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Gretchen’s $87 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Prepping Our Hearts for Advent (with Ruth Chou Simons)

Gretchen’s $87 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Aldi

1 gallon Milk $3.06

3 dozen Eggs – $2.50 each

1 box MooTubes – $1.55

1 pkg Celery – $0.95

1 lg Butter – $3.98

1 can Evaporated Milk – $1.29

1 pkg Yeast – $0.79

1 box Fruit & Grain Bars – $1.49

1 pkg Peanut Butter Crackers – $1.15

3 boxes Mac & Cheese – $0.43 each

2 pkg Zucchini – $2 and $1.94

2 cans Tuna – $0.77 each

1 bag Min Peppers – $2.95

1 Chunk Cheese – $1.99

1 Applesauce Cups – $1.45

1 Cinnamon Bread – $2.19

1 Cinnamon Bagels – $1.79

1 bag Mini Cucumbers – $1.89

2.51 lbs Red Grapes – $3.74

2 Pomegranates – $0.99 each

3 Avocados – $0.69 each

1 bag Carrots – $1.89

1 pkg Strawberries – $3.29

1 carton Blueberries – $1.99

Total: $55.75

Harris Teeter

1 bag Potato Chips – $1.49

5 bags Harris Teeter Shredded Cheese – $1.35 each after sale (On Sale Buy 2, Get 3 Free)

1 Smith Bacon – $3.99

2 bags Harris Teeter Tortillas – $1.24 each

2 pkg Nestle Chocolate Chips – $2.50 each, used 2 $1/1 printable – $1.50 each after coupons

1 box Nature Valley Granola Bars – $4.99, used Free Fetch cash back – Free after cash back

Total: $17.74

Grocery Outlet

2 pkg Organic Granola – $1.99 each

1 pkg New York Bagel Crisps – $1.29

1 Food4Life English Muffins – $1.49

1 bag KidFresh Chicken Sticks – $2.49

Total: $9.25

Publix

2 loaves Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Bread – $2.49 each

Total: $4.98

Total for all groceries: $87.72

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal, Eggs, Bacon, Bagels, English Muffins, Yogurt, Homemade Carrot/Apple/Celery Juice

Lunches

Mac & Cheese/Grapes/Mandarin Oranges x 2, Chicken Strips/Cucumbers/Applesauce x 2, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches/Chips/Apples x 2, Leftovers

Dinners

Grilled Chicken, Sauteed Zucchini, French Bread

Hamburger Vegetable Soup, Crackers, Cheese, Veggies

Bean Burritos, Chips & Salsa

Chicken in the Crockpot, Sauteed Zucchini, Biscuits

Ground Beef with Cream of Mushroom Soup over Noodles, Cinnamon Raisin Bread, Steamed Broccoli

Pancakes, Eggs, Bacon, Fruit Smoothies

Cheese Pizza, Breadsticks

Prepping Our Hearts for Advent (with Ruth Chou Simons)

Today’s podcast episode is a bit different than usual! Ruth Chou Simons came in studio a number of weeks ago to record an episode, but we had a bunch of issues getting it recorded (listen to the episode for the funny story!) and ended up doing an Instagram live and Facebook live and then pulled some of the audio from that for this episode.

Jesse and I also give some life updates at the beginning of the show and talk about books we’re reading + what’s saving my life. In my conversation with Ruth, we discuss her new devotional, Emmanuel: An Invitation to Prepare Him Room at Christmas and Always, and what it looks like to prepare our hearts for the holiday season so that it is filled with grace. She shares what it looks like to focus on what’s truly important about the holiday season – not presents and parties but rather peace in our hearts and homes.

Ruth encourages us that Advent and Christmas isn’t just something we should celebrate in December, but all year long. She offers a lot of inspiration and advice and invites you to take 25 days to start the journey of seeing the holiday season from a new viewpoint.