Inspire Me Thin

Someone asked me to lay out my weekly shopping.

Typically, I stop by the grocery store 2-3 times a week as longer-term stuff runs out. I don’t have just one designated day for grocery shopping. And this is a good thing because then I scope out the sales! If something is on sale, I buy it even if I don’t need it for another couple of days. It comes out cheaper that way, tbh. Especially for things like meats.

Now prices obviously vary from region to region. Here are my grocery store’s prices as of today. These are the type of items I would be generally keeping my eye out for.

• Quaker quick oats - 10oz (the big one) x $4.89
  —this typically lasts me about 4 weeks. Sometimes longer.
  —I prefer to wait until this is on sale for like $4.00 or cheaper
  —$1.22/week
• Fresh strawberries (on sale) x 2 / $5.00
  —one box lasts me 5-7 days.
  —$2.50/week if I was tight on cash and could only buy one box
• Broccoli (on sale) - $0.99/lb x $1.31
  —2 large heads (1.32lbs)
  —lasts me 2-3 meals
• Cucumber 1/$.88 x $1.76
  —2pc really really big ones.
  —lasts me 5-7 days
• Spinach (on sale) 2/$5.00
  —Typically only buy 1 bag because it lasts me all week, sometimes even longer. And I only buy it when it’s on sale. Otherwise no.
  —$2.50/week
• Corn (on sale) 4/$2.00 
  —I don’t typically buy this. But it’s in season and cheap! Would be a great veggie/snack substitute.
• 5lb bag potatoes - $3.99
  —I don’t typically buy this either. Rarely eat potatoes. If I do, then I’ll buy one individually wrapped Sweet Potato for $1.50. But just throwing this in there because it’s pretty cheap.
• Bag yellow onions (~15+ onions per bag) - $2.99
  —Don’t typically buy this either. But just throwing it in there. I think individual yellow onions are like… less than $1.00 per pound.
  —I consume about 2-3 onions per week
  —$0.60/week
• Ground turkey extra lean- $6.50/1.3lbs
  —I only buy this when it’s on sale for $5.00
• Chicken/Beef - 4/$20.00
  —My grocery store has this special, 4 for $20.
  —For the week $5.00, but I usually buy two and freeze them because the selection doesn’t last long!
  —$5.00-$10.00/week
• Peanut butter (large) - $8.49
  —A big tub lasts me about 2-3 months. And I try to buy it on sale when it’s closer to $6.00.
  —$1.06/week
• 16oz pearled barley - $1.49
  —Don’t typically buy this, but that’s a good deal! Barley is delicious.
• 12oz buckwheat - $3.99 
  —I live off of this. It’s a bit pricey. But lasts me a ~3 weeks.
  —$1.33/week
• 16oz lentils - $1.59
  —Don’t typically buy this, but it’s a good deal. Lentils are good too.
• 19oz black beans (canned) - 1.59
  —I can’t cook dry beans. So I have to buy the canned kind LOLOL.
  —Typically look out for when this goes on sale for $0.89-$1.00
  —1 can lasts me a week. I don’t eat much beans. And lately I haven’t been eating them at all.
• Gallon of milk - $3.95 (1/2: $2.29)
  —Usually drink an entire gallon of milk in 10 days. So there’s some overlap.
• Butter - $3.00
  —Wait for this to go on sale for $3.00 or $2.50. I don’t use a lot of butter. So the four sticks last me a really really really really REALLY long time because I only use a tiny bit per meal.
• Eggs (18) - $3.19 Eggs (12) - $2.19
  —usually wait for these to go on sale for $2.50
  —lasts me 2-3 weeks.. depending on how often I make eggs
• Egg whites (32oz) - $5.99, 16oz (on sale right now!!) 2/$5.00
  —Ehhh, trying to stay away from these. But if it’s on sale I’ll buy it.
• Chobani (large) - $5.99 or $1.00 per individual
  —This varies for me. A large chobani lasts me 3-4 servings.
  —I buy sometimes. Sometimes I just buy one individual.
• Apples - $1.79/lb
  —This is probably the only produce that racks up my bill! Apples are expensive. The cheapest ones I sometimes find are ~1.29 or 0.99 near work.
  —But yeah…. $4.12 for 5 apples.
• Green peppers - < $1.79/lb
  —Usually buy 4 med/large ones
  —$2.50/week

So this week I need to buy:

Milk (3.95) + strawberries (5.00) + broccoli (1.31) + cucumber (1.76) + green peppers (2.50) + spinach (2.50) + chicken (5.00) + apples (4.12) = ~$27.00 Throw in some buckwheat because I ran out (some barley or brown rice if I wanted it to come half cheaper) and a chobani yogurt and I’m up to ~$32.00 + $1.00-1.50 tax.

+/- $10.00 depending on the week and what longer-term items I run out of

An example meal day this week:

Breakfast (oats, strawberries, brown sugar*, cinnamon*, milk, coffee, multi-vitamin)
Lunch (egg omelet, chicken strips (or deli meat if available*), ketchup*, onion, green pepper, cucumber, spinach, buckwheat (or egg whites*), butter)
Snack (apple + peanut butter)
Dinner (chicken, buckwheat, brocolli, cucumber, bbq sauce*, butter)
Snack(iced milk chocolate, milk + chocolate mix*, or chobani + strawberries)

= ~1700 calories. ~50% carbs, 30% protein, 20% fat.

*Some things are simply 1-time purchases that last meforeverrrrrr.

IDK….. it works out for me. And even I consider my grocery store to be overpriced. But I do my best to look out for sales, and get by with what I have. If something is ridiculously priced, I simply go a week or two without it and alter my meals. No big deal. I hope this helps put things in a new perspective for you. :))

(Source: inspiremethin)