I decided to start my 2014 food journey on December 27th, 2013. Why? Because that was our first pay day going into the new year! I don’t know much about blogging and photo editing. I plan to teach myself how to be more tech savvy for better posts in the future! One purpose of this blog is to see how much money we are spending on food per month. I also count personal items and diapers in our grocery budget as well. I am also going to document eating out as well. After all, that is money spent on food. I am curious to know how much it decreases when our garden is (hopefully) flourishing this spring/summer/fall. My current goal is a $700 food/personal item/diaper budget a month. This is for 5 people- 2 adults and a 5yo, 3yo and 18mo kids. I am also feeding one of Roberts coworkers many times throughout the month. It is something we don’t mind doing. In months past, I know we have spent close to $1000 (gasp!!!!). We like to eat. The $1000 includes eating out as well. We can’t eat out for less then $50 usually. It really adds up! Can I also blame the high number on the holiday season? Yes? ok, good!
I also have plans of including what we ate that particular week and sharing recipes. I will also be documenting our garden journey. Carter is a total garden fanatic at the ripe age of 5. I would love to have all this documented for him one day for when he gets older. Here’s what I bought this week!
Whole Foods: $72.02
- Kombucha x 5 @ $2.99 each. (I really need to learn to brew my own. This is a New Year’s goal!)
- Ground Mustard Seed $1.99
- Mulling Spices $3.99 (total splurge. These will last me all year probably.)
- Winter Blend Coffee $10.99
- Pasta Shells $1.99 (I never pay this much for pasta but I needed it to make Mac n Cheese at my sis-in-law’s house and didn’t have any in my pantry)
- Organic sharp white cheddar cheese x 2 @ $3.29 each
- Red wax Gouda cheese $4.71
- Organic Heavy Whipping cream $ 3.59
- Organic Apple Juice $8.99/gallon (this was a splurge to go along with the mulling spices)
- Hatcher Family Dairy whole milk $6.39/gal (ouch. This price hurts but I truly believe it is better for us.)
Publix: $55.07
- Romaine lettuce $ 1.99
- Zucchini x2 packages $3.76
- Stoneyfield Plain whole milk yogurt $3 (I needed a yogurt starter since my last one went bad.)
- Cucumber $.75
- Carrots $.99
- Mini sweet peppers $1.99
- Bananas (6.01lbs) $3.55
- Organic Balsamic vinaigrette $3.49
- Publix extra virgin olive oil $4.29
- OJ (not from concentrate) X 2 = $5
- EB eggs 18ct $3.99 (we are only getting 1 egg a day now. This should increase when the weather gets warmer)
- ground sirloin $5.14 (just over 1lb)
- Dijon Mustard $ 1.89
- Greenwise Organic Milk $5.99
- Stoneyfield strawberry/banana kids yogurt $3 (a lunch treat for the kids since I didn’t have any made)
- Publix unbleached flour $2.29
She said “Mommy, I want to be in the picture!)
Kroger: 46.20 (I just needed milk. Funny how it turns into an expensive shopping trip!)
- Organic apples 3lbs $6.99
- bananas 3.34lbs $ 1.97
- Rotisseri chicken x 2 $11.98 (for dinner that night. I was feeding 6 people. I had worked the whole day and got off early. This was easy.)
- Horizon Organic milk x 4 gallons on MANAGERS SPECIAL! $3.49 each! = $13.96
- Marie Callender Turtle Pie $7.75 (I never buy this kind of stuff but my mom was babysitting and she wanted some chocolate. This is one of her favorite desserts so I wanted to make her happy! good daughter, right?!)
This is the only photo I got of this trip!
Aldi’Ss $72.57 (This was the mother-load of fresh fruits trip!)
- Cantaloupe .99 cents
- Mushrooms x 2 = $2.38
- Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza $3.99 (an unhealthy splurge when we needs a fast, unhealthy meal. right, makes sense?? ha!)
- garlic x 3 count = .99 cents
- Navel Oranges 3lbs (I think?!) $2.99
- cucumber .49 cents
- 10lb Russet Potatoes $2.99
- celery .69 cents
- Multi-color peppers 3 pack x 2 = $2.98
- grapefruit x 4= 1.16 (I actually only bought 3 and just noticed they over charged me. They were only .29 cents each so I won’t fret this one!)
- strawberries x 2 = 4.98
- blueberries x 3 = $4.47
- blackberries x 6 = 5.94 (I bought so many because blackberries are like candy for my kids. They can’t get enough of them! and I have been paying $3.99 for a tiny carton to appease them.)
- organic apples 3lb bags x 2 = $6.98 (remember how I paid $6.99 at Kroger yesterday for the same bag of apples???)
- carrots .99 cents
- smoked ham @ .99 cents/lb = $9.23 (threw in the freezer for Easter. I am hammed out at the moment!)
- Polska Kielbasa x 2 = $4.58 (I am not wild about the ingredient label in these. I usually buy my kielbasa from a local butcher that doesn’t add crap in him. I needed these for chili tonight.)
- fresh whole chicken .95 cents/lb = $4.70 (not organic. My freezer will be full of our own free range organic chickens real soon though)
- crushed tomatoes x 2 = 1.98
- organic diced tomatoes $1.49
- Chili beans x 2 = $1.18 (after reading the ingredient label after I got home I was thoroughly disappointed. Why does corn syrup need to be in this?? wont buy again)
- Kidney beans x 2 = $1.18 (once again, why does corn syrup need to be in these??? won’t buy again)
Grand Total: $245.86
The good news is I have a TON of food. I don’t plan on going grocery shopping for awhile! I do think I will drop in Aldi next Tuesday and get more blackberries at their great sale price (the new ad starts on Wednesday’s here.) I need to make a Sam’s run. Until next week!
Jamison Food Journal 