I skipped right over a post about things I’m looking forward to in Madrid and went straight to food. I guess that’s a hint! I heart food. Finding information about restaurants is pretty straightforward, but the internet research on grocery shopping specifics around here are slim. Since I am a planning, budgeting foodie, I figured keeping a record of shopping lists behooves someone out there like me.
I went to bed last night excited to check out Mercadona for this morning’s grocery excursion.
Just kidding! Discovered Mercadona is not open on Sundays.
Being unprepared for a morning hike uphill to Mercado Anton Martin, I scratched down a simple list for sandwiches through the week and walked a block away to the Lavapies 24-hour Carrefour I’ve visited every day since arriving in Madrid. Praise 24-hour stores! My first haul was a bottle of wine, a premade salad, an apple and a pack of rice cakes that all set me back about €6.50. I opted to get rice cakes over bread since I anticipate to be eating a lot more of the latter. Couldn’t have made a better choice for snacking to accompany the Peanut Butter and Cookie Butter I brought with me from the states. (The post about what I packed for 4 months will be coming soon!) Yes, I had to sacrifice some clothing for my heavy ass butters -no regrets!
I spent €16.68 or $18.75 on a week’s worth of sandwiches and then some. My apartment didn’t come with olive oil or any seasonings except for salt, so I had to “splurge” and get a couple of those. Breaking it down in euros below:
2.35 for extra virgin olive oil
.63 for black pepper
.69 for a Skyr “yogurt”
2.00 for Iberico chorizo deli meat
1.25 for a loaf of bread
1.99 for ½ dozen eggs (more than I was expecting to pay)
2.29 for a block of cheddar cheese
1.00 for arugula
1.29 for an avocado
1.59 for a bag of onions (too many, but no desirable singles to be found. just like my love life.)
1.50 for butter
.10 for a paper bag (need to remember to reuse this)
This might have been the first time I made a list of groceries and purchased ONLY what was on it. I mean, I forgot the eggs, but whatever, I immediately went back for them. Still a proud moment, you guys.
Breakfast is served!
