Grocery Report/Menu Plan | plus some farm food
On Saturdays, I share my menu plan for the upcoming week along with a photo of my groceries and a tally of my spending. My goal is to spend $100/week for our food, toiletries, and cleaning products. I'm currently in the midst of trying to buy more local, sustainably-produced food while sticking to my budget. Can it be done? I don't know, but I'm going to try, and I'll share what I learn as I go along.
I spent $50.48 at Weis and $78.24 at Aldi.
I also paid a visit to a local farm,
where I bought 4 dozen eggs for $12, and 5 pounds of breakfast sausage for $22.50.
We ate some of the sausage that night (we had breakfast for dinner), and I froze the rest of it.
What are we eating this week?
Breakfast is nothing out of the ordinary. 🙂
Our lunch meal, which we eat in the evening during the week (due to Mr. FG's work schedule) and at noon on the weekends, will be comprised of sandwiches made with whole wheat bread, homemade yogurt, yogurt smoothies, cottage cheese, fruit, raw veggies, nuts, cheese, and leftovers as necessary. Of course, we don't eat all of that every single day...it's just a list of the things we choose from for lunch. And Mr. FG eats leftovers for lunch pretty much every day.
Here's what we'll be eating for our main meal of the deal (which we eat at noon during the week and at night on the weekends):
Saturday
- It's a takeout date night, which means the kids will be eating something super easy.
Sunday
- I think we're going to make crepes. It's a two-person project, so I need to get Mr. FG to help me.
Monday
- Parmesan Chicken Risotto
- green salad
Tuesday
- Fajitas made with grilled veggies, chicken, and steak
- chips and salsa
- Applesauce
Wednesday
- Beef Au Jus sandwiches on homemade French bread
- spinach salad
Thursday
- Broiled Tilapia
- Some kind of bread...I'm not sure what yet!
- green beans
Friday
- Pizza..probably regular crust, since we had thin crust last week.
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Today's 365 post: Sonia's haircut? Check.
Joshua's 365 post: It's December!
If you happen to have any pistachios on hand, you could try pistachio crusted tilapia on Thursday. That's one of the recipes being featured today on The Ambush Cook, and it's super easy!! There are two episodes airing back to back today. Can't wait!
I spy the Aldi Moser Roth in there 😉
We can get that in our Aldi too!
We make our own sausagemeat from a family recipe (FIL has been making/selling sausage for many, many years back in the UK) as it's impossible to get "decent" sausage here in Portugal.
Fresh sausagemeat (and yours from the farm looks amazing!) is the best, isn't it?
Oh yes. Must have some Moser Roth dark chocolate.
We have breakfast for dinner sometimes too. My kids love it! Your menu plan sounds delicious.
I wish to inform you that yesterday our Aldi had both Andes mint chips (a regular seasonal item) AND 60% dark chocolate chips (hopefully a new regular item).
WOOHOOO!
Kristen,
Do you have a recipe for the risotto? It sounds delicious. I think it would make a great post since I think a lot of people are intimidated by the process of making risotto.
I was going to ask that, too! Would you please post it?
I use the Cook's Illustrated recipe, of course. I'll try to take some photos and post the recipe.
Note to all: risotto is easy but time-consuming: stand at the stove for 40 min and stir over very low heat. The key is the liquid needs to be absorbed by the rice, it should not simmer off, ergo the low heat.
The farm visit sounds cool and to get eggs and sausage at the same place, awesome 😉 🙂 My aunt will sometimes drive up to Glaum's Egg Ranch here in CA to buy 5 or 6 dozen eggs. They're organic and the price is super outstandingly good 😉 🙂 Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather 🙂
Lots of food! I've never gone to a local farm for food, but I want to soon.
Wait. Why the loaf of bread?! Do you have a special purpose for that or are you just out of time for making homemade? I've been making bread using your recipe, and we all love it!
Well, I like to keep a loaf on hand in the freezer in case I run out of homemade bread. 🙂
Why not keep a loaf of your own bread in the freezer? Or should I say: what happens if you keep a loaf of your own bread in the freezer, since I'm sure you've tried it.
I am so excited, I just saw a sign that they are building an Aldi near me!! I have no idea when it will be open, but the construction looked to be going pretty well. I am assuming construction will be done soon since it is NH and winter will be setting in. It will be the first store in New Hampshire. 🙂
Woohoo! Very happy for you.
Wow. That is exciting news. We live in Massachusetts, but if they are building in NH, perhaps they will also build in MA. I wonder what this means for DeMoulas / Market Basket!
How is date night working with Mr. FG's new schedule?
Very well, now that we moved it to Saturday night. We tried doing it on Fridays at noon, but that wasn't as much fun because we had to hurry so he could leave for work.
Margaret, there are a few others in MA, I think Milford or Medford. The NH one will be in Salem right on the MA border.
Molly, I bought both the Andes mint chips and the 60% dark chocolate chips this past week at Aldi's! Risotto is easy to make if I may add my two cents (okay Kristen?). Saute onions and/or garlic in butter. Use arborio rice, and coat the kernels with the onions/garlic in the pan. You can add a little white wine if you wish. Cook that down. Begin adding hot chicken stock a little at a time to rice. Rice will plump as it absorbs hot liquid. This can take a while. Season with salt, pepper, and whatever else you like. I often use saffron and romano cheese. The stock will eventually all be absorbed by the rice. It is creamy wonderfulness when it is done.
The Andes chips are sooooo good in a dark chocolate cookie.
Is there a complication to your crepes that makes you need two people? I only ask because I am not a very talented cook and I can make crepes by myself - perhaps you have a better recipe or technique, though?
It's because the only pan we have that works is a big cast-iron pan and because it's so heavy, you need two hands to tilt the pan to spread the batter. And you have to tilt the pan fast, so it doesn't work well if one person scoops the batter AND tilts the pan.
I meant to say, not that I am trying to self-promote, but to learn more about the true meaning of christmas please visit my blog and thn click the link on my latest post...moving beyond words.
TM, what does this comment have to do with FG's post today? If you must self-promote, do try to keep to the fig-leaf veneer of being on-topic. To do otherwise is like you saying that you think we're all idiots ... not something that will encourage FG's readers to go to your webpage.
I did my first Aldi grocery shop on Friday, with a budget of £50 for the week. Very pleasantly surprised as I didn't tally up as I went round (but of course stuck to a list! apart from pate - impulse purchase!). The bill came to £41.25. So I went back round and grabbed a couple of bottles of wine. The main thing (in retrospect) that worked for me was the lack of brand choice, made it very easy to do the shop. Pasta - one type - pick it up! I was in and out in 20 mins. Posting about my experience and the products on Monday 🙂
Your French Bread recipe calls for a egg wash...do you have to do it? My oldest is allergic to egg and I've been looking for an easy French Bread recipe - I'm from New Orleans and LOVE it but all store bought he can't have.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes.
Absolutely not...feel free to leave that off!
Have you considered trying to make your own sausage? It's as easy as meatloaf unless you want to put it in casings.
Fajitas? Love. Have you tried making slow cooker fajitas? I use a fabulously easy recipe from "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker" cookbook. It's great for an exceptionally busy day.
This has just gone on my Christmas list!