WIS, WWA | We got takeout twice, but we're still on budget!
This post contains affiliate links, which earn revenue for this site at no extra cost to you. See my disclosure policy here.
What I Spent
I didn't do a full grocery shop this week...we just had a few small stops, which added up to $43.
However, we did spend $15 at Little Caesar's, and $28 at Chick-Fil-A.
So, all of that comes to $85.
September Grocery Spending
Week 1: $123
Week 2: $182
Week 3: $94
Week 4: $85
Year to Date Grocery Spending
It's week #39 of 2019, and I’m averaging $147/week thus far.
January: $619
February: $485
March: $702
April: $791
May: $806
June: $598
July: $695
August: $558
September: $484
What We Ate
Saturday
Mr. FG and I had our usual date night, so no cooking for me.
Sunday
We got pizza from Little Caesar's. Because that is what happens around here sometimes!
Monday
I didn't get home until nearly dinnertime (I was visiting my cousin, who just had a baby!) and I failed to prep anything before I left.
So, when Mr. FG got home, we decided it would be good night for Chick-Fil-A.
Tuesday
I made a super quick orange/apricot glazed chicken recipe from ATK's Quick Family Cookbook.
We had egg bread, watermelon, and raw veggies with the chicken.
Wednesday
I made BLTs because we had a few tomatoes that needed to be used up.
(And also because I love BLTs.)
And we had watermelon on the side because apparently I am pretending it's still summertime.
Thursday
Zoe and her cousin made BBQ chicken pizzas for us!
Related: My best pizza-making tips.
Friday
I'm planning to make polenta and sausage with smoky tomato sauce (a recipe from the ATK Quick Family Cookbook.)
I've got the polenta in the fridge already, which feels lovely.
As I'm sure you've noticed, we use our orange ATK quick family cookbook a lot. It's out of print, sadly, but there are always used copies on Amazon, so go check there.
For us, it also has been an easy week for cooking. I was at a baby shower on Saturday where everyone brought something to eat so we had plenty.
Sunday: Jamie Olivers’s Dan Dan noodles with bok choy and broccoli
Monday: Oktoberfest inspired dinner with pretzels, cole slaw, obatzda (Bavarian cheese delicacy) and a special kind of lard.
Tuesday: Vegetarian tikka masala
Wednesday: Rye bread, cheese, cole slaw and small radishes and tomatoes as snacks.
Thursday: Hearty soup with potatoes and leek, inspired by fall weather.
Friday: Veggie lasagna from the freezer as I will be going to a „Fridays for Future“ demonstration again.
Friday - Homemade broccoli soup and potato skins - this night was a particular victory as my husband and I both had particularly taxing days and I was soooo tired, but I made dinner anyway and he did the dishes. Yay, us!
Saturday - Apple potato soup, ham
Sunday - Rosemary & lemon salmon, baked sweet potatoes
Monday - Leftover sweet potatoes sauteed in cinnamon and cumin, served with riced and pickled red onion & cilantro, ham
Tuesday - Repeat of Monday's dinner because I love it!
Wednesday - usually it's leftover night, but there was hardly anything left! So, breakfast for dinner it was, and nobody complained about pancakes, that's for sure!
Thursday - husband had a frozen pizza; son had bacon mac and cheese from Panera as a special treat after a long day at a college visit(and being tempted by me with the promise of dinner out), we did get it as take out and I just got myself a bagel and ate it at home with the one little bowl of leftover soup that remained.
Friday - We're going to our big local fair, which we don't do every year, but tonight my son's choir gets to sing backup with Foreigner, so we definitely splurged on tickets for that! There will be local sausage and amazing hand-cut french fries. We'll each have something healthy to eat before we go. 🙂
That sounds like a great evening. Have a fun night!
Monday we had pineapple pork with noodles.
Tuesday I made pulled turkey in the slow cooker which we had with squash--so good--spinach and sliced tomatoes.
Wednesday we finished the pulled turkey with more squash, fried potatoes and salad.
Thursday is pizza night which we had with salad because I needed to use up the sunflower sprouts.
Tonight the plan is for tuna squares, mashed potatoes and whatever soft vegetables I can find because I have another dentist appointment.
If you think you're not getting good care from your dentist please speak up and get another opinion. My new dentist is terrific but I wish I'd made the move a lot sooner.
Oh yes, good dental care is definitely worth paying for. And in the long run, it can turn out to be cheaper too!
I hope your appointment went as well as it possibly could! I'm glad you've found a dentist who's a good fit for you.
Gosh this week has been a crazy one. We have eaten out a few times and had very simple meals. Today I made a shopping list on my phone and deleted the list mid shop. . I have come home with extras and left an important item behind. My shop was scary $250 (Australian) and I hope it will last two weeks. Somehow I know I will be topping fruit and vegetables next week.
Monday-baked spaghetti, garlic bread, and watermelon
Tuesday- BLT's
Wednesday- One kid ate a pulled pork sandwich, my husband had a ham sandwich, my youngest had chicken noodle soup, and I didn't eat anything. I guess I just got busy and it became too late. I don't like to eat and go right to sleep.
Thursday-I made Alice Springs chicken from a recipe I found online. My family loves it at Outback Steakhouse. I was hoping for something new to add to my rotation but they didn't really like it. May be because I used chicken thighs instead of breasts but that's what I had on hand so.....We had roasted carrots on the side. Guess I will take leftovers for lunch.
This week swung back and forth between random and simple meals when I was rushed, and larger, multi-item meals when I wasn't. It all averaged out, I suppose.
Saturday: Scrambled eggs with roasted green chile and cheese, fried potatoes, sauteed calabacitas (a squash similar to zucchini), leftover steamed broccoli
Sunday: Meatloaf, baked potatoes, roasted green beans, roasted sweet potatoes, roasted summer squash, peach/pear/blueberry betty with vanilla ice cream (an excellent combination, by the way)
Monday: A thrown-together skillet meal of browned ground beef, onion, roasted green chiles, juice from a can of tomatoes, cumin, rice, and grated cheese. Plus cucumbers. Obviously one those rushed days, thanks to actually working away from home again.
Tuesday: Roasted chicken thighs and drumsticks, mashed potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes/bell peppers/onions, sauteed summer squash and mushrooms, tomato and cucumber salad. You can tell from the relative complexity of this meal that I don't work on Tuesdays. 🙂
Wednesday: Bunless cheeseburgers, bread and butter, leftover rice and mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms and onions, frozen green beans. Another work day meal.
Thursday: Beef rib tacos with homemade tortillas, pickled carrot and cucumber ribbons
Friday: No idea yet. But I don't work Fridays, so I have the day to come up with something. Hooray for only working two days a week.
Sunday's betty sounds delicious!
No need to pretend it's still summer when the temps are still in the 90s! I love the places you eat when you eat out or get fast food. They are my go-to places as well. Love me some Little Caesar's and Chick-fil-a!
Haha, well, that IS true. It's felt awfully summery here of late. There have been zero days where I've thought, "You know what would be delicious? A pot of soup."
It's been a week of chicken and chickpeas for us 🙂
Saturday: Homemade hamburgers, tater tots and green salad
Sunday: Arugula pasta with chicken and a chickpea/tomato/cucumber salad
Monday: Hit the local pizzeria for the Monday night special
Tuesday: Used up leftover pasta from Sunday in a bake with eggs and milk. Also, leftover chickpea salad on the side.
Wednesday: Chickpea collard green gravy over rice, roasted butternut and baked chicken breast.
Thursday: Tacos
Friday: Not sure yet 🙂
Sat: Pan Con Bistec w/black beans and rice. We are University of Miami fans who no longer live in Miami, but on gameday, I try to fix something Cuban, so we can be there in spirit. And also, because it gives me an excuse to eat Cuban food, which is delish!
Sun: Family Game Night - Chicken Cordon Bleu, Mashed Potatoes, Creamed Corn and Peas. We do have dessert on game night and it was Brownies, Ice Cream and Magic Shell.
Mon: Honey Garlic Chicken with Rice (InstantPot recipe), leftover veggies from Sun.
Tues: My husband is building our back deck and before we knew it, it was almost 8p and I wasn't feeling cooking dinner at that point. Ran out and got us a couple of Chicken Wraps and split an order of curly fries.
Wed. Spatchcock Chicken, Roasted Carrots, Mac and Cheese and Green Beans
Thurs. Sheet Pan Pork Chops with Roasted Potatoes and Carrots and Green Beans
Fri. Unsure, we are finishing up the deck hopefully!
Husband’s week, and as usual he’s doing a great job!
Monday he roasted a chicken and Tuesday and Wednesday we had leftovers from that and from meals over the weekend. Sides of rice, green peas, and peaches, or roasted potatoes and green peas (we had a lot of peas to finish!).
Last night he made a wilted spinach butternut squash salad with broccoli on the side.
Sunday: potluck at lunch (we brought homemade chocolate chip cookies and a quinoa salad made with ingredients we had at home already), and we all enjoyed local corn on the cob and porketta (a local specialty... spiced, slow-roasted pork roast)
Sunday supper: homemade Mac and cheese with broccoli in it for the kids, split pea soup from our freezer stash for my husband and I.
Monday: veg and cheese quiche with the whole wheat crust from 100 Days of Real Food
Tuesday: lentil curry with whole wheat pita bread, spaghetti squash, roasted Brussels sprouts, zucchini, and bell peppers
Wednesday: egg roll in a bowl, brown rice
Thursday: roast chicken, oven-roasted potato wedges, baked spaghetti squash fritters, broccoli
Friday: tonight we’ll have homemade pizza, which is our Friday tradition
1. 3 lbs wings cooked in oven. 2. Aldi's chili with beans, cheese melted on top, crushed up tortilla on top. 3. Peaches 4. Cold cut roast beef sandwiches. 5. Ramen with peanut sauce.
Saturday - Texas Roadhouse for my father-in-law's birthday. My husband loves their rolls & has been craving them!
Sunday - Roast with carrots, mushrooms, and mashed potatoes
Monday - Beef tacos
Tuesday - Salisbury steak with egg noodles and green beans
Wednesday - Italian sausage, spaghetti and garlic bread
Thursday - Chili cheese dogs
Friday - Pizzas from the freezer
Monday: Sloppy joes, chips, watermelon
Tuesday: Your ham and cheese roll-ups, broccoli with cheese, cantaloupe
Wednesday: Fajitas and pineapple
Thursday: The last of our venison steak, green beans, corn on the cob
Friday: Trying haluski for the first time, planning to serve it with cooked carrots. Tonight is homecoming and I know that if the kids don't like the haluski as much as I think they will then we can get more food at the game tonight.
How do you prepare your venison? I am always on the look out for new ideas on how to cook venison. Thanks!!
Foodwise, I did a much better job of feeding us this week and I managed to keep the groc bill at just over $100. I think it was $115. Anyhoo, here's what we had/are having:
Monday - (freezer)Grilled Chicken, twice baked potatoes, spinach
Tuesday - Stuffed peppers, corn
Wednesday - Crockpot Chicken Stew - leftovers were enjoyed for lunch the next day
Thursday - Fajita Dinner Salads
Friday - Soyaki Salmon with fried rice, Pumpkin Spice tres leches cake for dessert!
Saturday - Making homemade pizzas - I already had all of the stuff for it
Sunday - Winging it - probably something from the freezer at home
With my husband in the hospital and now going to in-patient rehab, my return to the elimination phase of the AIP diet is on, at least while he's gone from home. All meals on the menu have planned leftovers so I eat them at least twice (sometimes as lunch or breakfast); however, I left the menu at home, so let's see what I can remember. (All but one recipe is from Mickey Trescott's AIP cookbooks -- she blogs at Autoimmune Wellness. I'm sure the names of the recipes aren't exactly correct, but you get the picture.)
I made a big pot of Hearty Vegetable Soup, which uses bone broth as its base.
Garlic Beef and Broccoli.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Fried Cauliflower "Rice".
Gingered Salmon Bake
"Curried" Chicken Salad
Other vegetables I can remember are Cooked Market Greens, Rosemary Carrots (Angie Alt's recipe. Angie is Mickey's blogging partner.) and Jicama-Radish "Tabbouleh" only I left out the radishes because I can't stand radishes. I also substituted cooked mixed greens for a kale salad because I'm not a fan of greens so tough you have to give them a massage to be able to eat them raw, plus too much raw food is tough on my inflamed innards.
Tonight is Beef and Butternut Stew. Since I was just shopping for me, I stayed under budget, but the amount was high for one. I have to bear in mind that many of the recipes make enough to freeze some for later, which is also included in the menu. The menu reminds one to freeze portions for a future week's menu. Plus, buying all organic, pastured, etc., is never cheap.
We had a brief cooling spell but still reached 90 or more during the day during that spell, which is now over. The other day it reached 100 in the sun. This is sure not pumpkin spice weather.
So, has the AIP diet helped you to feel better? I hope so!
I hope that your husband is feeling healthier soon.
It’s my first full week but I do feel a little better. My husband not so much so far unfortunately.
Thanks!
I'm sorry he's still struggling, and I hope he can turn a corner. Lots of love to you!
Monday night we roasted some frozen salmon from the freezer and had it with potatoes roasted in the crockpot, hollandaise sauce, and salad.
Tuesday we roasted in the crockpot about a third of a twenty pound turkey I bought at Aldi. Now that our oldest is in fourth grade we are getting into "the kids' appetites are bottomless pits" phase, so this is who we are now. I also made rice, roasted vegetables, and deviled eggs.
Wednesday I got home late, so my husband made sandwiches and veggie sides for the kids.
Thursday night I made a big vegetable soup with veggies that were in danger of going bad. We also had grilled cheese sandwiches.
Tonight we will probably pull together leftovers and odds and ends.
Saturday night we have friends over for hotdogs and hamburgers on the grill. I will also make mac and cheese (again in the crockpot--it is my best friend), and our friends are bringing a salad.
Monday: sausage, black beans and spinach over brown rice
Tuesday: cereal and scrambled eggs
Wednesday: ground turkey tacos
Thursday: Egg sandwiches and grapes
Friday: probably a quick pasta dish
And congratulations on the new addition to your extended family!
Reading your posts subliminally encourages me to pair what feels like slightly odder things together. You eat so much fruit as part of a meal that I'm doing that more now.
Very proud of myself for eating freezer meal tonight instead of takeaway at the end of a crappy week.
Haha, yes, I definitely throw random things together sometimes. I try to have protein, carb, and produce at a meal, and I don't spend a lot of time worrying about making sure those things coordinate perfectly together.
I'm sorry you had a rough week, and I hope the weekend is more cheerful for you.
Hi-- a two pizza week! I LOVE that-- I was wondering if you had noticed a difference money-wise or if you decided to make any changes in your meal planning and cooking activities since your son moved out? Cause I was thinking a growing teenage young man probably ate you out of house and home, compared to three girls? Just wondering-- Also, I miss your posts about smoothies and how you handle breakfast and lunch. Maybe to inspire me? with some new fresh ideas? Thanks!
Sunday- take-out Thai food for my mom's birthday with ice cream sundaes for dessert
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday- pasta, homemade sauce, and meatballs
Thursday and Friday- chicken stir fry with carrots, green beans, cabbage, and brown rice
Spent $75 at grocery store and $16 picking apples ($.95 per lb). But the apples will last us for 2 weeks.
1. Smorgåsbord. A lot of leftovers needed eating!
2. Ham and Swiss roll-ups, à la FG! :). Green beans, beets, and maple glazed carrots on the side.
3. Toad in the Hole, sautéed peppers and onions on the side.
4. Creamy Beef and Shells, made dairy-free by using coconut cream in the sauce (middle daughter is lactose intolerant)... SO GOOD. My kids scarfed it. Spaghetti squash on the side, which kids were less enthused about.
5. I was gonna make Ratatouille to go along with the movie which my kids love, but it didn’t work out. So we made a fire in our fire pit, ate cereal for dinner and then roasted marshmallows and ate ice cream. Sometimes fun with your kids is more important!!<3
The random assortment of veggies we’ve been having is due to the produce rescue box we’ve been receiving! Like Hungry Harvest but local to our area. I’m so pleased. It’s all organic and local and less pricey than the grocery store, and keeps food from being wasted. Plus it gets delivered right to my door. There’s literally no downside!! 😀
Saturday: My workmate gifted me a huge tomato from her garden. I made a margarita tomato sandwich by adding fresh mozzarella and basil.
Sunday: My sister and I went to a fiber arts show and her significant other treated us to a late lunch afterwards. I ate a late dinner/snack of fresh figs drizzled with spiced honey.
Monday: Used up more tomato by making a tomato sandwich.
Tuesday: Baked chicken patty sandwiches dressed with mayo, spinach and the last of the big tomato. Side dish of buttered noodles.
Wednesday: Grilled cheese sandwiches with granola trail mix on the side.
Thursday: Every month I have dinner with a bunch of girlfriends. I ate broiled Cajun fish and baked potato and left hubby instructions to make frozen perogies and sauce.
Friday: BBQ pork chops with rice and green beans.
Saturday: Homemade ham and pineapple pizza with fresh dough and mozzarella cheese.
Sunday - Chicken
Monday - Beef Stroganoff
Tuesday - Tacos
Wednesday - Roast Beef
Thursday - Birthday dinner out 🙂
Friday - Soup and sandwiches
Saturday - Bacon Cheeseburgers
After reading a lot of your posts I purchased a used copy of the ATK Quick Family Cookbook on e-bay for $6.54! I have already tried one of the soup recipes and have several others tagged for future meals. We aren't ones to try a lot of new foods so maybe this cookbook will streatch our palate a little.
I really enjoy reading your blog each day!
Oh yay! I am so glad you were able to find a used copy.
I think a good cookbook is so worth the money. If it saves you from even one night of takeout, it has paid for itself.