Thanksgiving – The Real Story

In light of Thanksgiving, let’s look at the actual story of the pilgrims for a moment. Not the usual story in children’s books, but what REALLY happened. This group of people is the reason we celebrate a holiday this week. This group truly had a sense of courage, determination, and fearlessness that most people today would turn their nose up at, rather than relating to it.

A basic context of the time.

Around the turn of the 17th century (1600-1620) England was not in good shape. It had a monarchical leader who was in control of everything, including the church. King James VI of Scotts, also known as King James I of England was not as appealing as most people realize. He was paranoid for his life beyond a reasonable doubt, and was a major contributor of the horrible witch hunts and trials in the late 1500’s. He would interrogate suspected witches himself and he alone would decide if they were or were not a witch. He wrote the ultimate authoritative book at the time, “Daemonologie” (modern spelling would be “demonology”) on how to tell if a person was a witch or not. Don’t get me wrong, King James had his highlights, as he is also the main contributor on the most popular translation of the Holy Bible in history. King James was neither favorable towards the Catholics or the Puritans, thus introducing a word-for-word translation without doctrinal notes or denominational bias from either side. The King James Version has been a best seller for over 400 years now. However, in the late 1500’s-early 1600’s a dispute arose over baptism…

What? It’s all about baptism?

Yes. A small group called the Puritans were lying in wait, itching at the chance to jump ship from this ruler, and especially, his church. The Church of England, also known as the Anglican Church was having a major disagreement with anyone who was baptizing outside of the Church of England. The Church of England was not happy with this group that believed they did not have to be baptized by the Anglican Church, but could be baptized by themselves into Christ, just as the Bible states. Two of the biggest controversies was;

1. The Puritans did not believe an infant must be baptized, that it was a personal responsibility once a person reached an age to be held accountable to their own actions
2. that a person did not have to be baptized into the Anglican Church to be saved.

The Puritans also simply wanted to read from their own bible, and worship how they saw fit, without a higher leader ruling the stipulations of worship. After all, just 50 years before King James I, King Henry VII had separated England from the Roman Catholic Church due to his wives not producing a male heir to the throne. King Henry VII wanted to divorce his wife for this reason and the pope refused. This led to King Henry separating from the Roman Catholic Church and forming the Church of England. The new church believed that the King (not Christ) was the Head of the Christian church, and had ultimate authority over the affairs of the church.

(It is also at least worthy of note that a group of people that believed in reading the bible, and that the bible alone had authority, came to the conclusion that not only was baptism required, but that there was a correct, and incorrect way to perform it.)

The Puritans become Separatists

So what’s the difference between the Puritans and the Separatists? In a word…courage. The Separatists were the Puritans who had finally had it and were willing to SEPARATE (get it? SEPARATists?) from the country. In today’s language they would be labeled “intolerant”, “religious bigots”, “radicals”, “bible thumpers”, and probably even “terrorists”. These people were NOT “politically correct” by any means. Yet we celebrate them. They first went to Holland, a place where they acquired religious freedom, but they had become so poor they were barely scraping by. They were hardly able to put food on the table, and eventually Holland was not the place of a better life they were seeking anymore.

The Journey

After being fed up with the Church of England, King James I, and striving for “Freedom of Religion”, they were able to commission two ships bound for the New World, the Mayflower and the Speedwell. They poured all the money they had into this journey. They were only allowed to carry two items on the ship due to limited space…A clothes chest, and a bible box, PER FAMILY. They left everything else they owned…behind. The Speedwell sprang a leak and left the Mayflower to be the only ship that was able to make the journey the first time. The trip was not pleasant at all. The pilgrims lived below deck, on board with pirates that made fun of them, and likely threatened them. They only came up on the main deck to dump the pots they were puking or defecating in, and they were basically eating dried beans and dry biscuits. Disease ran rampant, and many died on the boat. During the horrible trip across the Atlantic, they veered way off course and landed further north than they had wanted, and late, in the dead of winter. It was not a good situation. 50% of the people that set out on the trip died either on the journey or within the first year in the New World. The natives were a saving grace to them. They helped them out with food, shelter, and other provisions. The Pilgrims had a deep respect for the Natives and thus was the birth of the holiday Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving

First let’s define a word so the correct meaning is carried through this idea.

diversity

[dih-vur-si-tee, dahy-]

noun, plural diversities.

1. the state or fact of being diverse; difference; unlikeness:

diversity of opinion.

2. variety; multiformity.

3. a point of difference.

Diversity is obviously a “difference,” it has nothing to do with everyone adjusting themselves to become the same group. Respecting diversity is to respect a difference and not infringe, take advantage of, scoff, put down, or hate a person or group for it. We should respect diversity. Diversity is what makes us different. The Pilgrims had respect for the native’s diversity, and vice versa.

In light of the mutual agreements on both sides of the diversity between the Pilgrims and the Natives, the first Thanksgiving was held. A time when the Natives respected the Pilgrims just as much as the other way around. It was a MUTUAL relationship, not one side taking advantage of the other. The pilgrims respected the natives and wanted to celebrate overcoming all of the obstacles they had faced. After all, many of their family members had died, they suffered being persecuted in England, dropped the ball in Holland, survived a nightmare journey across the Atlantic, survived through the dead of winter and managed to plant, grow, and harvest a crop the following year. It’s really a no-brainer what they were celebrating. God had blessed them. They were THANKFUL just to be alive! This event is not to be confused with the settlers that flooded in later and exploited the Natives, slaughtered them, referred to them as “savages” and rejected any possible agreements.

So let’s remember the pilgrims correctly…

The Pilgrims respected diversity, as with the Natives. However, when push came to shove, when it really came down to standing for right and wrong, they would stand their ground, defend their beliefs to the death, and ultimately do just about anything to have the Freedom of Religion. To worship God without the input of the government. How many people today would have the courage to do this? In the face of an intimidating ruler, his government, his church, and even the general population? How many people are willing to be labeled “intolerant”, “radical”, or a “religious bigot” today, defend their faith, stand up for what they believe, and make the defining decision to NOT agree? Well, there’s the REAL story of the pilgrims. Let’s be thankful that we are alive, have food on the table, and have God’s word.

Happy Thanksgiving.

It’s not the gluten, its the glyphosate

I have been looking for some answers regarding why more and more people seem to intolerant to gluten. I wrote of my concerns and reasoning of Why I don’t buy into the Paleo Diet. I haven’t bought into wheat is harmful to the body and our ancestors didn’t eat wheat. I’ve made the comment to my hubby stating it’s not the wheat, it’s something they are doing to the wheat. I had no idea what they were doing and what was causing leaky gut, autoimmune disorders, imbalanced gut bacteria, gluten sensitivities, and all the links between wheat and/or gluten. All I knew was, it’s not the gluten. 

photo credit: Ian Hayhurst via photopin cc

 

 

Gluten and Glyphosate

Normally I wouldn’t be so interested in gluten and/or wheat. I would simply write the Paleo Diet off and go on with my life. The one thing that kept irritating me was every time I researched Hashimoto’s (an autoimmune disorder that I recently was diagnosed with), the answer always seemed to be Go gluten free, Wheat is evil, Paleo is the answer, or something along those lines. With all the many sites very avidly suggesting to go gluten free, all I could think was they are missing something.

Today, I was browsing, you guessed it, Facebook and this article was published; The Real Reason Wheat is Toxic (It’s not the gluten). It looks like Monsanto should be up for a world record for most horrible company. The Healthy Home Economist tells about the disturbing process that modern farmers are using to harvest our wheat. Like I said, Monsanto is a real winner.

Standard wheat harvest protocol in the United States is to drench the wheat fields with Roundup several days before the combine harvesters work through the fields as withered, dead wheat plants are less taxing on the farm equipment and allows for an earlier, easier and bigger harvest – See more at: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/real-reason-for-toxic-wheat-its-not-gluten/#sthash.o7C5OuEB.dpuf

Here is a very interesting article from The Organic Prepper. Daisy from The Organic Prepper thought she was gluten intolerant. She had blood work to test her gluten sensitivity only to find out she wasn’t gluten intolerant. While her symptoms said she was gluten intolerant, her blood work said she wasn’t. She also said her friend experience the same issue. Read more about her story at Maybe Your Aren’t Actually Gluten Intolerant. Maybe You’re Just Poison Intolerant.

Make sure to check out The Healthy Home Economist’s The real reason wheat is toxic (It’s Not the Gluten) for the full story. Most of you probably know what Roundup is and what it is used for. While I have done some past research on the harmful effects of Roundup, it wasn’t until reading The Healthy Home Economist’s article that made me re-investigate the whole subject altogether.

What is Glyphosate?

Glyphosate is an herbicide that is used to kill weeds. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup.   The sodium salt in glyphosate is used to ripen fruit . Another interesting factor is GMO foods (Genetically modified foods) are Roundup ready. This means most GMO foods are designed to be sprayed with Roundup. Basically, if you’re eating GMO foods, you are eating Roundup. Is your mouth watering yet? Yeah, I didn’t think so. GMO crops and weeds that are sprayed with Roundup have built up a tolerance to glyphosate. Due to this tolerance, they are having to use more Roundup to kill off the weeds. Looking at the last 5-10 years, they are using 2X more Roundup than they were initially.  In the last 10 years, celiac disease (autoimmine disease where body can’t break down gluten) has doubled. Look at the chart below. Another article to about Gluten intolerance and Glyphosate, check out Mother Earth News article Is Glyphosate the cause of ‘Gluten Intolerance?

What are the dangers of Glyphosate?

If you want a more detailed scientific explanation of how glyphosate causes the problems it does, watch the video above. I’m just going to focus on the issue glyphosate causes. Are you ready for this list?

• inflammation
• leaky gut
• autoimmune disorders
• gut flora imbalance
• Gut disorders (Croh’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, acid reflux, celiac disease)
• strong connection with autism (Monsanto’s Roundup Herbicide)
• digestive issues
• sulfate deficiencies
• gluten intolerance
• depletes aromatic amino acids such as tryptophan and tyrosine
• Tryptophan is a precursor to tryptophan>precursor to serotonin >precursor to melatonin)
• Seratoninin deficiency > linked to obesity, autism, Alzheimer’s, depression, and violent behavior
• Melatonin deficiency > Melatonin is important for your sleep/wake cycle
• depletes tyrosine which is a precursor of dopamine, adrenaline, and melanin
• Melanin deficiency >protects skin from UV rays which can lead to skin cancer
• Dopamine deficiency (linked to Parkinson’s disease)
• Methionine deficiency >supplies sulfur to the body >link between sulfur deficiency and Autism
• depletes minerals such as calcium, manganese zinc, cobalt, iron
• disrupts cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes which regulates Vitamin D regulation and activation, cholesterol, sex hormones (can lead to infertility), detoxifies toxins, stabilizes blood (hemorrhaging, and blood clots), and bile acid production
• high serum nitrate and ammonia
• impaired immune function
• chronic low grade inflammation in the brain
• endocrine disruptions
• neurological disorders
• kills good bacteria such as bifidobacteria (converts gluten to less toxic form. It aids in the breakdown of gluten in the body)
• promotes breast cancer
• possible link between Anencephaly (rare disease that child is born without a brain  ) Glyphosate and Anencephaly

“When future historians write about our time, they’re not going to write about the tons of chemicals we did or didn’t apply. When it comes to glyphosate, they’re going to write about our willingness to sacrifice our children and jeopardize our existence, while threatening and jeopardizing the very basis of our existence; the sustainability of our agriculture” – Professor Dob Huber on Glyphosate

Most of my iinformation has been gained from watching the video below. Dr. Stephanie Seneff covers  the harmful effects of glyphosate in her presentation below.

 

 

 What can we do about our exposure to Glyphosate?

If I’ve freaked you out enough, then you probably want to limit your exposure to glyphosate. I knew this was going to be bad as soon as I learned farmers were spraying their crops with roundup but I didn’t realize I was opening a can of worms. I highly suggest you watch the videos, visit the links, and do your own research. Yes, the videos are lengthy and it’s alot of information but they will help you understand the seriousness of our exposure to glyphosate. Anyways, what can we do? It’s been said a million times and I’m going to say it again.

Eat Organic whenever possible. Look for foods that are GMO free. Grow your own foods or buy locally from trusted farmers. Don’t be afraid to ask the farmers if they use Monsanto’s products such as Roundup. In most cases, the farmer will be strongly against GMOs and probably begin to tell why. Or he will try to say something like “We use Monsanto to feed the world.” HA!! By the way, GMOs are NOT a sustainable way of farming. Monsanto’s seeds have to be bought EVERY year and you can’t save the seeds due to Monsanto patenting the genetically modified seeds. Even if you did, they are modified to not sprout the next year. Oh, and skip the Roundup whenever spraying your own lawn.

When it comes to flour, I recommend King Arthur Flour. They are non-GMO and they are of a high quality. I used to think there was no difference in the brand of flours but the first time I used King Arthur flour, I could taste a difference. The texture was also better in baked goods.

Look for the Non-GMO Project Seal. For more information about the seal, visit The Non GMO Project.

 

Support organizations for GMO labeling. There are many people outrage by the GMO foods and strongly want GMOs labeled. The more who fight for GMO labeling, the more pressure we put on politicians to label GMOs.

 

Share the knowledge. Share the link to my blog, share the videos, share the links, and let everyone know about the harmful effects of Roundup.

Before you go, if your new to the harmful effects of GMOs and Monsanto’s role in all of this, check out Food Inc. If you have amazon Prime, you can watch it for free.

And also check out GMO OMG. It  talks about the GMOs specifically. This one is available on Netflix instant queue and DVD.

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:10

 

Leave your comments below. Did you find this article helpful? What are you thoughts?

photo credit: Ian Hayhurst via photopin cc
 

 

 

Paleo diet and why I don’t follow it

The Paleo Diet seems to sweeping the nation like crazy. It seems to be the diet to be on. I’ve seen tons of new books, articles, magazines, blog posts about how the Paleo Diet is the smart way to go. Well, I don’t buy it. There are parts of the Paleo Diet that I think are wise but part of the diet seems to be unwise.

What is the Paleo Diet?

The Paleo Diet claims to follow a diet based off of our caveman ancestors. The diet includes fresh fruit, veggies, fish, and grass fed beef. It excludes dairy, grains, and processed foods.

Haven’t we learned anything?

Through my MANY diet fails I have learned eliminating food groups is not the key to healthy living. Remember when egg yolks were evil? How about the low fat diets ?The Atkins Diet  or The South Beach Diet which pushed low carb, high protein? How about the absurd diets like Grapefruit diet, HCG Diet, or the Cabbage Diet? The horrible calorie counting that is “simply science”? Let’s not even get started on the diet pills or if milk is good/bad for you. Through all these many fads, they always promise results with some scientific evidence that guarantees weight loss and healthy living. But America (which seems to be the place where these “great” diets become very popular) is the most overweight, unhealthy nation. If ANY of these diets would have worked, this nation would be slim, fit, and healthy. But we’re not.

We are SO desperate to lose weight, and look good that we put all of our logical reasoning aside in hopes of a slimmer body. This is called vanity in the Bible. We will go through crazy diet fads in order to drop a few pounds. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for healthy living. Living a healthy lifestyle and taking care of your body brings about a more enriched life, clearer thinking, and you feel better overall. Who doesn’t want to be healthy? It is in your best interest to BE healthy. But these diets are far from healthy. You may drop a few pounds at first and gain all them back plus some in the end. And the cycle starts over again the next time you start the new best diet.

Photo Credit

 

 

But the Paleo isn’t new. It’s the diet of our Ancestors.

Actually, no. Our ancestors ate grains and dairy. Archaeologist have found grinding stones that ancient civilizations used to grind grains. Even without the evidence, think about it. If you were starving (when I say starving, I am not talking about starving from eating lunch and ready for supper) and you tried to go hunt for meat but failed in killing an animal. You then try to find some berries but also are unlucky. You then stumble upon the “all dreaded” wheat or the “evil” dairy cow. Would you eat it or drink it? I know I would. You see, our ancestors lived in a time where they hunted and gathered their own food. They didn’t have the luxury of driving to the grocery store and deciding that grains and milk/dairy was bad for you. You can even look to the Bible to see that as far back as the Egyptians were eating, harvesting grains.

When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”  And he said, “Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.” (Genesis 42:1-2)

Remember the story of Ruth in the Bible? She was gleaning grains during the time of the harvest. Don’t believe the bible? Well look at some of the ancient Egyptian drawings. They were clearing harvesting grains and eating them. The Egyptians were also drinking milk. They kept cattle, sheep, and goats. They stored the fresh milk in jars to be consumed immediately. If they didn’t consume it immediately, they processed the milk into quark or yogurt-like labaneh.

Ancient cultures like the Chinese are know for their consumption of rice. The Indus Valley Civilization, Mayans, Egyptians, Chinese, Japenese,  Romans, all ate grains and drank milk. You look at all these different cultures and you will see they all enjoyed both grains and dairy. Can you imagine trying to explain to these ancient cultures how milk and wheat was bad for them?? I’m sure they would glaze over and continue doing what they always had done, eating grains and dairy.

My mom talks about an ancient time (ok, not so ancient but ancient to me haha 🙂 ) when they grew everything they ate. And what they didn’t have, they bartered for. They were very poor. I am talking about a time when they were so poor they actually had dirt floors. No, I am not kidding. They were a family of 12 struggling to survive. They worked hard sun up to sun down. Every single one of them worked hard. She likes to tell me of times when all they had to eat was wheat muffins with honey and washed it down with milk, and how delicious this simple meal was. The milk was freshly milked from a cow or a goat. The wheat muffins were made from fresh wheat they had grown, harvested, and ground. My grandpa had robbed the honey from the bee hive. And the muffins were made from scratch by my grandmother. They were poor, worked hard, ate fresh grains and veggies grown from the soil they tilled, the meat was from the animals they grew on the farm, and most importantly, they were healthy.

But the caveman dated way before Egyptians..

So you mean to tell me that the Egyptians just decided to start eating grains and dairy? The reason I chose the Egyptians is because there is mountains of evidence on the modern science viewpoint and biblical accounts. Like it or not, they are still an ancient civilization.  There is hard evidence that the Egyptians ate grains and dairy. Both the biblical viewpoint and science both recognize the Egyptians as an ancient civilization. There is scientific evidence and the Bible also speaks of their time. I have a very different viewpoint than most. I am a Christian and take the Bible as truth. The caveman era that modern science teaches is off when aligning it to the Bible.  We all know science changes all the time. Simply look at the fad diets and you will see how science isn’t consistent. But that is another rabbit hole I will not go into detail right now. I think there were caveman but the time frame was not as modern science states and they are missing some details. I look to the bible for my answers. If you’re interested, read Answers in Genesis’ article When did caveman live? So to sum it up, the “caveman” can be found in Genesis. Where you can clearly see they ate grains and dairy. Even if you don’t believe the bible, archaeologist have dug up mills from ancient civilizations that they state were during the Caveman era. Like I said above, I have a different viewpoint on the Caveman era. But it still remains that an ancient civilization before the well documented and studied Egyptians, were still grinding grains.

As far as evolution goes. We do not just decide and/or evolve one day to begin eating something we never had to previous times. That is like saying we can evolve to eat grass. Grass has no nutrients to the human body. Our body can’t just automatically begin to need grass. It is undeniable that grains and dairy have nutrients that the body needs. Grass, on the other hand, doesn’t. Think about this for a second. If you saw a man out in his front yard eating grass, what would you think? You would think this man is mentally disturbed. Science would probably say, this man has some kind of disorder. Let’s say he comes to you and says, “Try some, it tastes like chicken.” Would you try it? Probably not but for the sake of argument let’s say he talks you into it. You try it and make a face, spit it out, and realize he is a little crazy. Let’s put that scenario to a “time when they didn’t eat grains and dairy.” Now apply that same scenario to the caveman. Civilizations all around the world would not just decide to start eating wheat and dairy just because they felt like it especially if it didn’t have any beneficial nutrients. It wouldn’t happen. You couldn’t convince civilizations around to world to eat grass so why would you think you could convince them to eat wheat and dairy if they weren’t already consuming it?

We have evolved to drive cars. We have evolved to manufacture food to be sold at the local grocery store. We have evolved to do many things but it does have limits. I do not believe we evolved from monkeys. I honestly think this is a disgrace to man to think we were once monkeys. I mean, monkeys eat their own poop. I am not kidding.  My husband didn’t believe me until I pulled up multiple videos on youtube. Again, another rabbit hole I am not going to journey down today. If your interested and this is a new viewpoint for you, check out Answers in Genesis’s article; Theory of Evolution.

What the Paleo diet got right….

I don’t think all of the Paleo Diet is wrong. I think they got a few things right. Most of our foods are highly processed, genetically modified, growth hormone induced, nutrient lacking, picked before its ripe, sprayed with gas to make it look nice,  and probably a few other problems I’m missing. Our food is literally a science experiment and as far from natural as you can get. We are a nation that is overfed and undernourished. We take supplements to counteract the foods that are seriously lacking vital vitamins and minerals. Our health is declining but McDonald’s is making the big bucks.

Eliminating processed foods and grains that have been stripped of their nutrients, growth hormones, GMOs, choosing organic, growing your own food or buying from local farmers you trust, and avoiding toxins such as pesticides, are all on the right track to eating healthy. Don’t fall into the lies and fad diets that are going to destroy your health even further. Trust me, give it 5-10 years and the Paleo Diet will be tossed out for the next diet that comes along to promise health, weight loss, and some kind of science to back up the claims.

 

When I wrote the blog post, I didn’t know the information I know now. Stay tuned for the next blog post. I will be covering why many are having reactions to wheat. *** Hint*** It’s not the gluten! 😉

So what are you thoughts on the Paleo Diet? Is it a do or a don’t?

 

 

 

photo credit: photobookgirl via photopin cc

photo credit: alexrheadrick via photopin cc

 

 

 

 

Veterans Day FREEBIES and deals

Veteran’s Day is November 11 and is right around the corner. My husband is a Veteran and last year was the first year we took advantage of the  Veteran’s Day deals /freebies . So if you are a veteran, wife to a veteran, or know someone who has served, pass these awesome deals along.

Here is a list of different companies that offer freebies and deals to Veterans. Some of these offers may only be available in certain areas so make sure to check your local restaurant or store. Also, many local stores and restaurants offer deals and FREEBIES so check locally for more deals!

Most places will require to show military I.D. so don’t forget your military I.D. Veteran’s Organization Card, DD214, or some kind of identification displaying your association with the military.

FOOD

54th Street Grill & Bar – Shiloh, Il, Glen Carbon, IL
Honor your veteran and bring them into any Five-Four for a free meal on Tuesday, November 11th, 2014. Up to $12.00, proof of service required.

Applebee’s — Veterans and active duty military receive a free meal from a limited menu, on Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11.

Baker’s Square Free Breakfast
Veterans and active duty get a complimentary breakfast on Veterans Day. Choose between Buttermilk Pancakes, three slices of French Toast or a Belgian Waffle.

Bar Louie Free Lunch or Dinner
From open to close Monday, November 10th and Tuesday, November 11th every Bar Louie location across the country will offer veterans and military personnel a free meal up to a $12 value when they show valid military I.D. or other proof of service.

BLT Steak, Prime, Burger & More
All Veterans & Active Military Will Enjoy 50% Off For Two & 25% Off For Parties of Three or More.

Bob Evans
Veterans and active military personnel will receive free all–you-can-eat hotcakes at its restaurants. All these honored servicemen and women need do is show a valid military ID.

Bonanza Steakhouses
Monday, November 17th – All former and current military service men and women enjoy a free buffet. Contact your local Bonanza for more details.

Calhoun’s Restaurant in Tennessee — special Veterans Day menu that veterans can eat for free off of on Veterans Day. Bring along a military ID to your closest Calhoun’s.

California Pizza Kitchen
On Tuesday, November 11, all veterans or active duty military personnel will be able to select from a special Veterans Day menu including pizza, salads and pasta. Please come in uniform or bring your military ID or other proof of service.

Carrabba’s Free Appetizer
All active and retired veterans receive a free appetizer at participating locations November 8th through November 11th, 2014.

Centaarchy Restaurants
This Veterans Day, Veterans and active military service members receive a free entrée and 25% off to their accompanied family and friends.  Includes California Dreaming, New York Prime, Chophouse ’47, The Tavern at Phipps, Carolina Roadhouse, Joey D’s Oak Room, Burro Loco, Gulfstream Cafe, Chophouse New Orleans.

Champps Free Cheeseburger and Fries
Veterans and active-duty receive a free handcrafted cheeseburger on Veterans day, 11/11/14. Must provide proof of service.  Participating locations only, check to confirm.

Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse Eat Free
Veterans and active-duty military eat free (up to $20) on Veterans Day. Valid ID required or in uniform or photo in uniform.

Cheeseburger in Paradise
On Tuesday, November 11 get a complimentary All-American Burger with fries to veterans, active and retired military personnel. Dine in only and must purchase a beverage and present proof of service.

Chuck E. Cheese’s
All U.S. Armed Forces veterans and active-duty military get 20 free tokens upon a visit to Chuck E. Cheese’s from Sunday, November 9, through Saturday, November 15. Military ID or proof of service is required, but no coupon is needed.

Chili’s — Visit a participating Chili’s on Tuesday, November 11, 2014, to get your Veterans Day free meal if you are a veteran or on active military duty. You’ll need to show proof of military service to get your Veterans Day free meal.

City Barbeque
One free half pound sandwich platter will be given to each veteran for either dine-in or carryout orders on Veterans Day.  All locations are participating.

Claim Jumper Free Meal
On Monday, November 10, all Claim Jumper locations will provide those who served a complimentary lunch or dinner from a special menu.  Menu options include  baked pot pies, Tilapia Bianca, Roasted Tri Tip Dinner, Roasted Tri Tip Shrimp, Grilled Chicken, Grilled Salmon, Black Tie Pasta and Chicken Fried Steak. Verification of service is required.

Coffee Beanery
Participating Coffee Beanery locations will offer a free tall cup of coffee all day on November 11th. Veterans and active duty military will need to provide their military identification for the offer. Call ahead to make sure that your local Coffee Beanery is participating.

Cotton Patch Cafe
Free Chicken Fried Steak or Chicken for all active duty and veterans on 11/11/14.

Country Cookin
Active, reserve, and retired military personnel receive a free meal on Veteran’s Day.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
Veterans receive a complimentary Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola® Cake dessert to veterans and an opportunity for guests to make purchases that support the United Service Organizations (USO).  Veterans Day only.

Craftworks Restaurants & Breweries – Includes Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants, Rock Bottom Restaurants & Breweries, Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom and ChopHouse & Brewery restaurants nationwide
On Tuesday, Nov. 11, veterans and active military personnel can show their valid military-issued identification card  or come dressed in uniform to receive their complimentary craft beer or appetizer. To locate the nearest restaurant, veterans can visit www.craftworksrestaurants.com.

Denny’s — Active, inactive and retired military personnel get a free Build Your Own Grand Slam on Tuesday, November 11, from 5 a.m. to noon at participating locations.

East Coast Wings
Veterans receive a free appetizer or dessert with a $10 or more purchase on 11/11/14.

Einstein Bros Bagels — Any veteran can stop by their local Einstein Bros Bagels on Tuesday, November 11 and get a free coffee. No purchase is required to get the free coffee, but you do need to show military ID. They get a 10% discount everyday

Famous Dave’s
On November 11th, former and active military are invited to come in and receive a free One Meat Salute on us. Choose from one meat, a corn muffin, and a side. Participating locations only. From 11:00 am to 4:30 pm. Proof of service required. Dine In only.

Figaro’s
Veterans and active service members get a free medium 1 topping pizza on Nov. 11, 2014.

Food City
Veterans and active military receive a free hot bar meal on November 11th.

Friendly’s Free Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner
Friendly’s is treating veterans and active military, with a valid military ID or honorable discharge card, to a free breakfast, lunch or dinner on Veteran’s Day, Tuesday, November 11, 2014. The breakfast choice is their Big-Two-Do’s® array of breakfast options and for lunch or dinner it’s the All American Burger with fries and a beverage (soda, iced tea or hot beverage).

Glory Days Grill
Glory Days invites all veterans on 11/11/14 to join Glory Days and receive a free appetizer or wings with proper ID.

Green Mill Restaurant and Bar
Veterans and Active Duty Military eat free on Veterans Day – Tuesday, November 11, 2014.

Golden Corral — Golden Corral Restaurants’ Military Appreciation is actually Monday, November 17, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Military retirees, veterans, active duty, National Guard and Reserves are all welcome.

Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream and Yogurt
On November 11, 2014, participating Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream and Yogurt shops across the country are giving away free single-scoop ice cream cones to all veterans and military personnel with a valid military ID.

Hooters – Veterans and active duty military get a free meal up to $10.99 in value with a drink purchase at participating locations on Tuesday, November 11.

Hurricane Grill & Wings
Tuesday, November 11th Veterans and active duty military personnel receive a complimentary meal and non-alcoholic beverage from a select menu on Veterans Day. Menu items include: Grilled Chicken, Caesar Salad, 10 Wings, Fish and Chips, Chicken Sandwich (Crispy/Grilled), Burger Sliders, Pulled Pork Quesadilla. Verification through ID or Uniform.  Participating locations only.

Hy-Vee Free Breakfast
Hy-Vee is providing free breakfast for veterans during regular breakfast hours on Veterans Day.

 

IHOP — On Tuesday, November 11, participating IHOP Restaurants offer veterans and active duty military free Red, White and Blue pancakes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Ikea
Many Ikea locations are offering a free meal for veterans November 9 – 11, 2014.  Search for your local Ikea store, go to the store home page and select the Special Offers tab for details.

Kangaroo Express
Any service member with a military I.D. that visits one of Kangaroo Express’ nearly 1,200 grill-ready stores between 12 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11 is invited to purchase a grill item for just 25-cents (one per guest, while supplies last).

Krispy Kreme – Krispy Kreme is offering a free doughnut and small coffee to all veterans on Tuesday, November 11 at Knox locations.

Krystal
Active and retired armed forces members this Veterans Day with a free sausage biscuit to any active or retired service member with military ID.

Lamar’s Donuts
Free donut and a 12oz coffee for all veterans and active military on Veterans Day.

Little Caesars Pizza. US Military and Vets get a FREE order of Crazy Bread, with proof of military status/service. Call your local Little Caesars to make sure they are participating in this deal.

Lone Star Steakhouse
A free entrée on Veterans Day to active duty and reserves.

Longhorn Steakhouse Free App
Service members receive a complimentary Texas Tonion appetizer and non-alcohol beverage on Tuesday, Nov. 11. Includes veterans and current service members.

Max & Erma’s Free Cheeseburger Combo Meal with Dessert
On Veterans Day, participating Max & Erma’s locations are celebrating veterans and active military personnel with a free three course combo.

McCormick and Schmick’s Free Entree
Enjoy a complimentary entree on Sunday, November 9th, 2014 (2 days before Veterans Day). All veterans must show official verification. Veterans Day entrees must be enjoyed at the restaurant.

Menchie’s Free Frozen Yogurt
On Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11th, 2014 all Veterans and military personnel with a military ID or dressed in uniform will receive a free six ounce frozen yogurt any time of day.  Show a valid ID or be in uniform to receive.

Mission BBQ
Veterans eat free on Veteran’s Day.  Free sandwich and cake while supplies last.

Mod Pizza
Veterans and active duty military are invited in for a free individual pizza or had-tossed salad on Veterans Day

O’Charley’s — Veterans and active duty military can stop into an O’Charley’s location and get a free meal from their new $9.99 menu on Tuesday, November 11. Be sure to bring military ID or proof of service for this free meal in case you’re asked for it.

Olive Garden — On Tuesday, November 11, all veterans and current service members get a free meal from a limited menu. Must bring military ID or proof of service.

Orange Leaf — All veterans and active-duty military personnel can get a free cup of froyo at any Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt location on Tuesday, November 11, for Veterans Day. Proof of service is required to take advantage of this offer, such as dressing in military uniform or showing military ID, honors, or badges.

Outback Steakhouse — All active and former service members receive a free Bloomin’ Onion and a beverage on November 11. Outback is also offering active and former service members 15% off their meals Nov. 12 through Dec. 31.

PDQ
Free tenders or sandwich for all veterans or active duty military with ID or in uniform.

Perkins — Participating Perkins Restaurant & Bakeries are giving out a free Magnificent Seven meal which includes two eggs, three buttermilk pancakes, and a choice of two bacon strips or two sausage links, beverages not included. Be sure to bring along your military ID to take advantage of this free Veterans Day meal.

Pinnacle Entertainment
Free buffet on Veterans Day at Pinnacle’s properties including Ameristar, Belterra, Boomtown, L’Auberge, Retama and River City properties.

Pie Five Pizza
On Veterans Day active duty, reserve and retired military receive a free individualized pizza.  Must show valid ID.

Pizza Factory
Free lunch special or a lunch buffet for veterans on November 11, 2014.

Pizza Schmizza & Schmizza Pub & Grub
Veterans and active service members get a free slice of pizza on Nov. 11, 2014 between 1 and 4 p.m.

Ponderosa Steakhouses
Monday, November 17th – All former and current military service men and women enjoy a free buffet. Contact your local Bonanza for more details.

Red Hot & Blue Restaurants
Veterans, Active Duty, Retirees and Reservists receive a free meal with the purchase of a second meal of equal or greater value. Proof of military service required. Dine-in only. Print and present the coupon before ordering. Offer valid on Monday, November 10, 2014; Tuesday, November 11, 2014 and Wednesday, November 12, 2014.

Red Lobster — Veterans, retired and active-duty military personnel receive a complimentary appetizer from a limited menu from Monday, November 10 to Thursday, November 13. Must bring military ID or proof of service.

Red Robin –Veterans and active duty military get a free Red’s Tavern Double Burger with Bottomless Steak Fries on Tuesday, November 11.

Rib Crib
This Veterans Day, all veterans and active-duty military eat free at participating locations.

Rock & Brews
Veterans and active-duty members receive a free ultimate burger or pulled pork sandwich on November 11th, 2014.  Dine in only, military or veteran ID required.

Ruby Tuesday
Get a free appetizer on Veterans Day to all those who served or are serving.

Rusty Bucket & Tavern
On Veterans day get 11% off lunch or dinner with proof of service, food portion of check only, up to 4 guests. Includes Active Duty, Veterans, Retirees, Reservists, Dependents.

Ryan’s
On Veterans Day (Nov. 11), active duty, reservists and retired military may enjoy a free dine-in lunch at participating Ryan’s locations, from open until 3:30 pm. Show your military ID or proof of service to enjoy the free meal.

Shoney’s Offers Free All-American Burger
Shoney’s says ‘Thank You’ to America’s heroes by offering a Shoney’s All-American Burger and fries to all Veterans and Active Duty Military members on Tuesday, November 11th, 2014.

Sizzler Free Lunch
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, Veterans, active duty, retired members of the military get a free lunch. Guests with proof of military service will select a six-ounce six-ounce Tri Tip Steak, single Malibu Chicken or a half dozen Fried Shrimp entrée with a choice of coffee, iced tea or a fountain drink.

Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill
Veterans and active duty get a free meal on Nov. 11, 2014.  Must show proof of service.

Sonny’s BBQ — This Veterans Day, all veterans will receive 50 percent off their food purchase* at Sonny’s BBQ.
Dine-in only, excludes alcohol

Spaghetti Warehouse Buy 1 Get 1 Free Meal
Spaghetti Warehouse is honoring veterans with a special “buy one entree, get one free” coupon offer and is encouraging its guests to “invite a veteran to lunch or dinner”. Beginning Nov. 4th, the coupon will be available online onSpaghetti Warehouse’s website.

Starbucks– Starbucks will be giving out free tall brewed coffees to veterans, active duty military, and their spouses on Veterans Day.

Texas Corral Free Entree
A free entrée on Veterans Day from a special menu for vets and active duty.

Texas Land & Cattle
TXLC will honor Veterans, both active and retired plus reserves with a free appetizer; Crispy Onion Strings, Spicy White Queso, Steakhouse Onion Rings, Avocado Smash or Big D Spinach Dip.

 

Texas Roadhouse — Texas Roadhouse locations nationwide will offer veterans a free lunch on Tuesday, November 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Offer is good for active duty, retired or former U.S. military.

TGI Fridays Free Lunch
Veterans and active duty military service members are invited to have lunch from a special menu on T.G.I Friday’s this Veterans Day.

The Green Turtle
Veterans and Active Duty military enjoy a free meal on Tuesday, November 11th.

Tim Hortons Cafe & Bake Shop Free Doughnut
Veterans and active-duty military will receive a free doughnut. No purchase required. Valid ID required or show up in uniform.

Tijuana Flats
Veterans and active-duty military eat free on Veterans Day, 11.11.14.

Travel Centers of America Free Meal
On Veterans Day, all CDL drivers who are Military Veterans eat free at participating full-service restaurants with proof of service. Must present valid ID.

Tucanos Brazilian Grill
Share a photo of your hero for a free salute. Get a free dessert by tagging Tucanos on Instagram with @Tucanosusa #VeteransDay and then upload your picture here.

Twin Peaks Free Meal
Service men and women eat free on 11/11/14.

Uno’s free entrée or pizza with a purchase
With a Military or Veteran ID, entrees are buy one get one free, and anyone who presents this ticket will donate 20% of your total check to Fisher House Veterans Association.

Village Inn Free Breakfast
All who have served get a complimentary breakfast on Veterans Day. Choose between Buttermilk Pancakes, three slices of French Toast or a Belgian Waffle.

Wayback Burgers
Both active and retired military personnel can get a free menu item, with no purchase necessary all day Tuesday, Nov. 11.

Woody’s Bar-B-Q
When Vets buy an entree on Veterans Day they receive a gift certificate for a free entree on their next visit.

Zoes Kitchen –Active duty military and veterans get a free entrée, and family members get 10% off on November 11. Must bring military ID or proof of service.

 

Sonny’s BBQ — This Veterans Day, all veterans will receive 50 percent off their food purchase* at Sonny’s BBQ.
Dine-in only, excludes alcohol

Retail Shops

Bed Bath and Beyond — Veterans, active duty, Reserves, Guard and spouses get 20% off their entire purchase November 8 through 11.

Big Lots:  10% off your entire purchase. Offer available to active duty, Guard/Reserve, Veterans, retirees and their immediate family members, with valid ID. Offer valid at participating locations.

Dollar General: 10% discount on entire purchase on Veterans Day – offer good for all active-duty military, retirees, Veterans , Guard/Reserve, & immediate family members. The coupon can be found in the store circular, or by asking an employee. Also good online, use Coupon Code VETERANSDAY. More info.

Vista Print- Choose from 6 different designs or upgrade to premium checks and choose from many more designs. Bonus Offer – Get 250 FREE Business Cards! FREE Checks & Business Cards offer.

Great Clips – On Tuesday, November 11, customers who come in for a service can get a free haircut card to give to their favorite veteran. Veterans can also receive a free haircut or get the free haircut card. Haircuts are redeemable until Dec. 31. http://www.greatclips.com/promotions/veterans-day

Home Depot Military Discount-Home Depot is extending its daily 10% active-duty military discount to Veterans and their immediate family for purchases up to $2000.  Must show a valid military ID or proof of service. You can also find Home Depot discounts online.

JCPenny- Veterans, active duty and family members receive an extra 20% off in stores Nov. 6-11 with coupon.

Lowe’s- Lowe’s is extending its daily 10% active-duty military discount to Veterans and their immediate family for purchases up to $5000.

Must show a valid military ID or proof of service. You can also find exclusive discounts at Lowe’s.com.

Publix — Active and retired military personnel and their families get a 10% discount on Tuesday, November 11.

Rack Room Shoes — Military personnel and their dependents get a 10% discount off entire purchase on Veteran’s Day, November 11.

Sleep Number — From October 14 through November 16, Sleep Number is providing special offers for current and past military personnel. Save $400-$700 on selected Sleep Number mattress sets. http://www.sleepnumber.com/military?cm_sp=Vetsday-_-Specials-_-Featured-bed-Main-military

 

 

Did I miss any?

If I missed any, please share them in the comments below and I will add them to the list.