November Grocery Shopping Haul

My big grocery shopping day landed on October 30 this month. I shopped at Aldi's and Walmart, but on Thursday I went to Costco and picked up a few things to have on hand for Thanksgiving. I also picked up some sundry items.

I like getting light bulbs from Costco because they have the best deals. I bought another couple of boxes of LED Christmas lights too. I'm really hoping these last longer than 1-2 years like the standard bulbs. Half my tree was dark last year and I wasn't happy about it.

On to the grocery haul.

The end of the month is when I buy all the meats for the following month, except this haul doesn't include the Thanksgiving turkey. I wait till we're closer to the holiday and get mine from Publix. They always have the best turkeys and hams. I've tried others. Publix, in my opinion, can't be beat. Aldi's had spiral fries and of course I had to get those too. The only item here that's for Thanksgiving is the Italian bulk sausage that I add to my stuffing. It's so delicious!

I got a lot of stuff to make salads: butter lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers. I often add some mixed veggies too. I've found that if I eat a heavy meal at night (and by heavy I mean carb heavy) I have trouble sleeping. It's like my digestive system slows down and the food will sit in my stomach for hours, causing major discomfort. A salad hits the spot, and it's helped me drop 6 pounds - bonus!

The other Thanksgiving menu item I bought is the stuffing. I buy the Stove Top knock-off from Aldi's which is not as good as Stove Top but once I jazz it up it's way better. The secret is to add fresh onion, celery, rosemary, thyme and sage, along with the ground sausage. It tastes like it was made from scratch.

At Walmart I get whatever I can't find at Aldi's, or items like potatoes because I can only get large bulk quantities at Aldi's, and for two people I don't need 10 lbs. of potatoes. I'll probably end up buying more potatoes for Thanksgiving; after all, what's turkey gravy without mashed potatoes?! I also like to get the Marketside prepared salads whenever they're on clearance. I eat them that same day and they're always fresh tasting.

I got the Blue Ribbon ice cream bars for E (since I can't eat chocolate) because at $4.99 for 20 bars it sounded like a good deal. Sadly, he says the taste is mediocre at best. No wonder they're so cheap. I bought Pillsbury Grands biscuits because last month I got the Great Value brand thinking they were the same thing and found out They. Are. Not. Not by a long shot. Pillsbury Grands taste like homemade biscuits. Great Value brand taste like something out of a box, and not in a nice way. Their Hawaiian Slider buns are really good, though. 

Aldi's has spaghetti noodles but they never have fettuccine noodles. I remembered to buy the fettuccine but not the alfredo sauce. Oops. I tried the Priano brand at Aldi's but I didn't like it much. It tasted bland. I'll have to pick up a jar of Bertolli next time I go to Walmart. Yes, I could make it from scratch, but the Bertolli sauce is actually really good and it saves me some time. I like saving time.

The only non-grocery item I bought was some nail polish remover. I do my own manicures so this is another way I save money. 

And that's it for this month's big shopping trip. So far this week I made the meatball sliders and bourbon chicken. Today it's spaghetti carbonara, one of E's and my favorites. The joy of menu planning is knowing you have everything you need whenever you need it. 

The Week In Review

And just like that, it's November. I know we always say that the year has gone by quickly, but somehow this year seems like it's not only flown by, I haven't accomplished near as much as I thought I would have by now. That's what pandemics do.

I meant to post yesterday, then I just forgot. I have no other excuse. I wasn't too busy, I was home all day, I just plain forgot. I'll try to make up for it today.

Monday started off on the wrong foot. I was awaken at 5:57 am to the news. No, I didn't turn on the tv in my bedroom. I don't have a tv in my bedroom. My neighbor does, however, and it was so loud I could hear it like it was in my house. He'd been punching walls and playing music off and on all weekend, and I tried to ignore it, but now I'd had enough. I called the police again. He didn't turn the tv off till he left for work, but he's been more cautious now. If he turns on the tv he keeps it low so I don't hear it. We'll see how long that lasts.

I've begun doing my Christmas shopping. This is actually late for me; I used to start Christmas shopping in September. My kids are grown now, and I don't buy them a lot of little toys and games anymore.  I try to get them things they need, or things they really want and will use. So rather than having a bunch of stuff in my closet, I have a few large items that I know they will appreciate, and I don't have to start shopping near as early. I was also waiting to see if my income tax return would get approved. And finally, it did. On October 30. When they told me they'd get my tax return approved in October, it didn't occur to me it wouldn't be till the very end of the month. I should receive my refund this week. Yay.

My youngest son E needs to have his wisdom teeth taken out. I'd taken him to the dentist two years ago, and was doing everything possible to get this taken care of, but his father's dental insurance was giving me a hard time. I went back and forth repeatedly with the oral surgeon's office and the insurance and couldn't get them to agree on what was covered and what wasn't. Ultimately J cancelled his dental insurance and nothing got done. Now the wisdom teeth are bothering him again, but thankfully he has some insurance now. He tried to schedule an appointment with the dentist that was assigned to him. They no longer take his insurance. I went online and found another dentist close by, made an appointment, and when we got there we found out they wouldn't take the insurance if he was over 18. They referred us to another dentist, who also said they no longer take that insurance. So he called the insurance company and explained the situation. They gave us three more dental offices to call. I tried the first one, and was happy to hear they actually do accept his insurance. There's just one catch: it expires on his 21st birthday, which is less than two months away. We knew we needed to move fast. He's scheduled for his first appointment on November 9. They will do the initial exam, then refer us to an oral surgeon. Hopefully this can all get done in time. 

This past week was my big grocery shopping week. November is a tricky month; it's shorter than October or December, but it's got Thanksgiving, meaning a lot of food for just one day. I'm super excited because my oldest son and my new daughter-in-law will be coming down to spend the holiday with us. I did get a few things that I'll be needing, though most of the items on the menu will be purchased later in the month so it doesn't sit around the pantry or fridge for a month. 

I buy the Kirkland brand chicken stock from Costco because 1 - it's a great price considering it's organic (the box brings 6 - 1 quart containers for $9.99, or $1.67 per container), and 2 - it's the best tasting and best quality on the market in my opinion. I use it to brine my turkey and also for soups. Crescent rolls are a must have on the Thanksgiving table, and Costco had the box of 5 on sale for $4.49 so I couldn't pass that up.

I'm gonna do a separate post on the monthly grocery shopping trip. Right now, laundry is calling me. Be back with more soon!

Monthly Menu Plan

 It's a special month for menu planning, thanks to Thanksgiving. Holiday time is my favorite time of the year; hurricane season ends, cooler weather begins (though in South Florida that means going from 90+ degree temps all the way down to the 80's), decorating is in full swing, and of course all the yummy food that's part of the season. I add our Thanksgiving dinner to the menu plan and to the budget. This means I have to be diligent with the rest of the month's meals so that I stay within budget. Here's what November's meal plan looks like:

Some of the meals are monthly staples, like baked mac and cheese and sausage gravy with biscuits (our favorite breakfast for dinner). Some are on regular rotation, sometimes once a month, other times every other month. Bourbon chicken, spaghetti carbonara, and burgers with fries fall into this category. I like trying new recipes every so often, but on a month like November where we have a large costly dinner I try to shop my pantry to keep my spending in check. I have all the ingredients to make lentil soup and teriyaki chicken, plus most of the ingredients to make slow cooker cubed steaks, beef stew and bourbon chicken. Adding these items to the menu plan means I don't have to buy as much and we can still eat healthy, tasty meals everyday. 

Menu planning is essential to me. I no longer throw out tons of food because I over-bought, nor do I stand in front of the fridge wondering what I'm going to make because I'm missing all sorts of ingredients. It saves me money, time, and anxiety. I have recommended it time and time again, and everyone I know who has tried it agrees: it is the best and smartest way to prepare and stock the kitchen. Happy planning!

Monday Quiz About Me

I'm taking a break to post my Monday Quiz post, courtesy of Heather at Acting Balanced.  Four questions are provided, with the option to add a fifth question for you to answer on my blog.  Here we go with this week's questions:


1. What is your favorite thing about November?
Why, Thanksgiving of course!  I love a holiday that isn't about getting, but all about giving.  Giving thanks for blessings is a beautiful thing.

2. What was the last thing that you bought that you regretted soon afterwards?
I think too much about purchases beforehand so I don't often regret.  I think in this case it's a video game I bought my son for Christmas which he now says he's not that into.  I think once it's in his hands, though, he'll get excited about it.

3. What is your go to snack food?
Raisins.  Specifically, vanilla yogurt covered raisins.  I always have them on hand, they are yummy and nutritious.

4. Do you believe that newspapers should charge for their online content?
Only if they take all the ads out and charge only for actual news.  If I have to pay AND see the ads, it's not worth it.

And now my fifth question:

5.  When will you start decorating your home for Christmas?
Unlike department stores that were already putting up trees and wreaths in October, I wait till after Thanksgiving.  The very next day.  I have lots and lots of decorations, and I enjoy putting them up and seeing them for as long as I can, so they go up when everyone else is at the Black Friday sales.

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

Patrice's porch has dried off enough for us to get together for an after the storm chat.  Please join us at Everyday Ruralty.


1.  How are you when there is a storm?
I've lived in South Florida for 26 years.  We are storm professionals.  You tell us a storm's a'coming, and we can hunker down faster than you can say Hurricane Andrew.

2.  Are you doing anything special in November?
November is a favorite month for me.  First off, Thanksgiving!!  I love Thanksgiving.  I love the preparation, the food, the games (board games, not football), the naps, and everything else that comes with this special holiday.  I love the shows on Food Network on how to roast or fry a turkey and all the yummy side dishes.  And I love love love decorating the house for Christmas the next day!  I'm looking forward to putting up our tree and fixing the house up!

3.  Do you wear glasses or contacts?
I wear glasses.  I wore contacts for years, but about 10 years ago I stopped.  I suffer from dry eyes, which makes contacts very uncomfortable.

4.  Salty snacks or sweets?
Both!  It just depends on my mood.

5.  Who would you bring to the farm with you for a chat, a tour, or perhaps a visit with Wendell?
For a chat, I'd bring my sister.  She would like relaxing with some unsweetened iced tea and casual conversation.  For a visit with Wendell it would have to be my son, and the girls from my Awana class.  Wendell would love them, they are as sweet as sugar!

Happy Veteran's Day!