chicagojlo

We only eat Weetabix and cornflakes and they are both cheaper at TJs at under $2 a box. You should go and have a look. Their selection is somewhat limited but you can get most of what you want there. A lot of people are pleasantly surprised at the prices as they are assuming it will be priced like Whole Foods since they have a similiar stock.
When we were counting our pennies a year ago I could shop there for maybe $40 a week if I really gave it some thought. Now I have relaxed a little since I am working, but there was a time when it was tight.

Emma M

Wow, just found out that the closest one is about 25 miles away
I don't think he'll go for that somehow, he's already got the hump over gas prices.

chicagojlo

Maybe next time you are out there for something else?!

Yesterday the gas price dropped 18cts during the day round here from 3.61 to 3.43. So glad I didn't fill up in the morning!

Emma M

Wow, 3.61?!?! And there's us moaning about 3.28! I'm just glad I don't drive.

chicagojlo

It's 3.75 in downtown Chicago. Glad I live in the sticks!

Emma M

I think everyone should boycott the gas stations and walk everywhere. They would soon lower their prices. But I know that isn't possible for most people, the oil companies know that they have got America by the short and curlies.

meauxna

YUM! And I am a packaging slut, so you've got to love that. We need this in more stores in Portland!

Being not as crafty or gadgety as you gals, I rely on a home made recipe for soft serve that we learned in Mexico.
Unfortunately, we have to bring back most of the supplies from there or suffer without. Well, we can find them here but $$$.
All tinned condensed milk, crema and some other yummy goo, add your fruit, or flavors (coffee & cajeta? Yes please!) and stick it in the freezer for awhile.

I love the old hand crankers though.. picking the rock salt out.. mmmm

chicagojlo

We have a couple of Mexican supermarkets out here, maybe you can check for those nearby?

I'd love it if everyone walked but what about the places where there aren't sidewalks?! Until very recently I took the bus to the train station in the morning but it became so unreliable that in the end I had no choice but to get a car. It's only a couple of miles each way but it's not warm or safe enough to walk. The stupid thing was the bus was empty every day because people were too sick of it being unreliable, which meant that the bus company did less to run it on time. :curse:

smeg

My wife has celiacs, so we have to be *super* careful about what we buy - she has other allergies also.

Basically, we can't buy most brand name, packages foods. It just isn't safe for her.

For example, the only pasta she can eat is quinoa pasta, which can run $4 a box.

We still manage to eat for $100 or less a week, and thats preparing every single meal, lunch and dinner for two. We don't eat out.

We have a list we keep in google docs so we can print it off from anywhere (work or home). We spend a full day every single weekend cooking together. We put a movie or three in the computer in the kitchen, and both have a list of things to go through - we can normally get everything cooked in one shot, maybe 4 or 5 hours work.

This usually gives us a little more than we need to go in the freezer, as a backup for weekends we can't cook.

Hard work, but worth it.

NC Penguin

Do you have any local bakeries? If so, they may bake breads that don't contain HFCS. I buy my bread from a local bakery and they definitely don't use any corn syrup.

Bob

aye, our local bakery is awesome, but who can afford that on a regular basis...it's $8 a loaf there...

jumping doris

I have a double barrel one. You freeze the bowl and then put it into an outer case, attach a crank thing and a lid and turn the handle...it's great. Very easy and makes lovely ice cream.
Unfortunately half of the cranking pieces got lost in our move over here.
They are probably in the attic, in a box. Our attic resembles a smaller version of one of the last scenes of Raiders of the Lost Ark....the one where they hide the Ark in a warehouse.

Somehow it seems easier to buy a new machine

jumping doris

I wonder if TJ's have uniform pricing because when we go I am always shocked at how expensive it is.
It isn't far from the local Whole Foods which is also very expensive and I suspect the same people probably shop at both.
They are both near a very wealthy part of the city and that is what made me think they may adjust their prices according to their expected customers.

farmerwife

Come down to Woodburn Lots of good shopping for you!

Voltore

My wife was diagnosed last year with various allergies, one of which was soy. That turned our cupboard inside out. She makes our own bread, real easy c/o Sunbeam via Wally-Mart and thankfully we have a Wegmans nearby!

That said, after avoiding a lot of foods last year she has started to re-introduce stuff carefully so it's a lot more manageable. (I also have an opinion that the allergist played ultra-safe and scaremongered a bit to CYA, but we have eaten a lot healthier than we used to. )