Guides. Today, I am rounding up all of the preppy fashion lover gift ideas to complete your preppy fashion wardrobe and for your preppy fashion lovers in your life all while at different price points. In the case that you’re interested in some of my other preppy fashion shopping guides, then look no further than my blog posts on a few brands to know like Lilly Pulitzer, Printfresh Pajamas Review, Hill House Nap Dress Dupe Shopping Guide, and more. Happy shopping!!!

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

Preppy Fashion Lover Gifts Guide

This Preppy Fashion Lover Gifts Guide will be divided into 5 sections based on price point: $25 and Under, $50 and Under, $100 and Under, $200 and Under, and $200+. That way, there’s a gift every preppy fashion lover in mind!

$25 and Under

$50 and Under

$100 and Under

$200 and Under

$200+

Happy holidays and happy shopping, preppies!

XOXO – Katie <3

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How To Launder Lilly Pulitzer

If you know me, then you know that Lilly Pulitzer is my favorite fashion brand! With its bright colors and prints coming in delicate fabrics, it may come as a challenge to launder your Lilly Pulitzer garments. As someone who values convenience over time most of the time, I am going to share some tips for taking your Lilly Pulitzer finds to the local laundromat or how to laundering Lilly Pulitzer yourself (which can even be a bonus when you are on the road!!!).

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

For more preppy style & grand millennial home content, check out my Preppy Fashion & Grand Millennial Home page.

To shop current Lilly Pulitzer products, look no further than the Lilly Pulitzer website. You can shop any product on the site using this link.

How To Launder Lilly Pulitzer

Laundromats

Wherever you may be, locally-owned Laurdromats are probably near by. The majority of them are corn-operated, as seen in the movie’s. One of my latest and favorite laundromats is The Clothes Spin. The Clothes Spin is a laundromat that is based in Lynchburg, Virginia. Unlike the majority of laundromats, The Clothes Spin has 24/7 access for all of their customers. That being said, you can easily come in and launder your garments when it best fits for your schedule. The best part of it all?! This 24/7 laundromat located in Madison Heights allows you to pay for you to wash your clothing through an app rather than with change! I most definitely do not carry huge chunks of change in my pocket anymore, and I know many others who do not either.

Tips

Whether or not you choose to go to a laundromat or launder your Lilly Pulitzer garments at home, there are quite a few do’s and don’t’s that will make it so much more helpful for you to take care of your garments to the best that you can. I have washed my Lilly Pulitzer and do pretty frequently. Knock on wood, I have not had that many issues with washing them, as I strictly follow these do’s and don’t’s as well as the tips that I also list below, too.

 

Do’s

  • Wash in cold water, in order to prevent shrinking and color run
  • Wash your white’s and colored clothing separately, in order to prevent color bleeding on your white garments (no one wants a white shirt to unintentionally become pink!)
  • Wash garments with embroidery inside out. Embroidery may include pom poms, sequins, or delicate buttons.
  • Hang or lay your Lilly Pulitzer to dry, rather than drying it! This will prevent your garments from shrinking. If the garment is 100% cotton, then most definitely be sure to lay or hang it to dry as it will shrink a size if put in the dryer!
  • Wash garments inside out, in order to prevent pilling

Don’t’s

  • Wash light-colored garments and dark-colored garments together. Darker colored clothing items can rinse into lighter colored clothing items, which can most definitely change their colors. Typically, I wash my whites separately from all of the other colored garments and have not had many issues.
  • Put 100% cotton, cashmere, sweaters, or other vulnerable garments into the dryer – they will shrink a size! It’s best to lie them flat to dry.
  • Hang popovers or Finn tees to dry. The shoulders will be stretched out. Rather, lay them flat to dry.

Detergent & Bleach

I am a loyal Tide user. Ever since I went off to college, I have used Tide detergent in the scent April Spring. To go with it, I use Febreeze Fabric Softener in the same exact scent. However, recently, I have used Kirkland’s detergents and fabric softeners from Costco that actually come in a similar scent. Personally, I am someone who is extremely particular about the way my clothing and things smell, so it works well for me. As for bleach, I find OxiClean to be one of the best out there! Not only does it do the job, but it does the job well! Luckily, the detergent, fabric softener, and bleach products that I use can easily be found at a local grocery store, Target, Walmart, or even Costco.

Along with OxiClean, my favorite alternative for stains is as simple as that: water and soap. All I simply do is have sink running, add an soap to the stain and massage the stain with my fingers. The soap that I use is simply the hand soap right beside my sink, but any soap even body wash will do. Y’all it works EVERY TIME!! This trick also works really well with period stains. It can also be done everywhere, as all you need is a sink and some soap!

Regular Wash VS Delicate Wash

When washing Lilly Pulitzer garments, it varies per item which type of wash that you would want to do on your washing machine. For most garments, I use regular, however, for some I use the delicate wash. I have listed down below what type of wash I use for which Lilly Pulitzer styles that I own!

Regular Wash

  • Sophie shift
  • Mila shift
  • All Luxletic products
  • Delia shift
  • Ophelia shift
  • Kelly pants
  • Adalee shift
  • Skirts/skorts
  • Popovers
  • Cotton tops (including cotton Elsa’s, Essie’s, and Etta’s)

Delicate Wash

  • Elsa Tops (especially those coming in silk fabrics)
  • Anything with embroidery (i.e. pom poms, sequins, delicate buttons)
  • Anything that is cashmere
  • Scarfs or wraps

Wrap-Up

However you choose to launder your Lilly Pulitzer garments, the consistency that you choose to wash them is key. Over the years, I have remained consistent in my techniques for washing my Lilly, and it has worked. That being said, whatever works for you is what you should do!

XOXO – Katie <3

A special thank you to The Clothes Spin for sponsoring this blog post. Without their support, The Pink Chickadee wouldn’t be where it is today.

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What I Wore to Work – November 2023

I don’t know WHAT it is about November, BUT this has been the month of *none other than* leggings and loungewear pretty much, well, unless I had to go into the office! I am such a dress girly and have ALWAYS been someone who prefers dresses and skirts over pants, however, November 2023 has pretty much been just the opposite – LOL! November 2023 has been a busy month for me work-wise, as I kicked off the month with classes for a training for a certification at work and networking events in the office alongside my November 2023 Ignite Young Professionals class in Arlington and then ended the month hosting my best friends Shivani and Lindsay with some sightseeing and nights on the town in between and *of course* the Thanksgiving holiday in between it all. Needless to say, November 2023 was chaotic professionally, but SO needed for the soul in terms of me deciding to take most of the Thanksgiving week off to spend with family and friends and recharge.

Likely, my loungewear and pants obsession (something I NEVER thought I’d say!!!) came about via having such a busy month and wanting to be comfortable when at home. It is also likely due to the fact that the temperatures here in the Washington, DC area are getting chilly, too. I have LOVED the crisp Fall weather of November, especially as I could admire the foliage when driving to professional development-related events throughout this season. I think it is SO important to be able to enjoy every season of life, whether it be climate-based or a different phase of life. There is ALWAYS something good to find in this world, and I think professionally for me that November 2023 has been something pretty great.

For more preppy style & grand millennial home content, check out my Preppy Fashion & Grand Millennial Home page.

Cardigan: Vintage; Pearls: Vintage; Leggings: Shapermint; Earrings & Slippers: J Crew Factory
Dress: Karl Lagerfeld; Blazer: J Crew; Pearls: Vintage; Bracelets: Amazon, The Inspiration Co, & Kendra Scott; Heels: Marc by Marc Jacobs
Necklace & Sweater: J Crew; Pants: Crown & Ivy by Belk; Bracelets: Lilly Pulitzer
Blazer: H&M; Dress: Calvin Klein; Necklace: Talbots; Headband: Lele Sadoughi; Bracelets: J Crew Factory; Tote: The Monogram Corner; Flats: Burberry
Dress: J Crew; Headband: Madison Raleigh; Bracelets: The Inspiration Co, Lilly Pulitzer, Kate Spade, & Kendra Scott; Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs
Sweater: Vintage; Lounge Pants: Lilly Pulitzer
Sweater: Rachel Zoe; Leggings: Shapermint; Pearls: Vintage; Flats: Burberry
Blazer: Pendleton; Top: J Crew; Leggings: Spanx; Bracelets: J Crew & Lilly Pulitzer; Headband: SugarFix by Target; Flats: Burberry
Sweater: Old Lucketts Store; Leggings: Shapermint: Headband: Packed Party; Necklace: Kendra Scott
Sweatshirt: Boden; Vest: J Crew Factory; Pants: Silk & Salt; Earrings: Lilly Pulitzer; Bag: from Aunt Margaret; Flats: New Bella
Vest: Lands’ End; Sweater: Rumi + Ryder; Pants: Isaac Mizrahi; Necklace: South Moon Under; Bracelets: J Crew Factory
Top: Talbots; Necklace: Vintage; Pants: Lands End; Shoes: Thrifted; Bracelets: Lilly Pulitzer & J Crew Factory
Loungewear Seat & Scrunchie: Joyspun by Walmart; Scarf: Burberry; Headband; Rachel Zoe; Flats: New Bella
Headband, Top, & Cardigan: Lilly Pulitzer; Leggings: Shapermint
Sweatshirt: Glitter & Daisies; Skirt: J Crew Factory

& now onto December!!!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Perks of Meal Prep During the Holidays

In recent times, I have found myself LOVING meal prep (I also write about it and rave about it, too, more here)! Not only is meal prep more affordable in the long run, but it also allows me to cook things in bigger batches at the same time as opposed to every single night. With my busy busy busy schedule ESPECIALLY with what is to come during the holiday season, meal prep helps me to have structure and maintain a *somewhat* of a healthy lifestyle during a not-so-healthy mainstream time of the year.

To be frankly honest, I am writing this post on the Sunday evening of Thanksgiving weekend. Having taken off the Wednesday-Sunday of Thanksgiving week, I am so happy to have had a break. However, I am still SOOO tired after the fun weekend filled with joy, family, and LOTS of food. I also find myself sitting on the couch after a few hours of meal prep for the upcoming week. I have recently added in breakfast to my meal prep circuit, which I know will work WONDERS for me (thanks to my bestie Shivani on this one!!!). However tired I JUST may be, I am so grateful for the joys of meal prep even during this busy holiday season. In fact, I am so thankful to have decided to meal prep more often than not during these busy times.

My holiday season schedule is literally jam-packed. Not only do I have a holiday party, event, dinner, celebratory trip (CONGRATS to my bestie Alanna on this one!!!), or activity planned more nights than not, I also have as most Americans do my 9-5 job that I LOVE which keeps me going during the days. Not only am I working the hustle and attending joyful holiday festivities which I LOVE, I am also busy prepping for Christmas with family and friends – think all things Christmas presents (from buying to wrapping), cooking dishes for gatherings, and baking cookies. My story is nonetheless like most Americans during this time of year. If you have seen A Bad Moms Christmas movie, then you PROBABLY know what I am talking about! The holidays can be a CRAZZZYYY time for everyone. Not to mention the fact that I am a LITERAL sucker for ALLLL things Christmas meaning that I go out most nights to enjoy it in my wonderful city, too!

I HAVE to say that I am oh so excited for the upcoming events and ongoings within my own life this holiday season. This 2023 year has been such a special year for me. 2023 has been filled with lots of self love, growth, and much more both personally and professionally. I feel so grateful for 2023 and what lessons this year has taught me, too. I am ALSO thankful to have incredible friends and family members and coworkers who support and empower me regularly, each of them are incredible human beings that I am lucky to have as apart of my life and support system (you all know who you are <3). And, guess what?! CRAZY ENOUGH, meal prep has helped me practice giving myself grace and to be more thankful for what I currently have.

Furthermore, I am OH SO GRATEFUL, THANKFUL, and BLESSED to have discovered the joys of meal prepping during this 2023 year. Meal prep allows me to focus on a healthy eating lifestyle that works for me. Personally, I am someone that believes that healthy eating is a lifestyle choice and NOT a diet and, rather, should be something that works for every individual person as opposed to a collective group of people (enough to be said here for today!). And, meal prepping allows me to simply get away from my always flashy phone and simply focus on the joys of cooking and be one within my own kitchen. I live for the hustle, *just* in case you haven’t noticed (!!!!), and find myself getting into the hustle more often than not. Especially during the holidays, I find myself with plans and/or commitments more often than not, SO meal prep allows me to cook on my OWN schedule and enjoy a delicious, healthy, and home-cooked meal while hustling.

Meal prep is something that I am thankful, grateful, and blessed to have found joy in this year. Specifically this holiday season, meal prep is literally a LIFESAVER. Some of the many dishes I plan to make this holiday season include: skillet gnocchi in Trader Joe’s Vodka sauce (aka my FAVORITE!), breakfast tacos with scrambled eggs and black beans and MORE, honey chipotle shrimp salad, and a Caprese salad wreath!!! There’s SO much to be thankful for this time of year (and every time of year for that matter!) and meal prep is just one of those things!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie – September 2023

September 2023 started off with a bang and ended with the need to get a new laptop (more on that to come!). The month of September is also a very unique one in that it begins with summer and ends with autumn. The changes in seasons, this year for me, was both exciting but also a bit sad as I was super lucky to have had an amazing summer 2023. This September, I decorated for Fall, which has brought me SO MUCH JOY and has since made may say that I am super excited for what is to come this Fall season, too.

As I was writing this blog post, I ran into *none other than* a WordPress bug – UGH! I have to say that I am SO happy that WordPress has worked with me and been great in letting me know about the bug. I am also relieved that I was able to get some guidance on sharing content to avoid this bug moving forward alongside the fact that it wasn’t an error on my end – PHEW! Needless to say, I am frustrated that it took a while for me to publish all of my blog content, but am REALLY excited to be able to finally share some more fun things here *even* if it’s a bit later than usual.

Highs:

  • To kick off the month of September, I spent most of Labor Day Weekend with my Dad, Step Mom, and my “sissy” their Yorkie Ginger at their home base in Bethany Beach, Delaware. Delaware is definitely my happy place, especially during the warmer months. And, I am SO glad I got to spend some quality time with my Dad, Step Mom, and *of course* Ginger. Dad and I took a day to explore and do some family genealogy research in the charming Lewes, Delaware. We, then, went out for dinner near Ocean City, Maryland and of course a night on the Bethany Beach boardwalk. BUT, last but not least, we enjoyed a beach day, too!

Lewis, Delaware

Dinner, Beach Mornings, & Ginger Snuggles

  • The September 2023 Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale was on September 12-14 online! If you know me, then you know that this is one of the few times each year that I simply stock up on *none other than* my favorite fashion brand Lilly Pulitzer (!!!!). I ended up shopping the Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale in-person over the weekend prior to it launching online at the Old Town Alexandria’s King Street location. The ladies at the King Street location are SO KIND and made the shopping process such an enjoying experience. I, then, headed over to Current Boutique – a consignment store also on King Street where the ladies there are ALSO so sweet – where I grabbed another gorgeous Lilly Pulitzer dress before shopping the sale online 3 days later. The online Sunshine Sale was SUCH A JOY to shop – I somehow got into the sale (along with many others in my network) WITHOUT any wait which is a rarity given that there is always a virtual queue to it AND found so many incredible pieces on each day. Needless to say, despite feeling so tired from allergies at the same time, I felt so much bright and happy feels when I shopped the Sunshine Sale!
  • The first weekend of September, Papa went off to Wisconsin for a family reunion, SO me and my dog Rosie had the house ALLL to ourselves for the weekend. I had a REALLY nice time getting to give Rosie ALLL the extra attention and get that special one-on-one time with my sweet dog. That Friday night, my best friend Haley and I went out to dinner at Jackson’s Mighty Fine Food & Lucky Lounge which was magnificent and just what both of us needed. That Saturday, I went to Old Town Alexandria to shop Lilly Pulitzer’s Sunshine Sale and then spritz at Hanks Oyster Bar to wait out the storms. And then, that Sunday, I went to the gorgeous Occoquan, Virginia’s Historic District where I had a delicious (AND CHEAP!!!) brunch at The Secret Garden Cafe. To end the weekend, I went to *none other than* Trader Joe’s for groceries and then meal prepped (here). Rosie and I LOVED our time together, even though I went out quite a bit locally.

Restaurant/Cafe Visits!

Visit to Occoquan, Virginia

  • Over the summer, I got accepted into the Leadership Center for Excellence’s Ignite Young Professionals Class of 2024 cohort (here). As apart of the Ignite Young Professionals Program, I will get to network with peers all across different industries in the Northern Virginia region, learn and grow as a leader, and engage with a local Arlington, Virginia-based nonprofit. Towards the end of the month, the Leadership Center for Excellence hosted a Homecoming 2023 reception where new members of their incoming Classes of 2024 and alumna could connect and network with one another. There, I got to meet 3 other members of my cohort, which was REALLY exciting to me (!!!). I am SO excited to be able to be apart of the incredible network of people who all have a passion to lead with purpose via the Leadership Center for Excellence.
  • WELL, *just in case* you didn’t hear, Barbie the movie is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video (!!!!). I saw Barbie in theatres with my best friend Sarah at the end of July and was SO excited when I saw that it was streaming so so so soon. SO, in typical Katie fashion, I bought Barbie on Prime Video and have been watching it on REPEAT ever since!
  • My friends from high school, Haley and Violet, and I got brunch together at a popular local-to-us brunch spot called Chloez Cafe. Violet is currently living in Philadelphia and doesn’t come home as often as she used to, so Haley and I LOVED the opportunity to catch up with her! Over coffee and Apple Cider Mimosas, Haley, Violet, and I enjoyed catching up and connecting. Such a perfect way to spend a rainy Sunday!
  • One of Papa’s and I’s FAVORITE pumpkin patches/garden centers is Nall’s Produce. A Northern Virginia staple for decades, Nall’s Produce sells everything from locally-sourced plants to gardening things to produce to seasonal goods which *of course* includes pumpkins (!!!!). There are also chickens and a resident pig named Penny. Another cute staple that Nall’s Produce has is a community library. Every Fall, Nall’s Produce has a gorgeous and *very* Instagrammable pumpkin wall and a pumpkin hill (which opened a week after Papa and I went!). I got my annual photos in front of Nall’s Produce’s pumpkin wall AND I plan to come back for the pumpkin hill, too! Papa regularly goes to Nall’s Produce to get produce and gardening things and I LOVE tagging along on occasion, as it’s a fun (and always Instagrammable!) outing. Later on in the month of September, we stopped by Burke Nursery & Garden Centre where I grabbed my favorite Fall treat: Apple Cider Donuts!
  • Earlier on a September Sunday, I had a major major major gut feeling telling me to go to Trader Joe’s to get groceries. As tired as I felt in the moment, I got in the car and hopped on over to Trader Joe’s. And, well, I am SO SO SO glad that I went! I felt SOOO much joy when I shopped in-person at Trader Joe’s and admired ALLLL the goodies laid out in front of me. On that first run, I grabbed what I needed for the week alongside a few candles and some wine and spent a bit under my weekly grocery budget (win, win!) and then headed home to meal prep. I made a salmon salad the first week and the second I made *yet another* salmon salad and then some baked ziti. My Trader Joe’s weekly runs have brought me SO MUCH JOY and have allowed me to add structure, stay within budget, and practice mindfulness. I share more about my meal prep journey here!
  • I took a day trip to Winchester, Virginia to visit my college friend Carlin who happens to be getting her Masters at Shenandoah University. Carlin gave me a tour of her gorgeous campus and then we headed to downtown Winchester to enjoy some lunch, shopping, and simply catching up. I had never been to Winchester before yet have ALWAYS wanted to go and am glad I *finally* got the chance to! More on my time in Winchester to come in a future blog post!
  • My best friend Amanda came to visit me towards the end of the month to go see *none other than* the Jonas Brothers at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. Currently, Amanda is student teaching near her hometown in New Jersey, and I am SO SO SO proud of her and all of her hard work. I LOVED getting to catch up with Amanda and see one of our favorite boy bands (!!!!). Before the concert, we went to one of my favorite pop-up bars – Urban Roast – for Fall vibes pre-concert. And, then, off to the concert where we heard some of our favorite songs and relived our childhood dreams. After the concert while searching for the nearest Metro station, we ended up connecting with the super sweet Elizabeth and posed with her Joe Jonas pop-up which was SO fun. I hope to meet up with Elizabeth again soon, too! And, on Metro, we ended up running into some of my high school classmates who are a few years older than me, which was so fun as well! I had such a GREAT weekend spending time with Amanda and catching up with others.
  • In the midst of all of my laptop troubles, I took a debrief and visited one of my favorite local Washington, DC area cafes: Commonwealth Joe Coffee Roasters. Commonwealth Joe does an INCREDIBLE job with their curated coffees (both seasonal and regular menu staples!) and their atmosphere which changes with the seasons. I went back in April for their cherry blossom-themed decorations for Spring (here) and plan to share more on it in my Fall 2023 DC Dining blog post.
  • September 2023 was *none other than* a fun-filled professional development month! Right after Labor Day Weekend, I attended an in-person Generative AI workshop at my company’s headquarters in September (which BLEW ME AWAY!!!!) where I left on such a high. And, about 10 days later, I tuned into Women in Data Science International’s (WIDS) virtual summit which was AMAZING to listen into and take notes on while working from home. Lastly, I listened to a webinar by the National Institute for Statistical Sciences on professionals societies. All in all, professional development truly fills my cup and allows me to ignite passions into my own work on a daily basis.

Lows:

  • For a good chunk of the month, I felt *extremely* tired. My extreme fatigue was bothering me SOOOOO MUCH that I thought and feared that it could be, perhaps, something more. Yet, to my surprise, it ended up that since I switched to pumpkin-flavored K-Cups because ITS FALL Y’ALL (!!!!!), I ended up drinking my usual larger size of coffee which had A LOT less caffeine in it. And, thus, I was super tired as a result of LESS-than-usual caffeine in my system. Kind of funny in the scheme of things and such a relief. PHEW!
  • While shaving my legs, I accidentally cut myself REALLY BAD. This is a rarity for me, yet the side effects have been awful and extremely painful. However, it made me realize the importance of taking it easy from time to time.
  • Unfortunately, my anxiety has been high during the month of September. I have definitely become *more than* a bit of a homebody during the pandemic and it hasn’t worn off on me ever since. And, with the start of the Back to School season and the essentially corresponding Back to Work season filled with networking and happy hours, I have definitely felt more anxious getting back into the swing of things. Although I am SO excited for the upcoming events in work and in my personal life, I am also more anxious about getting out more.
  • Earlier in September, I felt REALLY sad that Summer was coming to an end. Summer 2023, as I’ve mentioned before on this platform, was one of THE BEST Summers in a few years for me. So many blessings came to fruition this Summer, including: reaching a big milestone at work, visiting a new-to-me state, attending many happy hours, going to the Delaware beaches not one not two but 3 times, and going on a weeklong trip to South Carolina with my best college friends. As September hit and I saw several Fall-related posts on my social media feeds, I felt nothing but sad. It took me a few weeks to get into the groove and feel rather excited as opposed to sad at the change of seasons.
  • The *very* last day of the month, I spilled water on my personal laptop. I had a fun day planned, but had to postpone to scramble to try and get a diagnostic report for my laptop as to whether or not I need a replacement. Sadly, the best I could do is get an appointment next week, given my schedule. I was REALLY bummed as I had to postpone some fun Fall things, including dinner in Old Town Alexandria. But, good things come to those who wait!

Here’s to an exciting Fall season to come beyond September 2023!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Weekly Menu Round-Up: April 11-15

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve last done a Weekly Menu here on the blog, so here we go! If you follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee), then you probably see what I cook in the kitchen via my Weekly Menu’s on my Instagram Stories. I definitely feel like the last time I did a Weekly Menu, it created via my HelloFresh subscription. Well, y’all, I have CANCELLED – yes, cancelled – my HelloFresh subscription. Why?! It was a lot of money for a lot of meals that I wasn’t eating given my lifestyle and time-consuming. So, now, let’s get into this week’s menu!

Meal 1: Roasted Chili Line Cod. I found this recipe online (https://fashionablefoods.com/2014/06/27/2014618roasted-chili-lime-cod/) and am SO excited to try it. It not only looks Uber-healthy but also Uber-delicious. So, I will be serving this healthy and delicious-looking creation with roasted broccoli and cauliflower and couscous.

Meal 2: Kale Caesar Salad with Air Fryer Shrimp, Roasted Chickpeas, Cherry Tomatoes, and Croutons. This recipe is actually based off of one I tried when subscribing to HelloFresh and I loved it so so much that I wanted to create my own, more affordable version! I’ve always been a sucker for kale salads too and my local Food Lion grocery store sells a HUGE head of kale for about $1.00. So, I am going to be serving this recipe with soup of all things – haha – if I feel the need to add something on the side though.

Meal 3: Honey Garlic Shrimp with Brown Rice & Roasted Broccoli. I found this recipe (https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/quick-healthy-dinner-20-minute-honey-garlic-shrimp/) for Honey Garlic Shrimp when I saw that my local Food Lion grocery store was having a sale on the shrimp that I like. This recipe consists of soy sauce and honey, so it’s a bit of an Asian fusion dish (which I LOVE!!!!).

With Easter coming up, I am SO excited to be able to celebrate with my family. My Mom is putting together a beautiful Easter celebration meal and we plan to dye eggs just like during my childhood years. Here’s to a great week with LOTS of blessings!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Weekly Menu Round-Up: March 14-18

Another week, another weekly menu!! These past few weeks, I have been using HelloFresh. While I LOVE the meals via HelloFresh, it has taken a toll on my budget and has added up a lot. At the same time, I miss being able to cook the meals that I’ve cooked and wanted to cook on my own without my fridge being overtaken by HelloFresh. SO, I am trying a few weeks without HelloFresh to get a feel for it. Overtime though, I may use HelloFresh from time to time. This week will be a busy week, but it will also allow me to whip up some meals on my own!

Meal 1: Baked Rainbow Trout with Lemon, Black Pepper, and Garlic and Roasted Broccoli and Buttery Cauliflower Rice. The other day at my local Giant grocery store, I found some Rainbow Trout filets on sale, so I picked them up! I figured I would whip up a Rainbow Trout recipe and loved this one (linked here) that I found via a simple Google search. I’m excited to try it and serve it with some healthy side dishes aka my favorite roasted broccoli and cauliflower rice for a healthy, yet delish recipe!!

Meal 2: Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup & Garlic Naan Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza. This past January, I tried Progresso’s newer release of dry Chicken Noodle soup and LOVED it! So, I am going to whip it up again in the Crockpot and serve it with some Garlic Naan Pepperoni Flatbread pizza, as Monday (March 14) is Pi Day *Math majors like myself rejoice!!*.

Meal 3: Healthy Shrimp Salad topped with an Avocado and Buttered Parmesan Rainbow Pasta. I found this delicious-looking Healthy Shrimp Salad (linked here!) via Pinterest and KNEW that I had to try it. I am also oh so excited to be able to serve this salad with buttered parmesan Rainbow pasta noodles (a childhood favorite of mine!), as well.

While a shorter weekly menu, it has definitely become more realistic of what my weekly menus now look like. I am excited to try some healthy recipes that are both budget-friendly AND delicious!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Weekly Menu Round-Up: March 7-11

This week’s menu has some healthy yet delicious additions to it! The majority of this upcoming week’s menu includes contents of my 9th HelloFresh box. If you follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), then you know that I regularly share my HelloFresh meals on my Instagram stories. This past week, I switched my HelloFresh subscription to 3 meals a week as opposed to my initial 4 meals a week, given my current lifestyle. At the same time, this upcoming week is also the week of my Papa’s Birthday – this FRIDAY!!! – and I cannot wait to celebrate with him and enjoy some great meals along the way, too.

Some pretty delicious Avocado Toast topped with Feta, Tomatoes, & Smoked Salmon at Bluestone Lane Cafe in Foggy Bottom, Washington, DC this weekend!!

Meal 1: Greek Goddess Bulgur Bowls with Chickpeas, Harissa Hummus, & Cucumber Feta Salad. This Mediterranean dish looks so healthy, yet so delicious. I’m a BIG fan of Cava – aka the Mediterranean ultra-healthy version of Chipotle – that I DO NOT go to enough. So, this recipe most definitely feels like a vegetarian version of a Cava bowl (I usually get mine with Braised Lamb AND the Harissa Hummus which is included in this dish!!!). I have ALSO recently been really into snacking on hummus and pita here and there, given the fact that my local grocery store has deliciously-made garlic pita chips. That all being said, I can’t wait to try this dish!

Meal 2: Creamy Mac & Cheese. A simple, yet easy lunch dish and add-on to any HelloFresh meal via the HelloFresh market. I’m super excited to be able to try HelloFresh’s variation of Mac & cheese! Enough said.

Meal 3: Warm Buttered Shrimp Rolls with Creamy Lemon Slaw and Seasoned Potato Wedges. A few weeks ago, I had an amazing HelloFresh dish just like this one, but with tempura shrimp rather than warm buttered shrimp. This dish is getting compared to lobster rolls – a Maine staple dish that I LOVE having every time I go up there for family reunions. So, I am oh so excited to be able to eat this dish, too!

Meal 4: Shrimp and Roasted Chickpea Caesar salad with Grape Tomatoes & Garlicky Croutons. Funny story, I ALWAYS have loved adding shrimp to my Caesar salad, when given as a protein option for the salad! So, when I saw that a basic Caesar salad was a meal choice with shrimp, grape tomatoes, and roasted chick peas, I could NOT resist trying it!! I will be serving this dish with some garlic bread – HelloFresh has some pretty great garlic bread, too.

Meal 5: Cauliflower Crust Boboli Pizza. Although not apart of my HelloFresh box this coming week, I have ALWAYS been a big big big fan of the Boboli pizza crust brand. Since I just noticed that Boboli offers a Cauliflower pizza crust option while at the grocery store the other day, I knew that I NEEDED to try it! So, I am going to try it this week and serve some good olde cauliflower crusted pizza with some Caesar salad.

Here’s to a great week for us ALL!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Weekly Menu Round-Up: February 14-20

Another week, another weekly menu – YAY! I’ve been LOVING how much y’all love my weekly menus, too. This past week, I received my fourth HelloFresh box (read my blog post on my 4 weeks with HelloFresh experience here) with my first-ever reward inside of it which was …. a mini cheesecake that was OH SO GOOD! If you follow me on Instagram (@_thepinkchickadee), then you know that I post the recipes that I cook AND the final results of each HelloFresh meal that I make on my stories. This little Instagram Story time of mine in the kitchen has been nothing but a blast for me AND has allowed me to share the results of each and every single one of my weekly menus – one of which is now listed below!

Meal 1: Creamy Dreamy Mushroom Cavatappi with Scallions and Parmesan. This dish low-key reminds me of the Pesto Cavatappi at Noodles & Company aka one of my favorite dishes sold there and my go to order! Initially, when selecting my menu for this coming week, I was hesitant to choose this dish, well, until I saw it again in a different light and maybe just maybe craving Noodles & Company while I was at it. I will be serving this creation probably with a Caesar salad aka my favorite salad – haha!

Meal 2: One-Pan Black Bean & Poblano Quesadillas with Lemon Crema. The moment that I saw that this recipe was in the Hall of Fame of HelloFresh recipes, I just knew that I had to try it! It appears to be a super easy yet super delicious comfort food AND probably something that I will eat ALLL of before I head to bed the day I make it. ALSO, I feel like this will be a great The Bachelor Monday recipe, too, which is PERFECT because I get my HelloFresh boxes EVERY Monday. I am pretty sure that I will top this recipe off with none other than some sliced avocados.

Meal 3: Shawarma Chickpea Lettuce Wraps with Israeli Salad, Pistachios, & Lemon Garlic Yogurt and Creamy Tomato Soup. A few weeks ago, Papa and I had a Middle Eastern chickpea rice bowl with salmon. Personally, I was shocked when I handed Papa this week’s recipes in a stack to look through and that was the one that he chose (he isn’t the most adventurous eater, but I am seriously the exact opposite of him – in fact, Middle Eastern and Indian and Chinese cuisines are probably my absolute favorites in the world along with pizza!) and we both LOVED it. So, when I saw this gorgeous food creation pop up in my options for this week’s menu, I could not pass it up. At the same time, I cannot wait to see how the Creamy Tomato Soup balances it all out.

Meal 4: Shrimp & Honey Miso Broccoli Donburi with Sweet Potato, Scallion Rice, & Eggs. My recipes that feel like the healthier version of Asian takeout dishes are seriously some of my HelloFresh favorites! So, I am so so so excited for this lovely creation and to make a fun rice dish yet again! Seriously y’all, HelloFresh legitimately has some of the best twists on rice and I seriously won’t cook rice from the grocery store anymore – haha!

Meal 5: Pesto Caprese Sandwiches with an Almond-Studded Green Salad. I got this lunch dish in my HelloFresh box a few weeks ago AND have been craving it ever since my last box. Not only am I craving the sandwich, BUT I am also craving that gorgeously delicious and healthy salad, too.

Meal 6: Vanilla Delight Cheesecakes & Chocolate Lava Cakes. Not really a meal BUT it is a great Valentine’s Day treat for me and my Papa – who, I am by the way spending Valentine’s Day with this year!

Here’s to another great week with some pretty great meals. Also, it’s the week of Valentine’s Day, SO here is your public service announcement to treat yourself to a delicious meal and something sweet too – you deserve it!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Four Weeks of HelloFresh

Four times the charm, I guess! This week marks *surprise* my fifth week of HelloFresh. So, that being said, I have four weeks to reflect on of being a proud HelloFresh subscriber. Each day, I post on my Instagram stories my cooking experiences with HelloFresh (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!). In case you’re wondering, I have the 4 meals a week plan with 2 servings PLUS I order some staples for lunch, such as their sandwiches, salads, and fun little toasts, too via the HelloFresh market. My new favorite staple is their oat latte’s which are PERFECT for a healthy pick me up during the work day FULL of hustling. Now, let’s get into my four weeks of HelloFresh reflection!

*Disclaimer: Now, before I get into the meat of this post, it is in NO way being sponsored by Hello Fresh.*

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

How do you get free Hello Fresh meals? Get $120 off your first Hello Fresh box(es) when your order using this link: https://www.hellofresh.com/pages/share?c=HS-7N1HD4BXO&utm_campaign=clipboard&utm_couponvalue=120&utm_invitername=Kate&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=raf-share

So, initially, when I started HelloFresh I was hesitant. I have ALWAYS BEEN a sucker for selecting my own meals based on my weekly cravings. Usually, my weekly cravings were 9 times out of 10 food items that are SO bad for me. That being said, I was so worried I would miss out on my cravings and perhaps have some FOMO. One of the main reasons I started HelloFresh was to begin the process of clean and healthier eating AND have the sheer convenience of my meals sent right to my door perfectly portioned for dinner for me and Papa and/or dinner for myself and lunch the next day. I have to say, though, HelloFresh has BLOWN me away! ALLLL of my hesitations have seriously been silly little worries in the scheme of it all.

When creating my weekly menus pre-my HelloFresh days, I used to take HOURS of overthinking and stressing just to create a simple weekly menu. If you know me, then you know that I am a major PLANNER and spend HOURS obsessing and planning over everything. However, with HelloFresh, I can be a lot less obsessive and a bit compulsive and simply stick to four great meals each week pre-prepped and all complete with some amazing recipes to try, too. Needless to say, my life has been made so much easier, as I just log onto the HelloFresh app, select what I want, and make sure that everything is in my set grocery budget for the week. ALSO, the more boxes you order, the more rewards you get too. My best friends Hannah and Alanna and I have each been ordering HelloFresh weekly in our respective households and we chat about it ALL THE TIME. Hannah and I both got a mini cheesecake as a reward for our fourth box aka the box with the first reward inside. Not to mention, my grocery store trips are made SO MUCH easier AND y’all know I love a good Giant and Food Lion run, too! Moreover, my life has been mad SO MUCH EASIER ever since starting HelloFresh.

A few weeks ago when I had just started using HelloFresh, my best guy friend Wyatt came over and said “I can tell you’re much happier since starting HelloFresh”. He knew that because I’m someone who really takes advantage of the highlight reel that social media is. I mean, if you follow me on social media, then you never really see me go through the emotions. It’s SO SO SO easy to simply share the highlights in our lives on social media. But, through it all, I was struggling with what I ate, where it came from, and it was all taking a tool on my emotional and physical health. BUT, HelloFresh has really helped me be my best self and has made myself feel oh so much better both emotionally and physically.

Now, above all else, you MAY just be wondering whether or not I will continue to use HelloFresh moving forward. For me, it is a most definite YES! The food is easy and fun to cook ALSO cooking is a GREAT mental break from this so called thing known as life – haha!!! – and I feel a lot better physically and mentally since getting it. My life has been so much more simplified and I feel a lot better overall since becoming a regular HelloFresh user. 11/10 for sure!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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