Feeding people!

[Ausmumof3]

Ok it’s killing me keeping healthy food on the table right now.  Ugh.  We’ve spent $500 on food this week and some how we still ran out of butter.  Food prices in Aus are crazy but it’s not normally that bad (typical week is around $300 for everything except maybe the chook food).

i also have fussy eaters.

i know I’ve asked this before but what are you all eating right now?!

[Peaceseeker]

Ummm....way too much junk food (today was take out pizza).   On the plus side it was a light day for dishes :)

[Arcadia]

My fussy DS13 can survive on just Milo and unagi (eel). Our grocery budget however can’t survive on just feeding him those. Milo (made in Malaysia) goes for $14.99 for the 1.5kg can. Unagi is $16 per pack and the portion is just enough as his main course for his lunch or dinner. He used to eat a lot of brie cheese.

[moonflower]

There are probably more of us (9 in total) but we spend way more than that on food, so I feel your pain.  They just eat and eat.  

Right now I am eating rice and a can of garbanzo beans which I cooked in a jar of curry sauce.  I am the only one who will eat this; everyone else had peanut butter toast for dinner.

[prairiewindmomma]

We are eating really boring stuff.

oatmeal

potatoes

carrots

rice

beans

veg

in season fruit

eggs

soup

meat—small portions a few times a week—usually chicken in a dish with other veg...

I have three picky eaters. One of these was picky enough that we did feeding therapy for sensory issues. Not everyone is happy at the table at every meal, but we are eating on a budget, and so we always offer that someone can have hard boiled eggs or extra rice or whatever without resorting to processed junk.

We are in a HCOL area....not quite Oz prices, but not far from it either.

[prairiewindmomma]

Tomorrow:

breakfast: oatmeal or toast, fruit &/or hard boiled eggs for those that want it

lunch: veggie soup + bread

supper: chicken curry over rice with steamed broccoli  

[moonflower]

for breakfast we eat either oats and blueberries (they like raw oats and frozen blueberries) or peanut butter toast or, on rare occasion, biscuits and a tofu scramble

for the meal I don't make, which sometimes is lunch and sometimes dinner, we eat peanut butter toast or blue corn chips + a dip DH makes which is just a can of vegan refried beans and a jar of salsa mixed together, and apples.

For the meal I do make, this week it is bean soup (white beans, basil, any veg, canned tomatoes), garlic bread, frozen vegetables heated up with olive oi and salt, cod (steamed with tomatoes and basil), tuna, or noodles + spaghetti sauce (from a jar).  

We go through a lot of bread and peanut butter and corn chips and jars of beans and apples and bags of frozen veg.

[Ausmumof3]

1 hour ago, moonflower said:

for breakfast we eat either oats and blueberries (they like raw oats and frozen blueberries) or peanut butter toast or, on rare occasion, biscuits and a tofu scramble

for the meal I don't make, which sometimes is lunch and sometimes dinner, we eat peanut butter toast or blue corn chips + a dip DH makes which is just a can of vegan refried beans and a jar of salsa mixed together, and apples.

For the meal I do make, this week it is bean soup (white beans, basil, any veg, canned tomatoes), garlic bread, frozen vegetables heated up with olive oi and salt, cod (steamed with tomatoes and basil), tuna, or noodles + spaghetti sauce (from a jar).  

We go through a lot of bread and peanut butter and corn chips and jars of beans and apples and bags of frozen veg.

Yum!  Blueberries here are like $4 for 125g so they are such a rare treat!  Strawberries are cheaper so they are more frequent.

that soup sounds so good - I think I need to make a big batch of soup again!

[moonflower]

We buy frozen blueberries by the case.  They are a bane of my existence as there is nothing stain-ier than a frozen blueberry, but they are good for you and the kids and DH love them so I don't make too much fuss.  I prefer apples.

[HomeAgain]

Food is a hot topic right now in our house.  We don't eat a lot of boxed foods, but there are three different sleeping shifts going on in this house because of work schedules so I need something that feeds everyone at different times.  That means that currently there are frozen pizzas and chicken patties in my freezer, and they being eaten weekly.  Mostly I try to stick to a whole food/plain food menu and use the loss leaders in my ads to create a menu.
Breakfasts: oatmeal, bagels, cereal (for the oldest), fruit, plain greek yogurt
Lunches: mostly leftovers
Dinners:  This is tricky.  So far this month we've had
-Potato soup
-chicken chili
-beef chili
-tacos
-lasagna (I make the noodles at home)
-pulled bbq chicken sandwiches
-sesame beef lo mein
-beef stew

I'm at a loss for this week and I have to go grocery shopping today.  It's fall, so I may make some butternut squash ravioli to freeze but our sides will definitely be hearty and starchy for the most part.

ETA: Here's our meal plan for this week:

Tonight: beef chili, served over rice, and with avocado, sour cream, cheese, and a homemade pico de gallo on top.
Tomorrow: Lunch: leftover chili.  Dinner: pan seared chicken thighs, mashed potatoes, and kale/mushroom sautee. Pumpkin pie for dessert.
Tuesday: I'm going to do a roast with some cumin, chili powder, and garlic, and then let it simmer until tender in a California chili-infused broth.  This will be turned into tacos for the next two nights with jicama slaw, the fixings from chili night, and queso fresco instead of jack cheese.  On the side: black beans and sweet potato rounds.
Thursday: pasta night.  I'm thinking pesto or the ravioli if I have time to make it, with a kale caesar salad on the side to use up more tomatoes.  Custard for dessert to add a bit of fat back in.
Friday: Chinese short ribs.  It's a recipe I got from America's Test kitchen.  Served over rice with pickled radishes and green onion on top.
Saturday: Harissa chicken with a yogurt sauce.  On the side a grain salad with persimmon and kale.  Dh is on dessert duty here since I'll be running around town.

Hopefully the family won't revolt at the amount of kale, but it's on sale this week and it lasts well in the fridge. Same with the chicken, pumpkin, and a few other ingredients.  And depending on what I get, most of these meals are interchangeable and I can switch them around as needed.

Edited October 21, 2018 by HomeAgain

[prairiewindmomma]

125g = 4.5oz for those who need the conversion

Our prices are much the same off season for blueberries. I pick them at a local farm in the summer. I paid $1.75/lb and froze about 40lbs. In store, the best prices we saw this summer were $2.50/6oz box.

I really craved fresh raspberries this week but they were $6 for 6oz. I need to dig around in my freezer and pull out a bag to munch on this week.

I am trying to sort out our winter menu. I think it’s going to look a lot like soup and bread for dinner most nights. I need to get back into bread making—probably the artisan loaf in a day recipe or something nutrient dense with whole wheat.

5 soups we like:

Broccoli + carrot

chili

vegetable

noodle

potato

 

[prairiewindmomma]

I think I may do salad at lunch for dh and I and let the boys take over lunch making with pasta or rice or the like. I could easily cook up black bean burgers also.

[Faith-manor]

We are eating Lentils quite a bit. It is a fall here in northern USA so we get that crisp, cool air and it's nice to have a good soup around.

I make red lentil soup using veggie or chicken broth. cumin, tumeric, and garlic to taste with diced carrots and slow cook. We eat it with a hearty bread - well the guys do, I can't have wheat - and salad.

I make chilli once per week, and we eat that mild. Cumin with lots of garlic and very mild on chilli pepper. I use pinto and kidney beans and we top it with plain greek yogurt. I do have my mom's home canned tomatoes to use as the base so that makes it super cheap.

Beef and vegetable stew. I use small amounts of beef, the bulk is pinto beans, green beans, finely diced tomatoes (my family doesn't like big chunks), small amount of peas (they do not like very many of those), diced carrots, some leeks for flavor, celery, and potatoes.

Egg casserole - I brown small chucks of potatoes and a few tablespoons of sausage for flavor, layer them into a casserole dish that has been greased with butter, dump whisked eggs over top, and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top, bake until golden. I serve with fresh fruit and toast.

Chicken enchilada casserole - warm corn tortillas in hot olive oil, fill with shredded chicken that has been warmed with enchilada sauce or even just salsa - add black beans, roll up, layer pan, top with some salsa, any left over filling, and a light layer of shredded cheese. Bake. While baking, I saute red peppers, onion, and thinly sliced tomatoes in a pan with garlic and salsa, and we add that to the top.

When my soups are down to a small amount of leftover, I then mix in a big pan of rice and turn into a casserole that just has to be heated through.

We are also eating a lot of sauted veggies with small amounts of chicken or beef over polenta. Savory polenta is a wonderful hot dish, usually pretty cheap to make, very filling. Dh and I are trying to always eat a side salad before our meals so that we fill up on the high fiber vegetables and eat smaller amounts of meat/dairy dishes. I also sometimes make steamed broccoli with an alfredo sauce (a little melted cream cheese mixed with milk or heavy whipping cream to thin it and add garlic for flavor) over the polenta.

[regentrude]

It is fall here, so we are currently eating a lot of soups (veggies, lentils, potato) and curries. And I have gone back to baking bread now that we no longer have to run the A/C.

[happypamama]

Lots of apples, because they're in season here, so the cheap ones are cheap, and the good ones are reasonable.

 

Lots of eggs, chicken, sometimes beef.  Oatmeal.  Pasta, because my carb situation is. . .tricky, and pasta for dinner somehow works well for me.

 

Kids will eat anything that resembles tacos or pizza.

 

I made salmon the other day; it's not typically anyone's favorite but does get eaten.  I tried a new recipe, with pesto and tomatoes, baked in foil packets.  That was actually a big hit!

 

On the menu for this week: spaghetti with ground beef, pizza, something with chicken breast, pot roast, not sure what else.  We eat a lot of frozen veggies because I stock up when they're on sale.  Thankfully, my kids like them, and adding a little butter and salt, or some cheese helps a lot.

 

I need to go find some new soup recipes that don't rely too much on grain products.

[mmasc]

Here’s what we’re having this week:

dinners will be simple and uninspiring ?

1)spaghetti and sauce from a jar

2) beef stroganoff (new recipe from Pinterest) and green beans

3)tacos, rice, & refried beans (can)

4)chicken and rice, salad

5) loaded baked potatoes

Lunches will be deli pepperoni slices, cheese, crackers, pb&j sandwiches, tuna salad, hard boiled eggs, leftover vegetable soup, noodle soup, grilled cheeses, maybe scrambled eggs. Some of us will eat a variety of that throughout the week; others will basically have pb&j every day. ?

breakfast is always toast and milk, yogurt, or bagels with cream cheese. We aren’t heavy breakfast eaters here. Fruit and string cheese is usually mid-morning snack.

some weeks I make really yummy, fresh, delicious stuff; some weeks are the boring tried-and-true-my-family-will-eat-this weeks. This week is the latter. ?

[ocolateblip]

We do baked oatmeal for breakfast a lot. I make a whole tray and we eat on it for a week.

For lunches and dinners, I make a lot of curries. I make one that is a dozen large onions, a few tomatoes and peppers, plus spices. I mix in a few cups of chickpeas and serve over rice, and that’ll be lunch for the whole family for two weeks.

We also eat a lot of beans. Tonight is burrito bowls: homemade refried beans, rice, and oven roasted potatoes with veggies. 

Our main snacks are bananas and spoons of peanut butter haha.

[Spryte]

I am mostly here for inspiration.  We are in a rut and eating out too much lately.

Here, it’s pre-prepped breakfast (waffles, cereal, lots of carby stuff for the kids who can eat them).  Hard boiled eggs for me, or a Quest bar.  For my mom, who’s moved in, I keep frozen breakfast frittatas. DH eats sausage.

Lunches are self serve sandwiches or make your own pizza (lots of veggies), or salad.

Dinners are chili, burgers, chicken, beans of some sort, roasted veggies, cauliflower rice, that sort of thing.

We are in a serious rut and very short on time, so hoping for some veggie heavy low carb ideas to pop up on this thread, that work for our allergies.

 

[prairiewindmomma]

We eat zucchini black bean soft tacos a lot. The recipe is called Super Stuffed Tortillas from the Simply In Season cookbook. This isn't my blog, but this is another's interpretation of the recipe: https://zoedawn.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/super-stuffed-tortillas/  We use a red pepper instead of a green pepper.  We don't add the corn or the chard. If you want to add cheese, I recommend something like colby-jack or asadero or something other than the cheddar the blog user mentions. Cheddar doesn't belong on tacos, ever.

[Ausmumof3]

1 hour ago, happysmileylady said:

I don't have "fussy eaters" I have straight neeting therapy PICKY eaters.

 

$500 a week would KILL us.  Like not in the "wow, that's crazy" thought process but in the "we would not be able to pay rent" budget.

First, I let go of the idea of ALL HEALTHY ALL the time!  I just don't care if the kids eat OnCor Nuggets for lunch anymore.  I focus on breakfast and dinner mostly.  So, breakfast might be banana pancakes.  Sure, they are made with AP flour, but they are basic pancake ingredients that are less convoluted than some factory made pancake mix.  Then, bacon, we just picked up our pork from a local "basic" farmer in the area (we could meet the specific cow if we wanted.) So is it processed, sure, but it's not like it's totally full of artifical stuff.  Most of my kids won't eat eggs, so breakfasts are either the things I make here or Sugar Smacks, Captain Crunch or Bacon Bacon Bacon etc.

 

Lunch is, whatever I manage.  Tyson Nuggets.  Honey Smacks cereal.  Ham sandwiches with straight store white bread and random Oscar Meyer Balony (sp)  

Dinner, we try to do things like grilled chicken steamed broccoli, and potatoes baked in the microwave.  So , mostly quick and easy, but also simple.   That doesn't have to mean boring...add a sprinkle of grill seasoning that is on sale....still tastey and healthy.  

Well yup!  It would us if it was a weekly event too.  Hence the reason I’m here!  That is one out there food bill for us but it’s definitely getting up even on a normal week as oldest hits the preteen years!  He’s growing like 2in a day right now!!!

Im getting to a point where it’s eat healthy or end up on medication so eating healthier is still a better option if we can manage.  Not that we’re perfect.  But I ate shop bread yesterday and today I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.  

Prices here for stuff are different that’s for sure.  We are lucky to be able to afford the food we do. 

That sounds like a tasty dinner to me.  We eat a lot of pretty simple stuff like that.

[Ausmumof3]

19 hours ago, Arcadia said:

My fussy DS13 can survive on just Milo and unagi (eel). Our grocery budget however can’t survive on just feeding him those. Milo (made in Malaysia) goes for $14.99 for the 1.5kg can. Unagi is $16 per pack and the portion is just enough as his main course for his lunch or dinner. He used to eat a lot of brie cheese.

I’ve never heard of Unagi.  That sounds interesting.

i buy milo about twice a year.  It lasts two or three weeks then that’s it tell next time!

[Ausmumof3]

13 hours ago, HomeAgain said:

Food is a hot topic right now in our house.  We don't eat a lot of boxed foods, but there are three different sleeping shifts going on in this house because of work schedules so I need something that feeds everyone at different times.  That means that currently there are frozen pizzas and chicken patties in my freezer, and they being eaten weekly.  Mostly I try to stick to a whole food/plain food menu and use the loss leaders in my ads to create a menu.
Breakfasts: oatmeal, bagels, cereal (for the oldest), fruit, plain greek yogurt
Lunches: mostly leftovers
Dinners:  This is tricky.  So far this month we've had
-Potato soup
-chicken chili
-beef chili
-tacos
-lasagna (I make the noodles at home)
-pulled bbq chicken sandwiches
-sesame beef lo mein
-beef stew

I'm at a loss for this week and I have to go grocery shopping today.  It's fall, so I may make some butternut squash ravioli to freeze but our sides will definitely be hearty and starchy for the most part.

ETA: Here's our meal plan for this week:

Tonight: beef chili, served over rice, and with avocado, sour cream, cheese, and a homemade pico de gallo on top.
Tomorrow: Lunch: leftover chili.  Dinner: pan seared chicken thighs, mashed potatoes, and kale/mushroom sautee. Pumpkin pie for dessert.
Tuesday: I'm going to do a roast with some cumin, chili powder, and garlic, and then let it simmer until tender in a California chili-infused broth.  This will be turned into tacos for the next two nights with jicama slaw, the fixings from chili night, and queso fresco instead of jack cheese.  On the side: black beans and sweet potato rounds.
Thursday: pasta night.  I'm thinking pesto or the ravioli if I have time to make it, with a kale caesar salad on the side to use up more tomatoes.  Custard for dessert to add a bit of fat back in.
Friday: Chinese short ribs.  It's a recipe I got from America's Test kitchen.  Served over rice with pickled radishes and green onion on top.
Saturday: Harissa chicken with a yogurt sauce.  On the side a grain salad with persimmon and kale.  Dh is on dessert duty here since I'll be running around town.

Hopefully the family won't revolt at the amount of kale, but it's on sale this week and it lasts well in the fridge. Same with the chicken, pumpkin, and a few other ingredients.  And depending on what I get, most of these meals are interchangeable and I can switch them around as needed.

That all sounds so amazing!  Yum!

[SereneHome]

Food has been an only budget item that I have consistently blown.  No matter what I budget, we spend more.  Sure, some of it is bc of quality.  But a lot of it bc I love eating out and I tend to waste a lot of food that I buy.

Anyone who knows me at all, knows that I am the most anti-excuse person.  I don't justify my faults or "wrong" actions and yet, when it comes to food budget, no matter how many threads and articles and blogs I read, or what advice I get, I always say "nope, won't work for us"

So, we spend colossal amount of $$$ on food and I hate it!   Hate it!!!!!

[fairfarmhand]

Lots of soup. 

We did this today and it was wonderful. You could add white beans and more potatoes to make a bigger pot. Ours today just fed the five of us.

[Ausmumof3]

Alrighty... I’m doing a big pot of vegetable soup with all the leftover Veges in the fridge!

[SamanthaCarter]

Ausmumof3 - I think you are in that weird transition between seasons where you don’t know what to fix, am I right?

US folks - $500 Aus dollars is currently about $350 US dollars. 

[Ausmumof3]

50 minutes ago, SamanthaCarter said:

Ausmumof3 - I think you are in that weird transition between seasons where you don’t know what to fix, am I right?

US folks - $500 Aus dollars is currently about $350 US dollars. 

Yes!  This is so true!  We’ve had both rain and hail and warm summer almost swimming weather in the last week and I can’t figure out whether to plan for chopped watermelon or stewed apple!  Also we are in a stretch where the apples and citrus are basically done and the summer and stone fruit aren’t in yet so everything is expensive.  In a month or so fruit and veg prices will drop as zucchini’s tomatoes, cherries, peaches and nectarines kick in.  Luckily we have an apple orchard close by and can still get affordable seconds but they are definitely at the eat with a knife stage...

[Arcadia]

2 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I’ve never heard of Unagi.  That sounds interesting.

 

Australia exports eels to Japan.

“The largest market for farmed eels is the Japanese kabayaki market. The Japanese consume more than 110,000t of eels each year but domestic production is only about 30,000t. The kabayaki markets prefer eels weighing 200g. Australian shortfin and longfin eels can be grown to this size in 12–18 months.

All farmed eels are currently exported and markets as live product; however, as Australia's multicultural population increases, opportunities may emerge for a small domestic market.” https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/fisheries/aquaculture/species/shortfin-longfin-eel/marketing

This is the unagi that DS13 likes and he eats that portion as a main course  AU$16

https://www.manettas.com.au/product/grilled-eel-sydney/

[Ausmumof3]

2 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

 

Australia exports eels to Japan.

“The largest market for farmed eels is the Japanese kabayaki market. The Japanese consume more than 110,000t of eels each year but domestic production is only about 30,000t. The kabayaki markets prefer eels weighing 200g. Australian shortfin and longfin eels can be grown to this size in 12–18 months.

All farmed eels are currently exported and markets as live product; however, as Australia's multicultural population increases, opportunities may emerge for a small domestic market.” https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/fisheries/aquaculture/species/shortfin-longfin-eel/marketing

This is the unagi that DS13 likes and he eats that portion as a main course  AU$16

https://www.manettas.com.au/product/grilled-eel-sydney/

Wow!  Learn something new every day.  I didn’t even know it was possible to farm eels.

I can see how that could be kind of terminal to the grocery budget.

dh does have a scar from trying to untangle a moray eel from ds fishing line once.  They have a nasty bite!

[KungFuPanda]

DP

Edited October 22, 2018 by KungFuPanda

[KungFuPanda]

I harvested 12 butternut squash today. My family is getting nothing but squash for a week. ? 

My menu for the week is actually:

Ham

Meatloaf

Buttermilk roasted chicken

Fish Pie

They all get served with bread and a salad or roasted veggies whose leftovers can roll into the next meal. I’ve moved to cooking the main meal at lunch and dinner is leftovers or whatever DH comes up with. This works because DH works from home and I’m in classes several nights a week. 

Thursday is co-op day so I try to plan that as crockpot or leftover buffet or take-out. I crash hard after co-op. ?

[Ausmumof3]

2 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

I harvested 12 butternut squash today. My family is getting nothing but squash for a week. ? 

My menu for the week is actually:

Ham

Meatloaf

Buttermilk roasted chicken

Fish Pie

They all get served with bread and a salad or roasted veggies whose leftovers can roll into the next meal. I’ve moved to cooking the main meal at lunch and dinner is leftovers or whatever DH comes up with. This works because DH works from home and I’m in classes several nights a week. 

Thursday is co-op day so I try to plan that as crockpot or leftover buffet or take-out. I crash hard after co-op. ?

Yep!  I have three crockpot days in my schedule due to kids late arvo activities too which is adding to the challenge.  I have limited crockpot skills!

[SamanthaCarter]

Risotto. It’s fairly cheap to make, fairly healthy, and you can toss in some seasonal veggies (spinach, asparagus in spring, summer squash in summer, winter squash in fall). We have it for a meatless (but not vegetarian) meal. Serve with a side of cooked frozen veggies.  

[HomeAgain]

9 hours ago, SamanthaCarter said:

Ausmumof3 - I think you are in that weird transition between seasons where you don’t know what to fix, am I right?

US folks - $500 Aus dollars is currently about $350 US dollars. 

Oh, those days are the worst!  We had a very slow transition to fall this year and for a few weeks it was up in the air: would we grill or get a freezing rain storm?  Now temps have definitely decided to settle lower.

$350 feels a bit steep still. LOL  I spent $82 so far this week for 6 days, but our budget is about $250/week for 4 of us.  It was only by grace I had most of the dry ingredients and could pull together a menu based mostly on the sales.

[Ausmumof3]

15 minutes ago, HomeAgain said:

Oh, those days are the worst!  We had a very slow transition to fall this year and for a few weeks it was up in the air: would we grill or get a freezing rain storm?  Now temps have definitely decided to settle lower.

$350 feels a bit steep still. LOL  I spent $82 so far this week for 6 days, but our budget is about $250/week for 4 of us.  It was only by grace I had most of the dry ingredients and could pull together a menu based mostly on the sales.

Hmm well ours has been $250 aud for 5 but I keep running out of stuff so has crept up to over $300 for the last couple of months.  This weeks was a shocker though.  I have had a good fridge and freezer rummage though and I think that’s going to stretch most of the way over two weeks with a touch of topping up.  Hopefully!  Wish me luck.  I do have a lot of eggs to use up and a reasonable supply of veg so should be ok.  

[mommyoffive]

21 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

125g = 4.5oz for those who need the conversion

Our prices are much the same off season for blueberries. I pick them at a local farm in the summer. I paid $1.75/lb and froze about 40lbs. In store, the best prices we saw this summer were $2.50/6oz box.

I really craved fresh raspberries this week but they were $6 for 6oz. I need to dig around in my freezer and pull out a bag to munch on this week.

I am trying to sort out our winter menu. I think it’s going to look a lot like soup and bread for dinner most nights. I need to get back into bread making—probably the artisan loaf in a day recipe or something nutrient dense with whole wheat.

5 soups we like:

Broccoli + carrot

chili

vegetable

noodle

potato

 

Oh my gosh. 

Where do you live?    Are frozen better prices?  I can get a pound of frozen raspberries for 1.98

I remember one year when the local store was having high prices like that for strawberries it was $6 for a lb.  They ended up closing and Walmart expanded. 

[prairiewindmomma]

I’m on the west coast now. 

Frozen berries are a bit cheaper if I buy them at a particular chain of stores. If I buy a mixed blend of berries (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry), I can get 12oz?bag of frozen berries For $3.98. 

I shopped six major chains of stores when I moved here to do price comparison charts. It is very interesting. As an example, two Kroger brand stores (Safeway and Albertsons) have nearly identical prices on core shelf stable items but almost a 30-40% price difference on everything else. 

Ironically, prices are about the same as at the small village grocery store my parents shop at in the Midwest....for them it is the shipping penalty for having a semi truck deliver small regular amounts to their rural community combined with monopoly pricing.