I go grocery shopping maybe once a month....or less than that. but i went today to stock up on things. prices have sure gone up since i went last. i used to get muffin mixes....in that little bag...Martha White...makes 6 little muffins. they were 99 cents. today they were $1.39 .... WOW! yes...i still got some.....but maybe not next time.
I have changed my approach to grocery shopping. used to be.....i went to one store and got it all...whatever i wanted....name brands or not....and was done. well..not any more. first off...the town (term used loosely) where i live does not have a grocery store. the next town (10 miles away) has a grocery store but when buying there you have to look at the 'use by' date on all things. another 10 miles gets you to a good grocery store that is clean and has a good selection and you don't have to worry about dates. So it's a 40 mile round trip to get some food....perhaps that is why i don't go often. throw in the price of gas and it's downright scary.
But it is just not that easy. first i stop in town (10 miles away) at the Dollar General store. there i get paper products such as paper towels, toilet paper, wax paper, trash bags, etc. and soap products. and boxes of things like cake mixes or mac and cheese and pasta products. also cans and jars of things. no longer do i look for Del Monte green beans. the store brand is fine. the dollar store has a can of corn for 65 cents versus the over a dollar at the regular grocery store. tastes the same to me. i also get cookes and chips here. i do not purchase any products here that need to be refrigerated. Usually it's about a $50 excursion....today was $70.
Then i go to the next town over (another 10 miles) for the refrigerated items and the rest of the things on my list that weren't at the dollar store; garlic bread, cheese, bread, etc. and to pick up fruits and veggies. i take a cooler in the back of my truck so i can pop the refrigerated things in there till i get home. this excursion is worth $112.....keep in mind i am only feeding 2 of us....sheesh!!
Then i head back towards home. stop at the gas station to fill up the truck and at the pharmacy to refill a prescription. then i stop at the little grocery store in town....where you have to watch the dates.....and pick up some meat. they have a 5 for $25 deal. you can get any 5 packages of meat that have the 5for25 sticker on them and only pay $25. so i pick up 2 packages of 3 pork steaks, 2 packages of ground chuck and a package of 5 pork chops. i always get the largest packages with the highest price tags on them. so my packages would have a $6.50 or $7 price tag on them but i get them for $5 each. so i save between 8 - 10 dollars by buying meat this way. i don't know why they started doing this but i like the idea. when we get the packages home we divide them up and vacuum seal them and throw them in the freezer. that's probably enough for a month or so. another $26 added to the total....tax, you know. LOL
I do enjoy grocery shopping.....it's one of my favorite things. LOL i just wish i had more money to shop with. but the way prices are going i'll bet we'll be eating a bit differently before long. there will be more soups and less pork steaks.
We did make a crock pot of vegetable soup with ground beef Tuesday and ate on it tuesday and wednesday. the remainder went into the freezer for another day...enough for 2 or 3 bowls. Jim eats his with crackers and i used rye bread. a very good meal.
How do you do your grocery shopping? all at one place?....shop around?....got any tips for me?
4 comments:
Shirley - My only tip would be when buying canned goods at the Dollar General, be sure to check their dates, too. I know canned is usually good unless swelling, but ... if it expired 5 years ago (trust me, I've seen it) I don't think I would chance it.
There is one thing my wife forgot to mention, we each have only one VICE, and that is food, we both love to eat. Me especially. Jim
Unfortunately for you that is too much running!! Sometimes I will go to Aldi for produce because it is cheaper and canned goods, but not always, usually I just go to shop & save for everything unless I'm taking mom, then I have to go to Shnucks.
I shop at Dollar General for all the same things you do. Then I go to our little grocery store and buy everything else. We raise our own beef, so I dont have to buy that. But I buy pork and chicken in the 5 for 5 packs like you do.
Then I drop more money at the Pharmacy and gas station on my way home.
While I start in the grocery store, Steve is doing the post office and bank duties.
By the time I come home, and get stuff put away, I am done for the day!
We usually go once a month for a "big" run, and once a week for bread, milk and other little things. I send Steve as much as possible because he loves to grocery shop and I hate it.
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