As I mentioned recently, we’re trying out the 5-Ingredient Meal Plan Box right now. We just finished up week 4 and we’re really loving it (see what we’re eating this coming week when you scroll down to the bottom of the post).
The ingredients for the recipes are a little more than I would typically spend (because I usually base our menus upon what I have on hand and what’s on sale) but I’m having fun getting creative to see if I can work them into our grocery budget.
By the way, in full transparency, the meal plan box is expensive and I probably would have never purchased it had Laurie not given me one when she and I met up recently. That said, I see the value in them now that I’ve used it for a month! (Laurie said you could use code MOTHERSDAY to save off if you were thinking of possibly purchasing it.)
My Experience Using Aldi Curbside Pick-up
This week, I experimented with doing Aldi curbside pick-up. So many of you had mentioned using this service instead of shopping in-store and I wanted to test it out.
Here are a few of my thoughts:
- I was disappointed that the sale prices in-store are not really offered online.
- I was also sad to discover there is a small upcharge on every item (it’s at least $0.10-$0.15 more per item when you use pick-up versus buying in-store). Plus, because our area runs the orders through the Instacart service instead of the Aldi website when you go to check out, there is an additional $1.99 charge (plus I found a $1.99 extra charge, too).
- That said, it is very convenient to pull up and have them bring the groceries straight to your car. Plus, the attendant who helped me was very prompt, got my order 100% accurate, and was kind and polite.
I can see where this would be a great option if you have a lot of young kids, if you are sick and don’t want to expose others, if you are in a really full season of life, or if you have a disability that makes shopping in-store difficult.
The every day prices for most items were still less expensive than Kroger — even with the extra charges. So if you don’t usually shop sales at Kroger or Aldi, choose Aldi pick-up would likely save you at least some money over Kroger pick-up. (However, I LOVE that Kroger pick-up allows you to use their digital coupons and get the weekly sales + they don’t charge you any fees or upcharges, as long as you spend $35+/).
My total ended up being $109 for everything shown above.
On the Menu This Week
Here’s what’s on the menu this week:
Breakfasts: Cereal, oatmeal, eggs, pumpkin bread (all purchased on sales from previous weeks)
Lunches: Salad, toast, string cheese, fruit, muffins, PB&J sandwiches (stocked up on sandwich supplies with sales recently), hard boiled eggs, leftovers
Dinners: Quinoa & Chicken Stuffed Peppers, Dinner Out for Silas’ birthday, Sheet Pan Pancakes, Fend For Yourself/Leftovers, Slow Cooker Fajita Chicken, Grilled Double Bacon Cheeseburgers, Cheesy Chicken Delight
