What I Spent
I know sometimes at the start of a new year, people make grocery-bill-reduction goals, but honestly, I’m not even gonna stress over that. Maybe after the semester is over, I can do a bang-up job with the grocery bill over the summer.
But until then, I’m just gonna keep on focusing on keeping us fed in a reasonably health way, and that will be good enough!
I spent:
- $47 at Aldi
- $27 at Panera
- $23 on Domino’s for Zoe’s New Year’s party
So, $97 for the two of us this week.
What We Ate
Saturday
Zoe and I met up at Panera after her work shift, got some dinner together, and then went home and watched a movie together. 🙂
Shelley joined us for our viewing of Emma
Sunday
Zoe had a friend get-together for New Year’s Eve, and they all ate pizza.
I’m trying to remember what I ate! I think I did one of my frequent egg + veggie skillet meals.
Monday
I’d gotten a loaf of cinnamon bread out of the freezer on New Year’s Eve day, so I used some of that on Monday to make French toast, which we ate with whipped cream and berries.
Tuesday
I made some penne with an Alfredo sauce, and I pan-sauteed some chicken thighs to slice on top of the pasta.
I also picked up a salad kit at Aldi, because I thought, “Hmm, this seems like a good thing for a two-person household.” The salad was tasty, but as expected, a little short on the toppings.
Like….it had bacon, but only a very TINY bit of bacon.
I think I might be better off buying a bag of salad greens and then adding my own toppings.
On the other hand, a salad kit did ensure that we actually ate a salad, so I don’t know. The jury is out on whether or not I will continue to buy them!
Wednesday
A repeat of Tuesday, complete with the other half of the salad.
Thursday
Zoe picked up some fast food for herself after work, and I ate some random stuff from the fridge (leftover pasta and some butternut squash soup, plus a grilled cheese sandwich).
Friday
I don’t know! But I can tell you that the pasta is ALL gone now, so dinner will not include leftover pasta again. Ha.
Maggie
Friday 12th of January 2024
You seem to be watching a few movies lately, I would love to get some recommendations from you!
jigbean
Wednesday 10th of January 2024
I have started eating a fair amoung of salad kits in the past few months. I have been really struggling with my mental health and decided to just embrace them rather than essentially only eat pizza and kebabs for months on end (it wasn't really quite that bad but also not terribly far away from being that bad either). I will go back to making my own salads the way I like them when I can find the wherewithal to actually prepare them again. Like you, I figure at least this way I am eating some salad.
In the meantime, I probably eat one about three times a week. I can't eat bell peppers or cucumber so I have a limited selection but depending on the supermarket I can usually find a Caesar-stlye, feta & olives, or ham & gouda one. The ham and gouda one comes with little tiny croutons and I really like the crunch from them so even though it's the cheapest, most basic one, it always feels like a treat.
My other stuff-I-can-just-eat favourites are kimchi and onigiri. Lots of supermarkets have started doing onigiri recently and two of those seaweed-wrapped rice triangles make for a very substantial meal. And I go to the Asian supermarket a few times a year and buy one or two of the not-cabbage kimchi pouches. I really like young radish leaf kimchi. Jury's still out on radish cubes. I get the 'ordinary' cabbage kimchi all the time, too. Having kimchi in the fridge is just a really handy way to have some kind of vegetable on hand without having to worry too much about it spoiling before I can eat it. Same goes for pickled onions. I frequently wish I liked eating raw veg more but I just don't so pickles seem to be the way to go for me.
It was funny to see the picture of your groceries at the top of your post. Reminded me of days gone by playing spot the cuddly toy among your groceries. LOL
Wendy
Tuesday 9th of January 2024
We do a lot of bagged salads. I know we could do it much less cheaper ourselves. But, we know they are costly and we don't want to waste them, so I think it gets us eating more veggies + not wasting food. Always a trade-off somewhere....
Hawaii Planner
Sunday 7th of January 2024
The salad kit dilemma has been a struggle for me! If I buy them, I'm significantly more likely to eat salad. I don't love the waste (the tiny bags of all of the ingredients) or the cost. I've tried multiple times to replicate something similar at home, & ... it just doesn't work for me. So for this phase of my life, I buy them.
We were skiing this week, so our meals were a bit everywhere: -We went out to eat 3x during skiing (unusual, but this year we didn't get a place with a kitchen). I had steak 2x, and chicken fajitas another night. -Last night was a rotisserie chicken over a caesar salad kit ;-) -We had coconut shrimp & spring rolls (pulling random things out of the freezer ahead of our trip) one night -And, I honestly can't remember the other two nights. Maybe soup & a grilled cheese?
AFVirginia
Sunday 7th of January 2024
WIA - we were at Harpers ferry West Virginia at a cabin (was beautiful!) with some friends for part of the time and we’re still wrapping up some holiday get togethers. Looking forward to our first regular full week next week as I’m craving some routine
Saturday - ordered dinner at a local cafe Sunday - steak with mashed potatoes and green beans Monday - shrimp, rice and bean bowls Tuesday - sushi take out Wednesday - pasta with sausage and salad Thursday - Asian ramen and ground turkey with vegetables skillet Friday - pizza out with some extended family to belatedly celebrate Christmas