A healthy grocery haul for only $21. Full of real food, produce, organic and non-GMO pasta and bread, uncured and nitrate-free meat, greek yogurt, and gluten-free products.

 

 

One thing you guys ask me for constantly is more grocery haul posts. Normally, I share them on Instagram and Facebook Stories. But that means all of you here are missing them! And honestly, as a fellow frugal foodie, one of my FAVORITE posts to read on blogs is grocery hauls and good deals.

I’m not sure what that says about me, but it has a very minivan and corny-mom-jokes feel to it. Generally, I avoid that feeling like it’s that soccer mom who brings sliced oranges instead of Rice Krispies treats.

Maybe you’re like me and feel the same way about admitting things like that. Maybe it’s time for us to embrace the truth. The truth is that minivans are a tribute vehicular ingenuity, and orange slices are better for us anyway.

So, grocery haul.

My favorite grocery store to get steady real food deals is Aldi (click here to find out what we buy at Aldi to save money and eat healthy). Costco is a close second.

However, during our #CheapskateWhole30, my friend encouraged me to try Kroger clearance deals. I tried, and I’m hooked.

While Aldi fits our busy family life and once-a-week shopping rhythm, I’ve discovered that a couple trips to Kroger each week add up to great deals on real food.

This Week’s Kroger Haul

This week I bought a few more convenience foods. We’re gearing up for another surgery in a few weeks, and we need easy meals on hand.

 

 

I spent $13 at Kroger:

• 4 packs of Oscar Meyer uncured turkey franks – $1.99/each
• 1 family pack of Perdue gluten-free breaded chicken tenders – $2.59
• 8 cups of Kroger light greek yogurt, peach flavor (7 grams of sugar, 13 grams protein) – $.39/each
• 3 packs of Kroger taco shells (gluten-free) – $.49/each
• 1 bag of summer squash – $.99

The turkey franks were a special advertised deal: Buy 4, save $4.

Everything else was on clearance.

Applegate uncured beef hot dogs and uncured turkey bacon was on sale too! I bought some earlier this week and shared the deal on Instagram and Facebook.

 

Kroger deals! If you normally buy uncured meat and humanely raised animal products, Kroger has some good deals today! Buy 4 of any combination of these uncured turkey franks, @applegate hotdogs, turkey bacon, or lunch meat and get them at a great price (see pics – swipe left). We stocked up and froze a bunch of these. #groceryshopping #grocerydeals #notanad

A post shared by Steph Jenkins • Save 💵 • Eat 🍎 (@cheapskatecook) on May 22, 2018 at 7:52am PDT

 

Sprouts & Kroger Deals

 

 

Here’s a trip from last week. I went to Sprout’s and Kroger and found these on clearance:

• Assortment of organic/non-GMO/lentil pasta – $.99/each
• Bag of produce (mango, avocados, jalapenos, limes, potato) – $.99/each
• Bread (whole wheat and sourdough, non-GMO) – $1.49/each

We froze the bread for later (wrapped it in plastic wrap), sliced and froze the jalapenos, used the limes for real food key lime bars and lime water, and everything else we ate fresh or saved for easy meals down the road.

What You Can Do Now

If you’re struggling to eat real food and stay on budget, I want to encourage you in two ways:

1. You don’t have to get it perfect. Turkey franks are not healthy – uncured or not. I know this. But I’m doing my best with the capacity I have right now. Give yourself space to do the same.
2. Get creative. If what you’re doing isn’t working, try something new! Learn how to freeze bread, don’t be scared of pasta made with lentils. Whatever it looks like for you right now, try that new thing.

With some creativity and grace, you CAN save money and eat healthy.