November Grocery Shopping Haul

My big grocery shopping day landed on October 30 this month. I shopped at Aldi's and Walmart, but on Thursday I went to Costco and picked up a few things to have on hand for Thanksgiving. I also picked up some sundry items.

I like getting light bulbs from Costco because they have the best deals. I bought another couple of boxes of LED Christmas lights too. I'm really hoping these last longer than 1-2 years like the standard bulbs. Half my tree was dark last year and I wasn't happy about it.

On to the grocery haul.

The end of the month is when I buy all the meats for the following month, except this haul doesn't include the Thanksgiving turkey. I wait till we're closer to the holiday and get mine from Publix. They always have the best turkeys and hams. I've tried others. Publix, in my opinion, can't be beat. Aldi's had spiral fries and of course I had to get those too. The only item here that's for Thanksgiving is the Italian bulk sausage that I add to my stuffing. It's so delicious!

I got a lot of stuff to make salads: butter lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers. I often add some mixed veggies too. I've found that if I eat a heavy meal at night (and by heavy I mean carb heavy) I have trouble sleeping. It's like my digestive system slows down and the food will sit in my stomach for hours, causing major discomfort. A salad hits the spot, and it's helped me drop 6 pounds - bonus!

The other Thanksgiving menu item I bought is the stuffing. I buy the Stove Top knock-off from Aldi's which is not as good as Stove Top but once I jazz it up it's way better. The secret is to add fresh onion, celery, rosemary, thyme and sage, along with the ground sausage. It tastes like it was made from scratch.

At Walmart I get whatever I can't find at Aldi's, or items like potatoes because I can only get large bulk quantities at Aldi's, and for two people I don't need 10 lbs. of potatoes. I'll probably end up buying more potatoes for Thanksgiving; after all, what's turkey gravy without mashed potatoes?! I also like to get the Marketside prepared salads whenever they're on clearance. I eat them that same day and they're always fresh tasting.

I got the Blue Ribbon ice cream bars for E (since I can't eat chocolate) because at $4.99 for 20 bars it sounded like a good deal. Sadly, he says the taste is mediocre at best. No wonder they're so cheap. I bought Pillsbury Grands biscuits because last month I got the Great Value brand thinking they were the same thing and found out They. Are. Not. Not by a long shot. Pillsbury Grands taste like homemade biscuits. Great Value brand taste like something out of a box, and not in a nice way. Their Hawaiian Slider buns are really good, though. 

Aldi's has spaghetti noodles but they never have fettuccine noodles. I remembered to buy the fettuccine but not the alfredo sauce. Oops. I tried the Priano brand at Aldi's but I didn't like it much. It tasted bland. I'll have to pick up a jar of Bertolli next time I go to Walmart. Yes, I could make it from scratch, but the Bertolli sauce is actually really good and it saves me some time. I like saving time.

The only non-grocery item I bought was some nail polish remover. I do my own manicures so this is another way I save money. 

And that's it for this month's big shopping trip. So far this week I made the meatball sliders and bourbon chicken. Today it's spaghetti carbonara, one of E's and my favorites. The joy of menu planning is knowing you have everything you need whenever you need it. 

Monthly Menu Plan

 It's a special month for menu planning, thanks to Thanksgiving. Holiday time is my favorite time of the year; hurricane season ends, cooler weather begins (though in South Florida that means going from 90+ degree temps all the way down to the 80's), decorating is in full swing, and of course all the yummy food that's part of the season. I add our Thanksgiving dinner to the menu plan and to the budget. This means I have to be diligent with the rest of the month's meals so that I stay within budget. Here's what November's meal plan looks like:

Some of the meals are monthly staples, like baked mac and cheese and sausage gravy with biscuits (our favorite breakfast for dinner). Some are on regular rotation, sometimes once a month, other times every other month. Bourbon chicken, spaghetti carbonara, and burgers with fries fall into this category. I like trying new recipes every so often, but on a month like November where we have a large costly dinner I try to shop my pantry to keep my spending in check. I have all the ingredients to make lentil soup and teriyaki chicken, plus most of the ingredients to make slow cooker cubed steaks, beef stew and bourbon chicken. Adding these items to the menu plan means I don't have to buy as much and we can still eat healthy, tasty meals everyday. 

Menu planning is essential to me. I no longer throw out tons of food because I over-bought, nor do I stand in front of the fridge wondering what I'm going to make because I'm missing all sorts of ingredients. It saves me money, time, and anxiety. I have recommended it time and time again, and everyone I know who has tried it agrees: it is the best and smartest way to prepare and stock the kitchen. Happy planning!

Monthly Menu Plan

 Long before it became popular on YouTube, I began menu planning. With 2 (and later 3) kids, a husband, home and full time job, the last thing I wanted to worry about was what we would eat for dinner. We were never eating out kind of people. The only indulgence we had was our weekly Little Caesar's pizza, and even that was not always regular. We ate home cooked meals everyday. There had to be enough for dinner and leftovers for lunches the next day, so pre-planning was a must. On those occasions when I didn't meal plan, I was frazzled and stressed trying to put something together while figuring out if I had all the ingredients I needed. Meal planning help me keep my sanity.

Times have changed, seasons have passed. I no longer have little kids at home. I don't have a husband, and currently I don't have a job. Yet still, I meal plan. The reasons are simple: meal planning saves time, money, and gives me peace of mind. It helps me stay healthy because I decide what goes into each dish. We can have our favorites and still experiment and try new things. 

In the past I would menu plan for one to two weeks. I would shop my fridge and pantry first, then head out to the grocery store to pick up whatever else I needed. Then Covid hit, and we were quarantined. Everyone was told to stay indoors as much as possible, and social distance whenever it was necessary to go out. (I still wonder why it's called "social" distancing since keeping our distance doesn't make us very social). The first time I went to Aldi's whenever the quarantine hit, it was so uncomfortable. Not because of having to wear a mask (though yes, they are uncomfortable), but because of the obvious terror in people's eyes. The looks folks gave each other was evidence that everyone was terrified of this virus and believed everyone around them was a threat. I was afraid of getting close to people. Once on line to get into the store a lady in front of me told me I was standing too close to her and I needed to back away. Y'all, I wasn't even at arm's length, but that's what fear does to people. I decided to change my meal planning to once a month, so that I could buy most of my groceries at Aldi's at the end of the month for the following month and do fill in grocery stops in between. The results have been better than I expected. Not only have I been able to avoid unnecessary trips to the grocery store, I've also saved money at a time when prices have steadily gone up. 

Here's what I do. A week before the new month starts, I pull out my planner and start filling in meal ideas:

I don't fill in weekends because we usually have either leftovers, frozen pizza, or sandwiches. This helps keep the amount of wasted food to a minimum. I don't put the meals in the order that I will prepare them. In other words, just because September 29 says tacos doesn't mean that's when we will have tacos. As the cook I reserve the right to make changes as I see fit ;-). What I do here is simply come up with meal ideas so that from there I can create a shopping list.

Step one is to go through the pantry. I don't do this until a couple of days before I head out to the store so I have a better idea of what I need. I prepare a spreadsheet (because I'm type A) with all the meals, sides, and snacks that we'll have. I break down the meal by ingredients, then bundle the like ingredients so that I have a full shopping list. For example, if there's 4 meals on the menu containing 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef each, I count the amount needed in total, then put 5 pounds of ground beef on my shopping list. 

Step two is to transfer my shopping list from the spreadsheet to my phone. My daughter gave me an Alexa device a couple of years ago, which has made my life so much easier. I call out my shopping list to Alexa, who writes it down on the app. Then, whenever I get to the store, my list is handy and I can check off everything as I go. It's also convenient to have Alexa in the kitchen. Whenever I see that I'm running out of something, I just call out, "Alexa, add (fill in the blank) to my shopping list," and she takes care of that for me. 

This month, I began meal planning for September on August 22. I have my cookbooks, and a list of our favorite meals, plus the meal plans for the past few months that I can refer to as I decide what to make for the new month. As the days go by, I might adjust or add something to the list. I didn't prepare the shopping list till August 25. As I looked it over, I decided whether I would need certain ingredients or if I had enough to last through the month. Finally, grocery shopping day was August 27.

My first stop for my monthly grocery haul is Aldi's. I find that they have most everything I need at the best prices. Even Walmart can't compete with their quality and prices in my experience.

This is my fridge haul. We don't eat a lot of dairy so you won't see tons of cheeses or yogurt. There were also a lot of things I didn't need to buy, such as almond milk, because I already had enough to last me a couple of weeks.

My freezer haul was a bit bigger because I typically buy all or most of my meats from Aldi's. I bought 5 lbs. of ground beef, a 2.5 lb. bag of boneless skinless chicken breasts (I have chicken tenders in the freezer that didn't get eaten this month), burgers, pork chops, spare ribs, and bulk sausage for sausage gravy. I was able to find mixed vegetables but not frozen corn, which was strange. I did pick up some frozen sweet potatoes for my turkey chili (I have a 1.5 lbs. package of ground turkey in the freezer). Before putting the ground beef away I split it up into smaller packs:

I write down what's in the freezer bag, the amount and date. This makes it easier to pull out and defrost whenever I'm ready to use it.

I'm thankful for my nice roomy pantry, because I can fit all of this food in it without overcrowding. The bread and burger buns go into the freezer; I pull them out and defrost them whenever I'm ready to use them so they last longer. Bread can be frozen without any ill effects. Once they thaw out they are just as fresh as when I first bought them.

I also picked up some household items from Aldi's. The Tide detergent I believe was an Aldi's Find, meaning something they don't normally carry and will only be there for a limited time. I got this big jug for $8.94 which I thought was a good deal. Their Radiance brand is just as good as the name brand and I don't mind paying less.

Whenever I set everything out to be rung up by the cashier, I was sure the total was gonna be about $150 - right at my budget. There was a lot of meats, plus the laundry detergent and everything else. I was very pleasantly surprised to find my total was $123.93. That was a relief, because while I did find almost everything on my list, there were a few things that I didn't find and I'd have to get from Walmart. Thankfully my Walmart haul was much smaller.

My son doesn't like drinking water unless it's flavored, but he also doesn't like the saltier taste of some flavored waters like La Croix. I used to buy Winn Dixie brand flavored water, but I don't have a Winn Dixie very close to me anymore. I bought several different types of flavored waters, and every time he was disappointed. Then I heard a YouTuber talk about the Clear American brand at Walmart which supposedly tasted sweet. I bought a bottle of the mandarin orange for him to try. I heard him in the kitchen whenever he tasted it and he said, "Ooh, this is good!" Even he was surprised! He gave me some to taste, and I have to say I personally did not like it. It is beyond sweet. He loves it, though, and since it has no sugar, no calories, and is cheaper than the Winn Dixie flavored water, I don't mind it at all. He's tried several flavors since then and his favorites are the mandarin orange and black cherry. 

Aldi's didn't have bacon so I picked up what I could find at Walmart, which wasn't much of a selection either. Aldi's also didn't have paper towels; I hated paying $4.97 for this two pack at Walmart but my only other option would be Publix and that would be even more expensive. There was no frozen corn at Walmart either; I guess there's a shortage. I had to get fettuccine noodles, toothpaste and buttermilk from Walmart because Aldi's doesn't carry any of those. One of the few things I don't like from Aldi's is their popcorn so I picked up the Great Value brand. My Walmart total was $26.73.

That brought my total to $150.66. Now, this is not all I will buy for the month of September. I will usually stop at Walmart once a week or once every other week for produce, water, milk, and anything else I run out of that can't wait till the following month. I budget $400 a month for groceries with an additional $20 a month in case we do happen to go out to eat. I've been able to stick to my budget even though food prices went up dramatically in April and are only just starting to come down again. I remember I was paying $2.99/lb. for ground beef at Aldi's before the pandemic. It skyrocketed to $3.99/lb. and wasn't always available. Now it's down to $3.49/lb. and I'm hoping it'll continue the downward trend. 

That's a glimpse into my monthly meal plan. I always suggest everyone try meal planning at least once. I can almost guarantee your life will change for the better. 

Happy Singles Awareness Day!

Nothing like a holiday to remind you of how unattached you are.  The first year of my separation was difficult, and days like these only emphasized it.  Especially since a week later, on the 21st, is my wedding anniversary.  But you know what?  I'm not letting a holiday ruin my day.  No sir, I was determined to focus on the positive, not the negative.  Easier said than done, huh?

Our language is limited when it comes to the word "love".  We expect it to explain the feeling we have towards our family, our friends, our spouse, our children, and our favorite food.  In the Greek language, there are several words that are used in reference to love.  Phileo love is affection towards friends, people that aren't related but who feel a sort of unity in brotherhood.  It's where we get Philadelphia from, the city of brotherly love.  It also denotes those things that we prefer or cherish, like foods, movies, clothes, styles of music, etc.  There is Agape love, which is unconditional.  It's the kind of love parents have for their children, the kind of love God has for us.  And then there's Eros, which is where we get the word erotic.  It's romantic love, love between a husband and wife.  It's the one we immediately associate with Valentine's Day.  But it doesn't have to be that way.  Valentine's Day can be a day about any type of love.  There's no reason to limit ourselves.  I kept that in mind for today.

First thing this morning I prepared a menu plan for the next couple of weeks.  It was important that I pick meals that are quick to make, or that can be made in the crock pot.  That way I wouldn't be stuck in the kitchen cooking, then rushing to get out the door.  I think I came up with a good variety that we all love and I can whip up in less than 45 minutes.  I then got dressed in a long sleeved shirt, jeans, sneakers, and a white denim jacket.  Not the typical South Florida type outfit, but it's been mighty cold here!  We got some rain a few days ago, and since then the temps have taken a dip: it was 46 degrees this morning, but it felt like 41 thanks to the wind chill.  For a Floridian, that's downright freezing!  The temperatures got up to the mid 60's in the afternoon, but it still felt pretty chilly, even with the sun out.  I bundled up accordingly.  I also used my Complexion Rescue as foundation, and I am loving it!  At first I wasn't sure I was impressed with it; it worked nicely under my liquid foundation but I couldn't see myself using it alone.  With some experimenting I found the secret to making it look like a flawless face - mineral veil.  Mineral veil is Bare Mineral's loose translucent powder.  I set the Complexion Rescue with mineral veil, then add a little bronzer, blush, quick eye shadow and liner, mascara and lip gloss, and in less than 10 minutes I'm heading out the door looking amazing!

I'm still trying to shop for groceries every two weeks instead of weekly, and keeping to a budget of $300 or under for the whole two weeks.  I know, not an easy feat with prices being what they are.  I'd already gone to Winn Dixie yesterday and gotten my meats, along with a bunch of produce and canned goods.  I'd spent $104.58, so I had about $200 left to spend.  I went to Walmart first.  I had to buy a few food items, including Molly's dog food which includes both wet and dry, and I needed some toiletries (toothpaste, deodorant, etc).  Despite getting a few items not typically on the grocery list, I spent $104.92, which I thought was eerily close to what I'd spent the day before.  From there I went to Costco for the bigger items: toilet paper, olive oil, dog biscuits, bacon (yes, we eat a lot of bacon.  Don't judge me).  The total spent there was $58.99.  So all in all I spent $268.49, $31.51 under budget.  Yay me!

Of course I was quickly going to spend my savings :P.  I wanted to take advantage of the pants sale at NY and Company to get some work appropriate pants.  I once owned a large amount of dress pants which I used for work; being a purchasing manager meant I had to meet with vendors on a weekly basis, and while jeans were allowed, they weren't a professional look for me, so I dressed in skirts and pants most days.  About a year after I stopped working, I got rid of all but two pairs of dress pants.  It made no sense to keep a bunch of clothes that I wasn't wearing, and I was not wearing dress pants at all.  The two pairs I kept in case it got cold out (like this winter) so I wouldn't have to go to church in a dress or jeans.  Now, however, I'll be in an office where pretty much everyone is in dress pants or Docker style pants - no jeans allowed.  Yes, I can wear a skirt, and I may occasionally, but the school gives us button down shirts with the school logo, and I don't know that those will look very nice with skirts.  I got a couple pairs, one in navy blue that almost looks like dressy jeans but they aren't denim, and the other pair in brown.  Nice neutral colors that'll go with anything.  Then I looked for a dress.  My daughter's college roommate's brother (did you get all that?) is getting married at the end of the month, and I need a dress that is dressy but not formal (that's what her mom said).  So I'm looking for something that is pretty and wearable, classic and wedding appropriate.  There's a catch, though: it can't look like the dress my daughter will be wearing, a navy blue lace dress.  Okay, not a problem.  I figured I'd find something I liked, since NY & Company is my favorite store.  And I did find a dress I liked.  It's a lace dress, very similar in style to my daughter's dress, except it's in teal, which means it isn't the same.  That's what I told her, anyway.  She ain't buying it.

We went to several other stores, and I quickly spotted a trend.  Lace dresses are all the rave.  They are everywhere, and most of them are navy blue or orange.  Orange is a lovely color, just not on me.  I can wear peach, but bright orange washes me out and makes my skin look yellow.  Jaundice is not an attractive look, let me tell you.  I left the mall with just the pants.  I'm wondering if I'll find anything I like.  I have a dress that's been in my closet for, oh, I'd say at maybe 8 years?  It's tight up on top but I can manage to get it on.  If I can't find anything else, that's what I'll have to wear.  I'll just eat very light, and breathe minimally.

As a Valentine's Day gift, my daughter bought Domino's pizza.  I know many people like Domino's pizza.  Not me.  I'm a native New Yorker.  I know what pizza is supposed to taste like, and it's not supposed to taste like Domino's pizza.  I've told my children plenty of times that Domino's sauce is the worst I've ever tasted.  They know I can't stand it, but my daughter had a coupon, and it was a sweet gesture, so I said okay, and I ate the faux pizza for my daughter's sake.  I know I make it hard for her.  She was saying how I won't eat Pizza Hut pizza because it's too greasy (it gives me a stomachache it's so bad), and I won't eat Papa John's either (seriously, the box it comes in probably tastes better).  The only pizza I can stomach is Little Caesars, because it's only $5 so I feel like I'm getting my money's worth.  There's not much I miss from my days in New York, but New York style pizza is definitely at the top of that short list.

So that's it for my day.  Maybe not the most "romantic" Valentine's Day, but still filled with love, and that's what matters, right?  Hope everyone's day was filled with love.  God bless ya'll.