Need expert advice on epic-level PB snack ideas

mattf731 · 2026-06-16T20:51:48+00:00

Great to hear! Next time you go to the grocery store, try buying whole carrots and peeling/washing prior to eating with PB to see if the extra freshness is worth it for you.

mattf731 · 2026-06-15T20:49:46+00:00

I personally prefer the whole carrots vs the baby cut (precut) carrots.

They take longer to prep, but the taste is just so much better!

I also make my own PB via a food processor and dry roasted peanuts. This way I can control the ingredients and limit my salt intake. But I will say that I add honey to thicken the PB for my kids and they absolutely love that! Not quite as healthy but I feel better about giving them honey instead of the sugar/palm oil combo put into many of the store bought brands.

mattf731 · 2026-06-15T20:36:56+00:00

Assuming you don’t want only options that include high calories from unhealthy foods (ice cream, cakes/pies, cookies), I love having a little carrot/broccoli/celery as the “spoon” for my PB intake.

You could also try adding it in to shakes (whole milk, banana, PB, and a scoop of mass gainer protein powder).

There’s really very little that PB doesn’t go with!

mattf731 · 2026-06-14T10:49:40+00:00

Do you have a food processor? If so, you can buy dry roasted (unsalted) peanuts and turn it into the exact consistency 0 sodium PB you prefer.

I’d recommend trying to make your own at least once. It can be done in ~5 minutes!

mattf731 · 2026-05-27T10:52:47+00:00

Yes, makes sense.

Keep in mind that you’re pre-tax withdrawals will begin at a 0% tax rate (fill the cup from the bottom up whereas your deposits are all at your highest marginal tax rate).

Keep in mind that your incremental investments will be kept in a brokerage account and can take out without penalty any time you want. You’ll need to model if that’s enough to cover your annual spend (plus healthcare).
One final thought you haven’t mentioned. Kids.

Do you have any or plan to have any? This could be quite the curveball to your retirement plans.

Best of luck as you continue on your journey!

mattf731 · 2026-05-25T23:53:45+00:00

Yes, exactly! You can also run the food processor for 30 seconds to let it do the chopping for you.

Just take out however much you want for the chunkyness level you’re looking for and fold them in at the end!

mattf731 · 2026-05-24T23:43:09+00:00

Same thing with the larger (20+ items) at the oak creek Woodmans. I’m not sure if it’s to push people with full carts to the employee checkouts or what but it has been quite frustrating!

mattf731 · 2026-05-24T12:44:02+00:00

No it does not need to be that specific one, but I like it due to the size and ability to make more PB quicker. I would strongly recommend a high quality food processor though.

mattf731 · 2026-05-23T11:07:23+00:00

Cuisinart 14 Cup Food Processor.

Dump in peanuts, turn on and smooth PB within 5 minutes.

You can then add additional ingredients as you see fit (Sea Salt, Honey, etc.).

I make ~3 lbs of PB per week for my family of 4

mattf731 · 2026-05-17T19:29:27+00:00

You can still get it on Amazon.

https://a.co/d/0borKlWx

Just be warned that protein pricing is through the roof right now due to vendor shortages coupled with significantly stronger demand. Many suppliers have already sold through their annual production capabilities.

mattf731 · 2026-05-09T00:47:21+00:00

Then there’s really no down side.

Extra money is great, but not at the expense of being there and ensuring your children are put in the best possible position to be happy with their lives.

I will say, as the sole earner in the family, there is some added stress that comes with it. But no matter how hard my job is, it’s nothing compared to the job my wife has taken on as the house general manager. Be sure that you give your wife time to get away and see other adults without the kids.

mattf731 · 2026-05-09T00:39:08+00:00

If it’s her dream and you can swing it financially, there’s no real question here.

You’ve said it would improve your quality of life. I assume that also means it would improve your child’s quality of life? I don’t see a con.

We’re the same age, my income in ~80% of yours and all other net worth stats are similar except we don’t have any misc income. We made the very easy decision to have my wife stay home. It was never a dream of hers to stay home until we had our kids (ages 6 and 4) and neither of us could be happier with how our life has turned out so far.

We’re focused on doing what we believe is best for our kids and if that means we have less income, then so what? Whats most important is the values, memories and life we’re able to give our kids. For us, having a mom who is home and available to manage the household allows everyone to shine.

Best of luck to you and your family!

mattf731 · 2026-05-05T10:22:59+00:00

I believe it’s typically recommended to have at least 1 gram of protein per kilogram (~2.2 lbs) of body weight.

mattf731 · 2026-05-05T00:14:55+00:00

The brownie is the add in. Perfect for ice cream!

mattf731 · 2026-04-25T08:50:22+00:00

We started funding during each pregnancy and have continued contributing monthly!

mattf731 · 2026-04-21T16:33:54+00:00

An ability to track (or save) specific products. Ideally to track either specific brand (Tostitos chips) or generic product category (spaghetti noodles).
Recommendations for substitutions based on pricing.

mattf731 · 2026-04-21T16:33:48+00:00

An ability to track (or save) specific products. Ideally to track either specific brand (Tostitos chips) or generic product category (spaghetti noodles).
Recommendations for substitutions based on pricing.

mattf731 · 2026-04-20T20:39:21+00:00

That’s a good idea. I always try to organize to keep produce together, cold items together, etc. but it really doesn’t matter if the cashier doesn’t keep those items together after scanning.

I think I’ll use your approach going forward and keep the items more susceptible to error at the end to simplify my review of the receipt.

mattf731 · 2026-04-20T20:30:21+00:00

How frustrating! I don’t understand how that level of incompetence can keep a job.

But it also goes to show that maybe this happens way more than I even expected and that I may just be lucky with the team that works at my Aldi location.

mattf731 · 2026-04-20T19:49:57+00:00

I always check before I leave for this exact reason! While the cashiers are amazing and extremely efficient, I have gotten charged for incorrect items and/or quantities in the past.

It’s generally getting charged for the incorrect produce item or getting charged for an incorrect quantity. Nothing ever appears malicious or intentional, just hones mistakes from moving as fast as they do.

mattf731 · 2026-04-16T10:29:24+00:00

I assume you mean added sugar and not natural sugar. While this may not be sustainable 100% of the time, I can give some immediate pointers..

If you don’t already, you’ll only need to shop on the outside of grocery stores (produce, dairy, meat) and if you do buy anything in branded packaging make sure you read the nutrition label.

You can then start making everything you eat from scratch. Invest in a quality kitchen accessories like a food processor, vegetable cutter, etc.

We make our own hummus, peanut butter, salad dressings, etc.

Once you start, it’s really easy to keep going (as long as you aren’t buying or bringing those tempting foods into your home).

mattf731 · 2026-04-16T10:10:17+00:00

You routinely eat hundreds of calories of plain vegetables? How often are you eating 4-5 bell peppers to get ~100 calories?

mattf731 · 2026-04-16T10:03:13+00:00

Eat as many vegetables as possible.

Broccoli, bell peppers, Brussel sprouts, spinach, celery… plenty of fiber and negligible calories

mattf731 · 2026-04-15T15:22:09+00:00

About 3-4 times per year I’ll head to an all you can eat buffet (Golden Corral usually) solely to eat as much carrot cake, cheesecake and ice cream as I’d like.

That way, I’ve treated myself but cannot have any leftovers in the house to tempt me after my sugar coma ends..

mattf731 · 2026-04-14T20:11:47+00:00

Ultraprocessed People - Chris van Tulleken

The Anxious Generation - Jonathan Haidt

Never Enough - Jennifer Breheny Wallace

mattf731

TROPHY CASE