Grocery Shopping Success

I really hate grocery shopping, almost as much as I hate when Jesse goes grocery shopping.  Jesse doesn't think he needs a list, so he inevitably comes home with extra junk and forgets key ingredients for our meals.  As a Type A personality, I not only make a list, but have it organized in categories and highlight when I've placed the item in my cart.

Maddie and I have been doing the grocery shopping on the weekends for a few months now.  I've been trying to do a better job with meal planning, looking for sales, and determining what the best buys are.  Maddie and I went to Sam's to price check and see if paying for a membership would benefit our family. I have memorized most of the prices for our staples at Aldi.  (Exp: cantaloupe=$1.19, strawberries=$1.79, grapes=$2.99, milk=$2,89, carrots=$0.99, ground beef=$4.40/lb, dozen eggs=$1.79, canned beans=$0.59)  Very, very few food items were cheaper per ounce at Sam's.  If I have to switch to formula in the next few months we will buy a membership, otherwise we'll be sticking to Aldi for now.

My goal is to go grocery shopping every other week and to stick to a monthly budget of $350.  I *think* I can do that.  I'm okay with running into Aldi on the off week for a quick milk/produce run but I really want to stick to our menu plan and avoid any extra purchases. 

Jesse and I spent a good fifteen minutes to discuss upcoming events and plan our meals for the next two weeks.  I organized our grocery list and kept it out to reference throughout our shopping trip.

I purchased every single item on my list.  The grand total was...drumroll please...

The total came in under budget because we're able to utilize previously purchased chicken and salmon when they were on sale. (If you really want to factor in those costs, our two weeks worth of meals will include an $8 package of chicken and about $6 worth of fish that we have in the freezer.) 

I was so proud of myself for coming up with tasty, healthy meals on a budget.  I unloaded all the groceries and made Jesse guess how much it cost.  Of course I wanted to take a picture since I'm a bit crazy.  Jesse mocked my excitement.

As much as I hate grocery shopping, I certainly enjoy a well stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer. 

With the grocery shopping out of the way, I get to focus on one of my favorite tasks--cooking.