October grocery shopping was about two things: convenient snacks and easy meals. I ended up working a ton, Jesse had a 4-day trip to a conference, and we were just overall busy. I think maybe that’s just the season of life that we are in. Here’s what our grocery shopping and menu planning looked like for October.
Monday, October 1: Aldi $152.20
First shopping trip of the month! I don’t generally like to go to the stores on the first of the month, because they tend to be busier, but we needed groceries and it was grocery shopping day. Luckily, we went early enough that it wasn’t too bad.
- Extra virgin olive oil $2.99
- Canned diced green chiles x5 $0.65 each
- Peppermint extract $1.99
- Canned crushed tomatoes (28 oz.) $0.79
- Canned diced tomatoes (14.5 oz.) x4 $0.45 each
- Canned pumpkin x2 $0.79 each
- Gluten free spaghetti (16 oz.) $1.89
- Mushrooms (8 oz.) x5 $1.29 each
- Garlic (3 pack) $0.99
- Dill pickle slices $1.29
- Green peppers (3 pack) x3 $1.29 each
- Frozen green beans (16 oz.) $1.39
- Frozen peas (16 oz.) $0.95
- Sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz.) x6 $1.69 each
- Orange juice x2 $1.99 each
- Salsa $1.19
- Soy sauce $1.29
- Trail mix x2 $4.89 each
- String cheese (12 pack) $2.69
- Ham lunch meat (16 oz.) $3.19
- Bacon (1 lb.) $3.49
- Mini chocolate chips $1.69
- Chocolate chips x3 $1.69 each
- Dark chocolate candy bar x2 $1.49 each
- Old-fashioned oats x2 $1.99 each
- Snack bars (various) x4 $1.39 each
- Canned tomato sauce (8 oz.) x2 $0.25 each
- Sweet potatoes (3 lbs.) $2.59
- Canned tomato paste $0.39
- Russet potatoes (10 lbs.) $2.99
- Cabbage $1.49
- Yellow onions (3 lbs.) x2 $1.59
- Tomatoes on the vine (4 pack) x2 $1.89 each
- Wheat bread $1.49
- Red grapes (2.36 lbs.) $3.99
- Gluten free bread $3.99
- Unsalted pistachios x2 $4.49 each
- Zucchini (3 pack) $1.19
- Celery $0.89
- Carrots (2 lbs.) $0.99
- Sweet kale salad kit $2.49
- Bananas (7.83 lbs.) $2.74
- Cantaloupe $0.89
- Chicken breast (4.81 lbs.) $8.13
- Round steak (1.25 lbs.) $5.02
- Ground turkey (1 lb.) $1.99
- Ground sausage (1 lb.) x2 $1.99 each
- Whole chicken $5.07
Monday, October 1: H-E-B $43.62 and $135.62 WIC
Finishing shopping for the beginning of the month, plus picking up the baby formula since we’re almost out.
- Similac baby formula x7 $16.77 each (WIC)
- Graham crackers $1.29
- Chobani coconut yogurt (4 pack) x2 $3.27 each
- Skim milk (gallon) $2.48 (WIC)
- Tortilla chips x2 $1.39 each
- Wheat bread (16 oz.) x2 $1.58 each (WIC)
- Eggs (1 dozen) x2 $1.17 each (1 WIC)
- Spinach $1.34 (WIC)
- Sharp cheddar cheese (16 oz.) $3.42 (WIC)
- Salami $3.48
- Unbleached all-purpose flour (5 lbs.) $1.59
- Gluten free penne (12 oz.) $1.77
- Canned black olives x2 $1.38 each
- White vinegar $0.79
- Butternut squash (3 totaling 11.69 lbs.) $13.79 ($6.66 WIC)
- Bagged shredded lettuce $1.57
- Flour tortillas (20 ct.) $1.88
- 16 oz. HEB cola $0.75 (I rarely have soda, but it sounded really good, so I grabbed one for super cheap)
- M&Ms white chocolate x2 $1.00 with HEB coupon
- Kraft ranch dressing $2.64
- Hellmann’s squeeze mayo $2.95 with HEB coupon
- Oranges (2.78 lbs.) $3.53
Monday, October 8: H-E-B $79.68 and $4.96 WIC
Fill in grocery trip for produce, snacks, and a few household things.
- Bananas (4.53 lbs.) $1.54
- Yellow grape tomatoes $2.50 – these are Jonah’s favorite, and when he requests them I usually say yes
- Red grapes (2.05 lbs.) $4.67
- Green peppers x3 $1.74 – these had a 50% off sticker on them, but that didn’t get taken off at the register. They were only $0.58 each, so still a good price.
- Pink Lady apples (3 lbs.) $2.97
- Oranges (3.13 lbs.) $3.98
- Whole chicken $5.53
- Maple syrup $6.98
- Bagged Romaine $1.98
- Yogurt (32 oz.) $2.48 (WIC)
- String cheese (12 pack) x2 $2.49 each
- Larabars x4 $1.25 each
- Larabar box $4.39
- Chobani Flip yogurt x2 $1.00 each
- Tom’s of Maine kids’ toothpaste $2.97
- Milk $2.48 (WIC)
- Roma tomatoes (16 oz.) $0.68
- Organic mushrooms (16 oz.) $1.99 after 50% off markdown – this one did come off correctly
- Tom’s of Maine adults’ toothpaste $3.73
- Colgate toothpaste $2.42
- Yoplait Oui yogurt (4 pack) $4.77
- Gum for the children $1.00
- Baby wipes (9 packs) $12.58
- Sales tax $1.28
Menu plan for first half of October, using groceries listed above
Monday, October 1
Breakfast: Eggs and Toast
Lunch: Black Bean Nachos
Dinner: Instant Pot Lentil Dinner
Tuesday, October 2
Breakfast: Gluten Free Cinnamon Banana Bread Muffins (these but not mini sized, and doubled)
Lunch: Sandwiches, Fruit, Peppers
Dinner: Beef and Zoodle Bowls
Wednesday, October 3
Breakfast: Leftover Muffins
Lunch: Sweet Potatoes, Chicken, Veggies
Dinner: Crockpot Mexican Chicken Chowder
Thursday, October 4
Breakfast: Eggs and Toast
Lunch: Leftover Mexican Chicken Chowder
Dinner: Unstuffed Squash with Sausage and Pears (I just used 1 lb. of ground sausage in place of the bacon)
Friday, October 5
Breakfast: French Toast
Lunch: Gluten Free Mac and Cheese
Dinner: Homemade Pizza
Saturday, October 6
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Lunch: Cubano Sandwiches
Dinner: Cabbage Soup and Biscuits (these using gluten free flour)
Sunday, October 7
Breakfast: Cereal
Lunch: Sandwiches/Leftovers
Dinner: Toscana Soup
Monday, October 8
Breakfast: Eggs and Toast
Lunch: Black Bean Tortilla Pizzas
Dinner: Chicken Salad Bar
Tuesday, October 9
Breakfast: Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins x 1.5 batch
Lunch: Out to Eat
Dinner: Veggie Spaghetti
Wednesday, October 10
Breakfast: Leftover Muffins
Lunch: Sandwiches, Grapes, Peppers
Dinner: Instant Pot Baked Potatoes, Veggies, Cheese
Thursday, October 11
Breakfast: Eggs and Toast
Lunch: Oatmeal Pancakes
Dinner: Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Chili
Friday, October 12
Breakfast: French Toast
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Pizza
Saturday, October 13
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Lunch: TBD
Dinner: Turkey Lentil Enchiladas
Sunday, October 14
Breakfast: Cereal
Lunch: Sandwiches/Leftovers
Dinner: Leftover Enchiladas
Friday, October 12: Walmart $35.86
We were at Walmart to pick up the kids’ new glasses, so I grabbed a few things that we were out of. And then I grabbed another laundry basket (I left one behind in the move and I miss having two), but accidentally got one without a price tag sticker, and it took like 15 minutes at checkout. Not great, Walmart, not great.
- Vitamin C drops x2 $3.48 each
- M&Ms white chocolate x2 $1.34 each
- Bananas (5.03 lbs.) $2.41
- Bob’s Red Mill gluten free pizza crust $3.98 (This is my favorite and I haven’t found it in this town since we’ve been here! It was just randomly on a shelf by the gluten free stuff with no actual spot I could find, but I grabbed it quickly.)
- Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free flour $3.97 (My alternate for pizza night)
- Yeast $4.58
- Gluten free bread $5.48
- Laundry basket $5.36
- Sales tax $0.44
Saturday, October 13: Drug Emporium $28.09
I was talking with a gluten free customer at Dunkin Donuts the other day, and he mentioned that this store had like 2 aisles full of gluten free stuff. Since we were in that part of town, we stopped to see. He was right – tons of gluten free stuff! I just picked up two of my favorite things, and guess what? My favorite pizza crust again!
- Pamela’s gluten free baking mix $12.20
- Bob’s Red Mill gluten free pizza crust x4 $3.05 each
I use the Pamela’s mix for these biscuits – I just substitute 1 to 1 for the flour. And I also really love this yellow cake recipe from the Pamela’s website. It actually turns out fairly close to a flour cake recipe in terms of look and texture, and it tastes good too.
Monday, October 15: Aldi $116.72
We started our big shopping for the second half of the month. And it was pouring buckets of rain by the time we were done. I had to pull up to the door to load the kids and the groceries, and then I unloaded the groceries to the front door at home while the kids moved them to the kitchen. I was pretty bedraggled when I was done! We decided to put off the rest of our errands for another day.
- Snack bars x2 $1.39
- Various cereals x4 $1.39-$1.79 each
- Green peppers (3 pack) x3 $1.29 each
- Butter (1 lb.) x2 $2.36 each
- Old-fashioned oatmeal x2 $1.99 each
- Sour cream (16 oz.) $0.89
- Blueberries $2.79
- Bananas (6.29 lbs.) $2.21
- Tomatoes (2 pack) $1.39
- Gallon ziploc bags (40 count) x2 $1.89 each
- Orange juice $1.99
- Zucchini (16 oz.) x3 $1.19 each (the cashier only rang up one of these, but I had 3)
- Turkey lunch meat (16 oz.) $3.19
- Sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz.) x7 $1.69 each
- Shredded Parmesan cheese $1.99
- Sliced mushrooms (8 oz.) x2 $1.49 each
- Sugar (4 lbs.) $1.09
- Wheat bread (24 oz.) x2 $1.49 each
- Chocolate chips x2 $1.69 each
- Canned diced tomatoes x4 $0.45 each
- Canned pumpkin x2 $0.79 each
- Canned tomato paste $0.39
- Canned crushed tomatoes $0.79
- Russet potatoes (10 lbs.) $2.99
- Salsa $1.19
- Pistachios x2 $4.49 each
- Sweet potatoes (3 lbs.) $2.54
- Yellow onions (3 lbs.) $1.59
- Frozen corn (16 oz.) x2 $0.95
- Frozen green beans (16 oz.) $1.39
- Dark chocolate with almonds candy bar x2 $1.49 each
- Chicken breast (4.70 lbs.) $9.01
- Eggs (1 dozen) x3 $0.97 each
- Ground turkey (1 lb.) $1.99
- Tortilla chips $0.89
- Whole chicken $5.61
- Red grapes (3.94 lbs.) $3.90
- Gluten free crackers $1.99
- Sales tax $0.31
Monday, October 15: H-E-B $47.45 and $6.36 WIC
It was still raining later in the afternoon, but Jesse sent me to the store by myself, which is much easier to handle than rain with 5 kids. I finished up the shopping from the morning.
- Gluten free pizzas x2 $5.76 each
- Dole spinach salad mix $3.78 (used $0.50/1 digital coupon)
- Shredded lettuce $1.18
- Multigrain Cheerios x2 $3.18 each (WIC)
- Gluten free pasta x3 $1.77 each
- Complete Cookie 6 pack $8.49
- French dressing $1.78 (for the kid who doesn’t like ranch)
- Coffee $4.48
- Flour tortillas (20 count) $2.18
- Hershey’s bagged candy x2 $3.48 each
- Chobani coconut yogurt (4 pack) $2.27
- Yoplait YQ yogurt $1.34 (used free coupon that printed at the register last time)
Thursday, October 18: H-E-B $41.50
This was my “Jesse is leaving for 4 days and I want snacks” grocery shopping trip. Plus we needed tortillas.
- Cranberry apple juice $1.79
- Fruit punch juice $2.88
- Flour tortillas (20 count) $2.18
- Corn tortillas (30 count) $1.48
- Wavy chips $1.98
- Gluten free frozen pizzas x2 $5.76 each
- Chips x2 $1.49 each
- Wine $9.98
- Ice cream (half gallon) $5.89
- Sales tax $0.82
Saturday, October 20: H-E-B $2.86
Pizza night! Jesse decided to try to make a potato pizza like the Toppers Pizza one used to be (before they changed it to tater tots) and needed a couple extra ingredients. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, know that it’s a pizza with baked potatoes, bacon, green onions, and lots of cheese on it, and it’s delicious. Ours turned out pretty amazing too.
- Green onions $0.36
- Shredded mozzarella cheese $2.50
Monday, October 22: H-E-B $81.00 and $39.11 WIC
This was really random grocery shopping. I left my list on the counter at home, but managed to remember everything except for chocolate. Produce for this week, a few items to make soups for the freezer for Jesse’s lunches, and a few things to make recipes from a Pokemon cookbook Jonah found at the library. Plus baby foods.
- Pink lady apples (3 lbs.) $2.97
- Bananas (5.1 lbs.) $1.73
- Shitake mushrooms $4.99
- Tomatoes (4 count) x4 $1.25 each
- Chocolate ice cream pint $1.68 (used free coupon that printed at the register last time)
- Multicolored peppers (3 pack) $2.98
- Spinach $1.88
- Butternut squash (4.93 lbs.) $4.83
- Skim milk $2.48 (WIC)
- Ground turkey (1 lb.) $3.29
- Oreos $2.98
- Baby cereal oatmeal (16 oz.) $4.14 (WIC)
- Baby cereal rice (8 oz.) $2.09 (WIC)
- Baby food jars x32 $0.94-$0.98 each – $30.40 total (WIC)
Menu plan for the second half of October, using groceries listed above
Monday, October 15
Breakfast: Eggs and Toast
Lunch: Black Bean Tortilla Pizzas
Dinner: Veggie Spaghetti
Tuesday, October 16
Breakfast: Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Lunch: Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Quinoa
Dinner: Sweet Potatoes, Chicken, Veggies
Wednesday, October 17
Breakfast: Leftover Muffins
Lunch: Sandwiches/Leftovers
Dinner: Turkey Lentil Tacos
Thursday, October 18
Breakfast: Eggs and Toast
Lunch: Easy Apple Quesadillas
Dinner: Black Bean Fajita Casserole
Friday, October 19
Breakfast: French Toast
Lunch: Leftover Fajita Casserole
Dinner: Crockpot Mexican Chicken Chowder
Saturday, October 20
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Lunch: Leftover Mexican Chicken Chowder
Dinner: Pizza
Sunday, October 21
Breakfast: Cereal
Lunch: Sandwiches/Leftovers
Dinner: Chicken Fajitas
Monday, October 22
Breakfast: Eggs and Toast
Lunch: Black Bean Tortilla Pizzas
Dinner: Instant Pot Lentil Dinner
Tuesday, October 23
Breakfast: Gluten Free Double Chocolate Muffins from here
Lunch: Tangy Pasta Salad from this cookbook
Dinner: Instant Pot Chicken Vegetable Soup and Biscuits (this recipe with gluten free flour)
Wednesday, October 24
Breakfast: Leftover Muffins
Lunch: Leftover Soup and Biscuits
Dinner: Chicken Pepper Bake
Thursday, October 25
Breakfast: Eggs and Toast
Lunch: Homemade Lunchables
Dinner: Pancakes, Cinnamon Apples
Friday, October 26
Breakfast: French Toast
Lunch: Pancake PB&J
Dinner: Order Pizza
Saturday, October 27
Breakfast: Brownie Baked Oatmeal
Lunch: Gluten Free Mac and Cheese
Dinner: Breakfast Skillets (potatoes, zucchini, peppers, eggs, and cheese)
Sunday, October 28
Breakfast: Cereal
Lunch: Sandwiches/Leftovers
Dinner: White Chicken Lasagna Soup
Monday, October 29
Breakfast: Eggs and Toast
Lunch: Leftover Lasagna Soup
Dinner: Instant Pot Baked Potatoes and Veggies
Tuesday, October 30
Breakfast: Cinnamon Banana Bread Muffins
Lunch: Black Bean Tortilla Pizzas
Dinner: Turkey Lentil Tacos
Wednesday, October 31
Breakfast: Reformation Pancakes
Lunch: Easy Apple Quesadillas
Dinner: Unstuffed Squash with Sausage, Mushrooms, and Pears (I just replaced the bacon with 1 lb. ground sausage)
Whew! That’s a lot of shopping for one month. Here’s how we did.
Grocery budget total: $628.98
WIC total: $186.05
How did you do with your grocery budget this month?
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