Rebecca Chobat is a content creator and advocate in Lake Stevens, Washington. She is the creator of the popular TikTok, YouTube and Instagram accounts called Dollar Tree Dinners, where she makes yummy recipes using ingredients found at Dollar Tree, her “meal-in-a-bag” series and other affordable and budget-friendly meals.
Seattle Refined: How long have you been creating content/making videos?
Chobat: Oh boy, well, technically, I’ve been making videos for about 10 years, but I would say I really started about 4 years ago. Those first few years were me just occasionally uploading vlogs and stuff, but four years ago was when I really found my niche in cooking videos.
Tell us about your process and the different stages that work into it.
Well, the first step is always the ideation. What am I sharing and why? Is it a budget recipe or something just for fun? Then usually it involves going to the store and shopping for the ingredients, and brainstorming further as I shop, sometimes I’ll completely change my mind midway through shopping if I see a good idea or bargain. Of course, coming home, cooking the meal and filming it, but I also try to visualize what the final video is going to look like as I record, so I make sure to get the angles and shots I want to capture. Social media is very visual, and I have to make sure that I make the meal look appetizing enough that the viewers want to watch what I’m making. Cheese pulls are always a hit. I also try to mentally make note of any steps in the process I might want to call attention to when I record my voiceover. The final step is, of course, editing and posting, and reading and responding to comments.
Where does your inspiration come from? What other creators/accounts have influenced you?
I take inspiration from a lot of places, mostly from my own comments. I love reading my followers’ suggestions. But I wouldn’t say that any specific creator has influenced me. I personally love to watch people improvise and work with what they have rather than watching perfectly curated recipes. I actually try to make an effort to stay off foodtok myself because I want my ideas to be organic and original.
What genre do your videos/content fall into? What kinds of things do you talk about?
I would say that I am an educational channel, but also an entertainment channel. I know sometimes people love to watch what I can do with Dollar Tree ingredients because they just find it really interesting and creative. I also consider myself an advocate. I love to bring perspective to unique situations, like how not everyone can cook from scratch, or not everyone has access to a full kitchen. Trying to inspire other people to think beyond their own personal experience. I’d love to start integrating some more lifestyle and affordable living content in the near future as opposed to just recipes.
Do you have one video/topic that means more to you or is extremely special to you?
Circling back to what I mentioned above about people with unique situations, one of my favorite things to do is to adapt recipes to fit into those scenarios. I have a very popular meal-in-a-bag series where I show how to make a complete meal out of only pantry ingredients. This can be helpful to someone who has limited fridge space, like someone who has a small apartment or is staying in a hotel.
What experiences in your life have shaped your videos/channel?
Back when I was in my early 20s, I used to have to donate plasma to afford groceries. I think back to that period of time a lot. I didn’t have much, and I had to make every dollar stretch. I ate a lot of bread and pasta. It really shaped me as a person today. Even now, when I’m traveling for work, I’m conscious of how much easier it is to stick to a budget when I have a kitchenette like the ones featured in Choice Hotels’ extended-stay properties.
If we want to see more of your work, where should we go to find it?
I am currently on all of my platforms as Dollar Tree Dinners, but I think soon I may be changing the name to better reflect my own identity.
What is next for you? Anything you’re working on right now that you’re really excited about?
I am excited about one current project: I’m partnering with Choice Hotels Extended Stay to help people stay in their routine while traveling or living temporarily in a hotel, such as WoodSpring Suites or MainStay Suites. A lot of my followers are navigating big moves, temporary housing, work travel, or life transitions, and they still want to cook affordable meals. Being able to show them how to use the in-room kitchenettes to keep their routines and budgets on track really feels like a natural extension of what I already do. Other than that, I really just love to live a simple, comfortable life, but I’m excited to step out of my comfort zone, content-wise, and start showing more of my life and behind the scenes.
Lastly, how do you take your coffee? We ask everyone!
That depends on where it’s from. 99% of the time, I make my own coffee at home, which is just Folgers coffee with some caramel creamer. However, when I do splurge, I love a good iced white mocha.
About ‘Artist of the Week’: This city is packed with artists we love to feature weekly on Seattle Refined! If you have a local artist in mind that you would like to see featured, let us know at [email protected]. And if you’re wondering just what constitutes art, that’s the beauty of it; it’s up to you! See all of our past Artists of the Week in our dedicated section.
