What I Spent
Last Saturday, I got my $25 Hungry Harvest.
(I’m pleased to say we’ve already eaten everything here except for the radishes and zucchini!)
On Monday, I spent $81 at Aldi.
And yesterday, I spent $62 at Aldi.
Plus I spent $18.89 at the store where Lisey works.
So, I’m at $186.69 for the week, which is $36 over my average goal.
July Spending
Week 1: $210
Week 2: $187
This means that if I’m going to end July on budget, I need to only spend $100/week for the next two weeks.
Can I do it???
What We Ate
Monday
Mr. FG and I went out to dinner with my sister and her husband.
And the kids made and ate the creamy tomato pasta dish from Budget Bytes.
Tuesday
I took Sonia and Zoe and a friend to Chick-fil-A for cow appreciation day, so they had kid’s meals for dinner.
(Incidentally, before you get upset that we eat at Chick-fil-A, please read this.)
Joshua was at a small group where they serve dinner.
And I made a grilled shrimp salad for Mr. FG, Lisey, and me. I also made some potato wedges to use up the last of my Hungry Harvest potatoes.
Wednesday
This is the night I made the homemade tortillas and chicken tacos.
We had chips and pico de gallo as well.
Plus homemade applesauce from the freezer.
Thursday
We spent the afternoon at the pool and I had music rehearsal in the evening. Which left very little time for dinner-making!
Sonia suggested a snacky dinner, so we stopped at Aldi on the way home from the pool and picked up a bunch of snacky foods (crackers, cheese, croissants, ham, fruit).
Easy, easy!
Friday
I’m planning to make pizza tonight.
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What did you eat this week?
And how’s your grocery budget feeling so far this month?
Always a fun exercise in memory. Or lack thereof.
Monday: London broil, basil-garlic bread, and raw vegetables from the garden (kohlrabi, carrots, and snap peas)
Tuesday: pork soft tacos with a salad (still with the garden lettuce full steam ahead)
Wednesday: Lamb roast with roasted potatoes and shell peas from the garden (happily, I have discovered my 7-year-old loves to shell peas. I do not, so this works out.)
Thursday: The Birthday Boy decreed pork chops, rice with butter, and a salad with day lily blossoms and ranch dressing. So it was done.
Friday: We’re having various leftover meats, leftover rice (which I may or may not make into a pilaf-type thing, if I’m feeling ambitious), and salad/vegetables from the garden.
Summer means a drastic reduction in grocery trips and spending, thanks to the garden. Love it.
I am loving “shopping” in my garden this summer, too. My favorite thing to do at the moment is to walk through the garden to find out what we’ll be having with dinner. Unfortunately, my lettuce has all bolted now.
Yes, the blessing of garden produce means not “what to fix for supper” but “which to fix for supper”.
I cant believe how grown up the younger girls are getting!! WOW, seems like we were just seeing pictures of toddlers : )
I’m always so impressed with what you can do on such a little amount. And the creativity in the meals you fix! Truly awesome!
Same here! I’m inspired. I often tell myself if FG can do it so can I!
I always feel so happy and fuzzy inside reading your posts about what your family eats during the week. Everything looks absolutely healthy and delicious!
My MIL just came to DC about a month ago and has been helping with the cooking. I’m super grateful for that and have been learning how to cook from her!
I made an epic road trip across the country with my three littles (8, 6 and 2) from Michigan to Utah this week. Monday we were at my parents house in Michigan and my sister made lasagna. Tuesday we had crackers and cheese and fruits and veggies we packed for lunch and pbj sandwiches in our hotel for dinner with fruit and veggies we packed. Wednesday was peanut butter on crackers with fruit and veggies for lunch, and we opted for delivery of subs to our hotel for dinner. Last night we got home and my hubby (who didn’t go on our trip) took us out to chick-fil-a (he doesn’t cook and I was exhaughsted). All in all it was awesome to have food packed in the car and not have to stop for fast food on our trip. Definitely the more frugal way to eat on the road
I am drawing a complete blank on Monday night. It was the only night we didn’t have soup, though!
Tuesday was the pressure cooker disaster — we ate scorched veggie beef soup
Wednesday was the pressure cooker success — we ate delicious potato soup with cut up fruit on the side.
Thursday my husband suggested we just finish the potato soup. The fruit was gone, so I made a half-pan of cornbread, because I just discovered I was almost out of corn meal.
Tonight I’m planning on a sausage dish with farm sausage from the freezer. Not sure which dish, yet, but a sausage dish of some kind.
I am way over budget for the first half of this month, but that was intentional. I’m trying to stock up so that I only have to really shop “big” once a month. So far I am almost exactly $200 over, ouch, but I hope to see that even on out by month’s end.
First off – how are the Aldo’s croissants?
Monday – marinated chicken tenders, veg, salad
Tuesday – turkey burgers, veg, salad
Wednesday – taco seasoned ground turkey mixed with pinto beans and stuffed into chile/onion flavored flour tortillas, corn
Thursday – back problems! Pulled out box of fish sticks from freezer plus huge salad (to makeup for fish sticks)
Friday – probably homemade baked pizza rolls (Emily Bites blog) because it doesn’t require much work (back) with store bought marinara and roasted broccoli.
I thought they were pretty good. Perhaps not the best I’ve ever had, but decent.
Am I doing my math wrong? Your grocery budget goal is $500 a month? For five people? Jeez! I struggle to keep it at $200 a week. Now, that includes toiletries, toilet paper, dog and cat food, trash bags and miscellaneous items such as batteries and potting soil. So, maybe $200 a week isn’t that bad?
Grocery prices are different in different areas of the country, too.
Nope! It’s $150 a week, actually, which is about $600 a month.
I’m not feeding a dog or a cat, so I’m sure that makes a huge difference! That’s two extra mouths to feed.
And yeah, if I buy something like potting soil, I don’t take that out of my grocery budget.
So, don’t feel bad.
Aww, the kids are so cute in their cow costumes! My nieces participated too, but I always forget! Agh. Also, that creamy tomato pasta looks divine.
We’ve also been spendy this July, so we’re also trying to rein it in. Oy.
This week we ate:
Monday: Black bean soup with Southwest chicken sandwiches.
Tuesday: Homemade gyros with a dip trio
Wednesday: Chikfila!
Thursday: Antipasto platter
Friday: Not sure! I’m having a me-weekend, so probably a meal from the freezer.
You could try these for your zucchini
http://www.cookingclassy.com/chicken-enchilada-zucchini-boats/
I tend to overload with cheese on top which ruins some of the health benefits, but they’re easy and tasty
Thank you for your referal about why you don’t boycott. Over the years, I have been called out several times for the way I provide for my family. I coupon, stock pile and shop online clearance. I am a big fan of swagbucks. I certainly don’t do anything illegal or immoral. Ultimately, I do what I need to do to provide for my family because there is no one but me here to do the job. I am flat on my back for the next couple of weeks. Those beautiful children of mine have cooked and used their funds for various dinners. I don’t remember much of what they fed me, but don’t remember disliking anything. Best thing about my pantry and freezer is that you can cook most anything you want. Once again we are going to work on that pizza recipe. One of us has to be a natural pizza maker. Now just to figure that out.
Monday – Leftover fish, chicken, pork, noodles, green beans, fruit
Tuesday – Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, salad, ice cream,
Wednesday – Hot dogs, baked beans, brown bread with raisins, tangerines
Thursday – Hubby’s family work event: They served pizza, spaghetti, mac and cheese, salad, beverages, ice cream
Friday – Hamburgers, hot dogs on the grill, wheat buns, pasta salad, fruit, ice cream
Saturday – To be determined, too hot to cook in the kitchen
Sunday – Salad with grilled shrimp or chicken, potato salad, fruit
if you’re looking for a way to use the radishes I recommend Orange and Radish Salad with cinnamon vinaigrette. https://www.mccormick.com/search?t=Orange and Radish Salad with Cinnamon Vinaigrette
Cinnamon vinaigrette. I’m so intrigued!!! Thanks for sharing!
Monday-chicken veg soup and naan
Tuesday- caprese scrambled eggs
Wednesday-kofka with roasted zucchini and bell peppers over salad
Thursday- chili citrus rubbed pork chops and baked beans w/ broccoli
Friday-italian sausage and peppers in zucchini boats
Tomorrow- Pop Pop’s birthday lunch at my fave restaurant…so glad he has great taste
I’m all by myself (I had to work, but DH and the kids are having an extended family vacation in a cabin with 6 kids ages 2-10 in one room…) and am feeling pretty proud of myself for being able to actually feed myself. Usually I end up just eating cereal (and in a previous life baked potatoes) if I’m on my own for any length of time. Instead I’ve been eating leftovers from the freezer and refrigerator that nobody else was eating. So I had a beet and a tomato sliced with yogurt and Penzey’s Greek seasoning on the last pita. And I had leftover beef stew from the freezer. And I’m eating down the not very appetizing Hopping John that nobody wanted to finish from the freezer. And I had bakery bread from last week with random pieces of cheese. And since we were out of milk, I finished off one of our yogurts and opened the other. And a couple of frozen meals from TJ’s. And all our peaches. And several apples. Much healthier than usual! (Disclaimer: I have no problem with making and eating healthy meals when it’s not just me!)
A beet and tomato salad is VERY virtuous. Gold stars for you!
Probably the most yummy thing I’ve eaten this stretch, too, she says, munching on stale granola with yogurt.
Monday- Turkey sandwiches, fries, carrot sticks, and ice cream
Tuesday- Pepperoni pizza and fruit
Wednesday- Salmon, sweet potato, frozen corn
Thursday- Meatloaf, baked potato, mixed veggies
Friday- Scrambled eggs, toast, bacon and fruit
I went way over budget because I bought Blue Apron but still had to got to the store for other stuff and wound up spending more than I intended. Surprise, surprise. But it was my birthday week so thats my excuse.
Saturday/Sunday – Blue Apron beef and soba noodle stirfry
Monday – Blue Apron pork chops, rosemary potatoes and squash/veggie dish.
Tuesday – Birthday dinner out at a Mexican food place. I had the steak fajitas
Wednesday/Thursday – Blue Apron seared chicken and pasta veggie salad
Friday – pizza and salad at one of my favorite places. This was another birthday celebration meal. Then we went and got rolled ice cream. (I treated the friend who bought my dinner). I enjoyed the novelty of it and it was delcious (I had some caramel/coffee/toffee concoction) but so not worth $7.50 per cup!
I am starting Blue Apron when I go back to my school teaching job in August. There are just two of us at home now, so I thought I would try it for something new. The recipes look great!
We’ re getting ready for our oldest to head off for college, so there have been lots of extra expenses. So that means no eating out and trying to eat mostly from pantry and freezer:
Sat: Sloppy joe tater tot casserole, fruit
Sun: Chicken and stuffing casserole, green bean casserole, cantaloupe
Mon: Taco soup w corn chips
Tues: White beans, sausage, and spinach with homemade marinara, corn muffins
Wed: Chicken and veggie lo mein
Thurs:
Slow cooker bourbon chicken, brown rice , sweet chili roasted Brussels sprouts
Fri: The crashing and burning of our not eating out plans, as our air conditioner died that afternoon and it can’t be replaced until next Thursday! The house was 85 degrees when I got home from work, and I just couldn’t face heating up the kitchen any more.
Next week’s meal plan: nothing that doesn’t involve sandwiches, grilling, the slow cooker, or the InstaPot. It’s supposed to be in the mid-upper nineties here every day this week, and we are going to be plenty warm already!
As an earlier person posted this is an exercise for my memory. I know on
Sunday there was roast pork and vegetables. Monday was something. Tuesday was chicken and chips. Wednesday was braised steak and onions (it is winter here). Thursday was sushi. Friday was dinner out for my middle child’s birthday. Saturday was a salmon sandwich.
My figures are just huge. Food is expensive in Australia. It is possible to stick to a budget if the whole family co-operates.