Author: shopkick

6 Recipes to Make With a Box of Pasta

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Chances are, you have a box of pasta (or many!) stashed in your pantry right now. While an extra box of pasta may be great to have on hand for a quick meal with your favorite jar of sauce, you can also get creative to expand your recipe repertoire. Here are 6 recipes to try at home with an extra box of pasta you have on hand! 

Pasta Salad 

Nothing screams summertime quite like a big bowl of pasta salad! We love the versatility of this dish. You can nearly add anything else that you also have stashed away in your pantry. You can opt for a more traditional pasta salad, like this Classic Macaroni Salad from Taste of Home, or this Sun-Dried Tomato, White Bean, and Goat Cheese Pasta Salad Recipe from Half Baked Harvest. Try one as a side dish for your next cookout with a box of macaroni or rotini noodles!

Rigatoni Alla Vodka 

No sauce? No problem! What if we told you that you can easily create a delicious homemade sauce in minutes? Making your own vodka sauce can be intimidating at first, but we promise that this homemade sauce will rival your favorite jarred sauce. You’ll want to make this again and again! We love this Easy Vodka Sauce recipe from Bon Appetit. 

Mac & Cheese

Use an extra box of macaroni or cavatappi to create the ultimate comfort meal! We love adding breadcrumbs on top of our Mac & Cheese for texture, plus broccoli or brussel sprouts for added nutritional value. This recipe from Healthy Seasonal Recipes is a great go-to! Bonus: the kids will love it!

Caesar Salad 

If you haven’t tried adding noodles to your favorite salad, you’re missing out! Noodles add fantastic texture to a salad, as well as make them more filling if you’re opting to make a salad for dinner. Dress up your traditional caesar salad with a box of penne, ziti, or fusilli noodles. Just a Taste has a delicious recipe here that even includes homemade caesar dressing! 

Skillet Lasagna 

Who doesn’t love lasagna? While we enjoy this Italian staple as much as the next person, it can be such a process to make! Skillet lasagna is an amazing way to get the taste of this family favorite, without all of the time and effort. Try this Easy Skillet Lasagna recipe from House of Yumm with an extra box of lasagna noodles the next time you need a quick, one-pot dinner! 

Stir-Fry 

Use your spare box of spaghetti noodles to make a delicious stir-fry! While you could opt for traditional lo mein noodles, spaghetti noodles work just as well. One of the best things about making stir-fry is that you can use whatever produce you already have in your refrigerator! A few add-ins we love are mushrooms, red pepper, onion, chives, and carrots. Try this 15 Minute Lo Mein recipe from Pinch of Yum.

What are your go-to pasta dishes? Share them with us on Facebook!

12 Children’s Books that Celebrate Diversity

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The conversations and learning surrounding diversity are only just beginning, and one of the best places to continue to learn and grow with your kids is within the walls of your home. So, we thought we would share some of the children’s books we have uncovered. Each one highlights a different way of exploring diversity, and every book also seeks to educate and uplift equally. Though the following 12 books are meant for children, we’ve found they’re as heartfelt and eye opening for adults! We encourage you to explore diversity together, and we invite you to discover a new favorite children’s book in the process. 

1. Hands Up! by Breanna J. McDaniel, Illustrated by Shane W. Evans:

This picture book follows the story of a little girl and all of the ways in which she raises her hands. First, she’s a baby raising her hands for a hug. Then she becomes a little girl with her hands raised while marching in a protest with her parents. This story has been called “triumphant”!

2. Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History & Little Leaders: Exceptional Men in Black History by Vashti Harrison:

Both of these books (found here + here) are worth a mention, and we wanted to group them together. Each one highlights incredible known and not-as-well-known men and women throughout black history and how they have impacted their communities and our greater world. The illustrations are also so sweet and fun for young readers to enjoy.

3. Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry and Vashti Harrison:

NFL wide receiver Matthew A. Cherry and author and illustrator Vashti Harrison teamed up to share this sweet story about a bond between a father and his daughter. The book explores how Zuri’s dad helps her to love and embrace her natural hair – kinks and curls included. Hair Love also has a fun fact: The animated short movie of the same name won an Oscar at the 2020 awards!

4. Same, Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw:

What if your pen pal lived in a different country? That’s the case for Elliot and Kailash because Elliot lives in America, and Kailash calls India home. This picture book shares a glimpse into the ways in which Elliot and Kailash’s lives are different (they live in different countries and immerse themselves in different cultures), but the things they do and the interests they have are the same. 

5. Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment by Parker Curry and Jessica Curry, Illustrated by Brittany Jackson:

Do you remember when the photo was shared of a little girl staring up at Michelle Obama’s portrait at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.? Well, she and her mom wrote a book! Through wonderful words and illustrations, this picture book shares how Parker saw herself in the First Lady’s portrait.

6. Mae Among The Stars by Roda Ahmed, Illustrated by Stasia Burrington:

Are your kids fascinated by space? Meet Mae! This picture book is inspired by Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to travel into space, and it shares what can happen if you stay curious and follow your dreams. 

7. This is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from Around the World by Matt LaMothe:

What if your kids could see an inside peek into the lives of seven kids from around the world? They can in this picture book as they travel to India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Peru, Russia, and Uganda.  

8. The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, Illustrated by Rafael Lopez:

Whether your kids have felt left out or you want to explore the ways in which we all can be more inclusive, we think your kids will greatly enjoy The Day You Begin. The title offers great insight into what the picture book explores: Sometimes we simply need to start.

9. Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o, Illustrated by Vashti Harrison:

This picture book is known for its beautiful illustrations and the ways in which Oscar winning actress Lupita Nyong’o shares the story of Sulwe. She’s a little girl with “skin the color of midnight”, and throughout the story she learns how to become confident in her own beauty from within.

10. Chocolate Me! by Taye Diggs, Illustrated by Shane Evans:

What if you are different but want to fit in with your friends and classmates? Actor Taye Diggs and his friend and illustrator, Shane Evans, explore all of the ways a little boy’s appearance, from his skin color to his curly hair, make him unique and wonderful in Chocolate Me!.

11. Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea by Meena Harris, Illustrated by Ana Ramirez Gonzalez:

If your kids are wondering if they can effect change, turn to Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea! Through these sisters, little readers will learn how even two people can make a big difference. And, adults, you might recognize their names! Kamala is named after Senator Kamala Harris, and Maya is named after lawyer and policy expert Maya Harris.

12. Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester, Illustrated by Karen Barbour:

When he was describing his book, author Julius Lester said, “I am a story. So are you. So is everyone.” Enjoy reading as this book teaches what makes your kids (and everyone else!) special.

What children’s books are guiding your family’s conversations about diversity? Let’s keep the conversation going on Facebook.

3 effective mobile marketing channels to promote consumer engagement

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3 effective mobile marketing channels to promote consumer engagement

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Mobile marketing allows you to reach your customers wherever they are, whether that’s home, work, or play. The vast majority of shoppers welcome communications from brands that are truly relevant, helpful, and engaging. One of the best aspects of mobile marketing is that it allows businesses to pull together a number of different channels—social media, email marketing, video, search advertising, and physical retail—in a way that is engaging and immediate. The way to solidify conversions from your efforts will be to communicate in a way that isn’t invasive—but, rather, intriguing, entertaining, and engaging. Among the most effective mobile marketing channels are opt-in SMS messaging and notifications, email subscriptions, and retargeted ads.

Mobile Marketing Channels That Promote Engagement

Opt-In Mobile Messaging & Notifications

With a consumer’s permission, brands and retailers can engage by:

  • Announcing Promotions: Let shoppers know about an upcoming sale or new merchandise. 
  • Sending Alerts: Send location-based reminders and offers when they’re near your retail location.
  • Confirming Orders: Keep customers abreast of deliveries by confirming the transaction. 
  • Sending Updates: Share important group updates about cancellations, closures, and upcoming activities. 
  • Offering Rewards: Maintain a loyal customer base by keeping members informed of their reward status and benefits.
Text messages are one of the most popular channels for marketing communications due to their effectiveness. Consider this: 

  • Text messages have over a 90% open-rate, compared to just 20% for email communications.
  • Response rates to text marketing are 7.5x higher than email.
  • Branded vanity links sent via text get 39% more clicks than generic short links.
  • Seventy-five percent of shoppers say they don’t mind receiving texts from brands they like.
  • More than 50% of customers prefer contacting support through text messaging.

By 2020, 45 million customers had opted into mobile text communications. It’s no surprise, considering Americans look at their phones an average of 80 times per day. Mobile marketing is the ideal way to reach prospects these days, as the messages get through, they’re read quickly, and they inspire action. Incentivizing consumers to opt-in to mobile messaging is an easy way to build your communications list.  

Email Communications

Email is like a comfortable and familiar old friend. Consumers are used to receiving email communications and generally find email to be a helpful and non-intrusive way to keep in touch with their favorite brands. Global internet users overwhelmingly prefer to receive brand communications via email communication (62.9%) compared to a mobile app (43%), social media (25.2%), and direct mail (18.1%).

According to research, shoppers use email messages to:

  • Obtain discount offers, coupon codes, and rewards.
  • Discover new products of interest based on past history.
  • Remember to purchase from a preferred brand.
  • Read product reviews and reviews from publications.
  • Find similar products and share them with friends/family.

Interactive Emails

Interactive elements invite subscribers to actively engage with your marketing emails in some way. Audiences are surprised and delighted by these opportunities to engage. Examples include:

  • surveys and polls
  • rollover effects
  • product carousels
  • incentivized games
  • video product demos

Rather than passively scanning email text, shoppers are clicking and engaging. 

User-Generated Content

Storytelling with user-generated content is a hot trend on social media, but can easily be incorporated into the email channel as well, since people look to email as a source for reviews. 

  • Share fan images and videos.
  • Create reviews-driven ads.
  • Leverage polls to collect data.
  • Add thumbs up/down buttons.
  • Share the most popular items.

User-generated content engages fellow shoppers using authentic and trustworthy supporting voices.

Personalized Segmentation

Simply personalizing the subject line can increase email-generated revenue by 760% compared to one-size-fits-all. Creating targeted lists upon signup lets you connect with audiences in a more relevant way. You can segment based on:

  • age, gender, location, profession
  • type of benefit sought
  • occasion for shopping
  • brand loyalty status
  • buyer readiness stage

Personalization in marketing grabs consumer attention and can lead to loyalty.

Retargeted Ads

Retargeting campaigns help you get the most from your paid ad spending. Unlike pop-up banner ads, native advertising tends to blend into the surrounding environment, like at the bottom of news articles as paid/sponsored ads, in a social media feed, or at the top of Google search results.

Facebook and Google are among the most popular retargeting platforms, as they make it easy to build custom audiences and allow brands to:

  • increase awareness, maintaining visibility after the first visit.
  • send reminders, showing the exact product browsed again.
  • re-engage, appealing to those who haven’t recently shopped.
  • reduce abandonment, reminding shoppers of items left in their cart.
  • be relevant, campaigning based on geography or product.

You may not be able to win them all, but retargeting can attract up to 98% of visitors who have left your site without making a purchase back to your brand again and boost overall conversions up to 150%.

If you’re looking for a unique mobile marketing channel to promote customer engagement, consider Shopkick. Shopkick users (“Shopkickers”) begin engaging with a partner brand by viewing in-app content and checking offers during the consideration phase of a shopping trip, whether at home or on the go. Once in-store, Shopkick utilizes a gamification strategy to drive shoppers to products on the shelf, encouraging physical product interaction in exchange for reward points (“kicks”). Shopkickers redeem their kicks for gift cards of their choosing, which creates positive brand affinity. Shopkick makes a great addition to your marketing mix, in addition to your text campaigns, email communications, and retargeting ads. 

Shopkick is an effective mobile marketing channel that allows brands and retailers to communicate with consumers along the path to purchase. Our partners use Shopkick to offer consumers rewards for engagement that leads to measurable ROI. Contact us to learn more about incorporating Shopkick into your mobile marketing efforts.

12 Foods to Always Stock at Home

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Because we have been enjoying many more meals at home (and we think this will continue for the foreseeable future!), we thought we would share the foods we have been keeping on hand to make meal and snack prep simple and quick. Keep reading below for 12 foods we’ve learned to always keep stocked in the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer! 

The Pantry: 

1. Pasta and Jarred Sauce:

Pasta is part of many of our weekly meal plans, and it’s a quick and easy meal that almost always allows for leftovers. Consider adding ground meat or vegetables to your pasta, and stir in sauce from a jar in order to keep your meal prep simple.  

2. Rice:

Rice has a long shelf life, which means it’s likely to not expire before you use it. Plus, it pairs well with many different lunch and dinner recipes. Consider mixing it into taco bowls for a Taco Tuesday!

3. Soup:

Rainy days make us crave soup and grilled cheese no matter the season, so we always like to keep it in our pantry. If you’re looking for a challenge, try making your own soup from scratch! 

4. Prepackaged Snacks:

If you have kids, think about dedicating a shelf (or a few!) to snacks your kids can reach and enjoy on their own. Prepackaged snacks work wonderfully for kids because they’re already portioned, which means there’s not a need for them (or you!) to portion out the proper serving size. They’re also helpful for adults too, especially now when multiple snacks throughout the day has become part of the norm.

5. Boxed Baking Mixes:

Baking has become one of our go-to hobbies while at home, and sometimes it’s just as fun to whip together a boxed mix as it is to create a recipe from scratch. We love having a box mix for cake or cupcakes, brownies, muffins, or cookies on hand for a fun treat that’s also serves as an activity.

Refrigerator and Freezer:

1. Yeast:

We mentioned in this post that we have been baking bread often, so we’ve found it’s helpful to keep yeast on hand. Yeast does keep for a while, so you won’t need to worry about it expiring. Plus, you will always be ready to bake your next bread recipe!

2. Sliced Fruit:

There are preferred ways to store your fruit, and it’s best to only cut up what you plan to eat in order for it to keep and not spoil. But, if you know you will be eating your fruit quickly, keep it prepped in your refrigerator, so it’s ready for you to grab and go! 

3. Cut Vegetables:

The same notes about fruit we mentioned above are also true about vegetables. But, we all do feel more encouraged to snack and cook with vegetables that are washed and cut in advance. One great trick for vegetables is mini carrots! Most are snack sized already, and they’re also already washed. 

4. Salad Mix:

If you’re looking for a new option for lunch, consider adding prepackaged salad mixed to your refrigerator. Some even have dressing and other ingredients, like nuts, cheese, or dried fruit, included, so your salad will be ready to serve and enjoy in minutes.

5. Meat:

We like to keep meat, like ground beef and chicken, on hand. You will want to make sure to defrost it in advance, which does involve thinking ahead, but meat does keep longer overall if it’s frozen.

6. Pizza:

We like to enjoy pizza on the weekends, but it’s fun to do an impromptu pizza night during the week too! As a result, we always keep a pizza or two in the freezer that we can heat in the oven with a moment’s notice. You can still add toppings to frozen pizza too, so don’t be afraid to add those ingredients to your shopping list.

7. English Muffins or Bread:

If you’re not planning to bake bread or you would prefer to keep other ready made options available, consider storing your bread in the freezer where it will stay fresh longer. As a note, English muffins are wonderful for breakfast paired with eggs, plus you can also make sandwiches with them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And, they’re the perfect base for English muffin pizzas – a favorite among kids and adults alike!

Let us know how you are stocking your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer on Facebook!

5 Surfaces to Sanitize in Under 10 Minutes

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Between spending much more time at home living in our spaces rather than passing by throughout the day to having a desire to be extra vigilant to keep spaces tidy, we have made sure to keep our most visited spaces cleaner than ever before. Although we (and you!) feel like we have sanitized every surface, there are likely a few that might be flying under the radar. The good news is these five areas are quick to clean, and we think you can cross them off of your list in 10 minutes or less. Keep reading below! 

1. Cell Phone & Tablet:

Cleaning your cell phone and tablet might make you feel alarmed, but there are plenty of products that are safe to use on your tech. Look for tech cleaning kits at stores like Walmart, Target, or an office supply location, which often include a cleaning solution and a microfiber cloth. This article also points out other methods for cleaning your tech, like using hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes.

2. Counters:

One of the most visited areas in your home is your kitchen, especially as we all make more meals at home. So, make sure to wipe down your kitchen counters regularly. You might even want to wipe them down before and after meals to be extra vigilant! Speaking of counters, don’t forget to wipe down the counters in your bathroom.

3. Door Knobs, Handles, Faucets, & Switch Plates:

We are always closing doors, touching faucets, opening cabinets, and turning lights on and off. As a result, each represents a surface that should be wiped down regularly. A disinfectant wipe will do the trick! 

4. Computer:

Whether you’re working from home or working from an office, our fingers are always touching our computer’s keys. So, wipe them down! Make sure to use a computer friendly product when you do clean off your keyboard. A tech specific cleaning solution and a microfiber cloth will do the trick! This article goes into even more depth about how to properly clean this frequently used item.

5. Remote:

Whether you’re watching cable TV, a movie, or binging shows and movies from a streaming service, you are likely using your remote. Make sure to clean your remote often! Consider using a disinfectant wipe on it either at least once per day.

To make the process less daunting, set a timer and clean as much as you can in a 5-10 minute window. Then repeat later in the day to clean any areas you may have missed.

Let us know your best cleaning tips on Facebook!

5 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day at Home

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Thanks to the date when it occurs every year toward the end of May, Memorial Day serves as both a day to honor the fallen members of our military as well as a day to celebrate the unofficial start of summer. Celebrations may have been cancelled this year that would have encouraged us to gather together with family and friends, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create your own fun at home. Below, we’re sharing five family friendly ways you can celebrate Memorial Day, honor our military, and still experience the excitement of summer being on the horizon from home.

1. Create Chalk Art for Soldiers

In one of her first Facebook Live segments, first grade teacher Mrs. Lamb shared how she and her kids were creating mosaic chalk art. If you have already created chalk art or you’re looking for a fun weekend activity, create chalk art in your driveway, but try to only use red, white, and blue chalk! You can also add notes to our military, like “Thank you for your service”, and even honor the various branches to celebrate all who serve. 

2. Barbecue

Although friends and family may not be joining your barbecue this year, you should still make your favorite recipes! We love classic hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill, and you can also add to your spread if you grill vegetables, pizza, and fruit, like pineapple. This flag cake is also a fun item to enjoy for dessert, or you can also opt to make s’mores by the fire or in the oven.

3. Play Water Games:

If you have a pool in your backyard, make sure to jump in! Otherwise, think about playing water games with your family. A water balloon toss is a classic way to have fun, and you can also try making your own slip-n-slide or play Drip, Drip, Drench, which is a fun take on Duck, Duck, Goose. Also, remember when you ran through the sprinkler for hours when you were growing up? Introduce your kids to this way to have a blast! 

4. Make Ice Cream:

Did you know you can make ice cream without an ice cream maker? You can! This strawberry ice cream recipe from Southern Living Magazine actually allows you to create ice cream in a bag. Kids will love mixing together the ingredients, and either you or they will enjoy quite the arm workout while you’re shaking the bag of ice. Enjoy the delicious results, Shopkickers!

5. Decorate Your Bike:

Many parades have been cancelled this year, so create your own even if it’s just you and your family. With your kids, decorate your bikes using streamers and crepe paper. Make sure to don your red, white, and blue attire! Then take a spin around your neighborhood. Your neighbors will love it, and some may even choose to join in from a safe social distance, of course! 

How are you and your family celebrating Memorial Day this year? Let us know your plans on Facebook!

6 Ways to Store Produce to Keep it Fresh

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Our refrigerators look and feel as though they are more stocked now than ever before. Because we’re trying to stick to our healthy (or somewhat healthy!) regimens, much of what’s inside our refrigerators is produce. With an increase in purchasing produce also comes an increased desire to make sure it stays fresh throughout the week. We’ve been researching some of the best tips and tricks, and we’re sharing what we’ve learned and uncovered on our own below. 

1. Make Sure Produce is Dry:

When we arrive home from the grocery store, one of our instincts is to rinse off our produce. While that’s a great idea in theory, produce can start to go bad if it’s too wet in your refrigerator. If you do plan to wash your produce, make sure it’s completely dry before you put it away. This is when your salad spinner comes into play!

2. Skip Rinsing Berries (for now):

You will absolutely want to rinse off your berries before you eat them, but berries don’t love being exposed to too much moisture. As a result, according to this article, it may actually be best to leave your berries in their original packages for now and rinse them off in bunches that you plan to eat right away.

3. Treat Herbs Like Flowers:

When you bring flowers home, you likely place them in a vase. Sometimes, you might even place your vase by the window. Many herbs like to be treated the same way! So, save space in your fridge and add herbs to your windowsill or countertop instead.

4. Line Your Crisper:

Chances are high that your produce will either produce moisture while inside your refrigerator or not all of the water from the rinsing you did when you got home will have dried off. So, line the bottom of your crisper’s drawer with paper towels. We know they are a hot commodity, but they will help to keep your produce fresh.  

5. Store Fruit Properly:

Before you add all of your fruit to your refrigerator, double check that’s where it likes to be stored. Items like apples will stay fresh longer when placed in the refrigerator, but they will ripen faster if they’re left at room temperature. Bananas, on the other hand, don’t like to be in the refrigerator. Instead, keep them at room temperature.

6. Don’t Over Buy:

The temptation to purchase all items in bulk is definitely there right now, but try to keep in mind what your family will eat throughout the week. If you still find that you’re having to toss items, think about buying less or stop at the grocery store midway through the week to pick up additional produce once your family has finished the first batch of berries or bananas, for example. Produce has definitely been kept well stocked!

What ways have you uncovered to keep your produce fresh? Keep the conversation going on Facebook!