$80 for The Week | EASY Meal Planning | Pantry Shopping Meals | How to Spend Less on Groceries

I’ve finally figured out the easiest way to save on groceries and I’m sharing my tips with you in this video! Just a few simple steps every single week and I’ve been able to save thousands. I hope y’all love the tips and find them useful too! ☺️
🍋 Meal Planner/Journal: a.co/d/f5Z15yy
🍋 Chicken Pot Pie: wholeandhappyliving.com/2022/...
As always, I truly appreciate you being here! Thank you so much for watching!
With Love,
Laura
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Thank you so much for joining me today!
With love,
Laura
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#emergencygrocerybudget #mealprep #frugalliving #budgetcooking #frugalmom #cheapmeals #cookingvideo #homemade #cookingfromscratch #mealplanning #mealplan #daveramsey #daveramseybabysteps #budgetfriendlymeals #recessionrecipes #recession

[@maryconder7100]

My 2 daughters would hit the library for cookbooks during the summer. We'd plan a evening to flip through them and get new ideas for meals. We got paid 2x a month, each person got 3 choices for dinners = meal planning + grocery budgeting as a family. We wrote winner recipes on cards. Kept from getting in a rut, taught nutrition and budgeting and all 3 kids learned to love cooking ❤❤

[@LauraLegge]

I just love that! What wonderful ideas! Thank you so much for sharing! I’m going to start doing that with my kids ☺️

[@amandasnailtasticnails9657]

The recipe for the black beans, corn, and cheese quesadilla sounds good. Yeah probably what it’s missing would be the tomatoes that I add in my black bean recipe.

[@LauraLegge]

Oooh yes! That would be perfect!

[@ihaveeightsons]

When I make pot pie, I just use 2 packages of deep dish pie crust. I use one for the top and flip the other over for the top crust...no need to purchase the fridge type pie crust too.

[@LauraLegge]

Nice! Thank you for the tip!

[@nancywilliams4216]

We were so excited yesterday when we went to our Aldi and eggs were $1.62. Wow.

[@LauraLegge]

Woohoo!! What an incredible price!

[@renel7303]

Ours were $2.13 yesterday, up from $1.92 on June 8th. But a couple of months ago they were $5 so it's all relative.

[@leytonfortnite4724]

$100 / week 🎉 well done Laura! I love your channel!

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you so much!! I’m so glad to hear that ☺️

[@goldkats]

It’s interesting how different your Aldi is to mine, its definitely larger and you have more selection. I would love if I’d be able to buy single items of produce like the potatoes vs a whole bag. Love your meal planning videos, theyre great! ❤

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you so much! I think it must be based on our location. I’ve heard that a lot of ALDIs don’t offer single produce items like ours

[@renel7303]

​@@LauraLeggemine in central California varies. Sometimes they have eachies available, next time bags and then maybe none for a week or three. It keeps the shopping experience fresh. 😅

[@LauraLegge]

@@renel7303 haha I definitely know what you mean! Things come and go a lot here too 😆

[@bonniehilt2202]

I’ve made the black bean tacos with taco seasoning, chicken in a pouch, heat through and smash the beans. Then put in the tortilla shells and warm. Really good!

[@LauraLegge]

Yum!! Sounds so easy and so delicious!

[@jillgott6567]

Having an idea of what is in the pantry definitely saves money. I used the last jar of mayo . So a few days later I bought 2 jars. One to use and one for the pantry. Moving things around I saw whoops I already had a jar in the pantry, so, now I have two ! Making a tital of 3 full size jars of mayo for a household of 1 person ! Since I had already opened the new one, I have to use it instead of the jar that had already been sitting there. Yes it is sealed, but let's hope it stays fresh and does not spoil before I get to use it. Lesson, have an idea if not full knowledge of what you have on hand.

[@LauraLegge]

Yes! That’s exactly what I used to do before I started taking inventory in a book. I was always buying more of something I always had hiding in the pantry 😅

[@Makeitbymandy]

This is my first time watching one of your videos, it was great. I have a tip, if you wrap your spinach, lettuce etc in paper towel, then a bag, it really makes it last a week or two longer and stays super fresh. ✌️

[@Makeitbymandy]

Commenting as i go, sorry - if you and your family like overnight oats, you may like chia pudding. 2 TBSP chia seeds, 1 tsp honey (or maple syrup), 1/2 cup milk. Mix together in a smaller mason jar, and put on lid but about 5 mins later before you put in the fridge, give it a shake so the chia doesn’t settle. Leave that overnight and in the morning you can top with fruit. Its delish.

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you so much for the tip! I’ll try that out! ☺️ and welcome to my channel!

[@LauraLegge]

Yum! Chia pudding sounds delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe!

[@southerncaltattooedbiker3643]

I watch this lady over in Japan and she puts a damp cotton cloths in the bottom of a glass counter and puts her clean veg in them she folds the rest over the food the lids are the snap on ones and I didn't believe it would work but it does it's only me and my Husband I'm cooking for so I got a bunch of them and I put everything in it with the cotton cloths you should try that the containers are really nice and at a good cost on Amazon I buy groceries once a month and my fresh veggies and fruits would be no good after a week but now they last over a month I will never go back to plastic I'm 65 and my Husband is 74 so well have to watch our money.

[@LauraLegge]

@@southerncaltattooedbiker3643 oh wow! Thank you for the suggestion! I’ll look into that! ☺️

[@Scents_with_Mama-Dragon]

Thanks so much me and my Husband watched together!

[@LauraLegge]

Yay! I’m so glad ☺️ I hope y’all love the recipes!

[@70foolio]

I am big fan of your content and love that you always make room for vegetables in the recipes. I no longer have small ones in the home and meals are smaller but still need to budget.

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you so much! ☺️ I appreciate you saying that!

[@60kkm]

Thank you for another great video! I learn something new every time! 🥰

[@LauraLegge]

Yay! Thank you ☺️ I’m so glad to hear that!

[@moniquepellettier6423]

I love your channel, so many great ideas.

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you so much! I appreciate you saying that ☺️

[@brattycin]

I always add chicken bouillon to my water when I make rice, it helps the flavor especially in fried rice.

[@LauraLegge]

Oh my goodness, yes! What a great idea! I’m going to have to try that. Thank you so much for mentioning that

[@ultramagapatriot5874]

Love this video my friend😊😊😊

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you so much!! ☺️ I’m so glad!

[@rebeccaturley1912]

Thank you for videos!! I have 5 kiddos and summer is always a difficult time because instead of just having dinner to think about, I now have to feed them 3 times a day. I expect my grocery budget to go up during these months but it still hurts. I also struggle with creative meals. My kids get bored of having the same thing every week. Also, I laughed when you said your kids are picky. Mine are too. Won’t touch most vegetables. Glad I’m not the only parent with picky kids lol.

[@LauraLegge]

You’re welcome! It’s definitely challenging to keep it interesting! In the summer, we usually end up doing a lot of snacky meals 😅 I just throw random things on a plate and call it a day!

[@couponingwithisa]

Great Job 👏

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you so much ☺️

[@NAWennerholm]

Have you used Date Syrup they carry it at Aldi at least at ours. It's low glycemic. Which is good for those with hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia and diabetes. Plus you can also have stevia, and erythritol, and allulose. They are Diabetic safe. Some also do well with agave syrup. All are natural and safe and you don't need much.

[@LauraLegge]

I haven’t tried it yet but I’ll definitely have to pick up some to see how it tastes instead of honey. I saw it a few months ago and it looked interesting! Thank you for the suggestion!

[@Scents_with_Mama-Dragon]

Great tips!

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you so much! ☺️

[@Scents_with_Mama-Dragon]

@@LauraLegge thank you! For all of your hard work!

[@LauraLegge]

@@Scents_with_Mama-Dragon thank you so much for all your support ☺️

[@jcinkc3]

I do appreciate your content, tips and recipes!! Why do you always touch the front product, put it back and grab the back to take for purchase? Just an observation…Keep it up. LOVE the channel!

[@momentsoftruth-artandpoetr4616]

maybe she was looking at the expiration date?🤷🏼‍♀️ I do that too. the supermarket always arrange the newer items in the back. God bless you!🎉

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you so much! I usually check the products for expiration dates and the items in the back are less likely to have been touched or have fallen on the floor. Also, the refrigerated items are cooler in the back so they last longer than the items in the front. I worked in food for about 14 years and I have a few other reasons for grabbing from the back but those are the main ones ☺️

[@70foolio]

I do the same because working in retail you put the older items in front to be sold quickly. I tend to take my item and move the back items forward. It’s called facing the product to the edge of the shelf. Old habits. 😊

[@LauraLegge]

@@70foolio yes! I love that! I always tidy and face everything when I’m shopping 😅 definitely a habit

[@leslieb4553]

Because everyone else touches the front product 😂

[@crystaldon4995]

I appreciate you so much your amazing

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you so much! ☺️ I appreciate you saying that! You’re amazing too!

[@jillgott6567]

Going over by $.80 is not a big deal especially since you had so much that went into the pantry and freezer. I think you did a great job shopping.

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you so much! I appreciate that ☺️ I’ll definitely be using this food for a few weeks too. Now I’ve got plenty on hand to go a few weeks without spending more than $20-$30 on my weekly shopping trips, so I’m happy 😄

[@lauracullison6894]

May 2023 was when I noticed the change in the size of the bags of beans in Dollar tree. I made a post in a frugal Facebook page showing the change. I am not recalling from memory 😜.

[@LauraLegge]

Oh wow! I’m so surprised! It’s been a little while since I picked up beans from there so I was totally shocked!

[@natashav6432]

At DT the Hunts Ketchup bottles are also smaller and non food related I noticed Clorox bottles have shrunk as well .

[@bakingnanaskitchen4799]

Considering how prices vary, you weren't over budget at all. We are getting a brand new Aldi, opening next week. I'm pretty excited. It's right where I exit the freeway to go home, no more driving past my house to get to the more expensive Stater Bros. I've been happy with the frozen french fries from Aldi, I bet the curly fries are pretty good.

[@LauraLegge]

Yay! I’m so excited for you!! 🤩

[@nancywilliams4216]

We also saw the curly fries. I chose not to get them this time. I can't wait to see you review them.

[@LauraLegge]

I saw they also have onion rings! I may have to try those too soon! We tried the curly fries and they’re tasty! I still need to try them in the air fryer and see if they’re even better crispy 😄

[@renel7303]

Just finished eating the steak fries from the air fryer. We were impressed especially that the sodium isn't outrageous.

[@nanar.8088]

Beans at dollar tree used to be a full pound. Wonderful shrinklation

[@LauraLegge]

I was so surprised! I could swear I saw them at a pound just a couple months ago! The pinto beans were still a pound but the black beans were 12oz

[@Amym0011]

I enjoyed this video. I do feel like $ could have been saved by using bone in chicken and deboning it yourself to make the pot pie. But great haul overall. I also like to grab items from the back, I just feel like they haven't been touched 😄

[@LauraLegge]

Yes! You’re absolutely right. I think the chicken leg quarters are the best value. We try to stick to chicken breasts when possible but they’re usually more expensive. And yes! I always grab from the back for a lot of reasons 😅 I used to work in food so I’ve seen some things haha

[@gensguineas]

love overnight oats!

[@LauraLegge]

Me too! They’re just so good!

[@lorisiedl8733]

Great ideas everything looks delicious and we've been roasting carrots as well but at Walmart they have a great value balsamic glaze that also has blood oranges called blood orange balsamic glaze we've been squeezing that over the carrots afterwards and they are delicious

[@LauraLegge]

Oh my! That sounds so delicious! Thank you so much for the recommendation. I’ll have to pick some up soon and try it 😄

[@lorisiedl8733]

@@LauraLegge 😊

[@sheliapeters2082]

Add some shredded chicken and Rotel tomatoes then stuff in burrito add your enchilada sauce that was so good we did that .

[@LauraLegge]

Yum! That sounds so good! Thank you for the suggestion!

[@sheliapeters2082]

@@LauraLegge ur welcome

[@karenm7433]

You’re inspiring me to try overnight oats. ESP in the summer! Friendly tip - Please don’t bang your measuring cup on the edge of your mason jar though. It could chip the edge. As a home canner, those jars are precious and it was triggering for me 😂

[@LauraLegge]

Oh my goodness, I hadn’t thought of that! 😅 Thank you so much for letting me know! I won’t do that anymore and I’ll get some new jars for canning, just in case

[@karenm7433]

@@LauraLeggeand I’m so glad you’re making your own peanut butter! I’ve been doing that for years and agree it’s been a game changer!

[@LauraLegge]

@@karenm7433 I can’t believe I didn’t know how to do it until recently! It’s so simple, it’s kind of crazy that I didn’t know 😅

[@erinramert7291]

Love you channel!Where can I find your grocery list?

[@erinramert7291]

( Meal planner)

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you so much! My meal planner is available on Amazon ☺️ a.co/d/084DswW

[@ashleamendelson1414]

👋 new here. Loving your content and channel so far. I bought the vanilla bean, do you have the recipe for the homemade vanilla?

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you so much! For the vanilla, just slice 2-3 pods in half lengthwise, place them in a 8-16 oz jar, and then fill with clear alcohol like vodka. Cover with a lid, shake, and let sit in a cool dark place and shake once a week for at least the first month or 2, and anytime after that when you remember. That’s it! It’s ready in about 6-8 weeks to use as vanilla. You can use more pods if you like but I found that 2½ pods for 16oz worked just fine for me.

[@ashleamendelson1414]

@@LauraLegge thank you 🙏

[@LauraLegge]

@@ashleamendelson1414 you’re welcome ☺️

[@southerncaltattooedbiker3643]

If you use a lot of suracha like the one you are buying the company said that after August you will not find it in all stores because they didn't have a good yr and they didn't get the Red 🌶️🌶️🌶️ so unless they have better crops next year it's not going to happen again. So when you can't find it ask if they have any in the back. Just thought you might want to know.

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you! I just noticed that the sriracha they have at my ALDI right now is brown! 😅 I was wondering what the deal was and now it makes sense! If the peppers are too green, the sauce will be brown haha. I’ll see if I can get some before it’s gone.

[@southerncaltattooedbiker3643]

@@LauraLegge that's because they used Orange Chili's and what Red ones they had. The Company also said that the brown color one is not going to be as hot as the original. My Daughter and her family stocked up on the original one with the green top and the rooster on the front she is 46 with two teenagers and her husband and they act like it's water. You can go to their company page on line and it explains everything. The chili's don't come from the United States they are mostly from Mexico.

[@LauraLegge]

@@southerncaltattooedbiker3643 oh interesting!! Thank you so much for sharing that!

[@southerncaltattooedbiker3643]

@@LauraLegge the original article came out in early April and I can say in Arizona it's already hard to find and then some stores have a limit on how much you can get.

[@LauraLegge]

@@southerncaltattooedbiker3643 oh wow! I noticed that it’s hard to find here too. I was hesitant to buy the brown one I saw yesterday. I’ll have to just get a couple, even though they won’t be as spicy.

[@lashandacouse4512]

Can you share your jambalaya recipe

[@LauraLegge]

@@lashandacouse4512 yes! Here’s my favorite tried-and-true jambalaya recipe: JAMBALAYA INGREDIENTS * 3 tablespoons vegetable oil * 1-2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (I make my own and you can add as much as you like) * 12 ounces andouille or Italian sausage, sliced * 1 pound Shredded Chicken, cooked (or boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces - just brown after sausage and remove before adding veggies) * 1 medium Yellow Onion, diced * 1 Green Bell Pepper, diced * 1 Red or Yellow Bell Pepper, diced * 2 Ribs Celery, chopped * 4 cloves Garlic, minced * 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes (you can use 14oz can if you like it thicker) * 1 tsp Salt * 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper * 1 tsp dried thyme * 1 tsp dried oregano * 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) * 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce * 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice * 3 cups low sodium chicken broth * 1 pound raw shrimp, tails off, peeled and deveined * Sliced green onions and/or chopped parsley for garnish INSTRUCTIONS * Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot on medium heat. * Add sausage to the hot oil and season with half of the Cajun seasoning. Brown sausage and then remove and set aside, leaving the oil in the pan. If using raw chicken, add 2 tablespoons oil to the pot and sauté chicken until just browned. Remove and set aside, leaving oil in the pan. * Add the onion, bell pepper and celery and sauté until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook until it smells incredible (about 30 seconds). * Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), Worcestershire sauce, and the remaining Cajun seasoning. Add in the chicken and sausage. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. * Stir in the rice and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked, stirring occasionally. * Once rice is just cooked, add the shrimp on top and stir through. Cover and simmer while stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through and pink (about 5-6 minutes). * Serve with sliced green onions, parsley, and hot sauce for an extra kick! Enjoy!

[@lashandacouse4512]

@@LauraLegge thank you

[@LauraLegge]

@@lashandacouse4512 you’re welcome ☺️

[@janasher4940]

I always shop Aldi's first, then the Hispanic and Asian stores (depending on what spices I need), then hit Walmart. I always hit the internet every Wed morning at 6am to see all the grocery store's flyers to find fresh meat at less than $1, then I buy as much as I can of that meat and fill my freezer. Yes, I am retired. And my Wed are used to drive a Prius C to all the stores within 7 miles of me that have meat at $1 or less/lb. I tend to eat a carnivore/keto diet for health reasons. So I hunt down protein. I don't buy food in a box. When I was homeless, I had to buy boxed/processed/kit food to eat. I also found Pantry Moths in those processed foods. And those larvae eat through plastic bags and thin cardboard. Cook from scratch to save money, and know what your ingredients are. And always cook a bunch of beans and freeze in small quantities - they can stretch out a meal and add protein simultaneously.

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you so much for sharing your tips! I think it’s brilliant to shop for meats that are less than $1/lb and buy in bulk! I agree to cook from scratch whenever possible too ☺️

[@renel7303]

I'm in California. The only meat here for under $1 lb are hot dogs. Not at the top of my list for nutrition. I'm thrilled if I can get any meat for under $2 lbs. With eggs lower again I'm having more salads with black beans or garbanzo beans and a hard boiled egg added for protein. I'm big on beans, lentils and green peas for protein. Pantry moths! We've been invaded! And by the time I realized it they had invaded the cat litter. It's World's Best and is made from corn products. Half a bag of $39 a bag litter. Any suggestions? Have you used any of the moths traps? I'm considering ordering them.

[@brg2743]

I was trying to unthaw a can of biscuits today. Took the cardboard them off. Tried to get the dough to defrost and it looked so much like a loaf of bread I just let it cook. I burned it by not paying attention, but that would have a cheap, tastsmy loaf of bread.

[@LauraLegge]

Oh wow! I bet that would have been delicious!

[@5pctLowBattery]

You’re good at this 👍 Me? I’m a work in progress. A lot of work 😅

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you! And I completely understand 😅 It took a LOT of practice to get to this point for me. My planning and will power weren’t great for a long time but I think I’ve finally got the hang of it haha

[@denisebd1000]

You make your pot pie 🥧 the way I make my peach 🍑 cobbler. I call it cheating 😂!

[@LauraLegge]

Haha I love it!

[@denisebd1000]

Me too! 😂

[@ashleymccloud295]

Are you referring to just groceries or are you including your household items like toilet paper, cleaners, diapers ect?

[@LauraLegge]

Just groceries - I have a separate budget for household items

[@denisebd1000]

You only went over $.80 cents which is great!

[@LauraLegge]

Thank you! ☺️

[@denisebd1000]

Absolutely

[@phylliss.-ur3td]

I always go over budget..😮

[@LauraLegge]

It’s easy to do 😅

[@tamaraliscia3408]

It's easy to go over budget! I used to go over all the time ... not by much but it frustrated me so I came up with a new plan. We shop once a month at several stores. We use a notebook to write grocery needs throughout the month. When it's time to shop, even though we don't use pickup or delivery, I use online carts at each stores website to fine tune the lists (I also compare unit prices between stores). Once the lists are finished, I add the totals...if it's over budget I eliminate something from one of the lists. The last step is I write each finished list in the notebook, with unit prices and totals. I used to try to get to the lists in each store by using the online carts but the internet is always terrible so I have to use my trusty notebook. I always know I'll find manager specials so will be under budget, once I actually get in the store. I pay and leave or pick up something I wanted but took off the list because it would have put me over, pick up another manager special we'll use, or by extra of something.

[@LauraLegge]

@@tamaraliscia3408 yes!! These are excellent tips! Thank you so much for sharing!