I have been accumulating food in my freezer. I normally have a menu, and have been working back towards that. I have odds and ends in my freezer from meals that I planned, then did not make, or due to Husband un-intentionally eating part of the ingredients, and my not going to get more, and making something else instead. Bringing stuff home from Branson, and not utilizing my menu plan as a result. All of these things together have created an abundance of un-earmarked foodstuffs that need to be used.
As a result, August has been kind of light in the buying groceries area, which I am loving.
Aldi - 8/11/13
Celery 2 @ 1.29 $ 2.58
Cauliflower 2 @ 1.69 $ 3.38
Banana 11.89 lbs @ .44/lb $ 5.23
Artisan Lettuce $ 1.99
Creamy Almond Butter 3@ 4.99 $14.97
Sweet Onions (3 lb bag) $ 1.69
Carrots 2 lb bags - 2@ .99 $ 1.98
Deluxe Almonds (for meal) 2@4.29 $ 8.58
Premium Sausage 2@ 2.49 $ 4.98
TOTAL = $45.38
Aldi - 8/16/13
Valencia Oranges 3 lb bags 3@ 1.49 $ 4.47
Bananas 11.20 lbs @ .29/lb $ 3.25
Ham/Cheese loaf $ 2.49
Bologna 3@ .99 $ 2.97
Sliced lunchmeat 6@2.99/lb $17.94
Fig Bars 2@ .89 $ 1.78
Fruit Snacks $ 3.49
TOTAL = $36.39
Harps - 8/22/13
Tip Steak $ 3.25
Ground Beef $15.18
Spaghetti Sauce 4@ 1.00 $ 4.00
TOTAL = $ 22.43
Grand total = $104.20
If I can hold off for a week, I may well have the lowest monthly food bill that I have ever had, since I started tracking this stuff a few years ago. I will need to buy some almond milk, but that really is all that I can think of that I will need in the coming week. So, it just might be possible that I will be spending about $120.00, or close to that amount, for this month. For my family of 4. YAY!!!
I have really begun looking at the lunches that I pack for the girls. Oddly, Thing2 is further along in a Paleo/Primal transition, but that is because her protein is either bacon or hard boiled eggs. She does not like sandwiches. Go figure. Yet another thing that she does not like, but this time, it works for me, and not against me for a change. :-)
A few weeks after the end of school last year, I found this blog post with a helpful idea for lunches. http://www.nwedible.com/2013/05/making-school-lunch-easier-the-sandwich-plus-plan.html
For Thing1, I have made a semester's worth of sandwiches that I can grab first thing in the morning, dump into a bag, and a couple of other freezer things. I made three batches of Morning Glory Muffins from Paleo Comfort Food's youtube demonstration. http://paleocomfortfoods.com/recipes/morning-glory-muffins/ , and they freeze well too.
I have been packing apple spears with sun butter/honey mixed to dip in; or a peeled orange. I also pack carrot sticks, so a typical lunch is:
Thing1 - sandwich, muffin, apple with sun butter dipping sauce or an orange, carrot sticks, raisins, cheese stick, pretzels, and a pudding, or a snack bag with 4 cookies in it.
Thing2 - 2 hard boiled eggs or 4 slices of bacon, apple slices without dipping sauce, raisins, cheese stick and cookies.
I can toss these items in their insulated lunch bags in about a minute. That makes for fast prep in the mornings, and saves me time.
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UPDATE: So, I was on my bank's website paying some bills, and I saw a charge from Aldi's for $48.79 I remember the trip, and I know that I got some ground turkey, some bacon, 2 things of fish, but I cannot remember much more, and I cannot find my receipt, so I know that I spent money on groceries, but do not have an ability to list everything purchased.
NEW GROCERY TOTAL: $152.99 - On the plus side, I never did get back to the store before the end of August, so this is also my grand total for the month of August.
