Our $73.57 frugal, real food grocery haul for a family of 5. This week, we shopped at Aldi, Kroger, and the local farmer’s market!

 

Have you tried your local Farmers Market yet? Depending on where you live, the experience is totally unique.

For example, we recently moved from a town where the farmers market was what every market dreams of growing up to be. It is smothered in farm stands, food trucks, live music, and organic dog biscuits.

Contrast that with our new market. My first experience was mildly awkward. The entire deal comprised of maybe 10 stands, only 3 of which sold fruits and vegetables. I was the only customer, and thankfully, since we live in the modern age, every vendor I walked past tried really hard to look interested in their phone and not excited about a potential customer.

I didn’t earn any hipster points shopping here. There was no sourdough bread or beard oil infused with essential oils. That being said, since the crowds were non-existent and the options simple, I only spent a couple minutes shopping, and I got everything we needed. $22 Outfitted our week with produce grown within 50 miles of our home.

If you haven’t tried your local Farmer’s Market yet, it’s worth a shot – whether it’s full of hipsters or empty as a Kmart in the nice side of town. You can still find good deals on the freshest, tastiest produce of the season.

 

 

This Week

This week looked a little different. I didn’t find as many deals at the market, so I loaded up on 2 items we love: cucumbers and tomatoes.

$8 spent here.

 

 

 

Aldi & Kroger

At Aldi, we needed more fresh produce and some basics for the fridge. Here’s what we bought:

Aldi:

2 pkgs Romaine Hearts – 1.99/each

7.51 lbs Bananas (not all pictured) – $.40/lb

2.14 lbs grapes – $.99/lb

1 lb mushrooms – $1.69

1 pkg kiwi – $1.49

1 cantaloupe – $1.49

1 lb strawberries – $1.29

6 ears corn – $.33/each

1 pkg frozen tropical blend fruit – $1.99

2 bottles vanilla extract – $3.55/each

1 pkg nitrate-free lunchmeat – $3.29

1 pkg sliced cheese – $1.79

Two 8-oz. blocks pepper jack cheese – $1.69/each

1 half-gallon unsweetened almond milk – $1.99

1 half-gallon organic whole milk – $2.95

2 lbs butter – $2.56/each

One 8-oz. pkg cream cheese – $.79

1 pkg roasted red pepper hummus – $1.99

Kroger:

1 markdown bag of apples – $.99

1 eggplant – $.99

 

 

Compromise Foods

When it comes to eating healthy, unless you’re trying to heal disease, I highly recommend balance and just doing what works for you.

Compromise foods are our balance. I buy them because they save my sanity and keep the troops from rebelling against all the kale and kefir.

So here’s my promise: I promise not to judge your compromise foods, and you promise not to judge mine, mkay? Let’s just assume we’re all doing the best we can with what we have right now.

Here’s what I bought this week:

Aldi:

1 pkgs flour tortillas – $.99/each

4 lbs Non-GMO cane sugar – $1.95

1 bar 85% dark chocolate – $1.99

1 box organic cheese crackers (not pictured) – $2.69

Total spent at Aldi: $59.58

Kroger:

1 pkg markdown buns – $1.29

1 pkg bagels – $1.89

Total spent at Kroger: $5.99

 

Total spent on groceries this week: $73.57

We have plenty of staples at home – rice, beans, meat in the freezer, etc. So I don’t plan on buying anything else this week.

Our goal is to eat real food – being strategic about organic, local, non-GMO, fair trade, and balance – while only spending about what our family of 5 would receive if we were on food stamps – around $140/week.

In the past, we’ve spent a lot less, and during crisis seasons, we’ve spent a little more. We also spent more on our #ChepaskateWhole30. However, this is what works for us right now.

If you want to eat more real food on a budget, check out your Farmers’ Market, Aldi, and Kroger markdowns!

 

 

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