Fred Meyer - $0.91 deals!

Fred Meyer is having their annual Founder's Day Sale which typically has awesome deals.  My favorites this year are 

• $3.99 Tillamook Brick
• $0.33 Tillamook yogurt
• $4.49 MD toilet tissue
• $1.67 Darigold butter

Also new and cool this year are the digital deals you can load on your Rewards card each day.  I was too late on the $0.91 pound of Ground Beef Monday and Tuesday was $0.91 for 5 pounds of potatoes.  Today's deal is $0.91 for a dozen eggs.  You can revisit this Fred Meyer page every day for the new deal!

Katie

Monday Menu Plan - Brother in town

My brother is here this week working on our basement remodel.  He works hard and eats accordingly so I try and make heartier, meatier meals when he is here.

Lunches:
Monday - Ramen with PBJ
Tuesday - Finger food.  Cheese, crackers, fruit, nuts
Wednesday - Grilled Cheese
Thursday -PBJ
Friday -Nachos
Saturday - Macaronada
Sunday -Taco Bar

Dinners:
Monday - Ham
Tuesday - Sausage Soup
Wednesday - Pasta & Red Sauce
Thursday - Beef Pot Roast
Friday - Freezer Meal
Saturday -Beef Stroganoff
Sunday - Taco Bar

Katie

Grocery Shopping Week 37 - $113.73

So we got home from our two weeks out of town and I immediately had to run to the grocery store because I was asked to bring dessert to a church meeting that evening.  I didn't have enough time to bake - Darn!

I went to Fred Meyer and spent $12.04 on a few things, but forgot to take a picture.  Coffee creamer was $2.50, Cantaloupe was $0.38/lb, Lettuce was $1.29, Cucumber $0.79, Bananas $0.64/lb and the requested dessert: Oreos $2.50 and Chips Ahoy $2.75.

The very next day I took all 4 littles on errands and we stopped by QFC.  I spent $17.85.

Cheerios were $1.50/box
Cottage cheese - $1.25
Cottage cheese - $0.59 on clearance
Creamer - $2.50
Sour cream - $1.25
Bananas - $0.49/lb
Cucumbers - $0.68 each
Bell pepper - $0.68
Sausage - $1.99 on clearance

I went to Fred Meyer later in the week and scored on produce markdowns.  I spent $25.33.

 Eggs - $1.25/dozen
Cream - $2.50 each ($0.75/2 e-coupon) = $2.13 each
Lunchmeat - $3.50 each ($2.00/2 MC) = $2.50 each
Bananas - $0.44/lb
Salt - $0.53
Apples - $1.00 per bag - each bag had at least 2 pounds and most of them Honeycrisp!  This is going to make some amazing applesauce!

I also picked up smoked paprika at Trader Joe's for just $1.99.

Costco was necessary for flour and lettuce.  I spent $41.36.

25 lbs flour - $8.29
Romaine - $3.28
Pears - $5.49 or $0.91/lb
Feta - $9.46
Garlic - $4.99

Milk delivery was $11.16 and Eggs were $4.00.

I am super excited for Fred Meyer's Founder's Day Sale this coming week!  Hoping for awesome deals!

Total spending this week: $113.73
Total spending year-to-date on groceries: $3,846.45
Average spending per week: $103.96

Katie

Digital Coupons - First Try!

OK - I'm taking the plunge with digital coupons.

Today I visited the Kroger coupon site and downloaded a coupon for a free Emerald Breakfast on the Go.  I wouldn't normally buy this product, but I'll give it a try for free.   I also shop primarily at Fred Meyer and QFC which are both Kroger stores so I will have opportunity to use the coupon several times in the next two weeks.

I also went to the Safeway website and loaded some digital coupons to my shopping card.  We'll see if I end up getting better deals.  I think I won't remember what I loaded.  I just clicked everything I usually buy.

Katie

Zucchini Overload - Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps were a big hit with my family!  We tried them out on one of our cooking nights with the extended family and these were gobbled up.  The recipe came from a Facebook friend, but I think it originated on a page called Gregg's Skinny Friends - Health & Weight Control.

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps
1 lb. zucchini or squash (about 2 medium-sized)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan (heaping)
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs (heaping)
... 1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil and spray lightly with vegetable spray.

Slice zucchini or squash into 1/4 inch-thick rounds. Toss rounds with oil, coating well.

In a wide bowl or plate, combine breadcrumbs, parmesan, salt and pepper.

Place rounds in parmesan-breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides of each round, pressing to adhere. The mixture will not completely cover each round, but provides a light coating on each side.

Place rounds in a single layer on baking sheets. Sprinkle any remaining breadcrumb mixture over the rounds.

Bake for about 22 to 27 minutes, until golden brown. (There is no need to flip them during baking -- they crisp up on both sides as is.)

DH as already asked for these again - so I'll probably make up a tray this weekend.
Katie

Menu Plan

OK - super late, but I have almost no 'fresh' food so I have to plan for the rest of the week.  The last couple of nights have been stressful trying to figure out what to make.

Dinners:
Monday - Chicken La Viva (I pulled it out of the freezer)
Tuesday - Macaronada (garlic still OK after our trip, feta traveled nearly 3,000 miles with us)
Wednesday - Costco food stand
Thursday - At a friend's house - PHEW!
Friday - Potluck (Phew again) - Take a big salad
Saturday -Tapas Party - Making a sort of deviled egg
Sunday - Chili Beef Casserole (tortilllas & beef from freezer)
Lunches:
Monday - Burgers on the road
Tuesday - leftover croissants, crackers, and fruit from Bible study refreshments.  Yes, I know that's sad.
Wednesday - quesadillas (four tortillas came home with us from vacation)
Thursday - PBJ (I made bread today with pantry ingredients)
Friday - Grilled cheese (bread again)
Saturday - Smoothies & Finger Food (olives, cheese & crackers, almonds)
Sunday - PBJ

OK - this will get me through with no new shopping.

Goals: Already having an excellent homeschool week.  Must buy an airline ticket!

Katie

Weekly Shopping Out of Town - $81.19

I just am getting home from a 17 day road trip.  Here's how it went:

Day 1 - Travel
Day 2 - Oregon
Day 3 to 9 - Yosemite National Park with my side of the family
Day 10 to 15 - Anaheim visiting DH's side of the family
Day 16 - Travel (including lunch with friends from San Jose)
Day 17 - Travel home

I tried to plan carefully for our trip to Yosemite knowing we were in a timeshare unit and would only have the food we brought with us.  I did pretty well, I thought, only spending $70 for several reasons.
1. I had to buy chicken TWICE
2. I bought Bisquick, bread, and spice packets that I would normally make from ingredients already on hand.
3. I bought 2# of shredded cheese for $6.99.  That kills me

For our trip to DH's family I knew my Mother-in-Love would have all the staples in her kitchen and I would just need to buy groceries to supplement what she is always willing to share.  I was so surprised and delighted when she revealed a budget set aside for grocery shopping!  I had to spend very little all week, but even so we shopped together and found some screaming deals.  I also tried to shop carefully so as not to take advantage of her generosity.

• We found 20 oz. packages of taco seasoned ground turkey marked down to $1.49 each!  We bought all three for our big family party at the end of the week and I cooked it up that night and tossed it in the freezer.
• I bought only one quart of creamer for DH and he used it all week.
• We found clearance vanilla yogurt cups (my kids' favs) for $1.11 per 4-pack
• We found organic milk for half price - which reduced it to the same price as regular milk
• MIL got some great additional discounts because of her JustForU rewards.  Combined with an email nudge from a friend, I think I'm convinced I should try some of the digital coupons.

Here's what I DID spend all week: $ 3.60 at Wal-Mart on hot dog buns and macaroni & cheese.  We didn't even eat the mac'n'cheese and it's still at MIL's house.  I also went the FIL one day for diapers and ice.   I bought the ice for $3.99 since I hadn't bought anything else all week!  I also ordered my 40# box of chicken from Zaycon Foods for October delivery.  It cost $73.60.

Total Grocery Cost for Week 36: $81.19
Total Grocery Cost YTD for 2013: $3,732.72
Average grocery spending per week in 2013: $103.69

Weekly Shopping Out of Town - $70.43

This week we were on vacation near Yosemite National Park.  We had a full kitchen so I planned ahead with lots of meals we could bring from home.  I also had to cook dinner for 21 one night (Beef Stew) and 23 another night (Chicken Taco Soup) so I planned around affordable ingredients & items I already had on hand.  Our cooler space was limited because we decided to drive our smaller, fuel efficient car so I had to choose carefully what to bring along.

The closest town had a Von's which is the equivalent of Safeway and a Dollar Tree.  I needed fresh fruit, chicken for the taco soup, bread & snacks to pack lunches, and biscuits to serve with the stew.  I spent $28.73.

 Milk - $5.69
Bisquick - $4.39 (cheaper than buying enough biscuits in a can)
Cheese Crackers - $1.00
Microwave Popcorn - $1.00
Red Bell Pepper - $1.00
Mangos - $1.00 each
Cucumber - $0.99
Bananas - $0.69/lb
Chicken - $2.99/lb
Bread - $0.99
Pears - $0.99/lb

We went back after the sales had changed.  I was hoping the cheese and sour cream would go on sale.  No luck on the cheese, but the sour cream was cheaper later in the week. I spent $32.05.

Milk - $5.69
Crackers - $1.00 each
Pepperoni - $1.00
Microwave Popcorn - $1.00
Creamer - $2.99
Sour Cream - $1.50 each
Bananas - $0.69/lb
Lettuce - $1.49/head
Pears - $0.99/lb
Onion - $1.49/lb (OUCH!)
Cheddar - $6.99 for 2 lbx (OUCH Again!)
Capri Sun - $2.00 on sale ($1.50 off clearance tag) = $0.50

Tragedy struck late in the week when DH didn't notice the cooked chicken on top of stove and it sat out ALL day while the moms were out thrift store shopping.  So off to the store we went for more chicken and taco seasoning.  I thought I might be able to find some spices among my family members and/or in the provided envelopes but no luck for Mexican spices.  I spent $9.65.

Chicken - $2.99/lb
Taco Seasoning packets - $0.75 each

Total cash spent this week was only $70.43 - no milk deliver or eggs due to being out of town
Total cash spent year to date: $3,651.53
Weekly Average: $104.33

Katie