I did our weekly shopping today. I had success at the farmer's Market. I almost didn't survive the grocery store, though. Winter weather is expected tonight and the entire town is in a panic. Yowza.
Farmer's Market $43
$39 spent on a whole chicken (4 lb) and (1.5 lbs) of chicken breasts
$4 Russet Potatoes
Walmart $5
Silicone baking cups - $4
$1 bamboo skewers
Sunflower Foods $10.81
Eggs $2.75
chocolate covered almonds $3.90
Bulk seasoning to make onion dip $4.16
Hannaford $83.43
straws $.99
natural peanut butter $4.19
Block Jack cheese $5
Mozzarella block $3.99
yeast 3 pack $1.69
whole grain white bread $2.59
Whole milk French vanilla yogurt $3.79
organic strawberry yogurt squeezies $3.29
whole grain white flour $3.49
Strawberry all fruit spread $1.99
Haagen Daaz vanilla ice cream $3.49
generic cheerios $2
organic tomato sauce $1.49
organic apple juice $2.99
Local, organic milk $3.95 (plus $2 glass bottle deposit)
I returned 3 ($6 credit, plus $2 charge)
Organic apple sauce squeezie $2.59
Annie's organic mac and cheese $2.59
gmo free tortilla chips $2.49
Organic butter $4.99
Organic edemame $4.59
Organic salsa $2.99
Organic coffee $6.29
broccoli $1.11
bananas $1.70
kiwi fruit $1.00
cantaloupe $3.49
Hothouse cuke $.99
organic sweet potatoes $4.69
cauliflower $2.99
Total Spent $142.24
still need to purchase 2 lbs of white fish and probably more milk, so approximately $20 more.
Not bad, but ideally I'd like to stay closer to $125/week.
Saturday, January 3, 2015
New Year, new weekly menu!
Today I'm hitting our local Winter Farmers market. I'm excited, I can't lie. I've got my meal plan and shopping list ready to go
Today, Saturday January 3
Homemade Baked Beans (in the crockpot since last night) with Applegate Hotdogs (I hope my family will eat them... I might serve them on skewers, since my kids don't like buns or condiments ... but they do like things skewered....) I'm planning on making homemade onion dip so, I'll also serve some cut up fruits and veggies.
Sunday January 4
Crepes for breakfast with fruit (my husband makes very good crepes)
Pasta with meat sauce, salad and veggies
Monday January 5
Homemade chicken dippers (see skewer comment above), oven fries, sweet potato fries, and roasted cauliflower.
Tuesday January 6
Fish with rice and veggies
Wednesday January 7
Fish cakes (with leftover fish) served with Annie's mac and cheese, peas and veggies
Thursday January 8
Crockpot chicken, mashed potatoes, veggies
Friday January 9
BBQ chicken quesadilla
Saturday January 10
Chicken noodle soup with cheesy pizza
I struggle the most with finding interesting things to serve for breakfast. Ug, any ideas??
Today, Saturday January 3
Homemade Baked Beans (in the crockpot since last night) with Applegate Hotdogs (I hope my family will eat them... I might serve them on skewers, since my kids don't like buns or condiments ... but they do like things skewered....) I'm planning on making homemade onion dip so, I'll also serve some cut up fruits and veggies.
Sunday January 4
Crepes for breakfast with fruit (my husband makes very good crepes)
Pasta with meat sauce, salad and veggies
Monday January 5
Homemade chicken dippers (see skewer comment above), oven fries, sweet potato fries, and roasted cauliflower.
Tuesday January 6
Fish with rice and veggies
Wednesday January 7
Fish cakes (with leftover fish) served with Annie's mac and cheese, peas and veggies
Thursday January 8
Crockpot chicken, mashed potatoes, veggies
Friday January 9
BBQ chicken quesadilla
Saturday January 10
Chicken noodle soup with cheesy pizza
I struggle the most with finding interesting things to serve for breakfast. Ug, any ideas??
Friday, January 2, 2015
Unusual Problems or a day in the life
Our new year plan to eat more whole foods is going very well. We've been drinking (really expensive) organic, local whole milk, which has been well received by my family. I think it does taste better than the mass produced milk I used to buy.
We were running low on milk tonight, low like there would not be any milk for the morning coffee. This is a travesty that I cannot live with. I really need a cup of coffee or 2 in the morning.
My husband took our boys and scooted to the local health food store to grab a 1/2 gallon of milk. He bought raw milk. I didn't have the heart to criticize, but I was freaking out in my mind.
I sent a text to my dear friend who happens to be a nurse. I wanted to let her know if my family fell ill, to please let the doctors know the illness is from the raw milk.
My husband put out boys to bed, while I researched raw milk. I have confidence in the CDC, so I checked out their website. I learned that I could "pasturize" it myself. I simmered the milk between 170* and 180*F for 5 minutes. Cleaned the bottle with soap and hot water then refilled the bottle with the hot milk.
Good news, I probably won't be sick tomorrow.
We were running low on milk tonight, low like there would not be any milk for the morning coffee. This is a travesty that I cannot live with. I really need a cup of coffee or 2 in the morning.
My husband took our boys and scooted to the local health food store to grab a 1/2 gallon of milk. He bought raw milk. I didn't have the heart to criticize, but I was freaking out in my mind.
I sent a text to my dear friend who happens to be a nurse. I wanted to let her know if my family fell ill, to please let the doctors know the illness is from the raw milk.
My husband put out boys to bed, while I researched raw milk. I have confidence in the CDC, so I checked out their website. I learned that I could "pasturize" it myself. I simmered the milk between 170* and 180*F for 5 minutes. Cleaned the bottle with soap and hot water then refilled the bottle with the hot milk.
Good news, I probably won't be sick tomorrow.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Weekly Spending
Sunflower Foods $50.17
3 Lara bars - 5.07
Grade B local, organic maple syrup - $11.15
Applegate Hotdogs - $5.75
Applegate Bacon - $4.99
Applegate Pepperoni - $5.99
Local Butter - $5.65
Bulk Granola - $3.83
Bulk Pinto beans - $2.83
Local Eggs - $2.75
something else for $2.16 - make a note to double check receipt before you leave the store if the items are not clearly itemized!!
Shaws $22.68
Organic corn - $2.49
Organic unsweetened Applesauce - $2.99
Stonyfield Farm Banilla yogurt - $3.99
1 lb Louisiana Frozen Shrimp - $9.99
Baby Romaine Lettuce, clearance - $1.99
1 Vidalia Onion - $.65
1 loose potato - $.58
Sunflower Foods - second trip $6.34
Organic heavy cream - $2.35
Organic baby spinach - $1.79
Curried cashews - $2.20
Hannaford $54.24
Cat food - not for me, of course - $6.99
Fresh mozzarella - $7.99
fettuccine - $1
dried black eye peas - $1.59
block cheddar cheese - $2.39
Raisins - $2.19
Organic tomato sauce $2.19
2 1/2 gallons local whole milk $11.90
Organic pizza sauce $1.99
Bananas 49 cents/lb - $1.37
Discount organic apples - $1.18
2 cukes - $1.18
rainbow pepper pack - $2.99
Baby bella mushrooms - $1.79
3 lbs clementines - $4.99
1/4 watermelon - $2.05
Total for the week:
$133.35
3 Lara bars - 5.07
Grade B local, organic maple syrup - $11.15
Applegate Hotdogs - $5.75
Applegate Bacon - $4.99
Applegate Pepperoni - $5.99
Local Butter - $5.65
Bulk Granola - $3.83
Bulk Pinto beans - $2.83
Local Eggs - $2.75
something else for $2.16 - make a note to double check receipt before you leave the store if the items are not clearly itemized!!
Shaws $22.68
Organic corn - $2.49
Organic unsweetened Applesauce - $2.99
Stonyfield Farm Banilla yogurt - $3.99
1 lb Louisiana Frozen Shrimp - $9.99
Baby Romaine Lettuce, clearance - $1.99
1 Vidalia Onion - $.65
1 loose potato - $.58
Sunflower Foods - second trip $6.34
Organic heavy cream - $2.35
Organic baby spinach - $1.79
Curried cashews - $2.20
Hannaford $54.24
Cat food - not for me, of course - $6.99
Fresh mozzarella - $7.99
fettuccine - $1
dried black eye peas - $1.59
block cheddar cheese - $2.39
Raisins - $2.19
Organic tomato sauce $2.19
2 1/2 gallons local whole milk $11.90
Organic pizza sauce $1.99
Bananas 49 cents/lb - $1.37
Discount organic apples - $1.18
2 cukes - $1.18
rainbow pepper pack - $2.99
Baby bella mushrooms - $1.79
3 lbs clementines - $4.99
1/4 watermelon - $2.05
Total for the week:
$133.35
Back to Blogging!
I am happy to be back to blogging, maybe that will be my New Year's resolution.... be better about my blogging.
My family is wrapping up the 2014 holiday season. We had one of the best Christmas's we've ever had. The secret to our success?? It was quiet and low key. We didn't go overboard on gifts, we had a happy heart about everything and it was a very nice holiday.
I bought myself one particular gift 100 Days of Real Food by Lisa Leake. My husband was even on board, going through the cookbook and marking recipes he'd like me to make.
For many years our food budget is where we have had the most opportunity to control our purse strings. I have no doubt that local food is better, for your body, the local economy and the environment. However, the cost of local foods is substantially more expensive than the mass market food available at the store.
Menu Plan for the Week Sunday December 28 - Saturday Jan 3, 2015
Sunday - Shrimp stir fry with jasmine rice and frozen stir fry veggies
I made the stir fry sauce myself and used "wild" frozen shrimp from Louisiana.
I was astounded, this was a meal that everyone in my family ate and enjoyed!
Monday - Corn chowder with cheesy pizza and carrot sticks
The soup recipe is from my new cookbook. My husband and I really enjoyed it. My pickiest eater ate a very small portion. Granted I had to feed it to him... but he didn't cry or carry on.... which is a total win! in my book.
Tuesday - Cajun fettuccini alfredo with shrimp, broccoli and baby romaine salad with tomatoes
I am making this tonight. My husband really loves Cajun food. I like that it is a little fancier than the usual meals I make. What also is a redeeming quality, is I can serve a small portion of the dish, how it is prepared, but I can also serve some plain fettuccini, which is what my pickiest eater likes to eat.
Wednesday - Make your own pizzas, veggies and salad
Happy New Year's Eve! I want to make something exciting, but not completely junky. So, setting up a Make your Own Pizza bar seemed like the way to go.
Thursday - Hoppin' john with rice
This recipe is from Sundays at the Moosewood restaurant - The Moosewood Collective
Black eye peas are a traditional New Year's Day good luck food and my husband always requests them, but I rarely make them. I'm not sure how they will be received... but we are going out for Chinese for lunch with my parents. I have no doubt my kids will fill up on chicken fingers and edemame at lunch, so they probably won't be too hungry at dinner. I am optimistic that they will eat plain rice.
Friday - Pasta with tomato sauce and ground beef (cleaning out my freezer/pantry) with crinkle cut carrots and green beans
This is just a quick meal to clean out the freezer and pantry. I also know everyone will eat this meal.
Saturday -Baked beans with hotdogs
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/06/03/recipe-slow-cooker-baked-beans/
I do my weekly shopping on Friday, then I go to the Farmers Market on Saturday. I purchased Applegate farm natural beef franks. I hope my family will eat them. I love baked beans and they freeze well.
My family is wrapping up the 2014 holiday season. We had one of the best Christmas's we've ever had. The secret to our success?? It was quiet and low key. We didn't go overboard on gifts, we had a happy heart about everything and it was a very nice holiday.
I bought myself one particular gift 100 Days of Real Food by Lisa Leake. My husband was even on board, going through the cookbook and marking recipes he'd like me to make.
For many years our food budget is where we have had the most opportunity to control our purse strings. I have no doubt that local food is better, for your body, the local economy and the environment. However, the cost of local foods is substantially more expensive than the mass market food available at the store.
This is my attempt to incorporate more local whole foods into our diet and budget.
Menu Plan for the Week Sunday December 28 - Saturday Jan 3, 2015
Sunday - Shrimp stir fry with jasmine rice and frozen stir fry veggies
I made the stir fry sauce myself and used "wild" frozen shrimp from Louisiana.
I was astounded, this was a meal that everyone in my family ate and enjoyed!
Monday - Corn chowder with cheesy pizza and carrot sticks
The soup recipe is from my new cookbook. My husband and I really enjoyed it. My pickiest eater ate a very small portion. Granted I had to feed it to him... but he didn't cry or carry on.... which is a total win! in my book.
Tuesday - Cajun fettuccini alfredo with shrimp, broccoli and baby romaine salad with tomatoes
I am making this tonight. My husband really loves Cajun food. I like that it is a little fancier than the usual meals I make. What also is a redeeming quality, is I can serve a small portion of the dish, how it is prepared, but I can also serve some plain fettuccini, which is what my pickiest eater likes to eat.
Wednesday - Make your own pizzas, veggies and salad
Happy New Year's Eve! I want to make something exciting, but not completely junky. So, setting up a Make your Own Pizza bar seemed like the way to go.
Thursday - Hoppin' john with rice
This recipe is from Sundays at the Moosewood restaurant - The Moosewood Collective
Black eye peas are a traditional New Year's Day good luck food and my husband always requests them, but I rarely make them. I'm not sure how they will be received... but we are going out for Chinese for lunch with my parents. I have no doubt my kids will fill up on chicken fingers and edemame at lunch, so they probably won't be too hungry at dinner. I am optimistic that they will eat plain rice.
Friday - Pasta with tomato sauce and ground beef (cleaning out my freezer/pantry) with crinkle cut carrots and green beans
This is just a quick meal to clean out the freezer and pantry. I also know everyone will eat this meal.
Saturday -Baked beans with hotdogs
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/06/03/recipe-slow-cooker-baked-beans/
I do my weekly shopping on Friday, then I go to the Farmers Market on Saturday. I purchased Applegate farm natural beef franks. I hope my family will eat them. I love baked beans and they freeze well.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Grocery shopping and weekly meal plan
I have neglected the blog, but I have stuck to my budget these past 2 weeks. We've had so much going on, we had to put our dog to sleep, we had a whirlwind wedding Columbus Day weekend and then my favorite Uncle died. Blah. But now I'm back in the swing of things!
Weekly Meal Plan
Sunday - Apple bread
Crock pot pot roast with tricolor penne served with green beans
Monday - Pancakes and Eggs with sausage and pineapple chunks
French Dip Sandwiches/grilled cheese with cut up veggies
Tuesday - Cold cereal and fruit
Dinner with my parents - ribs and cornbread
Wednesday - Cold Cereal
leftovers
Mac and cheese (boxed, gasp), broccoli, and leftovers
Thursday - Apple Bread
hummus and veggies
Crockpot bbq chicken with rice with mexi corn and bean medley
Friday - Cold cereal
leftovers
Crockpot refried beans with homemade tortillas
Saturday - Banana Bread
Bean soup and cheesy pizza
Pork chops, potatoes and crinkle cut carrots
*Here's the thing. I know, in theory, that I should just make one meal and have everyone in my family eat it. But each and everyone of the boys in my house are picky eaters. It isn't worth the fight. I pick my battles... especially when I also have to factor in my budget and nutrition.
I am also in luck this week, because I have lots of protein in my freezer, beef, pork and chicken.
My budget was $75 for groceries this week. I came in at $68, which gave me $6 towards picking up my husband's dry cleaning, $1 for church and $1 for my 7 year old's school banking.
Shaws $18.63
Teddy Graham Crackers $1.49
pepper Jack cheese (block) $1.88
80% lean ground beef 3 lb - $8.55 ( made into 10 patties, froze and will go towards 3 meals in the future)
Bananas - ripe, discounted - $.29/lb (about half the price of usual) $1.15
Spinach - discount - $1.49
Hummus - discount $.99
Pretzel rolls - discount $3/8
Hannaford $48.01
American cheese 1/4 lb - $1.03
Provolone 1/4 lb $.96
Mexicorn $1.39
Scrabble cheezits $2.50
Canned tomatoes $.69
brown gravy mix $.79
wholegrain white bread $2.49
Crispy rice cereal $2.50 (dollar off coupon)
prunes $1.99
beef consommé $1.49
Jack cheese, shredded $1.99
Pizza cheese, shredded $1.99
Pretzels $2
3 gallons of milk $8.07
Beefy onion soup mix $1.19
Boneless chuck roast 3.65 lb/$3.39 - $12.77
4 golden delicious apples $1.51
2 cucumbers $1.18
Large Pumpkin (for decorating) $5.99
Celery $1.99
$5 off $50 coupon
I struggle with breakfasts and lunches. Breakfast is tricky, because most mornings I don't have the time/energy to make a hot breakfast. Also, one of my kids likes pancakes, the other likes eggs. No one really likes waffles or French toast. No one likes muffins. My boys do seem to like quickbreads. So, I do those and offer cold cereal with milk.
As for lunch, my youngest and I usually eat dinner leftovers. My husband and 7 year old could live off of pb&j. So, I buy a loaf of wholegrain white and make 10 "uncrustables", which makes lunch packing tremendously easier. They get the sandwich, fruit, veg, salty crunchy snack and a sweet treat. They drink water. We all drink water and then have milk with breakfast and dinner.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Book funk
I'm in a funk. I can tell because I am not really getting into any of the books I am currently reading. It isn't for lack of interesting books, that is for sure. I read Outlander last month, which I breezed through.
Then I watched Outlander tv series on Starz, which I loved. LOVED!!!!! I have a thing for men in kilts. Great show, great costumes I loved the knit accessories. I inspired me), great music and great landscapes.
I started reading Dragonfly in Amber. I couldn't get into it. I don't know why. It's too bad. So, I returned it to the library. I'll try it again in a while.
These are the other books I have borrowed from the library that I can't get into:
I am also not reading any of my favorite fanfiction. I just don't know. Meh. It's probably stress, between the dog, I'm in a wedding next weekend..... it will be amazing, but it is still stressful. We're going through a lot of changes right now... I can tell I'm off. Soon enough I'll be over my funk and I'll be blogging about the great new book I'm reading! Stay tuned!
Then I watched Outlander tv series on Starz, which I loved. LOVED!!!!! I have a thing for men in kilts. Great show, great costumes I loved the knit accessories. I inspired me), great music and great landscapes.
I started reading Dragonfly in Amber. I couldn't get into it. I don't know why. It's too bad. So, I returned it to the library. I'll try it again in a while.
These are the other books I have borrowed from the library that I can't get into:
I am also not reading any of my favorite fanfiction. I just don't know. Meh. It's probably stress, between the dog, I'm in a wedding next weekend..... it will be amazing, but it is still stressful. We're going through a lot of changes right now... I can tell I'm off. Soon enough I'll be over my funk and I'll be blogging about the great new book I'm reading! Stay tuned!
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