Weeks 13-17

Week 13: $82.73

My goal? Spend $2 per person, per day on food ($140 a week.) Check out my sidebar for previous weeks.

I spent $82.73 on food; my weekly average is $111.29, which absolutely astounds me!

I got:
5# ground beef, 7# boneless chicken breast, 4# tilapia filets

24 oz. ranch dressing, tub of shortening (trans fat and BHT free), 18 oz. generic Cheerios, 14 oz. granola w/ berries, raspberry zinger tea bags, grape jelly, 24 oz. picante sauce, 8 oz. No Yolks noodles, 16 oz. mini farfalle

12# apples, 15# oranges, 5# sweet potatoes, 2 3/4# grapes

2 gallons milk, 2# butter, 1 frozen Kashi meal (lemongrass coconut chicken – see the link for a free coupon on my right sidebar?)

Can of smoked oysters, 8 ct. sushi rolls (didn’t shop alone tonight… $8.50 for grocery store sushi???)

The Menu:
Sunday -eggs, fruit
macaroni and cheese w/ peas and carrots
went to Denny’s (entertainment budget, not food. Yeah, we’re blowing the tax money as fast as we can, LOL!)
Mon. Mar 30 – oatmeal
tostadas
Pasta primavera w/peppers, onions, and tomatoes; asparagus
Tues. Mar 31 - oatmeal, oranges
girls at leftovers, boys at ranch style beans w/ hominy
Frozen pizza, broccoli
Wed. Apr 1 – Cheerios w/ milk
Egg salad sandwiches, celery and carrots, cantaloupe
black beans and sweet potato concoction… probably with curry, and spanish rice
(I bought the sweet potatoes planning to have them with pork chops, but the store was out of the sale pork so I ended up with no meat. So I’ll make something up and the family will either love it or hate it. It won’t kill them. I’m vaguely thinking of a ropa vieja type dish but with carribbean flavor and no meat.)

Thurs. Apr 2 – granola (homemade, this recipe. It tastes good, but I like granola clusters and chunks and this more like flavored oats.)
split pea soup w/ barley and carrots
Meatloaf, mashed potatoes,

Fri. Apr 3 – oatmeal
burrito bowls (If Chipotle can do it, so can I!)
Tilapia something – I’m really bad at cooking fish. We rarely have it and I don’t like fish all that much – anyone have any really great recipes? Leave it in the comments!

Sat. Apr 4 - oatmeal (when I don’t make oatmeal, the littles beg for it. Mr X’s morning is not complete unless he’s had a bowl)
leftovers or lentil soup
Chicken/broccoli w/ white sauce, served over rice (you know, that Campbell’s chicken and rice casserole, but deconstructed because I have to limit my rice.)

A word about snacks. Snacks at our house are almost always fruit. My boys like to split a can of Ranch Style beans when I let them. This is why I buy pounds and pounds of apples, bananas, oranges, and grapes. You’ll notice most “snacky” food doesn’t appear on my grocery receipts – if I don’t buy cookies, potato chips, and Hot Pockets, the kids have no choice but to eat healthy food!

It also really helps keep my budget in check. For example, I bought 15# of oranges for $6 – the cost of two bags of Oreos or two 6-packs of Danimals yogurt. 15# of oranges = over 30 fruits, or 5 times as many snacks as the yogurt.

Week 14: $98.01

My goal? Feed my family for $2 per person, per day ($140 a week). See my right sidebar for links to each week!

Last week I asked for tilapia recipes – and got some great ones! I planned on making stuffed tilapia, but ran out of time. Then I thought of fried, but ran out of time. By the time I got dinner in the oven, I just put the fish, sliced onions, and dotted with butter. I even forgot to salt and pepper it. It still turned out pretty good.

Why did I run out of time? Someone set the grass around the bayou behind our house on fire. It ended up getting put out with our garden hose, handed over the fence to a policeman, before the fire department showed up.

And then every kid in the neighborhood showed up to find out what happened.

The bayou is where my kids catch their critters.

Then they put them in my mixing bowls.

I spent $98.01. Mostly due to procrastination – I put off going to the store. My “spending week” runs roughly Wednesday to Wednesday, with most of the shopping done over the weekend for the following week. So the shopping for Week 14, Apr. 5-11, took place between Apr. 1-7.

I got:
32 corn dogs, 4# tator tots, half gallon blueberry ice cream, 24 pack ice cream cones, 16 oz. minimarshmallows, 3 rotisserie chickens, 1 loaf whole wheat bread, 1 loaf french bread (no energy to make bread this week.)

84 oz. oatmeal, 18 oz. Kashi Go Lean cereal, 4 boxes whole wheat angel hair, 28 oz. spaghetti sauce, 26 oz. salsa, 64 oz grape jam, 10 oz. blackberry fruit spread, 34 oz. peanut butter, 2 cans pineapple chunks, 1 can mandarin oranges, 2 large jars unsweetened applesauce, 24 oz. raisins

7 doz. eggs, 1# reduced fat cream cheese, 1 qt. half and half

6 mangoes, 3# bananas, large jar of minced garlic, 4# frozen broccoli, 1# frozen green beans, 1# strawberries… some other stuff too but once again, receipt is missing. I’m not the most organized woman, ok?

We’re eating:
Saturday, Apr 4 – menu changed, had birthday dinner for X.
corndogs, tator tots, green beans, fruit salad, and cupcakes.

Sunday, Apr. 5 – oatmeal
taco beans and rice w/cheese
corned beef, cabbage, potatoes

Monday, Apr. 6- Dutch baby (eggs are on sale!), orange wedges
spaghetti, apples
chicken, broccoli, french bread, strawberries (plans changed and we were running errands until 8 pm)

Tues, Apr. 7- oatmeal (I’m so predictable)
Homemade version of Spaghettios
White bean pasta with peppers and onions (frozen) More errands, since every place we went on Monday had just closed as we pulled into the parking lot. Yes, three times! So we went out to eat, which blew our entertainment budget for April.

Wed, Apr 8-<s> pumpkin waffles or pancakes</s> kids ate leftovers from restaurant. The kid meals were HUGE!
egg sandwiches, orange wedges
bow tie pasta primavera (just had the girls, the boys went to chess club with husband dear)

Thurs, Apr 9- oatmeal
peanut butter and jelly, cantaloupe
chicken fettucine alfredo, steamed broccoli, strawberry shortcake for dessert (husband dear surprised me!)

Fri, Apr 10- Good Friday -
toast, apples
macaroni and cheese w/peas and carrots, mangoes
burrito bowls (black beans, rice, guacamole, pico, cheese, etc. The kids liked it so much they wanted it again.)

Sat, Apr 11- Pancakes (maybe) or Dutch baby
leftovers
not planned yet due to grocery store procrastination

Look for egg salad sandwiches every day next week… actually, it’s not that bad. My kids like hard boiled eggs!

One last peek into our family life:

Week 15: $182.65

My goal? Feed my family of 10 for $2 per person per day (Spend $140 on food). We have 2 adults, 7 children age 2-10, and a baby on the way. We follow a Feingold diet for one child and a diabetic diet for mama.

I spent:
$182.65 on food (husband bought dessert, spent $17 and lost the receipt)
Average spent per week this year: $114.03

I stocked up on dairy this week – butter, cream cheese, and shredded cheese were all on sale!
I also got an extra ham, because they were cheap and ham keeps for a couple of months in the fridge.

I got:
126 oz. oatmeal, 2 boxes cereal, 8# brown rice, 7 oz. black pepper, 32 oz. Miracle Whip, 48 oz. canola oil, 1.25# sushi rice, 2 jars spaghetti sauce, jar peanuts, 5 boxes Wheat Thins/Triscuit, 2 loaves WW bread, 2 pkg. WW English muffins,

7# butter, 4# cream cheese, 3 doz. eggs, quart plain yogurt, 4 gal. milk, 24 oz. whipped topping, 3# cheese

2/3# tomatoes, 4# strawberries, 2 pints blackberries 3.5# bananas, 4 mangoes, 1.5# grapes, 9# apples, 1 head Romaine, 3 poblano peppers, 1 small cantaloupe, 4 kiwis, 3# carrots, 3# zucchini, 1 pineapple, 10# frozen veggies

2 hams (24# total), 8.5# pork roast

2 frozen meals, 2/3# deli meat, 2 rolls Mentos, Reeses peanut butter cups, 3 bags chocolate chips, 1 bag mini marshmallows, 1 bag Hershey’s kisses, 2 packages dessert shells

I shall endeavor (again) to be slightly more adventurous with the lunches since our breakfast is so boringly beige.

We’re eating:
(revised on4/15/09 to reflect what we actually ate)

Sun. Apr 12: blueberry pancakes
eggs, fried potatoes, fruit (small meal pre-Easter dinner)
ham, potatoes, brussels sprouts, green beans, salad, fruit tart

Mon. Apr 13: oatmeal
eggs, cantaloupe, mangoes, oranges (this was a fiasco. My 9 yo son put away 5 whole hardboiled eggs (plus 6 orange quarters, half a mango, a glass of milk, and a slice of cantaloupe) before I stopped him – my 2 year old ate 3 and a half! Egg salad sandwiches next time, for sure. I actually  made them stop eating whole eggs – I was afraid they’d throw up!) (BTW – Atkins was totally wrong about eggs being more filling than bread, apparently. Must. Have. Carbs. at every meal around here!)
Pasta w/ marinara, Cobb salads (ham and eggs on it; I added white beans for more protein. I always wonder if the kids get enough protein.)

Tues. Apr 14: oatmeal (what else?) or egg sandwiches on toast, bananas
hummus/chickpeas on pitas (the kids really liked that!), apples
hambone soup w/ black eyed peas, cornbread, sauteed chard (husband dear has decided he likes chard again.)

Wed. Apr 15: scrambled eggs, pineapple (if it’s all yellow by then) (it wasn’t.)
leftovers/sandwiches, grapes, the last radishes from the garden
red bean and rice casserole with okra

Thurs. Apr 16: oatmeal
kale w/ polenta (subbing chard for kale, carrots for mushrooms, and adding more onions)
pork roast w/ green chiles; black bean and corn salad, zucchini

Fri. Apr 17: oatmeal because we’re boring like that
curried Indonesian bean stew
Mexican food again! Either lentil enchiladas or tostadas with leftover shredded pork.

Sat. Apr 18: Oatmeal or pancakes (husband dear likes to make big breakfasts; depends on if he has to work or not.)
cheesy noodles w/ broccoli (and ham – maybe – although the prospects are not looking good!)
??? Husband wants to go search out some sushi making stuff; possibly fried rice of some sort or Japanese food.

You may have noticed I’ve been buying bread again. Yes, it’s cheaper to make it (and I do think it tastes better) but I’m tired, durnit! Turns out there’s a reason convenience foods are so popular!

I also got a couple of frozen meals within the diabetes guidelines for my lunches, for days when I make mac and cheese or other things for the kids. My previous solution was to cook up something special from scratch, then decide not to bother cooking for one person, then snack on cheese or something that probably wasn’t enough calories, then end up eating the leftover pasta from the kids, then whacking out my blood sugar… and yes, I do think Salisbury Steak will fix it!

Also it’s starting AC season, and I don’t know if it makes sense to run the oven AND the AC at the same time. And I’m too tired to figure out the math right now. I might buy a couple of extra breadpans so I can make a weeks worth all at once – it would be more cost effective that way.

Sometimes you just have to know your limits. 32 weeks pregnant + 7 children + new school books/new grammar program + potty training toddler + husband having odd hours at work + starting a garden = give me a break and buy the bread.

Week 16: $121.29

My goal? Feed my family of 10 for $2, per person, per day ($140 a week).

I spent $121.29
Weekly average this year: $115.54
I’m adding in our “planned snacks” – usually fruit, and in paranthesis I’ll note *my* planned snacks (I am on a diabetic diet)

3 pack celery hearts, 12# green apples, 2# fresh green beans, 3.4# bananas, 2# strawberries, 1 pt. blackberries, 25 kiwis, 2 lemons, 5# yellow onions, 5 avocados, 2# mushrooms, 5# carrots, ginger root, 2# bok choy, 1 2/3# daikon radish, 3 1/4# red grapes, 5# frozen broccoli, 25# russet potatoes, 16 roma tomatoes, 2# red pears, 10 heads garlic

2 gallons milk, 5# shredded cheese (for $10! What a deal!), 1# sour cream, 4 pk. generic vanilla Activia yogurt, 6 dozen eggs,

3 loaves bread, 1 box WW rotini, 2 boxes SmartTaste elbow macaroni, 3 pkg. fajita tortillas,

8.5# boneless beef roast

Strawberry tea bags, pancake syrup, 2# cheesecake, 1 pkg. chocolate chip cookies (storebought! Gasp! Kids didn’t care, LOL!), TrailMix Crunch with cranberries cereal, 24 oz. ketchup,

I still have 3 heads of cabbage in the fridge, so I’ve got to fit that in somewhere, too. I’m going to attempt kimchi with some of it, maybe…

We’re eating:
Sun Apr. 19 – oatmeal
lunch out (Souper Salad – had a coupon for kids eat free. Manager didn’t seem to happy about that… but I didn’t print the coupon! Less than $20 total)
breakfast for dinner

Mon Apr 20 – toast and cold cereal (Bought Grape-Nuts Trail Mix for myself – blech! But the kids liked it!)
peanut butter and jelly, pineapple (it’s finally yellow! Husband making lunch, I have to take kids to the dentist today)
snack: strawberries, carrots
Pot roast, carrots, potatoes, fresh green beans

Tue Apr 21 – oatmeal
Golden cauliflower soup, toast (cheese toast? Maybe) for dipping
snack: kiwis, (yogurt w/blackberries)
Indian style chickpeas (with zucchini), rice, summer salad

Wed Apr 22 – Breakfast cookies
colcannon (potatoes, cabbage, bacon)
snack: grapes, (yogurt w/ strawberries)
Beef stroganoff, steamed broccoli

Thur Apr 23 – waffles
Cheesy broccoli and noodles
snack: kiwis, veggie sticks
Gingered beef and onions, rice, bok choy

Fri Apr 24 – oatmeal
egg salad sandwiches, oranges, leftover fruit
snack: pears, veggie sticks with yogurt cheese
Black bean tacos w/ fresh pico, coleslaw, jalapeno poppers

Sat Apr 25 – oatmeal
leftovers
What we always have – something to be planned later!

Week 17: $174.34

We ended up having some friends over on Saturday, and the car broke down so I made a quick run to the store and hope it holds out! Also, this meant that I had to do my shopping at the more expensive grocery that is right next to our house.

I spent $174.34

(My weekly goal is $140, but some weeks I spend a lot less and some weeks I spend a lot more. I operate on cash, so if I spend $98 one week, I’ll have $42 leftover to add to the next week’s budget. Although often the cash gets eaten in the form of Sonic Happy Hour drinks.)

It often seems that all of the groceries run really great sales on the same week, and that’s when I spend more money.

This week, we had some friends over for a cookout on Saturday so I bought some extra things I usually never get, like 12 pk of Dr. Pepper. I set out a lot of veggie and fruits, but I think I should have bought more junk food (potato chips).

Cookout menu: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hotdogs, fruit plate (strawberries, kiwis, and bananas), veggie plate (green pepper strips, baby carrots), homemade pico de gallo and chips, pretzels, pineapple upside down cake, lemonade, limeade, tea, and sodas.

I got:
11# bananas, 15# apples, 16 organic apples, 2.8# yellow squash, 2# green beans, 2# baby carrots, 1.5# red onion, 1 bunch green onions, 6 green bell peppers, 1 bunch cilantro, 3# strawberries, 6# tomatoes on the vine (for 99 cents a pound!), 3 giant oranges, 1.5# jalapenos
21# frozen veggies,

24 slices American cheese (with Triple the Calcium!), 3 gallons milk

9# ground beef, 6 pkgs. Bar S hotdogs, 1 rotisserie chicken

32 hamburger buns, 16 hot dog buns, 32 oz. tortilla chips, 2 bags Lender’s bagels, 2 boxes R-friendly Ritz type crackers, 100 corn tortillas, 2 loaves WW bread, 2 bags pretzels

3 bottles of ketchup, 2 jars dill pickle chips, 1 jar pepperoncinis, 4# white rice, 4# dried pinto beans, 2 cans sliced pineapple

4 boxes cereal, 1 bottle sparkling Pelligrino water (I was thirsty!), 3-12 packs of sodas (friends came over Saturday), 3 cans juice concentrate, 21# ice, 24 pk bottled water

We’re eating:
Sunday, Apr 26: Frosted mini wheats, milk
leftover hotdogs, carrots, green peppers, strawberries, kiwis
potato tacos w/ leftover hamburgers

Monday, Apr 27: oatmeal, kiwis
lentil sloppy joes, green pepper strips, apples
Macaroni and cheese w/ white beans and broccoli

Tuesday, Apr 28: bagels and cream cheese, apples
peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit
Ham, mashed potatoes, yellow squash

Wednesday, Apr 29: oatmeal
lentil soup (made waaaayyy too much lentil sloppy joes!)
Scalloped potatoes (w/ ham), fresh green beans

Thursday, Apr 30: oatmeal
chickpea, rice, veggie one pot something or other. With curry powder!
taco bar (black beans, probably)

Friday, May 1: waffles (If I get around to making them!)
pasta w/ white beans and white sauce, or leftovers
hambone soup w/ black eyed peas and chard (from garden), cornbread

Saturday, May 2: oatmeal
leftover soup, or polenta (it was really good!), or both!
Not sure. I never know on Saturdays. Our plans are usually open; I often go to the store on Fri. or Sat.; things come up.