Grocery List for September

My grocery list coincides with my meal plan.  The meal plan is the post below.  


After I get done with the meal plan, I go through every single thing we are eating and write down everything we need for every meal-even if I know I have it in the cupboard.  This way I am less likely to forget an ingredient.  Then I go through and mark off my list what we have, or mark down the amount we need to buy depending on what we have.  

After that, I go into my spreadsheet and type in what we need, and how many.  (I can't get my spreadsheet to upload.... so please bare with me.)  
My husband is a spreadsheet wizard-spreadsheets are his favorite thing. Seriously.  Everything has a spreadsheet. EVERYTHING. EVERY.THING.  So he taught me how to use a spreadsheet....because the 6 months of using it at a job I had in high school wasn't enough to drill it into my head. 

So my spreadsheet. I have two tabs.  One is ad sales. One is the shopping list. 

The Ad Sales tab.  Pretty self- explanatory.  (Bunny trail..I've been told I type like I learned on an old typewrite...BECAUSE I DID... so if my use of spaces seem excessive, blame my grandma.)  I have it separated by stores.  Under each store are 3 columns-item name, cost, size, sale ending date.  I just go through the ads and fill things in..  Because we usually buy the same things all the time, it's a pretty simple process to figure out what I need the prices for, but if I see something that looks like it would be different, I go ahead and make a note of the price. If I can fit it in the budget, it goes on the final list.  

My shopping list tab.  Again, pretty self-explanatory, and also a little redundant of how the ad sale sheet is set up. It's separated out by stores.  Each store has 5 columns, I also utilize the awesome algorithms a spread sheet can give you.... I think that's the right word.  My columns: Item name (I get brand specific here if something is on sale or I have a coupon for it), price per each, how many needed, total cost of item, total cost of store.  Now, so my algorithms don't get erased I only delete the name, price per each and how many.  I have the total cost of each item in there so it multiplies the cost per each and how many needed as I put prices and amounts in. The total cost per store ads up the column of the total cost per item.  Follow me?   There is a few more cells with an algorithm.  One cell adds up all the columns of the total store costs.  One cell tells me what my budget is, one cell tells me if I have anything left over from last month's budget.  Once I get it all figured, I subtract what we have left from what it will cost... If it exceeds the budget, something has to be crossed off somewhere, we start with snacks.  Now sometimes, halfway through the month we budget a bit so I can to the local store and get some snacks.  That depends on how the bills go. 

So here's my shopping list and what I'm guessing on spending at each store.  I always round up or overestimate, that ensures I have enough money with the food tax. Especially with the fresh veggies and fruit.

Walmart $110
Yogurt 
Whole Dill Pickles
Pita Bread
Eggplant
Juice
Strip Steak
Pineapple Salsa
Dry Ranch Seasoning
Shake N Bake Mix 
Lotion
Ice Cream Bars
Tartar Sauce
Color Bleach
Hamburger Patties

Aldi's $181
Eggs
Hashbrowns
Flour
Sugar
Spaghetti Sauce
V8
Crescent Rolls
Stick Butter
Hot Dog Buns
Cinnamon Rolls
Brown Sugar
Cauliflower
Sunflower seeds
Tomatoes
Sweet Pepper
Onions
Spinach
Sliced Colby Cheese
Potatoes
Sliced Pepperjack Cheese
Biscuit Dough
Mozarella
Olive Oil
Sweet potatoes
Red Onion
Garlic
Diapers
Zucchini
Squash
Baking Chips

Costco $290
Bacon
Cereal
Kerrygold butter
lettuce
Jelly
Nutty Bars
Shredded Cheese
Chips
Bacon Bits
Fries
Cream Cheese
Hot Dogs
Fig Brs
Parmesan Reggiano
Saltines
Chicken Breast
Peanut  Butter
Fruit
Pizza
Hot Dogs
Popcorn

Dollar Tree $20
Parsley
Onion Powder
dried Chives
basil bleach
wax paper
coloring books
air freshener
bath tub toys

Bakery outlet $10
bread


Deep Creek Honey $13



Now that I'm done with shopping I can post the final results after I pick my husband up off the floor from his reaction to how much money spent. (Just kidding.)  

So with my prices, I was expecting to spend $626...  Our budget (with help with groceries) is $600.    So about half of that out of pocket.  

We spent $487.22.     I'm happy when I can make it home in under $500.  Costco and Aldi's are definitely helping with the cost.  I have yet to go to Dollar Tree, I will do that this weekend with my mom.  I'm expecting $15 there.  

After a few months of Costco, I am learning a few things.  We need to go to Sam's to get a few things.  Chicken-while I LOVE the packaging Costco has, the chicken is cheaper in price in Sam's.  Although that decision is debatable as Costco's chicken is organic.  Canned Fruit... My husband eats canned fruit on a daily basis for work.  There might be a few other things in there... but in reality, we are really loving the decision to get a Costco membership.   



Have a great week!!

~Tabitha

Meal Plan for the Month

Ok, so as I stated in my last blog, I'm going to try to do more posts about what we are eating.  

I don't keep my meal plan on an excel sheet on my computer, so I can't just upload my file.. So I'm going to type this all out.  This is just the plan, not the recipes.  If you want the recipes now, please shoot me a comment to let me know, otherwise, I am going to try to get the recipes on for each meal as the month progresses... Also this week I hope to get our shopping list on a blog this week, too.  

Here's how I meal plan.  I sit down with a spiral notebook, my pre-printed calendar that hangs on the fridge and usually my computer-but that depends on the mood Hannah is in. Many times I have to do my meal plan and grocery list planning in stages over a week. 

I start off with planned breakfasts (Sundays and Saturdays usually, sometimes Wednesdays).  Then I move onto dinners.  I label my calendar squares by the month, one shopping day to the next, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday get a B, L, D (breakfast, lunch dinner).  If I KNOW we have a day we are eating out, I label that first.  Like this month I know we will be eating out for one meal, so that's labeled, I don't have to plan that day.   After I get at last 14 dinners planned I start putting them on my calendar.  The meals are repeated once a week, or once every two weeks, or sometimes not repeated at all... Like something new or a soup.  

For my sanity, I try to have something easy on Sunday evening.  

For lunches during workdays, it stays the same for Dennis.  He eats a salad, fruit for a snack, boiled eggs, a pickle, and a nutty bar.  Right now he has a few extra snacks for  promotion they are doing at his job.  Those are cauliflower and raisins.  For our lunches, it varies.. Peanut butter and jelly, mac and cheese, tuna and I try to get something like fish sticks or chicken nuggets for some variety in there.   For Saturdays right now we are doing hamburgers and fries.   Sundays we are looking for a church right now, so we decided to get some chips, then we'll stop at one of the restaurants and grab a hot sandwich for everybody and eat in the car or have a picnic.   

Breakfasts are normal... During workdays Dennis and I eat eggs, he also gets yogurt and bacon.  Sometimes I just eat jellied toast.  The kids usually get cereal or I'll make coffee cake.   Saturdays we do waffles. Sundays I'll make something like cinnamon rolls, monkey bread or just cinnamon toast if I don't get something done. 
Wednesdays depends on if we sleep in or not.. Sometimes we'll just do cowboy hash, the kids just get cereal those days, they aren't fans and Grace can't eat eggs.  I've done french toast for us and cinnamon toast for them.. it really just depends on the day.  

So this month we're shopping on the 13th, then in October it's the 11th.  Shopping day we usually grab Papa Murphy's or get pizza while we're at Costco to heat up at supper.  

14th-Caprese Chicken
15th-17th-the kids and I are visiting in Nebraska, so Dennis will find something at Costco to eat while we are gone, the 17th I'll grab something on our way home
18th-Ranch pork chops
19th-Shake N Bake Chicken
20th-Caramelized Onion Pizza
21st-Caprese Chicken
22nd-Hawaiian Fajitas
23rd-Angry Chicken
24th-pizza
25th-chili
26th-Shake N Bake
27th-Pizza Casserole
28th-Caprese Chicken
29th-Hawaiian Fajitas
30th-Angry Chicken
Oct 1st-pizza
2nd-Grilled Eggplant Parmesan
3rd-Shake N Bake
4th-Pizza Casserole
5th-Caprese Chicken
6th-Hawaiian Fajitas
7th-Angry Chicken
8th-Pizza
9th-Grilled Eggplants Parmesan
10th-Shake N Bake Chicken
11th-is a shopping day so we'll grab pizza again

You're getting some extra posts this week as I didn't want to  make this really long, so I'll get my shopping list out to you soon. 

Have a great week! 

~Tabitha

Tacos and a Plan

My husband started a blog on his weight loss journey.  Go check him out.   He's already made some awesome progress, but it's a lifestyle change for us all with the food we eat.  

Obviously I'm the chief cook and the chief grocery shopper, though he does shop with us now.   So my side is finding healthier meals and shopping healthier.  

What that means for my blog is I'm going to try to do more food blogs and more shopping blogs.  On his blog, you'll get the calorie count... SO,  if you are in need of eating healthier, we hope we can help you on your journey as Dennis is on his journey. 

So here's our taco meal.  Not much has changed in this meal.  The salsa varies depending on what's on sale. We got our Costco membership I've been waiting on, so everything in bulk is Kirkland brand now.  I did not keep track of the prices this month, but I will for next month and break costs down more as I do our food blogs. 

1 lb ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

shredded cheese

salsa

sour cream

lettuce

tomato

taco shells

Sour Cream, Taco seasoning, Monterey Jack & Cheddar Shredded blend, Kirkland Salsa (not bad), tomatoes (I cut two for everybody though the kids rarely eat it), lettuce (it's a baby spinach and romaine mix-I buy it in bulk, and cut as we use it)

Yes, there are three different shells.  Medium flour tortillas for Dennis, Small flour tortillas for the kids-because they want a whole taco, but can't eat the medium shell, and corn tortillas.  I prefer the corn tortillas (and they are less calories). 

The meat after the seasoning.  I don't drain the fat off the beef, I just use what has cooked off to dissolve the seasoning. Yes I know I can make my own seasoning, but we prefer the store bought.

My plate.  3 corn tortillas with a little bit of everything.

Dennis' tacos.  3 flour tortillas with a little bit of everything.

So like I said,  I can't give you a cost breakdown as I didn't keep that track of food costs.  But I will do that next month.  The kids also had corn on the cob with their tacos.


Have a great week!!

~Tabitha