The Kitchen Playground

Our haul at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday will cover us for fruit and vegetables this week. Which meant we only had to go to the local wholesalers and two supermarkets today. With tired, grumpy Ankle Biters, one less stop on a Monday afternoon is a blessing!

So, first stop, the food wholesalers.
1.9kg jar pitted kalamata olives $7.33
925g jar stuffed green olives $4.33
818g grana padano $14.72
500ml balsamic vinegar $2.72
TOTAL $29.10
(incidentally, had I bought this at Coles, it would have cost 62.39 or 54.38 at Woolworths/Safeway with an inferior parmesan substituted for the grana padano at Safeway because I couldn’t find the grana padano online.)

Second stop, my favourite supermarket, Leos.
2 chorizo $41.17
1 tin 400g berry combo $3.13
1 400g tin artichokes $3.15
1.25kg bag laundry powder $2.26
1kg organic premium rolled oats $6.25
Total = $18.95

Final stop, Aldi.
2kg plain flour $1.90
1kg tasty cheese $6.29
500g strawberries $3.49
200g Greek style feta $2.69
600g firm tofu $2.58
2 x 400g tins organic tomatoes $1.98
1 free range chicken $9.63
5 x lemons $1.79
500g pitted prunes $3.69
Total = $34.04

Farmer’s Market $56.70

Total expenditure for the week = $138.79

My weekly budget for food shopping is $150. I try and absorb bulk purchases in the week they are made. Which is only really olives in this case. Big jars like that will last me ages. But it also means that I don’t have any costs needing to be carried over from previous weeks. So I have, in real terms, come in under budget by $11.21. That’s not going to put new shoes on the orthodontist’s children but it’s a start. Problem is as I suspected it would be. I can’t really see where I can shave more off that. I could have bought cheaper fruit than the strawberries and saved a further $5 I guess. I do spend a lot on oats I know but breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I absolutely insist on doing it well.

If you have any suggestions or comments, please let me know. I’m interested in how my shopping style compares.

Tags: food budget, grocery shopping