#lowcarb Shopping at Sav-a-Lot, Part 1

I haven't focused much on the "cheap" part of "cheap'n'easy" lately. I used to post my shopping receipts, and occasionally I still do post the cost of the recipes; I really need to do that ALL of the time, but usually I'm either so excited about a recipe, or in a time crunch, so I don't bother to do the math. But if I'm as serious about the "cheap" part - and I am! - then I need to commit to that...

Anyway, one of the ways I keep the grocery budget in check is by shopping at Sav-a-Lot. Yes, their prices are also rising as are everyone else's but they're still the best deal in town Let me take you on a "shopping trip" with me around the store, so I can show you what I buy there...

Our store starts out with the produce aisle. I pick up whatever looks good to me at the time, because their selection varies. But I often grab stuff for salads (either bagged mixes or head or romaine lettuce, depending on if there are red stickers for discounted produce on them), rutabagas and/or turnips when they have some, onions, tomatoes, occasionally potatoes (for company but I indulge occasionally in a well-buttered baked potato), a sweet potato or 2 (for my grandson and parrots), and squashes. What I choose is dependent upon prices/sales/discounts, what I already have at home, and my own mood. Sometimes I go for several weeks without wanting salads, for example. So yeah, my mood comes into play here.

Next is dairy. I have been getting a gallon of milk each trip for my grandson, although I will probably start getting powdered instead due to radiation levels in milk; always 3 dozen eggs since we go through them quickly, full-fat cottage cheese, yogurt (they only have low fat so I don't buy it often, or only if they have plain to use as starter for my own batches), ricotta cheese, cheddar/italian/colby-jack/swiss cheeses either in blocks or shredded, full-fat cream cheese, butter. I have to say their butter has no junk in it, just dairy butter - more than I can say for most brands.

On to the meat department - past the processed meats where I toss a package or 2 of smoked turkey breast for hubby's lunches for work, and he occasionally grabs a package us hot dogs or smoked sausage. I must say that Sav-a-Lot has great meats! I have prices in my head that I won't go beyond: $1/lb for chicken, $2/lb for pork, $3/lb for beef or fish. But most times I find meats with the red discounted price sticker on them, and buy it all. (In fact, at any supermarket except Walmart, whose preservative-injected meats I don't like, I will buy their entire stock of red-stickered meats if they look decent, and are a true value.) And I can almost always find meats that fall under my personal spending limits at Sav-a-Lot!

Then the frozen foods: mostly we get fish and vegetables here. Sometimes they have "deals" on chicken parts that I will get, and sometimes something else will appear in the freezer that I pick up (as a treat, for example, pricey egg rolls will come home with us - at 9gN per, they're not an overly carby treat, but since they contain things I don't typically eat they aren't everyday fare)...but I don't spend a whole lot of time in frozen foods. But also on this aisle are the porkies in several flavors, and the peanuts which my husband likes.

Lastly I will go up a couple of aisles to pick up some other things I like to have around the house: SF pudding mix, canned tomatoes/paste/sauce, ranch dressing, mustard, mayo (but I'm probably going to start making this myself), SF jelly, spaghetti sauce, coffee, bottled water, Ole wraps, and occasionally a spice or seasoning.

As you can see, I get the bulk of my groceries from Sav-a-Lot. And if that was the only store I could use, I'd do just fine staying low carb and having lots of variety. I'd miss a few things (such as heavy cream) but could make do.

In the past I have had Sav-a-Lot's prices memorized on the things I typically buy there. But now that the prices are changing (rising!) from month to month I can't quote the prices out of my head anymore. So the next time I go to Sav-a-Lot I will take notes and post part 2 :).