WWS & WWA | January 1st - 7th

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 I feel as though I should preface this first WWS & WWA of the new year by disclosing that I had many ideations of doing a pantry challenge, or a low/no spend month to kick of 2021. But, as I've discovered, and what really should come as no surprise, is that I have a hard time saying no to a good deal (that I know we will use, of course). Needless to say, the first week of 2021 has come and gone, and to the grocery store I have been.

In my latest Plan & Prep post, I shared that I would be focusing on using up the oddities and older items in the small over-the-fridge freezer. I thought this was a good compromise between sale-hunting and pantry challenge endeavors. Hopefully by the time January has passed, the freezer will be more functional, and less close-the-door-before-anything-falls-out.

This week Hannaford had some nice sale & store app coupon matchups, and I also had a few good clearance finds at Shaw's and Market Basket. Let's check them out!

What We Spent

Market Basket Haul 
Market Basket
  • 1 Gallon 2% Milk - $0.99 (clearance, dated 1/9)
  • 6 Jalapenos - $0.86 ($1.99/lb)
  • Peeled Garlic - $2.23 ($3.99/lb)
  • Zucchini - $1.14 ($0.99/lb)
  • 2.38lbs of Green Beans - $3.55 ($1.49/lb)
  • 5lb. Russet Potatoes - $2.99
  • Green Onions - $0.69
  • Kielbasa - $6.99
  • Deli Pepperoni - $3.37 ($4.49/lb) This deli pepperoni is over 50% cheaper than store brand pillow packs of pepperoni!
  • (2) 1 liters of Polar Seltzer - $1.98
  • (3) loose cans of MB Seltzer - $0.75
  • Maine Bottle Deposit & Tax- $0.36
Total: $26.89 

Shaw's - Trip 1

  • (4) 8 ounce bags of shredded cheese - $3.76 ($0.94 each, flyer coupon)
  • Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Bar - $1.12 (holiday clearance)
  • Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast - $7.88 (5.28 lbs. at $1.49/lb)
  • Can of Corn - $0.44 (clearance)
    Total: $13.20

Shaw's - Trip 2
  • (2) Boxes Twinning Seasonal Tea - $3.98 (holiday clearance)
Total: $3.98
Hannaford & Shaw's Trip 2


Hannaford
  • 1lb Hannaford Bacon - $2.99 ($1 off 1lb. package, store coupon)
  • 5lbs Honey - $10.99 ($4 off store coupon)
  • $3 off $10 purchase, store coupon
Total: $10.98



Total for 1st Week of January: $55.05/$200 Monthly Budget
Cumulative Total for 2021: $55.05 

What We Ate

Planned & Prepped - Did it Go as Planned?

It did! This week's Plan & Prep covered about 80% of what we ate for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. 

To avoid eating the same thing every day, we mix and match prepped items, and try to not make more than three servings of a completed dish per person.
  • Breakfasts
    • English Muffins w/ Jam and Scrambled Eggs
    • Cheerios Cups; Yogurt w/ Blueberries, Coconut, & Almonds
    • Granola Bars & Peanut Butter
    • Cereal with Milk
  • Lunches
    • Sausage, Cabbage, Peas & Egg Noodle Bowl
    • Planned Leftovers (pasta, chicken, broccoli, steak, etc)
  • Dinners
    • Breaded Chicken w/ Herb Butter Pasta & Broccoli
    • Steak & Salmon w/ Baked Potatoes & Green Beans
    • Ground Beef Tacos
    • Chicken w/ Pesto & Mozzarella & Herb Butter Pasta

Additional Dishes to Fill in the Gaps

Here is what we added throughout the week to fill in the lunch and dinner gaps.
  • Dinners
    • Dressed Up Knorr Spanish Rice as a side for fish
      • I added fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic, yellow bell pepper, black beans, and cumin.
    • Pork Tenderloin w/ Green Beans and Baked Potatoes (my Dad brought a two pack of pork tenderloin over for me to cook, I kept the smaller one as he only wanted one).
  • Lunches
    • Taco Rice Bowls w/ Spanish Rice & Taco Seasoned Ground Beef (leftover makeover!)
How was your first week of the New Year? Did you get any holiday clearance deals?

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