How much did I save by price matching?

My great mom dilemma is trying to make healthy meals that my kids (and my husband) will eat and still stay in budget.  So 3 criteria:  Healthy, Kids like it, Not too expensive....seriously it's mission impossible!

 I saved pennies here and pennies there by price matching the produce yesterday for a grand total savings of $3.63 of 20.58 or 17.6%.  The apples were the biggest contributor because I price matched them at $0.50/lb from the Buy Low ad.  The regular price was $1.25.  I saved $2.73 on my 3.64 pounds of apples.  I didn't save a lot on price matching, but I still think it's worth it.  I hate to say it, but I think that Walmart has the best price on most things.
On my total bill I usually save 10-20%  which is usually about $10-$20 a week or about $60/month on average.  It takes me less than an hour to price match.  I usually do it on Sunday night when the kids are in bed.  Here is my process:
1.  Write down main meals for the week
2.  Write down the ingredients that I'm missing at the bottom of the page
3.  Go to the grocerysmarts.com website and select "all in one)
4.  I push ctrl F (Find) and search for all of the ingredients on the bottom of my list one by one. 
5.  I write down the prices for those and what store it comes from.  I usually write S for Smith's.  FM for Fresh Market ect..(I don't price match Albertsons or any stores too far away) 
6.  I push "start"  and then "stock up sale"  and then "shrink".  Now I get to see the best deals from the week.  I fill in my menu with the produce that is on sale.  (and the apples, bananas, and broccoli which we have on a weekly basis.
7.  I look for things that we regularly buy and write it down too (spaghetti noodles, tomato sauce, chicken broth, tortilla chips, ect)  This is to add to my stockpile.
8.  I check the Buy Low ad separately because it is not on grocery smarts.  It appears Rancho is going out of business.  

Oh and I do plan on tracking my produce purchases for this week without any consideration for what Bountiful Baskets was giving out.  I'll let you know how much I spend.  

My Bountiful Basket Experiment

Is Bountiful Baskets really cheaper than the grocery store?  I have been getting a basket for a while now and I wanted to do a price comparison between Bountiful Baskets and price matching at Walmart.  The produce from Bountiful Baskets is the same as what you would find in the grocery store unless you get the organic basket.

My Friend got the following in her basket this week:

1 head Califlower
1 head Brocolli
2 heads Lettuce
2 Cucumber
8 Small Red Potatoes
4 Tomatoes
3 Onions
3 Avocados
1- 6oz case of Blackberries
1  Mango
1 Honeydew
5 Bananas

So I went to my ads and found the following price matches:  I wanted to do this for any random week, when there was any kind of sale on the above items.  I didn't really buy all of the quantities of the items, but I bought at least 1 and then multiplied the lb for 1 by how many my friend got in her basket. 

1 head Califlower  $0.88/1b   .82 lb @ $0.88/lb   = $0.72
1 head Brocolli      $0.88/lb   .82 lb @ $0.88/lb    = $0.72
2 heads Lettuce  (Romaine)    2@1.74 each         =  $3.48    
2 Cucumbers                         2@$0.50 each        = $1.00
8 Small Red Potatoes                                           = $0.74
4 Tomatoes                            1.76lb @ $0.78/lb  = $1.36
3 Onions                                1.8lb @  $0.48/lb   = $0.85
3 Avocados                                 3@ $0.68 each = $2.04
1- 6oz case of Blackberries                                  = $2.50
1  Mango                                                             =$0.68
1 Honeydew                                                        = $2.50
5 Bananas                             2.4lb@$0.52/lb      = $1.25

Total :  $ 17.84 +tax @3% =    $18.38

The Bountiful Baskets is $16.50.    So even if I got the Romaine lettuce it wouldn't be that much more than the basket.  And at the grocery store I can buy what I want and like.  I can buy specific produce for my salads and I don't get stuff I don't like or don't need.  (I really don't need 4 tomatoes this week.)

Here is what I really bought:
1 lb strawberries $1.50
1 head Romaine  $1.74
1 yellow onion     $0.28
1 red onion          $0.57
1 tomato              $0.34
5 bananas            $1.25
2 limes                 $0.40
10 gala apples      $1.82
1 mango               $0.68
3 avocados          $2.04
1 bunch cilantro    $0.29
1 lb baby carrots  $ 0.88
3 brocolli crowns  $1.04
2 Cucumbers        $1.00
5 lb bag red pot    $1.47
Honeydew            $2.50
Red Grapes          $2.50
Total:  $20.58
= 21.20 with tax.

Yes, I eat a lot of produce.  My kids are more likely to eat the carrots, grapes, and apples than the extra head of lettuce, tomatoes and onion.  I spent about $5 more than the bountiful basket and I bought some things extra just for the price matching experiment (like the mango and the honeydew). 

Cheater smoothie

I like smoothies because they are a great way to sneak in healthy veggies that I don't eat very much. But sometimes smoothies can be some work getting the fruit out and cutting it up. So on some days I use prepared smoothie bags an add some greens. I only buy the smoothies that are just fruit because i dont like the added sweeteners or yogurt. i can easily add my own greek yogurt or kefir. I like it because I already know that the fruit in the smoothie is going to taste good together. The kids like them way better than my own concoctions. They like em so much that I usually only get a sip before someone takes over my glass.
Here is my list of add-ins.
2 Tb very green powder
1/2 C plain Greek yogurt
1/2 c kefir
1 handful kale leaves
1 handful spinach leaves
1Tb ground flax seeds.

I don't use all of the add-ins. I usually add the green powder, either yogurt or kefir, and either spinach or kale depending on what I have.