I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 grocery budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).
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Well, I may have changed my mind about Sprouts! You see, I had checked out Sprouts maybe a year or two ago when we first got a Sprouts here. I had heard from so many people that they had these “amazing deals”… but when I checked them out I was under-whelmed and un-impressed.
So I had written off Sprouts. Because they had great food and fantastic produce, but their prices seemed significantly higher than what I would pay.
Last night, a friend sent me a text telling me that Sprouts had $0.98 strawberries this week. And you all know I can’t pass up a deal like that — especially since I was excited about Aldi having strawberries for $1.29 recently.
So I got myself right over to Sprouts this morning and I was really impressed. Not only did they have LOTS of strawberries available, the strawberries looked like super high-quality and fresh strawberries. I didn’t even really have to pick through them to find the best ones — because almost every package looked so good!
(Psst! There’s a Driscoll’s rewards program and you can earn free coupons here. I was told that Sprouts takes coupons, too!)
I’m going to start checking out the Sprout’s produce deals every week. I’m hearing from my followers on Instagram that Sprouts typically has one or two produce deals every week that are really good. And if you go on Wednesdays, they have Double Ad Day — which means that the ad from the week before and the ad for the next week are valid. So you can double up on the good deals!
(Speaking of Instagram, are you following me there? That’s always the best place to get first-word news… because I often share deals as I find them in real-time on Stories! Click here to follow me on Instagram — and then click on my circle profile to see my latest video clips of the day!)
So I picked up 5 packages of strawberries and I might go back on Tuesday to get more, if we eat these up before then. (Or I might freeze some for smoothies!)
I also got two dozen cage-free eggs to use to make scrambled eggs tomorrow night because we invited friends over for Breakfast for Dinner after we hang out at the pool.
Total with tax spent at Sprouts: $10.97
I also stopped by BigLots to check out their clearance cart and bread racks. I picked up two loaves of Thomas Swirl Bread to stick in the freezer. This bread is SO good toasted with butter! I paid $1.40 per loaf for it.
Total with tax spent at Big Lots: $2.99
And I also stopped by Aldi because it was right there and I needed to get a few items that we are out of or running low on:
Thursday Aldi Shopping Trip — $11.71
- Gallon of water — $0.79
- Eggs — $1.17
- Oats — $2.39
- Milk — $2.69
- 3 boxes Mac & Cheese — $0.33 each
- Cantaloupe — $0.99
- Pure Cane Sugar — $1.95
- Total with tax: $11.71
Total Spent This Week
You’ll notice that I went $0.25 over this week on our $70 budget. I knew I was cutting it close but I didn’t realize how close I was cutting it — and that I’d be a little bit over. But considering the fact that I’ve been under budget for the past number of weeks, I’m totally okay with it.
That’s why we have the extra “padding” in the budget from all those weeks of being under budget! But next week, I’ll definitely double-check my numbers better ahead of time!
Total spent this week: $70.25
Rebates: $2.75 for submitting two receipts to Ibotta & for buying the Fage yogurt and croutons, $0.77 back from Fetch Rewards for scanning four receipts (If you haven’t signed up for Fetch Rewards, you can sign up here and use code WW7XJ and you’ll get a bonus 2,000 points = worth $2.)
Robert Phipps says
Our local WalMarts have been selling a dozen eggs for anywhere between .58 cents to about .90 cents. I thought it was a local short-term deal, but although the price has been fluctuating some, those prices have been going on for a year now.
Joan says
The cinnamon swirl bread is delicious made into French toast also. We sometimes top it with apple pie filling or fresh apples cooked down with some thickening and more cinnamon if you like. Blueberries would be good also.
Crystal Paine says
Oh! That is a GREAT idea!
beka Noes says
I was just telling a friend this week how I wasn’t crazy about sprouts! Just like you, it’s been a year or so since I’ve been. Can’t wait to go get some cheap strawberries!! Thanks 🙂
Janell says
I just looked to see where the closest Sprouts is to me in Georgia. It’s only Atlanta area and North. I’m 2 hours South of Atlanta. But holy cow. They have cherries for .97/pound. I’m praying they move to my area.
Nichole D. says
Hello! Curious if you use the “leftover” grocery money from previous weeks to roll over in case you want to stock up or what do you do with the money the weeks you are under $70? Thanks!
Crystal Paine says
I don’t usually. It’s just sitting in our account on YNAB as cushion for now and I’m letting it slowly build up. 🙂
Melie says
I love our Sprouts! Be sure to watch for managers special sales there too – last week our store had 1 lb packages of strawberries and English cucumbers marked down to 3 for $1.
Lynn says
Wow we don’t have a Sprouts nor a Kroger! I am jealous a little bit! Great finds!
Rebecca says
We love sprouts! I don’t buy any center aisle grocery things there because it is really pricey but their produce and meat is great! We have to buy organic milk because of allergies/health reasons and they have the cheapest organic gallons at $5.99/gallon. They also have really good meat sales. In the past month I bought chicken breasts for $1.88/lb and ground beef for $2.67/lb. Their chicken drumsticks also go on sale for $.79/lb. If you buy a 25 or 50 lb bag of their bulk items you can get a 10% discount and they offer that even on sale items. So they have oatmeal that goes on sale for $0.69/lb and I can buy a 25 lb bag of oatmeal for $0.63/lb. it seems like a lot but it never goes bad and we go through it quick! They have 3 day sales fairly often that are really good too…their most recent one they had bacon for $2.99/lb and their bacon is the best bacon I have ever had! It is worth it even at the full price. If you sign up for their emails they also have been sending deals in emails…yesterday they had a coupon for 25% off of all bulk items. Last Thursday they sent me a coupon for $10/$75 purchase. You can also get the app and they have coupons on there that I can combine with Ibotta rebates sometimes like last month I had a coupon for buy 1 get 1 stonyfield organic yogurt tubes and an Ibotta rebate for $1 off so I got 2-8 packs of them for $0.25 each. I love sprouts! It really helps us stretch our budget!
Crystal Paine says
Thanks so much for these great tips! Any suggestions on sites that do a great job of posting Sprouts deals?
Rebecca says
I don’t know of any! There aren’t a ton of coupons so I just look through them and then do a quick search of Ibotta if it is something I would buy. So sorry! I wish I could be more helpful about that!
Crystal Paine says
I found a few sites online when I searched and I’m going to keep tabs on them to see if they do a good job of covering the deals and getting them accurate.
Kay says
Yes, sprouts is great for produce and bulk items, it’s the “center aisle” stuff that seems to be more pricey. If you are shopping multiple stores anyway, you might as well go there. I regularly get 3 for $1 mango, $.50 lettuce, $.75 strawberries, $.67 lb organic apples, $.75 cantaloupe, $.97 lb cherries, etc. Quality here is far better than Aldi. I find the meat to be better quality and can be better price on sale than our Kroger affiliate. Watch for their bulk sales too (2 lbs of any type of oatmeal for $1 is my favorite). Mine also takes off $.05 for every reusable bag used.
Crystal Paine says
WOW! Those are amazing deals! I’m excited to keep watching the deals to see what I can find!!
Amy says
The produce is so much better than Aldi in my toen and they have a lot of good deals! It makes up for some of the more expensive things I buy there, like their deli meat and bacon.
Crystal Paine says
Thanks so much for mentioning that! I’m excited to see if I find any great meat deals!
Crystal says
Sprouts also does double ad Wednesdays. You get sale prices for the items in the prior weeks ad AND sale prices for the new ad. Wednesday is definitely the day to shop at Sprouts.
Crystal Paine says
Yes! I mentioned that in the post above. 🙂
Jill KEllan says
Love Driscolls panel have been using for several years now. Love the Driscolls products.
Crystal Paine says
I just earned multiple $0.50 off coupons yesterday and am going to use them to get some cheap, cheap strawberries this weekend!
Karen says
Here I was hoping you already had coupons and got free strawberries. 🙂
Crystal Paine says
I usually always buy strawberries at Aldi, so it’s been ages since I bought Driscolls!
Karen says
My Aldi’s strawberries are hit or miss and I’m usually not willing to pay much for them. My family loves all kinds of berries and our Kroger generally carries Driscoll’s–even blueberries, sometimes–so I’m at the $1 tier. 🙂 Last week I got 2-lb containers of strawberries for 1.47 after coupon at Meijer–that’s cheaper per pound than whatever price Aldi had.
Beth says
If you don’t mind my asking, why did you buy bottled water?
David says
?
Crystal Paine says
I use the NeilMed sinus rinse for my allergies/sinus issues every night, so I buy water to use for that!
Karen says
Wow! That is a great deal on strawberries!
Crystal Paine says
I know! I was pretty excited!
Samantha says
Don’t forget to take your own reusable bag. Every Sprouts I have ever gone to gives a $.05 credit. The California store I used to go to only gave a single credit, but my Texas store gives me a credit for each bag. Last week I got two LARGE bags of produce for $20 and got a $.10 bag credit.
Crystal Paine says
Thanks so much for mentioning that!
Barb says
Sprouts…the first page and that little hanging thing on the side generally have REALLY good deals. everything else can be much more expensive, but those front page deals, are generally very good. We generally buy a pile of chicken there because they have sales a few times a year on the tenderloins and we prefer them to the breasts.
Crystal Paine says
Thanks so much for these tips!
lyss says
Yes! Sprouts can definitely be one of those “stop in quick and get the deals” places! Yes, a lot of their food can be pricy, but I mostly just shop the sale ads. Along with produce, there’s often sales on cheese and meats. And also bulk foods like nuts, quinoa, oats, etc. I stock up on raw almonds or walnuts when they are in the ad for $3 or $4 /lb. I get quinoa for $2/lb every once in a while.
At least a couple times a year they have 25% off all supplements and body care. It will say on the weekly ad!
Crystal Paine says
That’s so great to know about bulk foods!
Spencer says
Sprouts will also let you try any produce in store, just ask for them to cut something up.
They will also do rain checks. If they run out of .98 strawberries, get a rain check, and take it back another week. You can get as many as you want with the rain check.
Also, they take complaints about produce seriously. So of you are not satisfied with the quality of something, tell them. As they work with local farmers, they may choose to source better quality from elsewhere.
Crystal Paine says
Thanks so much for these tips!!