Weekly Groceries

This week's meal plan is mostly made up of recipes I am testing for Tami and Celine's new cookbook.

1. Falafel w/Spicy Dipping Sauce, Caramelized Bananas w/Chocolate Chipotle Sauce
2. Mediterranean Meatballs w/marinara
3. Baked Frittata Minis, romesco hummus w/pita chips
4. Nachos w/Teese, tomatoes, jalapeno, broccoli, olives
5. Jerk Tempeh Sticks

Here is my grocery list.

2 bananas
1 pineapple
4 apples
1 mango
Strawberries (organic)
2 roma tomatoes
Basil
Scallions
1 white onion
1 red onion
1 head broccoli
1 green bell pepper
2 red bell peppers (organic)
1 jalapeno
2 pkgs. tofu
1 pkg. tempeh
2 pkgs. Gardein
Whole wheat bread
Whole wheat tortilas
Angel hair pasta
1 jar marinara
Pretzel sticks
Pita chips
Hot cocoa
Cheese slices
Eggs
2 fat free milks
2 almond milks
Tonic water
Cough syrup

My total was $65.07. I did a careful "pantry shop" while making my list and found out that I already had a few items I thought I needed. I won't use the Gardein this week, but I had a buy one, get one free coupon so it was a good time to stock up.

I also made my monthly trip to Costco. And here's what I purchased there.

Kids' multivitamins

Women's multivitamins

Granola bars

Olive oil

GoGo Squeez applesauce

Dried blueberries

String cheese

Costco total: $84.38 

My vitamins were expensive, but you know Costco -- now I don't need to buy them again for six months!

Jackson and Olivia became fascinated by the GoGo Squeez applesauce packets that they saw their little friends snacking on. I kind of have an issue with the excess packaging, so we don't eat them every day, but I will buy them occasionally as a treat. 

Everything but the dried blueberries was on my list. They were an impulse buy which I'm now regretting. I grabbed them, thinking, "Here's a healthy snack, or I can add it to my oatmeal!" When I got home and glanced at the nutrition facts, I wished I had bought frozen blueberries instead. Not only are Costco's frozen berries organic, which these aren't, but they're much lower in sugar. A full cup of fresh blueberries has around 15 grams of sugar, while a mere 1/3 cup of dried blueberries has 28 grams of sugar. At least, these do, probably because they contain added sugar.

I know -- silly mama! Always check the labels at the store! I'm still learning!