A Tale of Two Tomatoes

A Tale of Two Tomatoes

All in one day I started our new weekly grocery budget and broke a rule. When I informed the husband of our new weekly grocery budget, 25 dollars, he literally replied, “Oh, there’s no way!”

If you’re like me, you see that statement as a challenge. But that’s not what I’m writing about today. This evening I made out our list based on what we have in our pantry and what was on sale at the store and then also came up with our menu.

Sunday-Homemade Macaroni and cheese topped with breadcrumbs and green beans.

Monday-Meatloaf and mashed potatoes (mashed potatoes left over from Thanksgiving) with gravy (who knew you could make gravy from meatloaf, but it was good!!!) and green beans.

Tuesday- Smoked turkey sausage, macaroni and cheese (see Sunday), and brussel sprouts.

Wednesday-Chili topped with cheese, if you please.

Thursday-Roasted pork loin, mashed potatoes (from a box, oy-but they’re two packages for a dollar)

Friday-leftovers for me. Hubs has a gig so I’m on my own. Plus there’s a doggy get together I might attend-no time to cook.

Here’s the grocery list or rather a receipt rundown:

1 onion-.91

Ground beef-2.91

Pork loin-5.12

2 Mac and cheese-.88 (we didn’t need them per se, but who could pass that price up?)

kidney beans-.89

frozen brussel sprouts-1.78

frozen green beans-1.78

Smoked turkey sausage-2.19

2 gallons of milk-3.50

2 28 oz cans of tomatoes-3.18

Now we subtract 1.00 for coupons (sigh, that’s all) but also 4.70 for bottle returns.

(Side note, I also spent 5.00 on vitamins for the hubs who is now sick)

Total amount spent-22.44

Amount still available-2.56

So, now we get to the title. The whole tomato thing. I’m not sure what kind of person this makes me. What would you have done or what do you do?

As I stood there in the tomato aisle, baffled, I really was at a loss. This is where I broke my own rule. Not only did I not have a coupon for tomatoes but also none were on sale. But I know how far a batch of chili can go and it seemed like a small expense for what we’d be getting.

So anyway, as I stood there in that aisle of canned tomatoes I realized how many options there were but that I really wasn’t willing to accept all the options. What does that say about me?

Here’s what I had in front of me in the 28 oz options:

Hunt’s-2.19

Delallo-1.99

Dei Fratelli-1.99

Del Monte 1.59 but for only 14 oz. (so 3.18)

Red Gold-1.69 but for only 14 oz. (so 3.38)

Spartan-1.59

Value Time .65 but for 14 oz. (so 1.30)

Value Time...that’s where I wasn’t willing to go, just yet. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with that brand, but it was so underpriced I just felt that the product might not be up to the same standards as the other. Is that wrong? Does anyone buy Value Time?

I did purchase the Spartan Brand. Not so much a compromise as I use other Spartan Brand products but I usually buy Hunt’s, Red Gold, or Delallo.

Week one of the new budget. One rule broken but one budget kept.