WIS, WWA | $33
What I Spent
I spent:
- $19 at Safeway
- $14 on a poke bowl
That makes $33 for me. And it probably means an expensive week is coming. Ha.
What We Ate
Saturday
I worked, and I packed rice, chicken, and peppers, plus a cucumber salad, grapes, and popped chips.
I ate a bowl of yogurt and fruit when I got home.
Sunday
Cheese quesadillas, for an easy button meal.
Monday
This is the day I rummaged through the fridge and made a kale salad instead of going to the grocery store to buy new and interesting ingredients. 😉
I had the kale salad plus some sauteed shrimp for dinner, and I also packed it for Tuesday's lunch.
Tuesday
I worked (this was the day I walked over 20,000 steps!) and ate the kale salad/shrimp for lunch.
And for "dinner"? Joe's O's and a banana, because even though I don't love the Joe's O's, they're tolerable enough for me to finish off.
Wednesday
Chicken katsu with cabbage salad from Dinner Illustrated (an out of print cookbook, but you can find it on eBay!)
Thursday
I drove to hear my college girl do a presentation at her school.
She had a class right after, so I stopped at a little local shop and got a poke bowl before I made the drive home.
Friday
I'm back at work today, and I packed a tuna sandwich for my lunch. It's a one-off shift, so I didn't feel like doing a whole meal prep session for that. So...a tuna sandwich it is.
Belated applause for rummaging through the fridge!
This week's eats:
Saturday: Veggie burritos with black beans, jasmine rice and homemade sauce (as I couldn't find the jar)
Sunday: Potato frittata with garlic and spinach and cheese with salad on the side
Monday: I ordered a Chinese noodle dish
Tuesday: Burrito bowl
Wednesday: Chilli mac and cheese
Thursday: Aubergine curry with chickpeas over jasmine rice
Friday: Undecided. I'm cat-sitting for my friend and will figure something out later!
Saturday - Pizza and breadsticks for a movie night.
Sunday - Sloppy joes, skillet corn, and fruit. This was actually my plan for Monday (it can stay in a crock-pot for varying dinner times) but one of the kids asked me on the way home from church what we were having for lunch, I said "sloppy joes" and ran with it without looking at the menu board. My memory isn't 100% these days. 😉
Monday - Salad with chicken.
Tuesday - Chicken taco chili. I needed something that my girls could eat at a volleyball game, I could eat while working the ticket table, and the boys could eat at home. It worked out fairly well.
Wednesday - I ate at a training and my 12yo daughter made chicken nuggets, shells and cheese, fries, and veggies at home.
Thursday - Jerk pork with Caribbean salsa. I really love this meal. My kids weren't excited, but ate it pretty well. I'll call it a win.
Friday - We have today off school and are taking a day trip to Lake Michigan today. The plan is to pack all of our food, but I've been working/volunteering so much this week that I'm not prepared. Heading to the store soon to stock up!
Kristen, have you found yourself making substitutions when shopping or cooking to account for inflation? (I totally understand if that mental math is a step too far with all your class and work hours!) Conversely, what ingredient(s) will you not compromise on, no matter the cost? Both would be interesting to hear about and/or open up to the commentariat.
This is an interesting one! I've just bought a secondhand Instant Pot so I can cook dried beans quickly, and therefore buy dried beans rather than canned beans to save money. I'd love a post/comment thread on this!
Oh, and I will not compromise on my favourite brand of tofu (Tofoo - it's British)! I eat a fair bit of it as I'm mostly plant-based and I really notice the texture difference whenever I've tried a cheaper version. I love this tofu so much I can eat it from the packet!
Our meals this week:
I spent a lot this week on Costo ($330) and Harris Teeter ($170). I also picked up some free Costco groceries from Buy Nothing that are unopened but slightly expired. These will go into next weeks meals. I am not bothered by Best Buy dates.
Sunday - Kale salad with sweet potatoes and tofu.
Monday - Arepas with rotisserie chicken, homemade salsa, and cheese, sliced peppers, fruit.
Tuesday - Leftovers/On Your Own, Jersey Mike's for the boy after a 2 hour baseball practice in 100 degree Sept heat. Blech!
Wednesday - Pasta with red sauce and ground beef. More sauce went into the freezer than was consumed.
Thursday - Peruvian rotisserie chicken restaurant for my birthday. Actually a relatively frugal/healthy meal out. I had chicken, maduros, and rice. Then I sat in 100 degree Sept heat for 2 hours to watch a softball game.
We are going to Blowing Rock for my birthday and will only be in the 80s. I can't wait!
Meeghan, happy birthday! I, too, am unfazed by Best Buy dates or any expiration date for that matter. On Tuesday, I wrote about the expired bounty I received from Buy Nothing, with the oldest being some noodles from 2019. No discernible difference.
Happy Birthday!
Saturday: I used one package of smoked beef sausage and some rice cooked in chicken stock, plus vegetables, etc. to make a skillet meal. It needed more flavor.
Sunday: I make hamburger steaks with gravy somewhat frequently. This time, I just browned the ground beef loose and made the gravy in the pan with it. The internet tells me this is called hamburger gravy, reasonably enough. It was easier than the steaks, and so of course not quite as popular with my family. 🙂 I also made mashed potatoes and we had homemade sauerkraut with it. I really did not feel like making a Sunday dessert. In such cases, I melt chocolate chips with a little coconut oil and give everyone marshmallows to dip in it. Always a hit.
Monday: Sirloin steaks, leftover rice with sausage or mashed potatoes, green salad with leftover homemade tartar sauce as the dressing, peanut butter cookies
Tuesday: I had quite a bit of the hamburger gravy left, which I combined with cooked pasta, a small can of cream of chicken soup (we have been getting a lot of these lately from extra commodities, and now also boxes the school is sending home every month), cream, milk, cheddar cheese, and tomato sauce. You know what I inadvertantly made? Hamburger Helper. It was very funny when I realized this. Does anyone eat hamburger helper anymore? I feel like that's a relic of when ground beef used to be cheap. Anyway. It was not too bad. Not too good, either, but certainly it filled everyone up and no one refused it. A couple of kids even had seconds.
Wednesday: My daughter was standing next to me the previous night when I was staring into the chest freezer trying to decide what to thaw for the next day's dinner. So I asked her what I should take out. She said the package of beef heart. Okay. Heart requires a bit of trimming, but the meat is quite lean and free of cartilage or anything, which makes it perfect for stir-fry. So that is what I made. With rice, of course. We also had brownies, as I had been cooking in the morning for a teacher at our school who just got home from a two-week hospital stay with her son, and I made them brownies. A double batch, so we could have some too.
Thursday: I made a Spanish tortilla in the morning for the boys and my husband. I was at a volleyball game with my daughter.
Tonight: Another thing we've been getting a lot of in those boxes of food is tuna. Much better than cream of chicken soup. So tonight, we'll have tuna patties, mashed potatoes, and green peas.
I've never seen hamburger helper (or other "helper") sans some type of noodles. Yours was likely much, much lower in sodium I suspect depending on the cream of chicken soup.
A pox to all the box "helpers" - yeah, fills stomachs but just are not that healthy. And count me OUT for buying beef processed by an unknown producer. Will likely be querying the source of the butcher shop meat. And mark downs at the grocery store (which is NOT wallworld) may be a hard pass.
Saturday: Pasta meat sauce (from the freezer, I pushed the easy button), I padded this with mushrooms as it wasn't enough to feed both of us, with spagetti.
Sunday: Home-made chicken fingers on a salad.
Monday: All hell broke loose!! I had food poisoning (food reaction?) so severely, between the intense cramps, the peristalsis and the salivating, I was too sick to eat anything. I don't think it was the chicken from Sunday because I tested the temperature of the chicken and it was fully cooked. I think it was my lettuce, it had "turned" a bit (10 days in my fridge, sigh) and I just pulled off the brown bits. HB was okay.
Tueday: I was feeling too "beaten up" from the day before, so the best I could muster was HB cooked me 2 fried eggs.
Wed: Rainbow trout fillet with roasted potatoes and carrot salad.
Thursay: It was HB's birthday! So we had Steak and potatoes on the BBQ, and I made a "White bean and tabbouleh-ish salad". It was amazing. If you've never used white balsamic vinegar, Oh my gosh, this is the most delicious vinegar, though I will add that it is eye-wateringly expensive!
Friday: I have leftovers from last night.
Happy Long Weekend to those who have it. (Labour Day on Monday in Canada)
Happy Friday, everyone! We spent $191 ($63 at Fresh Thyme, $8 at Tare Market, $30 at Eastside Co-op, and $90 at Target). Higher due to stocking up on bulk nuts and party food/beverages.
-- Tex-Mex casserole concoction
-- Assemblage of leftover brown rice, sauteed mushrooms, feta cheese, and fresh herbs
-- Noodles with edamame
-- Pizza and salad (leftovers from a restaurant lunch)
-- Apple and almonds
-- Noodles with broccoli
-- Homemade spring roll with Kristen's cilantro sauce
WIS: $11 at the Regional Market, $6.39 at Price Chopper (after redeeming $3.60 in store points), $3.34 at Ollie's (after redeeming a $5 off $5 or more coupon), and $50 at Wegmans (after redeeming $5.85 in NY State deposit containers).
WIA: My two highlights this week didn't involve any of my actual grocery spending. First, Dr. Bestest Neighbor and I enjoyed what will probably be our last clam feast of the season on Wednesday. (I can't imagine that Price Chopper is going to extend its $12/50 special on Maine clams past Labor Day, and the BNs are leaving this Sunday in any case for their annual fortnight with the Dr.'s daughter, granddaughter, and great-grandchildren on Cape Cod.) I had to steam the clams this time, because Dr. BN said that our Price Chopper's steamer was broken, but this wasn't difficult. A fond farewell to cheap clams!
And second, I dumped out my potato tub (an old Shop-Vac tub) yesterday and harvested about 1.5 pounds of lovely little potatoes. Not bad, considering that I used sprouted grocery store russets this year instead of buying seed potatoes, and considering the drought we've had.
Oh we are having clams from Price Chopper this Sunday. I hope that price holds out.
I haven't had luck planting potatoes in the groun, but will try the bucket method next year since you seem to have good luck.
$93 at Food Lion and a few items at Dollar Tree, so about $97 total.
I have a nice selection of homemade single-serve meals in the freezer and did not intend to cook during this very hot week, but DS worked late Wednesday and I knew he would be hungry.
We had a family-size box of Kraft mac and cheese bought for the food pantry, which then asked that no mac and cheese be donated, so I made cheeseburger mac for us. This used up the last of the ground turkey, the last of a stick of butter that had been in the fridge a while, a little baggie of last year's frozen sweet peppers from the garden, and a can of tomatoes from Ollie's Outlet. We had that with applesauce and a dish of olives as sides. Super easy pantry meal that was a big hit.
DH had sandwiches with sweet peppers and cherry tomatoes from the garden, pickles, carrots, and plums or nectarines. I made a double batch of chocolate pudding as desserts.
We’re still staying at around $50 at the grocery store each week thanks to our CSA box. I have a feeling our grocery bill will go down even more once my son goes back to school next week and starts eating breakfast and lunch at school. Our state provides breakfast and lunch for all students regardless of income.
Friday: Pastina soup, toasted sourdough – husband had been feeling under the weather and requested soup
Saturday: Pepperoni and sausage pizza, margarita pizza (using our free monthly pizza card)
Sunday: Husband smoked meatloaf, paired with mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn on the cob
Monday: Roasted tomato pepper soup, sort-of paninis (made without a panini press)
Tuesday: Shrimp enchiladas, Spanish rice. These are a favorite of my son so I had him take the lead and I played sous chef.
Wednesday: I came home with a migraine but thankfully I had an easy button menu planned – gyro meat from the freezer along with prechopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and homemade tzatziki sauce. My husband turned everything into gyro bowls for him and my son, I had some rice and sleep.
Thursday: Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole. I liked that this used a lot of our CSA veggies, I did not like that the white and red potatoes cooked unevenly so there were some toothy potato bites.
I'm going to have to run to the store for a couple of things, but I expect it was be a cheapish trip. But I actually cooked this week and only had lunch out once! Yay!
M - cereal at home
T - TJ's Spaghetti Carbonara with some chicken from my freezer, and green beans (this made two meals)
W - TJ's Tilapia, tater tots, salad
Th - Mole Chicken Enchiladas, green beans, refrieds (this made two meals also)
F - TJ's Coconut Shrimp with some green chile mac and cheese and broccoli (the last two-fer meal)
*those three extra meals will be my work lunches
Happy first weekend of September!
We've had:
-Grilled burgers x2
-Baked salmon x1
-Crispy chicken Chile tacos
-Out to dinner x1 with family (Persian food - my favorite! Baghali polo!)
-grilled chicken
As for tonight, we will likely have baked salmon on salads
After posting here yesterday about "the black dog," I lay down on the bed and slept five hours. Wow! I must have been just exhausted. I remembered the old slogan HALT. Don't let myself get too hungry, angry, lonely or tired. Apparently I have been cheating myself on sleep.
So for the 'hungry" piece, I am keeping it simple. Thank goodness for a husband who never complains about any food I serve him. He married after 39 years of bachelorhood and thinks every served meal is a luxury. So yeah, I have been alternating pulled pork and hot dogs. Right now it is the best I can do. Although there are protein bars and milk for breakfast and lots of fresh fruit. I have reinstituted a smoothie a day. Good Housekeeping is not doing a photo journal of our menus but the most important things like Mom and mental health remain the focus.
Wishing you well, Mary Ann, on your assorted struggles--with "the black dog" (that's what DH used to call his depression, too), and with placing your mom in assisted living and the related family complications. There are times in our lives when pulled pork and hot dogs ARE the best we can do. (Back when I was still caring for DH at home, I had numerous days when I relied heavily on Trader Joe's spanakopita and other frozen options.)
Cooking any kind of meal is a win right now. Sending good wishes!
It sounds like you are making great and meaningful choices--rooting for you!
Sending love. I aspire to eat well and usually like to cook, but medical and cognitive complications get in my way sometimes. During these times, I remind myself that "fed is best" (the adult version) and whatever nourishment I can get still counts. Hot dogs, pulled pork, and smoothies keep you going for now. Thanks for the reminder about HALT (and I will add thirsty to that last T since sometimes I crash just from forgetting to hydrate enough!)
Saturday - takeout night so we had sushi (udon noodles for the non-sushi eater)
Sunday - broccoli, mushroom and orzo skillet
Monday - this was our anniversary, we didn’t have childcare so no plans to go out. My husband made a mushroom risotto and I picked up chocolate chip cookies (his favorite) from a bakery near my work.
Tuesday - my evening of working late and then rushing one kid to soccer practice. My mom fed the kids dinner before soccer, I ate a late dinner after the practice of three bean chili from the freezer and a toasted slice of beer bread (made with seltzer rather than beer) with peanut butter on it.
Wednesday - our usual of bean burritos, Spanish rice, and corn for the kids and for me homemade black bean dip spread on crisped corn tortillas, topped with avocado and mango salsa.
Thursday - for the kids, I used the leftover broth from Saturdays takeout udon to cook more udon noodles from the freezer, also steamed veggie dumplings and shrimp dumplings. For me, I had some broccoli soup from the freezer and some toasted bread topped with hummus, heirloom tomato slices and peach balsamic glaze
Friday - Morningstar chicken patty sandwiches, frozen French fries, and corn on the cob
WIS - $11.43 @ Grocery Outlet for milk and 3 lbs of quick sale ends and pieces bacon
Sun - family dinner Hawaiian sweet and sour pork, stir fry, rice and plum and cherry upside down cake.
Mon - mystery meat (unmarked freezer meat) ended up being tri tip steak. Dry rubbed, grilled, garlic beans, grilled zucchini and green salad.
Tues - hamburger patties, salad, sauteed bok choy, onion and grape tomatoes.
Wed - community din - brought a freezer honey baked ham, funeral potatoes, Apple cabbage slaw, apple pie slab.
Thursday - canning day, ham sliders and green salad
Fri - late lunch with friends
We are in a busy spell with work, sibling and DIY and meals are not too interesting.
I made a red sauce with roasted tomatoes and assorted other veg and we had that twice, with pasta and grated cheese.
Then we had a vegetarian curry-ish dish with millet, leek and banana, and a nice dinner with a proper salad and sea bass. Plus roasted nectarines over vanilla ice cream!
To compensate for this goodness we had air fryer chips on the busiest day, with apple sauce. You can't win them all.
I did save a recipe for lentil /blue cheese tartelettes, but did not yet get round to making it. Perhaps somewhere in the weekend.
And I will definitely make more tomatosauce and I may even can some. It is so useful to have a few jars for busy days.
WIS: $18 Station 21, $4 McDonald's, $10 Aldi, $13 LaPeep
WIA: It was a weird week. I traveled, I got sick, my meals were all over the place and sometimes non-existent.
I had a double hamburger at Station 21 and it was so big it fed me for two more days. At LaPeep, I had crepes piled with blueberries, strawberries and bananas. After that I got too sick for real meals. I had toast and berries and yogurt, mostly.
Yes, low spending weeks mean more spending is coming up for me, too. I try to stock up on meat when things we like are on sale. But I've noticed there isn't much meat on sale lately, too. Time to get more creative, I guess!
WIS/ WWA this week
I spent $60 at Kroger, $ $40 at Aldi and $25 at Walmart, so $125.
Saturday – oven fried chicken, leftover Haluska, frozen green beans, homemade garlic bread
Sunday – grilled ribeye steak, carrot/raisin salad, leftover garlic bread, cornbread stuffing.
Monday – baked pork chops, homemade 4-bean salad, corn on the cob
Tuesday – doctored up store bought pizza and green salad
Wednesday – baked salmon, green salad, pkgd Aldi roasted garlic risotto.
Thursday – chicken piccata, linguine, veggie, 4-bean salad
Friday – we will probably have skillet meatloaf,mashed potatoes and a green veggie.
Friday: Met my guy for Thai food after a couple of days at my daughter's.
Saturday: Kevin's Greek chicken, roasted potatoes, fresh green beans (from my daughter)
Sunday: Grilled salmon, couscous, fresh green beans
Monday: drawing a blank (I worked), he had the rest of the Kevin's Greek chicken
Tuesday: Barbacoa beef - soft tacos for him, on a baked potato at work for me
Wednesday: Leftover Barbacoa beef tacos
Thursday: Ground turkey spaghetti, green beans and french bread
I only spent $65 at Winco this week on groceries, but then a ridiculous $31 on snacks at the movie theater, and $60 treating my sister and myself to dinner at a Mexican restaurant.
Saturday-I had family over and served up BBQ pulled chicken topped baked potatoes, with lots of extra toppings, and watermelon and homemade chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
Sunday - Dinner out. I had a taco salad.
Monday - Sliders made with the leftover BBQ Chicken and watermelon on the side.
Tuesday/Wednesday - Baked rigatoni leftovers I had previously frozen.
Thursday - homemade Meximelts, cherry tomatoes.
Friday - I picked up a chicken sandwich and a diet coke while I was out running errands.