The $300 report

I had 132.97 after last week's trip to the market.  Then I went to Aldi's and spent $20 - not the $17 I had planned.  I decided I really wanted some goat cheese.  Mostly my budget challenge has made me skip the junk food, but I didn't do that so well this week.  I also spent most of my remaining non-veggie money at regular grocery stores, but that doesn't worry me.  I just had to restock on a few things and I won't need much at all next week.  I won't be going to the regular store next week at all unless I spend less at the market.


132.97
- 20.00 (Aldi's)
- 42.00(This week's Market)
- 30.47 (regular grocery store)
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$40.50 left for the market next week.


We're getting better at leftovers and rotating food to make sure it gets eaten quickly enough.  I am also cooking smaller meals.  It has taken me a long time to learn to cook for 3 instead of 6 now that most of the kids have moved out.  My extra food often went to waste.

Last night I made lots of broccoli soup base.  I froze 4 bags of it so I can make soup later.

We used one of those chickens I bought the first week, but only one.  I made stock with the leftover bones.  When did stock become known as bone broth?  It's just stock.  Maybe I'll get fancy and call it bone broth when I cook with it.  I'm hip like that.

So far I have to say that in Kansas City it is possible to feed a family healthy food for a very low price.  I don't know about other places, because food deserts are very real.  Also I have a car.  Hauling that much home on the weekends would be a pain via bus.  I could buy half and then spend the other half at a the weekday produce market at Truman.  It's Wed. I believe and usually really good prices.  Still it would be a pain.

I know that without the market I would struggle to have the same budget.  Regular grocery stores are so much more $$.  Maybe with careful shopping and going to a variety of stores.  Again, having access to transportation is key.  The house we lived in for awhile  as mired in a place where fresh was unobtainable for anyone without a car.  When our van broke down I had a choice - walk 7 miles each way for groceries.  5 miles to the closest buss stop but that only ran a few times a day and not on weekends at all.  if I wanted to keep the walk 1/2 mile each way I could go to two convenience stores or a Sonic.  I had friends who helped me get to the store and we only had to live that way a couple of weeks, but not everyone is so lucky.

There are some places in Kansas City where the only close grocery store has convenience store prices and limited access to quality fruits and veggies.  My son lives near one of those.  The veggies are always on the edge of going bad and way over priced.  Tons of processed and junk food for cheap.  He does live on a bus route though and it's only a 10 min ride to the nearest Aldi's, so I don't have much sympathy for him when he refuses to do that.

 I have not ventured into the various Asian markets around town but I have been told to check them out as well as the Indian markets for lower prices.  Maybe I'll do that next week and see what I can add to my pantry.  They are located in neighborhoods all over town, and could be a great option for people trying to eat well on a budget.