Grocery Shopping

[landofoz]

Sorry to start a new subject but I didn't want to hijack Sarah's thread! 

I don't get the newspaper and don't like coupons anyway.  I make a lot from scratch (pizza dough, syrup, rolls, biscuits, pancakes, tortillas, cupcakes, etc).  I don't ever buy mixes (okay, okay, except my two shameful experiences buying cake mixes for my sister's wedding).  I do not ever buy steaks or fancy cuts of meat, usually pork loin (on sale 1.99/lb), chicken breasts (on sale 2.59/lb), italian sausage/brats (sale 2.79/lb), and 92% lean hamburger (2.59/lb--direct from the butcher).  Also no chips, candy, or "extras" for us either.  I do buy Campbell's Cond. Soups, Ziplock baggies, Dove Sensitive Soap (I have skin allergies), Dawn DishSoap, and Dove Shampoo/Conditioner and a few other name brands but usually store brand works just fine for me. 

I sit down and make a 2 week menu.  It take me about an hour or two, making sure that each meal and it's ingredients relate to another.   For instance the extra cheese from tacos, goes on the fajitas later in the week, and then the remaining tops off the tator tot casserole. 

Here is what we ate in the past 2 weeks, it's almost end of paycheck for us, so I'm about ready to start up a new list:
Dinner:
Spicy Chicken Wings
Pepperoni Pizza
Tator Tot Casserole
Hamburgers
Chili w/ the works wraps
Chicken Fajitas
Tortellini Sausage Alfredo
Baked Mushroom Chicken
Brown Sugar Meatloaf
Pigs in a blanket w/cheesy broccoli/cauli
Chili Dogs
Grilled Cheese w/Tom. Soup
Veggie Ranch Pizza
Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
Spaghetti w/marinara (homemade tom sauce from MY own canned toms)
Lunches:
PBJ
P&P Loaf Sandwiches
Mac N Cheese
Ramen Noodles
Leftovers
Fish Sticks
Breakfast:
Blueberry pancakes w/Blueberry syrup
French Toast
Cinnamon Rolls
Oatmeal
Cereal
<ahem> Peanut Butter cookies with chocolate chips -- the breakfast of champions!--don't tell the kids though!

[Tina]

I used to buy monthly and do a menu similar to yours. But my kids knew every monday was hot dog night for instance. It might come in different forms, on a bun (or bread), beanie wienies, or some  thing like that.  I usually had a running cole slaw going with all of my meals because my older kids and the foster kids really loved it. And it was affordable. I would toss in an occasional green salad, bean salad or carrot salad but they didn't always have the seal of approval from all.
I based my monthly menu on the school district's. Only if they served a pasta dish every Thursday, I would serve mine  every Tuesday or something. If their chicken was on Wednesday mine was a different night. Not all of my kids had school lunches.  We had whatever sandwich makings. I baked most of my own breakfast foods, adding soy flour and other things to reduced sugar muffins makes a complete meal out of something the kids thought was a real treat. We also had quite a bit of fruit available all year from neighbors trees just for the taking. Most would be raked and thrown away so the neighbors were glad to share. And my mil kept us in bananas for some reason (just in case her grands were starving?)
I did do couponing although I didn't subscribe to the paper. My friends and neighbors were happy to share. I really enjoyed planning the meals and stretching the budget out. Where a recipe might call for a pound of ground beef, I found 3/4 pound did fine for five kids and myself (like in a home made hamburger helper dish).
I also kept emergency supplies that I rotated with my fresher stuff. If I bought a couple cans of green beans they went in the box of emergency supplies and the older ones came out into my kitchen. I live in earthquake country. 
I miss that planning the way I  am living now.  No real plan here and now. I do watch prices.  I am not a religious at the coupons but I do download some. But I got such joy from feeding my family so well on a low budget back in the day.
Your menu sounds good, can I come visit you?

[Triss]

Your menu is great and amazes me even more that you are able to spend so little and have a menu that looks that yummy.  I really need to get better about budgeting when it comes to food for my family.

[Tina]

I am interested in how much you have left to apply to your next menu session? Other than staples like you baking supplies. Do you take it into consideration when you make up your next menu or shopping list?
I would have leftover planned meal makings at the end of the month and they were 'planned' right into the next month's. Those often came after visits from my mom who brought along food gifts (usually a ham) and toilet paper. She was always afraid i would be out of toilet paper because a sibling of mine was once when she showed up.

[landofoz]

Thanks, Triss!  I spend more time prepping my list than I do actually shopping (20 minutes in store tops). 

Tina, I am constantly buying baking staples as I probably go through 10 lbs of flour, easily, every month.  I rarely have meals that are leftover, as we don't eat out often and don't get visitors.  If there is a meal that we didn't eat, it just put on the top of the menu for the next 2 weeks.  And you're toilet paper story is hilarious.  I can only imagine going to visit someone and they don't have toilet paper!!

[Tina]

Well, you make make me glad that I live in a place where fruit is plentiful. People plant citrus trees here and then never use all of the fruit. Some citrus is available most all year long. And then there is seasonal fruit from friends and neighbors, peaches, plums apricots, grapes. I can get as many tomatoes and zucchini as I could wish for in their season.
I also know where to look and what to look for in wild edibles that grow naturally in our area.  It all helps a stretched budget. I have never gotten into canning though. Just do a little freezing at times.
Right now we are eating more convenience food items than I ever have in my life. And I don't much care for it.  But I am trying to fill different needs than I ever have before.

[landofoz]

If there is one thing we slack on, it's fresh fruit.  We have an apricot in the back yard that is growing right on the boundary line between the neighbor's and my property.  We've trimmed, sprayed, watered, fertilized, and babied that tree.  The neighbor's were kind enough to let us have some this year.  Now, isn't that generous of them?? 

[bestofour]

I think I've mentioned before that I rarely go to the grocery store.  I don't cook a lot so we don't buy a lot of actual food.  I cook for company and for holidays.  Today I decided I would go to the store and spend $50.00 on food.  I spent $56.48 but all I got was enough for 2 dinners and 1 lunch.  I got

raspberries
blueberries
tortilla chips
fresh broccoli
head of cauliflower
2 cans black eyed peas
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can spinach
46 oz juice
1 bottle sparkling water to mix with the juice
thinly sliced chicken breast
pork chops
2 individual slices Edwards Lemon pie  (yummy)
bag of walnuts
1 can tuna

no cleaning supplies.  Are they included in the $35.00 a week?  You need to write a book.

[Triss]

I spent $50 today as well and came home with:

Dog Food
Milk
Cheese
Eggs
Peanut Butter
Jelly
Bread x 2
French Bread
Egg noodles x 2
London Broil (which will be 2 meals plus leftovers)
Sour Cream
Oranges
Cereal x 2
Green Beans x 2

So that will cover breakfast for a few days, lunch for 2-3 days for the bread and a week on the PB&J and 2 nights dinner.  Oh and the dog will be fed for a month.

[duh]

I go shopping about every two weeks and spend about 100.00 dollars both times.  Things like berries, nuts, nice cuts of meat or special cheeses are all out of my price range.  A london broil will last me about 4 days most times.  A ham will last me almost two weeks I'll make poorman's eggs benedict, ham and cheese sandwiches, ham and macaroni salad, ham steaks, ham and bean soup and pretty much anything else I can think of.  Fortunately I do love ham.

my church suggests that each family keep 3 months worth of food storage.  So if there are good sales on things I use that have a good shelf life I usually try to get them.  With my galley kitchen I'm having to store them in the shed.  They are in metal containers so that rodents can't get into them.  So I have a #10 can of macaroni, the same in white, red, and pink beans, rice, instant potatoes, dried milk, soup starter, and anything else that is occassionally on sale.  When my old dollar store did canned veggies for 33 cents each I spent like 66.00 on them.  That's kept me going for about a year now.  Although at this point I'm out of carrots.  I'll definitely try to grow enough of those to be able to can them next year.
   

[Triss]

A ham last us for 3 or 4 meals here as well Tammy.  It is always a good one to have especially in the winter since my family loves split pea soup and also pinto beans for burritos both of which I make with leftover ham. 

[Tina]

I wish my family would eat ham. I love it but don't often indulge because it is just me. A London broil would last us for 4 or so days/meals.
I haven't a clue right now how much is actually spent on food. I am trying not to keep track at this point so I don't hurt too much. I am glad that boneless, skinless chicken breast have remained under $2 a pound for the last few months because we are going through a lot of it trying to keep John fed. And that seems to go down best. Beans and rice from his favorite Mexican take out place. (I guess my home made are not the same)
So special stuff for Ted who only drinks ensure(Walgreens brand) and eats Trix yogurt for the most part.
Special foods for John that will go down smoothly past his hernia and his ensure (Walmart's brand Plus), half and half and anything else I can find to plump him up.
Whatever Jonni and I eat and cleaning supplies, tooth paste and such,  plus gas to get everywhere is a good $200 a week. At least that is what I have been pulling out of the bank.

[bestofour]

I'm going to start being more careful at the grocery store.  I waste a lot of money.  I'll buy meat and never cook it so I have to throw it out.  This has made me think.

[Triss]

Me too.  Dan and I have been planning a menu for the next week.  I know our budget will always be bigger since we feed so many but I want to try and save some where I can and plan better so I am not having to go to the store every day.  I KNOW I spend more on wants than needs when I am at the store every other day.

[bestofour]

Ok.  I'm doing something wrong.  I, who doesn't even cook, went back to the store today andspent $43 and change.  That's $90.00 this week and it's only Wednesday.  I didn't buy silly stuff today.

I brought chicken broth for soup, cherries that were on sale for $2.99 a pound (they were 6.99 the other day and I didn't buy them), apples, a few potatoes, 1 box of kleenex for Johnny's room, Northern Bathroom Tissue, cabbage for slaw tomorrow, Dasani water 12 bottles for $5.00, shredded cheese for a casserole for tomorrow, vanilla wafers and 2 slices of apple pie.  That's all I can remember.  Oh right a pot scrubber.

What's up with this.

[Tina]

Yep, money dissolves. I spent $80 today. $30  of that was for a part to our wood burner.
But the rest was food that wasn't food. I bought:
Two of Ted's ensure
Two of Ted's yogurts
1# butter
half gal. of milk
Two cans of store brand Ravioli (Jonni)
1 1/2 doz eggs
a loaf of good wheat bread
2 cases of soda
some canned  smoked oysters
Altogether a sad state of affairs.

[landofoz]

I spent $78.42 for my next two weeks of groceries which amounts to:
Fresh Cilantro
3 lb Onions
5 lb Red Potatoes
Romaine Lettuce
Velveeta (god that stuff is pricey!)
Zattarin's Red Beans and Rice
2# Blue Bonnet
1.5# Cheddar
.5# Mozzerella
Hormel Chili
Tomato Soup
Frozen Broccoli
Eggs
Brown Sugar
Flour
Fritos
6 loaves Sara Lee Bread (whole wheat for me, Country Potato for Mr. Picky)
10# Pork Loin
2# Farmland Bulk Sausage
Lime
Doritos
2 Gallons Whole Milk
and what threw me over budget:
Cereal (I forgot we were out)
Aluminum Foil
Parchment Paper

[Tina]

Do you ever serve egg based meals, Sarah? Eggs and...? or omelets or quiche type things?

[landofoz]

I can't stand quiche.  I ate it several times as a kid and got quite sick after eating it once.  I can barely put the ingredients together without getting nauseous.  We don't usually have eggs for dinners, they are usually a breakfast item.  What do you serve with them to make them dinner-ish?

[Tina]

I don't do quiche either. I was just really kind of asking. During a couple of my pregnancies, I couldn't even stand to look at raw eggs. I was mostly curious because they have about the most nutrition packed into the smallest expense. And cheese omelets are my family's pick for a breakfast for dinner dish. Toss in whatever the individuals involved like.

[Triss]

We use eggs a lot for dinner either as scrambled eggs or omelets.  You can make a quiche out of anything you like in an omelet and just bake it instead of cooking it on the stovetop.  I prefer my own homemade quiches to the typical ones.

[bestofour]

at what stores do you guys grocery shop?

[Tina]

My favorite is a local chain. It really is pretty local and an excellent place for meat. And general costs are more reasonable than the more widespread chain groceries around like Von's or Ralph's or Safeway. We don't have a super Walmart but the few foods that ours do carry are more expensive than Stater's (the local).

[Lefse]

I shop a lot at a wholesale grocery store. I buy sale items locally in quantity to keep costs down. I repackage food items and cook and freeze dishes for later use, when I have less time to cook. With fire department training and school functions, my evenings get consumed and fast suppers are a regular thing. Boiling chickens for broth gives me meat for lots of dishes. Lots of veggies, both raw and cooked in stir fry, prima vera, stew, soup, and on the side fill the meals out.  Using meat as a side dish instead of  the main course makes the money go farther and keeps us healthier, too.  Lots of rice, potatoes, and salads for rounding meals out keeps things interesting.

[duh]

I like quiches.  I didn't like the ones I've gotten at resturants but a friend made one for me and it was great!.  I especially like the addition of tomatoes to the mix.  Something that I normally don't put in an omelette. 

To make them into a dinner I just add a nice tossed salad and garlic bread.