After wrapping up my personal 100 day challenge it’s time to restock, and move forward at a more normal pace of 2 shops per month, and about $200 per month. Starting out I need to restock the basics. Chickens, bacon, meatballs, granola, muffins etc.
Many of these items will last through several months depending on what else I find on sales, manager’s specials, and seasonal items. One thing I look at is major food related holidays in the upcoming month. This is March, so we are looking at St Patty’s day on the 17th so I will plan my second shop a day or two after that so I might hit some sales on things like corned beef, cabbage or sausages.
Meanwhile this is a pretty basic start out shop getting the basics in place. I generally do chickens every other month, depending on meals and/or sales. If you can get them for $ .88 per pound or 2 for $10 that is a good sale. I do two at a time because some smaller cuts like the oysters, and they flaps needs two each to make a meal and sometimes the breast points need more to equal a 4 ounce serving size.
Frozen fruits and veggies. Berries for smoothees – I will be freezing some of the bananas later to go with the smoothees. Corn, mixed veg, peas, cauliflower & broccoli, cauliflower, green beans and edamame. They were on sale @ 10 for $10, I took advantage of that.
I use one of my bins to stand them on end for ease of access. I have also found that after taking one serving out of these types of bags it works better to then put the bag into a freezer bag and they don’t get icy. I had a couple of chipotles left. Look at that sad little empty freezer. Next is the meats. Two whole chickens, ends and pieces bacon, Italian sausage, Mexican chorizo, found some ground beef on sale, and some cubed pork on sale. Dairy – milk, butter, eggs and yogurt – I buy big tubs of plain full-fat yogurt, I just add jam if I want a traditional sweet fruity yogurt, or it can substitute for sour cream also. Colby-jack and mozzarella cheeses. And Parmesan, I like the real parm it may cost a bit more, but tastes so much better. I keep it in the freezer and grate it over dishes frozen. Lasts a long time. Breads – found some sandwich bread on sale so grabbed two. Tortillas and English muffins. Pantry – Oats, pasta (on sale @ 10 for $10), rice, pinto beans and garbanzo beans. Also a couple packs of pork ramen, and beef ramen. I like having ramen on hand as it is just another quick cooking pasta/noodle. Some are one serving and some two, The two servings ones I just pop the noodle pack in half. I use the seasoning as bullion and make sauces or use it to flavor baked rice, or in soups. I seldom make just “college ramen”. Fresh veggies – romaine lettuce, parsley, cilantro, mini sweet peppers, potatoes, green onions, radishes, garlic, onion, jalapenos, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, broccoli, cabbage, and some cherry tomatoes. Fresh fruits – apples, oranges, bananas & limes. Banana’s were on sale so I grabbed a bunch – ok two. I will make banana muffins, and freeze some for smoothees.
Pantry – pineapple cups, dried cranberries, tomato paste in a tube, pickles jalapenos, a can of black olives, and from the scratch and dent section two cans of fire roasted tomatoes, and two cans of refried beans. Dented cans are fine as long as there is no rust or leakage. Oh and walnuts – I didn’t intend to buy that many or in two different package sizes. One was opened so they sent a runner back to get another – when I got home I found two sizes in my bag, and I was charged for two at the same price, for two clearly different sized packages. Baking & spices – I needed more brown sugar, corn starch, and baking powder. Ketchup, and beef bullion. I usually have plenty of chicken stock, but sometimes need more beefy flavor for gravies, soups or sauces. Garlic powder, Italian seasoning (which isn’t all that “Italian” in my opinion, just a nice herb blend), lemon pepper, black pepper, parsley and oregano.
All of the above cost about $175 so that will leave me around $25 to spend after St Patty’s day sales. I’m sure I will need yogurt, milk, cheese, & eggs by then. Should be good on the rest until my April shop.
Next shop will be after Easter where I may find ham, lamb, & eggs on sale and who knows what other surprises!
I have always cooked, I was that person who could make a meal from an empty fridge. I have lived alone and with large and small families, I have cooked for camps on wood stoves, and in professional kitchens. I have lived and worked all over the west from Montana, to Seattle to Arizona to San Diego. I have traveled, maybe not 'all over the world', yet, and have collected tastes recipes and techniques everywhere, and every one I meet.
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