I’m heading back to Aldi this weekend. Jewel, local Chicago area chain, has gotten two expenses. Bagels are $2-$2.50 cheaper at Aldi, for example.
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I’m heading back to Aldi this weekend. Jewel, local Chicago area chain, has gotten two expenses. Bagels are $2-$2.50 cheaper at Aldi, for example.
Yesterday I did our weekly grocery shopping which isn’t always weekly. It’s more like every 10 -12 days. I threw a few processed food/luxury items in the I cart wouldn’t normally buy.
Still, the entire haul was under $100. I continue to be shocked at how much cheaper our local grocery store is since a new company took it over.
While slightly higher than the past couple of weeks, the other day's bill was still under $100. And it did include cat food and litter - always big expenditures these days.Quote:
Originally Posted by iris lilies
Happy: You must be very disciplined, because we can seldom get under $100 and we are only 2 adults and 2 cats, and we get a lot of our cat supplies from Chewy. Good job!
Thanks. I guess it is what we eat and don't eat. No or little red meat is a biggie. And I try for as few processed foods as possible - although a frozen pizza will sneak into the cart every now and then. :laff:Quote:
Originally Posted by rosarugosa
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I went to Aldi today. $53 for a whole bunch of stuff. I’d have spent at least $15 more at Jewel. I’m going to keep going there. I love my bagels. The Thomas brand is $5.50 at Jewel. Aldi version is $1.95 and tastes the same. Why wouldn’t you want to save money? I keep seeing people being brand/store snobs. Even if you want to go elsewhere for meat, the basics of dairy, bread, eggs, canned/frozen veggies are so cheap. Plus getting in and out of the store quickly.
Aldi receipt today
Attachment 5770
Nice shopping! If I can ask, how long will that last you? A week? Two? Just curious. I tend to shop every week, but what I actually buy may vary.
I don't understand the brand/store preferences either. I do think some brands taste different and that is a good reason for possibly a more expensive choice - but not just because of brand id.
I agree, Tradd - we love Aldi. that said, yesterday we plunked down a huge chunk of change at Trader Joe's - which we call Aldi Upgraded, lol. Some of our regular buys are a tad cheaper at TJs than Aldi - and I really like their salad dressing, deli turkey and their brie selection much better. (Oh - and I bought plants! Love their plants!) But most of our staple food products come from Aldi. We are feeding four adults on a low-carb diet and it's not cheap. Just to clarify - we are not following a named diet or eating plan, just watching our carb and sugar intake and cutting what we reasonably can. Sadly, most inexpensive foods are very carb-heavy - potatoes and pasta are seldom eaten here. We eat mostly chicken, veggies, eggs, cheese and dairy, fish, and fresh fruits. We still eat too much bread/rolls/etc. I don't know what we'd do with no Aldi. Probably weigh less and be hungry, lol.
The was fill in the holes shopping. I expect I’ll get at least a week out of it, maybe more. I have a lot at home that needed things added to it.Quote:
Originally Posted by happystuff
Even thought I got rid of Prime, there are still a few food items I’ll order from Amazon, 10 pk box of tuna pouches is one, plus my cans of Progresso chicken noodle or veggie soup. Much cheaper that way.
No kidding. We're spending roughly double what we were spending a year ago before I got my diabetes diagnosis and subsequent diet changes. Thankfully we can afford the change. And I also acknowledge what I'd read over the years. I'm less hungry and generally have more energy now that I eat so much less carbs. When I had a bagel with cream cheese for breakfast every weekday morning I was ready for lunch by 10:30. Now, with a small bowl of plain yogurt and frozen fruit, I can go until noon or later without a struggle. I like the taste of carbs and spaghetti with a good marinara will forever be one of my favorite dishes (it has been since I was a little kid. Mom often made it as my birthday dinner.) But for the rest of my life they will be very much a "sometimes" treat, not a several times a week routine habit.Quote:
Originally Posted by early morning
I've also found some substitutes that are actually pretty enjoyable. There's not a huge variety, but bread and tortilla manufacturers have made low-carb bread and tortilla products that are actually pretty good. Especially the low carb tortillas that are almost indistinguishable from the normal ones, except for the price. The bread/bagel products tend to have a slightly weird consistency that isn't as good, but I'll take it over abandoning bread altogether. I have no idea what they do to jack up the fiber content but it works for the most part.
Just did a grocery store run for the week and kept it at $75. I'm very happy!
Prices the last few months seem to have stabilized and I've gotten used to a new price level without any big sticker shock. It even seems like meat prices have come down. I did get set back a bit on the last outing over olive oil and coffee with what seemed like substantial recent jumps. It could be too small a sample size to say for sure.
The coffee I order from Porto Rico coffee co. went from 12 99 a lb. to 16.99. It's fair trade, organic.
That’s great.Quote:
Originally Posted by happystuff
okay---made a run to aldi's for catt food & vegetable oil, and guess what? they've resumed carrying "chef's cupboard" brand onion suop mix! yup. the sign on the shelf said "new item". but no---before the covid thing, they handled it, but not for several years, now. so anyway---i grabbed several boxes of it, to stock up. see--i'm tired o' paying $2 a box for brand x at the other groc store. hope that helps you some. thankk mee.
Went to Safeway today and they had the 2 lb bags of frozen jumbo shrimp on sale. $8. Down from the normal $20! I got two. When I mentioned it to SO after I got home he was like ‘I got two also.’ I guess we’ll be eating a lot of shrimp the next few weeks!
Dang, that is a REALLY good price.
I love that you both had the same idea and did the same thing. LOL. And - great price on the shrimp!
We actually have a lot of freezer space so I may get a couple more bags while I'm out tomorrow. This is an insanely good price. And we both love shrimp.
I wondered if you had freezer space. Yes go buy more shrimp. That’s a good price.Quote:
Originally Posted by jp1
I continue to love our new grocery store, new owners took it over several months ago. They advertise their business model as charging customers the same price they pay +10%, which is added at the cash register.
Overall shopping experience seems quite a bit cheaper than the old grocery store. Granted this is still a small town grocery store so it doesn’t have everything I use, but it has 85%. And the new Management has a few items that the old Management didn’t stock
Went grocery shopping today and spent more than I would have liked, but got some sales and a few "luxury" things in addition to the regular food items. Chicken legs already in the cp for picking tonight. Will divide into meal portions and freeze until needed.
okay----yes, well, i know what you kids like but one delicacy i like that has become available at walmart is salad mix that has lettuce/cabbage/carrots in more equal proportions. but yeah---more cabbage & carrots than the usual salad mix. it's all shredded up, including the lettuce. i just have a yummy platefull topped by chopped up green olives & so-called "italian" dressing. yup. maybe some french-fried onion & paremesan sprinkle-on. so anyway---you should try it, sometime.
Big shopping trip yesterday - going to both my local grocery store and Aldis. Spent over $100 combined, but that included buying stock-up on ground turkey that is being processed right now. Also got some other stock-up items, so I'm feeling good about it instead of feeling I didn't budget well. LOL.
Eggs have gotten really expensive. But that’s bird flu for you! About $6 for 18 at Walmart b
Prices are so location dependent. 12 eggs are around 3.00 or so here in Indy. We got a coupon for 2.49 and another coupon for a free dozen. Kroger gives us a lot of good coupons as a "member".
Since we are retired, we shop at 8am on Friday or Saturday. That is the best clearance days at the two smaller Krogers we go to. We have developed a relationship with the produce stockers who set out the clearance produce and the best time is 8am.
Ditto on the ground turkey being marked down. Last Friday got 3 lbs for $5.25. Our favorite protein is the Meijer family sized boneless skinless chicken thighs for $3.29 a pound. No waste and good in so many meals.
Haven't been many eggs around here. We found some this morning at Costco - the organic pasture-raised 24 pack. Not what we usually buy but $7.50 for 24 is better than other egg prices I have seen. Note: I didn't know that laying hens were "pastured." :)
Last week eggs were over $3 a dozen at Aldi's. Not sure what to expect this week.
Did the grocery shopping today and for the first time in a long time, it feels like my grocery store actually had some decent sales/sale prices. Got strawberries (already on the dehydrator) and most of my salad ingredients (lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, celery, etc) all on sale!
Today's shopping trip (2/20) had eggs at $5.49 a dozen.Quote:
Originally Posted by happystuff
I've not checked egg prices lately, but my local store has a permanent looking sign saying to expect shortages and a limit of two dozen eggs per person per day. There are days when the shelves are nearly empty and other times when they are maybe half stocked.
On my last outing I didn't pay much attention to eggs, but large Hass avocados were $3.69 each. Not in my budget. A twelve pack of a name brand zero sugar soft drink was 10.99. Packaged coffee seems to go up a dollar or two every few weeks. Beef and chicken actually seem cheaper, but not something I noticed. I buy cod every few weeks and fresh wild caught pacific cod was over twenty dollars a pound at WF and fresh frozen at the supermarket has been running about $12. Subjective, but I think my grocery bill is still creeping up.
Egg shelves were empty on my last two outings. They were well stocked with many "Just Egg" plant based alternative cartons. Being mostly vegan I've tried it. It makes half-decent scramble, especially as an omelet or in a sandwich and seems to work for some baking. It's unfortunately pricey and not something I'd buy often.
I'd expect a lot of produce to be more expensive with tariffs. Large avocados were on sale for $3. That and tomatoes or fresh strawberries might make a good bell weather. It will be a good year to have a garden.
Grocery shopping today and came across three small roaster chickens for $3.99 each - snatched them up! Since they are reduced for quick sale, I have cooked them all (1 still in the cp). Have three containers of broth and have picked two already. Will be stocking the freezer after having some tonight. Also got some ground turkey marked down, so it's also being "processed". Grabbed a couple of other sales items to stock up, so I'm pretty happy with today's foray.
Lately eggs have been in their usual abundance and well stocked at my stores. I wonder what has changed. I noticed yesterday my can of tuna said processed in Thailand and wondered how tariffs will impact food prices.
What has changed with eggs? You kidding bro? First 100 days of accomplishments coming from theQuote:
Originally Posted by Rogar
White House.
….just kidding you
So, it really was Biden's fault after all?
The USDA says nothing has really changed. Maybe it's just some variability in the production system.
https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/ams_3725.pdf
The bird flu was to blame here. Eggs are anywhere from $6-10/dozen here.