Food shopping...It's not for the weak

Once upon a time, in a time far, far away I have been told that food shopping simply meant going to the local market and then the local butcher and maybe if it was a good week the bakery.  I am still young(or old) enough to remember when the huckster would come around.  Fruit and vegetables were always cheaper from him because maybe his tomatoes weren't as round or the eggplant needed to be eaten right away or he had to many watermelons.  Didn't matter because what ever was cheaper from him and hadn't been planted, well then my grandmom, mom, and every other mom on the street were out there.  Seems simpler.

Food shopping for me right now is not so much a one and done thing.  Nope it's a trip to Shop Rite for their loss leaders, then to Acme for their loss leaders, usually a swing by Walmart and then Aldi's. Costco is for a major stock up when it is a three pay check month.  Usually between SR, Acme, Walmart and Aldi's I can stock up on things to get me to the next sale(like peter pan pb) hopefully I plan and get the most for my money.  So far it is working out pretty well.

But I have three people to feed and one is a vegetarian which helps.  We don't eat a ton of meat and usually have a salad at every meal.  We do eat potatoes, rice and pasta.  Which meat, chicken or fish we get depends on what is on sale and what I can do the most with.  My goal no matter what is zero waste.  I don't like throwing money into the trashcan.  We aren't starving.  That's not an issue but shopping as smartly as I can is an issue.

I am lucky that I live in a section of Philly that has all of these markets within a few minutes drive.  If they were further apart then one of them would be cut out since the waste of gas would not make up for the savings.  Plus our glorious Mayor decided to put a tax on all soda and any juice with sugar(yes even orange juice has sugar) which means I only pick up flavored seltzer or soda or juice if I happen to be outside the city limits.  That is just the way it is.

Well I shall end my boring food post now.  Its not just a food shopping trip...its and adventure.