Costco Shopping Trip $95.03
Last week after I dropped my husband off at the airport, I stopped by Costco and loaded up. Well, if you can call spending $95 loading up. 😉
I went up and down all the aisles but giant bags of nuts and dried fruits were really the only things that caught my eye.
Maybe I’m boring, or maybe you get to a certain point in your life and all you pretty much want is snacks.
I haven’t had the urge to make a big elaborate meal in a long time. Maybe that will change though with all the free time I’ll have soon. We’ll see.
Big salad with all the mix-ins.
Avocado toast.
Pixies and sausage.
So many pixies. The most I’ve eaten in one day so far has been 15.
8 Can taco soup. Delicious!
Trader Joe’s Shopping Trip $113.66 {above and below}
I also popped by Trader Joe’s and picked up a few essentials {teeny tiny avocados and their roasted red pepper and tomato soup!} and a few things for the freezer.
My husband LOVES the Trader Joe’s hatch chili mac and cheese and their Kung Pao and chicken teriyaki meals are a big time saver so I always try and remember to grab those when I’m there.
Sadly, there still isn’t a replacement for the chimichurri rice they discontinued a few months ago. 🙁
The tomato soup recipe I loved so much just isn’t the same without the chimichurri rice in it. It’s still my favorite store bought soup though.
You can never go wrong with a big Ceasar salad for dinner.
Or pickety bits.
Or beans and rice, rice and beans.
Even though I was on my own for half the week, I still stuck to the basics. Keeping it simple. That’s what it’s all about these days.
How about YOU? Did you make anything good this past week? Try any new recipes? I think I am going to try a new rye cookie recipe today.
I’ll report back if it’s a winner.
Have a good one,
~ Mavis
Total Spent This Past Week: $208.69
January $229.38
February $260.86
March $357.70
Brianna says
I am in a dinner rut. We are terribly busy most mornings and nights and I plan ahead, but it seems like the same rotation every week. I had a pound of 96 ground beef to do something with last night (it was intended for nachos, but everybody is tired of them) and for the life of me I couldn’t think of something else to do with it. It had to be something utilizing what we have because I am not running to the grocery store. I used to be good at coming up with something, but nope just blank. I used google and all the suggestions were for weird ingredient or fatty casseroles. I have to keep it low fat or the hubby gets sick for days. I ended up making tiny Swedish meatballs over no yolk noodles, it was bland and reminded my hubby of a MRE.
Hopefully with the seasons changing I can get out of the rut, it is just a crazy busy time of year between activities for the kids, appointments, house demands, hubby work travel, and kids each in elementary, middle, and high school. I had no idea that as the kids get older things get way more busier. I haven’t even had time to figure out shopping for my twins’ birthday early April and usually I am done with that by now, maybe I will just start giving them cash? I cannot wait until June and for a slower summer!
Mel says
If you still need to use the ground beef, you might like this:
https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a11374/hamburger-soup
Meg C says
Yes to this!! We have a 15yo & a 13yo and some weeks I feel like we’re not even all in the same room more than a few times due to kids’ activities schedules, grown-ups work, etc. I try to plan ahead to use a crockpot or to have enough for leftovers for a second meal but a lot days, I’m just counting it as a win that we all ate & didn’t order out! hahaha
That said, I know how much I am going to miss them and the busyness when the move into their next life phase so I’m trying to embrace the moments in the now. 😉
Lynn says
Sadly, Trader Joe’s has discontinued a few items that we really like. I bet you could make a copycat recipe of the TJ’s chimichurri rice, though.
Juli Anders says
I would love a copycat recipe! I’ve been lost without it.
Christa H. says
Yum! Love those TJ orange slices- bought them after seeing them on here so many times. A new staple for me now!
Have you ever tried Bays english muffins in the refrigerated section of a grocery store? Those are sooo tasty.
What is your favorite salad dressing that you typically use on your daily salads?
Is the Rutland Red cheese any good? I am not familiar with that one and I wonder if it has a cheddar flavor?
Mavis Butterfield says
Never tried Bays English muffins. I’ll look for those next time! I usually just use the dressing that comes in the kit or my favorite bacon dijon dressing. https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/bacon-dijon-salad-dressing/
Christa H. says
ok great- thank you! Bays in my area come in original and sour dough even though they have several different flavors. I prefer the original. I especially like that they are already sliced.
Jeanine says
Yes…goggle Trader Joe’s Chimichurri Rice recipe. I made it last week. Use the Chimichurri Sauce in the deli section at Trader Joe’s. Not hard to make and came out delicious. Also, I made chicken with the Chimichurri sauce. Yum!
Mavis Butterfield says
Awesome. Thank you!!
Holley says
That Rutland Red cheese looks interesting. Was it good?
Mavis Butterfield says
We wouldn’t buy it again. 🙂
Jamie says
I’ve never heard them called pixie’s…. we call them cutie’s.
Mavis Butterfield says
Pixies are a particular variety from Ojai, California. They are crazy sweet and the best we’ve ever had. https://www.ojaipixies.com/
Lana says
Ham chunk in a pot with potatoes, carrots and green beans for a couple the ours in the oven, delicious. Big bowl of coleslaw was salads for the week. Pork chops with hash brown casserole. Shepherds pie . Banana cake which we shared with our neighbors.
Sue says
TJ’s discontinued their Asian Style Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette a few years back, and I had some real sads over that. Come to find out California Pizza Kitchen makes a superb Thai Dressing that’s even better than TJ’s (which was a bit too acidic), with lower sodium & calories. And it’s available at WalMart!
Now I’m reading that TJ’s has brought back a new version of the dressing, “Thai Style Peanut Dressing.” Hmpf! To heck with YOU, TJ’s!!! I ain’t buying it.
You broke my heart once, you don’t get it back.
Rosemary says
Last week, Costco had leg of lamb on sale – $6.00 off each package! I bought 2. I cut up the 2 packages and made single serving pieces for the freezer and I also canned 8 small jars of lamb (for those times when a little extra meat is needed, or we forget to take it out of the freezer).
I love having a stocked pantry & freezer – it allows me to be able to create meals/desserts, etc without having to run to the store for an ingredient. We live in the outskirts of the county and running to the store for one thing is not convenient at all.
I stock up on items as they go on sale. I shop at Walmart, Costco, Publix and Sams. Whoever has the best deals, gets my money! Thankfully, Walmart & Costco (and Dollar Tree) share the same shopping center/parking lot and Publix is on the way home. Sams is about a mile past Walmart/Costco. If I had to drive all over town, it would not be very cost effective. And, both Costco & Sams have the cheapest gas prices in my area (we fill up the car once a week along with grocery shopping). Planning ahead is my strategy for saving on groceries.
Mavis Butterfield says
Costco seems to have the lowest prices for gas around here too! It makes it easy to gas up when we’re there, that’s for sure. How is the greenhouse?
Rosemary says
I don’t know about the greenhouse – I don’t think I have seen it yet at my Costco.
Lana says
We get great deals at Publix, too. We try to shop on Wednesday because we get a five percent senior discount.
suzanne says
Chimichurri freezes really well. Perfect for when your herbs are pumping out this summer and that food processor would earn its keep.
I love the additions you make to your salad kits. They really do turn it into a full meal. Do you add extra oil/vinegar/seasoning to dressing or just toss really well? My HH seems to need a lot of dressing .
Diana says
Made blueberry bagels last week and they were delicious! I also made butternut squash lasagna which was excellent-still have 10 squashes to use up from last year. May have to freeze some! Also eating lots of salads to use up the avocados from our tree, and the lettuce from the garden before it bolts. That is one thing about growing a lot of food, the garden tells you what to cook!
Annette says
Try the TJ’s glazed pecans! So good. Not a sticky toffee glaze – just right.
Kathy says
Finally found your Mediterranean crunch salad at one of our Walmarts. We are having it for supper tonight. Looking forward to trying it. We like Taylor farms Maple Burbon salad.
Sue S. says
Don’t you just love those orange slices? I really have to limit myself when I open a package from trader Joe’s. I have found that TJs will resupply an item if they hear from enough shoppers, like their toothpaste which was discontinued a while back and now a better version is back.
JulieP says
I see others have suggested a fake recipe. I had to try it when you first mentioned it, we don’t have trader joes although our Aldi sometimes sells products with their name on. I tried a recipe from Pinterest and make enough to freeze in ziplocks so can add to soup when I need it. Can’t say if it is as good as the original but we really like it.