My Grocery Budget 2018 - May Update

I can tell you that since I began my ketogenic journey I eat a lot more meat than I used to.  In fact, we all do.  Not a bad thing, but it has definitely created a shift in my shopping and my budget.  That doesn't mean that maintaining a healthy diet is too expensive it just means I need to make adjustments and do things a little differently, make some changes.  Change is good, right?!

Fred Meyer haul

This month I shopped a lot and took advantage of some really great sales and loss leader offers.  Once again I was in my hunter/gatherer mode as I shopped at a variety of stores and picked up items to stock up our pantry and freezer.  My goal is always to get the best quality for as little cost as possible and I think I did really, really well.  I topped off the chest freezer in our garage and filled in the gaps in our pantry.  Plus, I got a jumpstart on some school lunch stuff for next fall.

Albertson's haul #1

Albertson's haul #2

We aren't big junk food junkies around here, but I do allow my girls to have some things in moderation and those are usually relegated to their packed lunches.  Mainly chips is what they love.  So, with my $10 school lunch budget I picked up a bag of assorted chips on sale for $4.99 and used a $1 OFF coupon to bring it down to $3.99.  I also took advantage of a loss leader offer at Albertson's and picked up four boxes of chewy granola bars for only 79¢ each.  I plan to continue to use my monthly budget throughout the summer too.

I spent $17.32 of our monthly $25 non food budget on the usual cat food and litter.  Nothing too terribly exciting there.  The remaining $7.68 will be added to last month's surplus and rolled forward to use in June.

Steaks!

This is the breakdown of what I purchased for food:

Groceries		$$$
Butter (2)		3.98	Digital Coupon	Albertsons
Asparagus (2)		5.99	Sale	Albertsons
Cauliflower		2.49	Sale	Albertsons
Avocados (3)		2.04	Sale	Albertsons
Tomatoes (2)		0.49		Albertsons
Lettuce		1.59		Albertsons
Steak		2.02	Markdown	Albertsons
Steak		2.06	Markdown	Albertsons
Steak		5.24	Markdown	Albertsons
Salad dressing (3)		4.47	Sale/Digital Coupon	Fred Meyer
Salad dressing - 2 pk		1.99	Sale	Fred Meyer
Tortillas (5)		2.45	Sale/Digital Coupon	Fred Meyer
Tortilla chips 5		4.95	Sale/Digital Coupon	Fred Meyer
Pasta (6)		2.45	Sale/Digital Coupon	Fred Meyer
Salsa (5)		4.95	Sale/Digital Coupon	Fred Meyer
Lettuce (2)		1.98	Sale	Fred Meyer
Coleslaw		0.99	Sale	Fred Meyer
Green beans		2.99	Markdown	Fred Meyer
Mushrooms		2.29	Markdown	Fred Meyer
Broccoli		3.99	Sale	Fred Meyer
Bananas		0.63	Sale	Fred Meyer
Ground turkey		2.25	Markdown	Fred Meyer
Ground turkey		2.25	Markdown	Fred Meyer
Beef patties		6.52	Markdown	Fred Meyer
Shrimp - 2#		9.98	Sale/Digital Coupon	Fred Meyer
Brownie mix (2)		2.00		Dollar Store
Pink salt		1.00		Dollar Store
Whipped cream		2.52		Wal-Mart
Cream (2)		6.76		Wal-Mart
Milk - 1/2 gal		1.07		Wal-Mart
Sugar - 4#		1.43		Wal-Mart
Pudding (3)		2.61		Wal-Mart
Gelatin (4)		1.44		Wal-Mart
Stevia drops		2.74		Wal-Mart
Bananas		0.71		Wal-Mart
Lettuce (2)		1.96		Wal-Mart
Romaine		2.38		Wal-Mart
Tomatoes (2)		0.38		Wal-Mart
Eggs - 5 doz		5.43		Wal-Mart
SF chocolate chips		2.23		Wal-Mart
Potato chips		FREE	Monopoly Winner	Albertsons
Green beans (4)		1.56	Digital Coupon	Albertsons
Corn (2)		0.78	Digital Coupon	Albertsons
Brownie mix (4)		3.16	Digital Coupon	Albertsons
Pasta (6)		2.94	Digital Coupon	Albertsons
Tuna (4)		1.96	Digital Coupon	Albertsons
Chicken nuggets - 3#		5.99	Sale	Albertsons
Beef patties		4.00	Markdown	Albertsons
Macaroni salad		FREE	Monopoly Winner	Albertsons
Ice cream (2)		7.98	Sale	Fred Meyer
Ice cream cones		1.49	Sale	Fred Meyer
Milk - 1/2 gal		0.79	Sale	Fred Meyer
Bread		0.99	Markdown	Fred Meyer
Sausage		2.50	Sale	Fred Meyer
Steak		6.89	Sale	Fred Meyer
Steak		5.87	Sale	Fred Meyer
Chicken breast		9.67	Sale	Fred Meyer
Avocado		0.77	Sale	Fred Meyer
Salad mix		0.49	Markdown	Fred Meyer
Salad mix		0.59	Markdown	Fred Meyer
Salad mix		0.59	Markdown	Fred Meyer
Sour cream		1.00	Sale/Coupon	Fred Meyer
Gravy mix		FREE	Monopoly Winner	Fred Meyer
Pot roast		5.39	Sale	Albertsons
Pot roast		5.39	Sale	Albertsons
Pot roast		6.57	Sale	Albertsons
Pot roast		6.17	Sale	Albertsons
Pork chops		4.59	Sale	Albertsons
Pork chops		5.21	Sale	Albertsons
Sausage		1.89	Markdown	Albertsons
Canned tomatoes (6)		3.00	Sale	Albertsons
Ramen (24)		2.88	Sale	Albertsons
Macaroni & cheese (6)		3.00	Sale	Albertsons
$5 OFF $50 Purchase		(5.00)	Coupon	Albertsons
Total		214.79

$219.79 ÷ 31 days ÷3 people = $2.36 per person per day!

Lots of great meat sales!

It was another pretty darn good month again for sales and bargains.  How did you do with your grocery shopping goals?  What great buys did you find?

This budget month runs from May 1 through May 31