ALDI $215.57
I went a little crazy at ALDI yesterday loading up on meat, sugar for canning and supplies for party platters. Word on the street is New England can be a wee bit on the humid side in the summertime, so I just really wanted to make sure we’d have plenty on hand for Crock pot dinners, sandwiches and picky dinners for those days when cooking just really isn’t an option since we don’t have A/C.
I had a big laugh when I noticed ALDI had cherries on sale for $1.99 a pound.
And did a major eye roll when I flipped the package over and read that the cherries were from Yakima, Washington!!! Seriously. Cherries from Washington state: Pickers, Packers, Wholesale Company, Trucking Company, ALDI Warehouse, Individual store… and the cherries were $1.99 a pound.
Last week I paid $8.00 a pound for cherries I bought from a local farm, 5 miles down the road from me where the cherries were GROWN. Now if that’s not crazy, I don’t know what is. Someone please, explain that one to me.
In other news, we bought a new freezer for the garage. We sold our old one {that was 10+ years old} before we moved and like the last one, this freezer has those handy dandy baskets as well. The freezer is actually a little bigger than the last one, but I have a feeling that by the end of the summer, the freezer will be stuffed to the top with homegrown vegetables, freezer meals and a few baked goods. {This is the model we bought in case anyone is interested}
Care package from my mother. My parents just returned from a trip to Hawaii and were kind enough to send us those delicious little cookies from the Honolulu Cookie Company. I think the mini chocolate chip ones are my favorite. Lucy received a get well card, a lobster squeaky toy and a sack of treats. I wonder where my mother liberated the jelly beans from.
Favorite thing I ate last week: A random assortment of goodness. Rice, beans, sausage, eggs, and guacamole. I had it for lunch and was too full for dinner so I just drank tea and had a cookie instead. Being a grown up is cool. You can eat cookies for dinner and cake for breakfast if you feel like it. 
Pickety bits… The best dinner on the planet when it’s 95 degrees outside and too hot to cook. This of course was the tray for the grown ups. 
And because Lucy thinks she’s a mini human, she got her own platter. 🙂 🙂 🙂
I don’t know, maybe I’ve gone mad…. catering to our little fur baby. Who knows? But I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who considers their pet as just another member of the family.
It’s going to be a busy week, and you know what? I’m ready for it!!!
Did you buy anything exciting this past week? Any special plans for the 4th? We’d love to hear about it.
~Mavis
Total Spent this week: $215.87
Total Spent in July $215.87
Total Spent in June $206.47 <- Attempting once a month grocery shopping
Total Spent in May on Groceries $216.50 <- Included a stock up trip to King Arthur Flour
Total Spent in April on Groceries $169.98
Total Spent in March on Groceries $306.75 <– Apartment life, moving across the country and settling into a new house
Total Spent in February on Groceries $259.81 <- Living in an apartment and buying a lot of ready-made meals
Total Spent in January on Groceries $240.15 <– Packing mode and not cooking from scratch as much
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lynne says
Yes…my 2 furry babies ARE members of the family – they are the “kids”, since we didn’t have human ones, we have dog ones! 🙂 LynneinWI
Christie says
I second that our fur babies are our “kids”. They even go to doggie daycare to see their friends! Yes, they are spoiled rotten and yes, I know it.
Katherine says
I have 5 spoiled fur babies and I would not have it any other way! I love my pack.
Beth says
We have 2 fur babies- a 7 year old deaf pit bull and a 5 month old German Shepherd- we totally cater to them- my great room floor is covered in dog toys and bones and we have 3 cookie jars filled with dog treats. I also make them popsicles (chicken broth with blueberries in popsicle molds) but until you mentioned it, I hadn’t thought to make them their own snack platters but I will next time we make one for us…
Jamie says
I went to Detroit for a wedding. When we went to dinner one night I saw it was next to an Aldi. I just had to check it out and let’s just say I bought way too much European chocolate to bring back to Washington, but the prices were so good!
Carrie says
The dark chocolate sea salt bars are the best!
Ellie K. says
Ha, I bought cherries at Aldi right after you posted the jam recipe and wondered the same thing! I need to go back and get more for jam making but GEEZ!!!! It’s so freaking hot and humid right now!!
Which leads me to a question….did you can on the outdoor stove? If so, how’d it go?
Mel says
Out of state produce is often cheaper because gas is subsidized. Even though the produce is shipped, the company doesn’t really have to pay for it in the traditional sense. Different factors affect local produce, and they generally don’t have the benefit of subsidies. I’m not sure where you are in New England, but some areas have been hit by severe drought in the past few years, and established crops like cherry trees may be particularly precious in those places.
In late October, my husband and I picked 60 lbs of apples from a local farm. It would have been far cheaper to buy them from the grocery store on sale, but the quality was FAR superior to buy them at the farm. And yes, the two of us consumed all 60 lbs in about 6 weeks, but they were still in perfect condition when we started to run out. I struggle to get grocery store apples to store for a week or two.
Peggy says
Mel, yes! I didn’t know about the gas subsidies. I agree, local produce usually is superior to store bought, and I love pick your own kind of farms since I’ve very particular with produce handling. If it doesn’t get bumped around and mishandled, most things can keep for months. 🙂 The $8/lb is crazy though, but I would probably still get some if I knew the circumstance of the farm and variety of the produce.
Mel says
I forgot to mention that we have AC, but our favorite too-hot-to-cook meals are pasta salads–either the traditional mayo variety with extra veggies and ham or sesame noodles with veggies and shrimp or chicken.
Terri says
You lost me at “since we don’t have A/C”. Are you nuts? (I do realize New England is a lot different than the Midwest, though.)
I love Aldi, too. Unfortunately, I moved to a small town and can’t hit Aldi as much as I’d like.
Peggy says
I’m glad Lucy is doing better, and pets should be family members! Heck, they usually are better to us than our human family members, right?!? 🙂 However, your mom, I love the care package! I guess I’ve been reading your blog for awhile, because I knew that was a mom care package before I read it was a mom care package. 🙂 My daughter and sone in law just got back from a New England vacation which included Acadia National Park, my request from her was a reusable shopping bag from the park! My collection is growing since they have a goal to visit all of our National Parks and Monuments. And don’t you love those red $$ off stickers at Aldi? I automatically scan the shelves for the $$ off stickers and signs. Hope you enjoy your day. 🙂
Patty P says
In Central NY our cherries are ready now…so I’m up to my eyeballs in cherries. Canning cherry pie filling and trying a new recipe for kid friendly maraschino cherries today. Just went and stocked up on sugar and canning lids so that canning season can officially begin. Last week I went to a conference in Portland, Maine and had lots of yummy treats while I was there (mmmm…clam roll was to die for!). We also made the trek to Holey Donut to be there when they opened since our conference kept us busy all day from 7am on! I had that Sweet Potato Ginger donut…it was excellent. I also had a Maine Root Ginger Brew with my Fish Fry when we went into Freeport…that was my favorite…I’ll have to buy some online to get it here in NY!
Our favorite Aldi is undergoing renovations, so I have to go to a different one…it’s not the same. I can’t find all of my favorites!
Mavis Butterfield says
Holy Donut is amazing!!!
Kara says
I think Wegmans sells that Ginger Brew.
From a former central NYer 🙂
Jeanie says
Love Aldi! This is a curious question….do you drink that much milk in a week? Since my kids are grown, we barely use a quart a month. I wonder if we are weird?
I have never tried the Aldi fish fillets so you will have to report back if they were good.
Peggy says
Mavis, no a/c? This is one HHH (hazy, hot, and humid) week. Not sure how you can take this weather. In a few years when your body has adjusted to NE, I’m sure you will have a/c. I grew up in SC and never thought I would need a/c in NE , but now I can’t go visit family unless it winter time. This week is not the usual summer temps.
Rebecca in MD says
Love the platter for Lucy – – – such a sweet idea. Here’s our dinners for last week.
1. Sauerbraten (crock pot) with mashed potatoes and fresh green beans
2. Cabbage (fresh from the garden) and potatoes
3. Steamed crabs (splurge for my birthday)
4. Hamburgers
5. OFC (Oma’s fried chicken) with broccoli salad https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jamie-deen/broccoli-salad-recipe-2108604
6. Chicken salad
Homemade desserts included banana bread, and carrot coconut bread (thanks for the recipe, Mavis!)
I also made 3 quarts of sauerkraut with my cabbages and will use some in my homemade crab soup later this week.
Rita says
I see you bought 4 dozen eggs — how much longer till the girls start laying??
Stay cool Mavis!
Mavis Butterfield says
I think about another 6 weeks or so.
Karen says
Our house is over 100 years old and we have shutters on the Windows to Close and Keep out the hot summer sun, makes sense! Almost no one here (French-german border) has AC. We do have Aldi and Lidl stores in both countries (they started in Germany)…fun to see the different specialties and compare Prices.
Keep cool!
Tracie@SomewhatAwry.com says
I’m always fascinated by other people’s temperatures. Karen, if you don’t mind telling, what are your “normal” temperatures in the summer? Right now in Virginia we are having temps in the high 90’s WITH humidity and I want to hide in a dark closet that has an A/C vent. I can handle 70’s and even 80’s, but I cannot wait for these high 90’s to GO AWAY already!
Karen says
We are having a heat wave now, about 30C (c. 90F), not too humid, about 55%. Check the weather for Paris and it will be coming our way soon: thunderstorms this week, I hope. The garden is very dry, I water with rain water. Black berries are ripening now as are my spaliert fruit trees.
We live a pretty traditional life, gardening plays an important part. I just picked green walnuts on 24 June (St John’s Day), cut them in quarters and have them soaking in “korn” with spices, shaking canning jars 3 times per day to make liqueur which will be ready in 6 months, 24 December, yummy!
I know those Virginia summers, hot and humid!!!
We are all watching World Cup Football now…France is still in!!
Heidi P says
Curious how you go about making your grocery list. Do you menu plan or just wing it? I love snooping in other peoples carts. Thanks for sharing you loot.
Mavis Butterfield says
These days… I just wing it. 🙂 I knew we needed brown sugar, milk and eggs. Everything else was just tossed in the cart.
Karin C says
We have 2 cats Sam & Jake they are brother and sister and behave like siblings always so with the love and the tasseling , the only time hey have been apart is when Jake went to get fixed and she was gone overnight . They are loved and spoiled ❤️
When buying a freezer it makes a big difference in what you are going to put in it, we are a family of hunters and a moose fills one up very quickly , it is important to get a NON FROST FREE one when storing meat as the FristvFree will desiccate the meat or freeze dry it , I have a huge stand up just for the meat .
Claudia says
As I was reading your blog a news report came on saying there is a cherry shortage.
CT Bargain Mom says
I was going to stay out of Aldi this week too….but there’s Cherries?! There goes my plan
Marcia says
No AC?? GAH!!
“And did a major eye roll when I flipped the package over and read that the cherries were from Yakima, Washington!!! Seriously. Cherries from Washington state: Pickers, Packers, Wholesale Company, Trucking Company, ALDI Warehouse, Individual store… and the cherries were $1.99 a pound.
Last week I paid $8.00 a pound for cherries I bought from a local farm, 5 miles down the road from me where the cherries were GROWN. Now if that’s not crazy, I don’t know what is. Someone please, explain that one to me”
So, I read a book a few years ago called: The American Way of Eating, by Tracie McMillan. Borrowed it from the library. It was pretty eye-opening about the US food system, as the writer spent quite some time working the fields in California. I don’t remember the precise details – and it depends on produce – but for something like grapes, a very very small amount of the $ that you pay is for the actual wages of the workers. Very small. Yet, they don’t raise the prices because apparently people will literally not spend 3 cents more a pound. Most of the $ goes to transportation networks. The amount of money paid to the farmworkers is shockingly low.
Diane says
Our Aldi also had cherries for $1.99/lb. but not many left & fruit gnats were buzzing them. Then I went to our Sprouts & they had beautiful cherries for only $1.49/lb.!! Thinking of ordering a pitter so I can freeze them for later. I may try the chop stick/soda bottle trick in the meantime for a small amount.
Are your plaster walls helping to keep your house cool? If not, you might want to look into either a de-humidifier or a portable A/C to at least cool off the bedroom so you can sleep.
Bren says
I love love love your picky bits dinners!
Marybeth says
Our dogs are a part of our family too. After what Lucy has been through lately she deserves all the peanut you want to give her. I did really well for June spending, $407.12. I am averaging well below my budgeted $400 a month so far. I also got Cherries from out of state this week for $1.99 a pound.
You did great with the meat mark downs from Aldi. I always stock up when I can get those.
Annie says
We live in the Foothills of VA and use Window AC units to keep cool. You can buy them for less than $200 at any Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc. We take the window units out in the fall when no longer necessary and store them over winter. They are very easy to install and the newer models come available with Eco Mode and are pretty quiet. It’s not worth being miserable in the heat and they are an easy fix.
Connie says
I was very surprised to read that you don’t have a/c. Is it because of it being an older home with old wiring or do you choose not to have a/c? If it’s the latter, as you get older you may change your mind. High heat really affects me. I could not survive without central air.
Julie Bock says
Just to add my 2 cents worth on the AC…or lack thereof……I don’t live in the North East, but I DO know that for those of us who are in and out alot, as in mowing, gardening, chores, etc., having an AC is very counter productive! we can take the heat ALOT better if it’s not ice cold inside, then HOT outside! As in our bodies adjust better as we go in and out if there isn’t so much of a temp. swing!
Melanie says
I remember the first time you said you bought a house with no ac I about fell over . I’m a Florida girl born and raised moved to Kentucky 12 years ago and I can’t imagine not having ac . We did without during a hurricane in Florida for 2 days and we were miserable.