There is no feeling like a cozy home with cupboards bursting full of food. I love grocery shopping maybe as much as I like eating. When I was a child, I’d get up early and shop with my Grandmother. I was an expert couponer and bargain hunter by the age of ten. Following that tradition, I shop as many as three times a week. I start on the weekend with my basic needs. Throughout the week, if I see a sale or want something specific for a meal, I have no problem breezing through the store again. My usual hot spots are: Kroger, Meijer, Giant Eagle, Trader Joe’s, Costco, and Whole Foods.

I love watching grocery shopping videos on YouTube. I learn about new products and fun ways to save money. I thought somebody might enjoy seeing what I buy. I’m going to show you two consecutive weeks of grocery shopping hauls done on the weekend. No need to bother with the pit stops I make during the week.

Week One

Stores: Kroger and Ollie’s

This was supposed to be a small shopping trip since I’d bought groceries at Trader Joe’s a few days before, but I picked up quite a few things. Now keep in my mind, I shop for myself only. Also, I recently got braces, so I’ve had to modify my diet to include things that are easy to eat while I adjust to my new metal mouth.

I decided to make white chili for dinner, so I picked up chicken broth, ground chicken, chili beans, a yellow bell pepper, chipotle cheese and hot pepper jack cheese and tortilla chips to scoop the chili.

I usually make smoothies with my Nutribullet. But I’ve been taking the easier route lately and picking up Naked and Bolthouse smoothies for breakfast.

For meat, I bought ground chicken, and turkey, feta and spinach burgers. You can buy these separately at the Kroger meat counter. However, I love when they have them prepackaged which are usually leftover from the day before. I can buy two for the price of one. I also bought some sliced honey ham for my salads and sandwiches.

 

I buy bananas every week because they’re one of the few fruits that don’t give me canker sores and they’re full of potassium. It’s a great fruit for people with high blood pressure like me. I heard somewhere that if you separate the bananas and wrap the ends, they will  stay longer. It didn’t work for me:(

I purchased some baby spinach which is my lettuce of choice and just one bell pepper since I already had plenty of veggies in the fridge. I grabbed a loaf of bread and one potato that I can pop in the microwave for a quick meal. I got some yogurt to add to the supply I already have. I eat yogurt every day so I always keep a nice supply.

Before my braces, I rarely bought pre-packaged meals but I need soft easy to chew dishes, so I’ve bent the rules lately.

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Frozen dinners and instant noodle soup are gifts from heaven to me. They’re soft, hot food and easy to make. Hopefully, I can stop eating them once I get adjusted to my braces.

I picked up a four pack of Seagram’s Escapes wine coolers. So yummy. Kroger had these Kahlua cocktails on sale for a buck, so I had to buy them.

I always pack a drink for lunch. I hate, hate, hate to ever pay for drinks anywhere. I rarely drink soda so I buy juices or flavored water. These were all on sale for $1 a piece.

I finished off with some treats. Marshmallows to put in my cocoa, gum, and mini candy bars that I toss in the freezer for cold treat.

That same day I stopped by a store called Ollie’s. It’s similar to Big Lots. They sell everything from food to clothes… all at a discounted price.

This is where I pick up unique food. On this day, I bought German dill pickles, olives with garlic, and red cabbage with apple. Each item was less than two dollars. I also bought some cocoa to use in my Kuerig. The hot chocolate was around four dollars.

I got a bag of spicy chips. (I know they’re bad for me.)

I spotted this set of Fall colored placemats, potholders, and dish towels. I got them all for about twelve bucks. I’m not really into decorating, but I thought these were cute.

The best deal in the store were these books. You could buy as many as you could fit into a shopping basket for five dollars. I got all fourteen books for one buck. They had reduced the price and forgot to change the sale sign. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t even mind that I picked up two of the same books. LOL.

Week Two: Kroger

Okay, let’s fast forward to the next week’s grocery haul. My teeth were feeling better so I decided to try to get back on track with healthier eating.

I bought grapes, bananas, and cantaloupe (which is not shown here.) Fresh spinach, cilantro, red and green bell peppers, squash, eggplant, a broccoli and cauliflower mixture, mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion.

I cleaned out my freezer and threw out the old meat, so I had to pick up more at the store. Chicken breasts, roasted chicken, ground turkey, apple chicken sausage, and spinach and feta turkey burgers, and slicked turkey. This meat could last me a month because I often make meatless dishes. I also eat out a lot. (Bad girl. I’m trying to stop.)

These fries are wonderful with breaded chicken strips or a turkey burger.

I got  seaweed strips for snacks and veggie spaghetti for just a dollar a piece. The veggie spaghetti is delicious. The mashed potatoes were free with a Kroger coupon.

All my drinks were a buck each except for the Pellegrino which was on sale for $1.45.

These yummy blood orange drinks were on sale for a dollar each.

Eggs, fruit, yogurt, tea, a smoothie, and breakfast bars were next on the list.

I went with this tea since I drink it at work in the mornings, and this looks like it will put me in good spirits.

Shopping is hard work so I rewarded myself with a tasty dinner.

I got the sandwich from the Kroger deli section and I heated up some of the frozen fries and a wine cooler to wash it all down.  So that’s a look at what I basically eat from week to week. Hopefully, you found it interesting…or you may have found some things a little weird. I loved to hear what you buy at the grocery store or what you like to eat. I look forward to hearing from you.

Stay blessed,

Barbie