Grocery Haul #10
It’t time for another grocery haul! I thought it might be useful to show what I’m getting at the store these days, but even more importantly to talk about what’s NOT in this pile. There is a lot of seasonal shopping in New Zealand as most fresh fruit and veg are grown locally. That means if it isn’t the right time of year, then I either don’t buy it because the prices are insane or it isn’t available even if I wanted to make a purchase. This includes things like courgettes/zucchini which are currently selling for $20 a kg, as opposed to $9 a kg like they are most of the year, strawberries which simply aren’t available, capsicum/bell peppers which have shot up from $1.99 a piece to $3.49, and brown sugar, which seems to be very hit or miss since lockdown. Also not in this pile? Not a lot of organic produce, which was the only thing I bought back in the US. There is a very, very limited supply of organic options in the store, and honestly, because almost all of the produce I buy is locally sourced, I don’t worry about it.
If it IS the right time of year, then I don’t buy certain items at the store because I can find them in my yard/on my street/from a neighbour. The citrus trees are exploding right now, and it is not uncommon for people to leave out trays or baskets of produce from their backyard trees for neighbours to take. We’ve got an overwhelming supply of lemons, mandarins, and naval oranges at the moment. There are grapefruit at the bottom of our driveway that are about to be ready, too. Truthfully, I should’ve gotten the avocado from a neighbour who just advertised that they’ve got crates of them in their front yard. It isn’t unusual to have food-producing plants as part of your landscaping. A few weeks ago the sidewalks were littered with olives falling off all of the olive trees that line the walks. During lockdown, one house had a sign on their fence inviting people to take the guava off the tree on the sidewalk side of the fence, but please be safe and wash them before eating. And when feijoa time comes around, be prepared for six weeks of feijoa everything because people are overwhelmed.
With that being said, here’s what I purchased with prices in New Zealand dollars:
Avocado - $3.49
Carrots - .676 kg @ $2.29/kg - $1.55
Bluff salmon fillets, bone in/skin on - .586 kg @$39.99/kg - $23.44
Half celery - $1.99
Organic black beans 400g - $1.89 (on sale)
Organic chickpeas 400g - $1.89 (on sale)
9 pack of croissants - $4.80
Garlic 7 ct - $5.99
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce 150g - $2.69
Pam’s classic guacamole 225g - $5.79 (on sale. This is a surprisingly good pre-made guacamole that can be the base for something truly delicious with a little doctoring.)
Brown onions - .411 kg @ $2.19/kg - 90¢
Organic milk 2L - $6.49
Golden kiwifruit - .501 kg @ $2.99/kg - $1.50
Royal gala apples - .706 kg @ $3.49/kg - $2.46
Mangoes - $1.99 each - $3.98
Butter 500g - $5.49 (on sale)
Gruyere 150g - $6.99
Diced beef - .913 kg @ $22.99/kg - $20.09
Button mushrooms - .142 kg @ $12.99/kg - $1.84
Pam’s fresh cream 500mL - $3.74
Corn chips 170g - $1.99
Champagne ham - 150g - $3.62
Grated colby cheese 750g - $10.49
Bread - $3.49 (on sale)
English muffins 6 pack - $2.89 (on sale)
SuperWine cookies 250g - $2.69
Free range eggs, 1 dozen - $7.49
There are a few things I purchased buy didn’t picture:
Kleenex toilet paper double roll 9 pack - $8.99 (on sale)
Tuffy paper towels 4 pack - $4.49
An extra 2L of milk - $6.49
All together my shopping trip was NZ$159.63, or about US$100. I hope this helps as you think about budgeting and bills. Also, I’m a bit of a snoop and I’m curious as to what other people eat!
Check out all of my grocery haul’s here.
