This past Saturday was cloudy and cool, which may be considered gloomy if it wasn’t the perfect morning for the Davidson farmers market. We grabbed coffee from The Summit and crepes from Homegrown Crepes’ food truck and settled in to watch Hailey play.
Heirloom Cherokee tomatoes, spinach, goat cheese aoili, walnut gremolata crepe
These are quickly becoming my favorite kind of Saturdays and I soaked up the cool breeze and Hailey’s giggle as she flew down the slide. The weekend continued to be low key. David worked all day Sunday and a steady rain settled in. I started on my new Michael Pollan book, Cooked, and inspiration hit me. Before long I was jazzed up about cooking, so I spent nap time meal planning and list making.
Spaghetti Squash and Meatball Marinara
Grilled Chicken with Mexican Quinoa Salad
Sonoma Chicken Salad Sandwiches with Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Vegetable Cauliflower Pizza and Salad
Coconut & Quinoa Soup with Confetti Kale Salad
When Hailey woke up we ventured through the rain into Charlotte and treated ourselves to grocery shopping at Whole Foods. My guilty pleasure.
Whole Foods has a kid’s club that provides snacks for kids. I love this service! A box of raisins and an organic sucker, along with multiple samples of cheeses, pineapple and crackers, kept Hailey happy as can be while I navigated the busy aisles.
I could have easily spent another hour wandering, but the raisins had run out.
Usually when I shop at Harris Teeter, I can predict a fairly accurate total in my head by mentally adding prices as I shop. I fully admit I wasn’t sure what the total would come to yesterday, especially because I needed to buy a few staples (maple syrup) along with a few convenience foods (breakfast burritos) and a couple splurges (kombucha). I was happily surprised that our bill totaled only $143.30.
2 Kombuchas ($3.49 each), 3 breakfast burritos for David ($3.39 each), organic frozen vegetables ($2.49 and $2.69)
Organic chicken breasts ($19.53 for 3.5 lbs), eggs ($2.99), Italian meatballs ($5.31), pork breakfast sausage patties ($1.74), whole milk mozzarella ($3.11)
Sunflower Bread ($3.99), organic coconut milk ($1.99), organic pancake mix ($3.99), dried cranberries ($3.39), entertainment crackers ($2.99), gluten free spaghetti ($2.99), organic applesauce ($2.99)
Hemp Hearts ($3.39), organic puree pouches ($1.50 each), almonds ($6.99), garbanzo beans ($0.89 each), organic pizza sauce ($1.99 each), maple syrup ($5.99)
organic carrots ($1.99), organic red onion ($2.29), vidalia onion ($0.80), organic bananas ($2.38), Brussels sprouts ($2.99), radicchio ($0.46), organic avocado ($2.00), tri-color peppers ($4.99), organic strawberries ($3.99), cauliflower ($3.99), organic kale ($2.99), spaghetti squash ($3.70)
This trip, along with leftover groceries from last week (milk and spinach) and pantry/freezer staples at home, will cover all breakfasts, lunches and dinners for all 3 us through Friday. I should note that David is a car snacker more than a lunch eater, so almonds and bars suffice for him during days on the road.
I know everyone has a different idea of what cheap or expensive is, but for the quality of food purchased, I feel pretty good about where this week’s total ended up.
And the winner of the Michael Pollan audio book is… #57 Jill! Check your email 
*I don’t plan to continually show all the prices, but by request, I decided to share this week’s grocery cart.
What amount do you aim to spend on food each week?
I usually aim to be around $100, but it varies!
Erica says
I always hover around $50 each week at the grocery store. That’s just for myself and doesn’t include the ridiculous amount of money I spend each month on Amazon for PB2!
Emily @ Perfection Isn't Happy says
I usually spent between $75 and $100 for two people. $143 isn’t bad for Whole Foods!
Emily @ Perfection Isn't Happy says
spend*
Lauren says
We try to stick to 200$ a week, but it is nearly impossible with 4 kids! Whenever I had one child, we usually spent 100$ a week or less.
Lee says
Honestly, we spend a lot of money on food for just the two of us. Probably around $120 a week. That’s including other grocery store things though – detergent, etc.
Brittany Dixon says
Honestly I think ‘a lot’ differs so much from person to person. I cringe a little touching on price at all, but I get so many requests to talk about how much we spend on food that I sometimes do.
Groceries are just a portion of what people spend money on, so I don’t think there is a right or wrong- it’s just what works for you! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Karen says
I think $143 for the week is really good. We usually spend about $180 which I think is way too high so I am going to try and cut back a little bit.
Hanna says
I tend to spend between $60-$120, depending on the week. Diapers, paper towels, cleaning supplies, dog food and other household staples will have us spending closer to $120. Every 6th week we have to buy food for 6 kids at our daugther’s day care. That usually cost an extra $60.
Your food is so healthy! I think that $143 is a good amount for all of the organic items you bought.
Patti Sliker Holsenback says
I so appreciate this post! I try to average $400/month. For 2 adults, one child, and baby. I used to have it down to >$75/week shopping at Aldi & Wal-Mart, but now that we can afford higher quality stuff, I make it a priority. I’m glad you posted Whole Foods prices… We just got one in the closest city to us and I’ve been wanting to check it out, but was afraid it might be super expensive and didn’t want to waste my time if I wouldn’t be able to afford anything. lol But it looks pretty comparable to Kroger. Thanks!
Brittany Dixon says
I think if you venture into WF with a list and don’t buy too many processed foods (cereals, chips, crackers, etc) that it isn’t too outrageously expensive for the quality. However, if I bought all the dips and premade food items I want from them, I’d be broke in no time! So good, but so expensive.
I am really impressed with you grocery skills! I hope to pick up more tips and tricks as H continues to eat more and more. Thanks for commenting!
Karen says
I wish we had a Whole Foods or even a Trader Joes near our home. We need to travel 2 hours to reach either one of these very fine markets. So, when I do, I stock up on what ever I can. Our typical grocery bill weekly is $100.
Jen says
Perfect timing. As soon as W gets up from his morning nap, we’re headed to WF. Sunflower bread sounds really good!
Sarah@ making thyme for health says
You didn’t do bad at all! I can’t get out of there for under $200. Whole Foods pretty much owns me, 🙂 that crepe trucks sounds amazing too! Crepes are one of my favorite foods.
Anni @ And Babies Make Four says
Thanks for sharing. We spend around $150 on groceries too. My husband always thinks its too high but it definitely costs more to eat healthy than to grab frozen pizzas!
Lauren says
Just to mix things up a little, I’m from Cape Town, South Africa, and we spend about R400 a week on groceries, that’s for my husband and me. At the moment the rate is $1 = R9, so we spend about $44 a week. Although looking at your grocery haul and ours, we do buy a lot less than you do. However, I can’t even imagine the delicacies we could buy with R1260 for groceries!! In South Africa, R400/$44 a week on groceries is considered to be on the lower end of the middle class income group, but we’re by no means struggling or having to forgo treats, but within limits of course. Just thought it would be interesting to compare and let you know 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Brittany Dixon says
So interesting!I love peeking into other people’s grocery carts and seeing how they make a dollar stretch. Thanks for sharing.
Kelli H says
I shop at Whole Foods every week and usually spend less than $100. 🙂 I’m a tad jealous bc that same syrup you bought is $9.99 in CA! How unfair!!
Parita says
Thanks for sharing! I love peeking into other people’s grocery carts!
We spend anywhere from $80 to a $100 a week on groceries. Just depends on the week and how much time I put into meal planning.
Maria says
I shop primarily at Trader Joe’s and only spend about $50/week. Granted, my husband eats breakfast, lunch, and dinner at work, so this saves us a ton of money. Because of that, I didn’t feel too bad when I picked up some TJ’s pre-made salads for my lunch this week ($3.99 each). We do tend to eat out twice a week, too, so with that, I’d say we are around $150 a week on food as well.
Sarah says
That Kids Club at WF sounds really nice! I usually hit up the cheese samples at the deli… I am turning my kid into a cheese snob at age 3! I am also really jealous of the playground at your farmer’s market. There is a new market being built near where I live, perhaps I should suggest they put in some playground equipment!
Ancy Varghese says
Thanks for posting this. We buy all organic for our 15-month old (haven’t made the switch for the whole family yet). Would love to know some of the things you get specifically for your little one. Do you get the salmon bites you’ve posted in the past from Whole Foods?
Brittany Dixon says
I got the salmon bites at a local health store, Healthy Home Market. I didn’t look to see if Whole Foods had them. I try to buy organic as much as possible, but I fall short. I’m big on berries being organic and peppers (though the ones I bought yesterday were not). Since H eats mini meals of what we eat, there isn’t much I buy specifically for her. The organic pouches are for her, as are the organic applesauces. Other than that, it’s whatever we eat! 🙂
Amanda Perry @ Sistas of Strength says
We spend a ridiculous amount of money on food, but I don’t really mind. I figure it is worth it to keep us healthy and happy. 🙂
I usually spend between 150 and 200 each week, but I’m trying to be a little better. We always have a ton of extra “in case we run out” type of items and honestly I can go to the store if we run out. I’m not sure what I’m afraid of. haha
Jen@HealthyFoodandFamily says
There are 5 of us, and thankfully I do the bulk of our shopping at Sam’s Club, today we didn’t need any meat, so the total was only $104 for the week.
Chantal says
I wish we had such a great selection of foods like that around here!
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
Whole Foods gets me every time!! I really do not think that my credit card appreciates it, but I am sure that my body does :).
Erin @ The Grass Skirt says
All of these healthy foods make me happy. I need to get back to WF soon!
Sarah @ The Smart Kitchen says
(Sigh) Whole Foods.
I actually don’t like when people call it Whole Paycheck, because trust me, I shop EVERYWHERE in town, and you can definitely shop there and still be frugal, you just have to shop smart. [And I am CHEAP, so you know that’s saying something.] It’s really about what you need and are willing to pay for. I don’t buy veggies there unless they are on sale–generally–or something I can’t find anywhere else, but that is because I am not as focused on organic (as maybe I should be–another discussion for another day). I love that they support local businesses, not just farms/produce, and I also love their quality of service, and their dedication to great causes like Whole Kids and Whole Earth.
Oh, and they let me teach cooking classes. So I love them for that. 🙂
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast says
I love farmer’s markets for breakfast and play time- we used to have a great one in Ithaca, NY. Here the food is good, but the ones held closest to us are in large parking lots- not so exciting. At least they have live music. 🙂
I’m jealous that your WF has the toddler sample snacks! I haven’t noticed that at ours, maybe I missed it?
Danica @ It's Progression says
We aim for about $100 a week on groceries – often we’ll spend a little less though and I’m always proud of that 🙂
I SO wish there was a Whole Foods closer to us!!
Susan @ Real Life Travels says
How far is it to whole foods? I would love to go but I thought it was like an hour away?
char eats greens says
I also think that’s an amazing total for all the things you got!!! Love those kinda trips (we had one of those at Kroger last night!)
Do you live much outside Charlotte?! Too bad we didn’t catch ya last week when we were there!!
Tiff @ Love, Sweat, & Beers says
I’ve still only been to WF once since it came to Charlotte. Crazy, right? Then again, I guess it’s not toooooo surprising since I’m cheap. haha
kristi says
I shop at both HT and WF every week. Luckily they are right across the street from each other! I aim for $100/week and usually hit $75 on the big trip but there is also usually a beer or wine run at some point 🙂 I find a lot of geat deals at WF – milk $3.99 (not organic but rbgh free), 5 organic pink lady apples $3.49 (my store just started selling these pre-packaged), organic cottage cheese $2.99, big bottle of olive oil and jar of organic coconut oil both $5.99, etc. I can never swallow the $20 for the chicken breasts though!!!
Brittany Dixon says
AH, yes, wine and beer. David’s homebrew counts as our beer, and we definitely just made a big trip to Total Wine to restock on that. Guess I forgot to add that into the total! 😉
Sounds like you find some GREAT deals. Especially the apples. Those are always so pricey.
I actually thought the chicken was a great deal! I usually buy Smart Chicken, which can be around $10-$11 for just over a pound, so 3.5 lbs for $20 excited me 🙂
Matt @ The Athlete's Plate says
My cart looks a lot like yours! I do all of my shopping at whole foods.