Sale Papers + {Watermelon Bacon Salad}

Posted: June 21, 2012

I did something for the first time in 31 years yesterday.  In light of the big changes coming up in my life, I mentioned that Dear Hubby and I would be tightening our belts a bit, sticking to a strict budget (until we figure out exactly how one income is really going to feel), and simplifying things.  I also told you about our mail organization - every item on a daily basis either goes in the "To File" container, the "To Pay" container, or in the recycle.  So in the mail yesterday came the usual - a couple of important things, but mostly junk... including all the various sale papers for local grocery stores.  Did you catch that? I called them junk!  And for 31 years, that's how I've treated them.  But yesterday I felt differently.

I perused the sale papers.

So for the first time in 31 years, I actually looked through the sale papers.  Then I took it a step further and got out a Sharpie and circled the items I wanted to buy.  Shocking, I know.  I was surprised I'd never done it before.  All of a sudden it made so much sense to plan meals and buy what was on sale rather than just whatever I felt like as I walked through the store!  Red peppers - 33 cents each?!?  Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries - 1 dollar?!?  Organic Chicken - 40% off?!?!  YES!!!

Waste not!

I also feel I can save some money by not wasting as much food:  eating leftovers for lunches more, repurposing leftovers into new meals, being more creative, etc.  Which brings me to today's recipe...for Watermelon Bacon Salad.  I realize you probably just took a double take (or did when you read the blogpost title).  The same thing happened to me when I saw the recipe on my friend Gina's blog!  Say what?!?! Watermelon and BACON?

After the initial shock, I got excited!!  Because I had a huge watermelon still sitting in my butler pantry, a few pieces of bacon leftover from Dear Hubby's Fathers' Day brunch, and some strawberries leftover from the Strawberry Pesto Grilled Cheese I made earlier in the week!  Cha-ching!!  What a perfect way to not waste these leftover ingredients.

I am extremely happy with how it turned out.  Again, a seemingly strange combo, but delicious!!  I served mine with corn on the cob and bbq chicken.  All the flavors really complemented each other nicely.  And my mouth may have been extra happy when a little bit of the bbq sauce on the fork mixed with the watermelon bacon salad (kind of like getting syrup on your scrambled eggs...yum!!).

You can find the recipe here.  Oh, and you can see Gina's pretty turquoise photo board that I love too :)  The only "changes" I made were: I subbed balsamic vinegar for the red wine vinegar (which I had none of) and I left out the arugula (DH HATES it!).  And I promise there's corn kernels in there somewhere. They must've all migrated to the bottom of the bowl though! Camera-shy I suppose.

As for my shopping trip, it was a grand success!  I got soooooooooooo many things (meats and tons of fresh veggies/fruits included) for $46.25.  I had a huge smile on my face while the cashier rung everything up! Great food, great prices. YES!!!!!

Questions:

  • What's the weirdest thing you've put bacon in/on?
  • Are you good at using leftover items and/or eating leftovers? Any good tricks?
  • Do you look at those not-so-junky sale papers?

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Comments

Submitted by Heather @ Better With Veggies - June 21, 2012 - 6:53am

Yikes - I'm the last person to ask about cost-saving advice in the grocery store. I am so bad at that and have no idea how much individual grocery items cost. I just know how much the bill should be. :)

Submitted by kelly - June 21, 2012 - 2:52pm

That's probably a GOOD thing for you, b/c I recently checked out the Daiya cheese you recommended at my local store, and it was like $6!!!!! BUT, you do save money not buying meat :)

Submitted by Kat - June 21, 2012 - 8:08am

I was drooling at Gina's the other day and this looks so good! My favorite things all in one bowl.

Submitted by kelly - June 21, 2012 - 2:54pm

Hers was definitely prettier - all of the ingredients perking up and playing nice. My corn kernels were hiding :) BUT, it all tasted amazing!!

Submitted by Lauren @ Oatmeal after Spinning - June 21, 2012 - 8:57am

I use everything in our fridge. It breaks my heart to throw produce away more than anything, so I find some way to use it up! I love bacon in "weird" ways. I know it's not so abnormal now, but I remember having chocolate-covered bacon for the first time at a pig festival that Greg and I stumbled upon in Colorado two years ago.
GOOD FOR YOU for saving money on your grocery trip! I spend WAY too much on food- I just can't seem to stick to a list! I'm getting ready to head out the door right now to Whole Foods and Trader Joes- betcha I spend way too much at both places and grab at least 10 things I don't need.
And whoa- how can Danny hate Arugula?? Greg and I eat it by the handful!!

Submitted by kelly - June 21, 2012 - 2:55pm

I would probably spend way too much money with a Trader Joes' in town!! Good thing they haven't moved to Colorado yet :)

Submitted by Jessyca B - June 21, 2012 - 10:37am

First, this looks amazing! I can sell anything to my son and bf if it has bacon in the title. Second, remember how your hubby was making fun of your "paper" plates? I noticed the little plates Gina used in her pics for the salad recipe kinda look like paper plates too! You're trendy and you didn't even know it :)

Submitted by kelly - June 21, 2012 - 2:55pm

Thanks for the encouragement about my trendy plate buying :) That's so funny!! And good of you to notice - I'm soooooooooo not observant like that.

Submitted by Jennifer C - June 21, 2012 - 11:16am

I some times get made fun of for being frugal and making the money go as far as it can! I do the majority of my shopping at a discount store (aldi's) and then head to a reg store for good meats & veggies. One of the biggest money savers for me is to make a menu board (its on my frig) and by deciding what we are having for the week, I can plan my grocery list around that menu. And leftovers ALWAYS get re-purposed! As lunches the next day, or soups, or stir fries, something!

Submitted by kelly - June 21, 2012 - 2:56pm

Can you email me a picture of your menu board? Maybe I need to make one!!

Submitted by Gabby - June 21, 2012 - 6:26pm

I just got excited reading that I'm not the only one with a menu board in their kitchen :)

Submitted by kelly - June 21, 2012 - 6:29pm

If you don't mind emailing me a pic, I'd love to see what your menu board looks like! This idea is intriguing to me :)

Submitted by Dalia - June 21, 2012 - 1:17pm

I didn't get a chance to read your blog yesterday, but just got caught up with your big news! Congrats on your decision! I'd love to hear about your transition.

Submitted by kelly - June 21, 2012 - 2:57pm

Thanks for going back and catching up :) I will definitely be sharing a lot more as I make the transition...maybe MORE than you want to hear...ha!

Submitted by Jaren@Kiwi Fit Blog - June 21, 2012 - 1:32pm

When we are buying groceries for the fiancé we are sale paper addicts, go in with a list, coupons, a plan/budget, and a calculator! It makes it so much easier and we save a lot!

Submitted by kelly - June 21, 2012 - 2:59pm

Please help me Jaren. I don't know what FTW stands for, even though Healthy Living blogs uses it all the time! For the World? For the Wuv? heehee...I like that one. Fifty Tiny Whales. Four Toed Whippersnapper. Ok, I'll stop :)

Submitted by Jaren@Kiwi Fit Blog - June 21, 2012 - 3:02pm

Lmao! FTW is For the Win! I had to google it awhile back, even though I said it ALL the time! :)

Submitted by Michelle - June 21, 2012 - 2:45pm

When I was in grade school, a friend introduced me to p.b. and bacon sandwiches on toast! I actually liked them. These days I use turkey bacon and I prefer my p.b. sandwiches with banana! I may try this salad though because I love watermelon. And I LOVE your blog Kelly!!! Babycakes is adorable and I'm excited for you about your job change!

Submitted by kelly - June 21, 2012 - 3:00pm

I love PB, but have never had it with bacon! Interesting!! So glad you're enjoying the blog. Thanks for commenting and coming along with me on this journey towards the happy healthy life :)

Submitted by Kris - June 21, 2012 - 3:09pm

Did you know that most grocery stores stock their highest mark up items at eye level? If you look down low or up high, the brands and items that are cheaper will be there. Also, stores cycle their sale items by department. You can predict what items will be on sale and plan accordingly if you watch closely. Those sale papers can provide a wealth of knowledge. Stores in the same locale will often compete with one another. I saw a big grocery store selling cherries for $3.99 a pound, when the competing "natural" (read, small) store had them for $1.49! Cha ching!

Submitted by Corrie Anne - June 21, 2012 - 5:34pm

I've been TRYING to look at the sales. We did stock up on chicken when it was on a really good sale this week. Sometimes I don't because I'm afraid it will go bad!!! I like bacon best in salads. Or in an egg sandwich... but I'm not like a huge fan. I usually won't just eat it plain. I'm pretty good at using leftovers. Produce is the hardest!! You have to have a plan or it goes bad!!!

Submitted by Gabby - June 21, 2012 - 6:10pm

I'm a huge, HUGE, sales shopper! I don't coupon clip often but lately I've grabbed the Sunday paper and clip out the coupons for items I buy most often (toilet paper, toothpaste, cleaning products, etc). Also, I have one of those member cards to my local grocery store so that I can double my savings on the sale items of that particular week. Planning meals in advance helps you from buying things you really don't need at the moment! Oh, and bacon? You just made my day. I'll have to share this recipe with my other bacon loving friends!

Submitted by Gina @ Running to the Kitchen - June 21, 2012 - 6:36pm

I'm so happy you made and liked it! First of all, congrats on such a big announcement/decision! That.is.awesome. I kind of want to do the same thing but I don't have the kid part to use as the reason and somehow hubs isn't buying my argument ;)
Also, I'm ashamed to admit, I throw out the sale fliers too. It's horrible, I know. I just can't be bothered with the extra time or running from store to store right now. Or at least that's how I justify it to myself!

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