Post by: forummm on June 21, 2015, 03:18:16 PM
3 x 18oz blackberries $0.99 ea
2 x 2.5lb spinach $1.99 ea
3 x pint blueberries $0.99 ea
2 x 12oz raspberries $0.99 ea
5 lb carrots $2.99
2.5lb ground pork $4.45
2 gallons milk $5
20 oz soy sauce $2.78
26 oz salt $0.57
Total after tax: $28.52
Post by: G-dog on June 21, 2015, 03:41:38 PM
Are these all fresh fruits and veggies?
Post by: forummm on June 21, 2015, 04:44:07 PM
Post by: dudde_devaru on June 22, 2015, 08:22:42 PM
18 items under $18 in my local farmers market
Good for 10days for two of us since we eat lot of curry and raw fresh veggies.
Post by: APowers on June 23, 2015, 09:47:57 AM
Dudde-- I wish our farmers' market had good prices, but it's invariably Seattle-yuppie fancy prices for everything. It'd be cheaper to buy certified organic at the grocery store. I wish we had a good produce market in my town, but we don't :(
Post by: forummm on June 23, 2015, 10:30:07 AM
Forummm-- those are some fantastic prices for blue/rasberries!
Dudde-- I wish our farmers' market had good prices, but it's invariably Seattle-yuppie fancy prices for everything. It'd be cheaper to buy certified organic at the grocery store. I wish we had a good produce market in my town, but we don't :(
Maybe look around. I live in a non-trendy area.
Post by: expectopatronum on June 23, 2015, 10:44:54 AM
I thought we were doing well. We're on track to spend $200/mo groceries this month - yay!! We live in a decent COL area, but we're in the center of town, so there's some jacked up pricing on produce due to all the young Paleo eaters in the area I think. Recently we both realized our diets have been way too fruit & veggie deficient, so the goal for next month is staying in budget AND upping our intake of produce.
Our latest grocery hack is to go by the salad bar for small servings of fresh spinach. Salad bar is sold by the pound, because they anticipate you'll load it down with stuff like cheese & olives. So we end up buying spinach or mixed greens for pennies compared to getting a whole box of greens.
Post by: forummm on June 23, 2015, 10:58:57 AM
Dang! I've never seen strawberries lower than $2/lb at our store, and blackberries are a whopping $4/12oz. I'll buy them once in awhile to make DH's favorite dessert (as of lately...) - blackberry cobbler. : )
I thought we were doing well. We're on track to spend $200/mo groceries this month - yay!! We live in a decent COL area, but we're in the center of town, so there's some jacked up pricing on produce due to all the young Paleo eaters in the area I think. Recently we both realized our diets have been way too fruit & veggie deficient, so the goal for next month is staying in budget AND upping our intake of produce.
Our latest grocery hack is to go by the salad bar for small servings of fresh spinach. Salad bar is sold by the pound, because they anticipate you'll load it down with stuff like cheese & olives. So we end up buying spinach or mixed greens for pennies compared to getting a whole box of greens.
My spinach from that trip was 80 cents/pound. I'd be shocked if your salad bar wasn't way more expensive than that. If not, then you can buy cheese for under 80 cents a pound!!
Post by: expectopatronum on June 23, 2015, 11:02:45 AM
Post by: FrugalZony on June 23, 2015, 12:07:42 PM
Strawberries 88 cents a pound minus 50 cents coupon = 38 cents for those
Rasberries 97 cents for a small clamshell, minus 50 cents coupon = 47 cents for those
Watermelon and cantaloupe 99 cents each, minus 55 cents coupon = 44 cents each
Spinach 1.13 for an 8 oz bag minus coupons ($1 off 2) = 63 cents a bag
Mini Tomatoes 10.5 oz for 2.18 minus 55 cents coupon = 1.63 each
I also got a 5 pound bag of potatoes for 2.99 which I had a $1 coupon for and
plus a few odds and ends that were on sale, but I had no coupons for
I stocked the Fridge with produce for less than $20 and we have a BUNCH of stuff.
Just looking at it last night made me happy. I love it when I am stocked on healthy stuff ;)
Post by: forummm on June 23, 2015, 12:16:46 PM
Post by: FrugalZony on June 23, 2015, 01:28:21 PM
Cool! Those were some great coupons!
Yeah, I love my produce coupons, I will be very sad when I run out, as they are so hard to come by.
Unfortunately my stores have stopped doubling, otherwise the berries and melons would have been free.
Sigh!! Still good deals!
Post by: CmFtns on June 23, 2015, 01:58:54 PM
Post by: forummm on June 23, 2015, 02:35:07 PM
Post by: dudde_devaru on June 23, 2015, 02:49:57 PM
Post by: Bracken_Joy on June 23, 2015, 03:13:07 PM
Cool! Those were some great coupons!
Yeah, I love my produce coupons, I will be very sad when I run out, as they are so hard to come by.
Unfortunately my stores have stopped doubling, otherwise the berries and melons would have been free.
Sigh!! Still good deals!
I've literally never seen a produce coupon. Share your secrets please! =D
Post by: forummm on June 23, 2015, 04:37:11 PM
Cool! Those were some great coupons!
Yeah, I love my produce coupons, I will be very sad when I run out, as they are so hard to come by.
Unfortunately my stores have stopped doubling, otherwise the berries and melons would have been free.
Sigh!! Still good deals!
I've literally never seen a produce coupon. Share your secrets please! =D
Yes, how do you produce those coupons?
Post by: Bracken_Joy on June 23, 2015, 04:41:47 PM
Cool! Those were some great coupons!
Yeah, I love my produce coupons, I will be very sad when I run out, as they are so hard to come by.
Unfortunately my stores have stopped doubling, otherwise the berries and melons would have been free.
Sigh!! Still good deals!
I've literally never seen a produce coupon. Share your secrets please! =D
Yes, how do you produce those coupons?
Oh god forummm. You always have the best/worst puns. <3
Post by: Jeremy E. on June 23, 2015, 04:54:56 PM
Winco (cheap grocery store + a bulk foods section where you can buy by the pound)
Wal Mart
Costco
I'm able to get darn near everything cheap except fresh berries....
I pay
$2/gallon for whole milk,
$2/lb for boneless chicken breast,
$2 for a lot of spinach,
$0.70/lb for Quinoa,
$0.30/lb for Oats,
$0.80/lb for Almonds
but fresh BERRIES ARE SO EXPENSIVE, I can usually only find them in the little 8 oz plastic containers and they are like $4, I don't understand it. The only affordable berries are mixed frozen berries, but they are not nearly as good :(
Post by: forummm on June 23, 2015, 04:57:32 PM
Cool! Those were some great coupons!
Yeah, I love my produce coupons, I will be very sad when I run out, as they are so hard to come by.
Unfortunately my stores have stopped doubling, otherwise the berries and melons would have been free.
Sigh!! Still good deals!
I've literally never seen a produce coupon. Share your secrets please! =D
Yes, how do you produce those coupons?
Oh god forummm. You always have the best/worst puns. <3
<tip of the top hat>
Post by: Jeremy E. on June 23, 2015, 05:26:46 PM
Winco bulk sectionI have access to 3 great grocery stores and rotate between them,Where do you find quinoa for $0.70/lb and almonds for $0.80/lb?
Winco (cheap grocery store + a bulk foods section where you can buy by the pound)
Wal Mart
Costco
I'm able to get darn near everything cheap except fresh berries....
I pay
$2/gallon for whole milk,
$2/lb for boneless chicken breast,
$2 for a lot of spinach,
$0.70/lb for Quinoa,
$0.30/lb for Oats,
$0.80/lb for Almonds
but fresh BERRIES ARE SO EXPENSIVE, I can usually only find them in the little 8 oz plastic containers and they are like $4, I don't understand it. The only affordable berries are mixed frozen berries, but they are not nearly as good :(
Post by: forummm on June 23, 2015, 05:32:27 PM
Winco bulk sectionI have access to 3 great grocery stores and rotate between them,Where do you find quinoa for $0.70/lb and almonds for $0.80/lb?
Winco (cheap grocery store + a bulk foods section where you can buy by the pound)
Wal Mart
Costco
I'm able to get darn near everything cheap except fresh berries....
I pay
$2/gallon for whole milk,
$2/lb for boneless chicken breast,
$2 for a lot of spinach,
$0.70/lb for Quinoa,
$0.30/lb for Oats,
$0.80/lb for Almonds
but fresh BERRIES ARE SO EXPENSIVE, I can usually only find them in the little 8 oz plastic containers and they are like $4, I don't understand it. The only affordable berries are mixed frozen berries, but they are not nearly as good :(
I do not believe the almonds number. No way. Your units are wrong or something. Or Winco made a huge mistake. That's far below the wholesale cost.
Post by: Jeremy E. on June 23, 2015, 05:48:53 PM
I'm not 100% sure on the Quinoa Oats and Almonds numbers, but I'm fairly certain they were all less than $1/lb and that oats were less than $0.5/lb and quinoa was slightly less than almonds. I'll go there tomorrow probably and let you know for sureWinco bulk sectionI have access to 3 great grocery stores and rotate between them,Where do you find quinoa for $0.70/lb and almonds for $0.80/lb?
Winco (cheap grocery store + a bulk foods section where you can buy by the pound)
Wal Mart
Costco
I'm able to get darn near everything cheap except fresh berries....
I pay
$2/gallon for whole milk,
$2/lb for boneless chicken breast,
$2 for a lot of spinach,
$0.70/lb for Quinoa,
$0.30/lb for Oats,
$0.80/lb for Almonds
but fresh BERRIES ARE SO EXPENSIVE, I can usually only find them in the little 8 oz plastic containers and they are like $4, I don't understand it. The only affordable berries are mixed frozen berries, but they are not nearly as good :(
I do not believe the almonds number. No way. Your units are wrong or something. Or Winco made a huge mistake. That's far below the wholesale cost.
Post by: FrugalZony on June 23, 2015, 06:12:21 PM
... Share your secrets please! =D
Actually, I already did, kinda ;)
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/why-i-play-the-grocery-game/msg254252/#msg254252
As I was saying though, they are hard to come by and once the ones I have run out, some will be hard to replace.
The Spinach ones are from a Fresh Express Challenge earlier this year (where you had to input codes from the bags, but that was over June 1st, sorry http://www.saladswap.com/).
I have a few more to use up ;)
If your store has the salad kits on sale (don't care to much for those) there's a coupon for them here
https://www.saveinstore.com/brand/freshexpress
The berry ones are from Driscolls. When you buy berries, you can enter the codes from the back of them clamshells to receive the coupons.
So each time I buy new ones I have new codes. LOVE IT!
https://driscolls.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_5towCJkmquraK9v&
Driscolls also gives you some when you sign up for their newsletter: www.driscolls.com
And they'll email you one on your birthday
The tomato ones are for Naturesweet, I lucked out and found them in store. But you can write to them and they send you some as well.
Often the Naturesweet packages will have coupons on top of them, once in a while, so I usually manage to maintain a nice little stash of them.
The melon ones are from Dulcinea. We got some in the paper at some time (long expired now), but once in a blue moon I find coupons for them in the stores.
Just keep your eyes open.
Here are some for mandarin oranges (fresh ones) from Halos
http://www.halosfun.com/savings/
Another good source are wine tags. The potato coupon came from a wine tag ($1 off a 5lb bag of potatoes no wine purchase necessary), some
will just say produce, some will be more specific.
A lot of the wine tags have meat coupons in them too. I currently have ground pork and regular pork coupons as well from the wine thingies.
Sometimes you can find beef or chicken as well. Just make sure they say no wine purchase necessary.
I also LOVE using the Just for You App at Safeway, where I get a lot of my produce. I get personalized prices for the stuff I buy, like the Spinach, Tomatoes etc.
And they often give you $2 off $10 in produce and such. LOVE IT!
Post by: expectopatronum on June 23, 2015, 08:19:35 PM
My very few produce coupons come from Kroger in the mail. I always shop with a loyalty card and they mail me coupons at least once a quarter on average - maybe 6 times a year? In the past there are about 3-5 good coupons out of 18 or so, ranging from $1.50 off $7 in produce dept, to free eggs, $2 off meat, and such. Those are awesome because they're not even brand specific! The rest of the coupons are usually crap...stuff I never even buy...like why send me a coupon for Depends? Does my shopping profile indicate that I have incontinence issues?
I also use Target's cartwheel and snag anywhere from 5-20% off things. Kroger's app has coupons, too, but they're usually for "inner aisle" stuff.
Post by: Jeremy E. on June 24, 2015, 08:27:03 AM
Post by: forummm on June 24, 2015, 09:01:52 AM
I was off a little bit on my almonds and Quinoa price, $5.95/lb almonds $4.27/lb quinoa.
Otherwise I was going to move to your town and start an almond arbitrage business.
Post by: grantmeaname on June 24, 2015, 09:09:38 AM
Post by: forummm on June 27, 2015, 01:58:54 PM
I was off a little bit on my almonds and Quinoa price, $5.95/lb almonds $4.27/lb quinoa.Thanks for letting us know. That's about what I pay at the farmers market for almonds.
Costco is about $15 for 3 pounds I think.
Post by: forummm on June 27, 2015, 02:03:32 PM
Post by: forummm on June 27, 2015, 04:29:20 PM
Post by: Monkey Uncle on June 28, 2015, 04:26:37 PM
Post by: HoosierGirl on July 02, 2015, 11:22:07 AM
Thanks for the tip-I love salads with spinach so I will be doing this. I've often thought of doing a price comparison with some of the chopped veggies too-like chopped onions, peppers etc-compared to purchasing them whole on sale.
Theresa
Post by: forummm on July 02, 2015, 11:39:15 AM
" Our latest grocery hack is to go by the salad bar for small servings of fresh spinach. Salad bar is sold by the pound, because they anticipate you'll load it down with stuff like cheese & olives. So we end up buying spinach or mixed greens for pennies compared to getting a whole box of greens."
Thanks for the tip-I love salads with spinach so I will be doing this. I've often thought of doing a price comparison with some of the chopped veggies too-like chopped onions, peppers etc-compared to purchasing them whole on sale.
Theresa
I still don't know how the store could afford to do this in a way that would save you money. Salad bars are generally more expensive than you can buy an ingredient for on its own. But report back with concrete numbers if you find a good counter-example.
Post by: expectopatronum on July 02, 2015, 11:42:06 AM
Apparently, this works in our store for spring/mixed greens, but NOT for spinach. We can get store brand bagged spinach for $.25/oz, but the salad bar price is $.37/oz (so glad I pointed this out to DH last week! sigh. Maths.). I guess it just depends on the product. Definitely do your oz-to-oz comparison to make sure you come out ahead.
However, if you're in the position of only need a little bit versus the whole bag, then obviously it's worth the slightly higher oz price so that the rest of the bag doesn't go to waste. We tend to eat spinach right up, but forget about bags of mixed greens. Our fault, obviously, but if we can't use everything we buy it's better for us to just buy less.
Thanks to the Driscoll's tip, I have a $.50 off berries coupon! AND they were on sale last week for $1/lb strawberries and $2/pint(?) blackberries!
Post by: forummm on July 11, 2015, 02:50:21 PM
4x 5oz organic arugula @ $0.99ea
2x pint grape tomatoes @ $1.29ea
6 pounds strawberries $3.98
6.2lbs chicken thighs $4.29
3.5lbs b/l chicken thighs $4.52
Grand total: $19.91
Post by: wisermiser on July 11, 2015, 03:17:19 PM
"Highlights of Dirty Dozen™ 2015
EWG singles out produce with the highest pesticide loads for its Dirty Dozen™ list. This year, it is comprised of apples, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, grapes, celery, spinach, sweet bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and potatoes.
Each of these foods tested positive a number of different pesticide residues and showed higher concentrations of pesticides than other produce items.
Key findings:
99 percent of apple samples, 98 percent of peaches, and 97 percent of nectarines tested positive for at least one pesticide residue.
The average potato had more pesticides by weight than any other produce.
A single grape sample and a sweet bell pepper sample contained 15 pesticides.
Single samples of cherry tomatoes, nectarines, peaches, imported snap peas and strawberries showed 13 different pesticides apiece."
Post by: Jeremy E. on July 11, 2015, 04:15:22 PM
We are generally pretty frugal with the exception being groceries. I spend about $750 per month for two adults and two small children. However, that is for grass-fed-pastured-organic just about everything. I used to buy industrial meat and whatever was cheapest and I thought organic was for suckers. Then some chronic health problems caused me to re-examine my diet. I'm sure I overspend now but I'm OK with that. I would at least follow the "dirty dozen" and "clean fifteen" guidelines when choosing organic or not.Personally I say bring on the GMO's, bring on the pesticides, bring on the vaccinations. Just treat animals more fairly. I won't pay more for organic fruits and veggies, but I'll pay more for animals that I know were treated better than usual.
"Highlights of Dirty Dozen™ 2015
EWG singles out produce with the highest pesticide loads for its Dirty Dozen™ list. This year, it is comprised of apples, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, grapes, celery, spinach, sweet bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and potatoes.
Each of these foods tested positive a number of different pesticide residues and showed higher concentrations of pesticides than other produce items.
Key findings:
99 percent of apple samples, 98 percent of peaches, and 97 percent of nectarines tested positive for at least one pesticide residue.
The average potato had more pesticides by weight than any other produce.
A single grape sample and a sweet bell pepper sample contained 15 pesticides.
Single samples of cherry tomatoes, nectarines, peaches, imported snap peas and strawberries showed 13 different pesticides apiece."
Post by: forummm on July 11, 2015, 04:44:00 PM
We are generally pretty frugal with the exception being groceries. I spend about $750 per month for two adults and two small children. However, that is for grass-fed-pastured-organic just about everything. I used to buy industrial meat and whatever was cheapest and I thought organic was for suckers. Then some chronic health problems caused me to re-examine my diet. I'm sure I overspend now but I'm OK with that. I would at least follow the "dirty dozen" and "clean fifteen" guidelines when choosing organic or not.
"Highlights of Dirty Dozen™ 2015
EWG singles out produce with the highest pesticide loads for its Dirty Dozen™ list. This year, it is comprised of apples, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, grapes, celery, spinach, sweet bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and potatoes.
Each of these foods tested positive a number of different pesticide residues and showed higher concentrations of pesticides than other produce items.
Key findings:
99 percent of apple samples, 98 percent of peaches, and 97 percent of nectarines tested positive for at least one pesticide residue.
The average potato had more pesticides by weight than any other produce.
A single grape sample and a sweet bell pepper sample contained 15 pesticides.
Single samples of cherry tomatoes, nectarines, peaches, imported snap peas and strawberries showed 13 different pesticides apiece."
There are other opinions as to whether organic is worth the cost.
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/organic-food-worth-the-price/
I don't know what health problems you're talking about, but the typical American diet-related health problems are due to eating too much sugar in all its forms (processed food, soda, fruit juice, etc) refined carbohydrates in general, and processed foods, while not eating enough vegetables. I'm not aware of any that are solved by eating organic. Now, I do think organic is better for the environment, and there is probably a small health benefit, but it is hard to measure.
Post by: Johnez on July 11, 2015, 05:27:20 PM
What I'm really worried about is the hormones and antibiotics. We see evidence every day of hormones widespread use and antibiotics are being used as way to deal with unsanitary practices that meat factories have going on. Don't get me started on seafood....
Deals aren't as great right now, but just picked up cashews for $5 a lb. Crazy how the cost the same as New York steak these days, almonds almost double!
Post by: wisermiser on July 11, 2015, 05:31:30 PM
We are generally pretty frugal with the exception being groceries. I spend about $750 per month for two adults and two small children. However, that is for grass-fed-pastured-organic just about everything. I used to buy industrial meat and whatever was cheapest and I thought organic was for suckers. Then some chronic health problems caused me to re-examine my diet. I'm sure I overspend now but I'm OK with that. I would at least follow the "dirty dozen" and "clean fifteen" guidelines when choosing organic or not.
"Highlights of Dirty Dozen™ 2015
EWG singles out produce with the highest pesticide loads for its Dirty Dozen™ list. This year, it is comprised of apples, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, grapes, celery, spinach, sweet bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and potatoes.
Each of these foods tested positive a number of different pesticide residues and showed higher concentrations of pesticides than other produce items.
Key findings:
99 percent of apple samples, 98 percent of peaches, and 97 percent of nectarines tested positive for at least one pesticide residue.
The average potato had more pesticides by weight than any other produce.
A single grape sample and a sweet bell pepper sample contained 15 pesticides.
Single samples of cherry tomatoes, nectarines, peaches, imported snap peas and strawberries showed 13 different pesticides apiece."
There are other opinions as to whether organic is worth the cost.
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/organic-food-worth-the-price/
I don't know what health problems you're talking about, but the typical American diet-related health problems are due to eating too much sugar in all its forms (processed food, soda, fruit juice, etc) refined carbohydrates in general, and processed foods, while not eating enough vegetables. I'm not aware of any that are solved by eating organic. Now, I do think organic is better for the environment, and there is probably a small health benefit, but it is hard to measure.
I couldn't agree more about sugar and processed food. If we all ate more fruits and veggies (organic or not) we'd be a lot healthier in general. I'm concerned about residual pesticides and antibiotics and the potential cumulative impact on gut bacteria. I know it sounds crazy and its easy to lampoon the idea. But, before immediately dismissing try googling "Microbiome and cancer" or any other chronic disease. I know organic, non-GMO etc are not perfect but I'm glad we are at least talking about what is in our food.
I didn't mean to hijack the spirit of the thread, just offering a different perspective. The real bad asses are the ones growing their own vegetables.
Post by: wisermiser on July 11, 2015, 05:35:55 PM
We are generally pretty frugal with the exception being groceries. I spend about $750 per month for two adults and two small children. However, that is for grass-fed-pastured-organic just about everything. I used to buy industrial meat and whatever was cheapest and I thought organic was for suckers. Then some chronic health problems caused me to re-examine my diet. I'm sure I overspend now but I'm OK with that. I would at least follow the "dirty dozen" and "clean fifteen" guidelines when choosing organic or not.Personally I say bring on the GMO's, bring on the pesticides, bring on the vaccinations. Just treat animals more fairly. I won't pay more for organic fruits and veggies, but I'll pay more for animals that I know were treated better than usual.
"Highlights of Dirty Dozen™ 2015
EWG singles out produce with the highest pesticide loads for its Dirty Dozen™ list. This year, it is comprised of apples, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, grapes, celery, spinach, sweet bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and potatoes.
Each of these foods tested positive a number of different pesticide residues and showed higher concentrations of pesticides than other produce items.
Key findings:
99 percent of apple samples, 98 percent of peaches, and 97 percent of nectarines tested positive for at least one pesticide residue.
The average potato had more pesticides by weight than any other produce.
A single grape sample and a sweet bell pepper sample contained 15 pesticides.
Single samples of cherry tomatoes, nectarines, peaches, imported snap peas and strawberries showed 13 different pesticides apiece."
You will pay more for all food in the long run if pesticides kill all the bees.
Post by: firewalker on July 11, 2015, 07:00:02 PM
Post by: forummm on July 11, 2015, 07:05:12 PM
What a strange world we live in. The richest country in the world cant produce reasonably affordable food for its population without having abused animals, dead bees, and chemical soaked vegetation.
And we throw away half the food we do produce. Coincidence?
Post by: Erica/NWEdible on July 11, 2015, 08:22:30 PM
I'm concerned about residual pesticides and antibiotics and the potential cumulative impact on gut bacteria. I know it sounds crazy and its easy to lampoon the idea. But, before immediately dismissing try googling "Microbiome and cancer" or any other chronic disease. I know organic, non-GMO etc are not perfect but I'm glad we are at least talking about what is in our food.For what it's worth, I don't think that's crazy at all. Dr. David Perlmutter is doing some great research into the gut microbiome and how a/n un/healthy gut influences many things, including neurodegenerative disease. "Brain Maker" is his latest book on this exact topic. The more we learn, the more it's looking like it's microbes, all the way down.
What a strange world we live in. The richest country in the world cant produce reasonably affordable food for its population without having abused animals, dead bees, and chemical soaked vegetation.
And we throw away half the food we do produce. Coincidence?
Nope. Calories are cheap. Therefore we don't value them. Therefore they are generally grown, cooked, eaten and wasted in a way that reflects that lack of value.
Post by: forummm on July 18, 2015, 02:36:28 PM
5 pints of grape tomatoes @ $1.29 ea
2 lb strawberries $1.99
4x 2lb blueberries @ $1.50 ea
2x 10lb chicken leg quarters @ $2.99 ea
2x giant cauliflower heads @ $1.50 ea
Total: $24.12
Will get milk for $1.99 tomorrow or Monday.
Post by: Monkey Uncle on July 19, 2015, 04:08:24 AM
Had another great week of buys:
5 pints of grape tomatoes @ $1.29 ea
2 lb strawberries $1.99
4x 2lb blueberries @ $1.50 ea
2x 10lb chicken leg quarters @ $2.99 ea
2x giant cauliflower heads @ $1.50 ea
Total: $24.12
Will get milk for $1.99 tomorrow or Monday.
I'm envious. We never, ever see those kinds of deals in my area. Well, maybe the grape tomatoes and the cauliflower, but not the other stuff. And believe me, we do shop around and watch the sale papers.
Post by: forummm on July 19, 2015, 07:10:27 AM
Had another great week of buys:
5 pints of grape tomatoes @ $1.29 ea
2 lb strawberries $1.99
4x 2lb blueberries @ $1.50 ea
2x 10lb chicken leg quarters @ $2.99 ea
2x giant cauliflower heads @ $1.50 ea
Total: $24.12
Will get milk for $1.99 tomorrow or Monday.
I'm envious. We never, ever see those kinds of deals in my area. Well, maybe the grape tomatoes and the cauliflower, but not the other stuff. And believe me, we do shop around and watch the sale papers.
Yeah, I've almost completely switched over to this new store and just buy their good sales. Their produce deals are insane. Their non-sale items are fine, but I see no reason to buy them.
Our fridge is overflowing right now.
Post by: Gerard on July 21, 2015, 11:08:05 AM
" Our latest grocery hack is to go by the salad bar for small servings of fresh spinach. Salad bar is sold by the pound, because they anticipate you'll load it down with stuff like cheese & olives. So we end up buying spinach or mixed greens for pennies compared to getting a whole box of greens."
I recently noticed that the precious grocery store that my sweetie likes has an olive/antipasto bar ($1.10 per 100 grams) that includes capers, so I might pop in there for a tubful of capers some day soon.
The original hack reminds me of something my ex used to do at the cafeteria at uni: she'd bring a package of instant noodles to school, buy a big handful of salad bar greens for 30 cents, and add them to her noodles.
Post by: forummm on August 02, 2015, 09:13:20 AM
5 lbs raisins @$2.38/lb: $11.92
8 x 5 oz organic arugula or organic salad blend @ $0.99 ea: $7.92
4 x caramel chocolate bars on managers special @ $0.79 ea: $3.16
7 x giant chocolate bars on managers special @ $1 ea: $7
10 lbs peanuts @ $2.49/lb: $24.90
3 x 8oz parmesan cheese sprinkle on managers special @ $1.89 ea: $5.67
2 x bags kettle chips on managers special @ $0.99 ea: $1.98
5 x boxes Cheeze-it crackers @ $1.59 ea: $7.95
5 x boxes Ritz crackers @ $1.77 ea: $8.85
2 x gal milk @ $2.50 ea: $5
4 x 1 lb jars of artisanal jellies on managers special @ $1.39 ea: $5.56
Total with tax $92.61
A lot of the stuff will last for many months. And we also have previous bargain items at home to eat as well (like some remaining fruit from last week and the most of the fajita content.
I think I forgot to post last week all the cheese I bought for $3/lb and some other great deals like blueberries for 50 cents/lb.
Post by: Trundlesome1 on August 02, 2015, 09:34:45 AM
Post by: forummm on August 02, 2015, 10:08:48 AM
Post by: grantmeaname on August 02, 2015, 02:53:36 PM
Last week I also got 2lb cans of refried beans on managers special for $0.69 ea.Wow, that's got to be as cheap as dried pintos!
Post by: forummm on August 02, 2015, 04:32:47 PM
Last week I also got 2lb cans of refried beans on managers special for $0.69 ea.Wow, that's got to be as cheap as dried pintos!
Yeah, that's what I figured. I have dried pintos. But this saves me the trouble of making them.
Post by: grantmeaname on August 02, 2015, 05:09:34 PM
Post by: forummm on August 02, 2015, 05:25:11 PM
I always keep a can or two of refried on hand for exactly that reason - in case I want to make nachos or something on less than 10 hours of notice.
Fortunately, my legume-oriented cravings give me at least 12 or 14 hours of warning before they hit.
Post by: firewalker on August 02, 2015, 08:57:59 PM
Post by: sstants on August 12, 2015, 10:19:36 AM
If you can be flexible with what type of green veggie you eat one week and what your fruit is, you can keep your costs low! If you think about your meals/shopping in categories and just buy the deals when you get to the store you'll be in good shape. My grocery list typically looks something like this:
Green vegetable or two (may end up being beans, broccoli, kale etc)
Squash/potato
Onion & Garlic
5 servings fruit
Leaves of some sort (lettuce/spinach/arugula etc)
Chicken
Ground turkey
Fish if on sale
Eggs
Milk & yogurt
Grain (rice/pasta/quinoa or whatever is on sale in the bulk bins)
That's about it...and I do it all at Whole Foods/farmers market for about $350 a month for 2 people.
Post by: Papa Mustache on August 12, 2015, 11:49:23 AM
Unreal. Groceries are so expensive here in Australia. Blueberries are about $7 for a small box here.
What would a typical trip to the Aussie grocery look like? What do you eat typically there?
Post by: ClassyCat on August 12, 2015, 02:50:07 PM
Last week I also got 2lb cans of refried beans on managers special for $0.69 ea.
That's pretty awesome. We found a similar deal for black beans recently and stocked up on them. I'd forgotten how delicious they are. Not to mention the killer budget they allow.
Post by: Ox05 on August 12, 2015, 03:23:11 PM
In other words, things I use. It only takes a little bit of work. I imagine I'm saving 20-25 a month on things I'd buy anyways, with way less than an hour of work.
You can download the app on your smartphone. If you'd like to use my referral code (yffesea), it'd be great. I get $2 and you get $1. Plus there are some bonuses attached to being on a team.
Post by: APowers on August 12, 2015, 05:22:52 PM
12 oz. spicy mustard-- $1
Five 1/2 gallons of almond/coconut milk-- $1/ea.
We don't normally do milk in our oatmeal for breakfast (Boy reacts to dairy). "Special" milk is normally inordinately expensive, so the kiddos will be excited to be able to have it regularly for a while.
Post by: forummm on August 15, 2015, 05:37:21 PM
Post by: ClassyCat on August 15, 2015, 07:18:56 PM
Post by: forummm on August 15, 2015, 07:35:07 PM
It's always interesting to see how much milk prices vary across the country. I drink milk and water exclusively because nothing else appeals to me, so I've been buying 3-4 gallons a week for years. I remember when I first moved here and it was $4 a gallon -- I nearly had a stroke. Now it's back down to $2.65 here.
When I was in Hawaii 20 years ago it was around $6. On the North Slope of Alaska it was around $10. It's usually $3 here, but bounces between $2 and $3.50 (within a week even). I'd be interested to learn more about the economics of grocery stores and how the advertised prices on lost leaders work and how much they are losing and how they make it back on other items, etc.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on August 16, 2015, 07:22:01 AM
An example of prices are:
$0.59 a kilo for oranges
$1.19 a kilo for bananas (they were $1.49 today)
$1.29 a kilo for mandarins
$1.99 a kilo for capsicum (they were $1.49 today)
$1.49 for tomatoes (and I've seen them as low as 79c/kg...in winter!)
$1.99 for a 5kg bag of potatoes
$1.19 for a 2kg bag of brown onions
$0.79 for a 1kg bag of carrots
Combine that with Aldi for most of the packaged stuff ($0.75 a tin of beans/lentils, $0.95 for Australian canned tomatoes, etc), and meat from wherever (although $10+/kg is normal there), I tend to do alright.
I'm astonished that a tin of tomatoes shipped all the way from Italy sells for $0.59 yet the same from Australia is $0.95.
Milk's usually about $2 for 2L (I'm surprised that gallon containers are so common in the States, aren't they too heavy?)
Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk
Post by: Bracken_Joy on August 16, 2015, 07:53:24 AM
Milk's usually about $2 for 2L (I'm surprised that gallon containers are so common in the States, aren't they too heavy?)
It's a common trope in commercials that kids spill milk everywhere while trying to pour their cereal. I know some families transfer the milk to a smaller pitcher, but mostly, you just learn to muscle it at a young age.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on August 16, 2015, 08:04:01 AM
Hmm, do they offer half gallon containers? Half a gallon seems ideal, about 1.9L. Seems kinda silly really to have milk in such large containers, especially given milk's shelf life (or is it loaded up with HFCS there to extend that?).
Milk's usually about $2 for 2L (I'm surprised that gallon containers are so common in the States, aren't they too heavy?)
It's a common trope in commercials that kids spill milk everywhere while trying to pour their cereal. I know some families transfer the milk to a smaller pitcher, but mostly, you just learn to muscle it at a young age.
I admit I've taken to buying the long life milk, which is $0.90 for a 1L carton.
Post by: ClassyCat on August 16, 2015, 08:09:53 AM
Post by: Seppia on August 16, 2015, 08:40:23 AM
I'd be interested to learn more about the economics of grocery stores and how the advertised prices on lost leaders work and how much they are losing and how they make it back on other items, etc.
It depends mightily on the store.
Costco is by FAR the best place to shop, in the conus they have a very simple approach to pricing: 13.5% margin.
Everything you buy has cost them 0.865 times what you pay.
Among regular stores walmart and target are the ones taking the smaller margins on average, 25-30%
To the surprise of no one, whole foods takes the highest margins, 45 to 50%.
The policy on deals also changes across the different banners.
Some will do what is called "penny for penny" meaning that if a certain product costs them $6 and they are selling it for $10, if the manufacturer gives them a $2 temporary discount they will reduce their price by $2. They will keep their margin fully intact.
Again to the surprise of no one this is what whole foods usually does.
Kroger also does the same.
Others will keep the same margin %, so using the figures of the above example a $2 temporary discount from the manufacturer would result in a $6.67 selling price. Walmart and target tend to fall in this category.
The above is a general rule, valid for items that move reasonable volumes without being uber brands with super high velocity on the shelf.
Coca cola products tend to be sold at very very low margins, sometimes even at a loss during a special.
Conversely, very slow moving items tend to have very high margins to compensate for the slower movement.
Post by: forummm on August 16, 2015, 09:36:35 AM
Hmm, do they offer half gallon containers? Half a gallon seems ideal, about 1.9L. Seems kinda silly really to have milk in such large containers, especially given milk's shelf life (or is it loaded up with HFCS there to extend that?).
Milk's usually about $2 for 2L (I'm surprised that gallon containers are so common in the States, aren't they too heavy?)
It's a common trope in commercials that kids spill milk everywhere while trying to pour their cereal. I know some families transfer the milk to a smaller pitcher, but mostly, you just learn to muscle it at a young age.
I admit I've taken to buying the long life milk, which is $0.90 for a 1L carton.
You can get milk in pints, quarts, half gallons, or gallons. Each smaller size is typically more expensive per ounce. Frequently a quart will be 10% cheaper than a half gallon. Or a half gallon will be 25% cheaper than a gallon. It's kind of crazy.
Post by: Anje on August 17, 2015, 04:22:18 AM
An example of prices are - cheepest sale in ():
$3.1 (1.25) a kilo for oranges
$2.9 (1.25) a kilo for bananas
$6.25 for (the cheapest of) tomatoes - if you want fancy tomatoes they cost $11-12 a kilo, but you might luck out and get them 40% off.
$1.8 for 1kg of onions
$2.25 (1.25) for 1kg of carrots (when "local" they surge up to 2.25 for 1/2 a kilo...)
$2.5 for 1 medium avocado - or 6.25 for a kilo of the tiny ones
1.25 for a head of broccoli or cauliflower (around 1/2 a kilo)
Milk's usually about $1.8 for 1L, I can only ocationally (every second month or so) find it at rock bottom price of 1.25.
Ground pork on sale can drop to 1.35 a pound. Ground beef not on sale costs $ 6.5 a pound. If you want meat it's near $ 20 a pound
Any nuts found at $ 12.5 or less a kilo I buy in bulk. Normally several of them go for the double.
Post by: grantmeaname on August 17, 2015, 06:05:24 AM
It depends mightily on the store.Really? Do you have a source for that? I've never heard anything like that before.
Costco is by FAR the best place to shop, in the conus they have a very simple approach to pricing: 13.5% margin.
Everything you buy has cost them 0.865 times what you pay.
Post by: Seppia on August 17, 2015, 07:10:30 AM
Post by: grantmeaname on August 17, 2015, 07:18:51 AM
Post by: fitfrugalfab on August 17, 2015, 07:28:13 AM
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/06/22/ab8dbbe8f70ece7ab353c109507dcf1a.jpg)
18 items under $18 in my local farmers market
Good for 10days for two of us since we eat lot of curry and raw fresh veggies.
I wish my local farmer's market had prices like that. I live by DC so my farmer's market prices would be almost triple that.
Post by: Seppia on August 17, 2015, 10:01:52 AM
I appreciate that you may have first-hand knowledge of it, but you are just some guy on the internet. That's not much of a source. (FWIW, the GM% in the audited financial statements is about 12.6% so the number is reasonable)
I understand completely no worries.
I just prefer to avoid publicly explaining why and how I do know because I'm not sure the retailers involved would be happy to know someone is putting the information out there.
By the way it's not that hard to get a general confirmation of this, knowing that give or take all major retailers get more or less the same net net cost from suppliers.
You can safely assume that costco, walmart, Kroger Safeway and publix get more or less the same conditions from coca cola, P&G, unilever, etc.
then you can work back their margins.
You are going to have a hard time finding out a clear source saying "hey that's what we make on the products we sell"
Post by: forummm on August 17, 2015, 11:51:46 AM
Post by: Travis on August 18, 2015, 04:18:15 PM
I thought Costco bragged about keeping their margin set low so that their members got fair prices on things, and why some things are MUCH cheaper than competitors while other things are more average priced. I've heard the 15% markup number from their members who don't have inside connections.
http://www.businessinsider.com/three-reasons-costco-is-beating-wal-mart-2013-11 (http://www.businessinsider.com/three-reasons-costco-is-beating-wal-mart-2013-11)
The 15% figure seems to be public knowledge. One of my coworkers wrote his MBA thesis on Costco's business strategy. I don't have access to his hard data, but I remember him talking about Costco constantly on the lookout for things they could buy and keep in stock at the lowest overhead costs for themselves (rotating brand names rather than staying with a particular one) in addition to only stocking a fraction of the items a normal grocery store does which greatly reduces their expenses.
Post by: Travis on August 18, 2015, 04:21:25 PM
Post by: FIRE me on August 18, 2015, 07:33:26 PM
That's breakfast every day for me for about 10 months for $20, plus milk, a little sugar, and bananas.
Post by: Seppia on August 18, 2015, 09:20:27 PM
I thought Costco bragged about keeping their margin set low so that their members got fair prices on things, and why some things are MUCH cheaper than competitors while other things are more average priced. I've heard the 15% markup number from their members who don't have inside connections.
http://www.businessinsider.com/three-reasons-costco-is-beating-wal-mart-2013-11 (http://www.businessinsider.com/three-reasons-costco-is-beating-wal-mart-2013-11)
The 15% figure seems to be public knowledge. One of my coworkers wrote his MBA thesis on Costco's business strategy. I don't have access to his hard data, but I remember him talking about Costco constantly on the lookout for things they could buy and keep in stock at the lowest overhead costs for themselves (rotating brand names rather than staying with a particular one) in addition to only stocking a fraction of the items a normal grocery store does which greatly reduces their expenses.
Happy what I said is apparently publicly confirmed (13.5% margin is basically 15% markup)
Post by: Frugal_NYC on August 19, 2015, 07:42:19 AM
Fairway is also reasonably price compared to the hell that is whole foods
Post by: wordnerd on August 29, 2015, 10:41:56 AM
2 heads of cauliflower at $1.50 each
1 lb Braeburn apples at $0.89/lb
1 lb Granny smith apples at $0.99/lb
2.5 lbs Peaches at $0.59/lb
6.5 lbs pork chops at $1.79/lb
Post by: kathrynd on August 30, 2015, 11:41:22 AM
Unreal. Groceries are so expensive here in Australia. Blueberries are about $7 for a small box here.
No they aren't.
Sales are everywhere....you just buy them when they are on sale or reduced ( Blueberries)
We split our time between Canada and Australia...and what you need to change most of all is your attitude.
Search out the smaller markets, where produce is cheaper or on sale more often.
We house sit, so we travel around to the small towns, all the time.
Woolies and Coles have the 'fill a bag for $2-$3" ...for produce.
They have 30% off their meats every day.
Milk is reduced....etc
The biggest challenge, is finding out when they do this....ask, if you need to.
Post by: forummm on September 11, 2015, 05:35:15 PM
2 gallons of milk: $5
5.62 lbs of pork tenderloin: $10.06
29 cans of tuna: $14.50
We still have vegetables and other staples to round out the meals. The tuna will be eaten over the next year or so.
Post by: NataliaDuma on September 12, 2015, 01:07:49 AM
Post by: Faraday on September 12, 2015, 01:40:51 AM
Had another great week of buys:
5 pints of grape tomatoes @ $1.29 ea
2 lb strawberries $1.99
4x 2lb blueberries @ $1.50 ea
2x 10lb chicken leg quarters @ $2.99 ea
2x giant cauliflower heads @ $1.50 ea
Total: $24.12
Will get milk for $1.99 tomorrow or Monday.
Notice that the bulk of forummm's crazy-good meat deals are on chicken. Thighs have always been a killer deal because so many people don't like them.
I'm seeing 5 lb trays of chicken breasts at Sam's for $1.99/lb. Nowhere near as good as forummm's deal, but still not bad. I can throw that chicken on the grill and come up with meat protein for three or more dinners plus a couple lunches on that purchase. 3-5 lbs of chicken breast and a jar of artichoke hearts in oil and you've not only got awesome keto-compliant food, you can pre-portion it out, refrigerate or freeze and end up with a lot of meals for the money.
Pork hasn't been as cheap as chicken for a long time but you can usually get good deals on "family packs" of certain cuts like boneless pork chops. I always buy pork in "family pack" sizes and just freeze it. Same for bacon, which is usually painfully expensive.
forummm, where'd you make that magic on the chicken leg quarters?
Post by: forummm on September 12, 2015, 06:22:25 AM
Had another great week of buys:
5 pints of grape tomatoes @ $1.29 ea
2 lb strawberries $1.99
4x 2lb blueberries @ $1.50 ea
2x 10lb chicken leg quarters @ $2.99 ea
2x giant cauliflower heads @ $1.50 ea
Total: $24.12
Will get milk for $1.99 tomorrow or Monday.
Notice that the bulk of forummm's crazy-good meat deals are on chicken. Thighs have always been a killer deal because so many people don't like them.
I'm seeing 5 lb trays of chicken breasts at Sam's for $1.99/lb. Nowhere near as good as forummm's deal, but still not bad. I can throw that chicken on the grill and come up with meat protein for three or more dinners plus a couple lunches on that purchase. 3-5 lbs of chicken breast and a jar of artichoke hearts in oil and you've not only got awesome keto-compliant food, you can pre-portion it out, refrigerate or freeze and end up with a lot of meals for the money.
Pork hasn't been as cheap as chicken for a long time but you can usually get good deals on "family packs" of certain cuts like boneless pork chops. I always buy pork in "family pack" sizes and just freeze it. Same for bacon, which is usually painfully expensive.
forummm, where'd you make that magic on the chicken leg quarters?
I find pork shoulders or pork butts are frequently $1.49/lb and are great for the crock pot. This is at Kroger. The usual price is $1.99 or so but they routinely go on sale and that's when I buy. Their chicken breasts are either $1.99 or $5 and they go back and forth. Obviously I only buy when cheap. Pork tenderloin is usually $4 but then it goes down to $2 and was $1.79 this week. If you just know what things cost and only buy whatever's on sale you're literally cutting your meat spending as much as by half vs buying something without looking at what's on sale. There's an Asian grocery store that has amazing deals on fruit and vegetables and certain meats. That's where I got the thighs and quarters.
Post by: wordnerd on September 19, 2015, 01:30:08 PM
$1.25 for a gallon of milk (doesn't expire for a week)
$2 each for 2 12 oz bottles of saline solution
$3 for 12 oz of kona whole bean coffee
$0.88/lb for 5 lb whole chicken
$0.99/lb for 3 lbs of pears
$0.99 each for 2 large heads of iceberg lettuce
Post by: forummm on May 01, 2016, 12:08:51 PM
Post by: Monkey Uncle on May 01, 2016, 01:20:52 PM
Pork sirloin roast - .99/lb
Splurge! T-bone steak - 4.99/lb
Post by: slackmax on May 05, 2016, 08:12:05 PM
At $3.99 for a tiny box that lasts for about 2 servings, either there's a berry cartel of some sort, or they are now paying the illegals $40 an hour to pick them, or both. Ha Ha. Mindblowing.
Post by: Bbqmustache on May 06, 2016, 04:57:05 AM
We pre-make apple pie filling and freeze them into pie pan shapes. Will also dry sugar pack other slices for other uses. Cortland apples go to MIL for apple butter creation.
Post by: alsoknownasDean on May 07, 2016, 04:08:46 AM
1x 500ml bottle of mango juice ($0.99)
1x Pineapple ($1.99)
646g Roma tomatoes ($1.89/kg)
1.738kg Brushed potatoes ($1.99/kg)
1.366kg Bananas ($0.99/kg)
484g Red Capsicum (bell peppers) ($1.99/kg)
464g Carrots ($1.49/kg)
614g Mandarins ($0.99/kg)
386g Small red apples ($0.99/kg)
All of that for $11.65. The potatoes and carrots were a bit on the expensive side, but whatever.
Post by: forummm on May 07, 2016, 07:57:39 AM
8 pints of grape tomatoes for $1 each
3 cauliflower at $1 each
5 lbs ground beef at $1.99/lb
6 lbs sweet yellow onions for $3
Post by: Jakejake on May 07, 2016, 05:25:46 PM
Expenses: $172 ($37 plus the $135 for gift cards)
Includes fruits & veggies:
a case of tomatoes with some bad spots,
a small case of grapes, some good, some had to be thrown out,
apricots,
13 pounds of apples.
a head of romaine lettuce
one banana
6 frozen veggie 12oz bags
an entire case of arugula (half dozen bags?) for two dollars. I figured this is the universe telling me it's time to try the fad. My review: arugula tastes worse than foot fungus. And wow, I have a lot of it.
Proteins:
2 lbs turkey burgers
3 lbs bacon ends
2 boxes of veggie burgers
3 lbs chicken nuggets
1 doz eggs
3 cans refried beans
Random stuff:
gallon of milk
1 quart half and half
lentil chips
pretzels
1 yogurt
2 tubs of margarine
a loaf of bread
two packs of tortillas
Money back: $167.6 ($9.6 in rebates, $8 in On Your Next Order coupons, and $150 from the gift cards)
Net Cost: $5.12
Post by: Arktinkerer on May 10, 2016, 10:02:49 AM
Similar stories about stocking up on butter or other goods. Its like my price point has been permanently lowered...
Post by: forummm on May 12, 2016, 09:28:38 AM
Post by: Kaybee on May 12, 2016, 11:48:11 AM
If you can be flexible with what type of green veggie you eat one week and what your fruit is, you can keep your costs low! If you think about your meals/shopping in categories and just buy the deals when you get to the store you'll be in good shape. My grocery list typically looks something like this:
Green vegetable or two (may end up being beans, broccoli, kale etc)
Squash/potato
Onion & Garlic
5 servings fruit
Leaves of some sort (lettuce/spinach/arugula etc)
Chicken
Ground turkey
Fish if on sale
Eggs
Milk & yogurt
Grain (rice/pasta/quinoa or whatever is on sale in the bulk bins)
I'm happy that someone shops the way I do (my non-MMM friends all looked at me funny when I mentioned my grocery habits). I don't decide what I want to eat and then buy it, I go to the store, see what's on sale and *then* figure out what I'll be eating.
That being said, there haven't been any *stellar* deals at my grocery store lately but I'm veg and stores don't use items like tempeh and tofu as loss-leaders, lol.
Post by: forummm on May 22, 2016, 04:14:00 PM
4 lbs asparagus at $1.99/lb
3 lbs strawberries $1.99 (2 berries were moldy so it was on sale)
8 lbs oranges $3
4 pints grape tomatoes $1 ea
Post by: forummm on June 05, 2016, 11:56:58 AM
4.5 pounds black berries $4
25 large cucumbers $5
4 pounds asparagus $6
3x $2/gallon milk
Add that to some rice, meat, and granola we already have at home, and that's what we'll eat this week.
Post by: G-dog on June 05, 2016, 12:45:16 PM
More bargains todayWhat are you going to do with 25 cucumbers?
4.5 pounds black berries $4
25 large cucumbers $5
4 pounds asparagus $6
3x $2/gallon milk
Add that to some rice, meat, and granola we already have at home, and that's what we'll eat this week.
I just got 36lb of charcoal for $19.99 at Costco, not sure that that is any radically fantastic deal though.
Post by: Bracken_Joy on June 05, 2016, 12:47:54 PM
More bargains todayWhat are you going to do with 25 cucumbers?
4.5 pounds black berries $4
25 large cucumbers $5
4 pounds asparagus $6
3x $2/gallon milk
Add that to some rice, meat, and granola we already have at home, and that's what we'll eat this week.
I just got 36lb of charcoal for $19.99 at Costco, not sure that that is any radically fantastic deal though.
Pickles?
Post by: G-dog on June 05, 2016, 01:28:36 PM
ETA: with our bounty of cucumbers, I was looking for ways to use or preserve besides pickles. So I am curious, I found nothing but pickles.
Post by: Bracken_Joy on June 05, 2016, 01:56:36 PM
Last year our cucumber plant produced at least a hundred cucumbers! I made so many pickles. Large cucumbers are not optimal for making pickles (or so I read), neither are slicing cucumbers (another thing I read), but I used them and they were fine. I made refrigerator pickles, though I doubt that it matters.
ETA: with our bounty of cucumbers, I was looking for ways to use or preserve besides pickles. So I am curious, I found nothing but pickles.
Eh, they certainly won't be as crisp but slicers and bigger cukes can make good spears- particularly, like you said, if they're fridge pickles. I know people also use additives (citric acid? I don't recall) to crisp them up more. As far as other options go, you can always use cukes like zucchini if you press some water out for shredded dishes- it hides well in chili, bulks up soup, etc. A slight taste is conferred, but I don't mind it, although I grew up with it so YMMV. I think people replace it with zucc for other uses, like fritters or fried slices, but I haven't tried those.
Ooooh and tzatziki can't be beat.
Post by: forummm on June 05, 2016, 04:19:42 PM
More bargains todayWhat are you going to do with 25 cucumbers?
4.5 pounds black berries $4
25 large cucumbers $5
4 pounds asparagus $6
3x $2/gallon milk
Add that to some rice, meat, and granola we already have at home, and that's what we'll eat this week.
I just got 36lb of charcoal for $19.99 at Costco, not sure that that is any radically fantastic deal though.
Cucumber salads. We ate 4 tonight and I used another 13ish to create one that is marinating in some homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
Post by: Rezdent on June 05, 2016, 08:57:36 PM
I've thinned out the recipe for tzatziki in the past using more cucumber. Made a most delightful soup/drink.Last year our cucumber plant produced at least a hundred cucumbers! I made so many pickles. Large cucumbers are not optimal for making pickles (or so I read), neither are slicing cucumbers (another thing I read), but I used them and they were fine. I made refrigerator pickles, though I doubt that it matters.
ETA: with our bounty of cucumbers, I was looking for ways to use or preserve besides pickles. So I am curious, I found nothing but pickles.
Eh, they certainly won't be as crisp but slicers and bigger cukes can make good spears- particularly, like you said, if they're fridge pickles. I know people also use additives (citric acid? I don't recall) to crisp them up more. As far as other options go, you can always use cukes like zucchini if you press some water out for shredded dishes- it hides well in chili, bulks up soup, etc. A slight taste is conferred, but I don't mind it, although I grew up with it so YMMV. I think people replace it with zucc for other uses, like fritters or fried slices, but I haven't tried those.
Ooooh and tzatziki can't be beat.
Post by: Bracken_Joy on June 06, 2016, 09:11:10 AM
I've thinned out the recipe for tzatziki in the past using more cucumber. Made a most delightful soup/drink.Last year our cucumber plant produced at least a hundred cucumbers! I made so many pickles. Large cucumbers are not optimal for making pickles (or so I read), neither are slicing cucumbers (another thing I read), but I used them and they were fine. I made refrigerator pickles, though I doubt that it matters.
ETA: with our bounty of cucumbers, I was looking for ways to use or preserve besides pickles. So I am curious, I found nothing but pickles.
Eh, they certainly won't be as crisp but slicers and bigger cukes can make good spears- particularly, like you said, if they're fridge pickles. I know people also use additives (citric acid? I don't recall) to crisp them up more. As far as other options go, you can always use cukes like zucchini if you press some water out for shredded dishes- it hides well in chili, bulks up soup, etc. A slight taste is conferred, but I don't mind it, although I grew up with it so YMMV. I think people replace it with zucc for other uses, like fritters or fried slices, but I haven't tried those.
Ooooh and tzatziki can't be beat.
I've had some killer cocktails made with cucumber as well! Not going to go through a *ton* of cucumber that way, but certainly a pleasant way to go through some! =D
Post by: JoRocka on June 06, 2016, 01:16:46 PM
Another good produce haul
4 lbs asparagus at $1.99/lb
3 lbs strawberries $1.99 (2 berries were moldy so it was on sale)
8 lbs oranges $3
4 pints grape tomatoes $1 ea
I'm jealous- our asparagus and strawberries haven't dropped yet.
still like 3.99/4.99 for asparagus and 3.99 for a pint of strawberries.
I can't- I'll eat canned or frozen veggies before paying that kind of price for asparagus.
Post by: JoRocka on June 06, 2016, 01:17:42 PM
If you can be flexible with what type of green veggie you eat one week and what your fruit is, you can keep your costs low! If you think about your meals/shopping in categories and just buy the deals when you get to the store you'll be in good shape. My grocery list typically looks something like this:
Green vegetable or two (may end up being beans, broccoli, kale etc)
Squash/potato
Onion & Garlic
5 servings fruit
Leaves of some sort (lettuce/spinach/arugula etc)
Chicken
Ground turkey
Fish if on sale
Eggs
Milk & yogurt
Grain (rice/pasta/quinoa or whatever is on sale in the bulk bins)
I'm happy that someone shops the way I do (my non-MMM friends all looked at me funny when I mentioned my grocery habits). I don't decide what I want to eat and then buy it, I go to the store, see what's on sale and *then* figure out what I'll be eating.
That being said, there haven't been any *stellar* deals at my grocery store lately but I'm veg and stores don't use items like tempeh and tofu as loss-leaders, lol.
I have a loose frame work of what I want- I figure out the exact dish after I get my haul home. But Yeah- I'll easily trade my chicken for pork- or no meat at all if it's not on sale. I can't be bothered with chicken at 4$ a pound. aint no one got time for dat.
Post by: Gerard on June 10, 2016, 06:31:00 PM
with our bounty of cucumbers, I was looking for ways to use or preserve besides pickles. So I am curious, I found nothing but pickles.
We had craploads of cukes when I was a kid. My mom would peel and grate them, let them drain or squeeze them out, then add vinegar or lemon juice, salt, pepper or chili, and a little oil. It's amazing how many you can eat and still enjoy them, and they're super refreshing on a hot day, or as a side dish for spicy food. (We'd also drink the juice!)
In terms of my own grocery scores, I got a fresh pineapple for two bucks (that's a bargain in Newfoundland). As I just posted on the "What are you eating?" thread, half has been cooked with pork and soy sauce, the other half with Thai red curry paste and coconut milk. Both awesome with rice.
Post by: brute on June 10, 2016, 06:40:27 PM
If you can be flexible with what type of green veggie you eat one week and what your fruit is, you can keep your costs low! If you think about your meals/shopping in categories and just buy the deals when you get to the store you'll be in good shape. My grocery list typically looks something like this:
Green vegetable or two (may end up being beans, broccoli, kale etc)
Squash/potato
Onion & Garlic
5 servings fruit
Leaves of some sort (lettuce/spinach/arugula etc)
Chicken
Ground turkey
Fish if on sale
Eggs
Milk & yogurt
Grain (rice/pasta/quinoa or whatever is on sale in the bulk bins)
I'm happy that someone shops the way I do (my non-MMM friends all looked at me funny when I mentioned my grocery habits). I don't decide what I want to eat and then buy it, I go to the store, see what's on sale and *then* figure out what I'll be eating.
That being said, there haven't been any *stellar* deals at my grocery store lately but I'm veg and stores don't use items like tempeh and tofu as loss-leaders, lol.
I have a loose frame work of what I want- I figure out the exact dish after I get my haul home. But Yeah- I'll easily trade my chicken for pork- or no meat at all if it's not on sale. I can't be bothered with chicken at 4$ a pound. aint no one got time for dat.
That is why I love having a Sam's club a few miles away. $1.88 a pound for chicken breast every day.
Post by: JoRocka on June 10, 2016, 06:45:31 PM
I hear Wegmans is the same way.but I get anxiety going into that store. And quite frankly I don't eat enough dry goods to make paying the price of Sam's/BJ's or Costco. So. I fight with the regular store for sales lolIf you can be flexible with what type of green veggie you eat one week and what your fruit is, you can keep your costs low! If you think about your meals/shopping in categories and just buy the deals when you get to the store you'll be in good shape. My grocery list typically looks something like this:
Green vegetable or two (may end up being beans, broccoli, kale etc)
Squash/potato
Onion & Garlic
5 servings fruit
Leaves of some sort (lettuce/spinach/arugula etc)
Chicken
Ground turkey
Fish if on sale
Eggs
Milk & yogurt
Grain (rice/pasta/quinoa or whatever is on sale in the bulk bins)
I'm happy that someone shops the way I do (my non-MMM friends all looked at me funny when I mentioned my grocery habits). I don't decide what I want to eat and then buy it, I go to the store, see what's on sale and *then* figure out what I'll be eating.
That being said, there haven't been any *stellar* deals at my grocery store lately but I'm veg and stores don't use items like tempeh and tofu as loss-leaders, lol.
I have a loose frame work of what I want- I figure out the exact dish after I get my haul home. But Yeah- I'll easily trade my chicken for pork- or no meat at all if it's not on sale. I can't be bothered with chicken at 4$ a pound. aint no one got time for dat.
That is why I love having a Sam's club a few miles away. $1.88 a pound for chicken breast every day.
Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk
Post by: forummm on June 18, 2016, 01:47:21 PM
60 cans corn or peas @ $0.44/ea
gallon milk $1.99
4x12 oz cheerios (for baby) plus free 18 large eggs--$8 total
6lbs blueberries $2.97
5doz large eggs $3.09
2.5lb bag baby spinach $2.99
6.6lb red cabbage $3.24
4 pints grape tomatoes $1.29 each
Post by: Trudie on June 18, 2016, 05:34:10 PM
We've had some good deals here lately too:
Milk -$1.99/gallon
Eggs - .69/dozen (conventional; I prefer free range but these are good for the short term)
Lots of great, reasonably priced organic veg at the farmer's market...
I've been making my own balsamic dressing for the salad greens. It's easy peasy of course, but I've been lazy in the past. I prefer the balsamic from Trader Joe's, Costco Olive Oil, then throw in some scallions, Grey Poupon, and a bit of honey, salt and pepper. Yummo. Had a butter lettuce salad tonight with goat cheese, strawberries, unsalted sunflower seeds, and balsamic. Yummo (and cheap).
Post by: Monkey Uncle on June 26, 2016, 01:20:18 PM
Post by: dbo on June 26, 2016, 01:47:49 PM
Post by: Well Respected Man on June 26, 2016, 03:43:40 PM
I will definitely be biking for groceries again.
Post by: forummm on July 10, 2016, 11:18:38 AM
This is the summer of cheap eggs. ALDI has them for .69 cents a dozen regularly, sometimes even .49 cents. I am practically drinking eggs at our house.
Yeah! They must have over produced in response to the under production of late due to having to kill off the chickens because of that virus. We've used maybe 11 dozen in the past few weeks.
Post by: forummm on July 10, 2016, 11:18:56 AM
3 lbs strawberries: $2
3 lbs onions: $1.79
2.86 lbs green pepper: $2.26
2.3 lbs tomatoes: $1.82
3 heads lettuce: $2
2.5 gal milk: $5
About $15. Add in some things we have at home: seasonings, salad dressings, rice, 2 lbs chickpeas ($2.5), cans of vegetables (8x$0.35=$2.8), 3 doz eggs ($2) and home made granola. We're probably looking at around $25-30 for food for the week for the adults.
Post by: forummm on July 17, 2016, 04:37:03 PM
$1.5 for plums
$2 for red cabbage for a slaw
$4 for milk
$2 for pasta
$12 for pork shoulder (slow cooked)
Probably another <$5 in miscellaneous other ingredients (oil, vinegar, mayo, spices, etc), staples, homemade granola, etc. That's our food for the week. <$35 total
Post by: forummm on July 24, 2016, 04:45:34 PM
4 lbs asparagus $6
4 pints blueberries $4
45 oz high quality organic lettuce blends (arugula, etc) $5
I'll get some milk, pork chops, tomatoes, and other stuff on sale at another store tomorrow.
Post by: forummm on August 21, 2016, 07:07:04 PM
6 pints cherry tomatoes $5.34
5 lbs sweet peppers $4.95
3 gallons milk $3
Combine with some cheap cheese, ham, and macaroni, and some miscellaneous items, and that's most of our food for the week.
Post by: icemodeled on August 21, 2016, 09:48:55 PM
Post by: forummm on August 27, 2016, 05:56:25 PM
3.72 lbs tomatoes $1.82
3.08 lbs broccoli crowns $2.43
2.27 lbs green pepper $1.79
3lb yellow onions $1.49
9 English cucumbers $3
$14.49 total.
Tomorrow I'll get some milk ($1/half gal x 5) and grapes ($0.89/lb) and add that to 2lbs pasta ($2), 2.5 lbs ground beef ($5) and some other miscellaneous ingredients. Along with our homemade granola, that's basically our food for the week.