February Menu & Accidental Once-a-Month Shopping

Due to the January Pantry Challenge, our stock of lots and lots of things was depleted.  So on February 1st we picked up our produce co-op offerings and I made a huge grocery list for 3 stores and ended up spending 4 hours shopping and the bulk of our grocery budget for the month. The good news is that I think I've got a plan for all this food and purchased more than enough convenience things to hopefully keep me sane. I admit I am compromising on health in favor of more time.  I'll still need to buy milk, butter, eggs and a bit of produce throughout the month, but for everything else we are set.

Here's the plan:

February Meals

Goals: Eat at home. Eliminate meal prep stress. Keep an orderly kitchen.

Dinners:

Sandwiches (on the marathon grocery shopping day)

Baked spaghetti (x2)

Super Bowl: chips with homemade salsa & guac, veggie platter with dip, buffalo chicken, smoothies

Spaghetti and meat sauce (up to 4 times)

Runza casserole, fruit salad, asparagus (+1 for another family)

Chicken rice soup, whole wheat bread, fruit

Garlic brown sugar chicken, brown rice, peas

Homemade pizza with beef, pepperoni, ham and/or peppers (x2-3) birthday meal

Buffalo chicken salad (x2)

Cheesy broccoli chicken & rice

Vegetable beef soup, biscuits

Beef brisket, baked beans and vegetable

BBQ brisket sandwiches on homemade buns, coleslaw

Broccoli cheese soup, angel biscuits

Steak tacos

Beans & cilantro-lime rice, cheese, sour cream, etc. (x2)

Pasta/veg/bratwurst skillet

Valentine's Day: Chicken enchiladas with sour cream white sauce, cherry bars or chocolate fondue

Sanity saver options: chicken nuggets & fries, peas / frozen lasagna / frozen pizzas

Lunches:

leftovers

ham sandwiches

pizza soup

fried brown rice (make rice ahead, freeze, and add veggies & eggs at the time of the meal)

frozen pizza

Breakfasts:

cereal (1-2x/week)

apple oatmeal (1-2x/week)

steel cut oats with blueberries (1x/week)

sausage or ham/potato/egg casserole (1x/week)

soaked oats with blueberries (1x/week)

toast from homemade bread (1x/week)

egg sandwiches on english muffins

Extras:

bring snacks for homeschool group (30+ people) – caramel corn, veggies & dip, brownie bites, bananas

***Do you have any suggestions on how to economically feed a large group of children with hollow legs? ****

Chocolate chip cookies

Little boy birthday! Cupcakes, goldfish, capri sun 

The shopping:

Safeway - $93.22

6 cans beans

3 boxes Cheerios

1 mayo

6 packages cheese (=12 lbs.)

4 packages hash browns

1 gallon ice cream

3 Digiorno pizzas

2 10 ct. English muffins

2 loaves whole wheat bread

Dairy markdowns: 4 4-pks Activia yogurt, 2 single serve Greek yogurt
1 family size Oreos

2 6pk. soda bottles 

10 lbs. sugar

5 lbs. boneless ham (I took this from the meat department to the deli and they sliced it free for a HUGE savings over fresh or packaged deli meat.)

1 red onion

4 large avocados

1 coffee creamer

King Soopers - $94.04

Dairy markdowns: 27 individual Greek yogurts, 3 gallons chocolate milk, 4 cartons cottage cheese

2 bags chips

1 pkg. beef for pizza

1 pkg. pepperoni

10 ct. razors - markdown

1 chicken burrito - markdown

1 Hormel REV snack (free - I ate this for lunch while out shopping)

5 Tombstone pizzas

4 sour cream

1 deodorant

2 bottles All laundry detergent

4 12-pks of soda

5 cream cheese

5 lbs. pasta

2 pkgs. hygiene products

3 10 ct. Capri Sun

2 large lasagnas

Costco - $145.74

12 lbs. organic brown rice

4 lbs. butter

2 ct. plastic wrap (1500 sq. ft. total)

3 lbs. sausage

3 lbs. bananas

5 qts. oil

2 qts. Famous Dave's pickles

30 ct. foil pans

5 lbs. ground beef

18 ct. extra large eggs

8 lbs. brown sugar

2 2-box packs of cereal

1 organic tortilla chips

2 lbs. fresh parmesan and romano

1 #10 can tomato sauce, 1 #10 can crushed tomatoes

coupon offers: Golfish crackers, veggie straws, 5 lbs. chicken nuggets, 2 - 3 lbs. bags boneless buffalo chicken

Total to date for February: $333.00 

February 1st Mega Grocery Shopping

Have you tried once a month shopping?  What are the pros and cons you've experienced?

Days 26 - 31 and Pantry Challenge Oberservations {Making Do}

Day 26 -
We grilled steaks (they weren't getting better with age in the freezer) for lunch and had leftovers.  I cut meat off the bones and froze the meat for stew, then made broth with the bones and some limp veggies in the fridge. I also wasted food today.  When I emptied the deep freezer last week I moved a package of beef liver to the fridge.  I just couldn't stomach using it in the end, so it went in the garbage.
We're out of packable lunch food.  It was time to pick up a few things for the week ahead, which will involve a little ski trip for two in our family.  I plan on sending sandwiches and a sufficient quantity of junky foods to make it fun for this father/son excursion.  The child who gets to go is often complaining that everything we have to eat around here is "too healthy" (ha!) so hopefully he'll feel loved by my effort to send these treats. 
Safeway - $20.47
1 gallon milk, 2 loaves of bread, 1/2 pound of ham, 1 bag chips, 2 stax of chips, marked down Reeses (a treat for a child who never gets to have peanut butter but will be away from our allergic child), 4 2-liters of soda, 1 Greek yogurt cup
Target - $6.84
licorice, bagels, 1 pound of turkey

Day 27 - I ordered Bountiful Baskets today for pick-up on Saturday
$58.00 for 2 conventional baskets and a "super pack" which is to include fixings for tortilla chips, salsa, guacamole, a veggie tray and tropical drinks. 
I was out with my littles and the day had gotten away from me, so we did the drive-thru.
Steak & Shake - $8.58

Days 28-29 - No purchases.

Day 30 - The fridge is very bare and it is not a big fridge. My husband and oldest were gone skiing and the rest of us needed to leave the house at the end of the second day.  I could have probably pressed through, but when you are out of milk, butter, cheese, enough eggs to make a breakfast and oil to make bread, I figured it was getting a bit ridiculous.  So off to Costco we went and bought enough to get us through until I make a detailed plan and shop this weekend.
Costco - $45.52
2 gallons milk, bag of specialty potato chips, frozen soft pretzels (a total splurge for the kids, which is rare), *3 lbs. summer sausage, *8.25 lbs. boneless skinless well-trimmed chicken
*mark-down or coupon offers
Chick-Fil-A - $19.22
There were some additional dining out expenses for our skiers, but this was a pre-planned trip and part of our son's Christmas gift, so I'm not counting this toward the total for the month.  I did pack sandwiches and snacks so they were able to avoid some dining out on their two days away.  

Day 31 - Today I'm looking diligently over the flyers and making lists for each store I will hit this weekend. Thankfully, with the SuperBowl happening there are a number of good sales going on. I'm also making a big menu plan for February to make life easier in a demanding season as my husband is studying a lot.

Expenses since Day 25:  $158.63 Yikes!
Total grocery, dining out, and diaper expenses for January: $461.48

So, obviously I did not achieve my budgeted goal of $240 for the month, not by a long shot.

Some observations about this pantry and freezer challenge:

• It takes more food than I realized to feed our family of 7.  I was way over budget and our stock of lots of stuff has been depleted so living on even a somewhat reduced grocery budget over the longer-term is not realistic.  It may be time to adjust my expectations on how much is reasonable to spend.  The cost of food has gone up substantially in the last few years at the same time our family and the appetites of our kids have grown.
• I felt like I was thinking about food and what I needed to make next all the time.  And I really would rather not give so much brain space to feeding my family.  
• Wondering what kind of meal I can concoct out of a far more limited variety of foods than we normally have on hand is stressful. 
• I felt that I worked pretty hard at making things stretch and not be wasted this month.
• With the other demands on our family right now (husband in school plus working full-time, homeschooling and being with my kids all the time, etc.) I need to give myself permission to make meals easier and maybe spend more to buy convenience, most likely in the form of frozen pizzas, sandwich bread and fixings and maybe cereal.  Since when did stuff to make sandwiches become a luxury?  I don't know.  Sometimes frugality clouds my judgment. 
• Eating out with a family our size is just plain expensive, even for fast food.  It would be better to stock something in the freezer for an easy or fun meal than to eat out.

about half full

 

This seems a bit fuller because of those bulky pretzels I bought on Day 31!

 

Overall, I'm glad I challenged myself in January and for the new realizations.  I hope to carry on with careful records of our grocery purchases throughout the year just to be aware of our consumption and spending.

End of Summer 10-Day Menu

Summer came much too slowly and is leaving much too quickly, but we're trying to make the most of the fleeting days between the end of my husband's grueling statistics course and the beginning of the fall school routine for all of us.  I meant to do a pantry challenge in July, but didn't manage that.  Perhaps I'll give that another go in September. For now I'm just hoping to use all the perishables we have on hand to avoid food waste.  I was pleased to be able to get 10 dozen eggs this weekend at just $.59/dozen, so those will be a central ingredient this time around.  I'm trying to avoid going to the store so using what we have is the name of the game.

10 Breakfasts
oatmeal with nectarines
oatmeal with blueberries
soaked oats with blueberries (x3)
granola (x2)
omelets (ham, cheese, peppers, mushrooms)
blueberry muffins, homemade yogurt (x2)
 
10 Lunches
egg salad sandwiches on homemade bread (x2)
pasta salad with ham, cheese, peas, celery, carrot (x2)
chicken salad sandwiches on homemade bread
ham & cheese grilled tortillas
leftover vegetable beef soup, add pasta for one meal (x2)
snack lunch: hard boiled eggs, cheese, veggies & dip, fruit
runzas

10 Dinners
beef stroganoff (homemade noodles), green salad
hamburgers, coleslaw
homemade pizza (pepperoni, ham, red pepper, etc.), tossed salad

runzas, salad
spaghizza, tossed salad
spiral ham, cheesy potatoes, veggie platter with dip
mac & cheese with ham, peas
ham & beans, cornbread, fruit salad
tacos
omelets, fruit crisp

I'm lacking motivation for cooking these days, but this plan seems simple enough.

January Pantry Challenge & Meal Plan

 

It's that time of year again when we try to rein in our spending, take stock of what we already have on hand and commit to healthful living.  So I'm joining in a pantry challenge.


My goals:
1. Use up some food stocks we have in our fridge, freezer and pantry.
2. Save money by reducing our grocery and household product expenses (including diapers for 2) to $250 instead of our normal $500 by shopping sparingly & purposefully.  The money we save will go toward a furnace repair needed soon.
3. Clean and organize the pantry, fridge, and freezer and deep clean the whole kitchen.
4. Avoid eating out (one exception possibly on a day we have an appointment - use up Chick-Fil-A coupons)

Dinners - served with whatever fruit and vegetables are available, or as noted
1. pancakes w/pineapple cream, pears
2. southwest salad w/chicken, corn, beans, cheese, sour cream, etc., cheesy tortilla bites (using a package of tortillas which have stuck together badly)
3. barbacoa rice bowls, mixed fruit (orange, pineapple, pomegranate)
4. beef stew, whole wheat rolls, vegetable tray & dip, chocolate chip cookies (taking this meal to friends, also)
5. ham & pineapple pizza
6. hamburgers, baked fries
7. chicken green chili, cornbread
8. tater tot & green bean casserole (using fries),fruit salad
9. spaghetti & meat sauce (make a huge batch and freeze quarts of sauce meals later in the month)
10.breakfast for dinner - ham & cheese quiche, blueberry muffins, orange slices
11.  chicken & homemade noodles over mashed potatoes
12. macaroni & cheese w/ham, peas
13. chili, cheese breadsticks
14. meatballs, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans
15. cheesy chicken pockets (whole wheat dough)
16. spaghetti & meat sauce
17. chicken caesar sandwhiches on homemade focaccia
18. chicken pot pie, fruit salad
19. garlic pork chops, green beans, quinoa
20. roast beef, mashed potatoes & gravy
21. barbeque chicken, rice pilaf
22. broccoli cheese soup, biscuit bites
23. spaghetti & meat sauce
24 -31. flexible - I'll see what comes in our produce baskets before I decide.


Lunches
leftovers
chicken salad sandwiches
turkey cheese sandwiches
snack lunch
Sundays - chicken tortilla soup, orange chicken & rice,


Breakfasts
whole wheat bread & jam
cold cereal
apple oatmeal
whole wheat pancakes
ham & egg casserole, coffee cake (for our Sunday school class)
smoothies (lots of frozen papaya & berries to use)
oats w/berries soaked in homemade yogurt
homemade granola

I'm really lacking inspiration for frugal, simple, quick, tasty lunch options.  Please share your suggestions!  There are so many days I envy the option of just throwing a pb&j together and calling it good enough.

Are you eating from the pantry this month, too?

Decmeber Menu

It'll be a busy month with Christmas so my goal is to get a big shopping trip in this weekend and try to avoid crowded stores as much as possible throughout the rest of the month.  I'll be making a big list and checking it twice. 


Dinners
1. Chicken noodle soup, bread, Cuties (dinner sweetly brought by friends)
2. Creamy chicken squash noodle bake
3. Pizza - We got a good carryout deal.  No one has much energy or good health for cooking here.
4. Spaghetti & meat sauce, rolls w/garlic butter
5. Pork roast, roasted potatoes, green beans
6. Egg casserole, scones, fruit
7. Pork chops, quinoa,
8. Beef fajitas, Spanish rice
9. Roast beef, mashed potatoes & gravy, vegetable
10. Creamy chicken & wild rice casserole, brown sugar glazed carrots
11. Beef pot pie
12. Pinto beans & rice w/ toppings
13. Homemade pizza, veggie tray
14. pineapple chicken, rice, vegetable
15. Baked ziti, garlic parmesan breadsticks, salad
16. Hamburger soup, cheddar biscuit bites
17. Barbacoa burritos w/black beans, sour cream, cheese, cilantro lime rice, salsa, guacamole, tortilla chips
18. Chicken pot pie, fruit salad
19. slow cooker garlic brown sugar chicken, rice, broccoli
20. Turkey soup (freezer) w/homemade noodles, rolls, fruit platter
21. Quinoa, steamed veggies & a bit of meat
22. Chili, cornbread
23. Taco salad
24. Chicken alfredo, fetticine, ceasar salad, sourdough bread
25. Vegetable beef soup, bread
26. Gourmet mac & cheese w/ham, green salad
27. Cobb salad
28. Hamburgers, fries, fruit salad
29. Meatballs, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetable
30. Leftover buffet - or maybe Chick-Fil-A with several coupons
31. New Year's Eve!  Cheese fondue w/bread, meatballs, veggies, tortilla chips - Chocolate fondue w/rice krispie bites, fruit, desserts & gingerale

Lunches
leftovers
lasagna soup
quesadillas w/beans
chicken salad sandwiches
pasta salad w/veggies, cheese & meat
snack lunch - meat, cheese, fruit, crackers, veggies
Christmas - spiral ham, mashed potatoes & gravy, green bean casserole, w.w. rolls,apple crisp & ice cream, gingerale & cranberry juice

Breakfast  - with yogurt and/or fruit
cold cereal
granola
soaked oats w/berries
apple oatmeal
scrambled eggs
w.w. bread w/jam
w.w. pancakes
Christmas - cinnamon rolls, mandarins, sausage egg casserole

Baking, Sweets & Treats
ginger loaf
sugar cookies
oat fudge bars
chocolate dipped pretzel rods
cranberry bliss bars
french toast casserole, fruit & iced Good Earth tea (for our S.S. class on 12/9)
tortilla chips & creamy jalepeno artichoke dip (for a Christmas party)
cinnamon white chocolate popcorn?
caramel apple cider

What are you favorite Christmas meals and foods?  Around here, ginger ale and mandarin oranges are must-haves. 


children cooking this meal

November Menu & Giving Thanks

As I'm planning for our November meals I realize I've lost some a lot of the joy in serving my family through this continual task of cooking and cleaning up and shopping and planning. We've been doing well to eat at home relatively economically but no doubt about it, it has become a grind.  So I'll be working on my heart this month as I'm working with my hands to seek the blessing of these days and these potentially mundane tasks.  And no better time than in this season of Thanksgiving!

This month I'll give thanks for:
* plenty of food on the table, and in our pantry and freezers - God has provided
* the healthy faces that gather at our table to be nourished and trained
* the blessing of having a husband who will pitch in with cleaning up so my work is made lighter
* a kitchen that is amply equipped for preparing meals with ease - running water, a dishwasher, a great mixer and so much more - these are indeed gifts
* the special recipes of this season which add richness to our lives and the future memories of our children

In the shopping department I'm hoping to stock up on some seasonal sales, especially butter and sugar and hams and a couple turkeys.  We'll also continue with our Bountiful Baskets pick-up to keep things fresh and healthy. 

Dinners:
1. crispy buffalo chicken salad (inspired by one I've enjoyed a couple times at Mimi's Cafe)
2. chicken parmesan w/spaghetti, yellow squash
3. broccoli cheese soup, whole wheat rolls
4. savory chicken tenders, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower
5. homemade pizza
6. chicken noodle soup, cheese biscuits
7. roast beef, mashed potatoes & gravy, corn
8. corn chowder, ham focaccia
9. eggs, sausage, raspberry muffins
10. beef stew, biscuits
11. Colorado white chili, chips, apples
12. shepherds pie
13. beef & broccoli, brown rice
14. pasta e fagioli, garlic breadsticks
15. steaks, baked potatoes, green vegetable
16. baked potato soup, crackers, raw veggies & dip
17. cheesy chicken pasta bake, green beans
18. chili, cornbread, raw veggies
19. rice bowls (beans, cheese, salsa, veg., sour cream, etc.)
20. tacos
21. sloppy joes, spaghetti squash, fruit salad
22. slow cooker garlic brown sugar chicken, rice, broccoli
23. pineapple chicken, rice, carrots
24. turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, mixed vegetables
25. Birthday dinner out?  Or at least take-out?

Lunches:
leftovers
chicken salad sandwiches
lentil soup w/added veggies & pasta
pasta salad w/ham or turkey
snack lunch (fruit, meat, cheese, crackers, veggies)
pintos, rice & cheese

Breakfasts:
pumpkin coffee cake
scrambled eggs w/ swiss chard, ham & cheese
whole wheat cinnamon rolls
soaked oatmeal w/fruit
green smoothies, hard-boiled eggs
oatmeal
cinnamon oat zucchini muffins

Baking, Sweets & Treats:
whole wheat bread
apple crisp w/ice cream
caramel apple cider
caramel corn
chewy ginger cookies

Dinners in bold are the meals we'll intentionally have a child help with.

What are you cooking up this month?

October Menu Plan - Better Late Than Never

We've taken a big trip this month to Canada in celebration of my grandmother-in-law's 90th birthday.  We had a great time and were blessed to be hosted so generously by my in-laws so I've not done much cooking of late.  But we're back to reality here so I'm trying to jump back in to home life and making some decent meals for the rest of this month.  I also have the opportunity to get away to a retreat so I tried to include some options which my husband can easily make since I haven't had time and wasn't organized enough to stock the freezer with meals for my absence.  We'll continue with our big kids helping to prepare and clean up one dinner during the month.   As I made this menu I included as much as possible from ingredients we already have on hand and that will clear out our freezers as I need to make room for 80 lbs. of chicken which will be picked up at the end of this month.  Time to get eating!

Dinners:
1. beef burritos
2. creamy chicken wild rice soup
3. roast beef, mashed potatoes & gravy, corn
4. spaghetti & homemade sauce
5. beef stew, biscuits
6. take-and-bake pizza (thanks to a gift card)
*7. sweet & sour meatballs, rice, green beans
*8. whole wheat pancakes, bacon, fruit
*9. BBQ chicken sandwiches, carrots
10. chicken noodle soup, biscuits
*11. pizza (one cheese, one ground beef)
12. chicken pot pie
13. salad with chicken & feta

Lunches:
leftovers
scrambled eggs, toast, fruit
quesadillas, carrots
egg salad sandwiches
ham sandwiches

Breakfasts:
cold cereal (thanks to Grandma)
homemade granola
soaked oatmeal w/berries
pumpkin whole wheat muffins
oatmeal

Baking:
cranberry oat bars
whole wheat bread

caramel corn

*Kid's choice = they make or help with the meal they chose.

Our grocery budget may be a bit off this month as we've made some bulk purchases with the chicken coming and 150 lbs. of wheat purchased on our way home which together account for around $200.  We'll just have to see how it all plays out.

September Menu Plan & Kids in the Kitchen

Our monthly meal planning is working for us right now and helps us get enough variety in our meals.  I still do grocery shopping or picking up a load of produce at least weekly, but planning this way has certainly helped me cut down on trips to the store.  This month we'll be implementing something new, putting kids to work in the kitchen.  I've asked my three school-aged kids what meal they want me to put on the menu plan and they will help prepare that meal when the time comes.  We're also doing one kitchen time each week as part of our homeschooling.  So far we've made whole wheat bread and egg noodles.  I'm hoping as the year progresses I'll be able to just give them a simple recipe and assist instead of leading that time of work in the kitchen. We'll also be taking some vacation time this month, but I'll still be cooking.  :)

One of the goals for this month is to primarily use the food that we have in our home so I have room in our freezer for a case of lean ground beef from Zaycon. We did get a 1/4 of beef in August which included a number of packages of ground beef, but I think we'll need more to get us through until the next opportunity to get beef from one of these 2 sources.

Dinners - served with fruits or vegetables
1. beef fajitas, corn on the cob
2. baked potato bar - chili, cheese, sour cream, etc.
3. vegetable beef soup
4. hamburgers, chips, fruit salad
5. beer brats,
6. pepper brat skillet w/pasta
7. pepperoni pizza, green salad
8. sweet & sour meatballs, rice, peas
9. taco salad
10. BIRTHDAY DINNER
11. gourmet mac & cheese {+2 pans to freezer}
12. creamy chicken wild rice soup
13. beef stew, cheddar breadsticks
14. shredded chicken sandwiches & side to share - picnic w/friends
15. cheeseburger pizza, green salad
16. burritos (beef, brown rice, cheese, peppers)
17. green chili w/chicken & corn, tortilla chips
18. spaghetti & meat sauce, garlic bread
19. pesto chicken bowties
20. omelets, fruit cups, blueberry scones
21. chicken corn chowder
22. balsamic chicken pasta salad
23. whole wheat ham & cheese pockets {lots extra to freeze for friends fighting a hard fight}
24. baked rigatoni
25. chicken pot pie {+1 extra for friends}
26. steak, roasted potatoes
27. beef stir fry, rice
28. grilled sandwiches, soup
29. protein pancakes, fruit
30. Clean out the fridge, eat out or take-in

Lunches - with fruit and/or vegetables
leftovers
lentil soup w/biscuits
quesadillas
turkey, ham, chicken salad or egg salad sandwiches
snack lunch
brown rice veggie skillet
baked mac & cheese 

Breakfast - with homemade yogurt and/or fruit
soaked oats w/fruit
skillet hash
granola
cream of wheat
scrambled eggs w/chopped swiss chard & cheese
smoothies
whole wheat cinnamon rolls
blueberry zucchini whole wheat muffins

How do you keep yourself motivated for planning and cooking?

One Step Toward Eating Better: Bountiful Baskets

Back in June I started contributing to a co-op called Bountiful Baskets.  They deliver every other week in our area and it has been such a blessing to us to be really getting our fill of fresh fruits and vegetables.  We have been very pleased with the way it works and with everything we have gotten so far.   One conventional basket is just $15 and provides enough produce to almost fill a good sized laundry basket.  After a time or two I increased our order to 3 baskets (the maximum) to push myself to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into our diet and to greatly decrease what I am buying from a store.

3 Conventional Baskets + 1 cute helper

This past week's delivery  (ordering 3 baskets) included:
3 heads romaine lettuce
3 green cabbage
3 melons - Galia? - new to me, but they tasted like honeydew
3 6oz. packages blueberries
3 avocados
28 red potatoes
20 bananas
3 bags cherries
19 tomatoes - organic
12 peaches
15 mangoes

3 baskets @ $15 + $1.50 processing/order fee = $46.50 for everything above.

What I love about Bountiful Baskets:
- Good quantity, quality, variety and freshness make it seem like a good value for our family
- When I buy more fruits and vegetables, we eat more fruits and vegetables.  Imagine that!
- We are getting more variety than I used to buy at the store because I was always just buying the basic things that are always cheap and whatever was on a great sale that week, but passing on lots of other stuff.
- The kids get excited to see what I come home with each time. And they have been more willing to eat their veggies.
- We've been able to greatly increase our produce consumption without increasing our grocery budget.
- The add-ons we have tried have been good, too.  We've gotten about an 18 lb. box of Rainier cherries for $25 and packs of 5 loaves of sourdough bread for $10.  Every ordering cycle they have different extras to choose from if you want, though I understand that the extra items are often sold out fast. Some of the extras I've seen are 9-grain bread, whole wheat bread, granola, Asian veggie pack, Mexican veggie pack, box of plums, box of mangoes, box of strawberries, box of pineapple and box of blueberries. The extra produce offers will vary based on what is in season.
- There is no commitment.  If I want to skip a pick-up week or stop ordering altogether at any time, I can without penalty.
- You never know what you are going to get.  This keeps cooking a little bit more interesting and challenges me to use what we have in new ways. So far, so good.

Challenges & Considerations:
- You never know what you are going to get.  This makes it more of a challenge with menu planning and shopping for my other groceries.  Now I just need to pick up Bountiful Baskets first and then do my other shopping so it all works out.  Each time it is a different combination of types of produce so you can't count on getting your favorites or avoiding your dislikes.  So far we've been able to use it all up.
- All that fresh produce takes a lot of room (because I buy 3 baskets) and we don't have a big fridge.  So now I really work to have the fridge cleaned out and orderly before I go for pick-up.
- The pick-up time is early on a Saturday morning.  Truthfully, I'd rather sleep in.  But who I am kidding?!  Days of sleeping in are already so few and far between.  And being in the car in the quiet of the morning alone is pretty rare, too, so that's a bonus.
- Volunteering at your site is even earlier.  Since this is a co-op, volunteering at your site is part of the deal and is expected at least every 6 times you pick up.  But you do get to pick an extra piece of produce from what is left once baskets are filled when you volunteer.
- You've got to be on the ball.   They only allow 20 minutes after your pick-up time to get there to get your order and then your order is forfeited.  They'll be donated and you won't get your money back.  Also, ordering is only open between noon on Monday and midnight on Tuesday.  I have always ordered close to noon on Monday, but friends have tried to order in the late afternoon on Monday and haven't been able to order for their preferred site or for the extras they wanted. 
- I've noticed a greater weekend workload in the kitchen on Bountiful Basket pick-up weeks because of the washing, cutting, etc.
- You've got to be strategic in using things as they are freshest.  We haven't had anything go to waste, but I have been careful to use the things with the shortest shelf life first and save the hardier stuff for the second week (potatoes, carrots, cabbage, onions, apples, etc.).  So we use the berries and cucumbers and ripe fruit first and go from there.  You could also prep and freeze what you can't use in a timely manner, but so far we haven't needed to do that.
- They also offer an organic box for $25 instead of $15, but for where we're at right now, I'm putting quantity and price above making sure everything is organic.
- Most of the produce is not going to be local, but probably as local as what you're going to find at your mainstream grocery.  If you have more leeway with finances, joining a CSA may be a better way to go.
- Consider how you'll get all the produce home.  When I order 3 baskets, I need the stroller to haul it all back to my car.  If you do the conventional basket, you need to bring your own basket or bags to transfer the produce into to get it home. 
- If you order extras, you need to inspect them before you sign for them and pick them up.  If they aren't up to your standard, you can get a credit, but only if you refuse them at the site, not if you get them home and later realize the quality wasn't as good as you had hoped.

The information on the website is extensive, so if you are interested, be sure to read all of it.

What are your best sources for fresh produce?

The Pre-Baby Menu Plan

The countdown is on! 2 weeks until the due date and we are getting really excited! Maybe not ready, but excited. I figure if we have diapers and folks lined up to take the kids, we are good to go, and those two things are covered. On Friday I ventured out with my four kids to hit the gym (trying to keep my ankles from swelling by being in the pool a couple times a week) and then to the grocery store and Sam's Club. Because of a big purchase we made before Christmas getting the Sam's membership made sense, but let me tell you, I MUCH prefer Costco, but I'll save that for another post. Anyway, after that exhausting day out we are pretty well stocked in the pantry, fridge and freezer. I don't feel I have lots of energy to do much freezer cooking this time, but we'll see. So here's what I'm planning to cook for my family in the days before our baby arrives.

Dinners & Weekend Lunches
Big sub sandwich, chips, fruit
Runzas (bread pockets filled with ground beef/onion/cabbage), fries, apples (4 extra meals to the freezer)
Corned beef, red potatoes, apples (I've actually already fixed this and let's just say I will never be buying corned beef again...not a fan!)
Potluck at church - shredded salsa chicken, cilantro lime rice
Chicken wraps, tortilla chips, smoothies (x2)
Olive Garden inspired pasta e fagioli, garlic cheese bread
Goulash, green salad
Cheesy chicken, brown rice, steamed mixed vegetables
Chili & cornbread, fruit salad
Chicken pot pie
Vegetable beef stew, whole wheat biscuits
Chicken soup w/homemade noodles, fruit salad
Homemade pizza, veggie sticks (x2-3)
Carmelized garlic chicken, green beans, red potatoes
Date night in - we've got a great Outback coupon we'll use for take-out
Family night - coupons for free kids meals and it'll be nice to make it an outing since it might be a while before we have the chance again

Weekday Lunches
Grilled turkey cheese sandwiches, fruit
Snack lunch - meat, cheese, crackers, fruit, veggies
Quesadillas, green smoothies
Leftovers

Breakfast Items
oatmeal
steel-cut oats w/berries
cold cereal
yogurt
yogurt parfaits
scrambled eggs
smoothies
hashbrown casserole with eggs, cheese, sausage
English muffin bread w/fruit spread
cranberry scones w/orange glaze

Snacks, Sweets & Treats
oatmeal blueberry bars
chocolate chip cookies - made by our 9 y.o. for a Cub Scout requirement
homemade salsa & chips
popcorn
whatever else might satisfy the cravings of this pregnant mom...if we have the right ingredients on hand

Here's hoping this menu plan will last us through the birth of our baby girl. Though with my track record, I'm not exactly holding my breath that she'll be here on the due date.

Pineapple Granola

Last night I put together this pineapple granola and we liked it so I thought I would share it here.

Pineapple Granola
9-10 C. old fashioned oats
1 - 20 oz. can pineapple chunks or tidbits, drained with all juice reserved*
(My favorite is Dole Tropical Gold Chunks found at Costco.)
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. vegetable oil**
1/2 C. honey
3/4+ C. reserved pineapple juice (use all the juice drained from the can)
1 T. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1 C. dried cranberries
1 C. nuts of your choosing (optional - we opt out as there are multiple allergies in our house)

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
In large oven-proof bowl mix oil, honey, pineapple juice, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Heat briefly to melt the sugar. Add in oats and stir well. Remove half of oat mixture to 9x13" glass pan.
Quarter drained pineapple chunks or leave tidbits as is, then place on baking sheet lined with silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Place two dishes of granola and sheet of pineapple in the oven. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Stir dried cranberries and nuts (opt.) into granola, turn oven off and leave in oven overnight. Serve and enjoy!

Yield: enough for 2 breakfasts for our family :)

*You could also use dried pineapple from the store, but I'm much more likely to have canned pineapple on hand and the juice nicely flavors the oats.
**I've read of other folks using coconut oil, which I will try if we get the go-ahead from our allergy doctor.

Rethinking My Grocery Goals & January Menu

Lately I've been feeling the need to simplify my shopping process for groceries. While I like to serve good, wholesome, home-cooked meals, I don't relish the time it takes to procure all the necessary ingredients. So this month I am trying something new for me and gathered all our groceries for the month last weekend and made a menu from those things and what was in our pantry and freezer. My goal is to stay out of the grocery stores as much as possible, only stopping by the milk store when we use up our supply and popping into grocery stores if there are a couple basic items that are really worth stocking up on. I considered participating in a pantry challenge month, but really we did not have a sufficient stockpile with enough variety for that to be a good idea and I don't want our supplies running too low as we are on the countdown to the birth of our baby.

Grocery Goals for 2012

1. Do 1 major grocery gathering per month, shopping at 2-3 stores, with detailed menu plan, shopping list and cash in hand.

2. Keep the grocery budget to $400 (family of 6, going on 7) including household supplies, toiletries & diapers.

3. Supplement as needed for milk, produce and truly good deals in the times between monthly shopping trips.

4. Be realistic in my expectations of myself. I don't have the time, energy or motivation in this season to be a super couponer. Sometimes I will need to just buy bread at the store and not feel guilty for not making it at home. There will be times we will need to order in or want to eat out. It's all okay as long as we are keeping to our grocery budget.

5. Increase our consumption of fruits and vegetables.

6. Plan to practice hospitality and don't let our budget deter me from that.

So here is our menu for the rest of this month, with the meals we've already eaten crossed out.

Dinners/Weekend Lunches

Baja chicken sausage, baked fries, oranges
Loaded baked potatoes, green smoothies
Chicken caesar salad, oranges
Lasagna (made enough sauce for 3 additional meals), green beans
Broccoli cheddar soup, rolls
Pasta & meat sauce, steamed veggies (x3)
Homemade pizza – pepperoni, ham & pineapple, BBQ chicken (x3)
Chicken black bean burritos (x2)
Whole wheat ham & cheese braid, mixed vegetables
Prime rib (thanks to a gift in the freezer from my in-laws), potatoes, vegetables
French dip sandwiches, baked fries, mixed vegetables
Beef stir fry (broccoli, carrots, onions, red pepper), rice
Chicken noodle soup w/homemade noodles, w.w. rolls
Tangy shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches, baked fries, green beans
Shepherd's pie, smoothies
Colorado white chicken chili, chips
Chili, cornbread
Balsamic chicken, green beans, brown rice
Eggs, bacon, blackberry scones
Chicken, queso & bean rice bowls
Super simple supper: popcorn, apples & oranges, cheese

Lunches - served with fruit, green smoothies and/or vegetables
leftovers
quesadillas
grilled cheese
sandwiches or wraps
macaroni & cheese
snack lunch (any combo of fruit, veg, meat, cheese, popcorn, crackers, etc.)

Breakfasts

Whole wheat waffles, homemade cinnamon syrup, yogurt (x4)
Oatmeal (x8), oranges, yogurt
Steel cut oats, berries (x3)
Cold cereal, yogurt, pears (x3)
Homemade granola, yogurt (x3)
Yogurt/granola/fruit parfaits (x2)
Toast, smoothies or fruit (x5)

Grocery purchases so far for January = $246.96

Albertson's - $14.00
42 lbs. of oranges

Costco - $125.35 *denotes coupon item
*1 box Huggies (148 diapers, size N & 1, 240 wipes)
*24 ct. Activia yogurt, 4 oz. each
8 - 20 oz. cans Dole Tropical Gold pineapple
1 gal. chocolate milk
2 gallons 1% milk
96 oz. honey
3 lbs. bananas
37 oz. Cheerios
*134 oz. Prego sauce
*2 lbs. Hillshire Farm turkey lunchmeat
40 oz. organic corn tortilla chips
*10 - 260ct. boxes Kleenex
10 lbs. organic carrots
18 ct. eggs
2 - 32 oz. loaves OroWheat bread
5.5 lbs. organic apples
6.6 lbs. organic pasta

King Sooper's - $44.41
3 - 2lb. Sargento cheese cubes
6 - 32 oz. yogurt (5 Dannon Pure, 1 Mountain High)
1 red pepper
2 cucumbers
2.3 lbs. bananas
12 ct. double-roll Charmin
3 Secret deodorant
3.1 lbs. organic pears
12 ct. bakery cookies - markdown

Sunflower Market - $50.04
1 head romaine
6 - 6 oz. pkgs. blackberries
1.1 lb. steel cut oats
4 - 32 oz. Cascade Fresh whole milk yogurt - so good!
6 - 6 oz. Brown Cow yogurt
3.1 lb. apples
1.8 lb. broccoli
4.5 lb. brown rice
.7 lb. gummi bears - keeping it real here!
3 grapefruit
4 organic avacados
7 lb. fresh chicken sausage (Baja and Italian varieties)

FarmCrest - $13.16
4 gallons 2% milk

How do you shop and budget for groceries? I'd welcome any time-saving, money-saving, sanity-saving tips!

Spicy Beans with Sausage

My friend Karen shared this recipe with me last year and a friend posted a similar one today and I'm so glad since now I know what is for dinner on this busy day.

Spicy Beans & Sausage

1 lb. turkey sausage, cut into small chunks - I'll have to use beef kielbasa today
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 can great northern beans
1 1/2 C. corn
1 1/2 C. salsa
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 cup of water (or more to make it more soupy)
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp. cumin

Combine in slow cooker and cook on high for a few hours or low as long as you want.

I think this recipe is pretty forgiving, or at least I'm hoping it is since I'll may need to sub in some other beans that I have cooked up and frozen from dry and may need to use some frozen mixed peppers. Now I'm off to dig through the freezer and throw this together.

Enjoy this lovely fall day!

Simplifying Meals: Master Menu Plan

I've become pretty lax this summer with menu planning, cooking and grocery shopping. As I look to the fall and the demands on our time, I want to make the most of my time in the kitchen and at the grocery store. So, I need a plan that will be a guide with lots of room for flexibility.

We'll see how it goes, but here's what I'm thinking. There will always be a fruit and/or vegetable offered with each meal, and sometimes bread.

Master Menu Plan (I have it in an easier to read chart, but unfortunately it does not transfer with good results.)
Monday
breakfast - oatmeal & fruit
lunch - sandwiches
dinner - cook's choice
prep - make yogurt

Tuesday
breakfast - waffles
lunch - salad
dinner - chicken

Wednesday
breakfast - toast & eggs
lunch - mac & cheese
dinner - pasta or Mexican
prep - baking

Thursday
breakfast - cereal or granola
lunch - snack lunch
dinner - beans & rice, potato bar or leftovers
prep - clean the kitchen

Friday
breakfast - free for all
lunch - quesadillas
dinner - pizza & salad

Saturday
breakfast - muffins & smoothies
lunch - sandwiches or leftovers
dinner - grilling

Sunday
breakfast - scrambled eggs or omelets
lunch - freezer or crockpot meal or dining out
dinner - soup
prep - make bread

Chewy Ginger Cookies

This is a new fave at our house. Recipe compliments of my sweet friend Kristel.

Chewy Ginger Cookies

Cream together:
3/4 C. shortening (I used Smart Balance sticks)
1 C. sugar
Then mix in:
1 egg
1/4 C. molasses
1 t. vanilla
Then add in:*
2 C. flour (I've used more than half whole wheat with good results)
1 t. cinnamon**
1 t. ginger
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cloves (never added this as I never have it on hand)

When dough is mixed, roll into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place dough balls on cookie sheet (no need to press down as they spread while baking). Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. They will not look done, but as they cool they will firm up. Cool on cooling rack and store in an airtight container. Yield: 3-4 dozen

Enjoy!

*I'm a recipe rebel and have a good mixer so I rarely do the wet bowl/dry bowl thing. I start with the wet ingredients, mix well and add the dry ingredients. If you prefer, do a wet ingredients bowl and a dry ingredients bowl, mix each bowl, then mix together.
**Tip: Costco cinnamon is awesome and economical.

Late June Menu

We're back from two weeks away so I'm jumping back into domestic life, complete with a trip to the grocery today with my precious kids. I was reminded of why I usually wait until the evening and leave them in the care of Daddy so I can give my full attention to finding good deals and using coupons. And I still need to stop at another store for a few more things. Anyway, here's what I plan to fix for my family in the coming days.

Dinners
Grilled chicken sandwiches w/gouda & havarti on sourdough, bananas
Burgers, baked fries, steamed peas & carrots
Orange chicken, brown rice, broccoli & carrots
Creamy garlic bowties with mesquite chicken, green beans, breadsticks
Mesquite chicken sandwiches, pasta salad w/veggies & cheese
Tacos
Emeril's pulled pork (& lots extra to freeze) on buns, baked fries, peas or other veg
Salad bar (greens, chicken, cheeses, croutons, dressing, peppers, cucumbers, etc.), bread
Brats, chips, big green salad
Macaroni & cheese (make 2 extra to freeze), raw veggie platter
Meat & cheese pockets, broccoli, carrots
Out - likely Chick-Fil-A as we have lots of coupons from a family festival we attended

Lunches
Creamy pasta with grilled chicken, carrot sticks
Ham & cheese paninis, cucumbers
Tuna melts, berries
Leftovers - several times
Quesadillas, fruit or vegetable

Breakfasts
Egg & cheese sandwiches
Oatmeal & yogurt
Steel cut oats, berries & yogurt
Cold cereal & yogurt
Pancakes & peach syrup (time to clean out the freezer for summer fresh produce)
Cinnamon rolls, green smoothies

Burrito-thon

I'm trying to stay ahead of the hunger of my growing family, but it is getting to be more and more work. Some days it feels like I've spent over half the day in the kitchen and they still come around after dinner saying, "I'm hungry!" While I don't do a lot of freezer cooking, I do like to have meal components (cooked beans, browned meat, grilled and shredded chicken, etc.) and burritos at the ready. Unlike frozen casseroles, you can easily decide how many servings to pull out for baking on the day you need them and they don't take 2+ hours to cook. And they're really handy for my husband to grab to take for lunch at work if we don't have leftovers from the previous night or to take as freezer meals to families in need. I usually freeze them in packages of 5 or 6 burritos (1 meal for our family) and reuse the zip bags from the tortillas. Sometimes I wrap the bunch in foil and then place the foil packet inside the zipper bag so when I bake them I can toss the whole foil packet in the oven which keeps the tortillas softer. I don't use a recipe, but do include some or all of the following on any given batch based on what I have around and what needs to be used.
- ground beef
- taco seasoning
- bell peppers
- Rotel
- corn
- brown rice
- salsa
- cheese
- black or pinto beans
For variation, I'm going to try a meal of these baked in a pan and smothered with enchilada sauce. Here is an enchilada sauce recipe we like.

It only takes a bit more time to make 4-5 meals vs. 1 meal and I save a lot of time on the clean up. And then when I've had a crazy day with other needs, these are a snap to pop in the oven with almost no effort.

What are your favorite meals to prepare ahead?

April Grocery Check-In

I've been slow to post this because:
a) I know it is likely boring to anyone who may stumble across this place
b) I've been disorganized and receipts have been left all over the place
c) the recording is getting a bit tedious and I know I'm no extreme super shopper
d) I don't want to face reality that I've spent.too.much yet.again.

Ah, well, moving on.

4/1 - Costco - $76.47
*coupon
24 ct. box Sunchips - individual bags*
32 cans Dr. Pepper - old habits die hard*
1 gallon dill pickle spears
2.5 lb. Tillamook cheddar cheese
2 large bags tortilla chips
6 ct. frozen OJ concentrate - these are larger than the normal size at the grocery store
1 pkg. corn tortillas (100)
48 oz. Ritz crackers *
3 lb. fresh garlic
42 oz. shaved honey ham
3 lb. bananas
36 ct. flour tortilla
4 boneless pork roasts - slightly less than 2 lbs. each, $1.99/lb.
Also purchased on this trip: 6 pk. of socks, 2 pillows.

4/1 - King Soopers - $18.94
3 boxes Rice Krispies
2 boxes Corn Flakes
2 gallons milk
2 packages clear cups (for party)
2 packages foam cups (for party)
4.2 lb. grapes

4/9 - Walmart - $16.47
4 toothbrushes (needed due to packing error...yet another sign that I do not have it together)
1 toothpaste
1 floss
1 box girl stuff
13 jars baby food
6 - 2 pks. baby food (away from home and needed the variety and convenience)

4/12 - King Soopers - $13.80
15.7 lb. organic apples

4/14 - Costco - $89.27
*coupon
25 lb. flour
2 lb. yeast
*2.13 lb. Jarlsberg cheese
2 lb. mozarella cheese
*3 lb. Hebrew National beef franks - might have been 4 lb.
*2 - 96 oz. white grape cherry 100% juice
36 ct. flour tortilla
2 gallons 1 % milk
10 lb. organic carrots
1 lb. organic spinach
3 lb. bananas
*4 - 12 oz. cans Pam cooking spray
2 lbs. croutons
6.5 lb. individually frozen chicken breasts ($2.46/lb. but no waste since they are very well trimmed)

4/14 - King Soopers - $30.31
2 boxes Chex cereal
2 boxes Fiber One bars
1.75 qt. ice cream
4 lbs. 93% lean ground beef patties (markdown)
3 toothbrushes
2 - 55 yd. floss
1 deodorant
2 - 6 oz. blackberries
10 lb. potatoes
1 fresh salad dressing (markdown)
8 ct. donuts - Oh, the perils of shopping with no willpower! The kids were just asking today for donuts, so their wish is granted. (markdown)
1 bunch parsley
3 Oroweat HealthFull bread
3 small packages M&Ms - 1 free w/coupon
2 Dove chocolate bars - free w/ coupon
2 Joint Joice single serve bottles - free w/coupon (markdown)

4/18 - King Soopers - $43.34
2 gallons milk - marked down
16 oz. sour cream
1/2 gallon buttermilk - marked down
1 gallon chocolate milk - marked down
1 single-serve yogurt - marked down
1 loaf french bread - marked down
12 oz. turkey bacon
8 oz. pepperoni
2 large hams (15 lbs. total) at $.99/lb.
9.53 lb. spiral sliced ham at $1.49/lb.

4/20 - Costco - $47.94
1 big bottle Naked juice smoothie
1 really delicious strawberry cheesecake
2 lb. good herb roasted deli turkey
12 ct. croissants
1 big bag Kettle chips
1 lb. organic spring mix
This was definitely a splurge trip. Someone in our home turned the big 3-5 and that was worth celebrating. Also purchased on this trip: lots of CFL light bulbs which were a good buy after the Earth Day promo from the local utility company.

4/23 - Whole Foods - $5.00
2 - 32 oz. organic yogurt
also purchased 2 pizzas with the dining out budget

4/27 - Target - $30.47
6 lbs. Challenge butter - about $2/lb. w/coupons I had
1 qt. coffee creamer
4 big jars baby food
2 2pks. baby food
2 lb. rice
6 ct. English muffins
7 - 4 pks. yogurt

4/28 - Costco - $12.97
2 gallons milk
1 lb. organic spinach
large bottle of Panda Express orange chicken sauce (birthday meal request)

Grand total for April = $384.98
$2.14/person/day

I {think} this is an accurate total, but like I said, I was really disorganized so maybe some receipts have gone missing. This is not bad considering that we had two birthdays this month, traveled a bit, helped host a party, hosted friends for Easter and took a dinner to another family. On the other hand, we were also staying with family for a few days, so that could have reduced our expenses, too. I am not including a big purchase of vitamins for the family. I'm not sure what budget these should be coming from. Where do you put vitamins and supplements in your budget?

How is your grocery budget going?

March Grocery Check-In

This is not the most riveting post you'll read all day, but I've decided to keep a clear log of my grocery shopping activities in hopes of improving that area of life this year. The last few months have been eye-opening and I hope by the end of the year I will see some progress.

3/4 - Costco - $94.30
5 lbs. organic frozen green beans
1 bucket animal crackers
75 ct. Good Earth tea
3 ct. English cucumbers
1 large can tomato sauce (gallon?)
3 lbs. bananas
4 pk. large jars organic applesauce
8 lbs. butter
1 package deli ham
2 large bags tortilla chips
1 lb. organic spring mix
3 bunches celery
1/2 gallon organic half & half
5 pk. avocados
33 oz. sulfate & paraben-free shampoo - This is the Kirkland brand and I think it has been good for my hair. **

3/5 - King Soopers - $7.74
2 - 24 oz. cartons cottage cheese
1/2 gal. organic whole milk
2 deodorant
1 bodywash
1 toothpaste
8 lbs. sugar

3/5 - Safeway - $30.77
12 boxes of non-sugary cereal
4 boxes Simply Fruit roll-ups
3 lbs. cheese sticks
3 packages breaded fish
2 cartons ice cream

3/5 - Whole Foods - $11.76
1 organic green leaf lettuce
1 carton organic chicken broth
9.5 lbs. organic apples

3/7 - Safeway - $13.27
8 boxes cereal
3 individual size frozen Asian entrees
1 bunch of bananas
32 oz. yogurt
4 100% juice cranberry concentrates
1 individual CPK pizza
1 family size bag chimichangas
2 rolls Mentos (free)
1 box flushable wipes (free)

3/10 - Costco - $15.45
2 gallons milk
18 ct. Yoplait
2 jars pumpkin maple butter

3/12 - Whole Foods - $9.10
organic apples & minneolas - $1/lb
1 bakery cookie - We were on a rare date.

3/15 - Costco - $22.53
4 gallons milk
9 lbs. bananas
18 ct. Yoplait
1 lb. organic spinach

3/17 - Safeway - $19.42
6 boxes cereal
8 boxes simply fruit roll-ups
6 baby food 2-pks.
15 jars baby food
1 canister DHA rice cereal

3/21 - King Soopers - $16.51
12 boxes pasta
1 cherry pie - marked down to $1.49
1 package bakery cookies - marked down to $1.49
4 - 16 oz. cottage cheese - marked down to $.59each
2 - 12 pks. soda - marked down to $1.19 each
3 - 32 oz. yogurt
3 - 4 pk. yogurt

3/21 - Costco - $116.92
all were items were on coupon except for the water bottles & sweet potatoes
96 oz. honey
72. oz. chocolate chips
400 ct. beverage napkin
32 - 14.5 oz. cans organic diced tomatoes - stocking up for the year
40 ct. Rice Krispie treats
212 ct. size 3 diapers
900 ct. baby wipes
3 stainless steel water bottles - $6.97 total
10 lb. sweet potatoes

3/22 - Costco - $16.75 - Having a sick baby necessitated going to the pharmacy for a prescription and finding a quick dinner.
1 rotisserie chicken
2 loaves sourdough bread
2 ct. infant pain reliever

3/26 - Safeway - $32.54
2 bags Doritos
1 hot sauce (free)
2 bags Wheat Thins
1 kleenex hand towel
4 lbs. frozen vegetables
4 Grands biscuits
3 Freschetta pizzas
3.75 lb. green grapes
1 4-pk. yogurt
8 oz. bag pistachios
1 lb. beef franks
3.7 lb. lean ground beef

3/26 - King Soopers - $28.04
5 lb. clementines
3 lb. Smart Balance sticks
39 ct. Band-Aid
3 lb. brown rice
18 boxes pasta - most whole grain, at 49 cents/box this is likely one of the lowest prices of the year so stocking up seemed prudent
1-2ct. Dole fruit crisps
3 - 4ct. yogurt
1 - 24 oz. yogurt
4 - 32 oz. yogurt
1 small pack Skittles

3/27 - FarmCrest -$12.00ish
4 gallons milk

3/30 - World Market - $25.96*
8 - 12 oz. bags whole bean coffee
*This was a one-day sale, otherwise I totally would have delayed this purchase. This amount of coffee will last us a good long while.

total for March = $473.06
$2.54/person/day

A few realizations in reviewing purchases for this month.
1. I'm still shopping too frequently.
2. I need to keep at least a couple easy dinners in the freezer for days when there are sick kids and other extenuating circumstances.
3. I am spending more than I think I really need to because we are budgeting more than the bare minimum. We do use a cash budget for groceries but whatever cash we get out of the bank does get spent. If I want to spend less, I need to have less cold hard cash in my hand when I am shopping, plain and simple.

I'll keep plugging along.
- - - -
**Very much off topic, but I just wanted to mention that as I post about grocery shopping here, that is only a sliver of what is happening frugality-wise in our home. Yes, I spent about $9 for a really big bottle of good shampoo. And yes, I likely could have picked up some acceptable shampoo for pennies if I still played the drugstore game. But I get about 3 haircuts per year at a place like Supercuts, with coupons whenever possible. So I'm spending at most $45/year on haircuts, not $45 for a haircut and style every 6 to 8 weeks. Every person and family needs to go with what works for them in that season and with the resources they have available. So all that said, I won't feel the least bit guilty for that $9 bottle of shampoo.

February Grocery Check-In

After January's alarming grocery totals, I knew I needed to get a better handle on that area of our my spending. So I've committed to keeping close track of the numbers in the coming months. I think I did a bit better for February. Typing it all out shows me again where some of the weaknesses are, namely frequency of shopping trips, lack of planning and some impulse or processed food buys.

2/6 - Costco - $15.24
1 take & bake pizza
3 lb. bananas
1 gallon pickles
1 36ct. flour tortillas

2/5 - King Soopers - $37.45
1 ice cream
4 chocolate bars
1 pkg. lunch meat
1 tube toothpaste
2 smoked sausage
2 juice beverages
2 cans Ro-tel
4 cans tomatoes
1 deodorant
1 bottle mustard
1 cookie dough
7 lb. organic apples
4 jars salsa
2 boxes Ritz crackers
4 4-pks. yogurt
2 cans soup
2 pizzas
1 I Can't Believe It's Not Butter

2/4 - Safeway - $7.96
4 lbs. cheese

2/6 - Safeway - $58.63
4 2-ltrs. soda
2 jars salsa
4 bags Tostitos
5 cans beans
2 jars peanut butter
6 bags cereal
2 cans soup
1 box baby rice cereal
2 boxes cereal
4 lbs. Tillamook cheese
1 aluminum foil
4 12-pks. soda
2 4-pks. yogurt
2 individual yogurt
1 coffee creamer
2 pkgs. Italian sausage
6 avocados
1 red onion
2 bags pistachios
1 valentine plate - so our youngest could have one as our other children do for the holiday

2/7 - King Soopers - $13.02
8 cans Ro-tel
2 boxes Ritz crackers
1 cottage cheese
5 4-pks yogurt
2 marked-down flower bouquets - One for a friend and one for me which lasted 3 weeks!)

2/11 - King Soopers - $8.71
4 cake mixes
1 tub frosting
2 pkgs. organic blueberries

2/15 - Costco - $8.08
1 lb. organic spinach
2 gal. milk

2/14 - Albertsons - $16.90
5 large canisters oatmeal
1 box pasta
2 bakery breads
1 box of cereal - cheerios for our little one
3 rolls tape (a Valentine treat for our kids...the simplest things make them happy)

2/17 - Target - $50.22
2 12-pks. baby food
2 large boxes baby cereal
1 large box diapers
1 large box wipes
4 pkgs. pasta
2 boxes cereal

2/19 - King Soopers - $9.29
2 pkgs. Rice Krispy treats
2 boxes drink pouches, all for team snacks

2/21 - Target - $16.26
10 lbs. rice
1 lb. brown rice
4 pkgs. valentine candy
bundle of cilantro
5 lb. dry beans

2/21 - Safeway - $6.69
1 can chipotle peppers
5 avocados

2/27 - Farmcrest - $12.00
4 gallons milk

2/28 - King Soopers - $27.45
3 toothpaste
3 boxes zip-lock bags
1 smoothie mix
2 coffee creamers
4 refrigerated biscuits
1 jumbo pack diapers
1 box wipes
1 natural sour cream
3 4-pks yogurt
2 big tubs yogurt
1 box tea
1 box instant coffee packets
1 tub spreadable butter
4 dozen eggs
1 large tub margarine (..sigh...butter is getting so expensive)

2/27 - Safeway - $93.69
1 large box diapers
48 double rolls t.p.
2 boxes kleenex
2 bags coffee
1 box tea
1.5 lb. beef
1 bag french fries
3 bags meal-ready chicken
1 2-pk. individual pizzas
1 vanilla ice cream
2 loaves whole wheat bread
1 pkg. lunch meat
8 lb. oranges
3 4-packs yogurt
1 6-pack yogurt
2 lb. mozarella
1 box zipper bags
1 pkg. flour tortillas
2 pkgs. rice side dish mix
1 pkg. veg. soup mix
4 lb. baby carrots

2/28 Alberstons $0.00 - I used a catalina expiring today to pick up a couple free items.
1 big container yogurt
1 wheat french bread

Grand Total for February = $381.59 or $13.62/day or $2.27 per person/day.

We did also eat a few meals out, both budgeted and thanks to our generous parents.

Kitchen victories for February:
1. Defrosting the deep freeze, taking an inventory and putting some of those items to use.
2. Making several batches of homemade fresh-milled whole wheat bread.
3. Cooking up a 20 lb. turkey, which yielded 2 roast turkey dinners, 4 meals of soup, 8 quarts of homemade stock and at least 4 meals worth of chopped turkey for future meals. While I definitely see that this makes good use of resources from one $7 bird, it is quite time consuming and remains one of my least favorite jobs.
4. Trying out a new recipe, these Barbacoa Chipotle Burritos. Yum! And now that Meredith passed on the tip about dried crushed chipotle pepper in the spice aisle I'll be able to make this with less cost and waste than using a can of chipotle peppers in the future.

What I'll be working on for March:
1. Menu planning.
2. Showing hospitality. We've gotten out of the groove of inviting folks in and this is definitely something we want to get back to. We're created for community, not to be loners.
3. Considering ways we can cut back with groceries.
4. Continuing to work more "normal" foods into our little guys diet so we stop buying baby food completely.
5. Considering going to cloth diapers. I have no good excuse except that I just don't want to mess with it.

Bit by bit, I'm trusting that I'll be able to bring it down.