Exercise/ Fitness/ Lunch

A Grocery Shopping Record (in a good way!)

I did it! I spent exactly $40.00 at the grocery store (regular store–not Whole Foods sadly) and I think I got everything I needed for the week. Sorry there’s no picture though! I feel a little under the weather…don’t know if its my allergies or if I’m getting sick but I just sort of threw everything away and came in to lay down on my bed and blog. I’ll give you a little brief though on what all I bought:

Brussels sprouts

cauliflower

asparagus

spinach

red bell pepper

tofurky (yes, publix carries tofurky! How wonderful!)

boneless/skinless canned salmon

vegetable broth

lite soy milk (wanted hemp milk but of course my regular store didn’t carry it or almond milk…so soy it was)

pears

apples

kiwi

navel oranges

diced tomatoes

Quaker multigrain hot cereal

bananas

all natural montery jack slices

Kashi Happy Trail cookies

chocolate peanut butter clif bar

….I think that’s all of it! I couldn’t believe I got that much food for only $40.00. I missed shopping at Whole Foods, but I gotta do what I gotta do I guess. And I knew that going out to my fancy dinner Saturday night was going to set me back monetarily for the week and cut into my grocery money, but it was worth it and I just had to sacrifice a little bit on what all I “wanted” and what I actually needed at the store.

Before I left Tampa I went on a nice 40 minute run along the bay. It was gorgeous and felt wonderful. After that, I met my mom for lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. I love this place and always order the same thing. Half of the Mediterranean salad (dressing on the side) and a cup of the vegetarian barley smashed pea soup. The salad was great—-it had a little bit of hummus underneath all the lettuce and the two pita wedges were chewy and hot. You should really try this salad next time you go; it’s my favorite for sure! A few minutes ago I made a fruit bowl as a snack to help boost my immune system, if in case I am coming down with something. I used watermelon and a kiwi and it tasted just like summer!

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  • Cara
    March 3, 2008 at 8:18 pm

    Your fruits look so colorful and remind me of summer. aww. love it!

  • Lisa
    March 3, 2008 at 8:47 pm

    good job!!! It seems like you got a lot for your money! I went grocery shopping last night and got a decent amount of food for just under $50 but you seem to have gotten lots more than me! hmmm…maybe if I wrote out everything I bought it would look like I came home with more! lol

  • VeggieGirl
    March 3, 2008 at 8:54 pm

    GREAT grocery load you came home with!! just goes to show that buying/eating healthy is NOT expensive!! and way more delicious/colorful :0)

    oooh, I LOVE California Pizza Kitchen – I like ordering the vegetarian pizza with no cheese (obviously, haha), extra tomato sauce, and on the thin crust. yum!

  • BethT
    March 3, 2008 at 8:54 pm

    Way to go on sticking to your budget! It is so hard, especially when you like to cook. And I LOOOOOOVE CPK’s hummus! Yum!

  • kristin point
    March 3, 2008 at 8:55 pm

    I love the colors of the fruit!! Pink and green are my fav colors. Good job budgeting, I’m doing the same this week because I got a MONSTER of a heating bill last week (damn cold weather up here on MA!).

    Do you have trader joes in FL? I find their stuff to be cheaper than the regular grocery store sometimes!

  • Heather S
    March 3, 2008 at 9:06 pm

    Jenna is that skin on your kiwi? Can you eat that? Just curious.

  • jenna
    March 3, 2008 at 9:09 pm

    I do eat the skin on the kiwi! I’ve been eating it for a very long time and am perfectly fine, so I don’t think there’s any harm in it. I count it as extra fiber! Just be sure to wash your kiwi well before eating! Taking off the skin takes wayyy too much time, in my opinion! 😉

  • Heather S
    March 3, 2008 at 9:14 pm

    Awe thanks, i always thought it was a pain to get that off and i always ended up wasting half the fruit. Im going to try it next time i buy it.

  • Lindsay
    March 3, 2008 at 9:28 pm

    Haha I actually had a kiwi today too and I eat the skin too ~ I actually think it tastes better! I give you tons of credit for spending exactly $40 at the grocery store, I need to get better at that because even when I go to pick up a few things I wind up buying way more than I intended! You lunch looks delish – they just opened a CPK near me, so I will have to try that combo…

  • Lori- the pleasantly plump vegan
    March 3, 2008 at 9:30 pm

    Hey- I responded on my blog regarding my pesto.
    Anyways, I LOVE Publix! They have really great frozen vegan soy-sausage links and patties as well as a very respectable frozen vegan veggie burger. If I’m not at the farmers market, I always go to Publix for groceries. Whole Foods is for when I absolutely cannot find stuff at Publix or the farmers market.
    Pre-vegan days, I loved CPK. My favorite pizza there was the roasted veggie with goat cheese.

  • Laurie
    March 3, 2008 at 9:41 pm

    Your shopping list sounds like mine only at Whole Foods I spent over $70! Good job! P.S. Thanks for turning me on to Sunshine burgers. They are delicious and I have to have one every few days. I really like them stuffed in a pita with hummus.

  • Caitlin
    March 3, 2008 at 10:02 pm

    i made the vegan cookies and my dad (who only eats steak and non-health foods pretty much) didn’t even notice the difference! he loved them!
    has anyone here had recent problems with eating out of control? since i have been following this blog i have been progressively eating better but there are still days when i binge and have trouble getting back to a normal pattern because the next few days i just want to restrict!

  • Alessa
    March 3, 2008 at 10:08 pm

    I have only commented once before, but I just wanted to say.. I recently bought Veganomicon, and I love it! I made the black bean burgers last night and they were great! This cookbook is the best, I am planning on baking something from it this weekend, any reccommendations??!

  • ibex hk
    March 3, 2008 at 10:11 pm

    seeing watermelon gets me so excited for the farmers’ market…Spring is around there corner (fingers crossed!) Your fruit bowl looks great, hope it kicks any weird sickness that you may be feeling.

    I saw your post/interest in ED&BV on Brianne’s blog, uhhhh, I want it so badly and have had no luck anywhere online or at local book stores…let me know if you find it!!!

    enjoy the afternoon 🙂

  • ibex hk
    March 3, 2008 at 10:11 pm

    p.s-anyone know what happened to Sarah/Enthusiastic Eating blog?

  • Caroline
    March 3, 2008 at 10:21 pm

    I always order your exact same meal at CPK. Kinda weird actually. Anyway, I really like how the salad is on a bed of hummus. That soup is pretty awesome as well–very filling!

  • Ashley H
    March 3, 2008 at 10:31 pm

    I love CPK too. Although one time I got the grilled vegetable salad it was pretty awful! I love grilled vegetables but this was just weird and way too much dressing! My favorite thing I have tried in the vegetable pizza on the honey wheat crust! Thanks Veggie girl for reccommending it with extra sauce and the thin crust I will definitly give that a try!

  • Romina
    March 3, 2008 at 10:51 pm

    Congratulations!! It seems like you really stretched that $40. Too bad it couldn’t be at Whole Foods, but we all have to make sacrifices. =)

  • Mere
    March 4, 2008 at 2:50 am

    I’m currently trying to lose about 25 lbs and my sister turned me on to your website. I need to go grocery shopping and make sure I get some healthy foods, but I was wondering if you had any suggestions; i.e. basic items that you get frequently and can do a lot with. I really liked your grocery list above, which leads to this question… Any advice would be appreciated!