Tuesday, January 18, 2011

What you get for the money...

Pittsburgh has long been considered a great place to live...
the cultural events and museums
the low cost of living
family friendly environment
and many other reasons...

I had been reading a series from here over the past week about cutting your budget and frugal grocery shopping while maintaining high quality nutritional food.  I found it pretty interesting reading the comments from people about things they do to reduce the cost of wholesome food...

About once a month my husband and I sit down and take stock of the cupboards and freezer and make a big order (or two...when we forget or run out before the order is picked up) from here.  Usually it totals about $300.  For the most part, this is the bulk of our groceries for the month. We supplement with previous bulk bought items, frozen and canned food from the summer, and during the summer items that we get from our garden.  For meat, we bought a quarter of a cow from here, and supplement from here.

2 # butter (Amish roll butter! yummy)*
6 gallons milk (low heat pasteurized, non homogenized- good for making yogurt)*
10 blue corn tortillas*
2 boxes frozen spinach*
5# potatoes*
5# dried beans*
1 bottle disinfectant cleaner

1 loaf bread (we usually make our own, but it's nice to have a frozen loaf on hand)*
1 box vegetable bullion cubes*

1 case tomato soup*
1 bottle Mexican seasoning*
1# cinnamon*
1 jar salsa*
25# rice*
1 gallon honey
25# unbleached flour*
5# raisins*
1# cocoa*
1# oregano*
1# Italian seasoning*
4 oz. vanilla
8 oz. artichoke fettuccine*

3# apples*
1 bunch celery*
1 case pretzels*

# pound(s)
*organic
I like to go on Saturdays when you can shop the warehouse (other days it is closed and you just come by and they load you up.) Occasionally they'll have produce that is not so pretty or dairy that's on it's way out for a steal...such as

SCORE!
ORGANIC BANANAS!
8.5 pounds after the kids ate all the bananas that they could over 2 days
and the 1-2 pounds that went straight to the compost heap
(wet and moldy...not good for human consumption/storage!)

The guys in the warehouse said that they weren't pretty enough to sell so they let the kids have them.  They also joked that we could only have them if we made them some banana bread...who knows they are such great people I may just do so!
They also had 3# blocks of cream cheese for $4 and some change...past date, but still good...
I was thinking cheesecake, but decided not to.
It's just not that good for me.
(but my tongue and tummy are regretting that decision.)
(No, I currently receive no compensation from them, it's just a really great company)

9 comments:

  1. I see some yummy bananna bread in your horizon. Love the post because as we prepare for our new home (this year, next year....) we have budget on our mind.

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  2. I had been following the thread over at Heavenly Homemakers. It's neat to see what other people purchase and from where. I keep hoping Azure Standard will start servicing the East Coast via truck.

    Thanks for the sock pattern link. Hopefully, I will get to my socks soon.

    All so I believe you asked about emulsifying wax. I purchase it from Mountain Rose Herbs. From their web site "A vegetable based emulsifying wax from naturally occurring fats and esters, further processed into a convenient"pastille flake form". This excellent medium is used to create a bond between water and oil for products which require their binding together. Makes a fluid cream, and lotion without the separation, and complements the finished products end texture." Hope this helps.

    Blessings, Elizabeth

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  3. Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. I'm enjoying poking around yours and reading your posts. Love this one - I do monthly grocery shopping as well. It was hard at first, but really works out great now.
    Staci

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  4. Wow. That is my kind of shopping and my kind of place to shop. Wish we had something like that around here. I did recently join our area co-op. I just need to adjust my shopping routine to include that now. Your pantry looks well supplied indeed!

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  5. I got lots of my shopping tips actually from the Alaska state teacher's website where they talk a lot about shopping when you live in the bush and can only go shopping maybe once every 3 months...bulk shopping started by a desire to save and in some part live vicariously through this concept.

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  6. I think we are neighbors, I am on my way to Frankferd farms today!

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  7. Have fun...I love that place. What's your favorite product.

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  8. My favorite product is going over to the farm/mill and getting whole grains they grow there and grinding them at home. I am supporting a local grower and getting the freshest, organic, and tastiest product out there.

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  9. I'd have to say my favorite is the Busy Day Bean Soup Mix. Just take your favorite stock and veggies, add a cup or so of the mix, and you have great beanie soup!

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Thanks for visiting with us girls...put your feet up and stay for a while.