And just last week, I used shrimp. Now, before you question my frugality bona fides, let me explain that such indulgences are usually strictly reserved for very special occasions in my household. However, my local grocery store happened to have a special introductory price for a new line of fish products they are carrying, so I snatched up a couple of 1-pound bags of pre-cooked shrimp for the amazing introductory price of $5.
Now, that's still a good deal more than I typically budget for the protein portion of any meal. But I only spent a total of $55 on groceries last week, so I still remained within our weekly budget of $30-$35 per person (it's just the two of us now).