This was a super uneventful trip, you guys.
No big emotional revelations or interesting shenanigans. We went at the normal time, there were a few good coupons and in-store sales, and I was slightly over budget. The Private Selection Pepperoni that mysteriously appeared last week disappeared just as mysteriously this week. Pretty standard first trip of the month.
So what should we talk about?
Let’s talk food. I’ve been sharing some of our meal plans, but I thought it would be a fun idea to breakdown why I buy certain products at certain times and how I portion said products to contribute to my meals.
Did I say “fun”? Maybe “educational” is better. I don’t want to oversell it.
Annie’s Mac & Cheese: This is not a regular item we purchase. We don’t do a lot of shelf stable items, for husband’s dietary needs, but it is nice to have these types of things for when you really can’t cook and the children are demanding dinner, and quickly! If there are things we don’t use often, or are shelf stable, I tend to only buy them when there is a good sale. This digital coupon made the Annie’s each $.50, which is the lowest I’ve seen them, hence why I grabbed a few.
Heritage Farm Chicken Breasts: Last week, I bought a lot of chicken, so you might have been surprised to see me grab more this week. Last week was at sale price, so I got some for the freezer and this week, I just wanted chicken.
I would say I’ve got at least three go-to recipes for the following proteins: beef, pork, fish, eggs. But chicken? Oh, girl, you know I have a LOT of recipes for chicken. I’ve got Chicken Fajitas, I’ve got Chicken Enchiladas, I’ve got Green Chile Chicken Soup. There’s Chicken Nuggets, Bacon Apple Chicken, Chicken & Potatoes, Chicken Fried Rice, Spicy Chicken Salad,…the list goes on. Other proteins, I’ll buy when they’re on sale and scramble for recipes. But chicken? Chicken is forever.
This week I’m definitely doing Chicken Fajitas for Mr. B’s birthday and probably a Spicy Chicken Salad.
Kroger Sausage: This is a no brainer, since I am always lamenting how much sausage costs. I’ll use this for Cajun Pasta, which is the Glass Slipper’s Favorite. Cajun Pasta can also be made with chicken, which I always have on hand (see above.) When I am scouting new recipes, I pay careful attention to ones that can substitute other proteins easily. It’s a great way to cook to the sale!
Private Selection Brioche Rolls: A recent shopping trip saw me score three pounds of ground Turkey for 50% off, at $3.99, making it less than $1.50 a pound. I used a portion of it at the same week and stuck the rest in the freezer. Where it was waiting for me to buy buns, so it could become burgers.This is what I meant a few weeks ago when I said not everything I buy each weeks gets eaten THAT particular week, but it will definitely be eaten. Shopping to the sale can sometimes make for funky looking trips, but I promise there is a method to the madness.
Salmon: I love Salmon, you guys. It is definitely in my top three fishes. But, like all fish, it is EXPENSIVE. If I could, I would get the Salmon every week, but I can’t because it would eat into my cheese budget. If I’m really craving fish, I will try and sacrifice some other things (cheese!), but the better option is stocking up on sale! So, when I got a *Digital Coupon* making salmon $5.97 a pound, you know what I did. I bought four pounds to portion out. That way, I could have my cheese and eat my fish, too.
We are a family of four eaters, and one baby who is still figuring out baby food. When I cook meals, I portion it so that everyone gets dinner, and there are left overs enough for my husband to take some as lunch for work the next day. And usually, not always, but depending on how my littles eat, there is enough for another lunch for me or them as well. So, portioning this salmon, I made two separate portions of two pounds. Each two pound portion will create two meals. One dinner for four people, and one lunch for two people. We would spend more than $23.88 on one dinner for all of us, so two dinners and assorted lunches for the same price feels like a steal.
But what shall I serve with my salmon? Rice and carrots, both gotten from Costco weeks ago. I was paying $1.49 for 32 ounces (two pounds) of rice at Kroger. I found this rice, which I believe is superior in taste and quality, at Costco for $6.49 for 15 pounds.
Bought in bulk, I’m saving 40% from the Kroger price, and because it came out of my home budget surplus, it clears up some more room in my grocery budget to buy fancy fish and fancy cheeses. Living the dream.
- Annie’s Mac & Cheese (2)-$1. *Digital Coupon* BOGO.
- Bananas, 1.87 lb -$1.10.
- Black River Blue Cheese-$1.69. Manager’s Special!
- Blueberries, pint -$2.49.
- Boar’s Head Pepperoni, .5 lb-$6.83.
- Gerber Baby Puffs-$1.99.
- Green Peppers (2)-$1.38. In-store sale, $.69 each.
- Heritage Farm Chicken Breasts, 5.17 lb -$10.29. In-store sale, $1.79 a pound.
- Kroger String Cheese, 12 ct-$2.79. *Digital Coupon* for $.50 off.
- Kroger Sausage, 1lb-$1.79. Manager’s Special!
- Parrano Gouda-$5.60.
- Private Selection Brioche Rolls-$1.99.
- Private Selection Wheat Bread-$1.99.
- Private Selection Honey Turkey, .5 lb -$4.23.
- Red Leaf Lettuce, 1.87 lb-$1.50.
- Salmon, 4lb-$23.88. *Digital Coupon* for $5.97 a pound.
- Simple Truth Organic Fruit Spread-$2.99. *Digital Coupon* for $.50 off.
- Simple Truth Organic Pasta (4)-$3.56. Down to $.89 each with a *Digital Coupon* for $.50 off.
- Simple Truth Organic Little Cubs Grahams (2)-$2.98. Down to $1.49 each with a *Digital Coupon.*
- Silk Almond Milk (2)-$4.99. *Digital Coupon* for $1 off 2.
- Watermelon-$2.97.
- Yellow Peaches, 1.51 lb-$2.25.
- Apps I’ll submit to: Fetch Rewards, Ibotta ($.10 Off Any Item), CoinOut
Total Budget: $85
Total Spent: $90.17
Total Saved: $22.33
Deducted from Next Week: $5.17
I’m very much looking forward to next week’s shopping trip after getting this coupon in my inbox. Did you get one, too?
What’s a shelf stable item you stock up on? What’s the best price you’ve ever seen for your favorite foods? Let me know down below!
Kristen B. is wife to the best Prince around, mama to the spunkiest little princesses, and lover of all things Disney. She started her savings journey five years ago and is now dedicated to making her family’s wishes come true one coupon at a time. She is so excited to take her love of saving to the next level and share her journey with you! Click here to catch up on Kristen’s Savings and join in on your own savings adventure!