Seven days to go in the month and I've already spent more than I wanted to. Darn food prices these days!

Still need to inventory the freezers, it's been cold and rainy and haven't wanted to be out in the garage.

You really like Aldi's? I went once in 2010 and was really disappointed. Probably didn't help that they only had one checkout open. My local store is really really small!

Kimberly, you'll just have to double your efforts in Feb.

I went grocery shopping again this weekend and spent $46.95 and bought:

Store 1:
2 pork chops = $3.39
2 cans sardines (in tomato sauce),@$.59 = $1.18
1 doz. large eggs = $1.59
Serrano chillies, $.89/lb = $.12
Papaya, $.99/lb = $4.06
Banana, $.59/lb = $1.14
Grapes, $1.39/lb = $3.66
Apples, $.79/lb = $1.08
Okra, $1.49/lb = $.58
Carrots, $.40/lb = $.40
4 Avocado, @$.69 = $2.76
1 Lettuce = $.50
1 Flan mix = $1.09
Total = $21.55

Store 2:
1 gal. milk = $3.19
8 cans store brand peaches in syrup; $.49@ = $3.92
2 boxes store brand saltine crackers, $1@ = $2.00
1 can cornbeef = $4.29
2 cans tomato sauce, $.39@ = $.78
1 container yogurt covered raisins = $1.49
2 containers dried fruit, $1.79@ = $3.58
1 lb. bacon = $3.99
Tilapia = $2.16
Total = $25.40

$21.55 + 25.40 = $46.95

Total spent so far in Jan. = 72.34 + 46.95 = $119.29

Balance remaining in Jan. grocery budget = 150-119.29 = 30.71

Bless, how many people do you shop for?

Diane, I shop for 2 - DD (18) and myself. I don't include any pet food or non-food items like cleaning products, paper products, etc. in my grocery budget.

Good on you Bless, I used to make tomato sauce from scratch [still do when I can use my patio grown tomatoes] BUT when I did a cost analysis I discovered it was waaa-y cheaper to use canned tomatoes even adding tomato paste as necessary + the spices and ingredients for different ethnic dishes.

I recall reading that items like canned tomato were worth stocking when on sale or priced well at Costco type outlets.

Do you make curried sardines? I've wanted to try it but it's a dish I don't know how to present attractively.

Cyd, I did that stock up 2 months ago when they were on sale for 48 cents a can after their coupon special....hoping to see that one again as we go through lots of tomatoes.

I have used all but one bag of tomatoes from the freezer using a total of 3 bags this past weekend for the chili. There are now 8 freezer bags with the completed product in their for when the urge strikes.

Diane, I love Aldi's, esp their pricing on fresh veggies. I went their yesterday and spent $5.48. For that, I got 3 pounds of onions, a bunch of celery, 4 lbs of navel oranges, 3 packages of fresh mushrooms and a hazelnut candy bar(not on the list but it was soooo tasty!)Their own branded products are comparable to name brand but a much better price as well.

It is all about watching the loss leaders.

Also went to Costco to get my prescription and got trash bags and sandwich bags and vitamin c.

Also went to another grocery store in search of a neti pot....anything to get the body functioning...my how it helped my sinuses in one treatment! Also got a gallon of oj, 4 bosex of cereal(4 for 10, normally $4 a box), some alfredo sauce (35% off) and some honey roasted peanuts...total spent $45

Came home and sauteed onions, muchrooms, celery with olive oil and garlic, celery salt and pepper, then tossed it with some noodles and leftover steak. 2 dinners and 2 lunches for today!

Cyd: The sardines were bought to replenish my emergency supplies. I do, however, use them for one of my favorite tea-time snacks: sardines on toast. By the way, while you are there in Thailand, if you have the opportunity to eat fresh mangosteens and rambutan, please eat a few extra for me. They are among my favorite fruits and the canned ones are never as good as fresh. Sigh. Now I am homesick!

bless: mangosteens just came out two days ago, very tiny, delish but not yet the season. Rambutan not yet available, bananas and fresh pineapple are 'leftover' awful and persimmon are [relatively] expensive. Best buy remain 'Cutie' oranges stacked high by street sellers on every corner. There was a lot of dragon fruit available leading to New Year but suddenly the colorful presentation is gone. [there is a large British chain grocery at my train stn. exit and street sellers on every corner]

Last week it was 34C here and minus 34C in my Canadian home city. Acclimatizing s-l-o-w-l-y

Cyd: That's quite a temp. difference for you to adjust to.

I am enjoying a piece of papaya, right now, for dessert. Dinner was leftover pork chop, rice, green peas, Brussels sprouts.

Oh, I don't think I posted any meal plans this week. Anyway, this is what we've had so far:

Sun.
b'fast: Can't quite remember; leftover crepes, I believe
lunch: chicken pot pies
dinner: tilapia curry, rice, lentils, leeks, cauliflower

Mon.
b'fast: cornbeef sandwiches, grapes, yogurt raisins
lunch: leftover tilapia curry, rice, lentils, leeks & potatoes
dinner: teriyaki pork chop (DD & I shared one), yellow rice, green peas, fresh cranberry/orange sauce; canned peaches for dessert

Tues.
b'fast: homemade granola with dried fruit; banana
lunch: leftover tilapia, rice, lentils, leeks & potatoes for DD; cornbeef sandwiches for me; apple & chocolate covered cookies for DD; yogurt raisins & grapes for me
dinner: spicy chicken-vegetable-pasta soup (leftover roast chicken from the freezer, potatoes, baby bok choy, celery, onions, carrots, serrano chillies for spice, pasta); canned peaches for dessert

Wed.
b'fast: homemade granola, banana
lunch: leftover chicken-veggie soup for DD; cornbeef sandwiches for me; grapes.
Snacks: yogurt raisins for me; cookies for DD
dinner: leftover porkchop, leftover yellow rice, peas, Brussels sprouts; papaya

Thurs.
b'fast: granola, banana
lunch: leftover porkchop (we really don't eat a lot of meat at a sitting), rice, Brussels sprouts & lentils for DD; I'm taking some cheese with me with plans to buy a freshly baked French bread roll from the farmers' market held near my office every Thurs. Apples for dessert. Gingerbread for snacks.
dinner: Polish sausage, rice, okra, baby bok choy; papaya for dessert

Fri.
b'fast: granola again, with banana; or crackers with peanut butter
lunch: Leftover Polish sausage & rice, etc. Grapes & apples for dessert/snacks
dinner: undecided, yet. Eggs, bacon, fried potatoes? salad? pancakes? leftovers?