Saturday Morning Haul: What Came Home from the Store This Week
Every Saturday morning in our house follows a pretty predictable rhythm. I make a list, check it twice like it’s Christmas, load up the car, and head to the store while the boys are still arguing over who gets the remote. By the time I’m back, they’re lined up at the garage door like I’ve returned from a long voyage — less interested in me and very interested in what’s in those bags.
This week was a solid haul. Nothing fancy, nothing experimental. Just the kind of practical, protein-forward groceries that keep six people fed, energized, and reasonably happy from Monday morning to Saturday afternoon. Let me walk you through what I grabbed and what we’re planning to do with it this week.
The Proteins That Are Running This Week’s Show
The anchor of this haul was three packages of deli meat from the counter — I love picking up freshly sliced meat wrapped in that deli paper rather than the pre-packaged stuff when I can. Alongside that, I grabbed a package of what looks like provolone, sliced thin. Those two items alone are going to carry us through most of our lunches this week without breaking a sweat.
I also picked up a carton of Pete & Gerry’s Organic large eggs. We go through eggs fast in this house — they’re in breakfast sandwiches, scrambled on the side, or fried on top of whatever leftovers need rescuing on a Wednesday night. Pete & Gerry’s is a brand I trust, and when the budget allows, I like knowing those eggs came from hens that were actually treated well. That matters to me. We talk about stewardship a lot in our home — taking care of what God has given us, including the creatures around us — and that extends to the choices we make at the grocery store when we can.
Two containers of Cabot Creamery Triple Greek Yogurt also made the cart. Cabot is a Connecticut staple and honestly one of my go-to brands because it’s a farmer-owned cooperative and the quality is consistently excellent. The boys have learned to actually like Greek yogurt, which still feels like a parenting win I didn’t expect.
The Bread Situation (Yes, There’s a Lot of It)
I’ll be honest — the bread section of this haul looks a little chaotic on the counter. We’ve got English muffins or bagels from Thomas’, what appears to be a bag of keto bread or bagels, and at least one additional bread product I grabbed. With four boys at different stages — my youngest is six and my oldest just turned fifteen — their appetites and preferences don’t always overlap neatly. The keto-style bread is something I’ve been experimenting with for myself, trying to keep my own carb intake a little more intentional without making a big production of it.
The English muffins and bagels, though? Those are for the boys. No notes. They eat them toasted with butter, layered with eggs and cheese, or just grabbed on the way out the door when we’re running late for church or a soccer game.
Recipe 1: Deli Meat and Egg Breakfast Sandwiches
This one has become a weekly staple and it takes about ten minutes start to finish. I scramble three or four eggs with a little salt and pepper, layer them onto a toasted English muffin or bagel, add two or three slices of deli meat, and top the whole thing with a slice of provolone. Thirty seconds under the broiler melts the cheese perfectly. Each sandwich is genuinely filling, high in protein, and requires almost no cleanup. On school mornings when we’re trying to get four boys out the door by 7:30, that last point matters as much as the nutrition.
My twelve-year-old has started making these himself on weekends, which is exactly the kind of kitchen independence I want to encourage. Teaching boys to cook for themselves — and eventually for others — is something I take seriously. It’s a life skill, and honestly, it’s an act of service they can offer to their family and someday to their own households.
Recipe 2: Greek Yogurt Parfait Bar
After school, the door bursts open and within four minutes, every cabinet in the kitchen has been inspected and I hear “there’s nothing to eat.” So I’ve learned to set things up in advance. This week, I’m going to pull out both containers of Cabot Greek yogurt, set them on the counter with some granola we have in the pantry, and let the boys build their own parfaits. My six-year-old thinks layering things in a cup is basically a craft project, so he’s always on board. My older boys just want something in their hands quickly, and this delivers.
It’s also a genuinely good snack — real protein, some carbs from the granola, and it keeps them from raiding the chips before dinner. Speaking of chips, yes — I bought both Late July Garden Ranch tortilla chips and a bag of Mi Niña Jalapeño Agave White Corn chips. The jalapeño ones are mostly mine. The boys haven’t worked up to that heat level yet, except my fifteen-year-old who now claims he can handle anything spicy and is usually proven wrong.
The Treats — Because Balance Is Real
There’s a box of FatBoy Ice Cream Sandwich Pops in the freezer, some small pastries, and yes, two large bottles of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. I’m not going to dress those up as health foods. We work hard during the week to eat well — real proteins, dairy, eggs, whole ingredients — and then on a Friday night when we’re watching a movie together as a family, someone gets a Coke and an ice cream sandwich. That’s just life, and I think modeling a balanced, joyful approach to food is better for my boys than rigidity.
We’re grateful for a full fridge and a full table. That gratitude doesn’t take the week off either.
See You Next Saturday
That’s the haul. Six people, one week, and a plan that’ll get us through it without too much stress and with plenty of good food. If you try the breakfast sandwiches or set up a yogurt bar for your own crew this week, let me know how it goes in the comments. Always glad to hear from other families doing the same juggling act over here in Connecticut.
