$50 Grocery Haul 01/17/2015

01/17/2015

I'm a jew frugal person, and recently I stumbled across grocery haul vlog posts. The best part? The ones I've seen aren't done by the people who make it on shows like extreme couponer, or extreme cheapskates. The entries I've seen and loved are by "normal" people who are trying to make healthy choices on a budget, and some of them have it down to an art!

I stumbled across the grocery haul vlogs and I must say there are quiet a few impressive ones... but they all have something, stores I don't have near me (and the reason 1/3 people in my state are obese!) Despite having a lower cost of living than many states we don't necessarily have cheaper food, or as many options for healthy food... but I digress.

I prefer blogs to vlogs because I can multitask and I read fast! After I found the vlogs I typed a general search into google to look for some blogs and stumbled upon this. I'm taking the SNAP challenge in Febraury; I know, I know, that was SO two years ago! I never got around to taking the SNAP challenge because honestly well I have that I want to do it, it also looks hard so I didn't want to do it! Well, poorgirleatswell writer Kim Morales does $25 shopping hauls. Her grocery hauls aren't all inclusive, she mixes the things she buys on the trip with items she already has on hand. Her hauls inspired me to do one of my own!

I originally planned on doing a $25 grocery haul, but then I saw some clearance items and figured that there are two of us and one of her... so it's only fair that I double my budget right!?

I shopped at Kroger, which if you are a loyal follower you know it is because it is the best choice in my area... and really pretty much the only one other than Walmart.

My total after my kroger card was: $56.42. Thinking I failed my mission? Yee of little faith! Of that $7.49 (and tax on that amount) was for my dogs, so my grocery total comes to right around $49!

The picture above, although nice is NOT my haul. It is a picture I found doing a google search because I haven't done my counter reveal post yet. The picture to the right is what my haul looked like carrying it out of the store. That is right guys, I remembered my reusable shopping bags and even brought enough!!!

Now Here is my haul:
ST Sliced Ham $3.50
ST PB x2 $1.69/ea
ST Almonds x2 $2.99/ea
6 Grn Bell Peppers (bag) $1.99
Crackers $.99 (some healthy kind)
ST seaweed snack .39
Bagged garbonzo beans $1.29
Strawberries $1.99
Organic Banana's $1.51
ST walnuts $2.99
Yogurt Raisins $1.99
Glory Greens .79
Romaine Lettuce $1.55
Lettuce, Red Leaf .61
Bagged Lentils $1.29
Salad Shrimp $4.99
Lunchable $1.00
Hormel Chili x2 $1.50/ea
Pasta x2 $1.00/ea
Bagged Great Northern Beans $1.39

For my dogs I got
7 HUGE cans of pumpkin for $1 EACH!!!
and a wet dog food for .49.


This haul is different than my usual grocery shopping! The key differences in this and typical is        1. This is pretty much ALL healthy food without my usual deviation
 2. Bagged beans
 3. Loose Lettuce

During my grocery shopping trips I will usually buy some junky items, whether it is prepared foods, hot cheetos, soda, candy, muffins, pop tarts, frozen pizza's, lean pockets, hot pockets, or pizza pockets some items that aren't the healthiest always seem to wind up in my cart. This time I didn't even walk into ANY center isles except the one for pasta/beans and to grab my husband some chili (he loves the stuff and I need to learn how to make it!)!

I always buy lettuce in bags or plastic boxes, and look for it on clearance. My last grocery shopping trip I found a clearance romaine lettuce in the plastic box. I didn't pay close attention and was surprised upon opening it to find it was Romaine hearts not cut up lettuce? I was more surprised to find I prefer it that way. This lettuce was still good 2 WEEKS past the "best buy" date. I don't like the white/clear center part so this way I just leave it out of my salad when I'm preparing it, and it is perfect for sandwiches. I found the loose lettuce hearts for .99/lb today so $2 total for my romaine and red leaf lettuce!

Bagged beans aren't something you normally find in my cupboard, I don't know how to cook them or any recipes that use them. I do know beans and rice are cheap staple items and I NEED to learn how to use them! I have ST beans in the cupboard but I came across some blog posts about canned versus dried and I am interested. I'm trying them both and who knows, maybe I'll blog my findings. According to the posts dried are cheaper and healthier!