We spent a lot of time outside working in the garden this past week and while I didn’t spend much time worrying about what I was going to make for dinner, we still ate well. At least in my book.
Here are some photos of what we ate last week:
Homemade beef stew. We LOVED how this turned out so much, we’re already looking forward to making another batch to tuck away for winter.
Bet’s Fish Fry. Delicious!
Pickety bits.
Beans and rice, rice and beans.
Copycat Panera Tomato Bisque Soup. It’s in my top 5 of all time favorite meals.
We spent $15.05 at Scammaford. $4.49 for 5 pounds of potatoes. Are you serious!?
$7 for a crusty loaf of bread and $16 for real cheese.
$48.39 for 8 quarts {@$5.95 each} of fresh local strawberries and $.79 for a local cucumber.
Local produce is a weakness of mine. You just can’t beat the flavor of a local strawberry {or any fruit for that matter} vs days old fruit that was trucked/flown in from who knows where.
It sure costs a pretty penny, but it’s totally worth it in my opinion.
We ate a few of the strawberries fresh, made 2 batches of jam {I’ll post the recipe soon} and dehydrated the rest.
I think we might go back for another flat, but I’m not sure yet. I was going to freeze some of the strawberries, but decided against it because freezer space might be a little tight this winter.
The dehydrated strawberries will be a perfect addition to our oatmeal this winter.
I stuffed about 4 quarts of sliced strawberries into the dehydrator and about 8 hours later was let with 1 quart.
I also dehydrated some chives from the garden as well.
After The Girl ran off with my old dehydrator, we bought a Cosori food dehydrator and have been using it ever since. It’s much quieter than my old one and it works really well.
I think between canning, dehydrating and freezing our extra vegetables from the garden this summer, the only thing we’d truly need to go to the grocery store for this winter is milk and eggs. Seriously, how cool would that be?
Life. It just gets more interesting when you think outside of the box. đ
So how did YOU do this past week with YOUR grocery dollars? Have you hit up the local farmstand for strawberries yet this year? What kind of prices are you seeing where you live?
Have a great Monday everyone,
~Mavis
Total Spent This Past Week on Groceries $86.44
- Total Spent in June for Groceries $108.46
- Total Spent in May for Groceries $172.47 {$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 $680.75
Rosemary Calhoun says
Has anyone noticed any specific shortages in their areas? I read an article that there is a shortage of feminine products (sanitary napkins, etc) so I bought 2 extra packages since we have a teenage granddaughter in the house. The shelf wasnât fully stocked but it wasnât empty either. The article also mentioned a shortage of hot sauce. The one shortage I have noticed is the pasta aisle â it has been half empty for quite a while now. Every week I feel like I am playing a game â instead of âwhereâs Waldoâ, itâs âwhere are the supplies I needâ. I have always had a âbe preparedâ kind of mentality but lately it is getting harder to plan ahead. And my food budget keeps taking the hit. At least I know we will have eggs â our chickens do a good job keeping us supplied!
Kathy says
I work retail in a local drugstore, and let me tell you about the shortages. Formula-our shelves have been bare for at least 6 weeks.
Feminine products are in short supply as the big box stores have empty shelves and it was posted we have a limited supply (we are limiting who much one customer can have because of it.)
Adult incontinence products.
Antacid products, all brands. Include in this probiotics and cough/cold/flu and allergy OTC products.
Frozen foods, from single items to TV dinner type meals.
Bagged ice. It took the ice people a month to finally get us some.
Propane gas. Took the Blue Rhino people almost 4 weeks to stock us 1/2 full.
Tobacco products. I know many will say yippee but I’m tired of people coming in and getting all snarky with us for not having their brand of cigarettes in stock. We went a month without a tobacco delivery and what we did get was not what was needed.
Snacks like chips and crackers, candy and pop have been slow to fill the dwindling shelves.
Bottled water of any brand.
Pantry items like pasta sauce, pasta, canned meat (tuna, chicken, spam and ham), canned hash and stew, soups in a bowl (like ramin), and, of all things, condiments and peanut butter/jelly.
Hair care items, shampoo, conditioner, hair styling gels, hair spray.
I understand stocking big box retailers but some only shop at the local drug store and we need it too!
My suggestion to all is this: if it isn’t on the shelf, try ordering online but watch for price gouging. After what happened at the beginning of the pandemic, I order certain items online now, so it can be kept on my store’s shelves and I’m not accused of “hoarding” it like I was 2 yrs ago when I had nothing at home.
Good luck to all! My sister’s and I are canning up a storm this year, and we are even giving a go at pasta and sauerkraut making,
Jamie says
This is super helpful Kathy! Thank you for sharing.
Terri Lindeke says
We haven’t done too bad, it is just the 2 of us. We do grocery pick up as needed and go to Costco every month or so. Each time we buy a case of toilet paper. Good thing! The other day the price was astronomical. So good thing we had a stash.
There are certain basics we have plenty of. And our freezer is full of meat and other items.
Grocery prices continue to rise. Definitely planting some fall crops.
Here’s hoping world peace, end of the pandemic, and prosperity for all happens in the next 6 months
Brianna says
I noticed the scarcity of feminine hygiene products about 3 months ago. I am fortunate my overpriced go-to brand is not popular since I have an allergy to formaldehyde and other bleaching agents used in most paper products. My brand was pretty much the only one left standing on the shelvesâŚ.all the Kotex, always, playtex, stay free, etc. have been constantly depleted at the stores.
I had a friend who made pads from flannel and I thought she was crazy as it reminded me of the old belts. She just was very mindful, organic, and hated waste. I hope we do not have to resort to doing that and menstrual cups.
T says
Have you tried period underwear? Thinx is one brand Iâve heard of (and used before), and you can even find them in Target now. They are machine washable and environmentally friendly.
Mrs. M says
I’ve used a menstrual cup for about 8 years… so easy and convenient once you learn how to use it. (Even tampons have a leaning curve.)
Not only is it better for my body, I’ve save a LOT of money and don’t have to worry about supply issues for those products.
jen says
Someone has been busy making sure the food shortages remain! Chicken houses are being set on fire. recently 4000 head of cattle supposedly all died of heat exhaustion at the same time, same placeâŚask any farmer if that is possible. maybe an act of a corrupt and evil government. There are just too many coincidences and off the wall poop happening!
Elle says
I continue to get my free-range eggs from a past work colleague. She insists that $2/dz covers costs. To use your fave word…… yeeeehaw!
Our CSA is in full swing, this being week 6. The farm production is fantastic and our share is HUGE! Every week I’m blanching/freezing nearly half of what we get. And sadly, I wasted 1 humungous head of lettuce that got too grungy even for me. Our chef salads are BIG!
I have a freezer stocked with free-range ground beef and fresh Alaskan sockeye salmon (bought from a local family who goes fishing every summer). So, I’m only buying organic chicken-up about 30%, organic milk and a few other staples. I’m not buying enough at the stores to notice prices honestly.
I’m actually becoming a bit concerned about how full my freezer will be before we ever start harvesting our garden. Hmmmmmmm….
Happy everything! đ
HollyG says
I haven’t seen many shortages here, but have noticed that the ‘sales’ ads for the local groceries keep recirculating the same items over and over. The same cut of meat, the same snack items, the same gallon of milk…..not much new or different.
The great news is the hens are laying, the freezer is full, the pantry is in good shape and the garden is creeping along (we could really use some sun).
Linda says
I purchased 12 qts of strawberries from my Amish neighbor for $4.00 a qt. They berries this year are big and sweet. Ten went in the freezer, the other two were for jam and shortcake.
Denise says
Have you tried canning berries whole in med syrup. Use berries in dessert ie cake or ice cream. Syrup is wonderful on pancakes French toast or anything you use syrup for.
Ashley Bananas says
I’m interested to see if there are any sales worth shopping for for Fourth of July. Memorial day ads here were pretty slim pickings. We’ve been working at eating our left overs more….I’m sure I made myself sick at least once or twice, but I can laugh at it. Seriously considering cutting internet at home, but we stream tv and my son plays online video games. It would be hard, but we really just cant seem to save money in any one direction hard enough lately.
Patti says
Our strawberries are $16 for a gallon so that is $4.00/quart. This week they are buy one, get one free at the farm where we go. I think because peaches and blueberries are in and everyone quits buying strawberries. Might have to go get more as we have really enjoyed several gallon buys and not put up any for later.
Julie says
This wouldnât be for the squeamishâŚ.but, I have been seeing Period PantiesâŚ.. you donât use anything but the panties, they absorb different amounts, and keep it away from your skin, and supposedly never leakâŚâŚI donât know how they work, or if theyâre good or not. Of course, they glorify them, it would be interesting to see how good they work in real life!! That would be one cure for the sanitary products problem !
Anne says
I am a lady of a certain age, and sometimes at night itâs a challenge to get up and into the bathroom quickly enough. I am long past needing anything for periods, but bought some of these panties and am shocked how well they work. I donât have a big problem, just a little leak, but these make it seem like it never happened! I am quite pleased!
Dianna says
My daughter uses these and loves them! She says they don’t leak even on heavy days. She only uses them at night, though (I was concerned about the need to change in the middle of the school/work day). I’m considering buying some for myself.
Peg says
The stew looks delicious!
I had a pickup grocery order this morning, second in a week, Iâm really concerned about the price of diesel and yet more supply chain issues. Didnât buy much, but got everything I ordered.
Judy T says
In my neck of the woods, Eastern PA, I have been paying 4.99 for 5 lbs of Yukon Gold potatoes since about March. The local berry picking farm is selling them at $3 / lb to pick your own, $6/qt for already picked.
Nanci Fitschen says
Our local UPick strawberry farm had an influx of bugs. They were due to start today. Instead the bugs decimated the whole crop. So sad. They are a mennonite family and also have an apple orchard. I hope that will be ok.
Tonjia says
Here in Texas things are getting hard to find. But price gouging has already started. Butter went fron $4.99 to $8.99 and brisket is well over $100.00 Other things are going up or not available. And yes the sanitary napkins are getting pricey. The maker of Tampax said the are trying to decide if they need to stop making them.
Ramona says
I live in Idaho and have noticed some shelves a little bare. Baby formula in particular. Of coarse it is the price of things that is concerning. I’m not eating nearly as much meat as I once did. Not I am making it stretch. I did see some good prices on a few things this last week. When I started seeing news stories of bare shelves it reminded me of when years ago I saw stories of Russia and how bare their shelves were. Never thought I would see the day that it is happening here. Maybe it was last fall Mavis wrote that she was going to stock up on some items because she “felt ” something was coming or would be different, well here it is now. I am trying to move so haven’t stocked up or planted a garden this year.
Cindy says
I see different things out of stock all the baking powder, peanut butter had been for awhile now, salt tine crackers, noodles, certain brands of dog food and sometimes the toilet paper is not much to choose from. 5 pounds of potatoes at Safeway is $4.49 Fresh local strawberries are worth the extra money. Support local the is what they say. I am use to buying the same items I didnât pay attention but now I do notice and wow have they gone up. Gas here in eastern Washington is $5.53 I make a list and combine it with other errands to do and I live 6 miles from town. I canât believe you almost paid for the stove in 6 months. Wow!! way to go determination helps a lot.
Linda Practical Parsimony says
I cannot find the pads I want without going to several stores. Since I need a walker to get in, I was exhausted and never found some pads I need. So, I have a standing order at Amazon, once a month. It solved problems. Since the amount in one package is more than I use in a month, I am building up a cushion but not hoarding.
Mavis, I tried dehydrating strawberries with the intention of eating them for snacks or in snack mixes. However, the seeds were so hard that they were nasty to eat. I have eaten dehydrated strawberries before, but I don’t know how they eliminate the hard seeds.
I found store product that is half the price or better on Amazon. So, I order cans of stuff from Amazon and do not bother with stores. We buy little canned food, but what we buy is about half the cost of store buys.