What is your limit?

[Mad Cook]

The longer you let the dough ferment in the fridge, the more sour it gets. With the no-knead bread recipe, you can leave it for up to two weeks.

It can be difficult to get rye bread to rise and have big holes because it doesn't have as much gluten as wheat. It should be very tasty, though. I would add the caraway seeds when you first mix the dough.

Another option is to get a bread machine. I use mine to make dough and then bake it in the oven.

I mix rye flour with strong white bread flour. It isn't as rye-flavoured as the proper Polish rye bread that I used to be able to buy but still tasty.

 

[StuartCooks]

Yikes!

For my wife and I, and occasionally our two housemates, I spend $75 a week!

I do most of my shopping at Aldi and a local produce store. Occasionally we run to Giant and Target to get things we can't. I also visit the ethnic grocery stores as well. You can buy spices and such from them for very little.

 

[CraigC]

Yikes!

For my wife and I, and occasionally our two housemates, I spend $75 a week!

I do most of my shopping at Aldi and a local produce store. Occasionally we run to Giant and Target to get things we can't. I also visit the ethnic grocery stores as well. You can buy spices and such from them for very little.

If you don't eat meat, That is probably a good budget. Do you eat seafood? I went into an Aldi once when they first opened here and that was the last time. I have also discovered that buying spices at ethnic stores can be a crap shoot. Especially at Chinese groceries. Seems that the lack of quality from the building materials has spilled over to the food exported from China and SE Asia.

 

[Jessica_Morris]

We spend about $90 a week for 3 people. Aldi is my go to store!!! I buy almost everything except meat and carbonated drinks there. Then we have $175 left in the food account for dining out and entertainment we may need from Wednesday to Wednesday. Got to where we buy our paper items in bulk at Sams. And often find ourselves buying extra meats to stock up the freezer when we've got extra money lying around. If money is still in our account by the end of the week we use it to pay extra on bills that need to be paid

 

[Jessica_Morris]

If you don't eat meat, That is probably a good budget. Do you eat seafood? I went into an Aldi once when they first opened here and that was the last time. I have also discovered that buying spices at ethnic stores can be a crap shoot. Especially at Chinese groceries. Seems that the lack of quality from the building materials has spilled over to the food exported from China and SE Asia.

You should give aldi another try... They sell things like tilapia and shrimp (for seafood lovers) but they're not fresh like the supermarket. There is not much there that doesn't taste like the name brand stuff to me for much lower prices than grocery stores like Walmart, Kroger, Publix etc.

We buy a lot of our spices at our local farmers market. They're often very cheap there and taste just like they would from a grocery store. It's a pretty good ways away so we don't go there often but when we do we stock up!

 

[Steve Kroll]

I have also discovered that buying spices at ethnic stores can be a crap shoot. Especially at Chinese groceries. Seems that the lack of quality from the building materials has spilled over to the food exported from China and SE Asia.

Wow... that's a big blanket statement.

I guess I should consider myself fortunate. There's a very good Asian grocer not far from me. For certain foods, I actually prefer it over the supermarket, which seems to only carry Kikkoman and LaChoy brands. Much (but not all) of their produce is local. And so far it's been the only place in town I've been able to get fresh duck eggs. Overall I've found the prices to be good and the people that work there to be extremely helpful and pleasant.

 

[GotGarlic]

You should give aldi another try... They sell things like tilapia and shrimp (for seafood lovers) but they're not fresh like the supermarket. There is not much there that doesn't taste like the name brand stuff to me for much lower prices than grocery stores like Walmart, Kroger, Publix etc.

We buy a lot of our spices at our local farmers market. They're often very cheap there and taste just like they would from a grocery store. It's a pretty good ways away so we don't go there often but when we do we stock up!

I like the produce at Aldi, and I found skirt steak for a great price, but we don't eat tilapia - most of it is imported from China, Indonesia and Thailand and they don't have good controls on farm-raised fish.

Spices at the farmers market? Do you mean herbs? Most spices are native to the tropics and are not grown in the United States.

 

[StuartCooks]

If you don't eat meat, That is probably a good budget. Do you eat seafood? I went into an Aldi once when they first opened here and that was the last time. I have also discovered that buying spices at ethnic stores can be a crap shoot. Especially at Chinese groceries. Seems that the lack of quality from the building materials has spilled over to the food exported from China and SE Asia.

Yes, I am actually Pescetarian. I do get Tilapia and Salmon and Shrimp from Aldi. It's priced well. Frozen and vacuum sealed. Tastes just fine.

 

[larry_stewart]

What's interesting is that I thought I saved money during the summer months do to the wide variety and amount of veggies I get from the garden. But ironically, when i get a harvest, it inspires me to cook more and be more creative. To do this, I actually have to go out and spend more to make the recipes I want to try.

 

[StuartCooks]

What's interesting is that I thought I saved money during the summer months do to the wide variety and amount of veggies I get from the garden. But ironically, when i get a harvest, it inspires me to cook more and be more creative. To do this, I actually have to go out and spend more to make the recipes I want to try.

really? Wow, can you give us some examples of the stuff you end up making?

 

[Silversage]

What's interesting is that I thought I saved money during the summer months do to the wide variety and amount of veggies I get from the garden. But ironically, when i get a harvest, it inspires me to cook more and be more creative. To do this, I actually have to go out and spend more to make the recipes I want to try.

Larry,

I'm with you on this. I find that I don't really save much when I grow a few things, or when I shop at the farmers market. It just makes me buy more stuff!

That may be because of where I live or because of what that I buy, but either way, when I buy at a farmer's market I do it for quality, not price.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

...I went into an Aldi once when they first opened here and that was the last time...

How long ago was that, Craig? I shopped Aldi's back in OH when I was a Girl Scout leader, late in the 1980s. It was OK, the girls didn't care, and I was using troop money wisely. For house use, though, I pretty much stuck to eggs and milk and not much else.

Fast forward to this century. Aldi's moved into our area of MA/CT in the mid-2000s or so. I decided to shop and find out if anything had changed. Why, yes it did! Like Jessica said, most of the grocery items compare favorably to major brands. In many cases, they are made by the same manufacturer. Back when Himself would have a bowl of cereal every day, he actually preferred Aldi Toasted Oats and Crisped Rice to the major brand versions. The only things we pass by are the foods we are total snobs about - mostly coffee. Produce is comparable to grocery store quality, but you do have to check more carefully than, say, Publix. I even find their whole milk Greek yoghurt to be on par with Fage...and Fage is the only major brand of Greek yoghurt I really enjoy.

 

[CraigC]

How long ago was that, Craig? I shopped Aldi's back in OH when I was a Girl Scout leader, late in the 1980s. It was OK, the girls didn't care, and I was using troop money wisely. For house use, though, I pretty much stuck to eggs and milk and not much else.

A few years ago when they first showed up in South Florida. Same deal with Trader Joe's, although I may have been in one twice. In this case it was more the crowds than the quality of the products.

 

[StuartCooks]

A few years ago when they first showed up in South Florida. Same deal with Trader Joe's, although I may have been in one twice. In this case it was more the crowds than the quality of the products.

Did you compare trader Joe's and Aldi together because (if I recall correctly) they are owned by the same company? Or was it just coincidence?

 

[GotGarlic]

Did you compare trader Joe's and Aldi together because (if I recall correctly) they are owned by the same company? Or was it just coincidence?

They're not owned by the same company. Trader Joe's was started by a German family. After a falling-out, Aldi was started by one of the brothers.

 

[StuartCooks]

They're not owned by the same company. Trader Joe's was started by a German family. After a falling-out, Aldi was started by one of the brothers.

I had heard that after one of the brothers died the other assumed control over both. However, It appears we are both wrong hehe

I read a Time article and a few wiki pages, but this one is pretty clear about it.

Theodor Paul "Theo" Albrecht (28 March 1922 – 24 July 2010[1]) was a German entrepreneur, who in 2010 was ranked by Forbes as the 31st richest person in the world, with a net worth of $16.7 billion.[3] He owned and was the CEO of the Aldi Nord discount supermarket chain. In the US he owned the Trader Joe's specialty grocery store chain. His brother Karl Albrecht owned the Aldi Süd discount supermarket chain. The two chains originally were a single family enterprise until a friendly division of assets in 1960. Aldi Süd operates the Aldi groceries in the United States. So Aldi and Trader Joe's, while owned by the brothers, have separate and distinct ownership and operations.

I also learned that Theo was kidnapped :O

I like both of the stores. They are both pretty innovative.

 

[CraigC]

Did you compare trader Joe's and Aldi together because (if I recall correctly) they are owned by the same company? Or was it just coincidence?

In the case of Aldi, once I find garbage, it goes out with the trash and is never considered again!! I can take or leave Trader Joe's, but I will not entertain foods I consider trash.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Does that mean you no longer patronize the store less than a mile away that provided your rotten cippolini?

I figure something evil is going to be sold to me by any grocery store (I'm looking at you, Whole Paycheck ) and is the risk of buying fresh anything. In the case of Aldi, if you take it back you get double the money refunded. Goes for things that don't taste good to you, either. Dislike? Refunded.

Trader Joe's will give you store credit for anything you complain about, too. I suppose they also refund the money, but I never bother looking for the receipt. After all, I do shop the store, so store credit is as good as cash for me. We've taken a number of items back, like the Thai chili almonds or whatever those hot little buggers were. I also had cheese that became unusable before before the "sell by" date. I took a photo of the cheese, still wrapped, and showed THAT to customer service. What did they do? Give me store credit.

I'm not saying that you are obligated to love stores that the rest of us shop. Just know that you do have options for the store trying to make good. I don't know how far your nearest Aldi's or TJ's option is to you (mine is 16 and 25 respectively, but we travel in the direction of either often enough), but say it's 35 miles away? I suppose they aren't a regular option to you in the first place...

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

What is your usual budget you try to stick to for a weeks worth of groceries or two weeks worth?

I am currently just shopping for my daughter and I and it seems lately I am hitting about a hundred a week (with coupns!) and I cringe each time! Is this a normal amount? Or is this the change in grocery prices??

So what amount do you TRY to stay under whith you trip to the store?

Since moving to Central/Northern Arizona from Southern AZ, we had to increase our grocery budget.

Now, let me preface my statement first by saying that DH is the "money man", CFO (Chief Financial Officer) and I am the COO (Chief Operating Officer). My husband is very, well, shall we say he has a touch of OCD and our budget for food is strictly that, food only. It does not include any taxes, household supplies, alcohol, personal items, paper products, etc.
FOOD ONLY!

With this said, my budget for food purchased at a variety of stores is:

(I have a circuit that I frequent, Walmart, Fry's ((I use to go the Bashas)), Trader Joe, Costco ((and I use to go to an Asian Market, but no more)), Sprouts and now include the Saturday morning Farmer's Market)

$175 per week.

I normally feed only two adults, with a few guests (like Mr&Mrs Landlord or Mr&Mrs DF's).

This felt indulgent to me until I read back over this thread that was started back eight years ago.

Granted, since retiring and having scrimped and saved and bought bottom of the barrel/onsale "stuff" while we were in our working/saving years, I now feel that we've earned the luxury of eating snacks, desserts and anything else we want, well, within dietary reason of course.
There are many late afternoons/evenings we have a light snack, such as cheese-olives-salami-and-crackers.
I love those fancy snacks from TJ's and some of those organic thingys from Sprouts.
I would NEVER have dreamed of shopping at any of these places in Hawaii, well mainly we only had locally owned supermarkets until just before we left, ie Walmart SuperCenters, Whole Pay Check, there is no TJ's or Sprouts there.
No, I only went to Foodland, Safeway was too expensive. Plus, Foodland had THE BEST Poke selection in the state!

But I digress from the topic ... What's your limit?

 

[erehweslefox]

I usually am at $50-$80 per week, for two adults.

Keep things really really cheap, I also have a 10 gallon pail of barley. I suggest all of you get a 10 gallon pail of barley, if you can. Barley can be used to make pottage, which is our staple food. I usually make a large stock pot full of it on Sunday, portion it out, and it is lunches and help all week.

I do the coupon thing, and watch the sales. Normally I get 30-50 percent off my bill on discounts and coupons when I go to the grocery.

Buy whole chickens, and thighs, instead of breasts. Can usually get either three servings of four thighs, or a whole chicken which is one dinner for breasts, and a pot pie for the rest, for about $7.

I am not very discerning about ground beef, and tend to get the $10 three pound 'log' of 75% lean. I mainly use it in casseroles anyway.

Speaking of casserole, they are my friend.

I try to once a week spend a bit more and have a 'good' meal, where I spend a little bit more especially on the protein.

Some of my favorite seafood recipes are middle eastern, and highly spiced. They stand up well to those big sacks of frozen talapia from BJ's or Costco.

I buy spices in bulk.

I try to take advantage of windfalls, very cheap sales. I just had a sale of a lot of ground beef, bought much and made it into meatballs, and froze them. Now I have a quick meal from grabbing a bag of meatballs, making a sauce, and serving with a starch.

Just some thoughts.

TBS