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All winter long we wished for summer, and now that summer is finally here it’s safe to say that it’s going to be a hot season. Temperatures are climbing, and when that blazing sun reaches its peak in the afternoon it’s essential to do two things: reapply your sunscreen and drink plenty of water.
The best way to remind yourself to stay hydrated is to treat yourself to a pretty new tumbler that you can keep refilling throughout the day. But who says you have to spend a lot on cute drinkware? Certainly not Dollar General, who just dropped the most adorable ocean blue tumbler for just $1 — just in time for you to pack for your next trip to the beach.
The adorable tumblers are made from durable and lightweight plastic, so they’re ready to go anywhere you plan to travel this summer. With a fluted exterior, natural wood top, and matching ocean blue straw, these tumblers are so cute that they’ll make you want to drink more water (or iced coffee, seltzer, Diet Coke, or whatever your go-to drink of choice may be).
As is usually the case when it comes to dollar store finds, there’s no telling if they’ll be in stock at your nearest location or for how long. But if you can’t find one at your local Dollar General, don’t worry — Walmart has a nearly identical tumbler that you can buy either in-store or online, and it comes in not one, but two chic colors. It holds 21 ounces, is dishwasher-safe, and comes either by itself or in a pack of four.
The only downside to buying the Walmart tumbler over the Dollar General one is that it’s more expensive, but not by much. The Walmart tumbler is $3.96, but you can bring home a four-pack for $11.98, which saves you $1 on each. No matter how you look at it, it’s a small price to pay to stay hydrated all summer long.
Prior to my current position as Associate Editor for Groceries at The Kitchn, I held staff positions at Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, and Allrecipes. My words and recipes have also been featured in Cook’s Country, Simply Recipes, and EatingWell. Oh, and most importantly, I can’t go more than a few hours without a sweet treat.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
The word sweet has multiple meanings. It can either mean something tastes sweet, or it can mean something is adorably charming. For example, donuts from Dunkin’ are sweet, but so are all of the bags, clothing, and accessories from Stoney Clover Lane. And when you put both brands together for a Dunkin’ merch collaboration? The sweetness only multiplies.
Yes, you read that correctly: Dunkin’ and Stoney Clover Lane just dropped a brand-new merch collaboration that is almost too cute to be true. The standout from the collection? Two donut-inspired tumblers that are just what you need to enjoy your iced coffee and Dunkin’ cold brew all summer long.
If keeping your drinks ice-cold is your priority, look no further than the SCL x Dunkin 24-ounce Stainless Tumbler, which is icing-pink with a varsity-style Dunkin’ logo and a classic Stoney Clover Lane logo. It’s as close as a cup can get to looking like an actual donut — all it needs is sprinkles!
The second cup is the SCL x Dunkin 24-ounce Acrylic Tumbler, which is clear with illustrated donuts, hearts, and Dunkin’ boxes all around the sides. Just like the pink tumbler, it features the varsity-style Dunkin’ logo and classic Stoney Clover Lane logo. Both tumblers are perfect for snacking on-the-go: Simply place your donut on top around the straw hole, and you’re good to go!
Unsurprisingly, Dunkin’ fans are obsessed. “Omg these are all so cute!!” wrote one fan on Instagram. “Got mine today!” commented another. One incredibly excited fan said, “NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED THAT!!!!!!!!!! 🩷🧡🩷🧡🩷🧡🩷🧡🩷🧡🩷🧡🩷.”
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
The grocery store is my happy place. I know I know, but it’s true. As soon as I push through the revolving door, there’s a sense of calm that comes over me — like the door is a gateway from the chaotic outside world to the pleasant predictability that lives inside my grocery store.
Things there are just how I like them: the temperature is spot-on, the music is playing at the perfect level, and I’m surrounded by glorious stacks of delicious food. It’s a good spot for me and my mental health, at least most of the time.
Recently I’ve noticed an influx of people seeking to destroy my happy place, doing things they obviously don’t find disrespectful (or think twice about). I know many of them aren’t doing it out of spite, but nonetheless, it’s time we address the concerning behavior and hopefully squash it.
Credit: rblfmr/Shutterstock
1. Don’t leave the produce section a mess.
The people who work in the produce section of my grocery store are amazing. They create the most beautiful displays and work constantly to ensure the shelves are stocked. It has to be rough watching customers aggressively grab, squeeze, shake and even peel it all with what feels like reckless abandon.
I have witnessed several people peel off corn husks and leave them on the floor (ditto for onions and lettuce). Rather than piling things on the floor, take a few extra moments to pick out your produce. If you’re looking for that perfect avocado and you think it’s buried under all of the others, don’t wreck the tower so that you can find it. On that note…
2. Do put back things you don’t want where they belong.
I really dislike food waste, so when I see someone pick up a perishable item and then set it down in a totally different part of the store because they changed their mind, it bugs me. Just a few weeks ago I found a big package of meat someone must have ordered from the butcher counter just sitting in the refrigerated section by the cheese.
Yes, it was at least refrigerated, but regardless, once that meat leaves the counter, it can’t go back, so it’s wasted. Let’s not contribute to the food waste problem any longer. Stick with what you ordered and if it’s produce or any other packaged food, put it back where you found it.
Credit: alvarez/Getty Images
3. Don’t leave your cart in the middle of the aisle.
This one might not annoy everyone, but it bothers me. The scenario goes like this: The cart offenders leave the cart, centrally placed in the aisle. They travel to the shelf and then stand in front of it to look closer. Meanwhile, everyone else in the aisle is left to wait for those shoppers to either make a decision or move their cart.
We all need to move and get around so that we can go home and unpack our groceries. Please make that easier by moving your cart to a less-trafficked spot or wait until the aisle isn’t so crowded to grab what you need.
4. Do hang up the phone when you’re checking out.
I get it, you need the “tea” from Macey, but couldn’t it wait until after you’re done shopping? I can’t imagine that you want to spend more than 15 to 20 minutes in the store and I bet the gossip is better when you can actually focus on what your friend is saying. If you need to have that call, do it somewhere in the corner away from everyone else (and definitely don’t use speaker phone).
Manners go a long way and having a conversation on a phone while — especially when someone is ringing up your groceries — is rude. Why not greet the person working in the aisles and talk to them instead? I’ve learned so much from the employees stocking the shelves and working the registers. You could too.
5. Don’t drink while you shop.
I think it’s fun that my grocery store also sells wine and beer that you can sip while shopping. But just like driving a car, you need to drink responsibly. It’s not okay to attempt steering one-handed with a full beverage in your other hand.
This makes your moves erratic and unpredictable, which can lead to accidents with fellow shoppers, workers, and even inanimate objects like end-cap displays. My advice? Take a sip every once in a while, choose to do it in a place where you won’t be in the way. Oh yeah, and please take your glass back to where you got it.
6. Do make sure your cart finds its way back to the corral.
You’re done shopping! Yay! The next best move is to leave your cart in a random spot in the parking lot or push it close to the cart corral, but definitely not in it!
All kidding aside, I bet you have a few extra minutes to put your cart away. Or, if you need assistance it’s perfectly OK to ask a fellow shopper or store employee for help. Everyone wins when you’re a team player!
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Despite all of the good things about city living, there are a few downsides: pollution, traffic, crowds, and — of course — not having a dishwasher. Now, if you also have a small kitchen, having a compact dish rack is a must, but you can’t always fit all of your freshly washed dishes on the rack at once. So, instead of leaving them in the sink to, uh, “soak,” I usually whip out a dish cloth, lay it out on the counter, and use it as a makeshift drying mat for the pots and pans that don’t fit into my dish rack. Unfortunately, I then have to hang dry the dish cloth afterwards, and I can only use it a few times before it gets gross and needs to be tossed in the wash. Thankfully, I found the perfect solution to my dish-drying dilemma: the OXO Good Grips Large Silicone Drying Mat — and, it has a surprise extra feature that makes it a double-duty kitchen workhorse.
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Suffice to say, this isn’t your ordinary drying mat. It’s designed to fit large items including frying pans, serving platters, salad bowls, and more, and the ribbed bottom helps everything dry by increasing airflow underneath. It’s also made from soft, food-safe silicone, which prevents scratches and chips if a wet dish or wine glass slips when you’re putting it on the mat. You can also store it pretty much anywhere, since it has a removable hanging hook and can be rolled up and tucked away in a cabinet or drawer when not in use. (It’s roughly the size of an average placemat, so it’s not too intrusive on your storage space.) However, its best feature is that it also doubles as a heat-resistant trivet to hold hot dishes and pans fresh off the burner or out of the oven.
I love using the OXO Good Grips Large Silicone Drying Mat as an extension of my dish rack, since the little ridges on the bottom allow for solid airflow that actually gets the dishes, pots, and pans dry instead of just turning them into miniature, humid terrariums. And, though I have a little cork trivet on my dining table for serving, since this two-in-one beast is heat-safe up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, I find myself constantly reaching for it to pop fresh-out-of-the-oven sheet pans on (it’s the perfect size) when my stovetop is crowded with skillets, or while I assemble weeknight meals and sheet-pan dinners. Plus, cleanup is a total breeze — I find that as long as I give it a good rinse with hot water after every other use, it really doesn’t get too dirty. (To be honest, if I didn’t live with my girlfriend, I’d probably never wash it, but since I’m trying to stay on the up-and-up these days, I just lay it on a cutting board in the sink and scrub it down with a sponge every so often.)
So, if you’re in need of a little more real estate while drying dishes, or an extra place to put hot pots and pans without scorching your countertops, snag the easy and affordable OXO Good Grips Large Silicone Drying Mat ASAP.
