How We Spend Less Than $100 a Month on Groceries Week 21 of 52

In a nutshell, last week was pretty awesome food wise. I’m having fun with my Eating Local Challenge and seriously look forward to my visit to the farmer’s market each week.

The new kids on the block this weekend were strawberries, hot house tomatoes and cucumbers. There was also a vendor offering snap peas. How cool is that? I didn’t have a need to buy milk or eggs this week so I was able to spend a little more at the market this time around. Here are the prices I paid.

Farmers Market

Carrots $3.50 a bunch
Asparagus $3.50
Lettuce, Spinach $3 per bag
Cucumber $1.00
Cherry tomatoes $1.50
Strawberries $5.50 {quart}

Total spent at the Farmers Market $24.50

I would never, in a million years pay $3.50 for 9 carrots at the grocery store. But a funny thing happens when you’re able to see the face of the person who actually GREW the food on display in front of you. Something changes, and all the sudden you find yourself willing to pay triple the amount you normally would for something that was just harvested hours before rather than something that has been sitting in the produce section for weeks wrapped in plastic.

Local strawberries. I don’t think there is a person on the planet who would say those giant strawberries offered at the warehouse stores for super cheap taste better than homegrown ones.

So why are people still buying them?

Scratch Bakery $8.55

Cinnamon rolls $4.70
Bread $3.85

I now have enough breakfast food {oatmeal, cinnamon rolls, sweet potato bread and strawberry scones} to last me the rest of this spring’s stint here on the east coast. I know I could just as easily make a loaf of bread myself, but I adore the people who run the local scratch bakery and I look forward to shopping there every time I visit.

Local Corn Salsa $3.50 It did not disappoint.

Here’s what I ate last week {minus snacks}:

Monday

Breakfast – Pancakes with maple syrup, eggs and bacon
Lunch –  I have no idea
Dinner – Beans and Rice

Tuesday

Breakfast – Eggs, bacon and pancakes with Vermont maple syrup
Lunch – Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Beets
Dinner – Baked whole wheat french toast with Vermont maple syrup

Wednesday

Breakfast – Leftover baked french toast
Lunch – Beans and Rice {seriously, it’s one of my favorite things to eat}
Dinner – Roasted sweet potatoes and beets, chick pea salad

Thursday

Breakfast – Oatmeal with raspberry jam
Lunch – Free Lunch at Panera – Chicken Cobb Salad {thanks S!}
Dinner – Black bean and sweet potato soup and a cinnamon roll

Friday

Breakfast – The last of the baked french toast
Lunch – Chickpea salad
Dinner – Black bean and sweet potato soup

Saturday

Breakfast – French toast with strawberries
Lunch – Black bean and sweet potatoes over rice
Dinner – Big Salad and a strawberry scone

Sunday

Breakfast – Cinnamon sweet potato bread
Lunch – Tabbouleh {recipe coming soon}
Dinner – Big Salad and a slice of bread

So there you have it. Another week of eating local.

~Mavis

Total Spent This Week $36.55 <– Holy cow man!

• Total Spent in May $268.24 Awesome 😉
• Total Spent in April $0
• Total Spent in March $136.58
• Total Spent in February $106.85
• 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

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