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Crystal’s $85 Kroger Shopping Trip (+ our menu plan)

Brigette’s $84 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Crystal’s $85 Kroger Shopping Trip (+ our menu plan)

If you’re new here, I practice the Buy Ahead Principle — which means that what we buy each week is often for future weeks. We stock up on the best deals and markdowns each week and that means that we then have a variety of items from previous shopping trips to use to plan a menu from.

With the increase in grocery prices, I’ve decided to raise our grocery budget to $100 a week because I’ve not been having enough wiggle room to stock up like I’d want to. This amount will still challenge me to be creative while also giving me enough breathing room to stock up and continue to practice the Buy Ahead Principle.

In addition to practicing the Buy Ahead Principle, I Reverse Meal Plan. This means that I plan based upon what we have on hand plus what good sales/markdowns I found at the stores. (Read more about Reverse Meal-Planning here.)

{Follow me on Instagram stories for real-time videos on what I’m buying if you don’t want to have to wait for me to get the post written up for the blog!}

Here’s what I bought for $85 this week at Kroger…

I was excited about this sale on raspberries and blackberries.

Kellogg’s cereal was $1.79 + there is a $1/2 digital coupon on the Kellogg’s rewards site! Also, you can get a free book with free shipping for every Kellogg’s product you buy (up to 10 free books!)

Gala apples were on sale for $2.99 for a 3/lb bag. Eggs were $2.79/dozen — which, sadly, I now consider a good deal! Kroger sausage (links and patties) are $1.99 with the digital coupon (you can get up to 5 at this price).

The Kraft String Cheese is $2.79/package with the digital coupon (you can get up to 5 packages).

Apple juice is $1.29/bottle with the digital coupon (you can get up to 5 at that price).

We’ll either use the extra $15 left in the budget on a good deal that comes up or roll it to next week.

Breakfasts —Pumpkin Bread, Cereal, Scrambled Eggs, Oatmeal, Baked Oatmeal

Lunches (the older kids have lunch at school) — Sliced Peppers, String cheese, Yogurt, Toast, Hard-Boiled Eggs, Fruit, Leftovers

Snacks — Popcorn, Fruit, String Cheese, Frozen Pizza, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Dinners

Thursday: Cereal (hey, just keeping it real — this was on Thursday night after I went shopping!)

Friday: Tailgating at the Football Game with friends (our friends provided meat and everyone else brought sides/drinks — we brought tater tots, green beans, and fruit, plus Waterloo for drinks)

Saturday: Chicken Barley Soup, Artisan Bread, Sliced Apples

Sunday: Dinner Out

Monday: Chicken Fried Rice, Homemade Rolls, Fruit

Tuesday: Snack-y Dinner at football game (PB&J sandwiches, String Cheese, Fruit, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins)

Wednesday: Waffles, Bacon, Fruit

Brigette’s $84 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

My older sister, Brigette, shares her shopping trips and menu plans every week! You can go HERE to see all of her weekly menu plans and you can go HERE to read all about her family!

Aldi

2 pkgs frozen Broccoli Florets – $1.90

1 bag Mini Cucumbers – $1.99

1 3-ct pkg Green Pepper – $1.85

2 s-ct pkgs Multi Colored Peppers – $5.38

4 dozen Eggs – $8.80

1 32-oz carton Egg Whites – $2.95

1 16-oz pkg Turkey Bacon – $2.95

1-lb Lunchmeat – $4.99

1 pkg Pepperoni – $2.49

1 3-lb bag frozen boneless Chicken Breasts – $9.49

1/2 gallon Unsweetened Almond Milk – $2.19

1 gallon Orange Juice – $4.35

1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $2.39

4 single-serving cartons Greek Yogurt – $2.36

1 jar Salsa – $1.95

1 jar Spaghetti Sauce – $1.45

1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $2.49

1 large canister Old Fashioned Oats – $2.49

Total: $62.46

Harris Teeter

1 10-ct pkg Large Tortillas – $1.34

1 pkg Romaine, reduced – $1.00

1 HUGE bag Cremini Mushrooms, reduced – $1.00

1 bag fresh Green Beans ($0.99/lb) – $2.27

1 pkg Nature’s Path Granola (B1G1) – $2.34, used $1.00/1 Nature’s Path printable, $1.34 after coupon

Total: $6.95

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet

I ran into Olllie’s to see what they had and wasn’t very impressed. Their prices on spices were cheaper than Aldi, though, so I’ll keep that in mind for the future.

1 21-ct box Quaker Granola Bars – $2.50

1 jar Imitation Vanilla Extract – $0.99

1 large jar Chili Powder – $0.99

1 jar Cinnamon – $0.99

Total: $5.47

Reduced Honeycrisp apples (over 10lbs) from our favorite roadside stand – $5.00

Grocery Total for the Week: $84.88

Breakfasts

Cereal, Oatmeal, Fruit, Scrambled/Boiled/Fried Eggs, Yogurt, Veggie Omelets

Lunches

Deli Meat/Cheese Sandwiches, Apples, Peppers x 2

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Pancakes, Bacon, Apples

Build-Your-Own-Burritos (Chopped Romaine, Seasoned Ground Venison, Shredded Cheese, Salsa, Tortilla Chips, Tortillas, Rice, Tomatoes from our garden, Onions)

Lasagna, Tossed Salad, Broccoli, French Bread

Pepperoni Rolls, Green Beans

Sloppy Joes (leftover from a church event – we also brought home a BUNCH of hamburger buns that no one wanted, and we’ll use for sandwiches this week), Baked Potato Wedges, Green Beans

Grilled Chicken, Garlic Parmesan Noodles (I’ll use the gf chickpea noodles I got last week), Sauteed Mushrooms, Peppers and Onions

Leftovers