Well, I looked at the Kroger ad for this week and all I can say is - "yippee, I need nothing". Nope not a thing. As we spoke about last week, I am trying to be a better shopper and not just go out and grocery shop to grocery shop.
I did see a couple thigs (only) in the ad that was good pricing. There was bacon - 2.99/lb. Super price! I have pounds of it in my big freezer. There was boneless skinless chicken breast for 1.47/lb. Good deal. Nope need none of that either.
I can walk out and get tomatoes now (yay), cukes, zucchini, and peppers any time I want. I have carrots and radishes in the crisper. I have onions and potatoes. Lots of canned/frozen veggies that can be served alone or with rice or pasta and any type of seasoning or sauce that I may feel like that day. I have meat, lots of meat. I still have eggs, butter, milk and cheese in the frig. WHY go out?
I am good. I am blessed.
I did notice they had 'lunchables' in the ad this week. School is starting, so they are back on the kid focused stuff.
I really had to laugh. My goodness, these things are nothing new. I remember mom cutting up some lunchmeat and cheese and handing me some crackers, all for a snack. Yep - we had the original lunchables!!!!!!!
If you look at the ones they sell today - there is basically NOT even a total slice of lunchmeat or cheese in them! Talk about a money maker. People can't just think and make their own versions!!!! That isn't as easy! They could sure be put together cheaper and a lot healthier if made at home.
Summer is my time to eat veggies and fruit. I love them. I love walking out to my backyard and picking wonderful produce. Like I said in a comment yesterday - it is like Christmas, just hot! You get surprises every day.
So for now, I am trying to be very conscientious about grocery shopping. I am blessed to have much to choose from and I can make about anything I want. Lately I have been eating less meat and more veggies. I do that in summer. With working in the yard, sweating and eating better, I get off those winter pounds. I feel better.
I am full and feel better - that is what it is all about.
Are you watching your shopping? Indulging in more fresh? Saving a buck or two?
We got this - enjoy the summer and all it has to offer.
**PS - remember how people used to dress back in the day for going out (above pic)? I love it. No house slippers or jammies or half naked bodies in public then!!!! Class!
Drat! Had a long response written out and it went "poof" before I could post it. In summary, YES, Cheryl, I'm right with you. Not just with food and household goods, but everything.
ReplyDeleteAs a reminder to everyone... you know my MIL died at the end of last year. You know BIL made 7 trips here with stuff to fill 4 storage units that now cost him $500 per month. He (of course) couldn't move the stockpile of food, including 2 large freezers full; no charity or food bank wanted it. That was thousands of dollars of food tossed into dumpsters and hauled away to landfill. You also know my brother died in early spring. He was single and had cut himself off from family. Who cleaned out his house? How big of a job was that? How much of it also ended up in a landfill?
If I stay mindful of all of that, my hope and prayer is it will make me mindful of everything I consider buying. Conscientious consumerism is wise. May I learn wisdom now that my hair is mostly white. Thank you, Cheryl. God bless you! --Elise
"Stop listening to instruction, my son (or daughter), and you will stray from the words of knowledge." Proverbs 19:27
P.S. AZ Safeway has less than a handful of good prices this week. I won't be going there, as we're good, but you may want to use digital coupons for bone in pork chops at 67 cents lb. (limit 2 pkgs.) and seedless grapes at 97 cents lb. (limit 5 lbs.)
There are 2 more HUGE reasons we all need to be mindful of our buying of EVERYTHING! Two very personal observations from someone we know and respect. Thank you for great reminders. I tell you what, my food would have moved with me and the other stuff would have stayed!!!!! Just me!!!
DeleteIt is wise for us each to try harder.
Great deal on chops and grapes though!
Pretty much everything BIL does, I'd do differently. Ready for the latest? Against (multiple) advice, he jacked one side of his large house up by 1-1/2 inches, cracking indoor walls and outdoor siding, and making the MBR door unusable. Now, before he paints or brings anything into the house, he bought 2 jacks and is--himself--going to jack that side of the house up another 1/2 inch... to be sure it's level. The waste of $$ on food is nothing in comparison to what the costs of repairs will be. I hope no one minds me sharing about him; it's all just mind bending to me. He's been there almost 3 months and just seems to make everything worse for himself. --Elise
DeleteOh my gosh!!!!! What in the world?
DeleteNo furniture in the house yet? No painting done?
He has some serious issues!
Oh dear me.
DeleteGood for you resisting the ads! We have all been abundantly blessed! Sure miss the fresh veg when cold weather arrives. There are some tomatoes almost on the ground so we'll go out and tie them up. Probably pick a few more green beans are ready and then we'll start canning. Need to pull beets and turnips.
ReplyDeleteBought some Spanish rice packets at Dollar Tree of all places and I'll use one of them to cook with taco meat, fresh corn off the cob, zucchini, peppers and onions for lunch. Should be enough for two days of lunches. We have been buying our watermelon and cantaloupes at Costco and they have all been good. That will be dessert.
Stay cool. I'm sure Blackie has found a cool spot to snooze.
Thanks - just don't need anything. Yep, we are blessed.
DeleteYour lunch sounds very good. I just love inexpensive meals that are filling and last more than once.
I think I will be going to Waterman's within the next week for some produce.
Amazon even sells reusable lunch-able containers these days, so if people are buying those from the store it’s probably for convenience. We used to love making cheese and crackers back in the day too. 😊
ReplyDeleteOh I am sure it is convenience. It keeps them from having to prepare themselves for the kiddos. Life is just too full of conveniences for me. I still have those sometimes for a snack.
DeleteLol Cheryl! I was looking at that ladies's dress and thinking it sure was pretty! I admit that I rarely leave the house unless I'm 'dressed.'
ReplyDeleteI'm a dress wearer, I always fix my hair, and I'm pretty girly. Always earrings and usually a bracelet or necklace. I like it and I know hubs does. Make up is optional depending on the humidity. Dripping make up like a melting candle is not a good look on me lol.
I'm shocked by what parents let their kids go to church in! The boys are mostly sloppy, but the girls? I watched a young teen in the communion line that had both cheeks hanging out of her short shorts. Totally unacceptable! I wasn't allowed to wear pants to church and I still hold to that. (Not a judgement, just a statement).
I wore a tiara on Easter. One of the HS girls was fawning over it and I told her all girls should have a tiara, as we are all princesses in God's kingdom. She loved that. I wear mine on special occasions.
I saw several things in the ad that were worth a trip to the market. And yes, $2.99 bacon is one of them. I was just lamenting that tomatoes are finally tasty and we didn't have any bacon! Turkey bacon doesn't count! Hot dogs and pork loin. I also saw the lunchables. Mind boggling. I think people are working so hard for the extra goodies that they leave no time for the basics, like meal prep. Crazy!
I wanted to share that we ate mozzarella pearls that had a USE BY date of June 23 and are alive this morning lol. I kept forgetting to use them. So last night I made a pasta salad with cukes and tomatoes and went to get them. They looked good, smelled fine, and tasted delicious!! I'm glad because those are a pricey treat. I get just a couple of wads a summer.
My best bud sent me some more coffee from Kauai. It's so dang delicious! I'm addicted, but still too cheap to buy it myself. I can't imagine what the shipping cost is.
Saw the weeklong forecast. Not one day under 100°. Ugh ugh ugh. It's a little overcast now so I'm hoping we'll bubble up a rainstorm.
I know we never went out unless we looked 'nice' growing up. I am sorry, but shorts in church is my limit!!!! I know most churches are casual now, and that is fine (jeans) - but short shorts - nope!
DeleteIn high school we could wear slacks the last 2 years. No jeans - but slacks. I still wore dresses. To this day when I go to a reunion, I am remembered for always having a dress on!
(or legs that went on forever!!! LOL)
I am sure the cheese was great. I opened some hard cheese I found at the back of crisper drawer that was dated almost a year ago - it was perfect.
We have heat for a couple more days then a little cool down. Just had a rainstorm pop through for about 10 minutes!
No shopping thus far this week, and I haven't checked the weekly flyers yet. I know I don't need anything for the freezer, the pantry is well stocked, so it would just be fresh veg/fruit and dairy.
ReplyDeleteI'm understand that young families are busy, with work, kid's activities, etc. but I'll never understand the lunchable thing. How much time can it posibbly take to cut up some cheese, lunch meat, and add crackers?
Thank you!!!!!!! My thought process exactly. Not only is it easy to do, it would be cheaper and better for them - as in fresh!!!!!
DeleteSounds like you are all set too. Nice feeling.
I have to laugh about the Lunchables! Every now and then, growing up, when bread was running low, we'd get lunchmeat and cheese with saltines in a Tupperware-type container. BUT, that was also when the PB&J in one jar was the latest fad, and anyone who got that on their sandwich was the "cool kid", even if we, too, had a PB and grape jelly sandwich, theirs came from one jar, not two. It's still all about keeping up with the "cool kid." If the cool kid is bringing Lunchables, then every kid begs mom for that. I'm keeping a running grocery list, and when it gets long enough, I'll shop. And, I'll stick to it. My only shopping this week has been 2 lemons (for iced tea in this hot weather), 2 limes (for same, or for a cocktail), and 3 hard rolls from the bakery (to make garlic bread; they were 3/$1). Didn't even look at other stuff. We were warm and humid this morning, and it looks like we're in for a big storm -- sky is black to the northwest, and a breeze has picked up. Stay safe and hydrated!
ReplyDeleteYep, mom made me little lunchmeat and cheese and crackers too. Thought it was a grand treat! I remember the jelly/peanut butter thing.
DeleteSmart idea on keeping a running list - it does pay off. You did good on shopping!!!!!! We just had a quick storm come through - lasted about 10 minutes. Looks to cool a bit around here come Sunday!
Sounds like you've put the brakes on shopping for deals. This is a perfect time to do so with all of your own produce coming in. Many years ago we had a major grocery chain that promoted "fresh or free". Which meant that if you found an item past it's best before date you took it to customer service and received not the expired item but a fresh one. Well that was a fun game so I played. Then the store changed the policy; you had to match the free total with a purchase total. You could no longer take a load of free groceries only. I ended up spending about $800. a month; mostly deals but still more than twice what I ever paid for groceries. My fridge was full of expensive imported cheeses, etc and pantry full. OMG. They saved me by cancelling the program. They obviously could not keep up with removing stale items. I think best before dates are great; but it looks like they're fixing to get rid of them in Canada. That will only benefit the stores and manufacturers; not the consumers.
ReplyDeleteMy garden is somewhat neglected this year. There's only so much this old gal can do. Presently we are picking lots and lots of wild blueberries. These need to be bottled to keep the freezer space available.
I am grateful for fresh water out front as I watch Europe burning up. Honestly, I do not understand why people will not curtail their use of fossil fuels. I drive once a month to shop and for appointments, etc. It's actually very liberating to stay home.
Enjoy those veggies!
Nice game to play!
DeleteYes those dates truly only benefit the stores and manufacturers. We used to not have them at all - then boom they appeared and now every thinks the stuff in the cans knows the date!!!!!!! LOL
I hardly ever go any where. I use less than a 1/4 tank of gas a month. I am thankful for water as well. So much sadness and waste going on all over.
My pantry and freezer are stocked so I haven't shopped much except for dairy or cheese or bananas. With summer here, I'm up to my eyeballs in fresh veggies, fruits and herbs that I'm working on preserving for the fall and winter. I did spend $10 on a large bag of peaches from a local farmer. They are so sweet and juicy. I could never find them this good out of a store at any price. I will do a household, food stock up later in Fall to be set for Winter. I don't like having to shop when it's germ season and cold and crowded with holiday shoppers. lol Enjoy your Wednesday!!
ReplyDeleteGood for you. So many are now well set - love it. A good juicy peach is just the bomb. Hard to find anymore. Good for you - sounds like a deal.
DeleteI think I kind of will do the fall stock as well. It is nice to be all prepared for winter.
Made the weekly Aldi run this morning. Nearly all produce and dairy. I'm not a shopaholic but more of a get-in-get-what-I-need-and get-out type of shopper and nearly always stick to the list.
ReplyDeleteMy mother didn't dress up to grocery shop, but would wear a blouse, skirt (both homemade) and sneakers (Sears brand imitation Keds) with white ankle socks. I don't think she owned a pair of high heels. Very little makeup. Clean, neat, and covered, not like what you see now in public.
--Frances in the Trailer Park
Frances that would be dressed up to most of us - at least by todays standards! It never ceases to amaze me how people go out in public today.
DeleteGood job shopper!!!!!!
I love the description of your mother at the store...That sounds very pretty, and fresh as a daisy. Very appropriate too. Thank you for the lovely description of what she wore, that is so very nice.
DeleteIt appears there is only cheese on sale--Kraft 4 for $10. We need milk and lettuce. We loaded up on produce two days ago, so won't be buying fruit and veg unless at the farmer's market today. I bought a tomato for $2 yesterday, huge, looks delicious. We will see.
ReplyDeleteGood price on cheese nowadays. Hope your tomato is yummy!!!!!
DeleteI noticed how lovely the shopping lady in the picture looks. Her outfit and hairstyle are still completely wearable except for those pointy heels. Just looking at them makes my feet hurt. Ha. My tomatoes, beans and cukes have just started producing. The cukes have a strange zucchini-like shape. I wonder if the bees cross- pollinated them with my butternut squash or even my neighbor's zucchini. My husband and I have been eating lots of beets. So yummy as long as they are small.There is still time to plant beets and turnips for autumn. I had to send away for beet and turnip seed because seeds are no longer available locally this year. Isn't that a bit early? I have purchased enough seed this year to last for a while. I know the varieties that Ilike now so I will stick with the old tried and trues as long as they are available. (I miss my Celebrity tomatoes. The "improvement" doesn't cut the mustard in my opinion.) Frances I bet your mother looked just beautiful in her skirt blouse and sneakers. Dee/NY
ReplyDeleteShe does look lovely. I tell you I wore heels with somewhat pointy toes clean into the 80's. I had heels to match about every outfit. Were they comfy - NOPE! Don't own a pair now!
DeleteIt does sound like the cukes crossed with something. Odd.
I love all the fresh goodies. The garden center here still has plenty of seeds. That does seem strange and early.
Enjoy your goodies!
Oh how I wish we could go back to people looking decent in public! If I see one more naked-looking woman in stupid yoga pants, I'm going to blow a gasket! Good grief, don't these people have mirrors? Ok, that got me going :) I blew it on my grocery budget this week, but I'm using up what's on my menu and will hold off as long as I can. I even told my husband to go easy on the snacks because I'm not going back anytime soon!
ReplyDeleteI hear ya!!!!!! I say the thing about mirrors all the time! What are they thinking?
DeleteHolding off is a good plan. Stick to your guns!
Lunchables, to me, just poison wrapped up in a package that kids like. Going out in slippers grosses me the freak out. Those are my home feet. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteLove that your garden is doing well and you get to go right out there.
Months ago we stopped eating out as a couple and that's saved us a good penny or two. LOVE that!
I have never even tried one of those things - they don't look appetizing. Usually the meat looks off color! ICK
DeleteNot only are they your home feet - but most people shuffle their feet when wearing slippers out - drives me nits!!!!!
Thanks - the fresh is wonderful.
I rarely eat out - good for you!!!
Yeah, when I got the last job (right before this), with the travel time and all that, we just leaned into not-homemade foods. Then I had a month off before starting the new job (the one I have now and LOVE), and in that month got back to my own cooking. If though, I hadn't had that month off between, we might still be doing drive-up window eating. That month in between, helped get me back to what I love to do, cook/bake from home.
DeleteShuffling the feet! Now that you say it, I hear it in my head. Yeah, yuck!
Cheryl, I very often forget to mark what something is and then I have a mystery meal (unless I can figure out what is in the container or bag). It is quite the adventure.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I guess I could have done that!! LOL It appeared to be some kind of soup - still not sure what!
DeleteHi Cheryl, a busy day with the littles, my mom and our daughters. I'm tuckered out to say the least, it's hard to get a word in edgewise at times hahaha. I painted my moms 's nails and toenails a natural pink color, that is a treat for her and looked nicer to have a natural seashell pink finish to her tosies when wearing sandals instead of yellowed nails. Also got her some cover girl 'pancake' makeup that she doesn't have to wear powder with, I think she liked that idea. Anything to make it easier for her to get herself together and feel good about herself.
ReplyDeleteOh dear me...'Lunchables'. I have always thought those were so ridiculous. smh
I love the vintage photo, I try to dress decently when we go to the store, usually one of my skirts or a tunic top with capris. In the winter, usually a tunic, black turtleneck and black loose fitting knit pants with black tennis shoes. If it's on a Sunday and we go to the store we both dress it up a bit since it's Sunday even though we do our own church these days. I hear ya on high heels! Yes, that is one thing I'm not doing. I have some comfortable baby doll platforms that are cute and comfortable by the yuu brand and I wear some dressier Clarks sandals and comfy lower heeled boho sandals too at times, ankle boots in winter with leggings under skirts, black turtleneck usually. When our girls got married, the first two I wore ballet flats with long dresses, and the third daughter to marry I wore one and a fourth inch pumps with a midi dress I made myself. I refuse to hurt myself in high heels anymore like I used to. I can't believe what I used to wear! My 99 year old mil landed herself in the hospital trying to pull off high heels at her grand daughter's wedding, they asked her why she wore those. She just said..."Because they look cute". Real cute....Oh dear me. I try to take that as a warning to myself on vanity. Yikes.
Last week when we were at Aldi we snagged cherries for 99 cents a pound! They are delicious too.
Our oldest daughter brought me a beautiful bouquet of giant sunflowers, little white flowers and eucalyptus today to cheer me up. As you can imagine I'm still missing our Coffee girl and unfortunately replaying in my mind some images from Sunday. It helps for me to ramble here to share things as if I'm having coffee or tea with friends, I hope you and everyone will please oblige.
Have a wonderful evening, sweet Cheryl.
How sweet to make mom feel good about herself. I bet she like the little makeover. If nothing else it is relaxing.
DeleteI generally wear jeans, capris, and t-shirts - but they are clean and nice. Nice sandals and I am clean. Nothing fancy - just looking decent when I go out.
Cute or not - this girls isn't wearing heels!!!!! Oh my.
What a deal on cherries.
How sweet on the flowers. It takes a long while to get over loss like that - well, never get over it - we adjust.
Glad you feel like you can talk here and open up. We got you!!!! HUGS
It sounds like you look very nice when you go out, I too like my graphic tshirts with my *loose* fitting yoga pants (my knit pants) haha and I did finally find some wide legged high waisted jeans that actually fit me! lol I like vneck tshirts too with my skirts. I usually wear a tunic length blouse or xl tshirt that hangs like a tunic. I'm not so self conscious about the rear view when wearing a longer top - at least for me! lol I have my dad's rear! lol
DeleteThank you Cheryl, that's so great that we can all chat here, thanks for understanding. : ) In highschool I typed 70 words a minute so that might explain things of me being so long-winded. lol
Have a great day, big huggeroos coming your way!
I started wearing dresses again 5-6 years ago. Much more comfortable. I favor ones from Lands End. Most of them are slip over. So quick. Around the house & out. I've even gardened in a dress! Lol If I go out I do my hair & makeup.
ReplyDeleteStrawberries are 99 cents a carton and cherries are 99 cents a pound. I've been buying them to put in the freezer for the winter. That's all I'm getting this week.
Even though it was 90+ out I made soup yesterday. All part of effort to use what I have. It sounded good too so why not? We eat hot hamburgers, hot chicken! Why not soup? (I actually eat it room temperature mostly anyway.)Lol
I take my mom out shopping and because she likes to linger in the grocery store I get the opportunity to look at stuff I never buy (I'm more of an in and out type.) I saw those snack packs that are so popular and looked at them closely. They were 2 ounces (thinly sliced cheese and I mean THIN and very thin crackers) and $4 a package. That works out to $32 per pound!!!.My daughter said to me even if I didn't buy the cheese & crackers on sale she was pretty sure I could make A LOT of cheese & crackers "snack packs" for $32.
~margaret
Dresses are great - I need to get more.
DeleteGreat deal on fruit. Nothing wrong with soup. Love using up what is in the frig.
It is amazing the price of those little snacks. Yes mam, you can make whole bunch of those for $32!!!!! I make cheese nd crackers a lot for snacks and slice my own cheese (thicker than theirs) and still get by cheaply.
Reading this Aug. 13, 2023: We recently had a steer butchered. We gifted our existing upright freezer to our son for his butchered steer and bought a new bigger one for our selves. We now have 2 chest freezers. I told Farmer we'd gauge our beef usage this year but I'm pretty sure next year we'll only take 1/2 of the beef. We eat much less than we used to eat. I cleaned out the freezer before gifting and ended up tossing most of the veg/fruit drawer. Anything before 2022 when out. Much was from 2009 and 2014. Freezer burnt. The animals and birds will enjoy the treat that went over the pasture fence. As of today I have a 2 full freezers, 2 very full pantries and a full fridge. The counters are full of peaches (canning these for ds2's family of Littles), summer squash, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. The garden is producing cucumbers, the start of the tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, chard & kale and lots of herbs. We don't need to buy anything except the occasional dairy for a long time. We did have to buy juice for canning the peaches and a Sam's stop for fresh blueberries and avocados. My treats and 2 things I cannot grow. Farmer wanted a watermelon. (His treat) He also wanted protein snacks (we are intermittent fasting) and so we got some until I can make some. I have all the ingredients. I look at the grocery ads and all I see is ultra-processed foods and not much in the way of ingredients.
ReplyDelete