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Cook for Good Regular Shopping List, Spring 2009

This shopping list will provide for a thrifty, healthy, and delicious diet for a family of four, using prices from April 2009. This list was created with price in mind to help keep you on your food budget. The sizes that go with the prices given are shown, but of course get the best deal you can. For example, the14.5-ounce cans of diced tomatoes were better buy this month than the 28-ounce cans that I usually buy. Where it seemed helpful, I included the total quantity to help you figure out the best buy, such as getting one 10-pound bag of flour instead of two 5-pound bags. Compare this list to the green shopping list, which has all the same items with one exception: replacing the bottled lemon juice with fresh lemons, but shows the sizes and prices available for regular products.

How to use this list

Shop from this list to make all the meals shown on the menu plan for a month. Or use it as a starting point for your own menu plan and a price check for products at the store.

ingredients section quantity buying size price each price total notes
flour, all-purpose baking 2 five-pound bags $1.79 $3.58
flour, white whole-wheat baking 2 five-pound bags $4.99 $9.98 get regular whole-wheat flour if you can't find white whole-wheat flour
walnuts baking 2 pounds $6.24 $12.48
wheat germ cereal 2 1-pound bags $2.49 $4.98
butter dairy 2 pounds $2.50 $5.00
cheese, cheddar dairy 3 8-ounce bags $2.50 $7.50
cheese, mozzarella dairy 48 ounces see note $12.99 2 pounds for $7.99 plus 2 8-ounce bags for $2.50 each
cheese, parmesan dairy 4 6-ounce bags $2.00 $8.00
eggs dairy 2 dozen $1.79 $3.58
milk, fresh 2% dairy 3 gallons $2.99 $8.97
milk, whole dairy 1 1/2 gallon $1.67 $1.67
whipping cream dairy 2 8-ounce cartons $1.59 $3.18
yogurt for starter dairy 3 6-ounce containers $0.60 $1.80
raisins fruit 3 24-ounce boxes $3.74 $11.22
beans, black grains 2 pounds $1.17 $2.34
beans, black-eyed peas grains 1 pound $1.12 $1.12
beans, chickpea grains 2 pounds $1.99 $3.98
beans, kidney grains 2 pounds $1.53 $3.06
beans, pinto grains 1 2-pound bag $2.29 $2.29
beans, split peas or lentils grains 2 pounds $0.90 $1.80
couscous grains 2 10-ounce packages $1.91 $3.82
rice grains 1 5-pound bag $3.77 $3.77
large flour burritos grocery 3 packages (8 burritos) $3.00 $9.00 10-inch burritos
honey grocery 1 24-ounce jar $5.29 $5.29
hot sauce grocery 1 12.3-ounce jar $0.99 $0.99
peanut butter grocery 2 80-ounce twin-pack $9.99 $19.98 4 40-ounce jars total
bottled lemon juice grocery 1 15-ounce jar $1.99 $1.99
rotini, high protein grocery 9 16-ounce boxes $1.72 $15.48
tomatoes, crushed grocery 12 28-ounce cans $2.09 $25.08
tomatoes, diced grocery 21 14.5-ounce cans $0.99 $20.79 or 11 28-ounce cans
vinegar grocery 1 16-ounce jar $1.23 $1.23
soy sauce international 1 10-ounce jar $1.49 $1.49
tahini international 1 15-ounce can $6.49 $6.49
oil, corn oil 1 32-ounce bottle $2.35 $2.35
oil, olive oil 2 17-ounce bottles $2.99 $5.98
asparagus produce 4 pounds $3.99 $15.96
bananas produce 36 pounds $0.57 $20.52
broccoli produce 6 pounds $1.46 $8.76
green cabbage produce 1 pound $0.49 $0.49
carrots produce 2 5-pound bags $3.49 $6.98
strawberries produce 7 quarts $3.00 $21.00
garlic produce 8 heads $0.69 $5.52
chard or mustard greens produce 1 pound $1.39 $1.39
kale produce 1 pound $0.99 $0.99
lettuce produce 2 pounds $1.79 $3.58
onions produce 8 pounds $0.79 $6.32
spring onions produce 7 bunches $0.69 $4.83
oranges produce 4 8-pound bags $5.99 $23.96
parsley produce 3 bunch (1/4-pound) $0.89 $2.67
green peppers produce 13 peppers $1.29 $16.77
all-purpose potatoes produce 1 5-pound bag $2.99 $2.99
new potatoes produce 4 pounds $0.99 $3.96
sweet potatoes produce 2 pounds $0.99 $1.98
sugar-snap peas produce 4 quarts $5.00 $20.00
bay leaves spices 1 0.12-ounce jar $2.77 $2.77
chipotle pepper spices 1 2 ounces $5.69 $5.69
cinnamon spices 1 2 ounces $1.49 $1.49
cumin spices 1 7 ounces $2.99 $2.99
red cayenne pepper spices 1 ounce $2.86 $2.86
salt spices 1 28-ounce package $0.47 $0.47
vanilla spices 1 8 ounces $1.49 $1.49
tea tea & coffee 3 24-bag boxes $1.50 $4.50