Grocery shopping and menus, July 14-20

It's been an extra busy month here for my design work, so I'm quite late in getting this post together. I'll keep it simple, but hopefully it'll still be of interest to at least some of you. :) Joe did  most of the shopping for us this week, which was a big help to me. The total ended up being more than I shoot to spend in a week, but since we were under budget last week it'll even out. Nice to stock up a bit on the cheese and peanut butter when we get a chance, and produce at these fabulous summertime prices is hard to pass up!

What we bought
Target shopping trip
This was my first time stacking manufacturer coupons, store coupons (including mobile coupons) AND the new "Cartwheel" program deals. When these are also combined with sales, it makes for some pretty amazing deals. Fun stuff! I'm tickled that the free wifi in Target stores allows me to use my ipod to take advantage of these mobile coupons - no smart phone needed! Sorry there's no picture here...I was going to take one, but we were out most of the afternoon and I had to take care of a tired baby as soon as we got home.

• Earthbound Farms organic carrots, 1 lb - 1.09 - used $1/1 mobile coupon
• Sandwich bread, 1 loaf - 1.41 - used $1/1 mobile coupon and 5% off cartwheel
• Canola oil - 3.29 - used $1/1 mobile coupon
• Gala apples, 1.08 lb (3 apples) at 1.39/lb - used $1/1 mobile coupon and 5% off cartwheel
• Van's gluten-free frozen waffles - on sale for 2.50 - used 3.00 man. coupon (0.50 moneymaker!)
• Frozen raspberries, 1 lb - 2.79 - used $1/1 mobile coupon and 20% off cartwheel
• Hand soap - 0.89 - used 0.50 Target coupon and 5% off cartwheel
• Paper towels, 1 roll - 0.99 - used 0.50 Target coupon (and apparently something mobile applied, too, since the receipt says they worked out to be free. Yay!)
• Kashi cold cereal - 3 boxes on sale for 2.66 each - used two $2/1 and one $1/1 man. coupons, $1/2 Target coupon, and 10% off cartwheel
• Fresh strawberries, 1 lb - 1.79 - free with purchase of 3 boxes of Kashi (store promo deal), so if I'm figuring this right, we paid $1.68 for three boxes of supposedly-healthier cold cereal AND a pound of strawberries. Can't beat that! :D
• TOTAL - $5.85 - saved 19.79 with coupons and the 5% off for using our Target debit card, more if you count sales!

Hy-vee shopping trip

• Frozen veggies, 1 lb bags - 8 bags at 0.77 each (sale)
• Cheese blocks, 8 oz. - 3 at 3/$5 (store coupon)
• Cranberry honey nut trail mix, half a pound - 3.05 - a birthday splurge for me :)
• Gourmet olives, a little over half a pound - 6.23 - a treat for Joe :)
• TOTAL - $20.44 - saved some with the sales.

  WEEKLY TOTAL - $26.29 - saved $19.79 with coupons (more with sales)

What We Ate

• Sunday: Fried chicken salad (a quickie to throw together, since Joe had to work that evening)
• Monday: Potato and bacon soup (with the bacon Joe just finished smoking!), garlic breadsticks and cinnamon breadsticks, veggies
• Tuesday: Tuna sandwiches, veggies
• Wednesday: Baked chicken, wild rice, lima beans (seasons with barbeque sauce - turned out great!), veggies
• Thursday: Tried a new recipe for a country fritata. Turned out okay, but not a keeper. Also had a green salad.
  
• Friday: Joe went out and fetched Subway so I wouldn't have to cook on my birthday - awww! <3
• Saturday: We enjoyed a tasty meal at a local place, Cozy Cafe - another birthday treat. Yay for Groupon deals! :) We were still full at suppertime so just had popcorn.
• Breakfasts: Peaches, homemade banana bread (from the freezer), homemade yogurt (yum!), cold cereal with goat milk