Shopping at Sam's Club, Part 2

As I mentioned yesterday, going to Sam's Club is a fun thing for our family so it is not a big deal to us to go once every week and a half to two weeks. As I was compiling my list of products that we get here they clearly fall into a couple of categories. There are items that we buy every time we go, items that I would call staples in our home, but we may only have to buy them once every month or every couple of months, non-food items, seasonal produce, and occasional items that we buy seasonally or as needed.

Weekly: Every two weeks or so we buy 2 gallons of milk ($2.06 each) and 2 loaves of sandwich bread. I buy the Nature's Own bread $4.38 for a 2pack.

Staples:

Tyson frozen chicken breasts. $11.98 for 6 lbs. One bag can last us about a month

honey $10.69 for 80 oz.

Peter Pan peanut butter $7.22

Tone's pure vanilla extract $6.88 This will last months and months and months.

Act II microwave popcorn $7.12 for 28 bags. Lasts us 6 months and great for a movie night at home.

Krusteaz pancake mix, $6.57 for 10 lbs. One of our Newton family traditions is a big breakfast every Saturday morning. For a long time I would make the pancakes or waffles from scratch but I was actually spending more money on flour, sugar, and baking powder so I started buying this and it lasts for several months.

Mrs. Butterworth pancake syrup. $6.58 for 2 large bottles. I keep a smaller syrup container that I can put in the microwave and I just refill it with this.

Heinz ketchup. $6.27 3/44oz. bottles. I had an older mom tell me once that with toddlers in the house this can be considered a vegetable since it goes on everything!

Hidden Valley ranch dressing $9.24 for 2/40 oz. bottles.

Non-Food Items:

Charmin toilet paper

Sam's brand paper towels

Gain laundry detergent

Sam's brand dishwasher detergent

Occasional Items:

Wright bacon. $10.88 for 4lbs. My grandma introduced me to this bacon and it is the best. If you know Josh at all you know that he would eat bacon on just about anything! When I buy it I wrap about 4 slices each into plastic wrap and freeze all together in a storage bag. I just pull out one package Friday night and it is ready to cook Saturday morning with our breakfast.

butter. $6.44 for 4 lbs. good for holiday baking.

frozen shrimp. $10.98 for med. size shrimp. I only buy this occasionally, but it is fun to think up some different recipes that we might not eat all the time. Since I only need a small amount at a time one bag lasts several weeks.

peanuts/almonds. $4-$10 depending on what you get. I usually get the $5 Planters peanuts. Healthy snacks and this is the cheapest place to get them.

stewed tomatoes. I like to buy a case of these in the winter when I make a lot of soups.

canned fruit. Again this is helpful in the winter when there isn't as much fresh fruit.

chicken tenders $9.98 for Member's Mark popcorn chicken. Good to have if Josh and I are going out and Jack is staying with a babysitter for dinner.

Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh shaved turkey $6.78 for 3pack. These freeze great.

My Sam's Club shopping list from today is on the sidebar.

More helpful hints and tips tomorrow...