Day 358

My 'Work From Home' Look

The challenge is changing, once again! Yes, I'm still over here thinking up a storm about the upcoming grocery challenge. It's become my focus this week, no kidding! First, let me just say that since I live in a house FULL of food for other people, it will be hard to keep my hands, as my mother would have put it, "to myself!" Nancy, don't be touchin' other people's food!! Yes, I'll have to work hard at that one. I'm very used to eating whenever and whatever I want around here and the challenge just isn't going to support that. This is a good thing, since I don't need to continue eating the way I have been, at all. Next, I'm still not quite sure about the menu for this first week challenge. Since I'm not used to meal planning with a limited budget like this, I have to be somewhat flexible about how I approach the whole thing. I'll learn a lot next week, I'm sure. So, here is the challenge as it stands right now:

• $27USD is all that can be spent for groceries for the next week, for myself
• I cannot use any food I have at home during the challenge week, for myself
• The food has to be the healthiest I can afford (i.e. make every attempt to buy healthy foods)
• There must be food for 21 meals including beverages and 7 snacks

Newly added to the challenge today:

• I must come home with at least one thing considered a 'pantry staple'
• I must purchase one food item that would be considered a 'treat'

I'll take pictures of the items and receipt and post them here and then prep everything for the week. Each day I'll update the blog on what I was eating and how I feel it's going.

I've thought a lot about things like growing some of my own food and what-not, but the fact is I don't have the space, time or inclination to do that. Although I have had gardens in the past, they were never a blooming (ha!) success. I would love it if I didn't have to work, but I do. I'm not complaining. I love my work! I just want to set the record straight: I won't be growing food.

One of the things I've learned while researching grocery options in my area is that there is more than HEB available in Austin! It is really easy to start to think that they are the only markets around, but actually there are other options. There are a couple of Fiesta Markets here. Not close, but could be options for me to try. Also, there are Walmart stores, Target, Randall's and Farmer's Markets! Not to mention we now have Trader Joe's and of course, Whole Foods and Central Market! So, after much ad comparing and reading online, I will be purchasing the food for the upcoming week from (drumroll please): Walmart! I was thinking I'd use HEB, but I've waffled and now I'm going to try Walmart. Actually, I'll be scanning HEB while purchasing my family's food (HEB has their favorites) and will make a mini-price list to compare as I'm shopping at Walmart. This will add to the research base and hopefully help me better plan for week 2 of the challenge. Oh, didn't I tell you? There will be more weeks of this!

That's it for today. Until tomorrow when I'll share some exciting snaps of the neighborhood Independence Day parade and final preparations for challenge shopping day on Saturday, Godspeed, Voyagers!!