Aldi's

Our Aldi's finally opened on Saturday, March 7! They started teasing us before Christmas when they put up the big sign, but finally it opened! I had my first opportunity to visit yesterday after church. The biggest problem with the first Aldi's in Knoxville is that it is across town from where I live. It is very close to where I go to church though, so in an effort not to waste gas, we went yesterday between church services. Of course, I forgot to bring my own grocery bags, and I didn't have a quarter for the buggy. Luckily, Trevlyn had a quarter, and I was able to snag a couple of boxes to bring home my goodies! Charlie & the kids weren't very impressed with the store, but why would they be? They aren't the ones struggling to meet the grocery budget every week.

A few of the items that I was impressed with:

$1.99 for 1 gallon of Skim Milk
$2.19 for 1 gallon of 2% Milk
$0.49 for 1 dozen large eggs
$0.99 for 1lb of slicing tomatoes
$0.99 12oz. Salad Mix
$1.49 5-7 oz Spring Mix
$1.49 12oz Baby Spinach

The other items that I bought I could have probably purchased at Kroger's with a coupon for about the same price. The store claims to have different items every week as "store specials". I didn't get to look around much because the entire family was with me, but I hope to go back and take more time! I plan to make Aldi's one of my weekly stops and I'll let you know what I get next week. I feel more and more like my grandmother everyday. She would go from store to store to get the best prices! I remember...Pruetts, then Red Food Store, and then the farmer's market for vegetables. I always hated going with her on grocery day because it literally took the entire day! Now, I remember those times fondly. I wish I could recall them more vividly. Memories...

BLAH!!!!

I am so happy that it is Friday! I need a weekend to catch up on life :) Is there such a thing?

I have so much laundry to do, and our cabinets are crazy...What I mean is they aren't organized and that drives me crazy! Since we started our diet revamp Charlie has been grocery shopping with me. Well, I told him this past weekend that he couldn't go with me anymore. If something looks good then he just puts things in the buggy as we pass by. Don't get me wrong, it is all on our diet, but we have too much of certain things and not enough of others. I just can't tell him No when he really wants something. You should see us in the store...I'm sure that everyone is laughing. He is just like a little kid, and if it is on sale...well, enough said...we have to buy it! Our grocery budget has been blown every week for the past 3 weeks.

I only had a minute to write. I hope all of you have a great day, and a great weekend!

Reflections, Dieting, and Work

As I am sitting here on a break at work, eating my Activia Prune Yogurt, I am thinking about how much I miss being at home. My kids went back to school yesterday, they were out for over 2 weeks for the Holidays, and they were so excited to tell me about all their new classes. However, where was I? I was at work until 5:30. When I did finally arrive home at 6:15, traffic was horrible and it took me 45 minutes to go 15 miles, I had to turn around and leave again for a church business meeting that started at 7. I miss being with my kids, I miss having supper ready at 7. You may say, Why can't you have supper ready by 7 if you get home around 6? Well, maybe I will be able to once I figure out how to prioritize! Yes, I don't do well with schedule changes. It seems like just when I get used to a schedule in my life...it changes!

On a brighter note! I love my paycheck... Our bills are being paid with ease, and when my kids told me all the "class dues" that they have for the new classes, I didn't feel my heart quiver, and my stomach didn't start hurting! In this economy with many people without jobs, God has been good to me! I know I'll get used to this schedule, and I will be able to prioritize things so that the time I am at home will be smoother.

Another reason my menu plan is so hard is that Charlie & I started a diet on Monday. We both need to lose weight and eat more healthy. For 6 months we have eaten very unhealthy. I love to cook, and I have made all kinds of things since I wasn't working. Fried okra, fried chicken, french fries, fried green tomatoes, Do you get the picture? In the fall of 2006 I joined LA Weight Loss. I didn't use their bars, shakes, etc. I wanted to learn how to eat healthy with things I could buy at the grocery store, and a plan that I could work with for the rest of my life. On LAWL they teach you that you should eat proteins, vegetables, fruits, dairy, starches, & fats everyday just in the right portions. Portion control is my biggest weakness when it comes to food. Today I might not eat any vegetables, and then tomorrow I might only eat vegetables. Charlie is the same way because I cook for the entire family. In a nutshell, I am making my entire family unhealthy. The difference this time is that Charlie & I are both committed to this! We are going to the store together. We are planning our meals together. So far it is fun! Charlie hates being told what he can & can't eat so it is a little harder I think for him, but maybe he is just acting that way so it will be easier for me. You never know with Charlie. He is a character... The first two days your food is very limited. You eat only green vegetables & baked chicken, you drink lots & lots of water, and you drink this special blended juice. This is to flush out your system, and "jumpstart" your weight loss. This morning being the 3rd day we weighed in... I have lost 5lbs, and Charlie has lost about 10lbs. I don't know his exactly because he wouldn't tell me where he started. He is worse about keeping his weight a secret than I am.

Well, my break is over... I hope to talk to you all again soon.

Kroger Meat & Produce

It is Saturday morning. Do you get up early on Saturday morning? The only people I know that do are the ones that go to yard sales and those that may have to go to work. Well, Have I ever told you that I am a sleepy head? I have always been called that. Yes, since I was a small child. I was never told as a child that it was time to go to bed because more often than not I was already in bed by that time. I was (am) very often the last person to get out of bed in the mornings though. To get to the point... this morning I had to take Trevlyn to work at 8am. I woke up about 7:15 which is just too early on Saturday morning for me! On my way back from taking him to work I thought "Hey, I'll stop by Kroger and see what I can buy!"

I walked in and started laughing! They were already taking the shelves apart in the meat department. The Meat Manager told me that people were there as early as 5am, pushing and shoving to get the best deals! He said that the boneless chicken breasts were the first to go. Now boneless chicken breast wasn't on sale this week at Kroger. The regular price is $4.79lb. 50% off that would be $2.39lb. If you are strategic grocery shopper than you know that boneless chicken breast goes on sale often for $1.99lb. My question is "What were they thinking?" The only items left in produce were things that are hard or impossible to freeze like cucumbers and lettuce.

I was amazed! Who gets up that early? Not me!

I love saving Money!

Charlie gets paid on Thursdays so that is the day I set aside to do my grocery shopping. In the past 2 years I've really tried to save us money on groceries. I cut coupons, I search through the sale ads, and make our menus based on what is on sale or what I have a coupon for. So, today I went into my neighborhood Kroger, and WOW! Kroger is moving over, right next door, to a brand new Kroger Marketplace. I am very excited about the new Kroger, but that is not what I am talking about today. Over the last few weeks, since they are moving, everything in the store has been marked down. Last week I bought my sister a ton of baby stuff for 50% off, and I've bought baking sheets, etc. Today everything in the frozen food section, prepacked deli meat, bacon, sausage, etc, and all dairy items excluding milk and eggs was 50% off. I spent over $200 but I saved over $200 too because YES I used my coupons! Some items I even got for free! I think, with the exception of milk, bread & eggs, that I've bought enough to last us the month! This Saturday their fresh meat & produce will be 50% off too. I'm not sure what else I'll buy but I would like to go in to check it out. I can always fill my freezer full of meat & vegetables.

So, if you've got any good recipes for freezing produce, please let me know. AND BTW, I do feel better today! This is the first day in over a week that I can breath freely!