This was an epic grocery shopping week for me because I did not use a single coupon! My computer was acting up and wouldn’t print right, and honestly, there weren’t a whole lot of coupons worth printing. It felt REALLY strange, and kind of nice all at once. I might even do it again in the future – as long as I live close to an Aldi! 🙂
Aldi
(I didn’t take photos immediately after getting home, which means that some of the items were already opened by the time I got around to taking pictures :))
2 packages (3-ct each) Romaine Hearts – $3.98
1 2-lb package Brown Rice – $1.19
1 5-lb package White Rice – $2.49
1 3-lb bag Onions – $1.49
1 16-oz bag Frozen Strawberries – $2.19
1 bunch Bananas (2.41lbs @ $0.44/lb) – $1.06, plus receive $0.25 back from Checkout 51 – $0.81 after rebate
1 2-lb bag Frozen Tilapia – $5.49
1 2-lb bag Lemons – $2.29
1 bag Garden Salad – $0.99
1 16-oz bag Frozen Peas – $0.89 (accidentally pictured in the Harris Teeter photo)
1 head Cauliflower – $1.99
2 bags (3-ct each) Colored Peppers – $3.98
1 large bag Kale – $1.99
3 Avocados ($0.59/each) – $1.77
1 head Cabbage – $1.29
1 24-oz package Roma Tomatoes – $1.19, plus receive back $0.50 from Checkout51 – $0.69 after rebate
1 1-lb package Ground Turkey – $1.89
1 3-ct package Garlic – $0.79
1 Dijon Mustard – $0.99
Total: $37.19 after rebates
Harris Teeter
1 16-oz can Lite Coconut Milk – $1.77
1 Whole Chicken (5.42lb @ $0.89/lb) – $4.82
2 8-0z packages Shredded Cheese ($1.67 each) – $3.34 (one bag was gone before I snapped a picture)
1 5-lb bag Fuji Apples – $4.99
4 16-oz bags Frozen Broccoli and Cauliflower ($1.19 each) – $4.76
Total: 19.68
Weekly Total: $56.87
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Oatmeal (It is chilly outside, and this is my children’s favorite breakfast. We are going to have it every weekday this week.), Cereal (Sunday), Pancakes (Saturday)
Lunches
Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Apples x 2
Build-Your-Own-Salad with Hardboiled Eggs and Tuna
Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwiches on Homemade Bread, Pepper Slices, Bananas x 2
Leftovers x 2
Dinners
Simple Roast Chicken, Steamed Broccoli, Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffins (I have been making kefir, and am going to try subbing kefir in place of buttermilk)
Coconut Chicken and Vegetable Curry over Rice, Homemade Whole Wheat Bread
Homemade Cheese Pizza (meatless), Apple Slices
Taco Salad, Fruit Salad
Baked Tilapia (minus the capers), Roasted Carrots, Mashed Garlic Cauliflower
Hamburger Vegetable Soup, Homemade Dill Bread
Leftovers
So the food mentioned in the meal plan that isn’t pictured (oatmeal, ingredients to make bread, etc,) was that purchased during a previous week?
Thank you so much for posting this. I’ve gotten away from using as many coupons, just due to time and this is such an encouragement:) I think I’ll be heading to Aldis now!
I used to spend a great deal of time couponing. Creating a stock like…it was cheap or free. The problem was that I wasn’t utilizing all those items.
I have changed the way I cook now. Soup a couple times a week (this uses up bits and pieces in fridge and freezer). And many one pot meals. Less meat, less starch,more veggies…
I find myself going to the store more frequently, but spending very small amounts..less than $20..grabbing a few items to get us thru the next few days.
I honestly don’t even look at grocery ads any longer…
I purchase kefir from my local kroger store. How do you make it and does it have the same taste as the store?
I haven’t ever bought it from the store, so I can’t make a comparison. It is super easy and if you google it, you will pull up better instructions than I can give you here. It just requires kefir grains (which you can order, but I had a friend that have me some) and milk. 🙂
I would like your recipe for garlic mashed cauliflower.
http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/230816/garlic-mashed-cauliflower/
I do something like this (I don’t actually measure things). You do need a food processor for the right texture. I don’t use cream cheese like the recipe calls for, but I know that would taste great. 🙂
Thank you so much Brigette! I’ll let you know how we like it. Cream cheese does make everything better 🙂
I find these posts so encouraging!
I am so glad they are helpful!
I see you like garlic too. :} Here’s a tip: if you own your property, garlic is SO easy to grow. I’ve been told that it does not grow in pots though. The best time to plant is in the fall, but you can plant it right now. Just divide the cloves (each clove will turn into a new bulb). You can scatter them on top of the ground or plant 1/2-1″ deep. It would be good to mix a little compost in the soil too. The snow this winter will water them & they should come up in the spring. They’ll kind of look like grass, so don’t weed them out!! Harvest as you need it &/or after the leaves turn brown mid summer. Save the seed heads to replant (as you would the cloves) next fall. I store harvested garlic in those netted produce bags like onions come in. One year, I stored them in a closed plastic container & they molded.
I have tried to grow garlic before and wasn’t too successful, BUT I will give your instructions a try! Thank you!!
Since Fry’s aka Kroger, stopped doubling coupons, I too have not been using very many coupons. I have been shopping a lot at our .99 only store. They have fabulous deals on their produce, fresh and frozen products. Last week my DD picked up 8 pkgs. of Oscar Mayer turkey bacon. There was 4, yes 4 packages in each box!!! I now have 32 pkgs. of turkey bacon in my freezer 🙂
Oh my goodness! What a fabulous price!!!
I am so glad they are helpful!
I have been making milk kefir for about a year now and I haven’t purchased buttermilk at all – I substitute kefir for buttermilk in everything and it always works! I love it – less things to think about!
Great tip. I have wanted to try milk kefir for awhile. I had some water kefir last year that I loved but I managed to kill it while we were out of town for 5 weeks.
Great to know it works – thank you!
Anymore between digital coupons and shopping Aldi and Costco, I hardly ever use a paper coupon! I occasionally use the ones that print out at Kroger or are in their mailers. I didn’t use to like the digital qs, but they are getting better:)
Thanks! I always like reading these posts.
You are so welcome!