Snap Challenge Grocery Haul #1

01/31/2014

At long last I've started my snap challenge, for those of you who don't know what that is you can read about it here! To sum up the snap challenge for those of you who would rather not read another page, the challenge is simply living on the same amount a participate of snap receives. Different people make up different rules for the snap challenge mine are simple:
1. $25/wk per adult (which is what is given in my area)
2. Use Myfitness pals to calculate the health factor!
3. No fast foods or hot foods, you can't buy those with an EBT card!
4. Coupons may be used (people on snap have access to these)
5. Tax does NOT count (EBT purchases are tax free)
6. Food in the cupboard MAY be eaten (just don't do a shopping trip right before!!)

Now that I have done a recap of the rules and what I'm doing I will show you my first shopping trip.

I was aiming to just spend $50 which would keep me on target week by week rather than doing a large haul one week than just essentials the next, and lets just say I did not reach my goal! I was over the $50 mark, I paid $75.22 and once I subtract for non grocery items and tax my total challenge related purchases come to $63.09, which is actually MUCH better than I thought.

The non grocery items are a bottle deposit, two collector items my mom smuggled into MY checkout (despite checking out right after me with her own stuff LOL), a dog toy, and tax! Assuming we decide the glass milk jar deposit does count than it comes to $65.36!


This weeks haul is GREAT! I went to one of my favorite stores that I rarely go to because its 30 minutes away, sticking with the rules I only went because I was in that area anyway... it will more than likely be my only Knights haul for my Snap Challenge!

Here is a small sample of the great deals I got! These were clearance markdowns I grabbed. The salads were just .50 CENTS EACH! Can you believe it? Their best buy date isn't for 5 more days either! I also paid just .50 cents for the portabella mushrooms and the Turkey was $1.50! These deals make this girl happy!

I got more than just the items pictured though, here is a rundown of my items I purchased and the deals I got on them just by shopping sales and looking out for clearance items!

Item                                                                                                                                         Cost
Pita Bread                                                                                                                               $1.49
Pepper Turkey                                                                                                                         $5.03
Flatbread                                                                                                                                $2.99
Hashbrowns (2)      Mr. Dells (natural, no preservatives or GMO's)                                    $2.00
Ranch Salad Dressing (2)                                                                                                       $3.34
Blue Bonnet butter                                                                                                                  $0.89
Pork&Beans (8)                                                                                                                      $2.67
Crutons                                                                                                                                   $1.00
Tortillas                                                                                                                                  $2.99
2% Milk (from a FARM in MO ya'll!)                                                                                    $2.67
Post Pebbles Cereal (5)                                                                                                          $5.00
Stew Meat (2 packages over 1 lb each)                                                                                  $9.00
Hot dogs                                                                                                                                  $0.75
Turkey Meat                                                                                                                            $1.50
Salads (4)                                                                                                                                $2.00
Oranges (2)                                                                                                                             $0.79
Avocados  (3)                                                                                                                          $1.50
Apple, Jonagolds (1.86 lbs)                                                                                                    $1.84
Apple Red Delicious (5 lb bag)                                                                                               $2.49
Onion, white  (bag of 4)                                                                                                          $1.00
Tomatoes, sweet grape (2)                                                                                                      $1.96
Strawberries                                                                                                                            $1.88
Catfish Nuggets   (1 lb)                                                                                                           $2.59
Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal                                                                                               $2.50
Cantaloupe                                                                                                                              $2.50

Looking over my list I know it isn't all just healthy foods, but its not junk foods either! Almost 1/2 of my list is fresh foods! With what I bought this week my meal plan is
breakfast: cereal with milk, fruit, or oatmeal for breakfast
lunch: sandwich, snack on fresh fruit/veggies, wrap, or salad
Dinner: Quesadilla, Flat Bread Melt, Wrap, Catfish, Salad, Fajitas, Steak Bites (rather than fajitas I'll cook up the stew meat and bell peppers and eat it with A1), beanie weanies (beans and hot dogs)

I'm just spit-balling looking over my list and thinking about what is in our cupboard! I know we won't go hungry this week though!