Well, I fell off the wagon.
Last week I had an appointment down south and was near a Market Basket so I stopped by {without a list}. What started out as a maybe I’ll just stop in for a Boston cream doughnut and some produce turned into a summer stock up on pickety bit items. 🙂 It happens. And I have no regrets.
Market Basket $85.90!
Nathan’s Hot Dogs $4.99! Salamie $6.99, Blue cheese $6.99, Old Croc cheese $8.29 {I love this stuff!}. A few dips, some bologna, fruits, vegetables and a bunch of bread products {since I can’t make my own right now} to freeze for later.
I was shocked at the egg prices. $3.29 a dozen for large white eggs. And Market Basket is one of the least inexpensive stores around. I told the HH that we should get chickens again.
He just rolled his eyes at me and said no. Ha!
I love keeping chickens. I do not love going out into the frozen tundra and doing all the chickeny things {bringing them warm water, food, collecting eggs} when it’s 20 degrees outside and snowing. Which is basically like 6 months out of the year here.
Which means it would be the HH’s job to care for them in the winter. And one he doesn’t want to take on. So… no chickens for me. Or Lucy. Lucy loved having chickens as much as I did.
Egg salad with zucchini relish, a winning combination. I didn’t need to buy any eggs though because I still have about 4 1/2 dozen in the fridge.
When was the last time you had a bologna sandwich? I think it has been a few years for me. 🙂 But sometimes, those things from your childhood really hit the spot.
Last week Kiln Guy and the Chef stopped by for a visit.
They brought fiddleheads and pie. Have you tried fiddleheads before? How do they taste? Do you feel like you’re eating baby ferns or do they actually taste good?
I sent them home with a 3 foot section of chives {I planted too many last year} and some oregano plants.
We also had sauteed vegetables {cooked on the hot plate} and rice. And beans and rice. And just rice with butter and salt. 🙂
There was also beetloaf {cooked in the Crock Pot} and potatoes rolled in butter and chives.
Farmers Market $30
And we also made a trip to the Farmers Market {I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow}.
We paid $6 for a loaf of sourdough, $8.00 for the blue cheese and $16 for the Prix Diane {which was FANTASTIC!}. I told the HH we should find a new Farmers Market here in Maine to go to each week this summer so we can check out all their offerings.
The best meal of the week though, was hands down the pickety bits we had last night for linner. Cheese, salami, veggies and a few spreads. What could be better.
Summer is on its way… and so is a shift in eating patterns. And I’m pretty excited about that.
How about YOU? Did you buy or prepare anything exciting this past week? Do tell.
Have a good one,
~Mavis
Total Spent This Past Week on Groceries $85.90 + $30 at the Farmers Market for a total of $115.90 {It appears I have dug myself into a bit of a hole.}
- Total Spent in May for Groceries $170.08 {$47 of it was spent at Farmers Markets}
- Total Spent in April on Groceries $94.48
- Total Spent in March on Groceries $114.12
- Total Spent in February on Groceries $94.64
- Total Spent in January on Groceries $96.58
- Total Spent on Groceries in 2022 $569.90
Mrs. C says
Ok, so after looking at that last platter, I’m going to start doing Pickety bits suppers this summer. I prefer to eat that way, anyway.
I haven’t been eating anything interesting – hard boiled eggs, quesadillas, etc., because I still have no water in my kitchen as we enter week five. What is the delay now? The plumbers can’t do anything because the countertop people put the sink in BACKWARDS, and have to come back out to fix it. I do not have OCD and it is driving me crazy. Mavis, I think it would drive you bonkers, too! I just stare at it and wonder what in blazes they were thinking.
Mavis Butterfield says
5 weeks without water in the kitchen!!! How on earth did they not realize the sink was in backwards? That is seriously nuts.
Linda says
I have a table top oven that I keep on my front porch for summer baking. The house doesn’t heat up and I can bake all summer long.
Michelle says
You are still doing insanely good!! We’re 2 in California and it’s about $600 a month for food and household items !
Melissa says
I know you’re not one to throw in the towel, but with these insane food prices, $100 is HARD. I say enjoy life.
Charla Stankiewicz says
Yesterday I bought all the fruits: watermelon, pears, giant juicy grapes, cherries and strawberries.
I felt like summer was finally here
Rosemary Calhoun says
Last week I had a craving for bologna. I had it for lunch every day when I was in school. Bologna with mustard on white bread – we didn’t use mayo as it would go bad in the school locker since we didn’t have ice packs. So, I bought some bologna and have been having it for lunch almost every day since I bought it (with mustard on white bread)!
Jill says
If you follow Bobby Parrish from FlavCity on Instagram, he calls bologna and hot dogs “butts and lips” ….as in that’s what they’re made of! Blech!!
Lana says
I find the cage free and organic eggs are often cheaper here than the plain old white ones so I check all the different ones before I buy. This week Nellie’s cage free are on sale for 1.98. I have not been able to wrap my mind around why.
Ashley Bananas says
Different supply chains. If the regular white eggs are raised in bulk in a small barn building with 1,000 chickens and one chicken gets the avian flu, the producer may terminate the whole building to avoid an outbreak.
Companies without mass production of birds may have less outbreaks…or keep packs smaller and more separated, making it easier to control.
HollyG says
We made a couple of trips to the grocery this week.
We found bacon-cheese angus burger patties marked down from $9.99/4 to $1.99/4. I bought all 11 packages, hoping they would taste nice – they do. I froze them all individually and package them this morning.
At the second store, we bought 4 whole chickens for $0.99/lb. After processing them we have a package of legs, a package of wings, a package of boneless/skinless thighs, 4 packages of boneless/skinless breasts, 2 quarts of rich stock and a container of giblets for my mother-in-law.
We were also able to find Tillamook cheese slices for $0.83/package and butter for $2.47/lb.
Annette says
I enjoy seeing the ways that you artfully create your pickety bits platters!
Jules says
I’ve started having pickets bits for lunches lately and I’m so ready for the summer produce to start rolling in from the garden! I splurged and bought strawberries last week. They looked so red and sweet. They were OK but nothing compared with picking fresh from the field here in Oregon
Cindy Brick says
Tried to warn you about eggs! Apparently they are gold-plating the nests now. (I’m guessing it has a lot to do with all the birds killed because of the flu going round.)
It sure seems to me, considering the limits you’re forced to stay within (no stove, etc.) that missing on your self-imposed budget limits is No Big Deal. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Just enjoy the bread!
Mavis Butterfield says
I froze all the bread in big zip baggies hoping to make the store bought stuff last as long as possible. I am a total sucker for REAL bread {and cheese apparently} from the farmers markets. I can’t wait until I have a working oven again.
Duck lady is still selling her happy eggs for $4.00 a dozen {same price as last year}.
judy egan says
Mavis, get the chickens… You won’t be sorry
Lori SA says
Fiddleheads- Yum! These are probably the yummiest greens I have ever eaten. They are a seasonal Canadian east coast food but sometimes show up in stores/markets on the west coast (where I live). You need to boil or steam them first- (then I like to eat them with butter).
Jennifer says
We sauté fiddleheads in butter, add salt and garlic. Careful not to overcook. They taste like a cross between green beans and asparagus. Absolutely wonderful! One of my family’s favorite foraged foods, also day lily buds are wonderful cooked this way.
Lori says
Hey Mavis, I live in Vermont and I have chickens. I am only allowed 8 hens where I live and those girls don’t disappoint. I get 8 eggs a day. Brown, white and a blueish green eggs. Taking car of them in the winter is easy. Their feeder holds a fifty pound bag a food. They have a heated waterer that holds 10 gallons. They don’t lay eggs in the winter unless I give them artificial light( which I don’t) they don’t need heat because the are a hearty breed so I check on them once a week on nice days. Fresh eggs are the best!
Dianna says
What a delicious pickety bits platter! Our grocery budget doesn’t even stay within $100 per week (about 3x that actually). Such is life with 2 teens. Now that school is out I plan to organize the freezers so we’ll be eating a lot of forgotten food during the next couple of weeks. After they’re clean, I want to make some of Mel’s frozen meals!
Luke says
I’m finding my attempt to spend less on groceries isn’t going great. Every time I go to the store, I find that something I regularly buy has increased in price by 25-50%. Last time, it was a 50% increase on celery. I don’t understand the supposed inflation rate of ~9% when all of my bills and purchases have increased by at least 25%.
Cheryl says
Bologna. Love it. Bologna on white bread with French’s mustard, while drinking Hires root beer. Fried bologna on rye with melted cheese and mustard is awesome! I for sure will be adding bologna to my grocery list!
Nathans hots are good, but we still love our Zweigle white hots here in Rochester!
Bobby says
Nathan’s makes the best dog ever! Great choice!