Grocery shopping

Grocery shopping this week took me two full hours, but it was worth it. I didn't receive this week's Kroger flyer, so I went to their website and found I could make my list there from what was on sale, and print it off! They have a lot of 10 for $10 sales, plus you get $5 off if you buy 10 of these items. I used the web site and determined ONLY the items on sale that we use on a fairly regular basis, plus other sale items not in the 10/10 category. With list in hand, off I went. I paid $114. Sound like a lot? I've already sat down and made up TWO WEEKS of menu's for what I bought! YAY! That means I'm right at my target of $60 to $70 per week. I used about $9 in manufacturer's coupons (which Krogers matches up to $1), had a few freebie coupons, and then focused on the items that would get me the $15 cash back. I also bought 5 lbs of ground beef ($1.49 lb.) and 16 bone-in chicken breasts (which I will skin and de-bone myself) at $.99 cents a pound. The bones and trimmings that come off the breasts will make a good soup. Here's a look at my two week menu's: Sun - Hamburger chili casserole (Dreamfield pasta $1 coupon), salad Mon - Baked chicken, rice side dish, vegetable Tues - Manwich on 100 calorie Eng muffins, salad or soup (depending on the weather) Wed - Left over chicken in Stir Fry, veg egg rolls (from freezer) Thurs - Spaghetti w/meatballs (make xtra meatballs and meatloaf for freezer) Fri - Chicken pot pie, salad Sat - Taco salad (cooked extra meat from Sunday's casserole, freezer) Sun - Breakfast for dinner (husband's favorite dinner) Mon - Tuna casserole, salad Tues - Pork chops (freezer) w/BBQ sauce, homemade coleslaw, salad Wed - Meatballs in beef gravy served on egg noodles, vegetable Thurs - Baked chicken, baked potato, vegetable Fri - Pizza night (order in) - Donation book gives us 2 pizzas for price of one, we'll split the cost with daughter, pay $6 for large 2 topping pizza. Sat - BBQ chicken on the grill, salad Sun - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, veg, crescent rolls I also bought 2 packages of lunch meat (turkey, ham), 6 cans of tuna, 2 bags of organic chips, 2 loaves of bread -- so I have plenty to make Jeff's lunch for the next two weeks. He'll have dinner leftovers for lunch the next day when available. Brayden will eat tuna casserole, spaghetti, and leftover chicken for his lunch. Breakfasts will be cereal, oatmeal or breakfast burritos. I also bought bananas and apples, which we'll all eat for lunch and snacks. Krogers had 12 packs of Diet Coke on sale 4/$10, and I have apple and orange juice in the fridge, so we're all set on drinks. Plenty of coffee on hand (always). I did buy one cake mix, and I'll make cupcakes and put them in the freezer and pull them out frozen for Jeff or Brayden's lunch, frost them at the last minute. The cake mix and canned frosting were both on sale for .50 (10/$10, less $5 cash back). I can't make them from scratch for that price. So I think those are good menu's for two weeks, on less than $60. The cashier at Krogers told me they will be having a similar sale next week, but I won't participate unless I can find manufacturer's coupons and end up with the items for free, or they are "stock up" items we use regularly. And while I was out, I got a FREE car wash. I go to a great car wash that charges $11 to clean your car inside and out, and they REALLY clean it, including washing inside windows and wiping down all inside surfaces, then vac'ing it out. Every time I go, I get a card punched, and today I got my free car wash! Made the grocery deals just that much sweeter!