$100 A Week - What I Got 1/2/2013

In this household we have a strict $100 a week budget for groceries. We need to incorporate into this budget breakfasts, lunches and dinners (I work from home so no take out lunches for me, and my hubs brings his lunch to work). I often get asked "How the heck do you fit everything into $100 a week?" The answer - planning!! I'm not going to say its easy to start, it takes some time, it takes some imagination, but in the end I can feel confident that only $500 a month goes to groceries (I'll explain why $500 not $400 in a minute...) That way if a night comes up where I don't feel like cooking, we're sick, or out doing something it's not a huge deal and/or strain to grab take out or go out to dinner because we've kept on a budget for our everyday groceries. Here is how I plan and what I got (aka what were eating) this week: I plan for 5-6 full dinner meals. Why not 7? Because usually 1-2 nights we do a leftover night because we always have somethng leftover or a DIY night (usually Sundays) when Mommy (aka The House Fairy as my hubs likes to call me) can take a break. I take a look at the ads for the week and plan my meals from there. I usually do 2 stores because I can shop sales and get a lot more for my money. I realize this is a hassle for some, but I have the time to do it so why not! I always shop Sprouts because I think they have a great produce department and they offer double ad sales - every Wednesday you can shop from last weeks ad and the current week's ad. Bunus! And usually I also shop Safeway because their ad starts Wednesday and I noticed if I wait to get sale items there they sell out of things quickly. So after we drop of Miss M at kindergarten, the boy, baby and I head to the grocery store - and yes I do this with a 3 year old and an 8 month old..again PLAN (snacks, toys, iphone downloads needed!) I use a meal/grocery planning sheet I found free on pinterest, and plan my list according to that.
Here is what we are making this week:
Garlic chicken pizza and salad
Ground beef Tacos
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Creamy Chicken Pockets
Homemade chicken Strips & Fries
Cuban Burgers and spicy potato wedges

And here is our grocery list:
20 pk corn tortillas - 1.99
Loaf sliced wheat bread - 1.99
1 lb Quick Oats (bin) - 1.00
1/2 gallon OJ - 3.00
1/2 gallon coconut milk - 3.29
sour cream - 1.99
Colby jack Cheese - 2.59
Honey Maple sliced ham - 3.44
Mozerella Cheese - 2.59
White cheddar - 2.23
Apple Puffs (baby snacks) - 3.29
Jar apple sauce - 2.29
Can chili with beans - 1.99
Chammomile Tea 18 ct - 1.99
1 lb white rice - 1.99
Green Tea 18 ct - 2.99
2x organic baby food - .99 (1.99)
2 liter sparkling water - 1.00
1 qt. Chicken Broth - 1.99
Wolfgang Puck Canned soups 3x - 2.00 (6.00)
2 lbs extra lean ground beef - 5.47
2.5 lbs boneless chicken breasts - 5.09
1 lb bag baby carrots - .99
bag lemons - 1.49
pint blueberries - 1.25
1.31 lbs Broccoli crowns - 1.30
on the vine tomatos 1.46 lb - 3.64
1.62 lbs fuji apples - 1.43
1 garlic bulb - .34
pint grape tomatos - 1.50
4x hass avocados - 1.00
English Cucumber - 1.25
3.58 lbs navel oranges - .72
Organic romaine lettuce - 1.69
1.95 lbs organic pears - 1.93
2.42 lbs bananas - 1.67
.99 lb yellow onions - .50
BV Red Wine - 5.99
2 Gallons of Milk - 5.39
2 Dozen Eggs - 3.39

Total $97.87

I do have to say I double up on things to use through 2 weeks for example last week I bought a bag of potatos and only used half so I can use the rest this week for fries, and last week I bought hamburger buns thinking I would use them but didn't so they will go for the cuban burgers this week, and so on. It all evens out and I keep the balance at about $100 a week give or take (plus $100 a month at Costco for bulk items - which I'll go into another time) Its that simple! Sometimes I use coupons and sometimes I don't I just base my meals and snacks around whats on sale and what I can make myself from scratch (see previous posts) All in all its savings which means money in the bank which means I'm one step closer to my new house :)