I'm in the Club + Grocery Staples

Good morning!

How was everyone's weekend?! Hopefully you got a chance to kick back and relax. That being said, if you missed some updates over the weekend, you may catch up here:

• A fun twist on a classic recipe
• My summer to-do list made an appearance
• The little guys were in the spotlight

This weekend, one of my top to-do items was purchasing groceries for the upcoming week(s) since my fridge was pretty empty by yesterday afternoon. After giving it some thought, I decided to cave and sign up for a Sam's Club membership (Costco's competitor).

Good thing I wore my Sunday best for my membership ID card photo shoot: gym clothes that I slept in the night before, headband, and no shower! Keeping it classy is what I do best.

My parents have always had a membership and whenever I'm in town, I love piggybacking on their membership to pick up some bulk goods like Clif-Z bars, protein powder, and fresh produce for cheap.

Before heading to Sam's to sign up, I snacked on a Larabar for some energy. I used to really dislike these bars, but I must admit--they are growing on me and I love the fact that they use real ingredients.

I try to grocery shop biweekly in attempt to save money--sometimes this works, other times it doesn't. I generally purchase the same things each week--only switching it up depending on what is on sale.

Some of my grocery staples:

-Fresh fruit: bananas, apples, oranges, berries (depending on the time of year), sometimes fun additions like pineapple, watermelon, and kiwi.

-Milk: I used to only drink soy/almond milk but have recently switched back to the moo juice since it is boatloads cheaper.

-Yogurt: usually plain--either regular or Greek

-Eggs: I only eat the whites, so I usually buy two 18-packs at a time.

-Protein: tilapia, chicken breasts, tuna burgers, turkey, deli meat once in awhile, string cheese

-Veggies: I eat sweet potatoes like they are going out of style, salad mix/lettuce, tomatoes, raw veggies for a veggie bucket, frozen broccoli and peas for throwing into dinner recipes

-Snacks: pretzels, Annie's cheddar bunnies, popsicles, granola bars, popcorn, fruit snacks, etc

-Grains: wild rice, bagels, pasta, whole-wheat bread and wraps, oatmeal, etc.

-Other: nut butters, soups, pasta sauces, condiments, etc.

The Verdict

After signing up for a membership, I was impressed to learn that I could add Andy onto my account--allowing him to shop there too. I loved that all of the produce was tons cheaper (and in larger quantities) than at my usual grocery store. The dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.) were also much cheaper as well! 

I'd have to say that you need to know your prices before you shop at a wholesale store such as Sam's or Costco since some things actually are not a good deal--especially if you buy something in bulk that will go stale before you can use/consume it. Overall, I was impressed and I'm excited to continue to shop there.

My favorite item of the day? Almond butter for half the price and twice the size of the jars at Target!

On another note, I was finally able to get some things accomplished today! Sometimes a new environment makes all the difference!

How often do you grocery shop? Bi-weekly, usually.
What is your favorite grocery store? Whichever one has samples on the weekends! Free lunch!
Favorite LaraBar Flavor? Not sure yet...I've only tried two of them.