
I’m sure as you can tell, I usually write at night. So much during the day with kids school and activities and just now getting back to meetings, writing and excercise for me after a summer of mostly fun. I think being busy (yoga, paddleboarding, etc) also kept my mind off eating. Rather than sitting at a desk, like I am now. However I am having a nice cup of tea. I bought the tea and didn’t like it as cold, but I do like hot, so it’s a comfort and a treat on this cold and foggy morning after taking the kids to school. I also didn’t eat all my oatmeal from earlier. I saved it and will reheat it when I get hungry.
Here was the usual morning… My husband went to work very early, so I didn’t see his breakfast. I’m assuming he missed or had a bowl of cereal, by the amount of milk left. My son had toast, yogurt, and granola. He wanted the whole banana but he settled for half, since it was the last one. My daughter and I shared the other half on our oatmeal. Yes, again. My daughter also had her yogurt grapes and granola.




I packed my son’s usual lunch. He is a creature of habit, so this hasn’t been tough for lunch – but he usually has more choices. My daughter is going to a friend’s house after school and will have lunch there, while I go to the radio interview at the Food Bank. She’ll probably be happy to see some new lunch options. We’re out of the banana bread for snack so I packed crackers and cheese for my son. My daughter got the last few crackers with sunflower butter and 1/2 an apple (the rest we’ll save for snack later). By the way if you slice an apple and don’t want it to turn bown let is soak a few minutes in water with a squeeze of lemon juice or a pinch of salt.


We’re noticing the lack of ingredients. We finished the crackers today. The’re only about 1/4 cup of the cow’s milk left. The fruit bowl is empty (we still have grapes in the fridge). The cheese is about 1/2 thick by 4 inches. Hopefully some for tacos tonight. Let’s see how it’s adding up. Here’s what I bought. Each item is gone, unless I say otherwise…
First Shop – Trader Joe’s
almond milk 1.99 – for my daughter, she doesn’t drink cow’s milk. I use in my oatmeal. About 1 cup left
cow’s milk 3.29- for my son (and husband for cereal). We usually buy a full gallon, but get a half. about 1/4 cup left
organic yogurt 2.99- large. Mix with fruit spread, fruit or brown sugar to sweeten. Also for egg salad and tuna. About 1 1/2 cups left.
organic eggs 3.99 – 2 boiled left and 5 raw
wheat pizza dough 1.29 – pizza
organic hummus 2.29 – wraps. About 3 tablespoons left.
organic ground beef 6.49 – for tacos
2 red peppers 2.99 – roasted veggies and pasta dish.
organic baby carrots 1.49 – Trader Joe’s regular carrots aren’t organic. Ate one bag and bought another for lunches and snacks.
organic grapes – 3.99 duet of green and red. For lunches and snacks. About 20 grapes left.
broccoli 1.69 – stir fry. About 1/2 head left.
orange juice 2.99 , half gallon – I usually buy organic, but too $. About 1/4 left
bananas 3 – .19 each
organic black beans 1.19 – for taco night
organic frozen edaname 2.29
wheat pretzels 1.69, About 1/4 bag left.
sharp cheddar cheese 2.87 – for pizza, and lunches. Small piece left.
Shop in My Pantry and Freezer (things I already had and didn’t want to rebuy)
orechette pasta .99 – first night’s pasta, lentil and veggie dinner and some left-overs
rice 2.99 – I should’ve checked I didn’t even have a whole bag. Have left-over cooked from stir fry.
canned organic tomatoes 1.99 – I usually buy Pomi
tea – 2.29 – this is just one of many we have. I chose because least expensive, but I only like it hot, not cold. Half box left.
tuna 1.49 – for sandwiches
hemp granola – 2.99 – for yogurt and granola
sandwich bread – 2.99 – for lunches
canned minestrone soup 2.99 – my kids love this. Good when I don;t have time to make my own.
fruit spread – 1.79 – for sandwiches with sunflower butter and toast. Lots left
sunflower butter – 3.79 – Chose this instead of peanut butter since our school is nut free. Half left.
sliced turkey 4.79 – my son’s wrap choice this week
half loaf of banana bread – my kids and I made banana bread a few days before the challenge (to use some overipe bananas) and I froze it. I used half the loaf for my kids’ snack at school the first few days of the week (sorry forgot to show). It probably cost me about $2 in ingredients.

Shopping at Farmer’s Market – all organic
apples (5) – 3.45 – lunches and snacks
kale – 2 – chips and stir fry
heirloom tomatoes (4)- 2.80 – wraps and salad
sweet potatoes (2) – 2.10 – chips – 1 left
zucchini (2) – 1 roasted veggies and pasta dish
spinach – 1.45 in wraps and salad
olive baguette – 2. First night’s pasta, lentil veggie dinner
Subsequent shopping yesterday and day before …
bananas – (3) 1.16
Tejava tea – 1.29 – couldn’t handle life without an iced tea and bought a bummer one.
flatbread/Lavosh bread – 2.29 for wraps. 5 left
whole wheat sandwich bread 2.49 – almost whole loaf left
corn tortillas – 1.99 – for tacos
organic chicken breast 3.94 – for stir fry
organic tofu – twin pack – 1.99 – for stir fry and tacos.
avocados – 1.79 for tacos
So we have almost no fruit and veggies left. What food we have is mostly allocated for tonight’s dinner. Tomorrow we’ll have stuff for sandwiches for lunch. Dinner may be rough. We have lots of bread – so we can always have toast and sunflower butter.