it's not the trip to the gas pumps

that have me up in arms it's the trip to the grocery store! I blogged about this several years back but it has gotten so much worse over time. I coupon (in a reasonable fashion not like the nut jobs on tv), have forsaken most name brands for their generic counter parts and largely base our weekly menu on what is on sale at the grocery store but that weekly trek to the store is just painful on the bank account, and heaven forbid we need to stock up on paper goods, cleaning materials or laundry detergent. And it's not like we are eating filet mignon & lobster on a weekly basis far from it I do not know how larger families manage there are only 3 of us although C eats like 2 quite frankly and let's not forget the dog with his vegetarian kibble. There are several blogs & web sites I have become fans of for decent recipe ideas:
http://www.5dollardinners.com/
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/budget/budget-dinners.aspx
http://brokeassgourmet.com/

made my list checked it twice

and then checked it again, shopped at different grocery establishments this weekend and I am hoping that we have everything we need to make it through the week! I hate having to stop mid-week because I forgot one or two items. My new goal is to try and avoid those because I am incapable of just buying one or two items anywhere.

as far as the weekly grocery shop goes

why on earth am I incapable of just going to the grocery store once a week? I try I really do I plan menus, make a list check it twice and it never fails every week I forget something!!!! And it drives me crazy as I am not a particular fan of the grocery shop to begin with.

wait a minute I mean me...

the Jiffy corn bread on the very bottom shelf at Kroger is poor planning at best. Oh it's all well and good when the product is stocked but try shopping for it around the holidays. Invariably it sells well and folks buy the boxes out from the front and you have to dig to get the boxes stocked back further in the shelves or you could assume they are out of stock and shop elsewhere. Luckily I only had to bend down and my arm was just long enough to grab a couple of boxes instead of getting on the dirty floor just for corn bread. I was just annoyed enough to run by customer service and suggest they fix the problem because "you might have an older customer that cannot get the corn bread" and I walked off considering the fact that I'm an older customer not interested in sitting on the floor to shop

dreaded grocery store visit

I know better and I considered grocery shopping for Thursday this past weekend but it just did not work out because life in general has been crazed to put it mildly lately. So I made my list checked it twice, checked it a third time; I've grocery shopped the night before Thanksgiving before it's not for the feint of heart. So I braved the Kroger last night it was pretty busy but I managed I got what I needed or so I thought.....yes I have to go back this evening

shopping without a net

or worse a shopping list...
In an effort to be more budget minded I generally do not go into a grocery store without a very specific list of what we need, even if it's just for milk & bread. This seem to have helped cut down on my wandering up & down aisle buying things we really do not need and spending $50 on a shopping trip that should have run $10. Yesterday evening I was out & about and knew I needed specific groceries for tonight's dinner so I stopped and brazenly decided what the hell I can accomplish the weekly shop and be done with it all. I did very well planning meals in my head and making sure I bought only what we needed. I was oh so proud of myself until this morning when I realized that I was lacking 3 items necessary for today's menu. Today's menu you know the only reason I had gone shopping in the first place.

grocery shopping on a Saturday afternoon

kinda makes me hate children...not my own he was at home...all the rest of the children in the world...and not even all of them just the ones at Kroger this afternoon

here is where I complain about grocery shopping again

or rather the baggers if you are going to pay these pimply faced teens to bag groceries why don't you teach them how to do it properly?
-I bring my own bags from home to be utilized there is no prize if there are bags leftover
-in plainer English do not cram so many groceries into each bag so that they are so heavy I cannot lift them
-unless of course you are planning to come to my house and carry them into my kitchen for me
-canned goods should go with canned goods, cold items with cold, meat with other meats
-this boils down to try and pack similar items together
-thank for asking no I do not want my milk in a bag
-I did however want the bread in a bag...wth?
-and the rectangular detergent that has no handles whatsoever yes that put in a bag I brought plenty of them in fact there were indeed leftover bags
-and little checkout person my years in retail began before you were born I think so friendly advice idle chit chat stick to idle chit chat I do not need details of your life I have a dozen things running through my head your sleep issues not a concern I have my own thank you very much.

and finally dear grocery store I bring my own bags take a page out of Target's book and give me a 5 cent credit per bag or hell charge to use the plastic bags each time they shop, if folks were spending money on them they might not end up as litter

the weekly grocery shop

growing up traditionally grocery shopping was done Saturdays mornings directly after we ate breakfast at a local diner. As an adult my weekly grocery shopping excursions tend to vary according to how crazy my schedule is but for the most part I had been going on Sunday afternoons which is okay except when Sunday is your only day off during the week so I tried shopping Saturday afternoons which would be fine but EVERYONE shops on a Saturday afternoon so you know that really does not work so well for me. My default day currently has been Monday afternoons after work not a great day & time but doable with my current schedule which makes it a winner...however this morning after I dropped C at school around 7:30ish I stopped in to pick up something for lunch and found the grocery store near empty! near empty!!! Which got me thinking why not shop first thing in the morning? The only draw back being of course C won't be available to help carry groceries in from the car....that is until school lets out for summer.

guess I figured wrong

I thought everyone bought enough groceries to last the ice age earlier in the week...um no evidently not beacuse the store was an absolute nuthouse this afternoon it took me twice as long to take care of my weekly shop which got me cranky, talk to myself cranky and you would think people would get out of the way of a cranky lady muttering under her breath but again no it just made them move slower and/or stand in one spot blocking access to the rest of the aisle

the things my husband does to drive me crazy

or crazier as the case may or may not be...
He has decided to go dairy free not completely nutso I suppose however a pain since he informed me after I had planned the weekly menu and finished grocery shopping.

this forecast brought to you by...

your local grocery store.
let the snow panicking begin

the power of suggestion..or the start of the great eggo wars

big news story of the week would be the looming eggo waffle shortages and voila empty eggo shelves at the grocery store...I am gonna clue you freaks in you can buy pancake mix & a waffle iron and make your own waffles in minutes..and guess what they taste better!!!! I know hard to believe but it's true! You could also do something really crazy and make a double batch, freeze them and then toast them whenever you like..amazing homemade waffle what will they think of next????!!!

do we even have crime in West Knoxville?

okay so bad enough you are going to shoplift at a grocery store...then get caught...but what switch in your head says hey I know I will run over the cop trying to arrest me?!
and quite frankly I don't endorse shoplifting but times are tough maybe you need to steal to feed for your family but no no not these guys detergent, starter fluid and hot sauce? what the hell is there some new kind of meth made from hot sauce or something???
Glad we went shopping on Monday and missed all the excitement

however Fred Meyer all about the customer service

I will admit when the new super fancy Kroger opened with a jewelry store inside I did poke a little fun okay a lot of fun...
what a lovely diamond necklace where ever did you pick that up?
oh this 'ol thing it was just next to the dairy section yes take a left at the eggs
Anyway after about a year without my watch do to lack of battery I decided what the hell I would bring it along to the grocery store drop it off while I was picking up my milk & eggs. and so I did they were very friendly and surprise of all surprises when I went to pick up my watch the first battery was free yes free as in no charge for the battery or for putting the battery into the watch for me the real issue all along). The sales girl even reset the watch to the correct time. and quite frankly it looked like Fred Meyer had some nice stuff so with birthday and Christmas fast approaching I did mention this as a possible locale for David to scout out a gift or two for me..wonder if he should bring the kroger shopping card? will those count as point towards a gas purchase?

a tale of two grocery shops

the one without the kid...

-did not include a running commentary on life, liberty & the pursuit of pop-tarts

-not one requests for said pop-tarts, snack food, juice, toys or even magazines was heard

-no gum requests
-I did not have to have a lengthy discussion about what I was serving for dinner that night (does not matter if it's 2 am he is always concerned with what the evening's menu will be)
-shopping did not come to a halt so he could run after any & every friend he has ever made in his entire life
-not once did I have to utter the phrase "well when you are paying for groceries you can buy whatever you like"

the downside of shopping alone being...
-no one to fetch the bread or onion or can of soup that I forgot in aisle X Y or Z
-no one to reach down and get that can of refried beans I don't want to reach for
-no one to remember that I forgot to put dog treats on my list
-and last but certainly not least no one to help me carry all these bags into the house

sometimes bigger is not always better

okay you yes you get your mind out of the gutter I am talking about grocery stores here.
They built a fancy schmancy new Kroger complete with furniture, toys, linens and blenders fabulous to be sure but overall the selection of foods not so great. And not so great as in I cannot do a full and complete weekly shop at their store. Don't get me wrong they have some decent international foods, the Gorgonzola potato salad is to die for, they have a sushi bar for Pete's sake and they are great with wooing me mailing coupon after coupon suckering me back into the store only to leave exasperated because I will need to make at least another trip to another grocer to complete my list on any given week. Just down the road Ingles has put in a fancy schmancy new grocery store too with guess what..a better variety of food no towels or plates and silverware and not a couch or bunk bed to be seen just food and really really great selection of food....
Novel idea huh?

Mommy faux pas

C has been in an apples & peanut butter for snack sort of place lately. I have been buying him the pre-cut stuff to take to school (lazy & costly probably but who wants brown apples for snack?!) anywhoodles I grabbed some at the grocery this weekend except..shock horror gasp.. I bought High School Musical apple packages. Of course those will just not do!
this morning I get "I think I'll just stick with grapes today Mommy"
Daddy has graciously offered to take them in his lunch.

victory gardening

I know I have been talking about a garden for several years now, and we have a great plot in our yard for a garden that just needs clearing....blah blah there are loads of excuses why it hasn't happened yet. However I took a small step yesterday and bought a basil plant for the kitchen. I had thought about growing them from seeds but when I walked into Fresh Market and saw a plant already growing I thought what the hell just buy the plant and go and so I did. I use basil often enough that I would wince each time I had to purchase it fresh and now problem solved! Also considered buying the dill plant but I don't use dill that often so it seemed silly to purchase. But I am going to head to the store and buy some seeds and get a window box or a barrel of spices going for myself in the next week or two. I am also going to pinch the idea from a recent newspaper article to do a salsa garden with tomatoes, peppers, cilantro & onion. And hopefully we will get off our butts and get a decent garden going in the backyard! If it's good enough for the White House it's good enough for our little blue one. I really wish my FIL was in better health to help me with my plans he truly has the green thumb in the family!

I do not have enough bread

but we are well stocked with milk and eggs...Not exactly a big snow event but snow nonetheless. I hope it stays warmish or tomorrow morning will be messy and I suppose no school for the kid. Stay tuned