Breakfast

Ready For Vacation

Morning!

Thank you guys SO MUCH for all your wonderful insight on shopping wholesale!! YouΒ  made it sound so exciting! When I was growing up we were members of Sam’s Club for a little while and my mom would take me for “lunch” so I could feast on all the samples. It was the highlight of my week. Yep, I was a cool kid! Since the majority of you said Costco is better IΒ  mapped it out and actually found out that there’s one 11 miles from my condo. I have some time today after I pack so I think I might just go check it out and ask them if I can roam around the store before purchasing a membership. I was a little anxious asking Ryan about it but he immediately said YES and then got as excited as a little boy at Christmas. Ryan LOVES finding a good deal. Seriously. When I was all set to buy the oven we have now he had to extend the process by three days just so he could personally go to every discount appliance store within a 25 mile radius to check who had the best deal. We ended up buying one with a ding on it that Ryan talked down to the guy and we got for mucho cheap. Boys!

We were up until MIDNIGHT last night, as Ryan was, errrr, trying to be an electrician and hang a new light fixture. Without getting into details lets just say the light fixture is not yet up and the place is a mess. This morning I tried again to make a GM with frozen spinach. I used a naner, frozen spinach, frozen blueberries, unsweetened almond milk, 1 scoop Amazing Meal and 1 scoop almond butter. The verdict? Not so much. It has GOTTA be the frozen spinach! It makes the smoothie so thick its almost undrinkable. I gave it to Ryan and he loved it (lol).Β  I’ve gotta get some fresh spinach up in here—I’m dying!

So instead, I had my last hard boiled egg with my last Ezekiel english muffin with almond buttah and preserves

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We desperately need a major grocery shop but I’m waiting on Costco and when we get back from Wisconsin. No point stocking up then leaving town!

On the agenda today:

  • Cardio (even though my legs are quite sore from those lunges and squats yesterday!)
  • PACK!
  • Check out Costco and maybe Sam’s if I have time to compare
  • Clean house
  • Write
  • Library for book to read on the plane?

Busy! See you in a bit!

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  • Courtney (The Hungry Yogini)
    July 2, 2009 at 8:37 am

    I LOVE COSTCO. I know that doesn’t really sounds normal…but I really love it!!! Can’t wait to see what you find.

    Sorry about the GM but your breakfast looks lovely…and very similar to what I had this morning =)

    Hope your day is full of lots of sunshine!

  • Matt (No Meat Athlete)
    July 2, 2009 at 8:39 am

    Hey Jenna, this is totally unrelated but thought I’d pass along the word. I know you got the orthotics and are doing better, but have you tried compression socks for your shins? I just got a pair to review from Recovery Sock and I wore them all day after a 15-miler. The next day I felt absolutely no pain in my legs and even did a track workout!

  • maggie
    July 2, 2009 at 8:45 am

    hey jenna, you may want to check into the price of the memberships. My family is members at Sam’s and i think the reason we chose it over Costco is b/c it was cheaper to join, but i am not sure.
    Sam’s Club is great though. They have giant tubs of Sabra for like $5.50 and giant spinach for like $3.50. Sam’s treats me well in the produce department.

  • Recipes for Creativity
    July 2, 2009 at 8:50 am

    Good luck with the Costco membership!

    Sorry you don’t like frozen spinach in the GMs – I totally love the thick texture I get using the frozen stuff, I feel like I’m drinking a milkshake or something!

  • Kathleen
    July 2, 2009 at 9:02 am

    Yes, costco is better but Sam’s is right near us and Costco is 45 minutes away.

  • april
    July 2, 2009 at 9:02 am

    My family and I go to Sam’s and Costco.. each has their own benefits! Avocados are much cheaper at Sam’s while Costco has great deals on apples.. lol our family goes to each store almost once a week!

  • MarathonVal
    July 2, 2009 at 9:09 am

    Try “Three Cups of Tea” if you need a book for the plane – I just finished it and loved it! It’s about an American ER nurse who gives up his life in America to build schools for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

  • Whitney
    July 2, 2009 at 9:10 am

    I love Costco, so glad you chose it!

    I saw that Sophie Kinsella has a new book. Perhaps a good light plane read?

  • ashley @ mom of 3 gets healthy
    July 2, 2009 at 9:11 am

    Ugh, I need to go grocery shopping too. I’m really not feeling it though. It is such a production when you’re shopping for 5 people. Enjoy the days when it’s just you two. =) I’m lucky just to go by myself. haha
    I don’t think I would like the frozen spinach either. Where do you find those english muffins? Looks tasty.

  • brandi
    July 2, 2009 at 9:13 am

    we don’t have a costco or Sam’s, my parents and in-laws both do and they both have great stuff. I think some bulk stuff is more for families or if you have lots of room to store extra stuff (i.e., paper towels, tp, etc), but the food there is usually a great deal if it’s things you’ll use (fruit, veggies, meat, hummus, etc).

  • Krissy - Single Serving
    July 2, 2009 at 9:20 am

    Your hard boiled egg looks so perfectly cooked! I live alone so I don’t buy anything wholesale really but if you go through produce as much as you do I think it’s a great idea. My dad is a wholesale expert and he likes BJ’s the best. Not sure if there is one near you at all though.

  • Meghan@traveleatlove
    July 2, 2009 at 9:21 am

    Hehe, I still can make a lunch out of samples at places like Whole Foods πŸ™‚
    Did you microwave the spinach for a few seconds? i have found that makes it a lot less thick and clumpy and gross. Having frozen spinach on hand has been pretty helpful in a green monstah pinch!

  • Nancy Woodbury
    July 2, 2009 at 9:21 am

    I agree with the others . . .Costco is by far my wholesale club of choice. In Naples anyway, Costco seems to be cleaner, easier to shop in, and the selections are GREAT. I have to drive further to get to Costco but feel it’s definitely worth my time. LOVE shopping at Costco!

  • Kathy
    July 2, 2009 at 9:23 am

    You will not be disappointed by Costco. I get all my spinach for my green smoothies there. The large boxes of organic spinach, we go through 4 a week here and they are WAY less expensive then the regular store. Enjoy!!

  • Mrs. Myers @ Eat Move Write
    July 2, 2009 at 9:25 am

    I love your little robin’s egg blue bowl. Oh no, that’s a very familiar version of hubby playing Mr. Fixit. Somehow it nevers goes smoothly in my house either. Regardless, have a fantastic day!

  • Krista
    July 2, 2009 at 9:25 am

    Good luck with your Costco membership.

    Word to the wise….be sticker smart, its very easy to get swept away with all the things they have there but sometimes its not as good of a deal as you think, with that being said I LOVE COSTCO!!!!!

  • Elizabeth
    July 2, 2009 at 9:28 am

    I thaw a big handful of frozen spinach in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds (depending on how much) before I add it to my GM – I totally agree that the frozen spinach can make a GM thick and weird (especially with my addition of ground flax…it turns into green jello very quickly). I know you don’t have a microwave anymore, but you could try keeping the frozen spinach in the fridge overnight before you use it (just make sure you put the package in a bowl or a tupperware so it doesn’t ooze all over your refrigerator).

  • Maria
    July 2, 2009 at 9:35 am

    Glad to hear the advice from all the lovely bloggers helped–I totally love Costco! They have lots of organic goods for super cheap. I’m sure you’ll find lots of stuff there if your Costco is anything like mine :). Haha, I’m just like Ryan, cannot buy anything that’s not on sale/good deal. Hope you have a great time today!

  • Mel @ She Runs Brooklyn
    July 2, 2009 at 9:36 am

    I definitely think it’s the fozen spinach that changes the consistency–it’s just more wet and condensed from theg get-go. It’s hilarious that Ryan had more greens than you this morning! Who thought that day would ever come haha.

    Have a great day!

  • Ryan (Chase Daylight)
    July 2, 2009 at 9:40 am

    Good call on Costco…I never even thought to check them out here in Orlando. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts because, as I mentioned in my last comment, we’ve been planning on getting the Sam’s Club membership, but Costco could be great too! And hey! Our Costco location is 11 miles away too!

  • polly
    July 2, 2009 at 9:44 am

    hi hon!
    I love the book Driftwood Summer… almost finished. It’s so sweet and fun to read and oooh so good! (got it at Sams club for cheap πŸ˜‰ )

    Love you and have fun at the wedding and YAY for wholesale club shopping!! Sorry about mr. fixit. Dan is the same way… love him, but an electrician he is NOT. πŸ˜›

  • Katherine
    July 2, 2009 at 9:46 am

    I used to love “lunching” on the samples at Sam’s Club as a kid! I belong to Costco now and it takes some serious restraint to keep myself from lunching up and down the aisles every weekend πŸ˜‰

    Hope you find a great book to read!

  • neca
    July 2, 2009 at 9:47 am

    I am a Costco FANATIC! I love it! I buy their 1 lb. package of fresh organic spinach and their bag of frozen mixed fruit (peaches, strawberries, blueberries, honeydew, and pineapple) – it makes a wonderful morning green drink.

    IMO the quality of the food at Costco is very high – plenty of organic options and at terrific prices.

    (No, I don’t work there! πŸ™‚

  • Rebecca
    July 2, 2009 at 9:56 am

    You’ll definitely save a lot of money going through a wholesale club. I used to go to Costco for all the samples too when i was younger!! Do they have a Stew Leonards by you? I think that’s just a northeast thing. It’s a huge, amazing dairy store. Check out the website!

  • Deva
    July 2, 2009 at 9:59 am

    Best of luck exploring today!

  • ryan
    July 2, 2009 at 10:06 am

    POINT OF CLARIFICATION: Not my fault on the lighting job, the stupid screws weren’t the right size that came in the box, all blame to Home Depot on this!! And I fixed the door.
    Mr. Fix It

  • Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope
    July 2, 2009 at 10:08 am

    Good luck with Costco! I’ve never actually tried out the “wholesale” shopping style, but I’m definitely looking forward to hearing how it works out for you.

    Sorry to hear that the green smoothies haven’t been quite up to standards lately. At least you’ll have something to look forward to when you get back from your trip!

    Good luck on your busy day! πŸ™‚

  • Shannon (The Daily Balance)
    July 2, 2009 at 10:09 am

    Costco is the best!!! You’ll love it πŸ˜‰

  • Ryane
    July 2, 2009 at 10:10 am

    Hey! Don’t forget your Murphy-Goode facts! ; )

  • Teddy
    July 2, 2009 at 10:10 am

    HAHHAh LOVE the point of clarification Mr. Fix It!! πŸ™‚

    Think I’d want fresh KALE in my shake instead of spinach.. Spinach leaves a weird after-film in my mouth that i really don’t like… reminds me of milk for some reason.

    Teddy

  • Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down)
    July 2, 2009 at 10:11 am

    Hope you get some fresh spinach soon! πŸ˜€ I need to restock my spinach supply today…I’m dyin’ for a good Green Monster. πŸ˜€

  • Cait (Cait's Plate)
    July 2, 2009 at 10:12 am

    Those Ezekiel english muffins look heavenly. I need to get me some ASAP! πŸ™‚

  • kailey
    July 2, 2009 at 10:15 am

    i got 9 pounds of oats for $7 at costco – LOVE IT πŸ˜€
    hope they let you roam around!

  • Low
    July 2, 2009 at 10:15 am

    Oh, I so wish we had Costco in Oklahoma! I’m glad Ryan was so excited, lol. You guys will get so much use out of that bulk spinach!

    Good luck with all your errands!

  • Graze With Me
    July 2, 2009 at 10:18 am

    I agree, it’s got to be the frozen spinach. Fresh is so much better, plus it’s not pre-cooked.

    Your breakfast looks yummy and you should let us know what you think of Costco, I’ve never been to one.

  • Melinda
    July 2, 2009 at 10:21 am

    You are going to fall in LOVE with Costco- its 100 times better than Sams and the quality of food is way better- they have tons of organic products for SO cheap! πŸ™‚

  • Carolyn
    July 2, 2009 at 10:32 am

    Hi jenna- quick question,
    with your hard boiled eggs, do you eat the yolk? maybe this is a stupid question but i hear mixed info re: the yolk is super proteiny, but also super fatty. any insight? enjoy costco!

    • jenna
      July 2, 2009 at 8:13 pm

      Carolyn,

      Yep, I eat the yolks. They do contain fat but they also contain vitamins and minerals that are really good for you!

  • Bree
    July 2, 2009 at 10:35 am

    I must have missed yesterday’s question about Costco vs. Sam’s, but we love Costco. I went to Sam’s as a kid and can’t say I remember much about it, but most people I know prefer Costco. Hubs and I buy milk, cottage cheese, chicken breasts, beef, canned goods like black beans, PB (when they have Naturally More), cheese, and some produce like spinach, and peppers. This is a steal especially if you go through it as fast as you do! They do carry a good amount of organic stuff which is nice. We also get a lot of household products like laundry detergent and cleaning supplies. You will love it! We pay for our membership by the savings on milk alone.

  • Cait (Cait's Plate)
    July 2, 2009 at 10:36 am

    PS – I totally suggest Wally Lamb’s “I Know this Much is True” or Christopher McDougall’s “Born to Run” – both AMAZING reads!

  • marisa
    July 2, 2009 at 10:37 am

    I bought a HUGE (5lbs) bag of spinich for my GM’s at Costco last weekend for $3.99!!! I couldn’t believe it! Oh…and almond butter (marnatha) is like $6 for a GIANT jar. Great wine deals, too!

    …and the samples they have serve each day = totally worth the trip!

  • Red Head, Yellow Dog
    July 2, 2009 at 10:48 am

    Mmm that ezekiel muffin looks beyond delicious!! I’m totally craving one now!

    Have a fantastic day!

  • Becca
    July 2, 2009 at 10:48 am

    Good luck with Costco today! I think you’ll be happy with them for sure. Just avoid the delicious huge pieces of pizza!

  • Michelle
    July 2, 2009 at 11:05 am

    My Mom and I are both Sam’s Club members…the membership really IS worth it, I think! They have some GREAT items in bulk besides just food…toiletries and stuff, that really is quite a bargain! πŸ™‚

  • Christina MINDFUL LIVING
    July 2, 2009 at 11:06 am

    i occasionally use frozen spinach in my smoothes- makes it very thick but i add water and it smoothes it out without taking away flavor- could also add more almond milk if you want too

  • HeatherBakes
    July 2, 2009 at 11:22 am

    You’re going to love Costco! They have giant tubs of organic spinach for like $4. A lifesaver if you make a lot of green monsters. And cheap containers of Fage, too! Can’t wait to see what you end up with.

    Have a great holiday weekend!

  • Matt
    July 2, 2009 at 11:24 am

    Costco is awesome. I could spend all day there!

  • Rae
    July 2, 2009 at 11:37 am

    Im weighing in a bit late but….if you have a BJs near you, check them out! They are offerrnig a free 60 day pass until July 9th (will go until the end of September) so its a great way to check it out if you want without paying! also, they take coupons, which Sams doesnt. Hope it helps!

  • Sherry
    July 2, 2009 at 11:39 am

    If you join Costco, you won’t regret getting the EXECUTIVE MEMBERSHIP (more expensive, but only in the shortrun). It gets you into the store an hour earlier than regular members AND it gives you $$ back each year based on percentage of purchases. I just took a $200 check from them into the store to stock up on raw nuts, dates, organic peanut butter, produce . . . and they gave me the change back in cash.

  • The Fit Collegiate
    July 2, 2009 at 11:49 am

    Have fun in Wisconsin! The weather has been quite atrocious here, but I hope it clears up for you (and for me…I need some sun!).

    Oh, and this is in response to your post yesterday, but…I HATED Rev Road, too! Blech! I could summarize the entire plot in a few words: Lots of fighting. A little sex. Death. What a boring, depressing movie!

  • Amy
    July 2, 2009 at 11:55 am

    Yes! Costco is the best! I only buy food for ONE and I still think it’s worth it! I go through tonsss of spinach each week thanks to my green monsters and I can get 2.5 pounds of spinach for $3.50!! Insanity. I also buy nuts there. Their raw almonds are very reasonable.
    But I agree about being smart. It is VERY easy to buy a few things and end up with a bill over $100. You’d be surprised. Some things, like vitamins, pain relievers, cosmetics, toothpaste, etc. are actually much cheaper at Wal-Mart. And some of the produce is so-so.
    For Avocados, ALDI is the cheapest!! (Although I’m sure they vary by region). I bought them for 68 cents each and went across the street to Safeway where they were selling for $1.68!! Sick. ALDI also has really awesome frozen fruit.
    Can you tell I’m a thrifty grocery shopper?? πŸ™‚

  • Jess
    July 2, 2009 at 12:21 pm

    I have never been to Costco, but someone made me dinner with wild sockeye that he bought on sale at Costco and it was amazing.

  • Heather
    July 2, 2009 at 12:30 pm

    I don’t know which is better, but my family belongs to Sam’s Club. I wouldn’t worry about it only being the two of you. I eat the majority of the produce in my house. I go through a big container of spinach and spring mix every week, and they’re organic!! The baby carrots are also organic there, which is great. I hope they start to carry more organic produce. I also like to buy the big bags of almonds and walnuts to make my own nut butters. I think it’s worth it!

  • Jessica
    July 2, 2009 at 12:33 pm

    Awesome! Costco is def the way to go… sam’s is okay but i wish i would have opted for costco.
    -muffy

  • Kelly
    July 2, 2009 at 12:36 pm

    Hi Jenna,
    I missed your first post about wholesale so people have probably already mentioned this but be careful! You can EASILY go overboard at these places and buy things you don’t need. If you go with a list, it’s probably a good deal- but otherwise, yikes!

  • txrunnergirl
    July 2, 2009 at 12:43 pm

    Costco rocks! Unfortunately, the nearest one is about a 1/2 hour away, so I don’t go often anymore. Sam’s it is! I am buying all the stuff for a GM this weekend…hopefully, I can’t screw it up too bad!

  • Lindsay S.
    July 2, 2009 at 12:48 pm

    Hi… I just had a question to ask everyone. I bought some of the amazing meal when they had the EatLiveRun sale. I have had it in a smoothie and it tastes pretty good then. It also came with packets of GreenSuperfood. On the directions it says you can mix these little packets with water. Has anyone tried this? I think it is really disgusting. I tried the chocolate one with milk and I thought that was also not too fantastic. Does anyone have any good suggestions of things to mix these packets with? I can’t really make smoothies at work, so I need something besides that.

  • Sarah
    July 2, 2009 at 12:54 pm

    Too bad on the frozen spinach front. Good thing guys will eat just about anything!

  • Joelle (Chasing Pavements)
    July 2, 2009 at 1:26 pm

    Ooh Costco is great, especially their pizza, I kid you not. Plus a lot of them have their own gas station connected, and the gas is usually a lot cheaper. Have a good day!

  • Emily (The Experimentarian)
    July 2, 2009 at 4:36 pm

    I agree that it’s the frozen spinach. I made the same thing this morning and it was like sludge! Mine have never been that heavy before. I can’t believe you’d never been to Costco–I could wander around that place for days!

  • Madelin @ What is for Breakfast?
    July 2, 2009 at 9:00 pm

    Ha! We got our fridge really cheap because it had a ding on the side of it but you can’t even see it! We saved about $600!