Head on over to One Crazy Journey and join in the fun with Flamingo Mama's March Grocery Challenge. It's week 2.
I had my menu plan for this week all sorted out but slipped on Thursday when I was tired, coming down with a virus and couldn’t be bothered. I ended up buying chicken from the local takeaway shop instead of cooking my planned meal. In my own defence I used the leftover chicken to make chicken and vegie soup for another meal. Hot Damn- I'm virtuous! Takeaway is relatively expensive here . A medium sized Big Mac or Quarter Pounder meal from McDonalds (drink, fries and burger) costs around $8.00 AUD which is around $9.00 US dollars.
This week’s shop included lots of fruit and vegies and interestingly the equivalent amount of biscuits, oreos,(mmmmmmmmm) Milky Bar chocolate, a pack of BBQ chips, chocolate bits (making chop chip cookies sometime this week) and two swiss roll cakes. Obviously I’m craving sugar and comfort food. So not a really frugal shop since nobody in this house actually NEEDS most of those sugary things, but we spent way less than we would usually spend on total groceries. I will rush to point out that those treats will probably do us for the rest of the month as well. Oh who am I kidding- that Milky bar and the barbecue chips will be gone by tomorrow morning...too bad if my taste buds are on strike.
So my grand total for this week is:
Foodland $102.42
Butcher $49.20 (Meat for 4 meals plus dog meat)
Total $151.62
Which makes a grand total for the month so far of $331.02, which leaves me 332.98. I'm feeling like this is emminently do-able and so far it's not even hurting.
My planned menu for dinners for next week is:
Rendang Curry with Jasmine Rice
Roast Beef , and roasted root vegies with fresh corn and a green vegetable
Home Made Lasagna
Steak with Garlic Cream sauce , BBQ potatoes and a green salad
Lamb Shanks (cooking with SAJ- I hope we don't burn MY kitchen down)
Chicken Breast Fillets with peppercorn sauce, potato bake, beans and carrots
Foccacia with Salami, Cheese, Olives and salad
I need to point out I am a stasher. I had all the meat for next weeks meals in one of my four freezers...yep count 'em ...four. And in fact, the curry and lasagne sauce are already made.
Rendang Curry with Jasmine Rice
Roast Beef , and roasted root vegies with fresh corn and a green vegetable
Home Made Lasagna
Steak with Garlic Cream sauce , BBQ potatoes and a green salad
Lamb Shanks (cooking with SAJ- I hope we don't burn MY kitchen down)
Chicken Breast Fillets with peppercorn sauce, potato bake, beans and carrots
Foccacia with Salami, Cheese, Olives and salad
I need to point out I am a stasher. I had all the meat for next weeks meals in one of my four freezers...yep count 'em ...four. And in fact, the curry and lasagne sauce are already made.
Prices from yesterday's grocery shop (Thought it might be fun to compare)
500 gram pack of penne pasta $1.49 on special
One dozen eggs $3.19
Premium Leg Ham (sliced ) $22.99 a kilo. (one kilo equals 2.2 pounds)
2 litres of plain wrap milk $2.63
A box of 140 tissues $ 3.09
680 grams vienna loaf $4.39
Normal white bread (680 grams) between $2.00-$4.00 a loaf
Bananas 2.99 a kilo
Mango’s 2.99 each this week
Apples (all varieties ) around 5.00 a kilo
Avocado 2.29 each
T Bone Steaks 19.99 a kilo ( on special)
Shortback Bacon 15.99 a kilo
Sandwich Steak 14.99 a kilo
Kassler Chops 13.99 a kilo.
If you add about 12 – 15 % to the price that will give you the equivalent price in USD.
So far, I'm pretty pleased with how things are going. Can't wait for Week 3 !
So far, I'm pretty pleased with how things are going. Can't wait for Week 3 !
ok...cracking up at the differences here. i will have to google a converter because i have no idea what a kilo is to a lb:) lol
ReplyDeleteand takeaway...at first i had no idea what that was! we call it takeout if it's anything but a fastfood restaurant. at a fastfood restaurant we would say to go or we went through the drive through.
wow~ 4 freezers...i thought i was bad with 3:) so those meals do look mighty good:)
You're meals look so incredible! The lamb shanks, roasted root vegetables--I just re-read your list and there's nothing I wouldn't be excited about! What is Rendang Curry?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure exactly where you live, but is this currently a prime-time growing season? What kinds of produce are currently in season?
Thanks for sharing your progress this week! Hope you're feeling better-
Kirsten
Thanks for dropping by Kirsten and for your lovely comments on my menu.
ReplyDeleteI'm in Australia and we've just gone into autumn.
Currently in their prime are : Apple, Banana, Grapes, Nectarine, Peach, Pear, Plum, Tomato, Watermelon, Nashi Pears,Asparagus, Beans, Beanshoots, Beetroot, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Cucumber, Eggplant, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Potato, Pumpkin, Snow peas, Spring onions, Sweetcorn, Turnip, Zucchini.
In Australia we can generally get everything year round, they're just at their best and cheapest now.
Rendang Curry is completely awesome. Beef, coconut milk and spices like ginger, garlic, cloves, tumeric , coriander and chilli - all slow cooked. I'm happy to post or email you the recipe I use if you want it. If you like slightly spicy flavoursome food you'll love it. Throw it all in a pot and walk away until dinner time. My kind of recipe!
Oh, please, please, please send me the recipe! Are you sure you don't mind? My kids love jasmine rice!
ReplyDeleteI'm just slightly jealous with all your in-season items. We can get most of the above-mentioned items year-round, too..but they're much more delicious when they're local (in the summer).
I'm so glad I checked out your previous posts...I really thought it was all about quilting! I break every sewing machine I come in contact with!
Going now to leave a comment on one of your other posts!
Good luck with your cooking this week!
Ohg my God! Your food is so expensive! Over $3.00 for a dozen eggs! I wish I could send you some - we have 8 chickens and they lay around 6 - 8 eggs a day. I am not an egg eater so we always have way to many! Your meals sound yummy!
ReplyDeleteCynthia ,
ReplyDeleteI think those eggs were on special too!
Until about 9 years ago , when I moved back to the city my parents had a farm in the country and I lived an hour away. I rarely paid for meat or vegetables. I'd head down to Mum and Dad's once a fortnight and stock up. It was a rude shock when I started having to pay full price for everything.
We also have GST here, (Goods and services tax @ 10% on some grocery items) which pushes the price of some groceries up.