Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Sam’s Club. As always, all opinions are mine alone.
This time of year can be super hectic for us. The older kids just started school, summer is winding down, football season is picking up with high school football games, daily practice, and then along comes homecoming and all that fun stuff. It’s also when Lil G’s birthday rolls around. Every year when we celebrate his birthday we have to look deep into his schedule to plan dates and times that coordinate with our other friends whose children are involved in sports and other extracurricular activities. I get it, we’re all busy. So while Lil G’s birthday isn’t until tomorrow, we celebrated his birthday last weekend with an intimate gathering with a few friends and family. Earlier this month he had a big party with all his friends that he planned as a dual party with RiRi’s godsister, so we really just wanted to get the family together with some cake, ice cream and good food.
Last week I decided to head to Sam’s Club for my monthly shopping haul, and I brought my mom along with me so we could hang out while I shop. The second we walked in to the store, we saw the membership sign up area that showed off all of the perks you get with a Sam’s Club Membership. Some of the benefits of signing up are up to $5,000 in savings both online and in club instant savings, up to $500 a year in cash rewards and the new Sam’s Club® Mastercard® that comes with many perks of its own! My mom grabbed a few of the pamphlets and we began my shopping.
I found everything I needed for Lil G’s birthday party, from tons of great deals on food to disposable plates, napkins and cups. Putting a party together to celebrate his special day was definitely convenient because everything is bulk sizes and super affordable! I bought a 10 pound back of frozen wings in the frozen foods section for just under $18.00 which was such a great deal.
There’s also a great selection of fresh foods like fruits and vegetables, which I made sure to take full advantage of. All of the items I bought were at great prices, and since they were bulk sizes and we were just having a little party we could use what was left over for our own family needs.
You might not know, but there’s a bakery at Sam’s Club and you can order birthday cakes at an even better price that your local supermarket.
I placed our cake order and was not disappointed. Our cake was exactly what we wanted and tasted great too!
I even did a little window shopping at some grills and ice chests and coolers. I also stopped and admired the beautiful selection of floral arrangements which were offered at a great price.
By the time we were ready to go my basket was filled to the brim. My mom was so impressed by everything I purchased, especially the prices, that she went ahead and got her own membership!
She’s excited to be a new member and enjoy the perks that Sam’s Club has to offer!
Once home it was time to plan a party. I made lots of fun foods, of course our theme was football so I’d purchased the football themed napkins and the birthday cake looked like a football field.
I made my peanut butter cookies and chocolate chip cookies
Along with plenty of chips, dips with popcorn.
No party is complete without a veggie platter.
I also added in some of my cornbread muffins.
You can’t have a football themed party without chili cheese hot dogs and chili cheese fries!
Same goes for my families favorite, potato skins.
Buffalo wings served with a side of dipping sauce rounds out the football foods.
And of course the cake and ice cream.
We also made a punch that we served with plenty of sodas to go around.
I also made, per the birthday boys request, my special ambrosia that is typically reserved for holidays. This is a special treat from my childhood, during every Thanksgiving or Christmas we would head to my aunts house to celebrate and she would always make this ambrosia. It was my very favorite thing, and the only reason I would eat any other food is because I was forced to in order to eat this. I remember a few years ago when I asked my dear Aunt how to make it, she laughed and told me it was so easy. You can change the amount of sugar to sweeten the cream how you like best, but you have to use real granulated sugar, not powdered sugar to make the whipped cream. Otherwise the fruit will liquify it and it will turn runny. I’ve read other ambrosia recipes, and they are a little different, but this is the ambrosia I grew up with and the only one I’ll eat. Maybe it will become tradition for your family as well!
Easy Ambrosia Ingredients:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 banana, sliced
1 (14 ounce) can of fruit cocktail, drained
1/2 cup shredded coconut
Directions:
Combine the heavy whipping cream with the vanilla and sugar and beat on medium high until stiff peaks form.
Add the bananas and coconut, folding into the cream.
Drain the fruit cocktail, the add to the mixture.
Serve and enjoy!
Print
Easy Ambrosia
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 banana, sliced
1 (14 ounce) can of fruit cocktail, drained
1/2 cup shredded coconut
Instructions
Combine the heavy whipping cream with the vanilla and sugar and beat on medium high until stiff peaks form.
Add the bananas and coconut, folding into the cream.
Drain the fruit cocktail, the add to the mixture.
Serve and enjoy!
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Here’s a few more candid photos of our fun party. It was a great night and just the right amount of food and drinks, thanks to Sam’s Club.
My cookies are always popular!
RoRo’s favorite way to eat a hot dog.
The birthday boy and RiRi with her godsister.
Video games are important, man!
About to sing “Happy Birthday!”
These two crack me up!
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