No new recipe this week :( sorry everyone!! But I did want to tell you about my most recent grocery shopping experience.
I LOVE FOOD! Absolutely love it!
I love looking at it, thinking about it, tasting it, buying it! I love making a menu to go off of and then my favorite part is walking down the grocery aisles and knowing everything I put in my basket or mini-cart will soon become lovely delicious treats for me to eat & share!
What I hate, just absolutely LOATHE??? And quite honestly gives me a panic attack (NO JOKE!) Is BUYING the food.
I have a strict eye on the budget when it comes to groceries because normally it's one of the easiest places to cut costs. But when you are on a crazy diet such as mine then you tend to get nit picky and costs go up. It's an all consuming frustration.
The best way I have come about making the check out lines a MORE pleasant experience is by dividing and conquering.
First things first, I make a meal plan...(This is this weeks menu, not the prettiest picture)
Then, to save paper and frustration, I put the items I need for the week on the back of the menu.
This not only saves trees by putting it on one piece of paper but it also helps me when I think "Why the heck am I buying oatmeal this week?" Flip the page over...'OH yeah! Because I have hamburgers on the menu'. (Although, I didn't need to buy oatmeal this week...as you can see because it's not on my list! LOL, I had some in the fridge at home already).
A great idea to plan menu's is to keep a list of things you already have or to check your fridge, freezer, and cupboards that way you can save money by planning meals around things you ALREADY have. For instance, I still have brown rice, and quinoa in my cupboard therefore I didn't need to buy any this week which I include with my my brown rice bowl and some dinner menus.
I have typically been splitting my 8 or 9 day shopping trips into two trips. I will shop on Wednesday for 3 days worth or food, then hit up Bakers on Friday or Saturday for the rest of the weeks food. (Right now Bakers has double the fuel points on the weekend so I try to shop there to save on gas)
However, with heading out to the farm, paying off 4 major bills & the recent trips to the vet we are TIGHT on money this week.
Off to Aldi's I went. (There is nothing wrong with Aldi's. Sometimes I find there selection isn't as varied as bigger box stores, obviously because it's smaller.) Oh my goodness! I had no clue they had organic stuff there! AND, AND! Grass fed beef!! (WAAHHH Can you hear the angels singing? LOL. I CAN EAT THAT! I get very excited when I find things I can eat for CHEAP!)
My bill at the end? $44 I got MOST of the stuff on my list but I did need to stop at Hy-Vee for the quest bars (Gluten, Soy free protein bars.) and a few other things that, believe it or not were cheaper at Hy-vee than Aldi's. I also had to stop at Bakers tonight for a few odds and ends that were also cheaper than the OTHER two stores...however my total bill for food for 8 days, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and SNACKS....was only $100.61 between 3 stores. Let's take off about $15 for odds and ends (Tooth paste, deodorant, cat litter, dog treats, and toilet paper). If you take 8 days and times it let's say by 4 (including snacks, yogurt/quest bars/fruits). That's 32 meals. and divide by $85 that I spent on food alone, essentially I am spending $2.66 per meal (including snacks) for 8 days!
I feel THRIFTY! That is a WHOLE $3 cheaper than the average burger meal! And I am getting quality fruits, vegetables, and protein, at that!
Who cares where you shop? As long as you check ads, shop at where makes sense to you. I am not sure about where you live but where I live the ads come out on Tuesday for the following weeks sales and specials. I scour the ads to see whats on sale and plan my weekly menu's around them. All 3 of the stores I shop at are on my drive home. I am not spending extra money driving to a store that is out of my way.
I also, leave my hubby at home 98% of the time when shopping...somehow when we shop together...all kinds of things make it into the cart.
This takes practice and patience though. I've been at the grocery shopping game for about 7 years...possibly 8? As an adult. I went from buying stuff that sounded good & that I wanted to actually sitting down, clipping coupons, and making meal plans.
I know, boring right?
I often do this when I am watching t.v. It also helps to get the bakers app on your phone. It's free & you can load the coupons you want from the ads straight to your card. I saved $5 at Bakers tonight. OH! And the Hy-vee fuel saver card is always a great idea! I usually save about 4 cents on gas when I shop. That's 4 cents for up to 20 gallons...
Have I lost you in sheer boredom yet? Anyway, let me know if you have questions! I am happy to help.
Over at Coach Morris she has a stack of print-ables you can use to plan your next menu and grocery shopping trip.She has a VERY inspiring story! Check out her blog!
Alright everyone it is L-A-T-E! And I need my beauty sleep! Only two more sleeps till the Warrior DASH!!!! WHOOPIE!!!!
Blessings,
A
I LOVE FOOD! Absolutely love it!
I love looking at it, thinking about it, tasting it, buying it! I love making a menu to go off of and then my favorite part is walking down the grocery aisles and knowing everything I put in my basket or mini-cart will soon become lovely delicious treats for me to eat & share!
What I hate, just absolutely LOATHE??? And quite honestly gives me a panic attack (NO JOKE!) Is BUYING the food.
I have a strict eye on the budget when it comes to groceries because normally it's one of the easiest places to cut costs. But when you are on a crazy diet such as mine then you tend to get nit picky and costs go up. It's an all consuming frustration.
The best way I have come about making the check out lines a MORE pleasant experience is by dividing and conquering.
First things first, I make a meal plan...(This is this weeks menu, not the prettiest picture)
Then, to save paper and frustration, I put the items I need for the week on the back of the menu.
This not only saves trees by putting it on one piece of paper but it also helps me when I think "Why the heck am I buying oatmeal this week?" Flip the page over...'OH yeah! Because I have hamburgers on the menu'. (Although, I didn't need to buy oatmeal this week...as you can see because it's not on my list! LOL, I had some in the fridge at home already).
A great idea to plan menu's is to keep a list of things you already have or to check your fridge, freezer, and cupboards that way you can save money by planning meals around things you ALREADY have. For instance, I still have brown rice, and quinoa in my cupboard therefore I didn't need to buy any this week which I include with my my brown rice bowl and some dinner menus.
I have typically been splitting my 8 or 9 day shopping trips into two trips. I will shop on Wednesday for 3 days worth or food, then hit up Bakers on Friday or Saturday for the rest of the weeks food. (Right now Bakers has double the fuel points on the weekend so I try to shop there to save on gas)
However, with heading out to the farm, paying off 4 major bills & the recent trips to the vet we are TIGHT on money this week.
Off to Aldi's I went. (There is nothing wrong with Aldi's. Sometimes I find there selection isn't as varied as bigger box stores, obviously because it's smaller.) Oh my goodness! I had no clue they had organic stuff there! AND, AND! Grass fed beef!! (WAAHHH Can you hear the angels singing? LOL. I CAN EAT THAT! I get very excited when I find things I can eat for CHEAP!)
My bill at the end? $44 I got MOST of the stuff on my list but I did need to stop at Hy-Vee for the quest bars (Gluten, Soy free protein bars.) and a few other things that, believe it or not were cheaper at Hy-vee than Aldi's. I also had to stop at Bakers tonight for a few odds and ends that were also cheaper than the OTHER two stores...however my total bill for food for 8 days, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and SNACKS....was only $100.61 between 3 stores. Let's take off about $15 for odds and ends (Tooth paste, deodorant, cat litter, dog treats, and toilet paper). If you take 8 days and times it let's say by 4 (including snacks, yogurt/quest bars/fruits). That's 32 meals. and divide by $85 that I spent on food alone, essentially I am spending $2.66 per meal (including snacks) for 8 days!
I feel THRIFTY! That is a WHOLE $3 cheaper than the average burger meal! And I am getting quality fruits, vegetables, and protein, at that!
Who cares where you shop? As long as you check ads, shop at where makes sense to you. I am not sure about where you live but where I live the ads come out on Tuesday for the following weeks sales and specials. I scour the ads to see whats on sale and plan my weekly menu's around them. All 3 of the stores I shop at are on my drive home. I am not spending extra money driving to a store that is out of my way.
I also, leave my hubby at home 98% of the time when shopping...somehow when we shop together...all kinds of things make it into the cart.
This takes practice and patience though. I've been at the grocery shopping game for about 7 years...possibly 8? As an adult. I went from buying stuff that sounded good & that I wanted to actually sitting down, clipping coupons, and making meal plans.
I know, boring right?
I often do this when I am watching t.v. It also helps to get the bakers app on your phone. It's free & you can load the coupons you want from the ads straight to your card. I saved $5 at Bakers tonight. OH! And the Hy-vee fuel saver card is always a great idea! I usually save about 4 cents on gas when I shop. That's 4 cents for up to 20 gallons...
Have I lost you in sheer boredom yet? Anyway, let me know if you have questions! I am happy to help.
Over at Coach Morris she has a stack of print-ables you can use to plan your next menu and grocery shopping trip.She has a VERY inspiring story! Check out her blog!
Alright everyone it is L-A-T-E! And I need my beauty sleep! Only two more sleeps till the Warrior DASH!!!! WHOOPIE!!!!
Blessings,
A
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