I grocery shop at Jewel-Osco for my family of 4. Here's everything I can get there for $108.
I shop for my family of four and usually end up spending about $100 on groceries at Jewel-Osco.
By using store coupons at the Midwest chain, I was able to save over $25 on cereal and snacks.
I check if things like milk, sparkling water, and produce are on sale because I buy them often.
My husband and I live in northern Illinois, right between Chicago and Milwaukee, with our two kids.
Feeding a family of four isn't always cheap. Luckily, we live near multiple grocery stores, including Jewel-Osco, Mariano's, Aldi, and Meijer, so I can shop around for the best deal.
The regional chain Jewel-Osco is one of my go-to spots for weekly staples, and I typically try to stick to a $100 budget.
Here's everything I got on a recent trip and how we'll use it.
Olive oil: $9.99
Olive oil is an essential ingredient for most of my home-cooked meals.
One large 16.9-ounce bottle lasts us about a month.
Cereal: Four for $6
I work from home, and Quaker's Toasted Oatmeal Squares are one of my favorite snacks. Both my kids regularly have cereal for breakfast, and sometimes my husband and I even have it for dessert.
Needless to say, we go through a lot of the stuff.
Thankfully, I was able to find a deal on the Jewel-Osco For U app and got four boxes of cereal for $6 (which is usually the price of one).
Organic milk: $6.49
Between recipes and drinking it straight, my family usually goes through a gallon of milk a week.
I usually only buy it at Jewel when it's on sale, but I picked up a regularly priced ½ gallon of organic milk on this trip because we needed it.
LaCroix eight-packs: Three for $12
My husband and I drink sparkling water daily.
Although we've invested in a SodaStream to cut down on how many cans we were buying, I still like to keep some on hand for whenever we're in a rush.
Jewel was having a sale where I could get three eight-pack boxes of LaCroix for $12, so I pounced on it.
Coca-Cola: $15.99
It's not my best habit, but I drink one Coke a day. The Coke from McDonald's is my favorite, and I treat myself to one a few times a week.
However, it's not practical for me to swing through the drive-thru every day, so the rest of the time, I pour my own can of Coke into a McDonald's cup and drink it with a McDonald's straw. For some reason, it makes a difference.
On this trip, I picked up a 24-pack of the soda at Jewel.
Bananas: $1.50
With a busy kid in the house, portable food is a must.
Our teen has braces, so bananas are his preferred fruit to grab while running out of the house to get to school. They're soft enough that they don't bother his teeth or get stuck in the metal.
A bundle cost me $1.50.
Nature Valley biscuits: Four for $9.50
I'm on car-pool duty a few times a week picking up hungry teens from theater rehearsal. So, I keep some Nature Valley biscuits in the car for a quick pick-me-up.
They're easy to eat on the go and come in flavors like coconut, almond, and peanut butter.
On this trip, I bought four boxes of the biscuits, which would regularly cost about $22. Because there was a deal on the app, I paid $9.50 total.
Peanut butter: $6.49
I regularly have peanut butter on wheat toast, and my teen packs a peanut butter and jelly sandwich almost every day for school.
The natural stuff is my go-to, and luckily Skippy was on sale at Jewel for $6.49. I only saved about $0.50, but every penny counts.
Strawberry preserves: $7.49
Between sandwiches during the week and toast on the weekends, we go through about a jar of jam a week.
A jar of Bonne Maman's strawberry preserves is my favorite. It's not always in stock in the winter, but whenever it is, it goes right into my cart.
On this trip, I got a 13-ounce jar for $7.49.
Wheat bread: $4.99
Again, we're big on sandwiches and toast, so I obviously have to stock up on bread.
I usually buy whatever wheat loaf is on sale — this trip, I chose one from Brownberry for $4.99
Lewis Bake Shop ½ loaf: $2.99
Jewel sells a ½ loaf of Lewis Bake Shop whole-grain white bread. Although some of the brand's products were on sale, the white bread was regularly priced at $2.99.
Since we use white less often than wheat, the smaller size helps us reduce our food waste.
I also like that Lewis is a Midwestern brand founded in Southern Illinois.
Eggs: $7.99
Eggs are often on our breakfast menu — whether they're scrambled, fried, or boiled — and I prefer buying free-range cartons.
It's not cheap, but as egg prices rise across the country, I'm glad I can still get a dozen from the Happy Egg brand for about $8.
Sarvecchio Parmesan: $8
I love cheese. I regularly slice it up for lunch, serve it with coffee and chocolate for dessert, or make a big charcuterie board for dinner.
Essentially, I buy cheese on every grocery run. This time, it was an $8 block of SarVecchio Parmesan.
Salad greens: Two for $6
I think everyone in our house needs to eat more greens, so I keep some sort of lettuce on hand for sandwiches and salads.
I went with the sunny-crunch lettuce from Bright Farms on this trip because there was a two-for-$6 deal.
Lemon: $0.99
My favorite salad is thin slices of SarVecchio topped with crispy greens, a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
I got one for $0.99, but looking back at this, I should've used the coupon on the Jewel app to get it for $0.79.
My total for all 15 items was just over $100.
My grand total came to $107.73, so I went a little over budget. However, I also came across some really great deals.
I don't think I could ever commit to doing all my grocery shopping at just one store, but Jewel would be a contender if I did.
It typically has everything we need for the week in stock, and the digital coupons on the app really come in handy.
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