$19.21

For the first few weeks I lived in my new neighborhood, I eschewed the slightly sketchy looking local grocery store two blocks from my house in favor of the local Trader Joe's. I'd been missing TJ's since I left San Luis Obispo and couldn't wait to stock up on pineapple salsa, two-now-three buck chuck, flaxseed chips, good cheeses and other budget gourmet foodstuffs.

But an emergency trip to our local market one night yielded all sort of previously unimagined Latin American and Arabic eats. The market is clean and has amazing fresh, cheap produce.

I realized recently that no matter what I buy, it's always under $20. I fill bags, grabbing all the fresh produce I want for a week's worth of earthy soups and herbed salads. Still under $20. Today I thought surely that the avocados, plums, turnips, fresh dill, carrots, apples, etc. would bump me over my previous totals, but no: $19.21.