This week was considered the last “week” in our grocery runs, but since we have a couple days next week before April, I’m sure I’ll hit the store for a few items. I usually shop on Sundays or Mondays so that is usually the start of our Meal Plans and such. You can read the previous week’s grocery posts by clicking on each week below:
Week 1 Groceries
Week 2 Groceries
Week 3 Groceries
Can I first just say that I really don’t see a point in making dinner each night. I really don’t. Maddox, especially lately, has been really fussy from 5:00-6:30 and wants to be held. He used to eat solids during this time while we eat, but he hasn’t been into solids lately. Obviously this makes making dinner, serving it, and eating it nearly impossible. Add to that the energizer bunny who is running into all the places he shouldn’t (aka my 3 year old) and it’s really a chaotic disaster. Every night I ask myself why I even try. I can’t even enjoy the food when it’s done as I eat it by myself while Ryan and I take turns eating and one of us is trying to keep Beckham at the table. Anyone else with small children feel the same at dinnertime?
Here is our Menu Plan for this week:
Monday: Burgers, Potato wedges, Fruit salad, Beans
Tuesday: Grilled Chicken Sandwich (use leftover buns) with chips
Wednesday: Grilled Chicken Salad (use leftover chicken)…I like a Cobb salad with grilled chicken
Thursday: Steak, mashed potatoes, corn on cob
Friday: Out or Home Dinner
Saturday: Out or Home Dinner
Sunday: Out or Home Dinner
*Home Dinner – This just refers to anything we have around the house (freezer, pantry, etc).
Groceries went well this week. As of last week, our total so far was $316.06. This week we went to three stores – Kroger , Walmart, and Sprouts.
Kroger: $5.68
-2 gallons of milk
Sprouts: $12.57
-2 grapefruit
-6oz Blueberries
-6oz Blackberries
-Grapes
-Gallon of Organic Milk
Walmart: $55.96
Q-tips not shown in picture. As you can see, I have some sweet treats in store for this week!
Week 4 TOTAL: $74.21
March Total is $316.06 + $74.21 = $390.27
I figure I will have to run to the store on Sunday to grab some bread and baby food so I’m hoping the $10.00 I have left will be enough for the rest of the month. I love a challenge!
I hope this has been helpful and interesting to see what another family buys in a month for $400.00. I’ll give an update next week with our final total spent. Regardless, it should be close to $400 and I’m pretty pleased with that.
And here was a grocery tip I posted on Instagram yesterday:
Beckham sits in the basket part on short grocery trips (or those car parts of the car carts if a longer trip) and he’ll eat his lunch while I shop. It helps keep him busy for a while. The best time for us to shop is in between Maddox’s two naps which happens to be during lunch time, so this works for us.
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I so agree about meal time. We have a 16 month old and then a 2 month old foster son who always wants to be held during dinner. Add in trying to teach our 16 month old how to use his silverware and it's quite the exhausting meal.
Makes date night dinners even more special!
I am totally with you on the "why do I even cook dinner?" front… Bennett is the same about being fussy during the dinner hour and Madelyn is 4 and doesn't want to eat most days. We kind of just hurry through eating to keep the kids happy too!
Seriously I hate dinner time. It's definitely not a relaxing meal with a 3 year old and 9 month old. Gage is fussy between that time too
Margaret, I accidentally pushed the Delete button on your comment (big thumbs on phone), but I like your advice to eat after the kids…comment below for others to read:
Can I tell you how impressed I am that you manage to stay on budget with two kids at the store. I feel like I get so distracted if my kids are there that I either forget something or spend way more than I intend to!!
Good for you 🙂 And as far as dinner, Dan and I always eat after the kids are in bed for the exact reasons you are talking about. It's so hard to enjoy a meal when you are busy chasing your kids 😉
Oh and don't be fooled that we stick with budget every month. There are plenty of months I've spend $500, even more, on groceries. If I could spend $1000, I would! I'm sure this will go up as the boys get older and are eating more than just kid food. Beckham ate an actual hamburger last night…yikes…and it's only going to become even more.
Oh my gosh I feel the same way about different dinner time. We have a 3 year old, almost 2 year old, and 7 month old. With all of the whining, crying, screaming, running, and just craziness while I'm trying to cook I don't even want to eat by the time it's ready. I call it the witching hour. And then it's the fight at the table of getting everyone to eat and sit and obey. Ugh. A few times a week we eat after the boys are all in bed so we can actually enjoy our food.
I love this!! I need to start doing this 🙂
Chelsea @ thewilliamsjourney1.blogspot.com/
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I remember those days when my kids were little and we would always feed them and then we would eat later. I just needed that time to actually eat a meal in peace!!! Have a great day!!!
thanks for the tips we try to eat at a certain time everyday. Some days its hard with teenagers and their schedules don't always work out. Have a great day zen hugs.
I bet. I'm also a little scared of what my grocery bill will look like when my BOYS are teenagers. They eat so much!
I love your blog! I am so impressed with your meal planning and grocery budgeting. You are inspiring me to get better about actually sticking to a grocery budget. Thank you for all of the ideas!!
Thank you Katherine! That is so sweet. It helps to post it here and talk with other because, believe me, it's hard sticking to a grocery budget.
Girl I have several crockpot meals during the week because it is HECTIC cooking every night. I wish we could eat out more 🙂 I easily spend $500 month, we have 3 boys, 8 and under. There is no telling what our bill will be once they are teenagers. And this is cooking basic meals like spaghetti, chicken and rice, etc…