Let there be Meat

In my previous post about my $300 a month food budget I gather you figured we do not eat a lot of meat because it is costly.

I just got a huge blessing though. Today I went to to Stop & Shop to get organic apples and milk. But I found in their natural (no hormones or stuff added, and meat feed a more natural diet, but not certified organic) meat section packages of chicken on sale 4 big pieces for about $1.50, with a .50 cent off coupon because they were expiring soon (no big deal, they just went in my freezer.) I bought all 5. So we will have 4 pieces chicken for only $1.00 (.25 cents each.) In the same natural section they had packages of 4 turkey burgers for $4.49 with a $2.00 off sticker on each, making them $2.49 for 4 burgers or .63 cents each. I also got two small steaks on sale for $4.26 with a $2.00 off coupon, making it $2.26 or $1.13 per steak. (I can stretch to make the two pieces into a meal for all 3 of us.)

So I got 11 packages meat (for 11 meals) for $19.71. Average of $1.80 per meal. Since my lunch budget is $3 and my dinner budget is $4.00, that gives me $1.20 or $2.20 worth of veggies and starches to add to lunch and dinner.

I also will stretch by making broth with soup first, and using left over veggies and rice to make soup for another few meals. I also use the broth to make rice instead of using just water to cook it in.

For $94.74 I have almost enough food for the entire week (with a few things I had at home as well.)
 I just have to still get Jason's soy and corn free bread ($4.00 a loaf) and some more fruit.

I got organic soy and corn free granola bars on sale. The boys can each have one a day. I also got fruit bars that are nothing but dehydrated fruit for snacks (also on sale.)

I got a gallon organic milk (not on sale almost $6 a gallon) and Jason's soy, corn, and gluten free cereal (2 boxes, also on sale.) I got Josh cereal too (2 boxes for $2 on sale and with coupon.) I also got a dozen cage free organic eggs (not on sale, regular price at $4.00, but eggs we notice the cage free organic ones taste better.)

I needed olive oil (that and butter is all we use.) The organic jar was on sale for $6.99, but the same brand non organic was $3.99. I bought 2 of the non organic. Almost double in price for organic was just too high. That oil will last a month.

I also got 2 gallons white vinegar (not on sale, but only $5 for both gallons.) These are for cooking and I use to clean and as fabric softener. This will last all month.

I got 2 bottles organic, corn syrup free ketchup (on sale for 2 for $3.00.) I also got a jar of sofrito to make rice and beans with.

I only went into to the store for the organic milk and organic apples. But I could not pass up these deals, plus I needed to food shop for week anyway. I did get those apples. 14 organic apples (1 each a day for the boys) for $16.42. The most expensive thing on my list. But worth it. My boys love apples and they will each now get 1 per day.

You may be asking why does someone with only $300 a month buy anything organic at all. If I could I would buy all organic because GMO's scare me. Also organic has no chemicals which are gross. Plus some studies show organic stuff actually has more nutrients than non organic stuff.

Since I can not afford all organic, I still get a few things organic because these are the things that we really notice taste better: milk (which was $5 something a gallon regular, I paid almost $6, a small difference), eggs (which were about $1.50 more for the cage free organic ones, so much tastier though), and apples (about $1.00 more per pound, but again we now hate the chemical taste of non organic.)

The ketchup I got organic, but mostly because it is corn syrup free. Plus it was 2 for $3.00, which is same price as other ketchup's. The granola bars I bought because they are also corn and soy free.

I was just so excited about the deals I got that I had to come home and blog about it.

And God said, "Let there be meat" (just kidding He didn't actually say that to me, but I see these deals as a blessing from Him.)

What awesome deals have you gotten lately?

~Becky