Welcome to the April 2026 edition of the Ultimate Coffee Date link up Deborah and I host the first Friday of every month. Today I’m asking for advice and sharing other random experiences since the last time we got together.
You know how this works—grab the badge, link your post, and comment on the other blogs in the link-up.
Asking For Advice At The April Coffee Date
If we were having coffee, I would ask for your advice on my office breakfast dilemma. I need a grab-and-go eat-at-my-desk option for hectic days. I had been splurging on peanut butter and jelly Uncrustables (the lower sugar, wheat bread variety), but thought the Nature’s Bakery fig bars might be a healthier option. When I had one for breakfast last week, it struck me as too sweet. Was it?
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the nutrition labels.
The fig bars have a lot more added sugar but less than 1/2 the sodium. I’m assuming the higher fat content of the Uncrustables is mostly due to the peanut butter, so I’m not holding it against them, but the Uncrustables have a much longer ingredient list (not shown). Which do you think is healthier?
Do you have other ideas for me? After going down this rabbit hole, I decided I should recommit to making a batch of baked oatmeal I can reheat at work.
If we were having coffee, I would tell you I enjoyed staying at the Ritz Carlton for my last conference—especially the chocolates left on the bedside table with the evening turn-down service. I’m used to housekeeping tidying up my personal items (I try to keep them neat) but laughed when I saw the extra tube of toothpaste laid out by my half-empty one.
I did have a spare, but now I have another!
If we were having coffee, I would ask if you buy more items on-line to get free shipping. During the last Peloton apparel sale the struggle was real, but I finally found enough items worth trying that added up to the free shipping amount.
I’m not sure if I was more amused or annoyed when my order was delivered
in three separate packages on different days!
I was going to ask for advice on a very mundane household item—sponges! I have always bought O-Celo brand, but for some reason they became hard to find a few months ago. I tried the off-brand my grocery store has instead, but they feel cheap and inadequate. Amazon only sold them in bulk, but I finally found them in the Home Depot on-line store. There wasn’t a minimum for free delivery, but I decided to order other cleaning supplies to make it worthwhile. You guessed it—my order was delivered across three days with the sponges arriving last!
Do you get frustrated by “free shipping” minimums?
Has a favorite product become hard to find?
Can anyone still find Good Culture cottage cheese???
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Yes to your homemade banana bread baked oatmeal!
That’s such a better option. You know exactly what goes into it, and you skip all those preservatives and mystery ingredients.
I agree with Catrina – your homemade baked oatmeal sounds by far the healthiest option.
As someone who always ordered clothes from Sears or JC Penneys as a kid growing up and always having to remember there would be a shipping charge, I’m thrilled whenever I see free shipping! You’re right, though, it is frustrating to be a few dollars short of meeting that free shipping minimum.
I third the baked oatmeal option!
I definitely try to order more to avoid shipping charges. What really gets me is when they charge separately for shipping AND handling.
Count me in for another vote for your baked oatmeal option!
I always do what I can to avoid paying for shipping – though it does get a little out of hand sometimes LOL I missed the last Peloton sale – now I want to see what you got 😉
Hmm. The thing about buying a minimum amount to get the free shipping is that it’s supposedly cheaper for the company to ship ALL IN THE SAME PACKAGE. If they’re not doing that, then it’s just a scam to get you to buy more. Hurumph.
I also vote for the baked oatmeal! You know it’s the healthiest option- I know it’s a pain to do food prep on the weekend after you’ve worked all week though.
Ok you know I have lots of thoughts on that breakfast. Dutch both of those options. They have very little protein, too much sugar for not nutritional benefit, over processed. 200 cals is not enough for someone like you who exercises in the morning. You must be starving by lunch!
I would suggest a high protein yogurt with a lower sugar granola and a banana or berries. You can easily bring this along with you-I do it for flights. Alternatively, hard boiled eggs are easy to bring with you to work. You could make a little bento box with nuts, cheese to go along. If you want to stick with the peanut butter-spreading some onto a whole wheat high protein tortilla with sliced bananas would be another great option. I would love to offer to help you with your on the go meals anytime. Step one ditch the processed no nutritional value foods
I’m a little biased because I like the peanut butter + like the lower sugar option, so I’m gonna vote the Uncrustables if it’s between those two!
I used to do a protein shake or overnight oats and then throw a bunch of toppings in it the next morning as a “grab and go” option! Good for warmer days. :] I did baked oatmeal in the fall/winter!
haha, I like how neatly they laid everything out along with your toothpaste too.
I agree with others on the homemade option (or prepacked PB&J) and with Deborah that 200 is not enough calories. Uncrustables has more protein from the PB. I like Nugo bars if a bar is needed (higher protein and some good flavors) and would add yogurt and/or fruit!
Ugh I do the buy extra for free shipping thing all the time!
Even with my early-hour workouts, I’m never hungry until 9:00/9:30, so I just keep instant oatmeal at my desk (it’s a cranberry & flax seed variety from a regional store). I add more dried cranberries & granola to give it a little more substance. I snack on Medjool dates frequently & they really sweet 🙂
It’s weird how my comments post from my phone. You must think I never comment.
Anyone I am currently addicted to crustables – but the hazelnut chocolate ones… zero nutritional value. I used to eat those fig bars too.
Of course everyone needs free shipping… we have amazon prime so I’m good there but other times I just have to buy more.
Wait… I never got tooth paste at a hotel?
I would do baked oatmeal, jars of overnight oats or even egg bites (mix together eggs, cheese if you like, veggies of your choice, and even meat, with a little bisquick and back them in a muffin tin. So good.
Good Culture is everywhere here. I have a container in my fridge right now. I mix it in my scrambled eggs instead of milk.
I don’t get too bothered by shipping. It just means I don’t have to go get something. I might buy more to meet the free shipping minimum, or I might not. I just depends.
The shipping makes me laugh. I don’t think I’m particularly environmental, but the packaging is just too MUCH
Team PB&J all the way. I’m reading Lindsey Vonn’s first book and she can pry those from my cold dead hands. The chemicals though. inSANE.