How far did that come from???

Ok, so here is a work up of my produce in miles from my last shopping trip.  I was CRAVING fresh produce because it has been so long.  I broke down and bought some fresh fruit and veggies.

Sorry the pictures isn't perfect.   Even as an estimate it is crazy to see where the food came from, how far it traveled and how much that would cost me to drive.  AND THIS IS JUST PRODUCE.  I know all of that other "stuff" traveled quite a bit to get to me too.

Check out to the right, I have added an Amazon widget where I will place some of my favorite products that help me in my journey to eat healthy while being a full time teacher and mother of 2. First up is a book that really got me started on my locavore mission.  It is inspiring and fun to read.  Check it out!

Shopping trip

One major downfall of using a farmer's market is that if you are busy during the 5 hours it is open, once a week, than you don't get to go.  That's what happened to me this week so I was stuck getting everything from the grocery store.

 

I broke down and got bananas (organic at least) and strawberries.  Neither are at all local or in season but I was missing them terribly.

March groceries

March was a crazy month for groceries. I was out of routine too often on the weekend so did some 'stopping' for items during the week instead of my normal 'get everything for the week' trip. Since we live in the middle of nowhere when we stop on the way home it is at expensive convenient stores or the local coop which has higher prices than Wegmans as well.

March 10th and 13th - Tops $7.63
Wegmans - $88.79 ($7.10 coupons)
Target - $35.28 ($16.50 coupons)
March 21st - Tops $58.14 ($4.00 coupons, $10.00 gift card)

March 25th - Wegmans $143.64 (3.00 coupons) - produce was so high and I got enough to make snack for my son's class for his birthday plus a snack for my students)
Coop $11.58

Total for March = $345.06 (plus some small stops that I didn't have receipts for) almost 5 weeks in March so divided that is only like $70 a week.

Groceries/Menu - January totals

Groceries this week = 147.86
I spent more because I made a stop at our local co-op which is a bit pricier than Wegman's. Then I got some items at Target. Plus, I still did a Wegman's stop as well.

January totals = 420.07/4 = 105.00/week (bc I didn't count the Jan 2nd which was over break)

Menu this week (better late than never)

Monday - we had soup and sandwiches
Tuesday - Chicken, mashed sweet potatoes, broccoli, and applesauce
Wednesday - Lime Chicken Taco salad
Thursday - Pierogies, apple sauce
Friday - Hamburgers, sweet potato fries

Groceries/Menu

This week's groceries totaled $78.02. I almost bought organic chicken but I just couldn't spend the money yet. I know I should do it but it is almost 4x as much and that makes it a difficult decision.

Menu this week

Breakfast choice of ....
Cheerios
Blueberry cake
Oatmeal


Lunch - I don't know yet

Dinners
1. Lasagna for my husband for his birthday with a Raspberry Torte
2. Chicken Tacos
3. Chicken Pot Pie
(I found some biscuits today shopping that I will post information on later in the week)
4. Annie Chun's Chow Mein
5. Pierogies (I am so happy to see the Mrs. T's no longer has hydrogenated oils)

Groceries

Is it strange that I have been living in the same house for 11 years and I can't remember the last time I changed the light bulb in my fridge but I take ONE picture of the inside and now the bulb is burnt? Perhaps the fridge was embarrassed of its contents. I don't know. But whatever the reason I can't take a picture because it is dark in there.


This week's groceries cost $94.57
I was able to use $3.00 in coupons
In-store $1.oo off seafood plus free sauce for my fish ($2.99 value)

I splurged on some cod filets. I know we need to get more fish in our diet.

Groceries

Well the grocery shopping is done and thanks to all of the coupons I found online. I was able to save $6.50. I am not usually a big coupon user because I always feel like the coupons in the paper are never for things I would normally buy so what's the deal there. I like the saying I heard once "A bargain isn't a bargain if you wouldn't buy it in the first place." Well the coupons I have been able to find on the blogs are for items I would normally buy so it felt really good to save this week.

$74.15 was my total

Groceries/Menu January Week One

We needed to do the shopping quickly this week on Monday after school. I went to Martin's and I sent my husband to get the rest from Walmart. The only reason I wanted him to go to Walmart was to get Hormel's Natural Turkey Breast because there are no nitrates in it. Anyway, he ended up getting ham AND the wrong kind. AHHHH Live and learn!

Breakfast - Choice of ...
Kris Kringle Pancakes*
Blueberry Breakfast Cake*
Cinnamon Toast

Lunch - Stay Tuned for Pics

Dinner
Pasta, broccoli, baked apples*
Broccoli soup* whole grain crackers, strawberries
Hamburgers and sweet potato fries
(Out for pizza - Ski School night with school)
Chicken Pot Pie *


*Thanks to SnoWhite at Finding Joy in my Kitchen for these recipes

Soooo, in order to make this menu plus a few snacks around the house I spent

Martin's = 49.15
Walmart = 37.35 (I subtracted the huge coffee that my husband bought for his turn at work)
TOTAL = 86.45