From the Grocery List to the Dinner Table

Last week I didn't plan on doing major grocery shopping. I do most of my shopping 1/2 hour away because the town I live in only has a small grocery store that it priced significantly higher than the store 1/2 hour away. But I can't get through a week without getting milk, bread, and a few other things--things that added up to about $75! I really don't want to increase my grocery budget, but when the kids are home all summer needing snacks and lunch, I may increase it by $40, about the amount I was spending for school lunch each month. Here's what I ended up buying last week:
It was my oldest son's birthday, and he requested sliders. I bought hamburger, curly fries, pickles, rolls for the sliders, and vanilla ice cream and whipped cream (to go with the brownie sundaes) for a little over $20. Expensive for a meal at home, but cheaper than going out.
I also bought bread ($2.79!), eggs (18 for $2.27), tortillas so we could have tacos later in the week, sunflower seeds for the hubby, macaroni and cheese (5/$1.99), apple juice, cottage cheese, 2 gallons of milk, bananas, tomatoes and aluminum foil.
A couple days later I realized we were almost out of toilet paper, so I bought the store brand on sale for $5.99 and used $1 coupon--total with tax, $5.40.
I decided to make spaghetti on the weekend, but needed pasta and also bought some frozen breadsticks. I bought day old cookies for $1.50, more bread (at $2.79!), more apple juice, more cottage cheese, more milk, pretzels, bananas, a cucumber, celery and apples.
I was going to shop on Monday, but had a sick kid, so I snuck out for a few things when my oldest was home from school to keep an eye on the kids. I got 7-up for the sickie, butter, chunk cheese ($2.73 for 8 oz.!), eggs (on sale $0.99 for a dozen), Pull Ups, milk, chips, and bread.
And that's how I spent $75 in a week I didn't plan to grocery shop.