Menu with what's on sale for the week of June 23-June 29

Summer is flying by. Before you know it I will be counting down the days until school begins. It's a cycle that will end before too long for me. Blah.


$72.95

Breakfast
1-Muffins, juice
2-Oatmeal, orange juice
3-Oatmeal, yogurt
4-Pancakes, apple juice
5-Oatmeal, banana half
6-Oatmeal, yogurt
7-Pancakes

Lunch
1-PB&J sandwich, cheez-its crackers, lemonade
2-PB&J sandwich, cantaloupe chunks, carrots
3-PB&J sandwich,, cheez-its crackers
4-Salad, Ramen noodles
5-PB&J sandwich, popsicle, cheetos
6-Chef Boy R Dee ravioli
7-Hot dog and bun, Sprite

Dinner
1-Spaghetti Alfredo, green salad, berries
2-Cheddar corn chowder, salad. See Barefoot Contessa's recipe link at the left. Amounts on grocery list are for a half recipe
3-BLT's, watermelon
4-Chicken, rice A Roni, canned veg
5-Leftovers
6-Chicken Stir fry. Mushrooms, red pepper, zucchini, lefover chicken
7-Ramen egg drop soup

Desserts:
Brownies or Brownies ala mode
Ice cream
Popsicles
Pudding
Cake with frosting

The recipe that I use for frosting:
1 stick butter
4 C. powdered sugar
some milk to add to desired consistency, about 1/4 C. but drizzle in desired amount, don't just dump in 1/4 C.
1 cap of vanilla or 1 tsp.
dash of salt
some cocoa powder if you want chocolate frosting


Grocery List:
Albertson's
Skippy Peanut butter, .99 with coup from ad, limit 1
Cello lettuce, .49 with coup from ad, limit 2, buy 2
Cheez-it, $1.67 with coup from ad
Popsicles, .88 with coup from ad
Yoplait yogurt, .38 when you buy 10, with coup from ad, buy 10
Top Valu bacon, $1.49 with coup from ad, buy 2
Cheetos, $1.67
Mini watermelon, 2/$3, buy 1
Jello gelatin or pudding, .88

Bashas'
Lg. slicing tomatoes, .77 lb., buy 1 lb.
Libby's or Stokely's canned vegs, 2/.99, buy 1
Bashas' milk, .99 for 1/2 gal, limit 4, buy 4
Food Club apple juice, .99
Pillsbury cake mix, .99
Basha's hot dog or hamburger buns, .99
Food Club Pancake mix, $1.77
Food Club syrup, $1.77
Dole bananas, .48 lb, buy 3 lbs.
Eggs, $1.79
Maruchan Ramen, 8/.99, buy 8
Powdered sugar, $1.77

Fry's
Buy 10 mix n match
1-Coke or Sprite, .69
2-Chef Boy R Dee Ravioli, .59
3-Chef Boy R Dee Ravioli
4-Velveeta cheese, $4.69 or Albertson's has cheese for $5.99
5-Breyers ice cream, $1.77
6-Oscar Mayer meat franks, .88
7-Country Time lemonade, .99
8-Ragu Alfredo sauce, $1.37
9-Betty Crocker brownie mix, $1.69
10-Betty Crocker muffin mix, $1.69

California sweet corn, 5/$1
Blueberries, .88
Frying chicken, .49 lb., buy 4 lbs at $1.96
Mushrooms, 2/$3, buy 1
Zucchini, $1 lb.
Kroger Valu bread, .88, buy 4
Chicken broth, buy 3 cans, I've allowed for .99/can
Onion, I've allowed for .50
Fry's spaghetti, .88
Potatoes, I've allowed for $3.00/5 # bag

Safeway
Cantaloupe, .88 ea
Sunny D, .99
Rice A Roni, .99
Baby carrots, .99
Strawberries, 2/$4, buy 1 at $2

Sprouts
Oatmeal, .69 lb., buy 2 at $1.38
Red Bell peppers, .49 ea, buy 1

Items not on grocery list:
Mayonnaise
butter
vanilla
half and half
Herbs and spices
salad dressing
jelly

Other great deals this week:
Wesson oil on the buy 10 deal, $2.19-Fry's
Herdez Salsa, .99 with coup-albertson's
Ken's salad dressing, $1.27 with cou-Albertson's
Heinz ketchup, $1.27 with coup-Albertson's
Lucerne cream cheese, .99-Safeway
Fresh express spinach or salads, .99-Safeway

Fourth of July

So tell me, what do you like to do for the 4th of July? What do you like to eat, who do you like to have over, etc., etc.? Do you go all out or is it a casual holiday for you?

I am trying to decide if we will do a cookout on Monday the 5th since we typically don't do cook out type things on Sundays around here. We actually don't do much for July 4th anyway. Where we live is a downer as far as fireworks go. But a swim party BBQ with some of our favorite people sounds like it's in order. I love 3 day weekends, it will be nice, I am looking forward to it.

I'm thinking:

Hamburgers/hot dogs and/or brats
Potato salad
Chips/dip
watermelon
Maybe beans, haven't decided yet.
Soda pop
Probably some kind of ice cream on a stick for the dessert.

This is cool

http://wimp.com/waterfountain/

Week #?

I've lost track of what week it is. Seeing that it is almost the end of June it is most probably week #25 and week #26 will start on Monday. But don't quote me. Today I cleaned our dishes. They had a scummy film on the bottoms of the plates and bowls so I scrubbed them with vinegar until they were looking brand new again. I have no doubt that my readership by now figures that I live in a cave with animals and rats the way that I've described our living conditions. I like to think that I am a pretty clean person. The house is cluttered but clean for the most part. And I'm working on it, these things take time while still having to go onward with the other parts of life. I like to think that things like scummy film on dishes happen to everyone or is a part of life. I don't know how it happened, it just did. Still working hard on the challenge this year. Sometimes it doesn't get done every day, but still working on it. Still working on putting pictures into photo albums. Still working on getting items together for a yard sale. Still have a long way to go.

Menus with what's on sale for the week of June 16-June 21

$76.18

Breakfast
1-Breakfast burrito, juice. Flour tortilla, scrambled eggs, cheese, sausage crumbles.
2-Cold cereal, milk. Apple juice
3-Cold cereal, milk, banana, orange juice
4-Breakfast burrito
5-Cold cereal, milk. Apple juice
6-French toast
7-Cold cereal, milk, orange juice

Lunch
1-Hot dog, grapes
2-PB&J sandwich, chex mix, Kool Aid, strawberries
3-Lunch meat sandwich, chex mix, Kool Aid
4-PB&J sandwich, cantaloupe chunks
5-PB&J sandwich, grapes, Kool Aid
6-Hot dog, carrots, soda pop
7-Lunch meat sandwich, strawberries

Dinner
1-Pasta Alfredo, salad
2-Sloppy joes, buns, pork and beans (sloppy joes: gr. beef, ketchup, brown sugar, worcestershire, small amount of mustard)
3-Cheese and ham stuffed baked chicken breasts, salad
4-Quiche, strawberries
5-Pasta salad
6-Macho Nachos, salad. Tortilla chips with cheese, beans, sour cream, ground beef.
7-Oven fried chicken tenders, zuchinni

Desserts:
Pudding
Drumsticks ice cream

Grocery list:
Albertson's
Strawberries, 2/$3, buy 1, $1.50
Nestle drumsticks, $1.99
Albertson's Hamburger or hot dog buns, .88, buy 2 hot dog and 1 hamburger buns, $2.64
Chex Mix, 2/$3, buy 1
Kool Aid, 10/$1
Ragu Alfredo sauce, .99
Barilla Pasta, .99, buy 2
Doritos corn chips, $1.88

Bashas'
80% lean ground beef, $1.89 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $5.67
Red seedless grapes, .75 lb, buy 3 lbs. at $2.25
Skippy Peanut butter, 2/$3, buy 1
Smucker's jam, 2/$3, buy 1
Oscar Mayer Deli fresh shaved meat, $2.47, buy 2, one ham for stuffed chicken breasts for idea #3
Food Club apple juice, 2/$3, buy 1
Fiesta soda, .79
Dole bananas, .48, buy 5 lbs. at $2.40
Romaine, .99, buy 2

Fry's
Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.77 lb, buy 4 lbs. at $7.08
Fry's large eggs, .59, buy 3 at $1.77
Post cereal, limit 4, buy 4 at $1 ea, total of $4
Fry's milk, 1/2 gallon, $1, buy 4, limit 6
Van Camp's pork and beans 2/$1, buy 2
Fry's canned beans, .77
Jello gelatin or pudding, 10/$10, buy 1 pudding
Kroger mini carrots, .88
Roma tomatoes, .88 lb.
Cantaloupe, .97 ea.
Kroger sour cream, $1
Sunny D, $1
Farmer John pork links, $1, buy 2
Bar S Jumbo franks, $1, buy 2
Fry's flour tortillas, $1, buy 2
Zucchini, $1.29 lb.
Kroger cheese, $2.99, buy 2

Items not on grocery list:
butter
Mayonnaise
onions
parmesan cheese
salad dressing
condiments
herbs/spices
ketchup
brown sugar
mustard
worcestershire sauce
flour
salt
salsa
bread crumbs

Other great deals:
Ruffles potato chips, $1.77-Fry's
Nabisco snack crackers, $1.88-Fry's
Fry's canned tomatoes or beans, .77-Fry's
Fry's vegetable oil, $2.29-Fry's
Hunt's snack pack pudding, $1-Fry's
sweet onions, .79 lb.-Bashas
Hunt's past sauce, 10/$10- Bashas
Dole Classic Iceberg Salad, .99-Bashas
Cherries, $1.27 lb.-Sprouts
Fuji apples, .99 lb.-sprouts
Cantaloupe, .99 ea-Sprouts
Navel oranges, .77 lb-sprouts
Mangos, 4/$1-sprouts
Ken's dressing, .67 with coupon from 5/9-Fry's
Cheezits, $1.38 with coupon from 5/16-Fry's
Dial liquid, with coupon from 6/13, free-Fry's
Ivory bar soap with coupon from 6/6, free-Fry's
Oral B toothbrush with coupon from 6/6, .50-Fry's
Bar S Bolgna/franks, with coupon from 5/16, .50-Fry's
Post cereal, with coupon from 5/16, .50-Fry's
Colgate with coupon from 6/6, .50-Bashas
Hunt's ketchup, with coupon from 5/16, .79-Bashas
Smucker's jam with coupon from 4/18, $1-Bashas
Oscar Mayer deli shaved meat with coupon from 5/16, $1.97-Bashas
Ken's dressing, .49 with coupon from 5/9-Safeway
Clorox, with coupon from 6/6, .69-Safeway
Check out http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/ for more deals

Budget Menu with what's on sale for the week of June 9-June 15

Funny how what you do as a parent or a mother rubs off on your kids. They are watching you whether you think they are or not. My kids have watched me coupon seriously now for about six years. I giggle when I watch my son pull out his Subway coupons out of his wallet when we go to buy lunch. I giggle when he's planning an outing with friends or a date and he asks me if I have any coupons for restaurants. I also giggle when my husband tells me that my daughter goes to the back of the bags of lettuce at the grocery store to buy the one with the furthest expiration date when she goes to the store with him. And I also giggle inside when my daughter scours the grocery aisles for the blinkie machines and gives me coupons from them or tells me that she'll wait until something goes on sale and we have a coupon for it before she'll buy it or want me to buy it for her. Powerade is on sale at Bashas' this week so that when you buy 15 at a time, you then get them each for .50. So where's my calculator. That's $7.50. I only mention this because I am reminded that before my kids went to camp Fry's was having the same kind of sale on Powerade a couple of weeks ago. Only the final price per Powerade was .58. So we picked out 15 bottles in flavors that everyone was happy with. I sent two Powerades with my son on his trip to Lake Powell. While they were on a strenuous hike to hole in the rock, I guess it was strenuous, I have no idea, one of the leaders was showing signs of dehydration. So sonny boy gave him his Powerade to drink that he had brought with him. I asked sonny boy if he bought himself another Powerade when they went to the store after the hike. He said "No" and I was a little puzzled why he wouldn't. So I inquired further, which isn't easy because he's not one to embellish on trips or who said what or even on his life for that matter. He said, "We got those Powerades on sale for .58, I wasn't going to pay full price for one." THAT's MY BOY! Almost brought a tear to my eye.

$71.93

Breakfast
1-Oatmeal, blueberries
2-Eggs, toast, orange juice
3-Cold cereal, milk
4-Oatmeal
5-French toast, bacon (save some for Bacon Quiche), apple juice
6-Cinnamon rolls, juice
7-Oatmeal

Lunch
1-Canned pasta, carrots
2-Chicken noodle soup, apple
3-PB&J sandwich, carrots, grapes
4-Fruit salad, dinner leftovers
5-Tuna sandwich, orange
6-PB&J sandwich, fruit
7-PB&J sandwich, fruit

Dinner
1-Fruit salad, chicken salad, French bread
2-Chicken cacciatore, spaghetti, salad (Spag. sauce, onions, peppers, chicken)
3-Taco salad, chips
4-Baon Quiche, green beans
5-Grilled cheese sandwich, tomato soup
6-Hamburgers, peach/raspberry crisp
7-Chicken, rice and broccoli

Dessert:
Peach/raspberry crisp
Rice pudding

Grocery list:
Albertson's
Cantaloupe, 10/$10, buy 1
Del Monte Pineapple, 10/$10, buy 1
Honeydew, 2 lbs./$1, buy 1, I've allowed for $1
Kiwi, 4/$1, buy 2 at .50
Donald Duck orange juice, $1.27 with in store coupon
French bread, 99 ea with in store coupon, limit 1, buy 1
General Mills cereal, 2/$4, buy 1
Broccoli crowns, .69 lb.
Albertson's bacon, $1.99
Cinnamon rolls, 4 count, .99
Albertson's chicken noodle or tomato soup, .59, buy 4, Two chicken noodle, two tomato. You may need more soup for your family depending on size and appetites.
Albertson's rice, 2 lbs., $1.49
Albertson's salad dressing, $1.39
Albertson's canned pasta, .79, buy 2

Bashas'
Bumble Bee tuna, 2/$1, buy 1 at .50
Bashas' large eggs, .88, buy 2
Dole bananas, .48 lb., buy 1 lb.
Milk, aprox. $2.09/gal, buy 2 gallons

Fry's
Mini watermelon, 2/$3, buy 1 at $1.50
On the vine tomatoes, .88 lb., buy 1 lb.
Red or yellow bell peppers, .88 ea, buy 1
Chicken leg 1/4's, .47 lb., 10 lb. bag, $4.70
Kraft singles, $1.99
Fry's tortilla chips, 10/$10, buy 1
Daisy sour cream, $1.79
Fry's Hamburger and hot dog buns, $1.25
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4
Kroger Value peanut butter, $1.49
Kroger Value apple juice cocktail, $1.49
Onion, I've allowed for .50
Spaghetti sauce, $1.19 If you want more sauce for the spaghetti, buy another jar
Spaghetti, .88
Kraft shredded cheese, $1.99

Safeway
Grapes, .88 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $1.76
80% lean ground beef, $1.79 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $5.28

Sprouts
Berries, .97, buy one blueberry, one raspberry at .97x2
Peaches, .99 lb., buy 2 lbs. Check recipe at side to see how many you'll need
Romaine, .88
Navel oranges, .88 lb., buy 4 at $3.52
Baby carrots, .99
Green beans, .99 lb
Gala apples, .99 lb, buy 3 lbs. at $2.97
Oats, .69 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $1.38

Items not on list:
butter
flour
sugar
brown sugar
spices, herbs
jelly
mayonnaise
condiments

Other great deals this week:
Powerade, buy 15 and get them for .50 ea-Bashas
Colgate, with coupon, $1-albertson's (there are coupons taped to the Colgate boxes at the display at my Albertson's, limit 5. These were big tubes, great, great deal for one year storage or to have on hand so that you don't run out and have to pay $3 for one tube.)
Oreos, $1.99-Albertson's
Oscar Mayer bologna, $2.49-Albertson's
Lactaid milk, $2.99-Sprouts

Menu with what's on sale for the week of June 2-June 8

$76.43

Breakfast
1-Oatmeal, blueberries
2-Oatmeal
3-French toast
4-Oatmeal
5-Oatmeal
6-Oatmeal
7-Cinnamon toast

Lunch
1-Pasta salad, strawberries, lemonade
2-Egg salad sandwich, mixed berries
3-PB&J sandwich, banana, goldfish crackers
4-Leftover Taco soup, chips
5-PB&J sandwich, banana
6-PB&J sandwich, cherries
7-Pasta salad, if enough flour tortillas and cheese are left, make cheese crisp

Dinner
1-Taco soup, with sour cream, tortilla chips and cheese as toppers. See left column for recipe
2-Fish sticks or filets, steamed carrots, canned vegetable of choice, cantaloupe chunks
3-Salad with garlic cheese toast (french bread cut in half horizontally, spread with butter, sprinkle with garlic salt, top with cheese and put on a low broil and watch continually until cheese is melted)
4-Baked chicken 1/4's, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli
5-Spaghetti, french bread
6-Leftovers
7-Pollo Fundido, salad see http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Pollo-Fundido-38053

Dessert:
Yellow cake topped with strawberries

Grocery List:
Albertson's
Fresh Express garden salad, .88, buy 3 at $2.64 (I just realized that there is a limit of 2, so either take someone with you to buy the third one, or if you think you'll only need 2 this week, only buy 2)
French bread, .99, buy 2
Albertson's cream cheese, 10/$10, buy 1
Calidad, tortillas, 10/$10, flour tortillas, buy one package, I'm not sure how many are in one package though. You'll need them for Pollo Fundido and possibly cheese crisps if you want them.
Hunt's tomato sauce, 10/$10, buy 1
Idahoan Potatoes, 10/$10, buy 2
Bush's beans, 10/$10, buy 1
2 lbs. bag carrots 10/$10, buy 1
Suddenly Salad pasta salad, 10/$10, buy 2
Betty Crocker yellow cake mix, 10/$10

Bashas
Bashas eggs, .88, limit 2, buy 2 at $1.76
Doritos, plain, $1.88
Driscoll's strawberries, .99, buy 2
Boneless, skinless chicken breast, $1.67 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Del Monte Vegetables, .79, buy 2, one should be corn for the Taco soup
Van de Kamps seafood, $4.99
Bahsas sour cream, $1.29
Food Club butter, $2.25
Bananas, .48 lb., buy 8 lbs. at $3.84

Fry's
Cantaloupe, $1.00
Fry's milk, $1.68, buy 2 at $3.36
Kroger shredded cheese, 3/$5, buy 3 packs
Fry's canned tomatoes, .77 buy 2 cans
Goldfish crackers, 4/$5, buy 1
Kroger lemonade, 10/$10
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4 at $3.52
Fry's spaghetti, .88
Kroger Value sauce, $1.19
Kroger Value Peanut butter, $1.49
Onion, I've allowed for $1
Bell pepper, I've allowed for $1
Half and Half, I've allowed for $2.99

Safeway
Chicken leg 1/4's, .69 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $2.76
Blueberries, $2.99, buy one get one free, get 2 at $2.99
Rancher's Reserve boneless beef round steak, $1.57 lb. I've allowed in the total for 1 lb. You may want a little more for the soup. Buy a steak and ask the butcher to grind it into hamburger for you. You may be able to find a lb. of hamburger that is reasonable though, so if so, get that instead.

Sprouts
Cherries, $1.47 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $2.94
cucumbers, .49 ea
Broccoli, .99 lb.
Roma tomatoes, .69 lb.
Oats, 2 lbs/$1, buy 3 lbs. at $1.50

Items not on grocery list
sugar
cinnamon
cumin and chili powder
garlic salt
flour
jelly
salad dressing
pickle relish
mayonnaise
oil for deep frying
jalepenos
one green bell pepper (just use one pepper)
fresh garlic (use powdered or garlic salt if you have it)
chili seasoning mix (use chili powder if you have it)
Taco seasoning packet. I have a big container of it so I forget to include it in the grocery lists. Add about a dollar to your total to pick up some taco seasoning. Or use the spices that you have in your spice cabinet, ie., cumin, garlic powder or salt, chili powder, you should be able to come up with the taste with those.