Happy tax day fellow Americans (and happy 15th of April to everyone else)! Last week I had one of my trice annual Costco trips for dairy, pantry staples, and household products (the latter is not included in my totals below). I also picked up 10 lbs. of onions for $5.99 since onions have been running at $1.12 per pound at the grocery store for the last two months according to my tracker spreadsheet (thanks of the inspiration, Zikoris and everyone else here!). One onion was moldy on the bottom, but I was able to save about half of it by cutting it immediately when I got home and using it, cooked, in a dish that evening. The other onions appear unaffected, but I’m watching closely for any signs of spoilage. 9 lbs. of usable onions for $5.99 is $0.67 per pound, much better than the grocery stores’ best prices lately.
I try to run under budget in the three months preceding a Costco trip, and this trip was paid for with reserves built up in January, February, and March, but in the spirit of this thread I’m going to try to finish out April with only $20 for the next two weeks. It should be a fun challenge. To help me get there I just bought a 10 lb. bag of organic carrots for $6.99 plus tax (not included in the totals below). What better way to celebrate the Easter season than by eating ten pounds of carrots in two weeks? I look forward to my mother’s concerns over my jaundiced complexion. I’m planning the following meals (six servings each, all carrot based):
Carrot and corn soup garnished with lemon and cilantro with pitas on the side
Stir fry scallion sesame noodles with caramelized carrots and soft boiled eggs
Chickpea korma with carrots and peas over rice (I might change the rice to quinoa for more protein)
Thyme roasted carrots and corn on the cob (10 for $2 next week) with rolls and honey butter
Apple and carrot ravioli in sage brown butter (I might need a side for this, the plate seems skimpy, suggestions?)
The produce necessary for the above that isn’t already in my fridge plus the carrots should cost around $16. I shouldn’t need anything else, but I have $4 to play with if the produce runs out before the end of the month or if I need eggs, and I have a few pantry meals up my sleeve if need be as well (linguini in pesto from the herb garden, egg drop soup, “ramen”, spiced lentils in pitas, parathas, etc.). I also have a few beers left in the fridge and some bourbon on the counter; when I drink I’m less hungry.
My birthday is next week, so I guess I’ll make a chiffon cake frosted with the excess strawberry buttercream from my mom’s birthday cake made last month. For cake flavorings I’ll use chocolate, rosewater, and almonds. I already have all the ingredients I need for that.
Here are my totals for the first half of April. I’m single, so these are one person, 15 day totals:
Category | Cost | Percent | Pounds | $/lb. |
Produce | $17.46 | 18.1% | 17.1 lbs. | $1.02/lb. |
Beans | $ 1.17 | 1.2% | 0.6 lbs. | $1.98/lb. |
Grains | $ 7.69 | 8.0% | 20.0 lbs. | $0.38/lb. |
Meat | $ 4.00 | 4.1% | 1.0 lbs. | $4.00/lb. |
Dairy | $35.04 | 39.4% | 11.0 lbs. | $3.19/lb. |
Eggs | - | - | - | - |
Pantry | $23.48 | 26.4% | 6.0 lbs. | $3.91/lb. |
Alcohol/Coffee | - | - | - | - |
Prepared | - | - | - | - |
Sales Tax | $ 7.50 | 7.9% | | |
Total | $96.43 | | 55.7 lbs. | $1.73/lb. |
Meals cooked:
Cavatelli and thyme porcini sausage in peas and tomatoes
White bean soup with cooked kale, rosemary sausage, and garlic crostinis
Apple bourbon sausage over garlic mashed potatoes with green beans and bourbon mustard sauce
Linguini with pesto
Tomato and zucchini tian with quinoa tabouleh