It's been nearly a decade since I shopped at Gap or Banana Republic, but the retailers — both owned by parent company Gap Inc. — have been mall staples for as long as I can remember.

I recently visited both stores at my local Orlando mall to get a sense of the value each offers. Here's what my experience was like.

The multigenerational trip, for which one of my mother-in-law's best friends tagged along as her travel partner, proved to be an unforgettable memory for all of us. My kids left the ship feeling like they got to know their grandmother — who lives far from our Florida home in Pennsylvania — even better, and so did I.

Since my family started visiting chain restaurants for the first time about a year ago, we've dined everywhere from Ruth's Chris Steak House to Bahama Breeze.

I've never seen customers lined up just to get a table at any of them until we visited Olive Garden on a Friday night.

Recently, I visited Aldi with a $60 grocery budget to see what I could put in my cart. I bought ingredients for three nights' worth of dinners as well as several gluten-free pantry staples.

Here's what it was like shopping for my family of four on a limited budget.

Here's what it was like to order, pick up, and eat a family meal from Cracker Barrel, and why I'd definitely order a to-go dinner from the chain again.

A few months ago, I decided alcohol was no longer serving me. Tired of seeing the way booze affected my relationships and left me feeling anxious and exhausted, I chose an alcohol-free lifestyle, and I haven't back. Recently, I took my first vacation since choosing a life of sobriety.

Our choice wasn’t completely about the way the school handled a bullying issue or the excessive amount of homework my kids were coming home with (although those were part of it). One of the biggest motivators for the change was our desire to teach our kids through travel.

When my husband and I started toying with the idea of taking my teenagers on a whale-watching expedition cruise, we had no idea what to expect. While we’d cruised on several major cruise lines in the past, hopping on a 100-passenger ship run by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions felt far different than anything we’d done before.

A little over a year ago, a Costco warehouse opened about 40 minutes from my home. I canceled both my BJ's and Sam's Club memberships without hesitation and gladly embraced weekly drives to our new Costco. I can honestly say I've never looked back.

We've tried various chains including Ruth's Chris and Olive Garden, and have found some impressive dishes while making our rounds.

But our recent visit to the upscale steak-house chain The Capital Grille blew us away. It may just be our best chain-restaurant experience to date.

As an annual passholder and a journalist who covers theme parks, I spend a lot of time at Disney World.

My whole family used to have annual passes as well, but as my two teens have gotten older, they're not as excited about long days in theme parks.

Still, my husband and I love going together. I recently paid over $1,000 for us to spend a full day (from park-open to park-close) at Disney World.

My family has never cared much for chain restaurants, but in the past year, my husband and I have visited more with our teenagers.

By dining at steak houses such as Ruth's Chris and iconic breakfast spots including IHOP, we've learned to appreciate what chains have to offer, from reasonable prices to a consistent experience.

But we'd yet to try a Brazilian churrasco meal like the one offered at Fogo de Chão.

There are lots of ways for families to enjoy time at Walt Disney World Resort (WDW), from a day of splashing at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park to leaving the theme parks for character dining at a Disney resort hotel. We especially love the restaurants at Disney Springs for a memorable meal.

The key to any good family outing to Mickey’s house, however, is knowing the best way to park and get from point A to point B at WDW. And that’s why this guide to transportation at Walt Disney World is here for you!

If you view salads as rabbit food—just raw veggies tossed in a bowl with dressing as the only good thing about the mix—we have good news for you. A recipe trending on social media takes salad to the next level, it's full of flavor, has a warming element to slightly wilt tough greens, and it's so good you might actually start to crave it.

It’s an Appalachian staple that’s made its way to social media feeds everywhere: Killed lettuce videos have garnered more than two million views on TikTok and a recipe for the dish has been in the Allrecipes archives since 2011.

I love shopping at Aldi and Trader Joe's for my family's groceries.

Both chains carry unique specialty items, and the holidays always bring seasonal items that everyone in my house looks forward to.

Recently, I went to Aldi and Trader Joe's to compare each grocery store's seasonal and holiday offerings. I was surprised by which of the two felt more festive in early/mid-November.

Green-bean casserole is a nonnegotiable Thanksgiving side for me.

My go-to is the standard recipe made with canned green beans, condensed cream-of-mushroom soup, and French's fried onions.

But to make sure I'm not missing out on something better, I followed recipes from three celebrity chefs: Alton Brown, Ree Drummond, and Alex Guarnaschelli.

Like most food writers, I get really excited about discovering new food products that my family loves. And when those tasty treats also work in a variety of recipes in my kitchen, I consider that to be a major win. So when I started seeing all of the things people were using Great Value freeze-dried strawberry fruit crisps for on social media, I knew I had to pick up a bag on my next shopping trip to Walmart.

Missing the thrill of scoring those Amazon Prime Day deals? Luckily for us, the mega retailer has announced a new set of deals exclusive to Prime members just ahead of the holiday season. Amazon Prime Big Deal Days will run on October 10 and 11, and the event is perfect for Amazon lovers who need a savings fix between Prime Day and Black Friday. On these two days, expect deals on everything from electronics to clothing—and even hair growth products.

I'm a busy mom who tries to stick to a grocery budget, but I'm also a food writer who loves cooking with quality ingredients. Years ago, Walmart wasn't my go-to grocery shopping destination, but it's safe to say the mega-chain has really upped its grocery game as of late. From surprisingly high-quality, affordable items made for its Great Value brand to fresh meat and produce, the offerings in Walmart's grocery section have become my top pick for grocery shopping for my family of four.

My family visits theme parks all the time, and it’s no secret that standing in line for rides all day can be a sweltering summertime activity. And while we’re nearing the official start of fall, it’s still quite hot out in many parts of the country.

I’ll admit, I’ve always thought people who wore portable fans around their necks to beat the heat looked a little funny, but recently, one of my most trusted theme park friends arrived at our Walt Disney World dinner table wearing a HandFan portable fan. She raved that it had made her entire day at the park so much better, so I figured I’d give it a try.