What I Spent, What We Ate | It's Lisey's birthday week!
I spent $138 at the grocery store and I did not take pictures.
That seems to be a theme this week. I forgot to take a picture of my new recipe and I didn't take a grocery picture either.
Who even am I??
I got a $15 box of produce, and I DID take a picture of that. Yay me!
My produce box is reclaimed food from Hungry Harvest, a company that delivers in the middle east coast area of the U.S.
(not affiliated!)
So, I'm at $153 for the week.
Which definitely puts me on the high side for March. I'm at $710 right now, and I just realized that March really works out to be a five-weeks-of-shopping month.
That means I have one more week of grocery money to spend.
March Spending
Week 1: $194
Week 2: $147
Week 3: $216
Week 4: $153
What We Ate
Monday
I babysat for my brother and sister-in-law (well, for their three kids, specifically!), and I left my family to fend for themselves. 😉
Tuesday
This was the night I made the mushroom/beef/cabbage stir fry.
Wednesday
Mr. FG and I had a music rehearsal to be at, so my kids fended for themselves. I wasn't hungry, but we stopped at got Mr. FG a sub after rehearsal.
Thursday
I made a pot of chicken noodle soup, plus we had a green salad and some garlic bread that I made with a loaf of French bread from the freezer.
Friday
We're having Lisey's birthday celebration! Woo!
She's chosen chicken and waffles, and since we're going to pick up the chicken from a local place, I'm just providing the waffles.
(Buttermilk waffles, of course.)
Your turn!
What did you eat this week?
After my husband died in January, families from our daughter's class brought us meals through February. So we got a little out of the normal cooking routine, and I have had a VERY HARD TIME getting back into it. We've had a LOT of takeout and meals that were extras in Jan and Feb that are still in the freezer. Need to get back into it this coming week.
Jessica,
So sorry for your loss. Worry about your family first & cooking second (unless you love cooking & helps reduce your stress)
Sorry for your lost, it must be incredibly difficult.
Did way better this week, coming in at $59.85!!!
Last Saturday we ate out with father-in-law, used a coupon to help defray cost.
Sunday we scrounged around & had whatever as we got home late after working on vehicles all day.
Monday - homemade chicken noodle soup with homemade bread
Tuesday - tacos or taco salads
Wednesday - spaghetti with meat sauce, salad
Thursday - grilled chicken tenderloins, rice, green beans
Sunday-ate at friends' house (brought mini key lime pies in a jar, which were fun)
Monday-beef stroganoff with green salad
Tuesday-black bean quesadillas (new recipe, quite good) with southwest soup & FG roasted carrots
Wednesday-squash ravioli with garden salad
Thursday-buddha bowl (thanks to someone's new recipe listing several weeks ago!)
Friday-buddha bowl leftovers
I just got home from grocery shopping.. I won't scare you with my figures- I have not totaled myself.. but kids are on spring break next week and they will plow through it all!
This wee we have almost no evening activities.. so I cooked every night.. cleared stock from the freezer..
Thursday- homemade meatballs in tomato sauce with elbow mac and garlic bread
Wed-made a pan of chicken/stuffing stuffed shells.. husband and I ate chicken breast with pesto and provolone and all had broccoli
Tuesday- small beef roast, mashed potatos, gravy, corn and leftover pieces of italian and potato bread) for gravy sopping...
Monday- homemade lasagna from the freezer, italian bread from the store and garlicy green beans
Sunday- in laws were supposed to come over and bring dinner.. and woke up ill.. we munched on popcorn mid afternoon and suddenly at 630 kids were starving... So..... I whipped up a batch of pancake batter and used a package of turkey breakfast links.... I used my mini loaf pan and made pigs in a blanket... even the sausage hater devoured!!
Tonight the weather is beautiful so we are grilling chicken breasts, using broccoli I grabbed off the discount shelf this morning, and maybe I will make the kids some alfredo noodles.... husband and I will eat salad...
The picture of your chicken soup looked amazing. I am going to have to try your recipe. My son would also pick chicken & waffles for his favorite dinner. Regarding your veggie/fruit box: just wondering if you ever did a comparison of the prices at Aldi? Your picture doesn't seem to show a lot of produce...if you buy organic at Aldi, wouldn't it be cheaper?
Well, I added up this week's stuff and it would have been right around $15 at Aldi prices. But the main reason I'm buying this produce box is that it's filled with produce that would otherwise have gone to waste, due to being not cosmetically perfect, or just because a farmer ended up with an oversupply and no store to buy the food.
So, it's a conscious decision to try to help alleviate waste issues in our food supply chain.
I LOVE the idea of reclaimed veggies. Even though they don't look like an oil painting, it's still the same thing inside, much like a box of dented rice crispies 🙂
Happy to find like minded people. We have a produce guy who calls his service Imperfectly perfect........super cute name. Small apples, odd shaped potatoes......he even supplies you with "banana bread" bananas (overripe) free of charge!
Oh, that's so great!
We spent a little over $90 this week. $40 over budget, but that includes several personal and household items.
Mon - meatball subs
Tue - everyone had something different
Weds - Spaghetti & leftover meatballs
Thurs - date night
Fri - not sure yet!
Sadly this wasn't the most adventurous week meal planning wise, but I still did manage to try a new recipe a friend shared with me!
Saturday: take out dinner from a new restaurant with my parents
Sunday: Potluck with friends
Monday: Thanksgiving Turkey Meatloaf and mashed potatoes
Tuesday: leftovers
Wednesday: takeout pizza
Thursday: sandwiches takeout
Tonight: I'm planning breakfast for dinner.
My kids did a lot of "fending for themselves" this week too but isn't it nice that they are at that age where they can actually make themselves something for dinner that is halfway decent? lol
Sunday- Sloppy Joes, fries, corn
Monday- Teriyaki chicken, rice and veggies
Tuesday- BBQ pork chops, baked beans and mashed potatoes
Wednesday- On your own night (we got Chickfila)
Thursday- On your own night (we made sandwiches and noodles)
Friday- Maybe spinach tortellini, garlic bread and salad?
What does a family of 6 do with four potatoes?
Mix it with other veggies?
I had 2 sweet potatoes left in my pantry today. Cut, mix with 5 carrots and a bit of brocoli, added sausages, and we have a meal for 4.
Well, I do have some other potatoes that need to be used too, so I have enough to make a side dish. But yes, I could also mix them with other veggies!
What no birthday jello?
I know, right? It's, like, not even a proper birthday at our house without jello!
Jello is not a big thing around here.. but when I have made *stained glass jello* it was devoured!
Happy birthday Lisey!!
We've fallen short on the "new recipes" this week. I had two planned and shopped for that ended up not being made because I didn't feel like it, so they will be done next week instead. What did we eat then? Hmm...
* sausages+mix of veggies
* pasta
* ham+mashed potatoes and carrots
I can't remember the rest....
Have a great weekend!
I actually remember this week!
Monday - pasta with goat cheese and mushrooms, arugula
Tuesday - black beans and rice, yogurt and green tomato salsa, broccoli
Wednesday - chicken stir fried rice, kale
Thursday - pork stiry fry with carrots and celeriac, green beans for the kids
Friday - pasta all'olio, roasted squash, lettuce, peas for the kids
We signed up for an early spring farm share this year and at the same time I am trying to finish off the last of my frozen veg from last fall. So we've had some good eats lately. Tomorrow I am making corn chowder with corn and celery from the freezer and potatoes that I got last week in my share. Yum!
Quick question, when you try a new recipe for the first time, do you increase numbers for feeding 6 instead of 4 people, if it's only written to feed 4? I'm back down to cooking for 2, but usually make 4 servings to freeze individual servings for hubbie's lunch. When kids were teens, I was increasing recipes by 1-1/2 for healthy eaters. Usually no leftovers then.
I usually will increase a recipe if I think it's not going to feed my family. Occasionally that does mean we have too many leftovers, but we're fairly good about getting thru those at lunchtimes.
I love this blog! I've been reading it for years. It really motivates me to cook and eat at home. It reminds me that cooking really can be simple, fun, healthy, and organized. Thank you so much for taking the time to post your photos and menu every week!
Thank you so much for your encouragement!!
Those oranges look good! We're trying to take advantage of them as best as we can these days, I'm afraid they could be the last ones this period. Mandarins are already long gone.
This week I tried something new. I had this bell pepper just sitting in the fridge for a few days already, and some broccoli and mushrooms that weren't gonna suffice for a meal by themselves.. so I cooked macaroni and 'leftover veggies'.
To my surprise, my significant other loved it! He usually hates broccoli. And pasta. And only eats bell pepper if there's nothing else. I think it was the cheese that did the trick, I used up all the leftover cheese for this recipe too 😀
Yay!! That's such a good feeling, isn't it?
I picked up both chicken thighs and breasts from the 'managers special' section a few weeks ago...nice size packs for $2- $3 each! We left on vacation Wednesday so just wanted to eat simply and healthy...and clean out the fridge...no wasting ..PLEASE!
We had a great no waste week and enjoyed the leftovers for lunches.
Sunday: Baked Chicken thighs with sauted yellow squash ( originally purchased for a short cut ratatouille dish-SAVE!)
Monday: Turkey Burger night!-baked chicken for Tuesday night dinner.
Baking chicken for Tuesday night ended up being a huge win for the next night ..work required more of my time than I expected on Tuesday ...didn't arrive home until 7pm..still needed to pack..and the plan was to leave at 5am Wednesday .... busy frugal traveling chic!
Tuesday: Warmed up Baked chicken breast for me made it in to a pulled bbq chicken sandwich for my husband. Perfect!
Yeah Vaca!
Priveleged and thankful for my career and for having meaninful work that I love but appreciate the break,downtime with my husband , R&R and time to recharge. I know the rest will provide me with energy and new thought.
Those prepped ahead meal saves make it all worth it! Have a great trip!
Enjoy your rest time!
Welcome to South Dakota. And bless you and your family at your grandfather's memorial service. Even in sadness I hope it a blessed time to reconnect with family and share precious memories.
Chicken and Waffles sounds amazing!
Friday - a knock off version of a Buttermilk Fried Chicken salad from a fav restaurant
Thursday - Pesto chicken, carrots (oven meal)
Wednesday - Sausage/Spinach cresent roll bake
Tuesday and Monday I can't even remember, and I am so far off the menus I posted on the fridge. I think one of the days I fixed scrambled eggs and bacon.
Sunday was a roast in the crock pot
Tonight we will see what we feel like eating at dinnetime. I am off at noon and we are visiting a couple of wineries. (:
First of all, I am so sorry about the loss of your grandpa. It is so hard to lose a grandparent.
On a happier note, happy birthday to Lisey! Mmmm . . . chicken and waffles.
This coming week I will be over-budget because I made an extra trip to Trader Joe's. Even though there is one just a few blocks from my work, I only go there a few times a year because the parking lot of the shopping center is always a complete madhouse - so much so that I avoid whenever possible. But I was running low on my TJ's supplies. I like their olive oil, the dried fruit and nuts, the cheese selection, 3-buck chuck which I use as cooking wine, jasmine rice, etc. Oh and the dark chocolate covered pretzels (those are a staple, right?).
Anyway . . . This week was a litttle weird. I didn't stick to my menu plan, but I did eat mostly at home so points for that.
Saturday - left over pizza from the night before.
Sunday - Pork chop and my new recipe of the week- Jacque Pepin's broccoli and brown rice stew, which I adapted to use asparagas instead of broccoli and added less liquid so it turned out more like a risotto than a stew. However, I am still getting the hang of cooking brown rice and so even though the veg was added toward the end (I thought), the asparagus had turned to mush by the time the rice was done so it wasn't great. Live and learn.
Monday - leftovers from Sunday
Tuesday - A can of chicken noodle soup and a cup of hot chocoalte because it was cold. And sometimes my tastes lean towards the tastes of a 10-year old.
Wednesday - It was taco night! This time ground beef on corn tortillas.
Thursday - Chicken chili
Friday - I picked up a sub sandwich.
No total for groceries but here is the meal rundown!
M- Baked chicken, brown rice w/ veggies, fruit
T- Meatloaf, scalloped potatoes, green beans, rolls
W- Broiled shrimp, pasta salad, fruit
T- Baked pork chops, stuffing, applesauce
F- Sloppy Joes on wheat buns, fruit, carrot sticks
S- Baked pork loin, leftover (individual chooses) scalloped potatoes or stuffing or moodle, fruit
S- Leftovers??
I am so excited...I have been tracking my food shopping totals for the past few months. I usually come very close to meeting my "budget" but do have a tendency to go over a bit but this month I am actually under!
I think the trick for me is to buy my meat for the month at once (I buy bulk from BJ's) and then I base the rest of my weekly meals by what is on sale at my local food store/farmers market.
This weeks menu will be:
Sunday: Chili with white rice
Monday: Chili Lime Chicken (grilled) with mashed potatoes and corn on the cob.
Tuesday: Out with a friend so no cooking....everybody is on their own.
Wednesday: Sausage and Peppers with garlic bread
Thursday: Pasta with meatballs and garden salad
Friday: Pizza
My total for this month is $197 and this weeks total was $28. I feed 3 adults.
I always love look at your meal photos. You have such great photography skills!
Your food budget also inspires me to cut down on our grocery bills. Keep up the great work!