Starting a new month. Nice and fresh. Groceries this week came to a happy $97. We went out to eat on Tuesday at a restaurant that holds a “Kids Eat Free” night. Our bill came to $27. Total for the week: $124.
My primary method for saving money is by purchasing generic products. I certainly don’t turn up my nose at the the plain packaging or the “image” of store brands. But I do have a few strong product loyalties. As much as I want to cut back on our food budget, I won’t compromise on a few things. Number One is my peanut butter. I love Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter. My sister-in-law, Kathy, introduced me to this yummy spread several years ago, and I am never going back to peanut butter than contains anything more than peanuts (and a dash of salt). Number Two is real maple syrup. Have you ever read the ingredients of “pancake syrup”? And finally, I stick to Philadelphia Neufchatel Cream Cheese. I’ll buy generic if it is going in a recipe but not on my bagel!
What are some of your must-haves?
The Week 5 Participating Blogs:
- Emily
Levenson - Dairy-Free
Cooking - Test Kitchen Tuesday
- Red Pen Mama
- Acquired
Tastes - Fit Flexitarian
- Warm As
Pie - Katy Rank
Lev - My Inner Healthy
- Little Blue Hen
- xox,
b - What da
Health? - Project Food Budget
2.0 - Ignition
Nutrition - A Nice Heart and a
White Suit - Because Hobbies
Happen - Primary
Focus Health Coaching - Chicken Tender
- Fresh…A New Chapter
- Chandeleah
- Two Eggs Over Easy
Warm as Pie 
Haha,,,Yep that is “our” peanut butter Erica! Thanks for mentioning me…I am honored 🙂 AS for things we will only use name brands Mayonaise and Waffles are 2 things that come to mind. and Pizza Rolls…things both the hubby and H. eats.
I’m definitely a Hellman’s girl. Add that to my list! Thanks for commenting, Kathy.
I am all about the Smucker’s PB. It’s the best. And less expensive than most other natural PBs. Which is a good thing!
Way to go on being on budget this month. 🙂
I shop a ton at Trader Joe’s so I guess all their stuff is kinda generic? Anyway, I LOVE their natural PB.
I also really love Eden Organic products (like their rice/soy milk) so I try to buy those if I can – usually through Amazon Subscribe & Save.
I gotta have the real maple syrup as well, Erica. It is quite expensive. I did buy the Log Cabin syrup made with sugar (not HFCS) for the kids…but when our budget is no longer as tight, I’m going back to us all eating the real deal.
I grew up on Cains mayo, but when I got married, Husband would only eat Hellmans, so I made the switch 🙂