Sustainable Challenge, Week 1

I mentioned in my previous post I haven't meal planned for this week yet. We ate at the in-laws on Saturday and the husband and kids ate at my parents Sunday (I was working 12 hours). Also, the kids are on vacation this week. And we got an upright freezer last weekend (for a killer deal on craigslist!) so we spent a little extra to start stocking that. And, lastly - I skipped a couple of my normal stores because of time constraints.

So what I mean by all that, is this isn't a true representation of a normal week. But that's ok, cause it's the actual week we're having.

So, here's the breakdown:


First, I went to the farmers market (all items are local AND organic unless marked otherwise)

- 1 lbs ground beef
- 1 flank steak
- 1 pkg breakfast sausage link
- 1 dozen large eggs
- 1 dozen non organic white eggs (for coloring)
- 1 pkg bacon
- 1 lb butter
- a medium basket of apples, about 12 apples
- 2 zucchini (may not be local and was not organic)
- tomatoes, about 6 or 7

Total: 37 dollars

Nichols Local Grocer

- 2 gallons Byrne Dairy milk. Local dairy, hormone and antibiotic free. Not organic.
- Arnold light breads. Not local. Not organic. No HFCS though and B1G1
- Day old Italian Bread. Sliced and prepared as garlic bread for freezer
- Corn Starch
- 2 cans tuna
- Local popcorn, 5lbs (kernels for stove top popping)

Total: 20.51



My husband normally doesn't come with me, but he did this week and so I spent more and bought some items that I normally wouldn't with him with me. Also, we bought what seems like (okay is) a ridiculous amount of processed food (hotdogs, bacon etc. . .) but they were having a B1G1 sale on a lot of things, plus I had coupons. So, since this isn't just a challenge, but my life I did take advantage of those sales and added these things to the freezer for a later date. And yes, I realize I now have tons of butter after the market and the butter here. But the market was butter for now - the others were on sale so those are for another time.

Price Chopper Regional Chain

- Coffee Creamer
- 4 pkgs Ballpark all beef franks B1G1 (for freezer)
- 4 pkgs Hebrew National franks B1G1 (for freezer)
- Land O Lakes butter, 1 lb
- 2 pkgs Oscar Myer naturals bacon B1G1 (no nitrates etc . . .)
- Frozen Ravioli - B1G1 (for freezer)
- 2lbs Mozzarella Cheese
- Yogurt Butter
- 2 lbs Skippy Natural Peanut Butter
- Hormel Chili (The husbands special request. He likes it better than homemade for on hotdogs)
- 2 boxes Life Cereal B1G1
- 2 pkgs Pasta. Processed locally. B1G1
- 2 pkgs Club Crackers (another husband request) B1G1
- 1 pkg in store made Marble Rye

Total: 54.42


We also signed up for a membership at BJ's on Saturday it was 45 dollars, and we got a 10 dollar off our purchase coupon. I'm not including the 45 in our weekly food total since it's used over 14 months. I supposed it could be included, but I'm not counting it.

BJ's

- Big ol' box of Bisquik (another husband request)
- 60 ct box of Eggos (da hubbin' again, because our waffle maker broke and we have yet to replace it. I told him he could get these ONCE but we're replacing the maker and going back to making our own after this!)
- 2pk baking soda (rumford, alum free)
- 3lbs bananas. Not local, or organic but free with memebership
- New England Hot dog rolls (for all the hot dogs!)
- Organic whole wheat and flax tortillas
- Yeast, 2lbs

Total after coupon: 18.73




It's not really possible to include everything in my pantry and freezer, because I have a pretty good stock already and the cost is long ago spent.
I will estimate a few things I picked up a few days ago though, that we will be using this week

Randoms:

- local flour from co-op
- lettuce
- red and green peppers
- cucumbers
- green beans
- cantaloupe
- strawberries
- 2 jars jam from market

Estimated total: 15 dollars



Which brings this weeks total to: 145.66 - Wow!

Way over what I estimated us at on average. BUT that did include quite a few things that will last us several weeks: flour, yeast, baking mix, popcorn, baking soda, hot dogs (ever again!!)

So I think that will even itself out over the next couple of weeks. We'll see!