What I Spent, What We Ate
What I Spent
My first trip was to Costco, where I spent $129.21.
The frozen fruit is for smoothies, and that should last us for a number of weeks. One gallon of milk was for drinking, and I made yogurt with the other.
Oh, and for those of you who always ask if I include toiletries: notice the contact solution there! 🙂
I also made a regular grocery shopping trip, where I spent $114.68.
And lastly, it was a produce box week, and that cost $33. I completely forgot to take a photograph of it, though!
It contained spinach, broccoli, citrus fruits, bananas, corn, tomatoes, and probably several other things that I'm forgetting at the moment.
Anyway, this week's total is $276.89.
That's quite a bit higher than usual, but luckily, I underspent last week, which means I'm still in good shape.
May Spending
Week 1: $104.66
Week 2: $276.89
What We Ate
Monday
I made a pan of Shrimp Viennese and we had a green salad to go with that.
Tuesday
I tried a recipe from my Cook's Country magazine: pan-seared chicken thighs and a side dish of potato cubes with chorizo and spinach.
The potato cubes were really good, but I felt like the chicken was pretty boring, even though I'd salted it earlier in the day. Next time, I'll marinade or brine it.
I also made a mango/strawberry/pear/apple fruit salad. Totally delicious, largely due to the perfect mango from my box of Costco mangoes.
Wednesday
We had turkey and pepper jack paninis (from Cook's Country!), a spinach/strawberry salad (like this one, basically), and veggie chips from Aldi.
Thursday
I made chipotle chicken kebabs and an orzo salad (erm, from Cook's Country. I'm kind of on a roll with that magazine!).
Friday
My kiddos are all going to be at sleepovers, so I will pick up something for just the two of us.
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Love the recaps - definitely give me extra ideas for dinners next week.
Husband has been traveling this week, so I've been eating solo for dinners.
Monday - Leftover Chinese from Saturday when my sister was in town
Tuesday - Breakfast for dinner - cheese scrambled eggs and hash browns
Wednesday - Church dinner - chicken and salad
Thursday - Vegetarian sub with tomato, avocado and cheese
Friday - Probably chicken and cucumber slices?
We spent a grand total of $18.43 at Aldi in one trip and then another $6.90 at Aldi later in the week. We also spent $5.56 at Price Chopper making a grand total of $30.89 for the week.
Now that seems artificially low because it is. We're planning a grocery shopping trip for either this afternoon or tomorrow morning that will probably be around $30. I'm also planning a BJs trip if, for nothing else, some cheese from the deli.
For food this week we had a nice and diverse menu.
Sunday we ate at my grandmother's house for Mother's Day. She made a turkey and a ham and we got some nice leftovers.
Monday we made Fish Fries. Now if you aren't in New York or New England, a Fish Fry up here is a long strip of white fish (usually pollock, haddock, cod or occasionally cusk) that is breaded, fried and served in a hot dog roll with chili sauce.
Tuesday we ate leftovers from Sunday. So that was easy enough.
Wednesday my wife made corned beef but as I mentioned before due to some technical difficulties it wasn't done until 8:30. I also ate a sweet potato. She had chicken won-tons from Trader Joe's with rice.
Thursday was another leftovers night as I had a nice corned beef sandwich with Swiss cheese.
Tonight is Bible study night so dinner is a pot luck. We're bringing dessert which my wife was given by a coworker.
Woo, that is a nice cheap week at your house!
Yeah we bought some large cuts of meat and froze it so we've been eating off of them for a while. I know this cheap week won't be repeated for a while.
That said, at least with my daughter moving onto solid foods the days of insanely high cost baby formula are numbered. We're making our own baby food too which helps a lot.
Congrats on this big change! Also on the smart shopping and cooking.
I am a new englander, and i NEVER have heard of a "fish fry" in that context! I just call them fish sandwiches, and I've never tried it with chili sauce, though I will have to do try that sometime because it sounds good!
(The combination of Aldi's, Chopper & BJs let me know you were probably a New Englander before you even mentioned it though 😉 my bets on WMass or Albany area... hahaha).
Do you have a panini press? Really like the look of that recipe... but don't have a press - but do have a George Foreman grill (that may work?)
I just use a grill pan on my stove and then weight the sandwiches with a smaller cast iron pan. It works pretty well, and takes up WAY less space than a panini press would.
The George Foreman grill will work.
Monday - grilled steaks (from my mom) and corn
Tuesday - leftover takeout pizza, which I ate with cucumber slices
Wednesday - baked chicken breast, Near East Mediterranean couscous with golden raisins added, and roasted red pepper pesto, which I ate with more cucumber
Thursday - chicken hash with leftovers from yesterday, mixed with baby gold potatoes, the last of the frozen diced peppers, and an onion; served with cheese grits and salsa/hot sauce
Friday - carbonara night, with peas and carrots
I'm pleased to be getting through the frozen fruit! We currently have a lot of bread in there, and some really random things. I'll need to do a freezer inventory soon and really tackle it so we can pace our fruit picking this summer, especially to balance it with stocking up on meats.
My kids love mangoes but after cutting two last week, which seemed to take forever for just a small amount of fruit, I don't even want to buy them. Any tips for cutting mango?
I cut mango in a way very similar to this.https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjCp8GT0NfMAhUnJ6YKHfv7BBkQtwIILzAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DlvLdPjpELyU&v6u=https%3A%2F%2Fs-v6exp1-ds.metric.gstatic.com%2Fgen_204%3Fip%3D1.132.96.150%26ts%3D1463162255327117%26auth%3Dp6ofcqy7k3buewzuf4mg4fsk2avdocl6%26rndm%3D0.7233426141469146&v6s=2&v6t=21847&usg=AFQjCNEXnurjYKXj0Dugj8PWVJgPMz_6iA&sig2=bQJmV13MVcAYEDc5HDEJlg&bvm=bv.122129774,d.dGo.
I was going to suggest googling for videos about how to cut one! It's easier to explain via video than through just typed words.
Buy Atulfo mangoes - smaller bright yellow ones. The flesh is much less fibrous, the seed is small and they taste delicious!
Your meals look delicious, Kristen!
Monday-Applebee's restaurant-we took my youngest daughter so they could sing happy birthday to her. The meal wasn't too bad because we all shared a bigger appetizer and a dessert.
Tuesday-Baked salmon and cheesy baked potato with sauteed onion
Wednesday-Chicken fingers, fries, and left over baked salmon for me.
Thursday- Baked spaghetti and garlic bread
Friday-not sure yet
Not very healthy this week. Planning to include more produce soon. I have just been staying out of the stores lately which means less fresh stuff.
I noticed in your picture from the Grocery Store, you had napkins. Why don't you purchase paper products from Costco? I get paper towels, bath tissue, napkins and tissues from Costco. Their quality is great and more cost effective for me anyway.
Love your posts- Thanks!!
You know, I've never even looked at Costco's napkins! I'll have to compare prices with Aldi's.
Our dinners this week may seem boring but we have to use up the leftovers-
Sunday- chicken stromboli
Monday-sloppy joes
Tuesday-Ham, baked potatoes, homemade bread
Wednesday-Ham & eggs, vegetable soup
Thursday- Ham & cheese braid
Friday-Ham & cheese braid
Sat- smoked chickens
Sun- pizza using the smoked chicken & bbq sauce
We're going away to Maine for a week on Saturday, so lots of clearing out the fridge!
Monday - pasta with leftover tomato sauce, turkey sauce, mushrooms, and green pepper
Tuesday - steaks with home-fries made from leftover roasted potaoes (Sunday dinner), fresh asparagus (from our garden!) for me and mixed beans for my husband
Wednesday - sweet and sour pork with pork from Sunday roast, partial jars of mango salsa and pineapple, peppers and onion from odds in the fridge, carrots, and leftover rice
Thursday - my husband had supper elsewhere so I made a noodle stirfry with shrimp and scallops (hubby allergic to shellfish), asparagus, green onion, and sorrel from the garden
Friday - beef curry over noodles to use up broccoli, some mushrooms, some carrots, more green onion from the garden.
So great that fresh stuff is starting to come in from the garden!
Sunday: Mother's Day cookout of steaks, rice and broccoli
Monday: chili with corn chips
Tuesday: left over chili over rice
Wednesday: salsa chicken over rice
Thursday: popcorn (we had a big lunch and that was the children's request, so I went with it :). I had a salad with hubs when he got off at 7.
Tonight is my daughters birthday meal of fried chicken, rice, corn on the cob.
Tomorrow we are grilling hotdogs and chips for her party.
When children offer to happily eat popcorn for dinner, the only sensible answer from you is, "YES!". Ha.
Don't forget that popcorn is a whole grain. Combine with dairy for a complete protein.
Alas, I'm pretty sure I did worse this week than I did last week...
Monday: Chipotle
Tuesday: Cereal
Wednesday: Pizza (someone else brought this to our small group-we all take turns providing food, so in a few weeks we'll return the favor)
Thursday: Chipotle
Friday: Um, I feel like I should cook something, but it might be a McDonald's night...
Here's to more frugal culinary endeavors next week!
Luckily, there's always a new week! And a fresh start.
We all have off weeks.
This week has been very strange. Dad was involved in an accident in his nursing home and we have spent huge amounts of time there. Lunches have been had on the run and dinners have been concocted from leftovers for the beginning of the week. We have had fish cakes and a roast and I can't remember the rest.
Aww, I'm sorry you had such a rough week! I hope that he's on the mend soon.
Thanks Kristen. It will be a while as he has two broken ribs and was bleeding into his pleural cavity. The horrid thing with dementia in its advanced stages it that he forgets and then we he moves it is a surprise etc. He is looking better day by day. The nuns and nurses are taking extra care with him.
I never knew everyone posted their menus in the comments! Sweet for ideas!
Monday: chicken and salmon with fries
Tuesday: breakfast pizza
Wednesday: taco noodles
Thursday: spaghetti
Friday: tacos and enchiladas potluck
We are in the mist of softball and baseball season. Still trying to get everyone at the table for a meal...
Monday - Ham and scalloped potatoes (last of the on the Easter ham from the freezer) veggie and fruit
Tuesday - Sad that I can not remember
Wednesday- Belated Mother's day dinner - Roasted red pepper pasta and chicken, veggie and fruit
Thursday- Ree's (Pioneer Woman) meatballs over noodles, veggie and fruit
Friday - Brats and Tots (It rhymes so the kids think it is funny so they eat it quickly and we can get to the field!) veggie and fruit
Saturday- homemade pizza bar
Sunday- something in the crock-pot since softball practice isn't over till 6:30 and we can walk in the door and eat.
Do you ever buy milk from aldi? A gallon is 1.19 near me.
I do usually, although ours is never $1.19. It's more like $2-$3, depending on the week.
Just wanted to say that I really enjoy these posts. They give me great ideas of what to make for my family - and I really need to try some Cook's Country recipes!
Thanks so much for the feedback! It's super helpful to hear what YOU all find most helpful.
Monday - Leftover chicken on salad
Tuesday - Spaghetti and meatballs
Wednesday - Tacos
Thursday - Parmesan Chicken with green beans
Friday - Was supposed to be make your own pizzas, but my husband wasn't home for dinner. I seriously did not want to cook, but also didn't want to drive into the next town for takeout. I went to the grocery store hoping to pick up some mac and cheese or something, and they were smoking ribs in the parking lot! So the kids and I had ribs, and a microwavable noodles and broccoli side.
Spent about $230 this week which is our grand total so far for the month. Will shop today and since I'm headed to DC for a few days at the end of the week I'll try to stick up for DH and the kids...
Sunday- roasted chicken and potatoes, carrots and onions, rolls, applesauce
Monday-pasta with meat sauce, salad
Tuesday-broccoli cheese frittata and sausage
Wednesday-curry tofu and cauliflower over coconut rice
Thursday- chicken and bacon salads with ATK corn fritters
Friday- homemade pizza and veggie slices, fruit plate, cookies
Tonight- probably grilled burgers and dogs with loaded pasta salad and assorted pickled veggies
Italian grammar nazi alert: "panini" is already plural. 🙂
Yesterday I made just for myself some sort of zucchini-smoked salmon... uhm? Burgers? Couldn't really keep them together but they were tasty! I love experimenting with zucchini for myself, since my husband hates them.
You know, I've wondered about that before! Thanks for telling me.
Monday- my 3 year old and I were the only ones home, so we had leftovers and I baked a sweet potato, which he loved.
Tuesday - Frugal Girl chicken hibachi with yum yum sauce, brown rice ramen, and Madras lentils
Wednesday - repeat of Tuesday
Thursday - my favorite meal - medley of five homemade cold salads plus bruschetta. Thai quinoa with edamame, carrots, red peppers, cucumbers, and peanuts. Farro with kale, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes and apricots. Peanut Thai chicken. Curry chicken salad. Bruschetta pasta salad. The veggie ones were share with a family friend that just had a baby.
Friday - tacos and watermelon
Saturday - leftovers
Sunday - Frugal Girl pizza plus cooks country pan pizza. Love it!
Happy weekend to all!
Brown rice AND ramen. I'm not sure if brown rice ramen exists. 🙂
Haha, I wondered about that.
Omg these recipes look delicious! We just got back from the store after vowing to try more vegetarian dishes, and our grocery bill was much lower as a result. Woop woop!
A brand new Aldi's opened this past weekend near our house, so my hubby & I went to check it out last night! Yipeeeeee! It will be my go to store with a new Winco also nearby for things Aldi's may not have. I'll still use the other store's ads to get deals on meat. I have been using $1.99 per lb. for buying meat since the mid 1990's & it's still possible to do with meats on sale. I remember you buying toilet paper at Aldi's so I am trusting that it's good. I can't wait to stock my shelves with items from Aldi's.
Yay! I'm so glad you have one now. So awesome.
Some of the TP at Aldi is super thin...so I buy the medium grade one that they have, and it's great.