This Chick-Fil-A Favorite Is Making A Comeback After 13 Years

$5 Meal Deal

According to McDonald's, a majority of local markets will be extending the $5 Meal Deal into December 2024. The value meal includes your choice of a McDouble or McChicken sandwich, small fries, a 4-piece Chicken McNuggets, and a small soft drink.

“Together with our franchisees, we're committed to keeping our prices as affordable as possible, which is why we’re doubling down with even more ways to save," said Joe Erlinger, President of McDonald’s USA. "Whether you’re stopping by for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a late-night snack, we want everyone to find the food they love at a price that hits the spot. The extension of the $5 Meal Deal, and the other offerings we’re announcing for our fall line-up, are just a few of the ways we’re working hard to offer great meals at a fair price.”

$0.50 Double Cheeseburgers on National Cheeseburger Day

MyMcDonald’s Rewards members can enjoy cheeseburgers for cheap on September 18, AKA National Cheeseburger Day. Mark your calendar now to take advantage of some tasty $0.50 Double Cheeseburgers!

$2 McCrispy Sandwich in honor of National Fried Chicken Sandwich Day

National Fried Chicken Sandwich Day is coming up soon on November 9. To celebrate, McDonald's is offering $2 McCrispy Sandwiches for rewards members. Yum!

$1 10-Piece Chicken McNuggets between November 4-December 2

McDonald's rewards members can also snag a 10-piece McNuggets for just $1 on November 4-December 2. This offer is only valid once per week, perfect for a last-minute workday lunch or midnight snack!

Free Fries Fridays

Rejoice! Finally, Free Fries Fridays will continue at McDonald's through 2024! Customers can get a free medium fries with any $1 minimum purchase every single Friday, which I certainly think is worth celebrating!

Despite being a food and travel journalist, I’ve always struggled with my eating habits. I go to new restaurants to try out dishes, head to culinary festivals with some of the best chefs in the business, and travel to new countries where food is a significant part of the culture — like the Bahamas. I’ve practiced diets that never truly worked, resulting in a mindless cycle that I can only describe as mild binge-eating, restricting, and binge-eating again — left feeling ashamed of this habit I couldn’t seem to break.

While I've never been diagnosed with an eating disorder definitively, my relationship with food has struggled throughout the years, usually related to the high-stress emotions that I’m feeling at the time and, unfortunately, certain health problems in regards to my digestion system — but, as they say, ‘hot girls have stomach issues’.

Yet, these exciting trips with cuisines unknown to my own culture have allowed me to learn balance, and in this case, the mindset of intuitive eating.

“Intuitive eating is a practice to honor both mental and physical health,” says intuitive eating expert and registered dietitian, Sammi Haber Brondo. “It removes barriers from eating that stop you from enjoying, while also allowing you to prioritize your health. In a nutshell, intuitive eating is about getting rid of rules and rigid mindsets that make eating an obstacle and instead, make it easy and enjoyable.”

Thanks to Chef Tevin Kemp, I walked into the Baha Mar’s The Kitchen cooking class excited, and walked out more confident that I could be successful in eating mindfully.

The class started off with a pre-made coconut ceviche and spicy lemonade. I then began mixing the ingredients for our Johnny Cake, a popular Bahamian bread which resembles a pound cake, often enjoyed as a side dish. After I (kind of) perfected the dough’s consistency, the class popped them in the oven. In the United States — or at least, to me — a cake like this is associated with dessert and extra carbs, rather than a flavor addition to a solid meal. That’s when I first realized the problem with my mindset.

The main course was a seasoned, island grilled lionfish on top of vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, onions and cassava) coated in a liquid lemongrass mixture. I quickly learned that coconut cream and ghost pepper are beloved in the Bahamas (which is both good and bad for a girl who is ultra-sensitive to spice). There was such an emphasis on the simplicity of earthly flavors and utilizing the entirety of ingredients. Chef Kemp explained that he uses every piece of the lionfish he can — from creating mouth-watering fish stews to ceviches. Fun fact: lionfish is actually an abundant food source in the Bahamas, but I had never tried it before this cooking class.

As we fell deeper into the class I was taught to score fish and season thoughtfully, while not underestimating the flavor of natural ingredients or creativity that they lend you. Chef Kemp explained that he grew up not necessarily focusing on a balanced plate, but rather understanding the notion that, “If it makes sense and it tastes good, put it there.” As a person thrust into a society where counting calories is the norm, I was floored by this simple opinion.

To truly practice intuitive eating, Brondo says you have to “let go of food rules and really understand how dieting and restriction is holding you back.” It’s all about finding the flexibility in those gray areas, such as eating when you aren’t super hungry, or tasting something to see if it’s delicious, despite not carrying a physical hunger. This is the part where I’d usually become frustrated with myself for snacking mindlessly, even when the snack is objectively healthy, refusing to give myself grace for just enjoying good food.

When you do actually implement intuitive eating though, you may experience health benefits. According to Brondo, also a recent partner of Carnation Breakfast Essentials, this may include a “higher satisfaction” with your body and a “higher motivation to exercise, because exercise is focused on enjoyment.” Intuitive eaters also tend to opt for more fruits and veggies, leading to “lower total cholesterol, higher HDL (good) cholesterol, and lower triglycerides.” I envied Kemp's mindset, because I’ve always viewed breaking my personal diet rules as a significant, rigid obstacle.

As I consumed the delicious meal, Johnny Cake and all, I headed back to my hotel room. I was left thinking a lot about my choices — cue the tiny violin. About why in the past I’ve allowed the decisions I make in the kitchen to define me so deeply, to control my life to the point where meals are not as pleasurable as they once were. And while the answer may be layered and nuanced, food doesn’t necessarily have to be. Maybe it is okay to follow your cravings while still maintaining your healthy quota of veggies and fruits.

Just like the stunning blue waters and soft sandy beaches in the Bahamas, there are things in life that are just meant to be enjoyed. Now, when I catch myself becoming upset about consuming that extra cookie or enjoying a weekday margarita, I tell myself to let food be one of them.

Watch My Mindful Eating Experience Here!

Baha Mar Resort’s Wellness Weekend is taking place September 13 through 15, 2024. For more information on the experience or to book this wellness weekend for yourself, check out the resort’s website.

Caffeine-Free Cold Drinks

Lemonade

Starbucks' lemonade may be caffeine-free, but it still packs a punch with a zesty sip.

Blended Lemonade

You can also order the lemonade blended, which combines the drink with ice for a slushy consistency. This is one of the easiest caffeine-free Starbucks drinks to order!

Peach Lemonade

For something sweeter, order the Starbucks lemonade with a splash of peach juice!

Blended Peach Lemonade

You can also get the Peach Lemonade in a blended version for an icier feel. This caffeine-free Starbucks drink is perfect for summertime.

Strawberry Lemonade

If you aren't keen on the peachy flavor, then Starbucks also has strawberry that you can add to lemonade to keep it caffeine-free.

Blended Strawberry Lemonade

Try ordering this beverage blended for a fun twist on the classic caffeine-free Starbucks drinks!

Milk

This one feels like a no-brainer, but not many people know that you can order straight-up cold milk (whole, 2%, skim, almond, oat) from the Starbucks register. If you're craving it on the go, you know where to find it.

Caffeine-Free Teas

Passion Tango Tea

The Starbucks Passion Tango Tea comes iced and brings forth flavors from apple, hibiscus, and lemongrass for a vibrant (non-caffeinated) bev! You can also order this caffeine-free Starbucks drink with a splash of lemonade for a very juicy balance.

Mint Majesty Tea

The herbal teas at Starbucks are free from caffeine, and our #1 fave is the Mint Majesty. It's used to make the Honey Citrus Mint Tea (AKA the Medicine Ball), providing a nice aromatic mint feel compared to other caffeine-free Starbucks drinks.

Peach Tranquility Tea

The Peach Tranquility is a bit on the sweeter side, and provides a great opportunity to warm up during the colder months.

Caffeine-Free Frappuccinos

Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino

Vanilla bean powder, milk, and ice are blended to create this whipped cream-topped Frapp. It's still sweet, but nixes the caffeine entirely.

Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino

This Frappuccino flavor is similar, except it's quite strong on the caramel, and has some interesting crunchiness to it from the little caramel bits that they shake in. Dessert-y caffeine-free Starbucks drinks FTW!

White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino

Additionally, you can order a crème Frappuccino with white chocolate (or more popularly, white mocha). You can also order this pick with regular mocha for a tasty caffeine-free Starbucks drink.

Caramel Brulée Crème Frappuccino

This Frapp is flavored with one of the best seasonal syrups, Caramel Brulée, and gets topped with whipped cream and little bruléed bits for a yummy caffeine-free Starbucks drink.

Peppermint White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino

Skip the caffeine rush and aim for a full-on sugar rush with this minty Frappuccino. Like the White Chocolate Crème one, you can also swap the white mocha for regular mocha.

Chestnut Praline Crème Frappuccino

Spiced praline crumbs adorn this frozen bev that's featured on the Starbucks winter menu.

Strawberry Crème Frappuccino

This fruity yet creamy Starbucks caffeine-free drink gives you a dose of strawberry puree and sweet cream.

Caffeine-Free Hot Drinks

Hot Chocolate

The Hot Chocolate and White Hot Chocolate are both easy and comforting caffeine-free Starbucks drinks to refer to during the winter.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

You can also order the hot chocolates with peppermint syrup for even more spirited caffeine-free Starbucks drinks.

Milk Steamers

Grab any kind of milk that Starbucks carries hot for a comforting, caffeine-free sip.

Vanilla Steamer

The Vanilla Steamer is just hot milk with vanilla syrup for that extra dose of flavor.

Chestnut Praline Steamer

You can get any Steamer with any sort of syrup, but the Chestnut Praline is a fan-fave when it comes to caffeine-free Starbucks drinks.

Sugar Cookie Steamer

The Sugar Cookie Steamer with almond milk is an elite Starbucks caffeine-free drink.

Steamed Apple Juice

Alternatively, order steamed apple juice for a less dense hot drink.

Caramel Apple Spice

This underdog drink is apple juice enhanced with cinnamon syrup, whipped cream, and a caramel drizzle.