What are your best local prices on . . .

I brought in the last 2 dozen eggs from the garage fridge the other day. I knew we were running low and would need more eggs soon. So, I've been checking egg prices when out shopping. Last Friday I went to Walmart to pick up some produce. I cruised by the egg section and was shocked to see that the 5-dozen case of eggs had skyrocketed to almost $20. Then this morning I checked again, this time online, and they were up to $26 for 5 dozen! I have never seen eggs this expensive, ever. That works out to $5.20 a dozen! And these are the cheap eggs, not brown or organic or pasture-raised. Just plain white eggs.

So I checked online at every other store in my area that provides prices on their websites.

The wholesaler's price on the 15-dozen case (cheapest price per dozen there) is up to $79.99. I used to buy those cases for around $17 for 15-dozen. Fred Meyer (Kroger) is more sane, with 18-count cartons priced at $4.39 ($2.93/dozen). 

I decided to check Target's price online. They had a dozen eggs for $2.59. I thought that might be my best bet. I needed to go to Target anyway this morning, so I swung by the egg section. First of all, the $2.59/dozen eggs were $2.89 in the store. However, the 18-count cartons were less in store than online, priced at $3.69 instead of the online price of $4.29. I picked up 4 of the 18-count cartons, for a total of 6 dozen eggs and brought them to the checkout with my other items. They rang up at the higher price. Luckily I noticed this and pointed it out to the clerk. She honored the price on the shelf for me for all the cartons. 

So, I bought 6 dozen eggs for $2.46 per dozen. That beat all of the other prices I found in town. (I also checked Safeway, Albertsons, QFC, and Walgreens).

I'm also checking prices on other items on my shopping list for the week. I especially track the price on butter, eggs, milk, and gas for the car, as I notice and remember those specific items.

What's your best local price on:

one pound butter  $3.75/pound in a 2-lb bundle at Fred Meyer (Kroger) 

dozen eggs  $2.46/dozen in 18-count cartons at Target

one gallon milk  $2.99/gallon at WinCo, limit 1

gallon regular unleaded gas   $3.89 at ARCO on the main highway

Are my prices in line with what you're paying? Have eggs skyrocketed in price in your area, too? 

Menu Plan for This Week in February

I haven't done a meals' post in a while. I spent some time this morning menu planning for this coming week. In February, I find we are in use-it-up mode with regards to everything in the freezer. So here's our coming week in meals, should all go according to plan.

Dinners

Monday
Bean burgers w/ cheese slices, mustard sauce using some honey mustard lingering in the fridge 
Roma tomato slices
Steamed carrots
Choice of instant mashed potatoes or leftover cooked rice
Mixed frozen fruit crisp

My two daughters cook dinner for us on Monday and Wednesday. This is part of how they contribute to the household. In recent weeks, they've been teaming up on Mondays and making double what is needed for one meal and serve mostly leftovers on Wednesday. They call this effort "twinner."

I help in the menu planning for their meals, guiding them in what's available to use or in need of using. This week, we have leftover cooked pinto beans and leftover cooked rice. I also helped with the dessert today. I made a mixed fruit crisp, using 3 different fruits from the freezer, apples, blackberries, and rhubarb.

Tuesday
Beef stew w/carrots, peas, onions, frozen garden greens, barley, and beef 
Cole slaw
Banana muffins

There are two almost black bananas sitting on the kitchen counter. Those will go into muffins for this night's dinner. I'll also be using random garden greens that I find in the freezer in the stew, along with the other ingredients. Cole slaw because cabbage is one of our cheap veggies.

Wednesday (the second half of twinner)
Bean burgers w/ cheese, any remaining mustard sauce 
Apple wedges
Steamed carrots

Leftover rice or potatoes

Thursday
Chicken shepherd's pie, using carrots, onions, frozen celery, frozen garden greens, frozen peas topped with mashed potatoes

Friday
Pepperoni pizza
Broccoli
Tomato and cucumber slices
Spiced fig applesauce

The weekend dinners will consist of one vegetarian Mexican night, with refried beans, cheese, rice, salsa, avocado, tomatoes, and corn tortilla chips and one leftovers night, using what ever is left in the fridge.

Lunches

Curried pumpkin-peanut butter soup pot, using some frozen pumpkin puree

Cream of frozen garden greens soup pot

Cabbage patch soup pot, using canned tomatoes, cabbage, frozen garden greens, onions, garlic, and TVP

Assorted breads and other leftovers

Breakfasts

Breakfasts are a get-your-own sort of thing in our house. My husband likes to cook himself some meat and have toast with it. I alternate between toast, egg, turkey bacon and a bowl of bran flakes and stewed dried fruit. There's also peanut butter granola in a jar on the counter, and there will be lots of leftovers, including leftover fruit crisp and leftover banana muffins.

What's your plan for this next week's meals? Do you plan ahead a week or plan one day at a time?