Repurposing Leftover Challah

This week, for some reason, we had almost a whole challah leftover after Shabbat!

Not wanting to waste it, I figured I'd make French Toast on Sunday. But then I got distracted and didn't do that - instead, I used the eggs to make scrambled eggs!

So tonight I made a delicious split pea soup, and decided to use up the challah by making croutons!

croutons baking in the oven

Making croutons is actually really easy, and everyone loved them!

How to make croutons:

Cut leftover bread or challah into small pieces. Place bread pieces in a bowl. Add salt*, pepper*, granulated garlic*, oregano*, dried parsley*, or other spices, and a large dollop of olive oil. Toss to coat. Spread the spiced bread on a baking tray and bake at 200C till browned. I used my toaster oven, because it uses less energy than the big oven, so it's ideal when I only have one tray to put in.

*I didn't measure my seasonings. I just poured. sorry. season to taste! 

Easy peasy! And so good!

New iHerb Promo Code!

Click any link in this post to start shopping at iHerb now and help support this blog - links in this post generate credit for me at iHerb. Thanks in advance for your support!

Right now save 10% off any order over $40 (US dollars) at iHerb with promo code YEAREND10

Use this link to start shopping, and promo code YEAREND10 will be automatically applied to your shopping cart!

In addition to immediate savings, you will also get a 10% Loyalty Credit based on your total order value, that they can use towards your next iHerb order! (I really like this Loyalty Credit thing, it's great!)

Remember to check out the Brands of the week that are 20% off and save even more if your favorites are on sale.

And of course, as always, first time customers who use any of the links on this page to start shopping at iHerb will get a 10% off your first order, regardless of the total!

I know, some of you want to know more about my iHerb obsession and what kinds of things I buy from them. Check out this post for more info.

Hurry! This coupon code - YEAREND10 -  expires Friday, December 30th,2016, at 10:00 a.m., PST

Groupon Deals you need to see!

I was just looking at Groupon Israel, and here are a few of the deals I found that I thought some of you would like to know about! 
(Links in this post are affiliate links; I may get paid a commission when you purchase thru these links. Thanks in advance for your support!)

Save 25 shekels on your supermarket order from Mega Online!

5 packs of Huggies diapers for 199 NIS (with free shipping + gift)
(choose from sizes 3-6)

3 Surge protectors for 69 NIS!

Coffee Capsules for your Nespresso machine, 100 capsules for 89 NIS

Flannel sheet set (for a double bed - Israeli size) - for just 149 NIS

French cheeses (Mehadrin) for half price (in Jerusalem)!

Corelle Service for 12, 76 piece set (1199NIS. Yes, this is more than it costs in the USA, but less than Corelle usually costs in Israel)

Discount Tickets to The Monkey Park!

52 page photo album for 49 NIS!

Half off (or more!) at Pizza Hut at Malcha Mall in Jerusalem!

This is just a tiny sampling of what Groupon has to offer - you can check for other deals here!

(Offers can expire at any time, and you should always read the fine print before you buy!)

Supermarket Rip-Offs

How Israeli supermarket shoppers are getting ripped off:

When you buy packaged items, do you look at the price per 100g that is posted?

Do you realize that the price per kilogram is 10X that price?

Once you take that into account, some of the prices on supermarket shelves turn out to be TRULY astonishing.

Here are some notable items:
(adapted from Globes)

Wissotzky Tea: 130nis/kg

Wissotzky Herbal Teas (Infusions): 230-350nis/kg

Wissotzky Children's Teas: 270nis/kg

Wissotzky Green Teas: 660nis/kg

(there is a reason I stock up on Stash teas when iHerb has a sale - Go ahead and do the same! It's still pricey for a kilo, but not quite AS pricey... or buy loose teas from a spice store!)

Chewing Gum: (various brands) 150-200nis/kg

Tic Tacs: 200nis/kg

Instant Coffee (Taster's Choice): 130nis/kg

Elite Chocolate Hearts: 174nis/kg

Black Pepper: 150nis/kg (I just checked my last spice order, I pay 70/kg from a spice store in the shuk - more than 50% lower than the supermarket price!)

Ground Ginger: I just saw it marked at 226nis/kg!

Bamba: 90nis/kg

Cookies: I saw some Shufersal branded cookies marked at 119nis/kg!! Some of the Gluten Free cookies are over 200nis/kg!! (unbelievable)

Telma Branflakes - 43nis/kg (don't tell me cereal is cheap when you see prices like this!) (note: I buy branflakes in bulk from the shuk for 16/kg)

In short, if you're shopping in a supermarket - watch out! 

Globes notes that just about any item (with a few exceptions) where the price is 100 shekels per kilo or more is SERIOUSLY inflated, and I would add that most any item that is wheat based (crackers, cookies, cereal) that is more than over 30 shekels per kilo is also seriously inflated! (Some are inflated at lower amounts)

Here are some strategies I've implemented to save money:

1. Avoid packaged food items

2. Buy items like coffee and tea ONLY on sale or from a discounter

3. Buy spices and other dry goods from the shuk (we actually have a group delivery from a store in the Teverya shuk, so we get shuk prices but delivered to my house!)

Will this information change the way you shop? I'd love to hear your ideas for staying away from rip-offs!

Reveal Israel - Special Discount!

I know some of you are looking for Chanukah gifts, and I have a great deal to share with you!

Reveal Israel, the new family card game about Israel, has 3 different ways to play - making this a really great deal packed into a teeny little box! For ages 3-100 and up to 18 players.

Right now,  when you buy this game on Amazon (this seller only), you can take advantage of these special offers: Buy 1 get 5% off, Buy 2 Get 10% off, Buy 3 Get 15% off, or Buy 4 Get 20% off! Just put the games in your cart and the discount will show up at checkout!

Whether you are buying this game as a gift for someone (this is a great way to get your family hooked on Israel as much as you are!), or you're sharing this deal with your friends and family in America, make sure you all hurry and take advantage of this discount!

This deal ends Dec. 31, 2016

When you shop from any of the links on this page, I may be paid a commission. Thanks in advance for your support!

8 books for $8 for Chanukah!

This post is for those of you who live in, or have shipping addresses in, the United States.

For a limited time, you can get 8 books from Kar-Ben Publishing for just $8 (shipping is extra)!

These books are hardcover books, and your little ones will be thrilled with their new collection!

Hope you enjoy!

(I'm considering buying these in order to have some "emergency gifts" on hand - my kids are all too old for these.)

I'd love to hear about other great deals you've found!

For those of you who don't have US shipping addresses, note that you can get FREE international shipping when you order books from Better World Books, Book Depository, and Wordery. (these are affiliate links - thanks for using them and supporting my blog!)

Printable Coupon - Zuriel Cheese

Love cheeses? I've got a printable coupon for you!

Try out Zuriel Cheese - Galilee "Bulgarit" version at 30% off!

Click here to get your printable coupon!

Sugat Recall! (Israel)

The Ministry of Health and Sugat announced an important recall:

Pesticides were found in a batch of wheat kernels that was processed and packaged by Sugat.
The pesticides are identifiable - they look like turquiose grains.

The recall affects the entire batch, for safety purposes, even if you don't see any turquoise grains in the package.

Please check your Sugat brand wheat kernels:

 1kg package, barcode 729010070006
500g package, barcode 7290003643738

and Rami Levi store label wheat kernels:
1kg package, barcode 7290015994118

The recall applies to these products with the following expiration dates (printed on the package): 8/11/17, 8/11/17, 10/11/17, 11/11/17, 13/11/17, and 14/11/17

These products are UNSAFE to eat!

Please do not use them. Call Sugat Customer Service at 1-700-550-222 to arrange for a return/refund/replacement.

Please share this post with anyone who may have purchased this product!

This picture shows what the pesticide pellets look like. They are about the same size as the wheat grains, but are TURQUOISE. Do not eat them!

iHerb Promo Code! (limited time only)

Click any link in this post to start shopping at iHerb now and help support this blog - links in this post generate credit for me at iHerb. Thanks in advance for your support!

Right now you can get 10% off any order over $40 (US dollars) at iHerb!

Use promo code GET10 in your shopping cart before checking out.

In addition to immediate savings, you will also get a 10% Loyalty Credit based on your total order value, that they can use towards your next iHerb order! (I really like this Loyalty Credit thing, it's great!)

Remember to check out the Brands of the week that are 20% off!

And of course, as always, first time customers who use any of the links on this page to start shopping at iHerb will get a 10% off your first order, regardless of the total!

I know, some of you want to know more about my iHerb obsession and what kinds of things I buy from them. Check out this post to learn more about that!

Hurry! This coupon code - GET10 - is only good thru Monday, December 12, 2016.

Bituach Leumi's New Savings Plan for children

Bituach Leumi recently announced that the new Savings Plan for children will be implemented in the next few weeks. Here's a quick summary of how it works:

1. Basic Plan: Bituach Leumi will deposit 50NIS per month into a savings or investment account on behalf of minor children who are eligible for kitzbat yeladim (the Child Stipend). There are a number of different options for savings and investment accounts, more information appears below.

2. Matching Fund Plan - parents can choose to match the 50NIS by choosing to direct 50NIS of the Child Stipend, every month, to the child's savings or investment account.

In order to choose what type of savings account/investment acccount your child will receive, and to choose to match the deposit, you must fill out a form online. Find this form here. (It's in Hebrew. If you need help, please ask a friend or relative who speaks Hebrew to help you. It shouldn't take more than 5 minutes to fill out!)

You can review all the options on Bituach Leumi's information site that they've put up about this specific program. Check out the different funds and banks and terms as they apply to your children!

Each child's account will be funded on the 20th of each month. They will be funded with retroactive payments of 50 shekels per month for the period covering May 2015 - December 2016 (total 1,000 NIS). The retroactive payments will be made in "tashlumim" - the first one will be in January 2017, in the amount of 100 shekels. The second one will be 400 NIS, in February 2017. The others will be announced later.

If your child turned 18 after May 2015 but before January 2017, an account WILL be funded in their name. Your now-adult child should receive a letter addressed to him/her explaining what s/he needs to do. 

Upon the child's 18th birthday, the account will be funded with a 500 NIS bonus. If s/he does not withdraw the money before his/her 21st birthday,  a 500 NIS bonus will be deposited upon his/her 21st birthday. 

There is an option to turn the account into a tax-exempt retirement plan that will be disbursed in monthly amounts after retirement. I am not sure how many people will actually do that, but the option is there!

The deadline for filling out this form is June 1, 2017 (note corrected date!). If you don't fill it out by then, Bituach Leumi will choose a default option for you.

Please note - any fees associated with these savings/investment accounts will be covered by Bituach Leumi until your child turns 21 (note corrected age!). At that point, fees will be deducted from the account as allowed by law.

Points to consider:

1. Bank accounts are very safe, and the returns are pretty predictable (you will get to choose between fixed rate and variable rate accounts, and accounts that are linked to the consumer index...). Kupot Gemel are investments (i.e. stocks and other higher risk investments). You can make more money with them, but you can also lose money with them. It's a risk. Weigh your own willingness to take risks before choosing!

2. If your children are US citizens, there may be some sort of tax penalty if you choose one of the "kupat gemel" investment fund options - BUT it is far too soon to know for sure. It may eat up some of the gains, but it is possible that it will still be worthwhile. (But don't make any decisions because of what I wrote. I am just expressing my personal view. Please make your own decision about how you want to approach this particular risk as well!)

3. If you choose a bank option, you may not later choose to switch to an investment fund option. If you choose an investment fund, there will be designated times when you can change tracks within the investment options IF you choose the option with "tachanot yetziah".

4. There are many people talking about the different investment options. Word on the street is that Altschuler-Schacham and Psagot have yielded better returns in the last 5 years than the others. Of course that does not in any way guarantee future positive returns. Just something to think about.

This post is for information purposes only, and my personal opinions may be expressed. This post should not be taken as advice or instructions regarding investments in any way.