How's the August Grocery Challenge Going?

Recycled picture-new corn chowder made this week.

Here's a very boring, accountability laden post, on my progress towards my $350 August Grocery Budget challenge. There have been some odds and end purchases-at least DH stopped in an Aldi's for food, not the expensive town grocery store or the even pricier country nook store. I made a Wednesday night stop at Aldi's supplementing the pantry and preparing for a lake weekend, targeting to spend no more than $40, and came in at $37. Counting what DH spent, I'm at $281  with a balance of $69. In my sort of day off, with the rainy weather, I made soup and wheat bread for last nights supper, and  baked brownies and muffins for the weekend.

I've added a couple meals, changed up a bit, and crossed out ones we have eaten. We ate leftovers one night so the menu plan brings us to August 28th (three bigger meals plus sandwiches at the lake). If we stay strict to it, we still have room even for DH's indulgences. We do need a few items for the house like toothpaste, dishwasher and dish liquid, but nothing else non-food wise. Besides fresh food like fruit, milk, eggs, and bread, I'll probably need more protein items. I also want to have room for roadside stand picks, more sweet corn and cucumbers. No garden freebies yet other than the salad brought home Sunday night. With nearly two full weeks left in the month, it is the tightest I've ever had heading into the home stretch, but I'm pleasantly surprised at my resolve so far.

Muffins from last of a bag of flour and remnant chocolate chips.

Cookie brownies-an Aldi's mix.

1. Vegetarian Chili 
2. Country boneless ribs, roasted potatoes, corn.(tonight)
3. Turkey meatloaf, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables
4. Spaghetti and Meat  marinara (no meat)sauce, Italian vegetable blend garlic cheese bread from leftover buns
5. Meatless mock lasagna with extra vegetables-bringing to lake bringing to the lake
6. Goulash with hamburger, green beans
7. Baked chicken, rice pilaf, corn
8. Homemade chicken nuggets, cheesy potatoes, green beans
9. Chicken fried rice and mixed vegetables
10. Grilled Roasted chicken sandwiches and sweet potato wedges, pasta salad
11. Bean burritos, with cheese, black bean, corn, and tomato salsa/salad (not the ones DH bought!)
12. Chicken wraps with peppers, cucumbers
13. Pork loin, grilled vegetables, pasta salad
14. Italian sausage on buns, french fries, cheesy crockpot potatoes-bringing to the lake
15. Chicken Alfredo, mixed vegetables
16. Vegetable curry and basmati rice
17. Rice crust vegetable and cheese quiche 
18. Tuna noodle hot dish and vegetables 
19. Chicken Cordon Bleu, broccoli cheese rice
20. Use it up vegetable noodle soup, Homemade wheat bread(lot's of leftovers)-Became Corn Chosder due to three potatoes that were getting old and leftover corn on the cob
21. Hamburger, onion, veg, assorted cheese(whatever is left to use up)flat bread homemade pizza (since we had spaghetti meatless, I have an extra 1/2 pound of hamburger)
22. Hamburgers, tomatoes, shells and cheese, corn-bringing to lake
23. Frozen pizza and French fries