I am finding that the part of my frugality that I am most proud of is the hardest one to put in to words. I used to get so stressed over wasting food, feeling like I wasn’t meal planning efficiently, and buying what seemed like everything I needed whenever I decided to make a nice meal. I didn’t start strategically shopping sales and using coupons to solve that problem, but to save money, of course. When I found myself wasting less and realizing I had all of the ingredients for impromptu dinner ideas, I was more excited than when I discovered how much money I was saving. It occurred to me that the best way to share this might just be to show you what I am buying and why.
Like a good couponer, I love to stock up on things when they are at their lowest price. But this approach doesn’t cover everything we eat, so I also typically pick one store to shop each week for produce, other perishables, and any stock-up worthy deals they happen to have. I look through the sale ads each week and determine which store has the best deals. For me, usually that store is Caputo’s, but any ethnic or other market-type store will have deals similar to theirs. Sometimes I will have a recipe in mind, but often I let the produce sales (typically based on season) decide what I’m making. This week, for example, I have a green pepper and some avocados left over from last week’s shopping, so I am going to make Cuban Picadillo tonight. I have all of the pantry items and meat on hand. With the onions and potatoes on sale this week (that I would have bought regardless of this plan), I’ll have everything I need. Also, as Mashup Mom shared, this week’s sales are perfect for my sausage and rapini pasta, so I picked up the things I need for an upgraded, company-worthy version of that (recipe forthcoming)
Here is what I brought home from Caputo’s today for just over $40:
- bunch rapini, $1.29/lb – For the upgraded pasta dish.
- cantaloupe, $1.50
- 2 limes, $.25 – Because limes are always useful (margarita, anyone?) and I will be out after making picadillo tonight.
- apples, $.69/lb
- green seedless grapes, $.89/lb
- black plums, $.99/lb
- lemon, $.52 – Also for the pasta dish.
- bananas, $.49/lb
- strawberries, $1.99
- 3 lb bag yellow onions, $.89
- 10 lb bag Idaho potatoes, $1.99
- red and yellow peppers, $.99 lb – They looked so pretty, I’ll put them to good use.
- eggplant, $.59/lb – Also gorgeous!
- butternut squash, $.49/lb – For making an amazing and simple soup.
- spaghetti squash, $.49/lb – Last year I made something that turned out so well, must find the recipe….
- 4 lbs bulk Italian sausage, $1.79/lb – Some for the pasta dish, the rest to freeze for future penne alla vodka, pizza, etc.
- Dutch Farms unsalted butter quarters, $1.79 – I try to keep 4 lbs of butter in the fridge at all times so I never run out and have to pay more than this for it, and I was down to two.
- Frigo ricotta, $1.99 – A good price after the $.50/1 coupon from 6/2.
- Frigo Cheese Heads string cheese, 3/$5.00 – A decent price after the $.75/1 from 7/28, and both the kiddo and husband like it as a snack.
- Visconti orecchiete, $2.50 – A good price for this imported specialty pasta, and will transform a weekend dinner to a dinner party. I got two bags.
- Stonefire naan bread, $1.50 – This stuff is SO good and freezes extremely well, so I pick it up whenever it hits this price so I always have some to go with my chicken makhani.
Most of these items were advertised sales, a few not advertised (which often means they will be on sale, possibly cheaper, next week). Coupons don’t play a huge role in my Caputo’s shopping. I used $2.50 worth here, which is about average, so about $130 per year. I maintained my stock of a few things, got the ingredients for a few dishes I am excited to make, and filled our produce drawers and baskets for the week, all for about $40!
