Saturday Budget Check- Bountiful Baskets

As you may have noticed, we have not been doing a lot of what I call "intense coupon shopping" lately.  We have learned that sometimes you just need a break, and it is ok to not get all of the deals.  With the warm weather comming on, we have spent a lot of time outdoors and in our garden.  We are working out new schedules for the summer months.  We are not using as many coupons, but we are still smart shoppers.

Winco
We have done a lot of Winco shopping this month.  Generally they have the cheapest prices on produce and a few of our other regular purchase items, so it makes for a nice one stop shopping trip.Grapes
Onions
Banannas
baking cocoa ( I love the bulk food section!)
Margerine
2 gallons of Milk
10 lbs Potatoes
Vanilla Extract
 Total Spent: $17.81
This next week I plan on ordering a basket of fruits and vegetables from Bountiful Baskets.  We have done it once before and love the program.  Because there are only 2 of us and we cannot eat all of the produce before it goes bad, we will split it with a friend.  I do not have a picture of everything that came last time, but here is an approximate list:

8 Apples
8 oranges
Cantalope
Cauliflower
Asparagus
Sweet Potatoes
8 Cucumbers
Bannana Cluster ( 7 or 8)
Lettuce
Pineapple
4 Small Zucchinni

It was a great deal.  Here is a picture from another participant, Glenda at The Little Red Hen Food Site.

About Bountiful Baskets:
Bountiful Baskets is a Co-op that operates mostly in Arizona, Utah and Idaho.  Each Monday or Tuesday (depending on your area) you can order a basket online.  You do not know what exactly you will get except that it is 50% fruits and 50% vegetables.  Each Basket is $16.50($15+$1.50 shipping and handling).  The Co-op takes the money and number of participants and purchases produce from small farmers in Mexico, Arizona, and California in bulk. 

In the end you are able to get quality produce for very little money.  You pick up your produce on Saturday at a pick up point in your area.  You pick where you will pick it up when you order the basket.

They also offer a variety of other baskets including bread and a mexi pack.  I have not tried these, but I have heard that they are great.