Welcome to week 4 of our $29 grocery budget challenge. If I had it to do over I would do this challenge a bit different. In all honesty it isn’t realistic in the way it is set up. As someone who received SNAP benefits before they were so named, you receive a monthly lump sum to use at the beginning of the month versus a weekly “$29/per person”. That makes shopping the most efficient in terms of your ability to save. It also means you need to be smart from week 1 because it has to last.
However, I am still going to be shopping and planning this way for the remaining 4 weeks so get ready to get your on budget shopping ON! After this series is over I am going to do a monthly shop and meal plan. That should be fun. Just in case you missed last week’s Wegmans trip you can find it here.
Grocery List
ALDI
MEAT
- Organic ground beef, 1 lb. – $6.99 x 3
- Whole Chicken Roaster, 5.5 lb. – $5.63
TOTAL: $26.60
PRODUCE
- Blueberries, pints – $1.49 x 2
- Onions, 3 lb. – $1.69
- 1 pineapple – $1.19
- 4 Pink Lady apples – $0.49 x 4
- Cauliflower – $2.29
- Cabbage – $1.69
- Red Grapes – $3.99
- Organic grape tomatoes, pint – $2.49
- Raspberries, 6 oz. – $1.49
- Blackberries, 6 oz. – $1.69
- Organic bananas, 2 lb. – $1.38
- Cantaloupe – $1.29
- Sweet potatoes, 3 lb. – $2.49
- Baby bella mushrooms, 8 oz. – $1.69
- Organic apples, 3 lb. – $3.99
- Oranges, 4 lb. – $3.69
- Cucumbers, 16 oz./2 – $0.99
- Zucchini, 16 oz. – $1.69
- Celery – $1.49
- Broccoli crowns – $1.29 x 2
- Romaine hearts – $1.99
- Organic baby spinach, 5 oz. – $2.49
- Avocados, 3 – $2.89
- Baby lettuce – $2.49
- 10 lb. russet potatoes – $3.99
- Seedless watermelon – $3.99
TOTAL: $60.58
BAKERY
- 12 grain bread, $1.79
TOTAL: $1.79
DAIRY
- Organic Milk, 2 1/2 gallons – $6.58
- Eggs, 1 dozen – $1.55
- Cheddar, 8 oz. – $1.79 x 2
- Butter, 2 lb. – $2.99 x 2
- Cream cheese – $0.99
- Plain yogurt, 32 oz. – $1.89
TOTAL: $20.57
GROCERY
- Oats, 42 oz. – $2.39
- Flour, 5 lb. – $1.49
- Sugar, 4 lb. – $1.89
- Honey, 12 oz. – $3.49
- Simply Natural shredded wheat, 16 oz – $1.99
- Organic diced tomatoes, 28 oz. – $1.49 x 2
- Tuna – $0.65 x 3
- Simply Natural multigrain tortilla chips, 9 oz. – $1.19 x 2
- Nacho tortilla chips, 11 oz. – $1.69
- Semi Sweet chocolate morsels – $1.59
- Corn masa – $2.49
- Dried black beans, 2 lb. – $2.29
- Organic pasta sauce – $1.79
- Raisins, 20 oz. – $2.89
- Natural creamy peanut butter, 16 oz. – $1.69
- Organic mayo, 15 oz. (clearance at my store) – $0.99
- Dried cranberries, 5 oz. – $1.19
TOTAL: $35.17
FROZEN
TOTAL: $0.00
SHOPPING TOTAL: $144.71
Week 4 Meal Plan
Breakfast
- Berry Parfaits topped with toasted oats
- Black Bean and Egg Quesadillas with salsa
- Sweet Potato, Blueberry, and Spinach Smoothies ( you can use a banana instead of sweet potato if you like + 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup spinach, leftover yogurt, and 1 orange. Add milk if you want to thin it a bit.)
- Homemade Chocolate Cranberry Granola ( 4 cups oats, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1/8 cup chocolate chips, and 1/4 cup honey – Mix together and bake in 400° oven for 25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes)
- Shredded wheat and fruit salad
- Banana Pancakes and fruit
- Oatmeal with 1 banana, 1/8 cup chocolate chip, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter
Lunch
- Black bean, cheese, and salsa quesadillas and fresh veggies
- Hummus, cucumber, and cream cheese sandwiches with fruit and tortilla chips (hummus from last week’s garbanzo bean buy)
- Peanut butter and jelly for the kids, salad for all of us
- Salad with black bean dip dressing
- Veggies tacos
- Loaded tortilla chips with guacamole and black beans
- Leftovers and fresh fruit and veggies
Dinner
- Herbed tuna over buttered pasta with steamed broccoli (heat 1 tablespoon oil in pan, add 2 cans drained tuna, 1 lemon – now you see why I stocked up last week – 1 tablespoon parsley, pinch of chili powder, salt and pepper to taste. Heat through.)
- Haystacks – layered rice (if you have no rice left you can buy 1 bag rice in place of cauliflower), 1 lb. hamburger, lettuce, onion, salsa, cheese, and crushed nacho chips
- Mushroom and beef hamburgers, Potato Salad (I am going to try to make a dressing with mayo, mustard, egg, water, a bit of flour, and salt), fresh veggies
- Cabbage rolls minus the rice – mixture of beef and tomato sauce wrapped in boiled cabbage leaves and slow cooked in tomatoes and served with mixed mashed potatoes (sweet and white)
- Cauliflower rice (regular rice if you skipped buying cauliflower), sautéed zucchini, spinach, and diced tomatoes
- Roasted chicken with a chili powder and yogurt coating, potatoes, onions, celery, and carrots (Mix 1/2 cup yogurt, pinch of salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon chili powder – rub over chicken and roast with vegetables per instructions for roasting chicken on label)
- Dinner salad with tuna, avocado, and balsamic dressing (if you aren’t shopping organic beef I would sink remaining money into chicken and use it to top the salad)
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