This is going to be meaty

It's the first of a new month--The start of my keeping track of what I spend on groceries, toiletries and household supplies.  I ALWAYS spend lots at the beginning of the month for the simple reason that I get my "allowance" at the beginning of the month.

Spending so far  on groceries: $289.25. This includes 2 month's worth of meat, 7 cases of canned goods, a month's worth of bread (my oven is still not reliable enough to bake bread) and English muffins. The only other things I should need this month are milk and produce, which I buy every seven to ten days.

Spending on toiletries and household supplies is: $80.73 which includes some things from Don Aslett's Cleaning Center, my favorite place for cleaning supplies.

I know that many people use baking soda and vinegar and such for cleaning, but I don't. Years ago when I first read Don's book "Is There Life After Housework" I read his debunking of the use of those things. I think they are great for certain applications, but not for everything.

When I got home from shopping I put everything away except the meat and canned goods. Then I set up for processing the bulk purchased meat into meal sized portions.

I bought ten pounds of ground beef, four (double) chicken breasts, and two pounds of regular sausage.

Bulk purchased meats

 I gathered the tools I need to process the meat into meal sized portions: kitchen scale, masking tape, Sharpie marker . . .

Tools needed to process

 . . . and a bunch of plastic containers.

Assorted plastic containers

 I weigh out the portions I want, for example I wanted three portions from each pound of sausage, then I put the meat in a container, put the lid on it, rinse my hands, then put tape on the lid and write the date and what's inside. All that's left is to put it in the freezer.

First Batch Completed

I won't bore you with pictures of all the other. Some of the chicken breasts I divided and some I left double, then labeled accordingly so I can choose whatever I need for a meal or recipe. The ground beef I portion in one pound and half pound and fill up the containers. This has been a way to save money by buying a lot of meat when it's on sale, portioning it up and freezing it. No waste and I can see at a glance what I have in my freezer.