15 Ways to Save Money on National Chicken Wing Day!

It’s July 29 and that means it’s National Chicken Wing Day! Below is a list of ways to save money from local and national brands to celebrate the day.

Please comment below on any other deals happening today!

Buffalo Wild Wings: Get a free snack-sized order of wings with the purchase of any small, medium or large order of boneless or traditional wings Monday. Dine-in only, while supplies last. There’s also an ongoing Wing Tuesday promotion on traditional wings. Buy one traditional wings order and get one of equal value free. 

Duffy’s Sports Grill: Get 50% off an order of 10 Boneless Wings with a purchase Monday at the Florida-based restaurant group.

East Coast Wings + Grill: Get bone-in wings for 75 cents each or boneless wings for 65 cents each with a minimum of five wings per order.

Hooters: Get All-You-Can-Eat wings for $15.99 Monday. Learn more at www.hooters.com/ncwd.

Hurricane Grill & Wings: Get All-You-Can-Eat wings for $15.99 Monday. Dine-in only. 

Miller’s Ale House: It’s National Zing Day at Miller’s and restaurants have $5 chicken zingers Monday. Learn more at www.millersalehouse.com/national-zing-day.

Mountain Mike’s Pizza: Get six free wings with the purchase of any large specialty pizza using promo code 170496 Monday.

Native Grill & Wings: With the purchase of a beverage, get 40 cent wings Monday. There will also be 40 cent wings with purchase of a drink on Tuesday, according to the chain’s Facebook page.

P.J. Whelihan’s: Get endless wings for $15.99 Monday. The all-you-can-eat special is dine-in only.

Pluckers Wing Bar: Get 75-cent bone-in wings and $1 Bud Light Monday. A minimum of 10 wings must be ordered with a minimum of 10 per order.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen: Through Monday, get $5 Parmesan Ranch Double Dippers, which include six boneless wings, choice of one side, a biscuit and dual-dipping side of Parmesan Ranch.

Taco Mac: Get half-price wings Monday. Dine-in only.

TGI Fridays: Through Aug. 4, Fridays has an Endless Appetizers promotion, which includes wings.

The Buffalo Spot: From 3-5 p.m. Monday, get five free traditional wings with sauce of choice.

WingHouse Bar + Grill: Buy 10 Buffalo or Original style wings and get five free Monday. Buffalo or Original style wings and dine-in only.

Wingstop: Get five free wings with every wing purchase Monday with promo code 5FREEWINGS.

Wing Zone: Get 16 boneless or original wings for $10 Monday when you order online at www.wingzone.com. Click WZ Deals or Combo Zone and enter code 2180.

Christmas In July at Blue Willow Inn🎄

Hey students! It’s your favorite teacher, Adriena, from Food is My Classroom with today’s lesson in Social Circle, Georgia at Blue Willow Inn for Christmas in July. I have been eating at Blue Willow Inn (opened November 1991 after renovations) since I was young but never knew they celebrated this holiday. This award-winning inn is one of Social Circle’s biggest tourist attractions and well worth the drive down I-20.

Christmas in July at Blue Willow Inn

⭐ Classroom: Blue Willow Inn Restaurant & Gift Shop
294 N Cherokee Rd, Social Circle, GA 30025

⭐ The Lesson Plan [Full Review of Experience]

⭐ Materials Needed:

1. Reservations: Yes, they still take reservations.
2. Empty Stomach: You need room to enjoy all this goodness.
3. Cash or Major Credit Card
4. Full Tank of Gas: Located in a small town, so there is no QT or Kroger Fuel Center nearby.
5. GPS: Due to construction in the area, you need to know your way around as the Detour signs are not always clearly visible.

• 

• 

• 

• 

⭐ Observation: [The Best of the Day]
Opening (Appetizers)
-Small Salad Bar
-Two Soups

During (Entrees) for today’s holiday.
-There are a variety of choices.

Closing (Desserts)
-There are usually around 7 choices for dessert.

⭐ The Christmas in July Menu:

Meats: Baked Tilapia, Turkey, Ham, Fried Chicken, Fried Chicken Liver, and Roast Beef with gravy & vegetables.

Veggies: Salad bar, black-eyed peas, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, sweet potato souffle, green beans, green bean casserole, fried green tomatoes (w/ chutney), corn on the cob, cornbread dressing (w/giblet gravy).

Desserts: Coconut cake, chocolate cake, peanut butter pie, lemon meringue pie, pecan pie, macadamia nut cookies, and peach cobbler.

Drinks: Coca-Cola products, sweetened tea, unsweetened tea, lemonade, Arnold Palmer, coffee, and water (not bottled).

Breads: Cornbread muffins and biscuits

Condiments: Cranberry sauce, ketchup (catsup), mustard, tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, hot sauce, and pepper sauce (vinegar-based).

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

⭐ The Culture: What is Christmas in July? In the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas (December) occurs in the summer, and many people decline to cook such large feasts due to the extreme heat. So, they plan many outdoor activities during this time instead of a “traditional” Christmas. Plus, no one wants to be engaged in outdoor activities on a full stomach. In July, when the weather is cool, many residents in such places as Australia, South Africa, Madagascar, and New Zealand will cook large meals, have a campfire, drink wine and egg nog just like we do in the Northern Hemisphere.
(Sources: Wikipedia and Responses on Quora)

• 

  Christmas in July at Blue Willow Inn

• 

  Christmas in July at Blue Willow Inn

• 

  Christmas in July at Blue Willow Inn

• 

  Christmas in July at Blue Willow Inn

• 

  Christmas in July at Blue Willow Inn

⭐ Evaluation: [The Score]
Grade 📋 A+ (Principal’s List)

⭐ Teacher’s Notes✏

1. This is an all-you-can-eat buffet.
2. There is table service.
3. Menu items change by the day and by the season.
4. The upstairs dining rooms are open on jam-packed days.
5. There is something for everyone here.
6. The price is comparable to a Golden Corral but tastes way better.
7. There is also a gift shop where you can get home decor, preserves, music, baby gifts, jewelry, postcards, and Christmas gifts. (Note: If you break it, you must pay for it. Not a shop for small kids or the clumsy.)
8. There is also an outdoor restroom if you’re near the gift shop, so you don’t have to re-enter the restaurant.
9. Allergy Alert: Food is cooked in a kitchen that contains nuts.
10. There are many beautiful homes to see in the area and many small shops “in town,” which is walking distance from the restaurant.

• 

  Christmas in July at Blue Willow Inn

• 

  Christmas in July at Blue Willow Inn

• 

  Christmas in July at Blue Willow Inn

• 

  Christmas in July at Blue Willow Inn

• 

  Christmas in July at Blue Willow Inn

⭐ Want to know more about the Blue Willow Inn Restaurant & Gift Shop?
Here is their story:
https://bluewillowinn.com/our-story/

⭐ Feedback [Comment & Share]

#BlueWillowInn #foodismyclassroom #atlfoodie #atlblogger #FIMC #buffet #soulfood

📸 and 📽 Adriena Long

Christmas in July Video Intro!

Today, Food is My Classroom is celebrating Christmas in July 🎄at the Blue Willow Inn in Social Circle, GA 🌁

Here’s a quick vid!

Food is My Classroom at Blue Willow Inn

#foodismyclassroom #atlfoodie #atlfoodblog

Calculating Calories the Easy Way!

In today’s world, cooking healthier meals is always on our minds. We can reduce calories, unhealthy fats, and sodium intake by substituting common ingredients to improve the nutritional quality of meals.

As a framework, let’s talk a little about calories and what makes up a calorie. A calorie (or kilocalorie) is a measure of food energy and is known as the heat energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 liter of water 1 degree Celcius. Calories can be displayed in various forms. For example, a small apple has 77,000 calories or 77 kcal or 77 Calories. Calories are generally consumed from macronutrients, which are nutrients that provide energy.

Photo by Anna Pelzer on Unsplash

You might be asking yourself, “A macro… what?!” Well, we are all familiar with macronutrients. Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are all macronutrients that provide our bodies with nutrients daily. All of these components are required to maintain a healthy nutritional balance. Let’s get back to Calories! Carbohydrates and proteins supply around 4 Calories each, while fat provides an estimated 9 Calories. For those who enjoy a good spirit or wine, pure alcohol provides around 7 Calories. Alcohol is not a nutrient, but it supplies a lot of energy.

Photo by Crissy Jarvis on Unsplash

Time for some math! You can estimate the number of calories in food but doing some simply multiplying and addition. For instance, if a serving of pizza has 15 grams (g) of carbohydrates, 8 g of protein, and 20 g of fat, you can determine the total estimate calories.

Let’s go!
15 g of carbs (15 g x 4 Calories) = 60 Calories
8 g of protein (8 g x 4 Calories) = 32 Calories
20 g of fat (20 g x 9 Calories) = 180 Calories
Add it all up, and we get 272 Calories!

Notice how the amount of fat compares to the amount of carbohydrates and protein. In the next section, I’ll provide you with suggestions on how you can modify ingredients in your favorite dishes.

Schiff, W. (2019). Nutrition for healthy living. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Smash Burger-Stockbridge

Hey students! Do you live in the Stockbridge area? Do you like customized hamburgers? Do you like handspun milkshakes? Well, stop by Smashburger for over 1.3 Billion possibilities. You can even enjoy this crafted experience in the drive-thru! #smashburger #foodismyclassroom #atlfoodie #atlblogger #burgers #milkshakes #Stockbridge

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Mangos Caribbean Restaurant Review

Hey students! It’s your favorite teacher, Adriena, from @foodismyclassroom here at Mangos Caribbean Restaurant. I found this Caribbean restaurant right in the Heart of Downtown Atlanta affectionately called “Sweet Auburn.”

Food is My Classroom at Mangos Restaurant

⭐ Classroom: Mangos Caribbean Restaurant, 180 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30303

⭐ The Lesson Plan [Full Review of Experience]

Food is My Classroom at Mangos Restaurant

⭐ Materials Needed:

1. Major Credit Card: To pay for street parking, which is $2.00/hr. Max 4 hrs. Must enter your tag number. Police monitor these spots heavily.
2. Patience: There can be a bit of a wait to order (to-go) during the lunch rush due to the large crowd.

⭐ Observation:

Opening (Appetizers)
-n/a

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

During (Entrees)

Food is My Classroom at Mangos Restaurant

Regular Oxtails Plate:

• Comes with approximately 6 small bones in gravy. The plate includes a small portion of cabbage, 2 plantains, and a large amount of rice and peas. Oxtails were on the small side, and the amount was seemed justified and expected due to the market value as oxtails are considered a delicacy in the food industry. They were tender, and the gravy from the meat was soooo yummy that it made me want to lick the plate. The cabbage was a bit salty and overcooked while the plantains had a slight crunch, which was unexpected only to be further let down by the dryness of the plantains. Lastly, the rice and peas were filling, but nothing stood out about it in comparison to any other Caribbean restaurant.

Food is My Classroom at Mangos Restaurant

Curry Shrimp Pasta:

• Bowtie Pasta with large juicy shrimp, broccoli, red and green peppers, and onions all coated in a fragrant and flavorful Curry Sauce. The bowl was placed in front of me, and the aroma was breathtaking and made me want to dig in immediately. The shrimp were large, plump, and perfectly cooked. The veggies had just enough crunch, and the curry sauce was absolutely impeccable. They need to sell it! This dish is large, so share!

Food is My Classroom at Mangos Restaurant

Mango Lemonade:

• The suggestion made by my waitress was Mango Tea or an Arnold Palmer, but I went for the Mango Lemonade. It was a great choice! The punch is a perfect blend of lemonade and mango punch to create a delightful concoction. The punch made me feel like it was native to the Caribbean islands, especially if it had a little Rum.

Food is My Classroom at Mangos Restaurant

Closing (Desserts)

Signature Mango Cheesecake:

• A large slice of creamy mango cheesecake on a caramel drizzle with whipped topping. The cheesecake was very smooth and creamy with a soft crust. There is a thin mango-flavored gel layer on top that I didn’t care for. The caramel drizzle on the plate was delicious. The whip was not flavored and had no taste.

Food is My Classroom at Mangos Restaurant

⭐ The Glows [Pros]

1. They opened on time at 11 am, and food was ready to be ordered & served. All options were available.
2. Portions are large enough for sharing. This way, you can sample multiple menu items.
3. Depending on your location, Mangos is available via many means of transportation. (i.e., car, the Marta bus, the downtown trolley, scooters, bike, and on foot)
4. They are walking distance from/to Georgia State University (my alma mater) which will allow college students to get there on foot.
5. They are right next to a Marta bus & Trolley stop, which is good for public transit commuters.
6. They offer Door Dash.
7. They are minutes from I-75 and I-20.
8. My waitress, JOELLE, was an ABSOLUTE Godsend. She was kind, attentive, and made suggestions on what most people order & what she liked.
9. Since they are in the heart of downtown Atlanta, they are close to public parks, night clubs, luxury apartments, historical places to tour, and other small businesses.

⭐ The Grows [Cons]

1. The decor is a bit outdated and visually busy.
2. The restaurant is a bit cluttered with items that need to be in storage, especially in the bar area.
3. They decorate the plate with so much parsley, and I do mean a lot of it. It’s unnecessary and a bit messy. It was all over my table.
4. The meats are done well, so they shine brightly, but the veggies are just okay.

⭐Evaluation: [The Score]
Grade📋 B

⭐ Most Popular:
Per Joelle, most people order Mango Lemonade or Tea, Oxtails, Jerk Shrimp, Curry Shrimp Pasta, Red Snapper, and Mango Cheesecake.

⭐Teacher’s Notes✏:

1. If you go on Mondays, they have BOGO.
2. If you go during lunchtime for DINING-IN, the crowd isn’t that bad.
3. The owner, Tru, used to own The Royal Peacock. But, they are still deeply tied to the location.
4. The Royal Peacock crowd frequents Mangos after they party, which is why on the weekend, Mangos stays open to 4 am.
5. From Thursday – Sunday night beginning @9pm, Mangos has a live DJ for what is called “Club Mangos.”

Click to visit Mangos Caribbean Restaurant’s website

⭐ Feedback [Comment & Share]

📸 and 📽 by Adriena Long

#foodismyclassroom #atlfoodie #atlblogger

Weekend Recap- July 19-21

Happy Monday students, this is your favorite teacher, Adriena, with a recap of my weekend. I enjoyed food and cocktails with my Marketing Team at El Real Mexican Grill & Bar, did a little shopping at Target where I found a new soap for men called Harry’s, used the drive-thru for a FREE Grilled Chicken Sandwich using the Chick-Fil-a app, snatched up the cutest cow mug Home Goods, ordered my own #FIMC mug on VistaPrint, went to a birthday party at Outback Steakhouse, and ended my weekend by celebrating National Ice-Cream Day with a sundae from Dairy Queen.

Was your weekend as sweet as mine?

• 

  EL Real Mexican Grill, Winder

• 

  Harry’s Body Care

• 

  Chick-Fil-A

• 

  Cow mug at Home Goods

• 

  Custom mug on Vista Print

• 

  Birthday party at Outback Steakhouse

• 

  Dairy Queen for National Ice Cream Day

National Ice Cream Day

Today, July 21, is National Ice Cream Day! The holiday began in 1984 when President Richard Nixon declared the 3rd Sunday of July as National Ice Cream Day! He not only celebrated ice cream on that chosen day, but proclaimed the entire month of July is National Ice Cream Month.

Businesses, especially ice cream parlors, are celebrating the day with freebies, discounts, and special promotions. The items in the list below is available at participating locations on Sunday, July 21. Some restaurants require an emailed coupon or have their app in order to participate in the promotion. Be sure to check with a location before your journey.

Freebies

Dippin’ Dots: Get a free mini cup of Dippin’ Dots during a two-hour window at select stores and shopping center locations. Times vary by location. Learn more at www.dippindots.com/NICD-2019.

Omni Hotels & Resorts: Through Sunday, get free passion fruit ice cream in the lobbies of 32 Omni properties as a part of their Summer of Passion Fruit program. Find the participating hotels at www.omnihotels.com.

PetSmart: This ice cream freebie is only for dogs. At stores with PetsHotel facilities, dogs can get a free 4-ounce serving of dog-safe ice cream topped with dog biscuit treats Saturday and Sunday, while supplies last.

Publix: From 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, get free ice cream samples of Publix’s premium brand Cookie Butter Crème ice cream in stores.

Discounts

Baskin-Robbins: Get two pre-packed quarts of any ice cream for $7.99 Sunday.

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream: Rewards members get double points Sunday. Plus, check out other promotions at www.brusters.com.

Carvel: Buy one soft-serve ice cream cup or cone and get a second cup or cone free Sunday.

Cold Stone Creamery: New and existing My Cold Stone Club Rewards email members get a buy-one-get-one free coupon Sunday. Sign up by Saturday at www.coldstonecreamery.com to get the offer. 

Dairy Queen: Find deals including buy-one-get-one free offers on the chain’s mobile app to use at participating locations. Limit one offer per person per visit. There’s a different app for Texas residents.

Godiva: Buy a soft-serve cup or cone and parfaits Sunday and get 50% off the second Sunday.

LongHorn Steakhouse: For a limited time, participating locations have a special Steak & Bourbon ice cream for $3.99 at participating locations. The ice cream has bits of steak and bourbon caramel. Learn more at www.longhornsteakhouse.com/steakicecream.

Monkey Joe’s: With a paid admission, kids get a free ice cream cup Sunday at all Monkey Joe’s locations. Not to be combined with other offers.

Wendy’s: For a limited time, get a small Frosty for 50 cents.

Whole Foods Market: Through July 30, Prime members get 35% off all ice cream and novelties.

Contests

Halo Top: The high protein ice cream is celebrating National Ice Cream Day Sunday by giving away thousands of free Halo Top Pops. The brand is partnering with social networking app, Bumble, to give away Halo Top Pops through the Bumble app. The Halo Top website also will give away 5,000 pops. Learn more at www.halotop.com/nicd.

So Delicious: The dairy-free dessert is giving away 500 coupons for free pints Sunday with an Instagram contest. Share who you’d like to “#ShareAPint” and the first 500 will get a coupon for a free pint. To enter, share a picture on Instagram of you and your bestie, tag and follow @So_Delicious and tag #ShareAPint #FreePintPromo to get a coupon for a free pint, while supplies last.

What is the Paleo Diet?

Perhaps you’ve been to Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe’s, or the local grocery and seen products on the aisle promoting the Paleo diet. But what is the Paleo diet? The Paleo diet reflects the food groups of our Stone Age hunter-gatherer ancestors. The diet boasts numerous benefits that can help optimize one’s health, lower the risk of chronic diseases, and even promote weight loss.

Protein accounts for only 15 percent of the average person’s daily calories. This number pales in comparison to our hunter-gatherer ancestor diet, which was comprised of 19 to 35 percent protein. Higher protein and fresh vegetable intake have a significant benefit, blood sugar stabilization. The Paleo diet consists mostly of non-starchy fresh fruits and vegetables. Eating these foods won’t spike blood sugar levels since they have low glycemic indices that slow digestion and absorption of sugar in the body.

Photo by Natalia Fogarty on Unsplash

Dietary fiber is a necessary component to maintaining a healthy weight. That’s why having a diet that is high in fresh fruits and vegetables is essential to higher fiber intakes. Non-starchy vegetables and fruits can contain a more than twice the value of fiber than refined or whole grains.

Where’s all the fat? The Paleo diet attempts to replace unhealthier saturated fats with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that have a better balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats. It’s not that all fat is bad, but it’s the type of fat that is eaten that should concern you. This diet will also reduce the number of trans fats that raises blood cholesterol levels and your risk for heart disease and cancer.

Eating all those fresh fruits and vegetables gives your body a super shot of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and plant phytochemicals.

Vitamins are complex organic compounds that regulate certain metabolic processes in the body. They are distinctly different from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Minerals are a group of elements in Earth’s rocks, soils, and natural water sources. About 15 mineral elements have known functions in the body and are necessary for human health.

Antioxidents protect DNA from free radical damage, thus preventing potentially cancer-causing mutations from occurring.

Phytochemicals are compounds made by plants that are not nutrients. Plants made hundreds of these non-nutients. Caffiene is a popular example of a phytochemical.

Schiff, W. (2019). Nutrition for healthy living. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Photo by Jason Tuinstra on Unsplash

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables also improves your consumption of potassium, which is necessary for the heart, kidneys, and other organs to work correctly. The Paleo can help lower excessive sodium intake by substituting foods with more potassium.

Many foods we commonly eat yields either a net acid or alkaline load to our kidneys. Excessive dietary acids can result in bone and muscle loss, high blood pressure, an increased risk for kidney stones, and aggravates asthma. Paleo-approved fruits and vegetables produce alkalines can reduce the risk of chronic disease.

The Paleo Diet is based on seven fundamental characteristics of hunter-gatherer diets that help to optimize your health, minimize your risk of chronic disease, and lose weight.

http://www.thepaleodiet.com

Photo by Gabriel Gurrola on Unsplash

Here’s a quick list of the seven fundamentals we’ve covered!

• Higher protein intake
• Lower carbohydrate intake and lower glycemic index
• Higher fiber intake
• Moderate to higher fat intake dominated by monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats with balanced Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats
• Higher potassium and lower sodium intake
• Net dietary alkaline load that balances dietary acid
• Higher intake of, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and plat phytochemicals

For more information on the Paleo diet, visit www.thepaleodiet.com

Back to School 2019

As a teacher, by profession, I want to provide a space to share upcoming Back-to-School events from the Greater Atlanta Area. If you know of any other events, feel free to add them in the comments!