A number of people I know are completely flabbergasted when contemplating sticking to a budget while eating a primarily “paleo” diet. I’m hoping to shed a little light on that issue for those of you on the fence about eating healthfully in this manner – it *can* be done – and done well – without spending all the money. All it takes is a little planning. 

A little background: I live in Brooklyn, NY, and the grocery prices here are definitely not the same as what you will find in other areas of the country. If you live in say, Raleigh NC for example – you may very well be able to cut this grocery bill by a third, depending upon where you shop. For where I live, where I shop and what I buy, $100 a week is a doable budget without having to sacrifice the quality I want too much. My DH thinks $130 is probably more realistic with our morning smoothie supplies, but I want to shoot for $100. I aim to make 4-5 dinners for two and 5 lunches per week, plus two smoothies per day six days of the week with my budgetary allowance and update you all weekly on what’s going on. Let’s see if I can make it. 

Last Week (Week of April 7-11)

The Plan vs. Reality

Monday

• The Plan – Some sort of big meat with a puree
• Reality – Pork shoulder was the most economical big meat at Whole Foods this week, so I went with carnitas and served with a chili powder mashed sweet potato. Yum

Tuesday

• The Plan – Big meat pizzas? tacos? with something
• Reality – I made carnitas tacos with my favorite paleo dough and served with some really simple sauteed green beans

Wednesday

• The Plan – Nom Nom Paleo’s smashed steak skewers with cherry bbq sauce
• Reality – Y-U-M. I didn’t do skewers, but this sauce is frickin delicious. I served with the brussels sprouts leftover from last week cooked in a little bacon fat

Thursday

• The Plan – Harissa cauliflower rice with lemon-roasted fennel and chicken
• Reality – This turned out pretty well. It looked dreadful, but was tasty

Friday

• The Plan – The last of the big meat with broccoli in some sort of bowl
• Reality – We went out to eat again – the weather was beautiful and a walk was needed

Lunches

• The Plan – Nom Nom Paleo’s Egg Foo Young (2-3 lunches)
• Reality – Still didn’t happen for me. Leftovers.
• The Plan – Some sort of salady thing with the cruciferous crunch mix I bought and the last of the rotisserie chicken
• Reality – Yum! The cruciferous crunch only stretched 2 days, as did the chicken
• The Plan – Leftovers
• Reality – The balance of this week’s lunches incorporated a hodge-podge of leftovers combined in .. interesting ways. I also had to break into the very last of my freezered Momofuku pork because I planned poorly and didn’t have enough protein to go around.

Extras

• The Plan – Nothing planned here.
• Reality – And nothing accomplished.

This Week: April 14-18  

It’s another ‘source what you can as best you can’ week – luckily, I freezered half the pork I bought last week, so I have that to use. This weekend is Easter – let’s see if I can manage to squeeze some sort of lamb into the budget for this week.

This Week’s Proposed Menu

• Monday: Carolina rub pulled pork with spicy broccoli slaw
• Tuesday: Carolina rub pulled pork with Korean bbq sauced green beans and onions
• Wednesday: Carolina rub pulled pork tacos with spice-crusted carrots and harissa crema
• Thursday: Lemon thyme chicken thighs with spanish asparagus
• Friday: Indian spiced meatballs with smashed sweet potatoes
• Lunch: Nom Nom Paleo’s Egg Foo Young (2-3 lunches) – hey, maybe it will happen this week
• Lunch: Leftovers
• Holiday Dinner: A small amount of lamb rack with an herbed crust, lemony thymey smashed fingerling potatoes, peas or green beans, some version of a wine sauce, maybe rolls for the hubbs

Shopping List & Cost Breakout

Grocery Store Key: TJ = Trader Joe’s, KF = Key Food, O = Optional if budget allows

This week, I have $100 to spend for my weekly groceries, and dammit, I’m sticking to it.

Shopping List

A roll? – $2 est – Did not get

Kale (2 bags) – $5 est – ($2.29 x 2 @ TJ)
Spinach (1 bag) – $3 est – ($1.99 @ TJ)
Broccoli slaw – $3 est – (No broccoli slaw; I got brussels sprouts instead – $2.79 @ TJ)

Green beans – $3 est – ($2.69 @ TJ)
Carrots – $1 est – ($0.89 @ TJ)
Asparagus – $3 est – ($2.99 @ TJ)
Peas or green beans – $3 est – ($3.49 @ TJ)
Celery – $2 est – ($2.29 @ TJ)
Thyme – $2 est – ($1.69 @ TJ)
Cilantro – $2 est – Did not get – turns out, I had enough
Parsley – $2 est – ($1.79 @ TJ)

Lemons (4) – $3 est – (1 lb. bag – $1.49 @ TJ)
5 Limes – $3 est – (1 lb. bag – $2.79 @ TJ)
5 apples – $4 est – (5 lb. bag $4.49 @ TJ)
Tomatoes (3 plum) – $3 est – (1 lb. kumato browns – $3.49 @ TJ)
Onion – $1 est – ($0.89 @ TJ)
Sweet potatoes – $2 est – (2 for $0.98 @ TJ)
Fingerling potatoes – $2 est – (1 lb. bag teeny tiny potatoes – $2.29 @ TJ)
2 avocados – $3 est – ($1.39 each – $2.78 @ TJ)
Some color of pepper – $1 est – ($0.79 @ TJ)
Ginger – $2 est – ($1.39 @ TJ)

Chicken – $7 est – (1 lb. boneless skinless ‘happy chicken’ breasts – $7.64 @ KF)
Ground meat – $7 est – (1 lb. grass fed beef $6.99 @ TJ)
Lamb – $13 est – Did not buy

Coconut water – $3 est – ($3.69 @ TJ)

Butter – $3 est – (Kerrygold – $3.19 @ TJ)
Eggs – $5 est – ($2.99 @ TJ)

Pepper – $2 est – ($1.99 @ TJ)
Coconut milk (2 cans) – $3 est – ($0.99 x 2 @ TJ)
Olive oil – $5 est  – O – Did not get
Coffee – $10 est – O – Purchased through another budget slot
Capers – $3 est – O – Did not get

Almonds – $6 est – ($5.99 @ TJ)

$113 estimated total with optionals purchased; $95 with no optionals

The DH had also asked for pistachios to snack on – I didn’t think they’d fit into the budget, so I didn’t put them on the list. I ended up having room for them  – ($7.49 @ TJ)

I also grabbed some ground grass fed beef and sweet potatoes for Sunday dinner while at Key Foods. This usually comes out of another budget slot, but this time I had room in the grocery budget – (1 lb. grass fed ground beef $8.99 @ KF) +  (2 yams $1.73 @ KF)

Total TJ: $80.88
Total KF: $18.36

Total For The Week: $99.24; $0.76 under budget. I got some things for the upcoming holiday dinner – and will pick the meat and rolls up next weekend. I forgot that Easter is still a week away. Excited that I stuck on budget this week.

Pantry/items repurposed from last week: fats, spices, pork shoulder.

A number of people I know are completely flabbergasted when contemplating sticking to a budget while eating a primarily “paleo” diet. I’m hoping to shed a little light on that issue for those of you on the fence about eating healthfully in this manner – it *can* be done – and done well – without spending all the money. All it takes is a little planning. 

A little background: I live in Brooklyn, NY, and the grocery prices here are definitely not the same as what you will find in other areas of the country. If you live in say, Raleigh NC for example – you may very well be able to cut this grocery bill by a third, depending upon where you shop. For where I live, where I shop and what I buy, $100 a week is a doable budget without having to sacrifice the quality I want too much. My DH thinks $130 is probably more realistic with our morning smoothie supplies, but I want to shoot for $100. I aim to make 4-5 dinners for two and 5 lunches per week, plus two smoothies per day six days of the week with my budgetary allowance and update you all weekly on what’s going on. Let’s see if I can make it. 

Last Week (Week of March 31 – April 4)

The Plan vs. Reality

Monday

• The Plan – Cauliflower risotto with chicken and leeks
• Reality – Yum.

Tuesday

• The Plan – Minute steaks with asparagus and herbed aioli
• Reality – The steaks were gross and dry, but we choked them down. The asparagus and aioli were a hit.

Wednesday

• The Plan – Meatloaf muffins with cauliflower mash
• Reality – Y-U-M

Thursday

• The Plan – Tuna meatballs with tomato sauce and zoodles
• Reality – Y-U-M

Friday

• The Plan – The last of the minute steaks with brussels sprouts
• Reality – Life happened and we ended up eating out tonight

Lunches

• The Plan – Nom Nom Paleo’s Egg Foo Young (2-3 lunches)
• Reality – Still didn’t happen for me. Leftovers.
• The Plan – Some sort of salady thing with the cruciferous crunch mix I bought
• Reality – Yum! The cruciferous crunch only stretched 2 days – and I had it with some rotisserie chicken left over from the weekend
• The Plan – Leftovers
• Reality – Leftovers happened this week. Yum.

Extras

• The Plan – Coconut lime chia seed puddings for snacks.
• Reality – Yick. My pudding didn’t set up as well as I wanted and the flavors were off. Disappointment.

This Week: April 7 – 11 

This week, I’m completely out of meat from my last big order, so I will be sourcing where I can and of the quality available. We are also throwing a gaming get-together in celebration of International Tabletop Day, so I expect to go over on the budget this week.

This Week’s Proposed Menu

• Monday: Big Meat – carnitas or shredded beef over some sort of puree
• Tuesday: Leftover big meat with some sort of side
• Wednesday: Nom Nom Paleo’s smashed steak with cherry bbq sauce & some sort of side
• Thursday: Harissa cauliflower rice with lemon-roasted chicken and fennel
• Friday: The last of the big meat on a pizza
• Lunch: Nom Nom Paleo’s Egg Foo Young (2-3 lunches) – hey, maybe it will happen this week
• Lunch: Leftovers
• For The Party: Zucchini hummus, red pepper dip, Magic Wonder Dough crackers, bacon jalapeno burger balls, sammitches, flourless almond cake and chocolate whiskey pot de cremes

Shopping List & Cost Breakout

Grocery Store Key: TJ = Trader Joe’s, WF = Whole Foods, O = optional item if the budget allows

This week, I have $100 to spend for my weekly groceries, but I know I’ll be going over that budget for the party.

Shopping List

Hawaiian rolls – $4 est ($1.99 @ TJ)

2 bags kale – $5 est ($4.58 @ TJ)
1 bag spinach – $2.50 est ($1.99 @ TJ)
Some sort of good side – broccoli? – $3 est ($2.79 @ TJ)
Fennel – $3 est ($2.49 @ TJ)
Cilantro – $2 est ($1.79 @ TJ)
Dill – $3 est ($1.69 @ TJ)
Scallions – $2 est ($1.29 @ TJ)
Zucchini – $3 est ($2.29 @ TJ)
Side dish – something to go with steak skewers – brussels? something else? – $3 est (haricots verts $2.69 @ TJ)
Something to puree – root veg – $3 est (sweet potatoes $0.98 for 2 @ TJ)
Tomato – $1 est ($2.23 @ WF)
Lemons – 4 or so – $4 est ($1.49 for a 1 lb. bag @ TJ)
4 apples – $5 est ($3.45 @ TJ)
5 limes – $3 est ($2.79 for a 1 lb. bag @ TJ)
Onion – $1 est ($0.89 @ TJ)
Shallot – $1 est ($0.99 @ TJ)
Garlic – $1 est ($1.29 @ TJ)
2 avocados – $3 est ($2.78 @ TJ)
Ginger – $2 est Did Not Buy

Ham – $4 est ($3.99 @ TJ)
Ground beef – $6 est ($6.99 @ TJ)
Big Meat (pork shoulder, chuck roast, flank steak – whatever is big and looks good) – $40 est ($26.02 @ WF)
Flank Steak – $8 est ($22.76 @ WF)
Chicken – $6 est ($7.06 @ WF)

1 c. extra sharp cheddar – $5 est ($3.35 @ TJ)
Swiss cheese – $4 est ($3.99 @ TJ)

Harissa – $4 est ($7.99 @ WF)
Balsamic (cheapie) – $2 est ($2.29 @ TJ)
Roasted red peppers (jar) – $3 est ($1.99 @ TJ)
Coconut milk (2-3 cans) – $4.50 est ($1.49 (coconut cream) + 0.99 + 0.99 (coconut milk) @ TJ)
14-18 ounces dark chocolate – $10 est ($5.97 + $1.49 @ TJ)
Coconut water – $3 est ($3.69 @ TJ)

Cruciferous Crunch ($2.29 @ TJ) – Wasn’t On List
Bkn Fig/Pumpkin NP – No freaking idea what this was ($1.29 @ WF)
Brooklyn Brown Beer ($10.99 @ WF)
Uinta Baba Black Beer ($12.99 @ WF)
Key Lime Juice ($4.99 @ WF) – Wasn’t On List
Eggs ($3.49 @ WF) – Wasn’t On List
Navel Orange ($1.52 @ WF) – Wasn’t On List
Coconut Water ($1.50 x 2 @ WF) – Wasn’t On List
The hubbs’ mac & cheese for lunch ($2.99 @ TJ) – Wasn’t On List

Orange juice – $3 est – Did Not Buy
Apple juice (small is fine) – $1.50 est ($1.69 @ WF)
10 ounces frozen cherries – $3 est ($3.99 @ WF)

$162 estimated total (weekly + party groceries), minus beer – I’m estimating $30 for beer/wine.

Total TJ: $80.75
Total WF: $112.34

Total For The Week: $193.09; $93.09 over budget. I knew I was going over this week, and it was pretty much as bad as I thought it would be. I will try to recoup the cost if possible throughout the rest of the month, but if I can’t, I’m not sweating it too much – being able to share great food and games with friends was totally worth the overage.

Pantry/items repurposed from last week: fats, spices, cauliflower rice.

A number of people I know are completely flabbergasted when contemplating sticking to a budget while eating a primarily “paleo” diet. I’m hoping to shed a little light on that issue for those of you on the fence about eating healthfully in this manner – it *can* be done – and done well – without spending all the money. All it takes is a little planning. 

A little background: I live in Brooklyn, NY, and the grocery prices here are definitely not the same as what you will find in other areas of the country. If you live in say, Raleigh NC for example – you may very well be able to cut this grocery bill by a third, depending upon where you shop. For where I live, where I shop and what I buy, $100 a week is a doable budget without having to sacrifice the quality I want too much. My DH thinks $130 is probably more realistic with our morning smoothie supplies, but I want to shoot for $100. I aim to make 4-5 dinners for two and 5 lunches per week, plus two smoothies per day six days of the week with my budgetary allowance and update you all weekly on what’s going on. Let’s see if I can make it. 

Last Week (Week of March 24-29)

The Plan vs. Reality

Monday

• The Plan – Flank steak fajita “guts” with onions & peppers and sweet potato fries
• Reality – Yum.

Tuesday

• The Plan – Sirloin Tip Steak with Crispy Fried Brussels
• Reality – Not bad. The crispy brussels are ok – need a little work

Wednesday

• The Plan – Bacon Apple Smothered Pork Chops from Nom Nom Paleo with broccolini
• Reality – Y-U-M

Thursday

• The Plan – London broil with Meyer Lemon Roasted Carrot Strings
• Reality – Y-U-M

Friday

• The Plan – Leftover flank steak with Cauliflower Kung Pao
• Reality – The flank steak didn’t stretch as far as anticipated, and I ended up serving Flat Iron steak that I thankfully had left over from earlier in the month. Yum.

Lunches

• The Plan – Nom Nom Paleo’s Egg Foo Young (2-3 lunches)
• Reality – Still didn’t happen for me. Leftovers.
• The Plan – Some sort of salady thing with the cruciferous crunch mix I bought
• Reality – Yum! I made salads 3 days with some leftover Momofuku pork from the freezer + Meyer lemons – they were simple salads, but good.
• The Plan – Leftovers – preferably using the Arugula that is on death’s door
• Reality – Leftover Mexican beef – 2 days! 1 with arugula, 1 with a couple tortillas + butternut squash

This Week: March 31 – April 1

This week, I will be using up the very last of my big US Wellness Meats* order (whose cost has already been deferred – so yay, “free” meat!), supplemented by the best meats my budget and grocery store choices will allow.

*No, I’m not being paid by US Wellness meats for advertising, nor do they know I exist as anything other than a customer number in the system. I happen to like their quality and think their prices are reasonable, compared to comparable quality items in my area.

This Week’s Proposed Menu

• Monday: Cauliflower risotto with chicken and leeks
• Tuesday: Meatloaf with garlic mashed cauliflower
• Wednesday: Tuna meatballs with tomato sauce and zoodles
• Thursday: Minute steaks with asparagus and herbed aioli
• Friday: Flat iron steaks with some sort of side dish – whatever looks good
• Lunch: Nom Nom Paleo’s Egg Foo Young (2-3 lunches)
• Lunch: Leftovers?
• Extras: Coconut lime chia pudding

Shopping List & Cost Breakout

Grocery Store Key: TJ = Trader Joe’s, WF = Whole Foods, O = optional item if the budget allows

This week, I have $100 to spend, because the cost for the leftover meat from the big order has already been covered.

This week’s shopping was a success! Since I wasn’t buying much meat, I came in happily under budget – and even had enough left over to buy some wine. Win!

Shopping List

Rice vinegar ($1.99 @ TJ)
Pistachios for the hubby to snack on ($7.49 @ TJ)
Bacon ($4.49 @ TJ)
Onions (2) ($1.58 @ TJ)
Cauliflower (2) ($2.49 x 2 @ TJ)
Frozen Mac & Cheese for the hubbs ($2.99 @ TJ)
Coconut Milk (2 cans) ($0.99 x 2 @ TJ)
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs ($6.60 @ TJ)
Zucchini (18 oz) ($2.29 @ TJ)
Asparagus (12 oz) ($2.99 @ TJ)
Carrot juice ($1.99 @ TJ)
Leeks ($2.99 @ TJ)
Shaved brussels sprouts ($2.79 @ TJ)
Zico coconut water ($3.69 @ TJ)
Celery hearts (2) ($1.79 @ TJ)
Cruciferous Crunch salad mix ($2.29 @ TJ)
Cilantro ($1.79 @ TJ)
Almonds for my snacks ($5.99 @ TJ)
Granny Smith apples (5) ($3.45 @ TJ)
Grass fed ground beef ($6.99 @ TJ)
Avocados (3) ($4.17 @ TJ)
Albacore tuna ($1.69 @ TJ)
Kale (10 oz bag) ($1.99 @ TJ)
Ginger (4 oz) ($1.39 @ TJ)
Limes (1 lb bag) ($2.79 @ TJ)
Rosemary ($1.69 @ TJ)
Pinot Grigio ($4.49 @ TJ)

$76 estimated for essentials

Buy: tea ($6), nuts ($5), rice vinegar ($3), wine ($10) if budget allows

 

Total TJ: $85.65 (main trip) + $4.89 (wine trip)

Total PathMark: $0.00

Total WF: $0.00

Total For The Week: $90.54; $9.46 under budget. Whoo hoo! Second week in a row my mental estimation paid off at the store – and it was very good to know that grabbing a few snacks wouldn’t put us over budget. And wine!

Pantry/items repurposed from last week: fats, spices, stock starter, 2 nights’ worth of meat.

A number of people I know are completely flabbergasted when contemplating sticking to a budget while eating a primarily “paleo” diet. I’m hoping to shed a little light on that issue for those of you on the fence about eating healthfully in this manner – it *can* be done – and done well – without spending all the money. All it takes is a little planning. 

A little background: I live in Brooklyn, NY, and the grocery prices here are definitely not the same as what you will find in other areas of the country. If you live in say, Raleigh NC for example – you may very well be able to cut this grocery bill by a third, depending upon where you shop. For where I live, where I shop and what I buy, $100 a week is a doable budget without having to sacrifice the quality I want too much. My DH thinks $130 is probably more realistic with our morning smoothie supplies, but I want to shoot for $100. I aim to make 4-5 dinners for two and 5 lunches per week, plus two smoothies per day six days of the week with my budgetary allowance and update you all weekly on what’s going on. Let’s see if I can make it. 

Last Week (Week of March 17-22)

The Plan vs. Reality

Monday

• The Plan – Mexican Beef from Nom Nom Paleo with guac, salsa and something like cauli rice
• Reality – The Vietnamese Shaking Beef with arugula and carrot strings from last week

Tuesday

• The Plan – Tacos or tostadas with some of the leftover Mexican beef with an Asiany broccoli slaw on the side
• Reality – Monday’s Mexican Beef with a spiced cauli puree, guac and salsa

Wednesday

• The Plan – Enchiladas with the last of the leftover Mexican beef with something
• Reality – Tacos with no Asiany slaw because the broccoli slaw I just bought from Trader Joe’s was already smelling funky and looking slimy. Luckily, I had some leftover snow peas – enough for 1 serving – and the hubbs ate a late lunch and didn’t want dinner.

Thursday

• The Plan – Deconstructed Samosas from Nom Nom Paleo with curried broccoli
• Reality – Y-U-M, except for the overly-burnt broccoli, which I liked.

Friday

• The Plan – The second serving of Flat Iron Steak with some sort of rub and sweet potato fries
• Reality – Well, that didn’t happen. I ended up making sauteed carrots, a simple arugula lemon salad, and pulling out some of the Momofuku pork I still have in the freezer and reheating that. It was good, but not what I had intended.

Lunches

• The Plan – Nom Nom Paleo’s Egg Foo Young (2-3 lunches)
• Reality – Didn’t happen. I ended up eating leftovers some days and squash the others. And I ran out of eggs. I had leftover tacos on Thursday and leftover beef with cauli mash on Friday.
• The Plan – Salad of roast squash, sautéed pea shoots & shredded hard boiled egg with horseradish vinaigrette (2-3 lunches)
• Reality – I had half a roast squash with fried eggs and balsamic vinegar
• The Plan – Baked sweet potato with walnut and chive (and horseradish sauce)
• Reality – I had the rest of the squash with fried eggs, hot sauce and kale pesto

This Week: March 24-29

This week’s planned portion of meat from my big US Wellness Meats* order is: The rest of the London Broil, 2 nights of Flank Steak, 1 night of Sirloin Tip Steak, and the last of the Pork Chops.

*No, I’m not being paid by US Wellness meats for advertising, nor do they know I exist as anything other than a customer number in the system. I happen to like their quality and think their prices are reasonable, compared to comparable quality items in my area.

This Week’s Proposed Menu

• Monday: Bacon Apple Smothered Pork Chops from Nom Nom Paleo with broccolini
• Tuesday: London Broil with Meyer Lemon Roasted Carrot Strings
• Wednesday: Flank Steak fajita guts with Sweet Potato Fries
• Thursday: Flank Steak with Cauliflower Kung Pao
• Friday: Sirloin Tip Steak with Crispy Fried Brussels
• Lunch: Nom Nom Paleo’s Egg Foo Young (2-3 lunches)
• Lunch: Leftovers? Cruciferous crunch!
• Extras: No extras planned this week

Shopping List & Cost Breakout

Grocery Store Key: TJ = Trader Joe’s, WF = Whole Foods, O = optional item if the budget allows

This week, I have $53.22 to spend, after taking out this week’s portion of the big meat purchase.

This week’s shopping went much more smoothly than last week. Mainly because I didn’t delete my shopping list. I estimated before I got to the store and planned shortcuts and things I could cut if needed – and I still had room in the budget to grab something a little exciting for myself for lunch.

Planned Meal Components

Eggs – $3 est ($2.99 @ TJ)
Cauliflower – $3 est ($2.49 @ TJ)
Colored peppers – 4 – $5 est – cheaper if possible ($5.60 @TJ)
Brussels sprouts – $3 est ($2.79 @ TJ)
Onion – $1 est ($0.79 @ TJ)
Steak Seasoning – $3 est – Cut if needed ($1.99 @ TJ)
Carrots – $1 est ($0.89 @ TJ)
Meyer lemon – $3 est – Cheaper if possible ($1.99 @ TJ)
Chicken stock – $3 set – Cut if needed – Cut because I couldn’t find a brand with no oil or added junk
Broccolini – $3 est ($2.79 @ TJ)
1 apple – $0.70 est ($0.69 @ TJ)
3 limes ($1.47 – est) (1 lb. bag – $2.79 @ TJ)

Smoothie Supplies

Kale (2 bags) ($2.29 x 2 @TJ)
Spinach (1 bag) ($1.99 @ TJ)
5 apples ($3.45 @TJ)
2 avocados ($1.39 x 2 @TJ)
Coconut water ($3.69 @TJ)
3 limes ($1.47 @TJ)
Ginger ($1.39 @TJ)
Cilantro ($2 ish @TJ) – ended up getting at PathMark for $1.79 because I thought we had it. I also forgot to buy celery this week – also because I thought we had it.

Incidentals/Snacks for the Hubbs/Shopping lunch for me

Frozen mac & cheese – in red package ($2.99 @ TJ)
And I bought myself a bag of cruciferous crunch (brussels, kale & cabbage) greens for lunch. ($2.29 @ TJ)

Total TJ: $47.92

Total PathMark: $1.79

Total WF: $0.00

Total For The Week: $49.71; $3.51 under budget. Whoo whoo! With the leftovers from this week, I will have enough leftover to purchase a side dish for Monday’s dinner – Monday is the last day of the month.

Pantry/items repurposed from last week: fats, spices, maybe stock starter, bacon.

A number of people I know are completely flabbergasted when contemplating sticking to a budget while eating a primarily “paleo” diet. I’m hoping to shed a little light on that issue for those of you on the fence about eating healthfully in this manner – it *can* be done – and done well – without spending all the money. All it takes is a little planning. 

A little background: I live in Brooklyn, NY, and the grocery prices here are definitely not the same as what you will find in other areas of the country. If you live in say, Raleigh NC for example – you may very well be able to cut this grocery bill by a third, depending upon where you shop. For where I live, where I shop and what I buy, $100 a week is a doable budget without having to sacrifice the quality I want too much. My DH thinks $130 is probably more realistic with our morning smoothie supplies, but I want to shoot for $100. I aim to make 4-5 dinners for two and 5 lunches per week, plus two smoothies per day six days of the week with my budgetary allowance and update you all weekly on what’s going on. Let’s see if I can make it. 

Last Week (Week of March 10-15)

The Plan vs. Reality

Monday

• The Plan – Marinated minute steaks with Union Square Cafe’s Hashed Brussels Sprouts with Poppy Seeds & Lemon
• Reality – The steaks were fantastic; the brussels less so.

Tuesday

• The Plan – Skirt steak with chimichurri and plantains – maybe some callaloo
• Reality – Skirt steak with sauteed butternut squash and chimichurri. The grocery store I hit did not have plantains and callaloo was out of the budget for the week. Dinner was still tasty.

Wednesday

• The Plan – Pork chops with bacon, apple/brandy compote, butter mount and crispy sweet potatoes
• Reality – Yum. I forgot the bacon, but I’m totally sharing this meal with you guys soon.

Thursday

• The Plan – London Broil with Whole Roasted Cauliflower
• Reality – I used the lemon called for in this recipe earlier in the week, so the cauliflower was out. I made a curry lime cauli instead (recipe to come for this one, too) and my standard London Broil. It was a satisfying meal.

Friday

• The Plan – Vietnamese Shaking Beef with some sort of compliant noodle and arugula
• Reality – The hubbs was craving BBQ, so we went out for dinner instead.

Lunches

• The Plan – Nom Nom Paleo’s Egg Foo Young (2-3 lunches)
• Reality – Didn’t happen. I ended up eating leftovers all week.
• The Plan – Salad of roast squash, sautéed pea shoots & shredded hard boiled egg with horseradish vinaigrette (2-3 lunches)
• Reality – Still didn’t happen. Leftovers.
• The Plan – Baked sweet potato with walnut and chive (and horseradish sauce)
• Reality – Was this really intended, or just an option? Leftovers again.

This Week: March 17-22

This week’s planned portion of meat from my big US Wellness Meats* order is: 1 chuck roast (3 meals), 1 flat iron steak (1 meal), 1 pound ground pork (1 meal). For more on my big meat order, click here.

*No, I’m not being paid by US Wellness meats for advertising, nor do they know I exist as anything other than a customer number in the system. I happen to like their quality and think their prices are reasonable, compared to comparable quality items in my area.

This Week’s Proposed Menu

• Monday: Mexican Beef from Nom Nom Paleo with guacamole, salsa & something either pureed or cauliflower rice
• Tuesday: Tacos or tostadas with the leftover beef & a side of apple/radish broccoli slaw
• Wednesday: Enchiladas with the rest of the beef
• Thursday: Pork samosas from Nom Nom Paleo with curried broccoli
• Friday: Flat iron steak with some sort of rub and something I can turn into a fry
• Lunch: Nom Nom Paleo’s Egg Foo Young (2-3 lunches)
• Lunch: Salad of roast squash, sautéed pea shoots & shredded hard boiled egg (with horseradish sauce) (2-4 lunches)
• Extras: Playing with macadamia nut ricotta – lime/basil & orange/honey – awesome and recipes coming soon

Shopping List & Cost Breakout

Grocery Store Key: TJ = Trader Joe’s, WF = Whole Foods, O = optional item if the budget allows

This week, I have $53.22 to spend, after taking out this week’s portion of the big meat purchase.

This week’s grocery shopping was a comedy of errors. I use Evernote to plan my menus and shopping lists and managed to somehow erase my grocery list about halfway through shopping. Needless to say, I was freaking out a little – in the crazy crowded grocery store – while worrying about staying within budget. Good times. And a few things didn’t get purchased. Oh, and then on the way home, my receipt went flying down the road in the wind storm.

Planned Meal Components

Limes (2 for home)
Lemons
Apple – did not get
Radishes – did not get
Cauliflower or parsnip – got cauliflower
Broccoli
Broccoli slaw
Cilantro
2 jalapeños – did not get
Guacamole – did not get
Salsa – got jarred only
3 onions – did not get
Sweet potatoes
Steak rub – did not get
Coconut oil
Coconut milk
Tomato paste
Diced tomatoes (14.5 ounce can) – got tomatoes + chiles in one
Red enchilada sauce (15 ounce can) – did not get
Diced chiles (4 ounce can) – did not get
Roasted salsa
Chicken stock – did not get
Eggs – did not get

Smoothie Supplies

Kale (2 bags) ($2.29 x 2 @TJ)
Spinach (1 bag) ($1.99 @ TJ)
5 apples ($3.45 @TJ)
2 avocados (I think he grabbed 4)
Coconut water ($3.69 @TJ)
3 limes ($1.47 @TJ)
Ginger ($1.39 @TJ)
Orange juice ($3 ish @TJ)

Incidentals/Snacks for the Hubbs/Shopping lunch for me

Frozen mac & cheese – in red package ($2.99 @ TJ)

Total TJ: $49.something

Total WF: $0.00

Total For The Week: $49; $4.22 under budget. Let’s see what I can cobble together with what I bought. I think I can make most of what I wanted; it will all just be a little plainer than anticipated. And last Friday’s projected meal is now Monday’s meal.

Pantry/items repurposed from last week: fats, spices, snow peas, squash, dinner from last Friday.