After my husband went to Costco to pick up a few things a couple of weeks ago, he basically busted my $100 a month grocery budget for the year.
As anyone who shops at Costco knows, it takes a great amount of willpower to walk through that place with blinders on and only buy what’s on your list.
So, my plan moving forward was to only buy milk and eggs for the rest of the year.
And it was a solid plan.
But then Hannaford, which {in my opinion} rarely has deals that are good enough to jump out of bed for, came out with their Thanksgiving ad and well, it was a deal breaker.
Usually I am not a fan of Hannaford’s prices. But last week they have some great deals that I just couldn’t pass up. So I loaded up.
- Frozen turkeys $0.47 a pound {limit of 2 and there was no shopping minimum}
- 80/20 Ground beef $1.87 a pound
- Sweet potatoes and onions $0.47 a pound
- Hannaford bacon 16 ounces $3.50
- Hannaford sausage $3.49 a pound
- Potatoes $2 for 5 pounds
Hannaford $83.55
I had gotten to the store about a minute or two after it opened and there were already about 70 cars in the lot. So clearly, other people thought the deals were pretty good too.
On my first trip I picked up 6 pounds of bacon, nearly 11 pounds of ground beef, 2 giant turkeys, 2 pounds of sausage and a few other things I needed.
Hannaford $49.34
On my second trip I loaded up on more bacon, ground beef, sweet potatoes, onions and some brussel sprouts {the sprouts were $1.99 a pound}. I would have bought 2 more turkeys, and more ground beef, but there just wasn’t anymore freezer space left.
And anyway, The Girl got a free turkey from work {which she gave us because she didn’t want it} so we now have 3 turkeys, which is more than enough if you ask me.
Rather than shove all the ground beef in the freezer in those awkwardly large 3+ pound packages, I decided to take an hour or so and do some meal prep with it.
The first thing I did was break out the loaf pans. I made 4 meatloaves and popped the pans in the freezer to set the meat.
After they were frozen soild, I wrapped them in plastic wrap.
And then stuffed them in a zip baggie and put them back in the freezer to use at a later date.
I also whipped up some meatballs, laid the pan in the freezer until the meatballs were frozen and then tucked those into a zip baggies as well for a later date.
I also formed 24 mini burgers as well.
I used a tart round to make them uniform.
And I also made a batch of taco meat for the freezer as well.
For that I simply tossed a package of ground beef in the Crock Pot {about 3.5 pounds} added a hearty shake of taco seasoning and 2 jars of our homemade salsa and cooked it on high until the meat was cooked though and the house smelled magical.
After the meat cooled, I drained the fat and bagged the taco meat into small zip baggies and tossed those into the freezer as well.
So now we have a section of the freezer filled with meatloaf, meatballs, burger patties and taco meat for this winter. Yee-Haw!
I may be over my budget for the year, but at those prices, I just couldn’t resist stocking up. 🙂
How about YOU? Did you find any awesome deals this past week you just had to buy? And what’s the best deal you’ve seen on eggs? They’re still around $4 a dozen here.
~Mavis
Total Spent This Past Week on Groceries $132.89
- Total Spent in November on Groceries $146.18
- Total Spent in October on Groceries $140.91
- Total Spent in September on Groceries $57.08
- Total Spent in August of Groceries $24.29
- Total Spent in July on Groceries $335.47
- Total Spent in June for Groceries $124.45
- 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 $1395.98
Beth B says
Eggs are $1.99/dozen here in the STL metro east. I’m going out today to pick up butter from Aldi for $2.49/lb. Need to stock up at that price. I love to see all your freezer meals. That was some great prep work!
Jennifer says
Aldi’s has butter $2.49#, limit 6 and 1# sausage chubs for 2.29. As I have gotten older and COVID affected my taste/smell, I prefer sausage to ground beef in things like spaghetti and chili, so this is a huge deal for me. Food Lion has sweet potatoes for .39# and that’s the lowest I’ve seen here in NC so I’ll definitely stock up. We love these in place of baked potatoes sometimes with butter and brown sugar.
Now if I could only find butts at your prices.
Peg says
The best deal I found was a 10-pound bag of russets for 97 cents. The friend who I shared deals like these (and she with me) moved away this summer. So a good amount of these potatoes will be shared with our daughter-in-law later this week. We’re empty nesters, and even though I could happily eat potatoes every day of the week, my husband will hardly touch them (even though he has no problem eating a bag of potato chips, not single serving size either, in one sitting).
jess says
Those are a some great meat prices! You have to get them and stock up when your budget allows. This is the type of meal prepping I tell people to do when they are asking about it. Side dishes will fall into place.. Figure out the meat situation and prep that in bulk! If the meatballs are already made they can be sauced 5 different ways easy.. Meatloaf or lasagna can be popped into the oven to bake.. its the prep and clean up of making it that kills you on a late afternoon!
Rosemary Calhoun says
I’m with you! I would have had to stock up at those prices as well. I have not seen any great deals here (northern Florida) except for the .49 cent/lb turkeys. I bought 2. When I buy the ground beef at Costco, I divide it up into 1 lb packages (to use for meatloaf, meatballs, tacos, goulash, etc) and some individual hamburgers. I don’t prep the ground beef as I never know what I will want to use it for, so I just divide into 1 lb packs. I have an old Tupperware hamburger press (from the 1970’s) that I use to make my hamburgers. I would say that you did excellent on your goal of $100/month. If my math is correct, it looks like you spent about $116/month and that is amazing!
PS: 2 dozen organic eggs at Costco were 7.49 last week. The price went up – I think it was 6.79 when I bought them last month.
Nadia says
Winn Dixie in Monticello and Tallahassee has sweet potatoes for 47 cents/pound right now
Nancy S says
Prepping ground beef as patties and freezing them are great whether you use them for hamburgers or not. Pull out one or two patties to thaw to add to spaghetti sauce. Or decide you want to try a new meatloaf recipe pull out 4-5 frozen patties to equal the amount of meat needed. Separate the small packages and they thaw very very quickly.
Cindi says
Those are some great deals.
The local natural food store still sells local, pasture-raised eggs for 1.99 a dozen. This has been their price since 2018 and every time I walk in I expect to learn they aren’t doing this anymore, but they still are!
Safeway sent me a coupon for butter for 1.99 a pound and I bought 20 pounds. Should last me a while.
Jamie says
Aldi’s has eggs for 1.19 a dozen – by far the best price around!! Those were amazing deals you scored!
Mavis Butterfield says
That is a great deal!
Elle says
FANTASTIC prices and I concur, you absolutely HAD to break the $100 plan and stock up. You’re set for many months in the meat pantry.
The only deal here is Spiral Ham for $2.49/lb. I’ll head out in a bit to grab one of those. I will vacuum seal in 1/2# units and we’ll have it for mac n’ cheese, breakfasts for months to come!
I did get 5lb butter last week at $2.99/lb. Best price I’ve seen since spring. I probably have enough in the freezer until May now! (still have some from spring sale).
Our CSA just ended so I’ll be back to buying veggies soon. We’re stocked up on squash but I don’t want it every day for 3 weeks!
Happy Thanksgiving Mavis and all your readers.
Hawaii Planner says
No good deals around here, but wow, those are some great prices!
Margo says
Good job! I did get one 12lb fresh turkey for $2.49/lb which got cut up into smaller portions and frozen. I did get a 20 lb frozen turkey for Thanksgiving for .69/lb and that will be roasted on our grill. Other than the turkey, haven’t seen much on sale that we could use. You did well, Mavis! Eggs are about $3.99 a dozen here, so no great finds there.
OregonGuest says
Reminds me to set aside money for these great deals that pop up — amazing job on the food budget considering inflation, Mavis! Also, really shows we all need to be gardening, however we can, in whatever space we have available!
Pat says
I bought sweet potatoes for 19 cents/lb with a digital coupon at my local Krogers. They also had turkeys for 49 cents/lb but the largest turkey available was just over 14 pounds. I normally look for a 22-26 lb bird to feed my extended family. Looks like I’ll be returning for another one.
Mavis Butterfield says
$0.19 a pound for sweet potatoes. I don’t think it gets much lower than that!
Mary Ann says
Aldi and Food 4 Less (Kroger) had butter for $2.99 lb last week, so I added to my stockpile and now have 25 lbs of butter in the freezer (hubby smokes a lot of meat and baking season is here).
I picked up 2 frozen turkeys at Aldi for .65lb and one at Vons (Safeway/Albertsons) for .68lb (with $25 purchase).
Food 4 Less had Pork Butt on sale for .87lb, so I picked up 4 – 2 packs (hubby smoked 2 Saturday and I now have a lot of frozen portions in the freezer for easy meals). They also had 2 packs of whole chickens for .77lb on digital coupon special (could use the coupon up to 5 times). I bought the max, so I put 10 whole chickens in the freezer.
Vons had New York strip roast and bone-in rib eye roast for $6.99 lb (limit 2, total), so I got one of each. Stater Brothers had bone-in rib eye roasts for $5.99 lb, so I got 2 there as well. I cut all 4 roasts into nice, thick steaks and individually vacuum packed them. I also packed up the ribs for the freezer. Stater Bros also had pork loin ribs for $2.99 lb, so I put a couple more of those in the freezer as well.
Food 4 Less had 2 lb cheese shreds for $4.99, so I got a few of those and broke them down into 8oz bags for the freezer. They also had boneless skinless chicken breasts for $1.99lb, so I bought 4 family packs and broke them down into smaller packs for the freezer.
Our kitchen fridge and garage fridge freezer compartments were already full, as was our upright freezer. With prices going so crazy and so much uncertainty right now, we ended up buying another upright freezer. It is now close to full as well. I think we’re good on everything except fresh produce, milk, and eggs for quite a while.
Egg prices here in southern California have been over $3 a dozen for regular white eggs for quite a while. I’ve been buying the cage free brown eggs at Aldi for $3.85 a dozen. It’s hit or miss as to whether or not they’re in stock when I go each week. Even the lactose free milk I buy was out of stock last week. I don’t like to buy regular milk because of its short fridge life. Lactose free always lasts SO much longer.
Mavis Butterfield says
25 pounds of butter. Well done Mary Ann.
Tanya says
The reason the lactose free milk lasts so much longer is because it’s ultra-pasteurized. You can buy ultra-pasteurized “regular” milk too. Fairlife is one of the main brands.
Lynn from NC Outer Banks says
Those prices were definitely not to be missed! I’d gotten pork butts for .99/# which I was thrilled about. That’s as low as they’ve gotten here. Haven’t seen ground beef at your price in decades. White potatoes never got lower than .60/lb here. Here in the largest producer of sweet potatoes (NC), they are .25/# this week at both major grocery store chains. I stocked up and may pick up a few more pounds. Onions remain about .99/# and that’s not even “sweet” onions. With an order of $40 I picked up a turkey for .29/lb. I picked up eggs on sale at 1.99. Not on sale they are 3.79. I still have a few items to purchase so may go back and pick up a second turkey, if I have room in my freezer. All that prep work will save so very much time in the future. Good for you!
Happy Thanksgiving Mavis to you, your family and all of your followers here.
Susan says
I just left my local Aldi and one dozen eggs were 3.79 in Texas.
Diane says
I’ve lucked out this year and have been invited for Thanksgiving, so I’ve totally disconnected from all things shopping at least through this week anyway. Gives me a chance to eat some of my freezer meals. Lucky me!
Kim says
I’m glad you weren’t legalistic about your goal. Those prices are not to be passed up!
Happy Thanksgiving
Jamie says
It makes good sense to stock up when you can, especially with prices right now. We stocked up on GOOD butter (25% off if you buy 4 or more, limit 12), flour (15% off) and, because it is the holidays and the sale prices were excellent… and we are vegetarians…, I stocked up on faux holiday meat products and stored them in our chest freezer for use over the next few months.
Mimi says
These days you can’t pass up deals like that, they don’t pop up often enough. And double points for the meal prepping!
Gwen says
Do you use the same recipe for the meatloaf and the meatballs and the hamburgers?
Kim says
When I find ground beef at amazing prices, I’ll stock up. I take them out of those bulky packages and break them down into one pound portions that I put into separate freezer, gallon, ziplock bags. I’ll then take a rolling pin and roll the ground beef flat, basically filling each ziplock bag. I then seal, and stack them up. This saves space, and the ziplock bag defrosts super quickly when I need the meat for a meal.
I hope someone finds this tip helpful; it really has allowed me to stock up on huge quantities of beef whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Nancy D says
Thanks! Great idea. I’d just been patting them flat. I’m trying your method next time!
Samantha says
Holy cats we need to retire somewhere that is not the expensive PNW! What amazing deals!!
Connie says
Our sweet potatoes 3#/1.00. I stocked up. Wrapped in newspaper and into cardboard box in garage, They will keep all winter.
My daughter in TX said HEB had sweet potatoes 7# for 1.00.
You are smart to process meat before freezing. Since so many ranchers had to sell off herds due to feed prices there may be deals on beef and I will stock up too.
bobbi says
WOW those prices are awesome! We don’t have Hannafords(?) in Florida but if we did….I would buy them out for sure! Our grocery stores are pathetic. Even Aldi is high. I don’t understand either. We have a growing season almost all year around! lol. I live in Lala land for sure,
Ashley Bananas says
I’ve only seen deals on turkeys at .49 cents a pound. Some Aldi’s rolled back prices, but ours didnt get the memo in SWFL. I dud the ibotta free turkey, but had to do several deals to get it. May be less effort to just buy a .49 a lb turkey next time if they make it took many hoops to jump through.
Joanna says
Happy Thanksgiving Mavis!! Dozen of eggs here in Michigan .. 4.49. No deals here!