I used to be SO good at sticking with a grocery budget. I took cash and only spent what I had. It was rare for me to go over. Then I got pregnant with Alanna and it all seemed to go out the window. Our monthly spending is pretty much the same each month but sometimes it's a lot more than I want to spend. I know it is always best to have a budget for grocery shopping so I'm jumping back on that band wagon and starting this week have set a new weekly grocery spending budget.
We eat very healthy and have recently started eating even healthier and are trying to cut out most if not all processed foods. If it comes from a can, bottle, bag etc., I'd like it to only have around 5 ingredients, unless the other ingredients are healthy and natural ingredients. (Ice-cream is one of those things we will probably continue to buy :) This type of food does cost more than junk food but it's more filling, healthier, and helps to keep you from getting over weight and sick. So we feel that the benefits from eating healthy are worth the extra cost in money.
All that said, I've set my weekly grocery spending budget to $125. This does not include household products and dog food. I'm budgeting another $100/month for those things. To help keep myself accountable for this and to have an easy way to go back and track my progress, I'm going to be doing weekly posts with my menu plan on my grocery shopping trip with items I purchased and how much I spent.
Here is this weeks Grocery Shopping Trip:
Kroger:
Cookie Dough Bryers Ice-Cream
Vanilla Low Carb Bryers Ice Cream
Kroger Skim Milk
Kroger Whole Milk
Kroger 18 ct. Eggs (2)
Peaches (5 pounds) @ $.99/pound
Kroger Frozen Broccoli (2 bags)
Kroger Brown Lunch Bags
Kroger Whole Wheat Flour (2 bags)
Kroger Brown Rice
Kroger Popcorn
Kroger Black Beans (dry)
Kroger Peas (2 cans)
Roma Tomatoes (3.16 lbs @ $.89/pound
Green Peppers (2)
3 Pack Peppers (Orange, Yellow, Red)
Total + Tax = $49.08
Sam's Club:
*Somehow between the store and the house, I lost my receipt but this is what I remember buying. I think I left out two items but this is most of it. The dog food was $23 so only $73 of this total goes toward my Grocery Budget.
Chai Seeds
Strawberries (2 containers)
Blueberries
2 bunches of bananas
1 Can Tomato Sauce
1 Bag Mozzarella Cheese (5 lbs)
1 Block Sharp Cheddar Cheese (2 lbs)
55 Pound Bag Dog Food
Chopped Romaine Lettuce
Heavy Whipping Cream
Sea Salt
$93.23
$73.23 from Sam's
+ $49.08 from Kroger
Total = $122.31
I feel pretty good about how I did this week. Hoping to be able to stick with this budget.
I have $77 left for the next 3 weeks on household items & dog food.
On July 23 my monthly household & dog food budget will start over at $100.
...and here is my menu for this week.
Menu Plan for June 25, 2015- July 3, 2015
Friday: Beach Day with Nathan's Mom
B- Ham & cheese
omelets, fruit (S) Everyone
L- Me: Turkey, Laughing
Cow Cheese, Tomato, Lettuce & Mustard Sandwich on Homemade Sprouted WholeWheat Bread, fruit (E) ; Kids: PB & All
- Natural Jelly Sandwich on Sprouted Whole Wheat Bread, fruit
D- Eat at In-Laws House
Saturday: Baby Shower @ 10AM-12PM
B- Scrambled eggs &
fruit (S) (toast for the kids)
L- Food at the baby
shower
D- Chicken Tacos onhomemade tortillas (this is my first time making homemade tortillas so wish me
luck!)
Sunday: Church Cookout
L- Cookout (I'm bringing
something just haven't figured out what yet)
D- We usually just eat light
on Sunday nights. Maybe some leftovers,
smoothies & toast...something easy & simple.
Monday:
B- Me: Muffin In A Mug
with cream cheese/yogurt topping (S) ; Kids: Whole Wheat Banana Muffins (I made
these for the first time last week and they were amazing. My kids loved them. Definitely a new favorite!
L- Grilled Cheese on
Sprouted Whole Wheat Bread & Tomato Soup (Crossover from the Cheddar Cheese and heavy cream)
D- Dirt-E-Rice (E)
Everyone
Tuesday:
B- Scrambled eggs, fruit (S) Everyone
L- Sweet Potatoes,
smoothies (E) Everyone
D- Alfredo with Dreamfields Pasta, peas (S)
Everyone
Wednesday:
L- Turkey Sandwiches on
Sprouted Whole Wheat Bread, homemade
Greek Yogurt w/ fruit (E); Kids: PB & Jelly on Whole Wheat Bread, homemade
Greek Yogurt w/ fruit.
D- Turkey Burgers &
Crock Pot Baked Beans, Sweet Potatoes (E)
*I'll be eating a lot of
(S) snacks this day I'm sure.
Thursday:
B- Overnight Oatmeal (E)
Everyone
L- Smoothies, homemade
chicken nuggets
D- Black Bean Soup (E)
Everyone
Friday
B-Scrambled eggs w/
cheese, fruit (S)
L- Homemade refried beans
& cheese quesadillas, fruit (Crossover from the cheddar cheese with the
beans)
D- Homemade Pizza, salad
(kids gets cucumbers) (E)
Snacks:
Peanuts, Raisons, Yogurt,
Fruit, Smoothies, Apples & PB, Popcorn, Cucumbers & Ranch, Cheese,
Almonds, Muffins.
*Our snacks are pretty
similar each week. But I am going to try
to make a few new "snack" recipe this week. I'll let you know if they
turn out.
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