Grocery shopping. It's something I both love and hate to do.
There's something so therapeutic for me in walking slowly through the store, looking at all the items just waiting on the shelves. No matter how many times I've seen the aisles of Fred Meyer, I still love to explore them and see if there's anything I 'need' waiting there for me. I add things to my cart more freely at the beginning of the trip, then slowly put things back as I linger longer and longer in the store, thinking, I don't really need this...or that...or that. My family teases me about this, but I know I can't be the only one who does this!
I don't really plan out meals, and so sometimes grocery shopping can be tough. I've tried to plan meals in the past, but it just doesn't work for us. Steve's work schedule is just too irregular, and I hate for food to be wasted when he has to work late and picks up food on the way home. I usually have a few meals in my mind at the beginning of the week, and often I'll pick a recipe or two that I want to make, so I add the ingredients to my grocery list. But that's as far as my 'meal planning' goes.
I also tend to buy lots of one item I know we use a lot when it's on sale, such as peanut butter, bread, or frozen fruit, so I've had trouble with figuring out a weekly budget amount for groceries. Some weeks we spend less than $50, and other weeks (that include Costco runs) we spend $200-$300. I feel like everything balances out for us and that we've been getting better and better about eating whole foods (rather than boxed or 'convenience' meals) and eating out less, so we're in a good place financially when it comes to our food budget. But I'm always open to ideas on how we can save even more, or be more efficient about grocery shopping/planning.
How do you go about grocery planning, budgeting and shopping? I'd love to hear about the different ways other mamas do things!
Groceries are expensive up here in Alaska and since we chose to purchase organic options when available that adds even more to our bill. I was curious to see how our prices compare to others around the country (and in other countries!) and so I thought I'd share this weeks grocery trip purchases and bill with you. We spent $52.01 including tax for everything you see in the picture, and you can see the individual prices on the receipt. What do you think? How do these prices compare to how things are prices where you live?
You're not the only one who double thinks everything! Me too! I have a terrible problem committing to buying things :). I basically just stand there and stare at the item for about 15 min then decide... I probably shouldn't haha. But I do always go to the store with coupons. We shop at Target and use their Cartwheel app and also their Red Card debit card which saves 5% on every transaction. I'm not sure if you have a Target up there, but we seem to save a pretty good amount doing it that way. I get my coupons from coupons.com and target.com or if there's a certain item I'm wanting I'll look it up online to see if there's a coupon for it. If not, at least I tried! ;) And your grocery receipt is pretty close to ours (a little higher) and your organic is a lot more expensive. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI miss Fred Meyer. There were too many times I walked out of there with way more than I needed. Those damn coupons got me every time. Although I can't complain, I did get my husband a pair of xtratufs for $50 because of those coupons.
ReplyDeleteI don't find the price much different than some things here, however the quality of produce I've noticed.
So glad I'm not alone! I just have the hardest time deciding if I really want it/need it or not haha. We do have a Target but they don't really have a great food/grocery section. It's really small and lacks a lot of fresh choices compared to a 'normal' Target (like I've visited downstates). Not really sure why because the rest of the store is normal in size and selection. It's frustrating too because I LOVE Target, have their Redcard and would love to shop in just one place. But I love Fred Meyer too, they have a lot of home stuff and clothes (like carters, jockey, nike, ect) too so it's fun to browse. I'll have to check out the cartwheel app!
ReplyDeleteIt's so true, Fred Meyer will get you every time!! :) It's so interesting to see how different or similar prices can be in different places. I'm so spoiled with fresh, local produce during the summer months that in the winter when I have to buy it at Freddies it makes me depressed. Which there were better options but that's the price for living somewhere that everything gets barged in I guess!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds about right price-wise for us... I think. It really depends on where I shop. I find Safeway tp be BY FAR the most expensive, but also the most pleasurable shoppoin experience. Helpful staff and well laid out. But Superstore, a larger chain carrying more no name products and bulk, is WAY cheaper. But you'll be hard pressed to find a helping hand! I've recently decided to forego comfort for the bottom line and do more of my shopping at Superstore. But sometimes I sneak a quick trip to Safeway in for old time's sake!
ReplyDeleteI usually shop the exact same way! I put things back, then put them back in, then decide 'no, we really don't need this.' It's exhausting. Haha. But I CAN NOT go to the grocery store without a list. I just get all stressed out and forget things and it's so frustrating. Your prices are just 50 cents to a dollar more than what we usually pay for organic here. We've found that it's actually been cheaper for us to eat organic, whole foods than it was when we were just eating anything. We don't waste as much food either.
ReplyDeleteWe have Safeway too and they are much more expensive. They do tend to have better produce but they have way less organic choices so I usually shop at Freddies. When I lived in Homer I could only shop at Safeway so I'm also a little scarred from that lol.
ReplyDeleteIt is exhausting!! But I can't help it haha. I need to be better about lists because I'm always so scatterbrained and going back and forth across the store and I still always forget something. I find the same thing about purchasing organic whole foods and making meals from scratch verses buying prepackaged foods and eating out a bunch.
ReplyDeleteOur Safeway here is much cheaper than the Fred Meyer, and I'm sure Walmart is cheaper still, but I refuse to shop there...We also have a little farm shop called Farm Fresh down the road and we get most all of our fruit and veg and our Christmas wreaths and herb plant starts from them. There is also a farm in the next town where I like to buy raw milk, and another from which I buy eggs and more veg. We also steer toward the organic, and with Robert's work being on the slope I cook for just myself and the 2 oldest most of the time. Sometimes prices can be a little high but when you know the farmer it helps. However my butcher retired last year and we are still looking to remedy that situation, probably a 1/4 side of beef this fall in the freezer, I know a couple grass fed organic farms about, meat is the biggest expense of course, but it and the eggs are where you can really taste the difference. The difference in price between Ak and here is astronomical. I don't know how we ever afforded groceries in Ak, we are spoiled now being surrounded by farm country.
ReplyDeleteI don't think your prices are that bad! I'm in upstate New York, and we try to buy mostly organic as well. I spend $3.99 on a half gallon of Organic Valley Milk! I also purchase pastured organic eggs which cost $3.75 for 6 ... and don't even get me started on beef! LOL I tend to also grab a lot and put things back when I am shopping, and it doesn't help that I always make it to the check out line with a few things that the kids (4 & 7) tossed into the cart without me realizing it :)
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