Saturday, August 19, 2017

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

8 comments:

  1. You got this!
    I found that the secret to low grocery spending is to leave home and have your store adverse Daughter do the shopping. lololz

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My youngest would use the grocery money to buy sushi from the nearby grocery store deli, Greek yogurt, a box of cereal, a bar of dark chocolate, and the most expensive apples in the store.There wouldn't be a meal worthy shop at all.

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  2. I am trying to use up the things crowding my freezer. Let's call them "pool party snacks". They are things we don't ever keep on hand: chicken taquitos, pizza rolls, & mini tacos. All non-homemade. It's not the healthiest dinner, so I combined with fruit & a green salad, plus chicken & served the "pool food" as a side dish. I have a long way to go!

    We are pretty much on track for our grocery spending in August, but M typically does the shopping, so . . . we'll see how we net out! Today is a shopping day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Orphan" food items as a friends mom dubbed the odds and end leftover various beers her daughters guests leave after parties.It fits the odds and end snacks as well. I think with a salad and fruit, it can't be any worse than what one might eat at a chain restaurant and it's not like you do that every day, or even every week. I think that is a great idea to clean out the freezer, plus ease back into the school year.

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  3. You are certainly determined! Usually fresh fruit/veg from farm stands is a bit cheaper than the grocery store. With your creativity you will make it though the meal combinations might get more unusual nearer the end of the month :) !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am determined, and came home with leftovers from lake, so will put them to use. Our farms stands aren't necessarily cheaper-but literally picked day of buying, so I'm ok spurging for that kind of freshness.

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  4. Well done on the menu planning! Your tuna mention makes me want to make a tuna casserole, likely later in the week when the weather cools off. Stir fry tonight though, I've got some wilty veggies to use up

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  5. Keep working ,terrific job!

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