I didn’t buy anything exciting this week, mostly because there just wasn’t anything I really needed on sale, and because I’m trying SUPER hard to stay around $100 a month for our groceries this year. In fact, unless something super fantastic pops up on sale, I may just skip the grocery store this week.
I try and keep a running shopping list of what’s on sale and what we actually need on my desk. That way, when deals pop up I can jot them down and then when it’s time to go shopping, I reanalyze the list.
I also try to only go grocery shopping once a week while I’m out running other errands. Not only does keeping a list save time, it helps me avoid impulse purchases. Well, that, and there’s the fact that I don’t like to dawdle. 😉 In and out in 5-10 minutes or less. That’s how I shop. I’m weird that way.
Albertsons $12.19
This week Albertsons had 4 pound sacks of sugar on sale for $1.49 each with their buy 5 save $5 promo. $0.38 a pound for sugar is a pretty good deal if you ask me {Costco is usually around $0.49 a pound for the 25 pound sack.} Campbell’s tomato soup was on sale for $0.79 and this is my all time favorite canned soup and I love having it on hand for sick days.
Albertsons $5.99
Pasta $0.75 a box, Tater Tots for the boys $1.75, American Cheese $1.99.
So maybe I’m a total nerd, but when I buy something, I want to get this biggest bang for my buck. So when pasta goes on sale, I tend to buy the box with more product in it. Even though I was making Crock Pot Lasagna for dinner and typically use shell type pasta for it, the box of rigatoni had 4 more ounces of pasta in. Am I the only one who does this? {Please tell me I’m not}.
Harbor Greens Market $2.90
Cauliflower $1.00 a head {what should I make with it?}, Avocados 2 for $1, red pears $0.99 a pound, and crappy store bought tomatoes $0.99 a pound.
Our Kitchen Garden
You can read more about our late January harvest on Dig For Your Dinner.
Meals I ate last week {Snacks not included}
Monday
Breakfast – Oatmeal with strawberries, smoothie
Lunch – Egg salad sandwhich, toasted, on wheat bread
Dinner – Curry Chicken and brown rice
Tuesday
Breakfast – Oatmeal with maple syrup and raisins, smoothie
Lunch – Leftover split pea soup
Dinner – Chicken soup with brown rice, spinach, carrots, and sundried tomatoes
Wednesday
Breakfast – Smoothie, peanut butter and strawberry jam toast
Lunch – Leftover chicken soup with no knead crusty bread
Dinner – Handmade tortillas with beef, black beans, guacamole and cheese
Thursday
Breakfast – Steel cut oats with frozen blueberries
Lunch – Leftover chicken soup and a smoothie
Dinner – Crock Pot Lasagna
Friday
Breakfast – Leftover pasta and a smoothie {Do you like cold pasta? I do!}
Lunch – Panera Chicken Cobb Salad and Bread
Dinner – Leftover Crock Pot Lasagna
Saturday – Day 6 of being sick and the worst day yet. 🙁
Breakfast – Scrambled eggs with black beans and homemade salsa
Lunch – Haagen Dazs Raspberry sorbet, tomato soup
Dinner – Crock pot chicken, roasted butternut squash
Sunday
Breakfast – Eggs, ham and toast
Lunch – Chicken Taquitos and guacamole
Dinner – Leftover chicken and squash
Where are all the fruits and vegetables? In our freezer! 😉 I get this asked every single week and rest assured, we do get plenty of fruits and veggies during the winter months. They just typically come in the form of smoothies, popped in our oatmeal, in a casserole or as a side dish.
~Mavis
Total Spent This Week $21.08
Total Spent in Janaury $105.36
Freebies we’ve been gifted or were earned in 2016: $200
- $100 gift card to Whole Foods {Christmas gift from my parents}
- $100 gift card to Trader Joe’s {Christmas gift from my parents}
- 22 packets of vegetable seeds
Go HERE to read more Shopping Trip Stories.
Kari says
What to do with the cauliflower? Your recipe for the curry roasted cauliflower is the best on the planet!! Plus, the curry spices and garlic will knock that cold clean out of you! Add a bit of cayenne, also, and it will open up your sinuses. What time is dinner?
Mary G says
You’re not alone about the choice of food sizes when purchasing. I definitely pay attention as to whether the pasta bag or box is a full pound or 12 ounces, or whatever odd shrinking size they happen to be. My preference is to get the full pound at a good price. As for the cauliflower, I’d vote for a curry dish. Cauliflower goes so well in a curry. 🙂
Vicki B. says
This is what you should make with your cauliflower: http://paleonadime.blogspot.com/2013/05/loaded-buffalo-chicken-and-cauliflower.html
I’d be making it for dinner this week, but cauliflower was $5.99 a head here. In just about every grocery store. I’ve never seen it that expensive before – I figured there was some sort of cauliflower shortage.
Marcia says
There is a shortage! Cold snap in CA and AZ.
Cathy says
Check out http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001549.html for cauliflower soup with Gorgonzola cheese. Easy and so delicious.
Mrs. Chow says
Yes, I buy pasta that way, too, but we are picky about the rice and pastas we buy.
Louise says
Cauliflower? Did you know that up here in Canada, it was recently $8.00 a head? Even with the crashing Canadian dollar, that’s like $5.00 a head. It’s funny how things that are inexpensive here are very different from the things that are inexpensive for you.
Susan says
Reading the comments, I guess we have it pretty good in the cauliflower department 🙂 I paid .88 lb. last week at Chuck’s – got 2 nice heads for $3.xx (but celery is ridiculously priced right now- $1.99 lb. everywhere! NO thanks!)
I made 7 pints of Indian Cauliflower with it! Was having a canning withdrawal. LOVE the way it looks- haven’t tried it yet 🙂
Indian Cauliflower
2 medium heads cauliflower
1 medium carrot- thinly bias sliced
1 medium onion- cut into thin wedges
2 fresh serrano chile peppers- sliced
2 T. olive oil
8 cloves garlic-sliced
1 T grated fresh ginger
2 t. ground turmeric
2t. cumin seeds
1 t. mustard seeds
4 1/2 cups white vinegar
4 1/2 cups water 4 t. pickling salt
Chop enough cauliflower to make 12 cups small florets. In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, carrots, onion, serrano peppers, olive oil, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds.
Mix vinegar, water and salt and bring to a boil.
Pack cauliflower mixture into hot, sterilized canning jars- leaving 1/2 inch headspace.. Pour hot vinegar mixture over vegetables in jars- maintaining the 1/2 inch headspace.
Wipe jar rims- adjust lids and screw bands.
Process for 15 minutes.
Lauralli says
I love simple roasted cauliflower. Could eat the whole pan! But, if you’re thinking something else, Pioneer Woman’s Cauliflower Soup is amazing. And, a recipe I tried and got 4 1/2 thumbs up (out of 5 people–pretty good around here!) is to make a cauliflower sauce similar to alfredo sauce. I don’t know exactly which recipe I used, but you can just google it and try one! Let us know what you decide!
Taryn says
Mavis, would you please share your recipe for tortillas? I got a tortilla press/cooker for Christmas and am looking for a good recipe. Thank you!
Mavis Butterfield says
Here you go. http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/recipe-how-to-make-homemade-tortillas-2/
Taryn says
Thank you!
Marcia says
Bummer that you were sick for so long. I hate being sick. My younger child has been sick 6 times since mid-November (3 times barfing, ugh!)
I shop in a similar way – keeping a list of what we need, and a list of what’s on sale, and reevaluate as I go.
I also look at weight in a box of pasta…
AlysonRR says
What about cauliflower cheese? That’s what my English husband always wants to make when we have cauliflower.
It was cheap for us, too (not surprising – we’re very near you). I roasted half as a side dish, with balsamic vinegar, and the other half I will chop and include in the veg mix for okonomiyaki.
Julia says
I’d roast the cauliflower with some onion. I used Old Bay seasoning on it for a little extra special something. My son can eat a whole pan! Just saw our local store had cauliflower for $1 a head so I’m “heading” over today to get some!!
Mavis says
That’s sounds delicious! Thanks for the idea.
Emily says
How about roasted cauliflower steaks? I keep seeing them in magazines and I’d love to hear if they are good.
Mavis says
I’ve never made them before. *heads to google cauliflower steaks*
Nancy C. says
Do you include the cost of the meat in your monthly grocery bill?