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Big Family Food and Fun: July 12-18, 2026

July 19, 2026 by Laura 1 Comment

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Here’s our Big Family Food and Fun: July 12-18, 2026 post!

Before I share about our week, I’ll finish up talking about the end of Saturday, July 11. :)

July 11, 2026

We had spent the morning at Discovery Days on UNL campus, then came home for rest time that afternoon. Arrow was with us so while he and Auggie napped and the other kids played outside, I spent an hour and a half in the kitchen.

I spent a good amount of time trying to catch up on dishes (a huge, never ending job), then made a double batch of Breakfast Cookie Bars and a pan of Flourless Peanut Butter Brownies (and dirtied up a lot more dishes, ha!).

While they were in the oven, I put together a double batch of No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars for our Sunday lunch dessert.

I washed the baking dishes I’d created, and it felt great to finally feel more caught up in the kitchen! When Arrow woke up from his nap, Brayden read him a book. This scene is so precious!

And why, you might wonder, was Arrow at our house that day? Well, if you recall, he’d become a big brother the week before! I was waiting to introduce her to you until after Asa and Eva had shared publicly. Now that this has happened…

Here she is, sweet little Phoebe Jean.

Phoebe’s name was chosen based on the beautiful tribute Paul wrote to a servant-hearted woman in Romans 16:1-2. Her middle name honors her wonderful maternal grandparents. Phoebe is tiny, healthy, precious, and such a gift!

Here they are, a week after her birth, a sweet family of four!

Well now. The food pictures I’m about to share are nothing in comparison. But here’s some chocolate as we transition back…

Big brother, Arrow, was occupied by his aunts and uncles that Saturday, so Lolli finished a bit more kitchen work after the baked goods had cooled. I cut the Breakfast Cookie Bars into two Sunday breakfast plates. Then I cut and individually packaged the Flourless Peanut Butter Brownies for grab-and-go needs. I air fried a Sam’s sized box of Taquitos for a snacky dinner while we watched a World Cup soccer game.

The evening was fun! Heartlands church had a men’s kickball/cookout night so Matt and all the boys (even the little guys!) headed off to enjoy their time at the park. We girls had a craft night together! I am happy to say that we had twenty actual minutes of calm, sweet, peaceful crafting while we listened to praise music – which I consider to be a HUGE win considering all the special needs of our household. We cleaned up and enjoyed a frozen treat outside together before bath and bedtime. We watched a short show on TV while screaming our way through hair brushing time (oy!). Then I tucked in the girls just before the guys got home.

Big Family Food and Fun: July 12-18, 2026

Sunday morning, there was more screaming, but the hair brush and I were determined to win and I was able to get Anna’s hair done for the first time in weeks!

We enjoyed a Fiesta Taco Salad bar for lunch with Crock Pot Salsa Shredded Beef, greens, corn, beans, tomatoes, olives, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, and chips. Friends brought fresh fruit and we enjoyed the pan of No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars for dessert.

Our friend Jamie was the one who got Anna to eat that day. Dear ones who do this for us/Anna have no idea the gift they are giving us all. They just think they are having lunch with a sweet little girl. But getting calories into this dear one is a huge feat, and often non-family members can accomplish it with much more ease than we can. So we thank our friends profusely for feeding her and they are just like, “yeah whatever no problem; I had fun eating with her.” Meanwhile we are standing by sobbing with joy. Hahaha.

Fellowship around our tables and around our kitchen island is so, so rich.

Matt and I enjoyed Community Group that afternoon while the kids watched a movie in the basement. I made five Frozen Pizzas for dinner. The kids played outside very well for a while.

Then we loaded them up for a special treat outing! My niece had sent us some Runza ice cream cone coupons so we used them that night! The kids all ordered their own, and we were able to keep them all out of the parking lot – a big accomplishment. :)

The kids did great with this outing! We enjoyed our drippy summer treat and felt grateful for the package of wet wipes we always keep in the van. :) We got home in time to clean up and head to bed!

On Monday morning, four kids went to VBS, two kids went to basketball camp, one kid went to volleyball camp, and one kid had ABA therapy. Our friend Christina went to the VBS also, so she was gracious to help us with transportation while Matt and I went in so many different directions that morning.

While Kiya was at volleyball, I had a small amount of time to run to Sam’s and Wal-Mart. I raced through these stores as fast as I could, though ran out of time to get all that we needed. (Grocery shopping for our household usually takes about three hours every week.) I filled a cart at both stores, with plans to go back to finish shopping the next day while Kiya was back at volleyball camp.

I happened upon a clearance sale on GoGo Squeeze applesauce at Sam’s, making them half price! Did I buy ten boxes? I absolutely did. Do I still wonder if I should have bought more than ten? Kinda. I mean, we go through these boxes fast, and these were super cheap!

Back at home with the crew, we worked together to unload groceries and put away cold food. Matt had made lunch for us and we tried to hurry and feed kids before taking five of them back out again to go to an Art Camp. Emma arrived to babysit the youngest three for the afternoon, and she helped me dump sauce on chicken for our dinner that night. It was a whirlwind, but we made it out the door on time!

Somehow I was able to snap this picture to show how cheap our dinner meal would be. Chicken legs, man. They are so inexpensive! Typically I get them at Costco and Sam’s for $0.99/pound. I had found these packs at Aldi for $0.89/pound, giving us 24 chicken legs for a total of only $6.98. Amazing!

Emma had a picnic lunch with the three kids left at home.

After Matt and I dropped the other five at camp, he and I went to hang out with Phoebe (and her parents). :) Arrow was napping so we missed seeing him that day.

When we got home, we started five kids with their evening ABA therapy sessions and I got the chicken legs on the smoker. Oh, and ELIAS AND MALORIE arrived for the week!! It was so good to see them that I didn’t take any pictures.

Dinner was Smoked Chicken Legs, Caesar Salad, and Strawberry Parfaits.

On Tuesday morning, I made scrambled eggs for breakfast while getting some baking done for our snacking needs. I made a double batch of Banana Muffins.

Plus I made a Spinach Cake. I stuffed that cake so full of spinach – but no one could tell and everyone gobbled it up later! We have three adults drinking this smoothie now, so I’ve been making a jar of it almost every day this summer.

Christina picked up four of our kids for VBS and Matt took two boys to basketball camp. Auggie started his morning ABA session, then Kiya and I had attachment therapy. Right away after that, I dropped her off at a volleyball clinic then went to finish more shopping needs.

We watched a World Cup game that afternoon. Elias and Malorie had offered to make dinner, so I turned the kitchen over to them! They pulled Brayden in to help, which was perfect. :)

I used my free time while they were making dinner to turn Sunday’s leftover Salsa Shredded Beef into Burritos for the freezer.

Dinner was delicious! Elias made Pizza Bake and Malorie made Red Lobster Biscuits. Everyone ate well (thanks to Elias saving out some plain noodles for a couple of the kids to eat with just butter and salt, ha).

Wednesday morning, while all the kids were at VBS or camp and Auggie had ABA therapy, Kelsey and Hopelyn came over to hang out with me! Hopelyn found the chef’s hat in our playroom and started to cook yummy food in the play kitchen. :)

That afternoon, five kids went to Art Camp while Acacia, Josie, and Auggie set up a rock and dirt kitchen outside. They played there like champs for over an hour!! This allowed me to actually watch part of a World Cup soccer game with Matt, Elias, and Malorie. It was glorious!

I smoked Chicken Apple Sausages for dinner, cut up Sweet Peppers and Watermelon, and made five boxes of Mac and Cheese.

Four kids had three hours of ABA therapy from 3:30-6:30, then we loaded up and went to Popsicles in the Park with our church family.

Keith though? He spotted a group of kids playing soccer in the grass beside the splash area and just hopped right into the game. Those kids were gracious to include him, and he stayed there the entire evening.

On Thursday morning, Keith and Bonus Buddy had their final day of Basketball Camp, which included a tournament for parents to watch. They had fun, worked hard, and came home with ribbons and certificates!

Most of the other kids were at VBS all morning, then back at home we had a lunch of Tuna Salad, Boiled Eggs, and Smoothies before heading back out to take five kids to Art Camp.

Late afternoon, Kiya helped me get some baking done. She made Lemon Muffins while I made a double batch of Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars. We planned to have the muffins for Friday’s breakfast. And the cookie bars were for both a VBS potluck lunch on Friday plus a family birthday dinner Friday evening.

Dinner that night was super easy and cheap! While shopping on Monday, I had found frozen bags of Chicken Pineapple Rice on clearance for just $2.00. I grabbed a bunch because that was a hard price to pass up for a convenient meal that gave me a night off from cooking. We ended up going through four bags of them that night, plus everyone had fruit.

Friday morning, I made a big pan of Chewy Granola Bars to have on hand for immediate hunger needs.

Five kids went to VBS, Matt stayed home with three kids, and I went to Wal-Mart and Aldi. We were having a family birthday celebration that night and there were some specific food items we needed. I found a lot of fun clearance items while I was at Walmart (but failed to get a picture) – the best being a $5 World Cup Soccer Ball! Aldi was just up the road so I ran into get just a few things there – mostly fruit/veggie pouches because they are the only way we can get some of our kids to eat veggies.

We all met up at the kids’ VBS to enjoy a program and a potluck lunch.

That afternoon, five kids went to their final day of Art Camp. I took the three youngest kids to the park while Matt went to help a friend with a house project. The kids and I started in the sand where it was shady. Then we moved on to the sunny swings and slides. I was surprised that the kids lasted out in the heat for almost two hours – but it was a pretty great afternoon and I was thankful! We went home and took nice baths to cool them off and to get all the sand out of their hair and out from between their toes. :)

When everyone else got home, we worked together to shuck a dozen ears of corn. It’s amazing how fast this process can go with so many kids!

The rest of the night was sooooo great!! We had plans to celebrate Malorie’s birthday that we’d missed in May, plus Eva’s birthday that had happened this week. Miraculously, all of us were able to be together, including all of our housemates. Malachi had flown home just in time after his video work in Texas all week. Eva felt up for coming over and carried Phoebe around to keep her from being swarmed by all the little kids. These moments together are my absolute favorite!

Elias has perfected the art of making Steak – and he nailed it that night!

To go with our Steaks, we had Caesar Salad, Corn on the Cob, Cheesy Potatoes, and Berry Parfaits. I also had a crock pot full of Hot Dogs for the kids who didn’t want steak. Malorie requested Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars for dessert and I had Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies in the freezer that I knew were Eva’s favorites. So we all enjoyed birthday cookies after our awesome meal together!

Saturday morning, I put together a big pan of Layered Chicken Enchiladas for our Sunday lunch the next day.

We met Kelsey with Hopelyn and Arrow at the library for Sensory Storytime. Then we all loaded up and headed to the zoo!

Arrow was a big boy eating a great big apple on the way there.

Two wagons, ten kids, three adults, thirteen water bottles, and one picnic bag later – we made our way in to enjoy a very hot few hours looking at animals and playing in the various play areas.

Hello Flamingos. You are our favorite.

I had packed a very random assortment of lunch items in order to accommodate so many food preferences. We had chips, blueberries, cheese, salami, meat sticks, slivered turkey, mandarin orange/pear/peach cups, yogurt, and pistachios. Everyone got full, then we headed on to play in the climbing area.

We ran into our friends Sarabeth and James with their kids on our way out. We hadn’t seen each other in years, and I was bummed that we didn’t take pictures together! What a treat to run into them!

Back at home, we put Arrow down for a nap, the kids played, and we got ready to host a big World Cup Final Game Lunch/Watch Party the next day. And that was our week!

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Big Family Grocery Spending for November, 2025

December 2, 2025 by Laura Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Here’s our Big Family Grocery Spending for November, 2025 post!

Curious how much we spent during the month of November and what groceries we bought? Here’s the breakdown…

Big Family Grocery Spending for November, 2025

1. Aldi

On November 3, I ran into Aldi for some non-perishables we needed. I grabbed a huge pile of Fruit/Veggie pouches for Auggie and the grandbabies, fritos, crackers, cake mix, salsa, meat sticks, rotel, blueberries, a case of broth, and two boxes of granola bars.

Total for food at Aldi: $86.48

2. Sam’s

On November 5, I loaded up at Sam’s. I bought chicken drumsticks, potatoes, spring mix, sweet peppers, apples, bananas, frozen fruit, yogurt, shredded cheese, 2-pound brick of Colby-jack cheese, sliced Colby-jack cheese, 3 tubs of sour cream, heavy whipping cream, z-bars, Rotel, chicken broth, fruit twists, ranch dressing, salsa, peanut butter, honey, and lunch meat.

I also picked up some packaged items for our kids’ lunches. Because of their autism, they have some extreme food aversions so I’ve been having a hard time figuring out what I can send them to eat at school. I picked up some dried fruit packs, granola bites, Pirate’s Booty, meat sticks, and cheese/cracker packs.

Malachi had requested that I grab a few snack/drink items for him to take to his office. He often has someone there editing videos with him and wanted to fill up a table with snack options.

Last but not least, I got several items to help fill our Little Free Pantry. Somehow I made it out of the store with just one cart!

Total groceries for our household at Sam’s: $333.22

3. Wal-Mart

Several times during the month, we went to Wal-Mart to buy perishable items to add to the small fridge we put outside by our sidewalk for people to take as needed. While there, we picked up what our family needed also. Most of what is in these pictures shares what we put into our Little Free Pantry fridge during the month of November, which came out of a separate budget or was funded by others.

Total for our family’s needs: $217.62

4. Aldi

On November 12, I went to Aldi. About half of what I purchased was food to put into our Little Free Pantry. And for our family, I bought milk, ham, grapes, clementines, apples, chips, lasagna noodles, Clif bars, broccoli, spring mix, zucchini, salsa, granola, half and half, fruit/veggie pouches, cake mix, stuffing mix, and pears.

Total from our grocery budget: $116.93

5. Sam’s

On November 19, I filled a cart at Sam’s with apples, grapes, bananas, butter, sour cream, tomato sauce, tomato soup, smoked sausage, shredded cheese, avocado mash, peanut butter, cereal, whole oats, honey, clif bars, strawberry bars (for $0.91/box!), eggs, meat sticks, pistachios, peanuts, dried strawberries, fruit twists, oatmeal cookie chunks (four bags on clearance), canned chicken, applesauce, granola, hot dogs, pickles, cheese slices, hamburger meat, spring mix, spinach, and pork roast.

Total at Sam’s: $413.38

6. McDonald’s

As we were traveling home from Kansas this month, we stopped and bought 80 chicken nuggets at McDonald’s. Malachi was with us and preferred two cheeseburgers. The total cost for ten of us to eat was ridiculously cheap, and the kids LOVED this special treat! Also, in case you’re wondering how quickly we can eat 80 nuggets – they were gone in twenty minutes.

Total at McDonald’s: $23.09

7. Wal-Mart

On November 24, I went to Wal-Mart and found that 9:30 in the morning is a great time to strike gold on meat markdowns! I got great prices on brats, chicken, hamburger meat, hamburger patties, and tri tip! I also got salad, milk, greens, and bananas.

Total at Wal-Mart: $144.95

8. Costco

Next, I went to Costco to buy necessities plus some special treats for our Thanksgiving day family gathering. I had some Costco credit to use, which made this trip cost very little!

I picked up broccoli, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, pineapple, butter, granola bars, berry bars, flour, cream cheese, chips, guacamole, chicken nuggets, pizza, coffee, eggnog, heavy whipping cream, and some snacks.

Total for food after certificate: $88.67

Total for groceries November, 2025: $1,425.07

Our WIC benefits provide our littles with around $120 worth of groceries each month. You can read here to learn our 2025 Grocery Budget plus look over ways I’m able to keep our budget at this level.

Running Totals for 2025

January spending: $679
February spending: $1,459
March spending: $1,346
April spending: $1,364
May spending: $1374
June spending: $1,127
July spending: $633
August spending: $1,501
September spending: $1,603
October spending: $1,347
November spending: $1,425

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Big Family Grocery Spending for October, 2025

November 1, 2025 by Laura 1 Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Here’s our Big Family Grocery Spending for October, 2025 post!

Curious how much we spent during the month of October and what groceries we bought? Here’s the breakdown…

Big Family Grocery Spending for October, 2025

1. Wal-Mart

On October 2, Matt got a few things for us at Wal-Mart: milk, frozen hashbrowns, spinach, spring mix, and cream. I didn’t get a photo of this. :)

Total for groceries at Wal-Mart: $52.27

2. Freddy’s

On October 4, we took the kids to Freddy’s to enjoy a free ice cream treat that they’d earned during the Summer Library Reading Challenge. We ordered some fries to go with our ice cream, plus we bought Elias and Malorie a treat.

Total out of pocket at Freddy’s: $15.16

3. Costco

On October 6, I went to Costco and got spring mix, bananas, apples, clementines, oranges, pears, potatoes, grapes, raspberries, sweet peppers, shredded cheese, yogurt, taquitos, chicken strips, chicken nuggets, tater tots, sausage links, Fritos, pepperoni, cream cheese, butter, barbecue sauce, ketchup, mandarin orange cups, chicken broth, peanuts, and milk.

Total for food at Costco: $272.36

4. Sam’s

On October 12, I ran into Sam’s on our way home from church. I was almost out of necessities for our daily smoothies, plus I grabbed pancake mix per Kiya’s birthday dinner request. :)

Total at Sam’s: $20.10

5. Costco Lunch

On October 14, we treated the kids to lunch at Costco during their Fall Break. They chose between pizza and hotdogs and we made a fine mess. :)

Total for lunch at Costco: $16.34

6. Aldi

On October 15, I filled a cart at Aldi with many of our needs and favorites. I got milk, sliced cheese, salsa, half and half, heavy whipping cream, hard salami, meat sticks, pear cups, peach cups, fritos, granola, whole milk yogurt, ground sausage, sausage patties, sliced ham, raisins, fruit/veggie pouches, French fries, pretzels, bananas, apples, mixed greens, spinach, grapes, strawberries, pickles, crackers, brownie mix, cake mix, onions, and carrots. I also found a big pork roast for just $1.79/pound so I grabbed it for an upcoming Sunday Lunch.

Total at Aldi: $271.00

7.Wal-Mart

On October 22, I ran into Wal-Mart to get milk, shredded potatoes, diced ham, and frozen fruit. I checked for meat markdowns and scored three packages of hamburger meat!

Total at Wal-Mart: $84.75

8. Sam’s

From Wal-Mart, we went straight to Sam’s. I got pork chops and a roast marked down. Plus I filled the cart with peanut butter, yogurt, spaghetti sauce, spring mix, spinach, grapes, raspberries, bananas, broccoli, golden kiwi, 10-dozen eggs, half and half, heavy whipping cream, avocado cups, shredded cheese, white queso, laughing cow cheese, tomato sauce, bacon, applesauce, applesauce pouches, brown sugar, minced onion, orange chicken, corn dogs, cereal, butter, egg bites, pie crust, turkey lunch meat, ham lunch meat, pickles, coconut oil, olive oil, and yogies.

Total for groceries at Sam’s: $428.23

9. Hy-Vee

On October 23, Eva picked up our WIC order at Hy-Vee on her way over to our house. We got cereal, cheese, eggs, beans, juice, whole wheat noodles, tuna, rice, and several bags of frozen fruits and veggies. This benefit for our kids is such a blessing! Arrow helped us put it away. :)

Total out of pocket: $0

10. Amazon

Our subscribe and save order this month provided us with several boxes of Go-Go Squeeze applesauce and yogurt plus Annie’s mac and cheese and Redmond’s Sea Salt.

Total from Amazon: $59.60

11. Wal-Mart

On October 29, I went to Wal-Mart to finish off the last few WIC items we still needed to pick up for the month. I also got three gallons of milk, 10 dozen eggs, sausage patties, bananas, spring mix, spinach, clementines, lasagna noodles, cottage cheese, cliff bars, coconut flakes, flax seed, a Caesar salad kit, and hamburger meat marked down.

Total out of pocket for food: $116.05

12. Sonic

We discovered a great deal on Halloween night for $0.50 corndogs so we asked Malachi to bring home 20 of them for our dinner that night before we headed out. It’s hard to pass up a deal like that!

Total at Sonic: $11.00

Total for groceries October, 2025: $1,347

Running Totals for 2025

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Big Family Grocery Spending for September, 2025

October 1, 2025 by Laura 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Here’s our Big Family Grocery Spending for September, 2025 post!

Curious how much we spent during the month of September and what groceries we bought? Here’s the breakdown!

Big Family Grocery Spending for September, 2025

1. Costco

On September 3, I filled up a cart at Costco! I got four bags of apples, a watermelon, 4-pounds of strawberries, 2 containers of raspberries, sweet peppers, oranges, bananas, spinach, cream, half and half, sour cream, butter, shredded cheese, three boxes of frozen pizza, crusted tilapia, laughing cow cheese for lunches, beef hotdogs, bacon cheddar brats on clearance, coffee, chips, barbecue sauce, cocoa powder, pancake mix, pepperoni, and sliced cheese.

Total for Groceries at Costco: $377.99

2. Aldi

I went to Aldi that same day, hoping my chance to score some meat markdowns. I didn’t find any, but the prices on several items were great per pound so I grabbed boneless chicken thighs ($2.49/pound) and grass-fed hamburger patties ($5.49/pound). We use Aldi’s sausage patties for breakfast sandwiches so I got two more bags of those and five gallons of milk.

Total at Aldi: $88.74

3. Sam’s

On September 6, I ran into Sam’s on our way home from a church event because it’s right on the path. I needed Peanut Butter and Bacon, and as you can see, I very much stocked up on Peanut Butter! This is our favorite kind and Sam’s is the only place I can find it. As I always do, I checked for mark-downs on meat. I scored BIG on hamburger patties and even BIGGER on racks of ribs. The ribs were marked down plus each package was an additional $5 off. And they were double packs. So I got two packages each of two racks of ribs for around $13 each. AMAZING.

Total at Sam’s: $196.45

4. Aldi

On September 10, I went to Aldi for our weekly milk plus a few other needed items. I do crack up at the fact that this is what my shopping trip looks like when I just need to “run into Aldi for a couple of things.” :) I got five gallons of milk, Caesar salad kits, cilantro, spaghetti sauce, cantaloupe, granola, lots of yogurt, chips, crackers, cumin, raisins, bananas, limes, frozen fries and tots, shrimp, lasagna noodles, fruit/veggie pouches, sliced pineapple, meat sticks, hamburger meat, and salami.

Total at Aldi: $147.32

5. Hy-Vee Pick-Up

On September 13, we got most of our WIC items for the month through Hy-Vee Pick-up. Acacia aged out of WIC last month, so we get fewer items now. Still, we are so blessed to get several boxes of cereal, some cheese, whole grain pasta, beans, eggs, and produce through Josie and Auggie’s benefits. I forgot to take a picture until most of our groceries were put away…

Total at Hy-Vee: $0 out of pocket

6. Costco

On September 17, I went to Costco and got shredded cheese, rolled oats, milk, sweet peppers, spinach, pears, strawberries, raspberries, meat sticks, graham crackers, potatoes, frozen meatballs, white queso, nectarines, sour cream, butter, chips, bananas, mandarins, chocolate chips, canned pumpkin, pickles, sliced ham, broccoli, and a Rotisserie Chicken.

Total for Groceries at Costco: $217.91

7. Sam’s

On September 24, I stocked up at Sam’s and found meat markdowns while I was there too! I bought 20-pounds of ground beef, three packages of chicken breast tenderloins marked down, plus spinach, spring mix, baby carrots, cream, half and half, oatmeal packets, butter, bacon, brown sugar, pickles, French fries, bananas, raspberries, apples, 10-dozen eggs, avocado cups, sliced cheese, chocolate chips, rotel, canned corn, sausage links, yogurt, honey, maple syrup, spaghetti sauce, egg noodles, minced onion, veggie straws, and some packaged snacks for lunches and soccer games (like granola bars).

Total for Groceries at Sam’s: $490.69

8. Wal-Mart

After I left Sam’s that day, I went next door to Wal-Mart. I forgot to take a picture, but I bought four gallons of milk, seven bags of frozen veggies, a big bag of frozen hashbrowns, three cans of pineapple tidbits, two packages of shredded coconut, two packages of cubed ham, and a pork roast marked down to less than $2/pound.

Total for Groceries at Wal-Mart: $52.63

9. Amazon

Also not pictured is three boxes of Go-Go Squeeze applesauce or yogurts that came in our subscribe-and-save order this month.

Total at Amazon: $31.42

Total for groceries September, 2025: $1,603

Running Totals for 2025

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Big Family Grocery Spending for August, 2025

September 1, 2025 by Laura 1 Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Here’s our Big Family Grocery Spending for August, 2025 post!

Curious how much we spent during the month of August and what groceries we bought? Here’s the breakdown!

Big Family Grocery Spending for August, 2025

1. Slim Chickens

On August 5, we took advantage of Free Kid’s Meal Coupons that the kids had earned. My dad and his wife had sent me birthday money, so I used that to pay for Matt’s and my lunches. Yay for a fun, free lunch outing!

Total spent out of pocket at Slim Chickens: $0

2. Aldi

On August 7, we had a big grocery stock up morning! At Aldi, I bought blueberries (x2), cantaloupe (x2), Caesar salad kits (x3), pears, mandarin oranges, baby carrots, 100% juice fruit cups (x9), bags of grapes (x2), boneless chicken thighs (4), corn chips (x2), granola, pure and simple bars (x5), meat sticks (x2), crackers, salami, pasta sauce (x4), salsa (x4), raisin boxes (x2), whole milk yogurt cups (x4), fruit/veggie pouches (x21), ground sausage (x4), sausage patties (x3), veggie straws (x3), and brown sugar (x4).

Total at Aldi: $263.31

3. Costco

Next, we went to Costco. We bought tuna, canned chicken, strawberries (4 pounds), broccoli, parmesan cheese, cream (x2), half and half, milk (x4), bananas, spinach, mixed greens, granola, sausage links, minced onion, tortelloni, cheese/cracker packs, butter (8 pounds), eggs (5 dozen), chicken nuggets, avocado mash (x2), ground beef, fresh sweet corn, corndogs, applesauce cups, beef sticks, peanuts, a few cases of drinks, and several packages of easy-to-pack lunch items that were on sale (like granola bites and clif bars).

Total at Costco: $504.46

4. Costco Pizza

We grabbed a pizza for the kids to eat for lunch when we got home…

Costco Pizza: $10.89

5. Cheddars

We got to have an anniversary date on the 13th! We used what was left on a gift card, then paid the overage out of pocket.

Total after gift card: $8.55

6. Wal-Mart

On August 14, Matt picked up 4 gallons of milk, 10 bananas, and a pound of spring mix. I didn’t get a picture. :)

Total at Wal-Mart: $19.74

7. Hy-Vee Pick-Up

On August 19, we ordered most of our WIC items for the month. (Acacia turns five and will age out after this month. Such a big girl!) I also put four gallons of whole milk in our order, so we paid for that out of pocket.

Total out of pocket from Hy-Vee: $11.52

8. Sam’s

On August 20, I went to Sam’s to get food we needed, but mostly to get our favorite box of bacon. :) I checked for meat markdowns while I was there, and was so happy to find pork chops, steak, and hamburger meat all marked down! I also picked up chicken legs, chicken thighs, carrots, strawberries, bananas, apples, Caesar salad kits, potatoes, clementines, sweet peppers, 5-dozen eggs, fish sticks, sliced cheese, shredded cheese, peanut butter, honey, brown sugar, chocolate chips, beef hot dogs, brats, smoked sausage, deli turkey, deli ham, applesauce, cream, sour cream, coconut oil, and avocado cups.

Total at Sam’s: $401.14

9. Amazon

We get several cases of Go-Go Squeeze items from Amazon through Subscribe and Save for the kids’ lunches and for on-the-go snacks. I forgot to take a picture before we put our order away!

Total from Amazon: $33.81

10. Wal-Mart

I had plans to head to Aldi for a bigger shopping trip, but hadn’t had a chance to get out yet. So I put in a pick-up order at Walmart for some essentials to hold us over until I could do some real shopping. Matt picked these up while he was out getting a hair cut: milk (4 gallons), spring mix, frozen fruit (2 big bags), coconut flakes, baby carrots, and flax seed.

Total at Wal-Mart: $25.50

11. Aldi

I was finally able to get to Aldi at the end of the month. I picked up pizzas, hot dogs, brats, and chips in preparation for Acacia’s big birthday meal. I found incredible deals on boxes of 100% juice freezer pops ($0.21/each!) and bottles of squeeze mayo ($0.55/each!) – all marked down because it was the end of summertime. Plus I got cream, half and half, fruit/veggie pouches, cantaloupe, creamer, Caesar salad kits, boneless chicken thighs, sausage patties, ham, crackers, brown sugar, cake mixes, 100% juice pear cups, and pickles.

Total at Aldi: $219.43

Total for groceries August, 2025: $1,501

I went over budget this month, but I’ve been under the past couple of months, so it all balances out!

Our WIC benefits provide our littles with around $180 worth of groceries each month. You can read here to learn our 2025 Grocery Budget plus look over ways I’m able to keep our budget at this level.

Running Totals for 2025

January spending: $679
February spending: $1,459
March spending: $1,346
April spending: $1,364
May spending: $1374
June spending: $1,127
July spending: $633
August spending: $1,501

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Big Family Grocery Spending for June, 2025

July 1, 2025 by Laura Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Here’s our Big Family Grocery Spending for June, 2025 post!

Curious how much we spent during the month of June and what groceries we bought? Here’s the breakdown!

Big Family Grocery Spending for June, 2025

1. Costco

I ran into Costco on June 2 so that I could get some paper products we needed, plus fresh produce (apples, sweet peppers, greens, watermelon, bananas, cucumbers) and some items we needed for an upcoming event at our house. I snagged some brats on sale for just $2.97/package – a super markdown! I also got hamburger meat, cheese sticks, shredded cheese, milk, sausage links, and mayo.

We’d been blessed with some EBT cards (our kids qualify for free lunch at school, which qualified them for some SNAP benefits for the summer – a surprise blessing!). I had $155 worth on two cards, so I used it to pay for almost all of these groceries. (Paper products come out of a different budget so I don’t count those in our grocery totals.)

Total out of pocket for food at Costco: $2.78

2. Sam’s/Walmart Pickup

We had big plans to host a large gathering at our house on June 8, so a few days before that, I placed pick-up orders and Sam’s and Wal-Mart for Justus to pick up for me. This included hotdog buns, coffee add-ins, and popsicles.

For our family, I also ordered eggs, yogurt, strawberries, milk, ham, a salad kit, and cocoa powder. This picture only shows a tiny portion of it because at the time Justus got it all to our house, there were 21 people there and our house was very hectic. Everyone was working together to manage kids, bring in groceries, and set out dinner. So I snapped this picture quickly in the midst of it all. :)

Total at Sam’s and Wal-Mart: $122.94

3. Donut Festival

On June 7, we loaded up and drove an hour to Nebraska City to enjoy a Donut Festival at Kimmel Orchard. We bought a dozen of their special Apple Cider Donuts to enjoy that morning. Then at lunchtime, we bought a container of their freshly picked Strawberries!

Total at the Donut Festival: $19.24

4. Wal-Mart

On June 12, we took a Wal-Mart and Sam’s trip. I picked up four gallons of milk, mustard, and a roast marked down (already in the bag). I was happily surprised to find several items of 100% juice fruit cups and pouches on clearance, so I got them super cheap! I also got two cans of pineapple and two jars of mandarins. We are going through a lot of chilled fruit cups and pouches this summer as we try to keep the kids full and nourished. These sales were fun to find!

Total at Wal-Mart: $49.59

5. Sam’s

After Wal-Mart, we headed next door to Sam’s. We got spring mix, broccoli, nectarines, cuties, bananas, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, eggs, cream, fish sticks, orange chicken, mandarin orange cups, frozen pizza, yogurt, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, cheese and cracker packs, ham for sandwiches, cheddar franks, peanut butter (x4), honey, chips, mayo, coffee, and almond butter.

Total at Sam’s: $258.77

6. Wal-mart

On June 17, I went to Wal-Mart to get our WIC items for the month: produce, cereal, cheese, tortillas, eggs, and yogurt. I picked a few items that weren’t covered by WIC while I was there.

Total out of pocket at Wal-Mart: $13.55

7. Amazon

Each month, we get a few subscribe and save items. This time, I remembered to take a picture!

Total from Amazon: $45.23

8. Aldi

On June 19, I took Anna and Auggie to Aldi. We got milk (x4), Caesar salad kits (x3), strawberries (x2), apples, potatoes, ground sausage (x4), sausage patties (x2), pear cups on 100% juice (x6), granola (x3), yogurt (x3), ice cream cones, grass-fed hamburger meat (x4), brown sugar, fruit/veggie pouches (x15), cake mix (x2), large bags of tortilla chips (x2), salsa (x2), and 100% juice popsicles.

Total at Aldi: $184.98

9. Cheddars

We’d been given a gift card to Cheddars and finally had a chance to use it on June 26. Matt and I shared a combo plate, which was plenty of food. Plus we splurged on an appetizer! The gift card covered our entire meal and tip, plus we have a little left over for another date another time.

Total at Cheddars: $0

10. Sam’s

On June 27, we were low on many staples so we went to Sam’s to restock. We got milk, cream, half and half, sour cream, butter, shredded cheese, eggs (10 dozen), yogurt, hamburger meat, chicken legs, tator tots, brown sugar, ketchup, peanut butter, chips, maple syrup, mandarin orange cups, peach cups, applesauce pouches, white queso, orange chicken, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, watermelon, bananas, spring mix, spinach, grapes, apples, strawberries, avocado cups, tortillas, pickles, turkey lunch meat, and pistachios.

Total for groceries at Sam’s: $358.77

I was pleasantly surprised that with the kids home and eating SO MUCH FOOD this summer, we actually came in under budget. The summer EBT cards helped, but that amount wasn’t huge. So, I was surprised because we are keeping the kids very active, which makes them extra hungry! We’ve been feeding them lots of fruit and lots of homemade snacks, which is very cost effective.

And also? Often when I come in under budget one month, I go over the next month (when I restock all that we ate the month before). It all averages out. We’ll see how July goes!

Total for groceries in June, 2025: $1,127

NOTE: Our WIC benefits provide our littles with around $180 worth of groceries each month. You can read here to learn our 2025 Grocery Budget plus look over ways I’m able to keep our budget at this level.

Running Totals for 2025

January spending: $679
February spending: $1,459
March spending: $1,346
April spending: $1,364
May spending: $1374
June spending: $1,127

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Big Family Grocery Spending for May, 2025

June 2, 2025 by Laura 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Here’s our Big Family Grocery Spending for May, 2025 post!

Big Family Grocery Spending for May, 2025

Curious how much we spent during the month of May and what groceries we bought? Here’s the breakdown!

1. Aldi

On May 5, I was close to Aldi so I ran in to see if there were any meat markdowns. They didn’t have any – but I did get strawberries for $1.99/pound.

Total at Aldi: $22.12

2. Sam’s

On May 5, Auggie and I went to Sam’s after his speech therapy appointment. We got pork chops (marked down!), ground beef, frozen hamburger patties, bacon, beef smoked sausages, cheddar franks, beef hotdogs, orange chicken, avocado mash, heavy whipping cream, milk, eggs, shredded cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, honey, rotel, minced onion, pistachios, pickles, spring mix, two kinds of apples, broccoli, bananas, and sweet peppers.

Total for groceries at Sam’s: $347.25

3. Aldi

The Saturday before Mother’s Day, I ran into Aldi to get strawberries and Caesar salad to go with our family meal that Sunday. While there, I grabbed mandarins because we’ve been eating them like crazy! Plus I bought sausage patties so that I’d have them on hand for the Breakfast Sandwiches we like so much. Ah, and I also bought Gelatto. No reason. Only because it’s fun and delicious. :)

Total at Aldi: $46.80

4. McDonald’s

I took three of the kids to a wedding in Omaha on Saturday, May 10. I forgot to take any pictures while there because I was visiting with so many friends. But back at home, Matt, Elias, Malorie, and Malachi were holding down the fort with the other four kids. Matt splurged on McDonalds’ for their dinner that night. I don’t know what deals they found, but it must have been good!

Total for McDonald’s: $20.22

5. Sam’s

For Mother’s Day, we had a lovely, simple meal that included two Rotisserie Chickens from Sam’s. Elias, Malorie, and Malachi picked them up on their way home from church.

Total for two Sam’s Rotisserie Chickens: $10.88

6. The Mill

Also on Mother’s Day, we girls made plans to go out for coffee together after lunch. Kelsey wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t join us. :( But Eva, Malorie, and I had a lovely time enjoying the break together.

Total at The Mill: $17.75

7. Wal-Mart

Mid-month, I picked up a few WIC items at Wal-Mart. I also got two gallons of milk and a few fun treats/splurges for the kids’ upcoming track meet and field trips. I couldn’t pass up the Yoda crackers. :)

Total out of pocket at Wal-Mart: $25.00

8. Hy-Vee

Saturday, May 17, I picked up our May WIC items that I’d ordered from Hy-Vee. As of right now, Hy-Vee is the only store in our area that partners with WIC to allow for online ordering and pick-up. It is super helpful to shop like this for these items, so I take advantage! I got cereal, cheese, yogurt, pasta, rice, beans, and produce.

Total out of pocket: $4.18

9. Sam’s

On May 20, Auggie and I went to Sam’s after his speech therapy. We loaded up on greens, pears, apples, oranges, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, pineapple, watermelon, sweet peppers, cucumbers, cream, half and half, chicken (marked down), hotdogs, steak (marked down), smoked sausage, bacon, nuts, sliced cheese, turkey lunchmeat, sour cream, white queso, peanut butter, oats, applesauce, yogurt, pepperoni, mac and cheese, chocolate chips, coconut rolls, crackers, meat sticks, granola bars, and some snack bars to take on our summer outings.

Total for groceries at Sam’s: $552.59

10. Wal-Mart

After I left Sam’s, I went into Wal-Mart to grab milk and oatmeal.

Total at Wal-Mart: $19.10

11. Amazon

I didn’t get a picture, but we got a few boxes of Go-Go Squeeze pouches in our Amazon subscribe and save order.

Total from Amazon: $33.77

12. Sam’s

On Saturday, May 24, I ran into Sam’s to grab a few produce items for our Sunday Lunch (we were having BLTs). On a whim, I decided to check for meat markdowns, assuming there wouldn’t be any because it was a Saturday afternoon and a very busy shopping day for people. I was SO GLAD I checked! I found multiple packages of grass-fed hamburger meat marked down!! Twenty-one pounds of good beef? Yes, please.

Total at Sam’s: $138.52

13. Aldi

On May 28, we needed milk so I took a couple kids to Aldi with me. Besides milk, I got several other Aldi favorites plus more fresh produce to get us through the next few days.

Total at Aldi: $133.84

Total for groceries in May, 2025: $1,374

Running Totals for 2025

January spending: $679
February spending: $1,459
March spending: $1,346
April spending: $1,364
May spending: $1374

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Big Family Grocery Spending for April, 2025

May 1, 2025 by Laura 3 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Here’s our Big Family Grocery Spending for April, 2025 post!

Big Family Grocery Spending for April, 2025

Curious how much we spent during the month of April and what groceries we bought? Here’s the breakdown!

1. Costco

April 7 was the first shopping day of the month that I needed groceries. I got restocked on fresh fruits and veggies: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, bananas, sweet peppers, apples, pears, carrots, a salad kit, and oranges. I also got frozen pizza, veggie straws, tortilla chips, cottage cheese, milk, sour cream, half and half, maple syrup, avocado cups, applesauce cups, parmesan cheese, hamburger meat, hot dogs, brats, chicken legs, a Rotisserie chicken, and a case of Kombucha.

I felt great about getting a big Costco-sized cart full of groceries, full of meat and produce, for just over $300.

Total spent for groceries at Costco: $311.25

2. Aldi

On April 9, we headed to Aldi right after it opened because I was hoping to catch some meat markdowns. Once again, there were none. :( But I did get some boneless chicken thighs on sale for just $2.49/pound, so that was a great score! Butter was on sale so I got some, though it wasn’t a fabulous deal so I only got four pounds.

While there, I grabbed some of our Aldi essentials: whole milk yogurt, baking supplies, organic pasta sauce, sausage patties for sandwiches, and pear cups for lunches. I also got two dozen eggs – not because they were a great price but because I didn’t want to run short. I got some (non-hydrogenated) Peanut Butter to hold us over until we could get our favorite at Sam’s. And I got espresso because Malachi has been having fun making tasty lattes each morning!

Total at Aldi: $145.72

3. Walmart

After we left Aldi, we took the crew into Walmart for a little bit of an outing plus to check, once again, for meat markdowns. I only found some boneless chicken breasts, which aren’t our favorite (we prefer thighs). But for $1.92/pound, they rise to the top of the favorite list! That was the only meat worth grabbing that day, but I’m thankful that we at least found a great deal on food we’ll use!

I also got cocoa powder (which has been harder to find lately) and some mixed greens for smoothies.

Total for food at Wal-Mart: $41.12

4. Azure Standard

On April 11, we got an Azure Standard order. I don’t order from them as much as I used to now that we live in Lincoln and I have access to much of what I need from Costco and Sam’s. But I am blessed to accrue a small amount of referral credit each month, and there are certain items from Azure I really love. I used our credit this month and got 25-pounds of whole wheat pastry flour, 30-pounds of frozen hashbrown potatoes, a case of tortillas, two bags of chocolate chips, and some special low-sugar cookies to take on outings for our kids.

Total out of pocket for our Azure order: $0

5. Sam’s

On April 14, I ran into Sam’s and got three 2-packs of peanut butter, a bottle of honey, brown sugar, cheese/cracker packs and meat sticks for lunches, hamburger meat, spaghetti sauce, cream, chocolate chips, and eggs. (Eggs were just $4.00/dozen – the price is slowly going down!)

Total for groceries at Sam’s: $170.93

6. Wal-Mart

I ran next door to Wal-Mart to get a few things we needed, and while there I got a bunch of bananas, four gallons of milk, and a container of spinach.

Total for groceries at Walmart: $20.51

7. Aldi

On April 16, I took Anna to Aldi to grab a couple items for an upcoming family birthday celebration. I only found one of the birthday items I needed – BUT I scored big time on boneless chicken thighs marked down 50% off! There were many packages available so I didn’t hold back and grabbed 10 of them for $1.25/pound. Amazing!!

While there, I picked up a pineapple on sale plus several other of our favorite Aldi items: hard salami and meat sticks for lunches, Caesar salad kits, marshmallows for Rice Krispie treats, several pounds of sausage, sliced cheese, pickles, pear cups, crackers, canned pears, and coffee creamer.

Total at Aldi: $140.04

8. Hy-Vee

On April 18, I put in a pick-up order for our WIC items at Hy-Vee. This makes it so easy and I’m thankful for this online/pick-up option that Hy-Vee offers.

Total out of pocket after WIC benefits: $0.99

9. Scooters

On April 23, Malachi and I took Keith and Anna to Omaha for evaluations and diagnosis so that we can help meet their overall needs more fully. It was an incredibly intense day, beginning at 8:00am and not ending until after 3:00pm. Therefore, afterward I decided that Malachi and I had earned a treat. We ran to Scooters to get special coffee to get us through on our ride home. I didn’t get a picture of the drinks, but here’s Keith pre-appointment!

Total at Scooters: $12.59

10. Aldi

On April 24, I went to Aldi again. I didn’t have a long list, and I mostly went for milk. I grabbed four gallons plus half and half, cream, barbecue sauce, yogurt, bananas, mandarins, fruit/veggie pouches, applesauce, two kinds of apples, blackberries, granola, and cream cheese.

Total at Aldi: $75.00

11. Wal-Mart

On April 28, I went to Wal-Mart to finish using up our WIC produce benefits for the month. (I got two containers of greens, bananas, and strawberries with our benefits). While I was there, of course I checked in for meat markdowns! I found some slider-sized hamburger patties marked down, then happened upon big bags of individually packaged organic veggie straws that were featured at Easter. They were a super cheap clearance steal, so I grabbed six 12-pack bags!

I also picked up cocoa powder, unsweetened coconut flakes, coffee creamers, and banana wax peppers while I was there.

Total out of pocket for groceries at Wal-Mart: $59.46

12. Costco

After Wal-Mart, I went to Costco. I bought a 10-pound tube of hamburger meat, chicken nuggets, frozen fries, peach cups, 100% juice freezer pops, canned chicken, heavy whipping cream, half and half, shredded cheese, pickles, yogurt, guacamole, tortilla chips, raspberries, blueberries, fruit bars, peanuts, and frozen pizza. Brayden had requested Lunchables for an upcoming outdoor fun day at school, so I bought the Costco version of those for a special treat.

Total for groceries at Costco: $351.97

13. Amazon Subscribe and Save

Somewhere in there, we received applesauce and yogurt pouches from Amazon.

Total for food from Amazon: $33.02

14. Bonus Produce

One of our neighbors is a college student who is studying Botany. She and her fellow students have a greenhouse, and every once in a while, she delivers us some fresh peppers, tomatoes, or lettuce that they have grown. It’s so much fun and very tasty!

Meanwhile, she parks her motorcycle in our back parking area – a win-win! (And for the record, we’d let her park there even if she didn’t give us delicious fresh produce.) ;)

Also, Malorie works at a daycare and twice each month, a produce truck hands out a small but nice amount of free fruits and veggies to everyone there. This month, she brought home a fun sack full of onions, cucumbers, peppers, and I can’t remember what else. We make use of everything that comes into our home, and we are thankful for these bonuses!

Total for groceries in April, 2025: $1,364

Running Totals for 2025

January spending: $679
February spending: $1,459
March spending: $1,346
April spending: $1,364

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Big Family Grocery Spending for March, 2025

April 1, 2025 by Laura Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Here’s our Big Family Grocery Spending for March, 2025 post!

Big Family Grocery Spending for March, 2025

Curious how much we spent during the month of March and what groceries we bought? Here’s the breakdown!

1. Sam’s

On March 4, Auggie and I headed to Sam’s after his Speech Therapy appointment. We found a lot of meat marked down, which made our grand total a little more hefty, but it was worth it because of the good prices on meat. We also got grapes, cucumbers, carrots, apples, bananas, sweet peppers, broccoli, a salad kit, clementines, pears, spinach, spring mix, ketchup, meat sticks, pistachios, frozen french fries, 10-dozen eggs, coffee, cream, half and half, milk, shredded cheese, frozen pizza, olives, pickles, granola, whole milk Greek yogurt, and butter. Oh, and of course, a box of bacon.

How crazy is it that I was thrilled to find eggs for only $4.80/dozen!? They were “limit 2” so I was able to get two boxes with 5-dozen eggs. I’m thankful!

Total for food at Sam’s: $543

2. Chick-fil-a

One day over our kids’ spring break, Chick-fil-a offered free kids’ meals with purchase of an adult meal. We took advantage of the offer, and had a very fun (and crazy) outing that day!

Total out of pocket at Chick-fil-a: $22.25

3. Hy-Vee

Total out of pocket at Hy-Vee: $19.94

4. Aldi

On March 17, I picked up some of our Aldi essentials plus some sale items. Strawberries were on sale, so I got 8 pounds! I also got bananas, a pineapple, apples, salad kits, grapes, oranges, mandarins, pear cups, fruit/veggie pouches for Auggie, whole milk yogurt, cake mixes, sausage, milk, granola, salsa, salami, instant oatmeal, sliced cheese, and gelato.

Total at Aldi: 175.86

5. Wal-Mart and Sam’s

On March 18, I ran into both Wal-Mart and Sam’s to check for meat markdowns. Meh, I didn’t find much of anything except for two nice boxes of Boneless Chicken Breast marked down to just $6.00 each. I also picked up two bags of frozen fruit for smoothies while I was there.

At Sam’s I didn’t find any meat markdown deals that worked for me, boo. But they did have eggs in stock for just $4.67/dozen, which is the best price I’ve seen anywhere for many weeks. I got two packs (limit 2) plus cream and avocado.

Total for groceries at Wal-Mart and Sam’s: $67.86

6. Amazon Subscribe and Save

We got a big box full of Go-Go Squeeze items plus Pizza Crust and Freeze Dried Apples this month.

Total from Amazon: $61.71

7. Costco

I had a big restock trip to Costco on March 24, getting a cart full of diapers, wipes, and clothes plus a few other non-perishable foods.

I checked out, loaded all that into the van, then went back in for the cold groceries. I got milk, cream, half and half, two kinds of shredded cheese, cottage cheese, guacamole, butter, strawberries, white queso, spinach, mixed greens, frozen fruit, frozen French fries, sliced Havarti cheese, three kinds of frozen pizza, chicken legs ($0.99/pound!), a huge pork butt ($1.99/pound!), brats, coffee, chips, ketchup, cream cheese, pepperoni, 100% juice freezies, mandarin orange cups, yoggies snacks, veggie/cheese crackers, chicken nuggets, and potatoes.

Total for groceries: 410.72

8. Sam’s/Walmart

On Saturday, March 29, Elias and Malorie picked up a few items for me from Sam’s and Walmart while they were out. We needed lettuce, tomatoes, and cilantro (not pictured) to go with a Burrito Bar we were having for Sunday Lunch, so they got those at Walmart. Plus they got these necessities for me at Sam’s.

Total from Sam’s and Walmart: $19.87

9. Costco

On the last day of March, I was close to Costco and ran in to grab milk, bananas, and veggies to get us through for a few days before I needed to do a big grocery shopping trip again.

Total at Costco: $23.86

Total for groceries in March, 2025: $1,346

Running Totals for 2025

January spending: $679
February spending: $1,459
March spending: $1,346

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Big Family Grocery Spending for February, 2025

March 1, 2025 by Laura 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

Here’s our Big Family Grocery Spending for February, 2025 post!

Big Family Grocery Spending for February, 2025

Curious how much we spent during the month of February and what groceries we bought? Here’s the breakdown!

1. Sam’s

I hadn’t done much serious grocery shopping since mid-January so we were out of a lot of staples. Auggie and I went to Sam’s on February 4 and got milk, sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon, eggs, chicken legs, grass-fed hamburger meat, beef roast that had been marked down, coffee, coffee creamer, bananas, pineapple, apples, pears, Caesar salad kits, spinach, mixed greens, lunch meat, sliced cheese, honey, peanut butter, yogurt, white queso, avocado cups, spaghetti sauce, condiments, applesauce and yogurt pouches, applesauce cups, peach cups, graham crackers, minced onion, meat sticks, peanut butter cracker packs, a case of tomato soup, and beef sausage. I ran out of cart space, otherwise I might have picked up even more!

Total at Sam’s: $473.81

2. Runza

We enjoyed a special service project with several families from church on February 8. Afterward, those who wished to join could meet at Runza for dinner together. We almost never eat out and decided that this was a great opportunity to hang out with friends and give our kids a restaurant experience since we knew we’d have lots of adult help there.

Instead of ordering meals, I just ordered several packs of 4-piece chicken strips and some large fries for everyone to share. It didn’t get everyone completely full, but it was enough to have fun and get us by (plus I’d fed everyone some quesadillas a couple hours prior so they wouldn’t be starving at the restaurant).

Kids meals come with a free ice cream cone coupon, and when my niece moved away from Nebraska a few months ago, she gave me an envelope full of them! So we pulled those out and had free ice cream to finish filling our bellies!

Total at Runza: $31.77

3. Wal-Mart

On February 10, we were almost out of milk and there was a possible snow storm on its way. So we ran to Wal-Mart to grab milk, plus I picked up tortillas, apples, and coffee creamer.

Total for food/drink at Wal-Mart: $39.36

4. Aldi

On February 13, we ran to Aldi to get some basics, especially chicken and cream. I was happy to find that boneless chicken thighs were on sale for $2.49/pound so I got four big packages. I also picked up grass fed stew meat on sale, salad kits (x2), bag of apples (x2), granola (x3), whole milk yogurt tubs (x2), whole milk yogurt cups (x5), pear cups in 100% juice (x4), chicken broth (x4), beef broth, sausage (x2), sliced cheese (x5), salami for lunches, frozen fries (x2), frozen tots, frozen onion rings (x2), lasagna noodles (x2), half & half, heavy whipping cream (x2), fruit/veggie pouches for Auggie (x20), salsa (x4), pasta sauce (x2), butter (x2), instant oatmeal (x2), and baby carrots (x2).

Total at Aldi: $229.21

5. Hy-Vee

To save time and effort, I ordered all of our kids’ WIC items through Hy-Vee Pick-Up this month. Malorie went and got it for me which was super helpful. I added three gallons of milk to the order that weren’t covered (we like whole milk and WIC only gives us 1% or skim now), plus I went over the produce limit they offered so I paid a small amount out of pocket for all of this. Such a blessing!

Total out of pocket: $18.56

6. Mall French Fries

We packed a picnic to eat at the Mall Food Court on February 16. Matt bought an order of fries for everyone to enjoy a tiny treat after our meal.

Total for Fries: $3.59

7. Amazon Subscribe and Save

I’m terrible about remembering to take pictures when my S&S boxes come. But as always, I got a few cases of applesauce and yogurt squeeze pouches, plus some Annie’s mac and cheese.

Total from Amazon: $53.41

8. Costco

On February 21, I over-filled a Costco cart to stock up on many needed groceries: potatoes, grapes, pears, blueberries, blackberries, bananas, onions, spinach, spring mix, carrots, hamburger meat, shredded cheese, peanuts, frozen pizza, flour, sugar, milk, cream, half and half, Havarti sliced cheese, frozen mini corn dogs, frozen fish sticks, hot dogs, guacamole, avocado cups, cream cheese, tortilla chips, potato chips, and chicken stock.

Total for food at Costco: $516.61

9. BBQ Restaurant

Matt and our adult sons had the opportunity to go to Kansas City and watch Messi play in a soccer game on February 19. They got BBQ before the game (because you don’t go to KC and not get BBQ)!

Matt’s meal: $14.74

10. Wal-Mart

On February 27, Matt went to Wal-Mart to pick up a car battery. He picked up three gallons of milk and two big tubs of cottage cheese for us while he was there.

Total for milk and cottage cheese: $18.46

Total for groceries in February, 2025: $1,459

Running Totals for 2025

You can read here to learn our 2025 Grocery Budget plus look over ways I’m able to keep our budget at this level.

January spending: $679
February spending: $1,459

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