11/365

Another week, another day of grocery shopping. I challenged myself this week to buy the week's groceries on the $50 we had available on the debit card. I spent $13 at Superior, buying two bags of chicken leg quarters on sale at 39c/lb, some cans of tuna on sale for 59c each, some instant Won Ton soup for a couple of lunches for myself, and bananas for the kids' lunches. After dropping off the groceries at home, we drove out to WinCo. I spent $33 there on the rest of the groceries. I just need to pick up some fresh salsa at the mexican market near my house, and a loaf of bread.

Our Menu Plan:
Black Bean Tostadas with Rice
Arroz Con Pollo
Chicken and Bisquick Dumplings with Peas
Spaghetti
Black Bean Soup
Tortellini Soup

Breakfast this week will include cereal, maple & brown sugar oatmeal, and whole wheat pancakes. Lunches will be tuna or ham sandwiches (with tomato for me and hubby), juice pouches for the kids' lunches, and a choice of fruit (banana, apple, or tangerine).

On some of the grocery shopping and budget meal planning blogs, I have seen people express concern over the bulk bins. I wanted to post a picture showing how some of the bulk food dispensers work. All of these dispensers along the top have a lever action handle. You put your bag around the nozzle, and pull the handle until you have the desired amount of whatever product it is. This picture shows all kinds of spices along the top, like taco seasoning. The bins beneath look like huge tubs, but most of them only have about 12 inches of product space, the rest is sealed off. This means that the bins (which are lined with plastic) are emptied frequently and replenished. There are many signs reminding people that sampling from the bins is strictly forbidden for hygenic reasons. I have personally never seen anyone do anything gross with the bins, but if it really concerns you, then you could always choose to only use items from the levered dispensers. Also, if you want to buy large quantities of these products (like 25lbs of flour or 50lbs of dog food), you can ask an employee to get you a sealed sack from the back stock room. This week I bought bulk tortellini (from a top dispenser) at $4 something a pound, and bulk black beans (from a bottom barrel) at 78c/lb. For price comparing, the packages of tortellini in the pasta aisle were $3.20 for an 8oz package, and 99c for a pound of black beans.



I am almost done with Abbi's poncho. I think I am going to do one more row of the V-stitch before doing the shell stitch border. Hopefully I will have pictures of the completed project tomorrow (if not sooner)!