Grocery Shopping Blitz~January

There aren't too many stores I would snap a picture in, but the above photo is special. This is my most favoritest grocery store...ever. It is a family-owned store that carries no pork or shellfish, and is closed on Saturday's, the day these wonderful people observe the Sabbath. Not only is the store packed with fresh and organic, most of the produce comes from local sources. This store is also good about stocking up on locally packaged foods too, such as; salsas, barbecue sauces, specialty vinegar's, and artisan cheeses.

Pure heaven I tell you.

If you live near the Vancouver, Washington area, you will need to experience Chuck's Produce & Street Market for yourself. And make sure you save time to enjoy a cup of gelato while you're there. I can personally vouch for the Chocolate Hazelnut gelato. And the Espresso Gelato. And the Blackberry Gelato. And the Lemon Gelato. And the...

Have I mentioned that we like gelato?☺

Our monthly grocery shopping trip wasn't limited to just Chuck's, even though it could've been. We started with Trader Joe's and ended with Costco, with a leisurely lunch at Applebee's to see the Oregon Duck/Wisconsin kickoff for the Rose Bowl. (We finished watching the game at Costco with about 100 other people who can't afford drive-in sized televisions either!)

So, here's what we bought...

And here's what we spent...

Trader Joe's~$74.62
Chucks Produce~$133.21
Costco~$191.84

Grand total~$399.67

We still have our raw milk to buy, but if all goes according to plan, the total this month should be well within our $600 budget!

Time will tell...



Grocery Results 2/1/10

I really don't like grocery shopping, but I try to make the most of it by playing a game with myself. It's called "Don't spend more than you have".

I lose most of the time.

When I left the house this morning though, I knew that because I hadn't bought groceries last week, this week was going to be spendier than other weeks. I still left with a smile on my face because the sun was shining. That's pretty rare for February in western Washington.

While I can delude myself into thinking that I'm going to stay within a budget, the delusion is short-lived as far as the weather goes.

It started raining on my way to town.

And I went way over budget on the groceries.

Delusions, money, and weather aside...it's looking to be a great week!

I only went to one store today, mostly because of the rain, but partly because I was just feeling a tad lazy. Call me crazy, but I'm not too energized to hand over hard-earned money for food that we shoulda, woulda ,coulda grown ourselves! I hope Mr. Kroger enjoys his vacation this year...I think we're paying for it! (We actually did do a good job preparing for winter, but I can see ways to improve!)

Here's how the grocery trip went...

Fred Meyer

4 cans black olives
baking powder
2 cans enchilada sauce
2 lbs. Tillamook butter
4 lbs. Darigold butter (coupon)
2 lbs. Tillamook cheddar cheese (coupon)
1 lb. Tillamook Swiss cheese
1 lb. Tillamook sharp cheddar
1 lb. cottage cheese
organic ketchup
3 lbs. organic coffee beans
1 quart half & half
mayonnaise (coupon)
taco sauce
sweet relish
true lime packets
1 lb. organic bacon
baking soda
2 rye bread
whole wheat crackers
4 lbs. corned beef brisket
2 lbs. red vine tomatoes
3 red peppers
bulk sunflower seeds
3 sweet onions
2 jumbo garlic
celery
grape juice
apple juice
2 organic gallons milk
1 family size Frito
3 bags Lays potato chips (Superbowl/coupon)
1 bottle white wine
1 bottle red wine
1 head green leaf lettuce

Subtotal: $166.50

Health food store

2 gallons raw milk (last Thursday)

Subtotal: $22.98
Grand total: $189.48

As you may have noticed, I bought mayonnaise. A few weeks ago, my food processor had a little "accident". I didn't realize how much I used it until today. Now I'm on the hunt for a new one...preferably one that is resistant to 14 year old boys!

There are ways to cut costs from this list, but sometimes it is just easier to buy items rather than try and make them from scratch. For instance, I bought bottled juice. It is far more frugal to buy juice in concentrate and make it myself. But I forget. And I have a daughter who is hypoglycemic and has to take a cup to bed with her. She remembers to do that if the juice is in the refrigerator. She can't do it if I forget to put it there! I also buy lime packets for our water. While it may be healthier to buy lime juice or whole limes, it is not more frugal. And since water is the main source of fluid intake around here, I try to doctor up the slight iron taste from the tap. It is still much cheaper than buying bottled water! (Not to mention more "earth friendly"!)

Because last week went so well with our freezer/pantry planning, we'll be doing it again next week, so some of these groceries are for that. Hopefully, with a little planning, I will be able to take a rain-check on the shopping next week.

There's a little grocery store humor for ya! (*wink*)

Grocery Results 1/18/10

After a wicked, wicked, stormy night last night, we were greeted this morning with a bright yellow orb in the sky.

I think it was the sun.

Shopping for groceries is a whole lot "funner" in the sunshine!

Welcome back sunshine...we, I mean, I have missed you dearly.

And I mean that.


Franz Bakery Outlet

~4 loaves bread
~6 packages of gravy
~4 free loaves of bread

$17.00

Grocery Outlet

~Half & half
~organic granola bars (2)
~2 gallons whole milk

$11.95

Fred Meyer

~2 cheddar cheese (4 lbs.)
~4 unsalted butter
~2 lbs. organic sugar
~spinach tortillas
~flour tortillas
~organic flour (10 lbs.)
~white wine
~bulk dehydrated chives
~organic bananas
~hot dogs (2) (Sometimes you just have to have the real thing...especially with a coupon!)
~nitrite/nitrate free bacon
~cream cheese (3)
~5 grapefruit
~organic apples (4 lbs.)
~2 lemons
~organic baby spinach
~toilet paper (24 double rolls)

$89.26

Health food store

~1 gallon raw, organic milk

$11.49


Total: $129.70

Grocery Results 1/11/10

*Sigh*...'tis raining again. As I sit here typing, I can hear the rain hitting the windows. It's not enough to drown out the roar of the creek, but pretty close!

I love the roar of the creek.

It drowns out the noise from the kids.

Summertime is bittersweet.

I've been spending the rainy days planning our 2010 garden. It will be so nice to be able to dig in the warm, fresh-tilled dirt.

This is what our garden looks like now...

Not very impressive at the moment, but just wait...

In the meantime, I'll just figure out how to make my potatoes do this...

My potato is in the middle. The others are from Idaho. Show-offs. I may need to make a trip to Idaho and round me up some of that dirt.

Here's how the shopping trip went.

Country Village (health food shop)

White, organic miso paste $5.99

Red, organic miso paste $5.99

Subtotal: $11.98

Fred Meyer

2 quarts 1/2&1/2 $4.58

2 quarts buttermilk $3.38

Soba noodles $3.29

2.58 lbs. cauliflower $3.84

10 lbs. King Arthur all-purpose flour $6.98

2 gallons organic, whole milk $9.98

Subtotal: $32.00

Winco Foods

anchovy paste $1.89

2 lbs. Tillamook butter $4.98

bow-tie pasta $1.96

cherry tomatoes $2.78

2 Roma tomatoes $.39

baby spinach $2.48

whole wheat pita pockets $1.68

bulk sesame seeds (.46#) $1.23

fresh basil $.98

dried cherries (.77#) $4.80

Daisy sour cream $2.93

bulk, organic brown rice (5.63#) $9.94

bulk granola (3.34#) $8.95

grape tomatoes $1.28

5.5 lbs. cut-up fryer chicken $7.60 (for broth)

2 cream cheese $2.96

broccoli $3.98

tortilla chips $2.58

Greek peperocini $2.38

2 cans orange juice concentrate $3.96

2 cans evaporated milk $1.76

4 cans Thai coconut milk $7.80

fresh mushrooms (1.08#) $2.14

fresh ginger root (.38#) $.60

2 red bell peppers $1.36

4 large lemons $2.72

fresh, organic oregano $1.98

2 bunches green onions $.96

2 cucumbers $.96

bananas (4.27#) 2.48

2 cans pumpkin $2.80

Subtotal: $96.29

Grand total: $140.27

Sorry that the list is double spaced...for some reason my computer is "sassing" me today. It's probably trying to accommodate the Idaho potatoes.

Grocery Results 1/4/10

Sheesh. It's really raining here.

I live near the mighty Columbia River. You know, the river that Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were so enamored with? Normally, it is a beautiful, majestic river. Today, it is filled with debris, pushed out from the creeks that feed it.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we don't own boats.

We own arks.

Well, not us specifically. We're still trying to figure out where to find gopher wood.

On my way into town, the guy in the next lane, decided to look for some in his nose. Seriously. Do people not realize that other people can see them? Really?

And that's how my first Monday of the new year begins....

I am wet. I am cold. My cowlicks are going crazy. And I am hormonal.

I'm putting myself in a time-out as soon as I finish this post.

My grocery results today were not as I planned. I did well at stores #1 & #2, but #3 killed my good intentions. I would've skipped the last store, but I had some coupons that I needed to use. There were also some items that were not in stock at the cheaper stores, so I had to pay full price at the 3rd.

The good news...I've got nowhere to go but up, from here!

Grocery Outlet (Store #1)

3 gallons whole milk $8.97 (not organic, but hormone & antibiotic free and not ultra-pasteurized)
1 quart buttermilk $1.49 (same as milk)
2 quarts half & half $3.98 (same as milk)
Frozen, organic strawberries $2.99 (We've already depleted our summer supply!)
Frozen, organic raspberries $2.99
1 large box Rice Krispies $3.49 (This is our emergency stand-by box. Just in case...)

Subtotal: $23.91

Winco Foods (Store #2)

3.3 lbs. bulk macaroni noodles $2.41
2 cans diced, green chilies $2.36
sos pads $2.17
2 cans Ro-Tel Mexican tomatoes $1.82
Olive oil mayo $2.98 (Going to start making my own when the egg production increases!)
Soft tortilla shells/double pack $5.95 (Planning on making own, but these will be on stand-by, in the freezer!)
2 cans mandarin oranges $1.16
2 cans green enchilada sauce $3.56 (Usually make my own red sauce, but never green)
Worcestershire sauce $3.24
14 Yoplait yogurts $8.26 (For the 2 college kids)
6.76 lbs. bananas $3.92
2 large bags tortilla chips $5.16
Honey baked ham $12.11 (We don't usually buy ham, but this is the good stuff, so we'll use some tonight and freeze the rest for later use)
3 jalapeno peppers $0.14
1.40 lbs. celery $1.23
Tillamook sharp cheddar cheese $6.98
2 bunches green onions $0.96
3 heads of garlic $1.14
1 bunch fresh cilantro $0.48
2 lbs. Tillamook salted butter $4.98
2 lbs. Tillamook unsalted butter $4.98
5.67 lbs. oranges $3.29
1 head green leaf lettuce $1.28

Subtotal $80.56

Subtotal after coupons $79.54

Safeway (Store #3)

4 boxes Nature Valley granola bars $10.00 (College and hungry rugrat snacks)
4 cans naturally sweetened tropical fruit cocktail $6.00
5 lbs. King Arthur flour $5.59 (Waiting for my organic flour from Bob's Red Mill)
2 bottles organic ketchup $4.38
2 lbs. Monterey Jack cheese $5.99 (Will shred and freeze)
2 lbs. shredded Mexican cheese $5.99
2 pints organic whipping cream $4.58
Cottage cheese $1.49
Daisy sour cream $2.99
32 oz. organic whole milk yogurt (for yogurt cheese) $2.99
2 loaves fresh baked sourdough bread $3.18
Bacon $3.99

Subtotal (after coupons) $57.17

Total food bill: $160.62

Normally, I would NOT purchase bacon unless is was uncured, but since I decided to bag the Costco trip for the moment, this is the only choice I had. I had to also buy already-baked sourdough bread because my starter got contaminated and had to be started over. It should be ready by the weekend, so I'll be able to make loaves and try my hand at English muffins.

Some of the items that I bought were organic. Some were not. I try to buy organic produce, but in the winter, it can be quite spendy. So I have to prioritize. Anything that has skin to be eaten, is organic. Anything to be peeled or cooked, I can forgo the organic label. For now.

Now, I'm going to tackle that pile of seed catalog's...but shhh...I'm supposed to be in "time-out"!

Shopping results!

Oh my goodness...shopping was difficult today! I cannot believe the amount of people in the stores, and not just 1 or 2 stores, but all of them! Even the feed store was busy today. I guess the bright, sunny weather brought people out of hibernation! In the Pacific Northwest, you just have to take advantage of every dry day...but in the grocery stores? Maybe I'm missing something...

Franz Bakery Outlet

4 loaves whole wheat bread $8.00
2 (6 pack) whole wheat bagels $3.58
2 (8 pack) hamburger buns *FREE*

Subtotal: $11.58

Grocery Outlet

1 quart 1/2 & 1/2 $1.89
6 (1/2 gallon) whole milk $10.14
2 lbs. grated Mexican cheese $5.99
2 bags coleslaw mix $2.38
4 sweet, red peppers $2.00
18 double rolls of t.p. $9.99

Subtotal: $32.39

Winco Foods

1 large bag of organic salad mix $4.98
celery (1.71 lb.) $1.33
Granny Smith apples (4.33 lb.) $4.24
bag of bean sprouts $.98
1/2 lb. smoked salmon $4.32
2 tomatoes (.92 lb.) $1.18
2 lemons $.56
bulk nutritional yeast (.22 lb.) $1.51
bulk parsley (.12 lb.) $.60
tortilla chips $2.38
1 lb. fresh mushrooms $3.56
2 dozen eggs $4.98 (Dang chickens are molting, so no eggs!)

Subtotal: $30.62

Country Village Nutrition Shoppe

1 gallon whole, raw Jersey milk $11.99
2 pints organic heavy whipping cream $8.58
1 quart organic vanilla yogurt $4.99
3 boxes organic mac & cheese $5.67

Subtotal: $31.23

Grand total: $105.82