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| 1/6 Groceries: Breads and Dairy |
I went grocery shopping on Saturday. First, I went to the Armenian grocery store because daughter asked if I could make her more curry puffs to take back with her and the Armenian store sells the frozen puff pastry squares I use for them. They weren't on sale, which is when I usually buy them, but I didn't mind paying the $.70 extra because they were to be a treat for my daughter. I also bought 1 lb. of ground beef to make the filling for them and I bought 1 lb. shrimp to make something special for her last dinner at home before she goes back. Well, the good intentions were there, but, on Saturday evening, we made the love cake we had been planning to make all winter break and I got too tired to make the curry puffs or the shrimp curry, so, that didn't work out quite as planned.
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| 1/6 Groceries: Meat/Seafood |
After the Armenian store, I went to the no frills (bag your own groceries) Kroger affiliated store for the milk, cat food, and a couple of other items (bagels because I knew I still had some cream cheese left in the fridge, and cold cuts for sandwiches).
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| 1/6 Groceries: Fruits and Vegetables |
At the Armenian store (Store 1), I bought:
Ground beef = $3.26
Shrimp = $4.49
2 cans (15 oz.) mackerel @$1.69 = $3.38
2 cans (12 oz.) corned beef @$3.89 = $7.78
1 pkt. pita bread = $.99
2 pkt. (17.5oz) frozen puff pastry squares, @$2.69 = $5.38
Tangerines @$.79/lb = $.83
2 mangoes @$.50 = $1.00
4 bananas @$.49/lb = $.58
1 container blackberries (6 oz) = $.99
1 container raspberries (6 oz) = $1.29
Lettuce, 4 assorted in a package = $1.69
1 zucchini @$.39/lb = $.11
Green beans @$1.29/lb = $.45
Broccoli @$1.29/lb = $.28
1 cucumber = $.20
1 lb. bag carrots = $.45
Yellow patty pan squash, @$.99/lb = $.21
Total = $33.36
I took care to buy very little of the fresh fruits and vegetables, just enough for a couple of servings for me, because I always end up buying too much and I was chagrined to see how much I had to throw away, at the end of December! I'd rather buy less and shop again, during the week if I need to, than toss food.
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| Store 1 Receipt |
1/2 gal. milk = $1.99
Roast beef cold cuts = $3.00
Bagels = $1.79
Total = $6.78
In addition, I bought 2 bags (13 lb@) of cat food for $8.99@ plus tax ($1.71) = $19.69
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| Store 2 Receipt |
Since I don't include the cat food in my grocery budget, my January Week 1 grocery spending came to: $33.36 + $6.78 = $40.14.
January Grocery Budget = $75
Balance remaining = $75 - $40.14 = $34.86
Did I say I wanted to eat from the pantry and freezer this month? Did I say I was going to buy only dairy, bread, and fresh produce? Ha, ha! I spent over half my monthly budget on the first week of grocery shopping! But, some of it was to stock up on a couple of things I needed, so, it's all good. The puff pastry will keep until daughter's next visit home and I will cook the ground beef and freeze that, too. I will make the shrimp curry for tonight's dinner, with leftovers for a couple of future meals.
Have you gone grocery shopping, yet, in January? If so, how did you do with your weekly grocery budget? Are you planning to do a pantry challenge, this month?
I figure as long as you will eat what you bought eventually there is no harm no foul.
ReplyDeleteI shopped once and spent a bit more than I intended but they had my laundry detergent and toilet paper bogo so I stocked up on both.
BOGO is a good reason to spend a bit more than intended. Got to take advantage of those sales!
DeleteYes, I will eat what I bought. I cooked and froze the ground beef, today. Cooked and froze half of the shrimp, too, had some for tonight's dinner and kept the rest in the fridge for tomorrow's dinner.
You always shop wisely and with nutrition in mind. Isn't it nice that you can purchase just a small amount of fresh vegetables and fruit. I am quite good at doing that for the most part but believe I am going to have throw out some lettuce because it is getting past it. It was not my usual 'Boston lettuce' and I didn't like the taste.
ReplyDeleteCVS has one gallon milk on offer this week for $1.99 (limit 2 items) - a good price.
Thank you, Sandy. I am trying to eat a healthier diet, although cold cuts aren't exactly healthy, shrimp is high in cholesterol, and I chose plain bagels instead of whole wheat! Oh, dear! I bought some Boston lettuce at the 99Cents Only store (a type of dollar store) the other day and thought of you, because I remembered you saying you liked them on an earlier comment. :)
DeleteI always find the first shop of the month is my biggest shop as I am often stocking up with items I will be needing for the remainder of the month. I probably won't need to buy very much or anything at all for the second week. I eat up the most perishable fruit and veggies in the first week and then rely on the longer lasting and frozen veggies later on. Going by past experience, I may need to buy just milk and eggs and perhaps some really good sale items. Like you, I don't have a weekly budget...just a monthly one.
ReplyDeleteSusan, I try to do the same - eat the more perishable items first. I probably won't need to buy much, next week - maybe milk and eggs if they are on sale. I used to try to do the weekly budget, but these days, I find that the monthly budget works better, for me. Partly because, some of the things I buy last more than a week and then, it becomes more complicated to keep accounts.
DeleteIt's crazy here too!!! I am trying to buy very little this month, especially since our 1/4 beef was ready to pick up and that makes the freezers very, very full. But, to my amazement, I was out of some things. So, since I never let my pantry get empty, I bought a case of 79c olives, bagels for my nephew, more milk (they are thirsty, I guess), and quite a few fruits and veggies for my husband who is eating them like crazy right now. I also got the 99c/8-oz bag of shredded cheese that was a special on Saturday, and bought the 5 allowed. They also had sour cream and cottage cheese for $1.25 a carton, so I got 2 of each. I chose taco cheese for the most part, and that makes working evenings very fast and easy--brown some beef, thaw out some refried beans and a bag of cheese, and there it is! Then, add tomatoes, lettuce, olives, tortillas or chips--whatever I have at the moment--and I'm done.
ReplyDeleteI see that milk is on sale for 99c/1/2 gallon this week, so will load up on that one day soon. But, I am also digging into the freezers for food that needs using, grabbing older items from the shelves, and using our home-canned products like crazy. I made chili and refried beans from a large bowl of pinto beans I soaked. So, I still feel successful.
Becky, I guess flexibility is the key! Eat from the freezer and pantry as much as possible, yet, stock up on things that are on sale and buy what is needed to round off the meals.
DeleteI like to buy replacements when I get to the last can or box in the pantry. Thus the two cans of corned beef and two cans of mackerel that I bought. I like to keep them on hand, in case there is an earthquake or something. These are two items that very rarely go on sale, so I buy whenever I get down to one can.
I noticed that I am coming to the end of my bottle of ketchup. There was a time when I was fine with any brand of ketchup, but now, there is one particular brand that I tend to prefer. So, I'll be on the look out for a sale. It is not something I eat all the time, but it is also something that is missed when not there (although my homemade tomato chutney makes a good substitute, at times).
I'm glad to see that you got some good deals on the things you needed. You are doing well with your meal preparations. Hard to do when you are working, too, but you are making it work for you!
Of all the people I know, you are the one who will be super good and only buy what she needs if you go grocery shopping more than once in the week so I say "Go for it!". You have the discipline and you will avoid food waste by not wasting produce. Maybe you can go on your way home from work so it doesn't cost you anymore in gas? Are the stores on your way home?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nathalie. The stores are not exactly on my way home, but I don't have to go too far out of my way to get to them - less than a couple of miles away.
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