Ok so you saw the menu yesterday for our family for the next week. Here is my grocery list and where I bought the items along with the totals from the store.
HyVee - this is my go to grocery store
Mozzerella Cheese $7.98 (I hope this can be used for 2 meals)
Hoison sauce $3.59 (this should last for several meals)
Chipotle peppers $2.19 (I told you, it is crack, I just can't get enough!!)
Corn tortillas $2.09 (2 meals)
Cilantro $.89
Bananas $1.89
Jalapeno $1.88
Carrots $1.69
Daikon $3.60 ( never bought this before and had to buy two HUGE daikon....wasn't happy about this but think it will be a delicious and crunchy afternoon snack)
Shallot $.66
Tomatillos $1.87
Pork Chops $4.69
Rice Paper $4.98 (I am hoping these can last for two meals, these were more pricy than I thought)
Hard white spring wheat $2.41 (this is so awesome and ground right in front of me, which makes it much healthier)
Total $40.41
Whole Foods - I buy most or all of my meat items here. I LOVE their environment ratings to show that I am buying a chicken that was not lying around in its own feces as well as fed antibiotics/hormones. I really love their whole roaster chickens that are from a farm locally. But I also know that whole foods has cornered the market on organic foods, so expensive.
Black beans $1.47
Chicken breasts $6.44
Almond butter $3.17 (this is a first time to try almond butter and it is ground right in front of my eyes)
Coffee $13.99 (this was a special buy from my hubby)
Total $25.07
So before I headed to Aldi's my bill was sitting at $65.48. I am really trying to stay at $100 and no more than $120. I was really hoping and thinking that I could get the rest of my produce and dairy under $50.
Aldi's - this is my first stop, usually, when shopping. It has great prices on produce and milk.
Spinach $1.69
Salad Greens $1.69
Eng Muffin $.99
Peppers $2.49
Apples $2.99
Blueberries $2.49
Baby Carrots $.99
Red Grapes $1.78
Bananas $1.49
Sour Cream $.99
Sugar $2.18
Eggs $1.19 x 2
Milk $1.99 x 2
Tortillas $.99
Lime $.33
Lemon $.33
Cucumber $.59
Total $28.37
After this trip I still had some things to buy because my Aldi's apparently had been cleaned out of most of their produce. This was the first time this had ever happened. I was a little frustrated having to pay full price for produce. So back to Hyvee I go:
Hyvee
Strawberries 2lb $3.49 (at aldi's I would pay $.99 for one pack....I could have bought 3 1/2 packs for this price....ugh)
Avocados 2 $3.00 (these are $.49 a piece at Aldi's.....ugh!!)
Basil $3.99 (I could have bought a bunch or buy one that was still living, since I was going to plant / buy a basil plant soon so I opted for this one and planted it in a pot. So this is never ending supply of basil all summer long.)
Orange $.56
Red Onions $.88
Total $11.91
So my total was $105.76. Not too bad.
So in regards to me and food. I obviously am in need of exercise and weight loss but I really wanted to stop this vicious cycle of losing and gaining. I did some research and soul searching, realizing that food (for almost all of us women and probably men) is hooked to all sorts of emotions. After a few months of journaling of what I ate and my feelings throughout the days/weeks, I realized that I was no different. When I am unhappy and scared, I eat like crazy, whatever I can get my hands on. But at the same time, when I felt good, I was eating like crazy as well. Ugh I just can't win. That is when I saw that quote that I posted yesterday. I don't know why it was something so simple that hit me so hard, but it was. I realized that I am getting older, I know, shocking right!? After I read that quote on pinterest, I went to get another cup of coffee and saw my lovely neighbor in her back yard. She is in her late 60's and can hardly walk. She has had several surgeries and tries to come out once a day to feel the fresh air. At first I was saying a few prayers for her because none of us want to be like that and I know she wishes was feeling better. Then the tears and the fear of what I was seeing welled up. I was seeing myself. I was seeing me in 30 years. I already have arthritis in my left knee and no excuse in the world can explain why. Pure and simply, I am causing my knees so much stress that my knee cap is moving in a way that is NOT normal. I have not been the same since that morning. I am in the process of retraining my body to look at food differently. This is not easy and journaling has been the best way for me. I see where my bad days come from and where most of my bad eating habits are. So I took my journal and found what worked for me to help me stay on track and to fulfill me. Here is what I do.
Breakfast - I love smoothies and breakfast is the best time for this. I read that you really need to eat within at least an hour to help keep you ready for the day. Smoothies are easy for me. Throw it in a blender, turn it on, and breakfast is served. Plus, I can be experimental with stuff to create some very yummy things! My favorite looks like this : 1 banana, 4 or 5 strawberries (frozen), two handfuls of spinach, a tablespoon of some sort of whole grain, about 1/4 cup of yogurt (homemade), and some water. It is delish.
Lunch - Most days for lunch I have some sort of veggie and some sort of protein. This is not a big meal, it is more like a snack. Enough to get me through a workout ( I tend to workout during naptime) but not too much. Last week I was having 2 roma tomatoes cut up, 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, and 1/2 slice of bread (homemade from whole grain).
Snack - I usually have another smoothie but this one I try to get a few more veggies in. I may throw in a cucumber and some carrots with some strawberries. I try not to have another banana so that the sugar intake isn't as much. If I don't want to make a smoothie than I just have some fruit or veggie, with nothing else. No dips. I get in trouble with dips....remember chipotle mayo....ugh!!
I will try to keep everyone up to date with what I am having as well. I will say that the smoothie in the morning and afternoon has really helped keep me feeling full and kept my snacking hands free. I feel so good about that since that has been the #1 thing I want to stop. Not buying the snack has been the other helper and I have restricted myself to two desserts a week. One week I made one every night.....not cool.
Ok so I think that is a good post for today. I will leave you with some of my satisfied customers from last nights desert, PW Apple Dumplings. These were so good and so increadiably easy.
I tried to get a picture of Chase eating one but he had eaten both of them before I could turn the camera on. Then later in the night I hear him say, mom I am dreaming of those dumplings!! I am super happy that I only made 8 of them. They were delish fresh out of the oven. If I had made more, we all would have eaten them.
Happy Saturday!!
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