how to shop when you're broke and have a family

ShelliesTrying

I don't know how else to title this. I would like some help or suggestions on how to shop to feed a family when you are poor. It's myself and 3 kids (3, 13, 14) on about $26k a year. I barely have enough to keep us in milk and bread. I don't know how to shop to make the most of it. I buy as much fresh fruits and veggies as possible and I avoid the center of the grocery store to avoid the processed foods. I try to keep us in sandwich fixin's, sandwich meats, peanut butter, eggs etc. My kids eat a ton of cereal and I'm trying to wean them off of cereal bc I know it's not healthy. I know it doesn't make much of a difference but I try to stick to cheerio's, mini wheats, raisin bran etc. I buy ground turkey and chicken breast when I can.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I've been racking my brain trying to make this work. At this point it's no bad that it comes down to paying a bill or buying food. Our cupboards are bare! I'm trying to keep us healthy and continue losing weight.

ShelliesTrying

Just to add I shop at Wal-Mart bc it is all we have other than a couple small, local owned grocery stores and Wal-Mart is much cheaper. I have read lots and lots of articles about how to feed yourself on a budget but not for a family-that maintain a healthy diet. You can spend $10 and get 10 freezer meals and those are full of all kinds of not-so-good for you stuff.

kshama2001

Sounds like your income qualifies you for SNAP benefits - are you utilizing this program? If not, that's a good place to start.

ShelliesTrying

I don't qualify bc I make a few hundred dollars over the income guidelines.

ShelliesTrying

I do get occasional child support and they count that in your income regardless of reliability on the payors part. I use the cs for the kids needs, which I know food is, but I don't count on it as part of my income bc it comes and goes. If that makes any sense.

queenliz99

Do you have food banks in your area?

pootle1972

Big bags of pasta, rice, tins of cheap tomatoes for sauces, can make some lovely filling vegetable curries with a little meat in. Stews and cheap cuts slow cooked. Cottage pies made with beef padded out with red lentils.

Check out Google and search for low cost meals. In the uk we had "a girl called jack" that published a book of meals the cost pennies. A local library might be able to get you low cost cookbooks if you see any mentioned on your Internet searches.

ShelliesTrying

I think there is one in the area, maybe. I am really looking for advice on how to shop, what things to buy to make the most of what money I have to spend.

crystalewhite

Are there any assistance programs where you are? That would be a good place to start. I'm not sure what kind of grocery stores you have near you but I have found places with bulk bins can be pretty cheap. Things like dried beans and lentils can me made into soups. Cooking cheaper cuts of meat in the crock pot can make them fall apart tender.
We're getting to the end of summer, but are there any roadside stands or local farms where you can purchase produce?

pootle1972

Chicken thighs are usually cheaper and are tasty...take the skin off and it's not bad calorie wise.

ShelliesTrying

pootle1972 wrote: »

Big bags of pasta, rice, tins of cheap tomatoes for sauces, can make some lovely filling vegetable curries with a little meat in. Stews and cheap cuts slow cooked. Cottage pies made with beef padded out with red lentils.

Check out Google and search for low cost meals. In the uk we had "a girl called jack" that published a book of meals the cost pennies. A local library might be able to get you low cost cookbooks if you see any mentioned on your Internet searches.

You know what I have a cookbook about that, not sure if it's the same one you referenced but I will pull that out this weekend. Thanks!

crystalewhite

Looks like you have a Big Lots in your area, they have pretty heavily discounted canned goods. You just have to check the expiration dates.

ladybg81

My walmart marks their meats down on Saturday mornings about 10 am. I usually stock up and plan my meals for the week around what they have on sale. Bags of brown rice is pretty inexpensive as is frozen veggies. A lot of times, frozen is cheaper than fresh and just as good in my opinion. Bananas are always cheap and you can freeze them to make smoothies or ice cream type desserts. Sweet potatoes are really versatile and relatively inexpensive. If you have a sam's or Costco near by, that might be something to look in to as far as buying in bulk. I know their cereals are a lot cheaper than walmart as are cleaning products. I don't have a lot of advise but I hope what I've mentioned helps. Also, great job on trying to feed your family well and being resourceful.

ShelliesTrying

We don't have a Big Lots! in the area. Closest one that I am aware of is probably 125+ miles away

youngmommy2

It's not an easy thing to do. You are doing a great job trying. My suggestions are to

Buy frozen veggies. They're usually cheaper and you don't have to worry about them going bad.

Make oatmeal instead of cereal. It's super cheap and you can mix it up many ways. My kids like it with some brown sugar and raisins with chopped apples. You can also make a big batch at a time so all you have to do is heat up a bowl when needed.

Buy cheaper cuts of meat like bone in chicken breast, whole chickens, thighs, etc They also have more flavor than just breast. Just take the skin off.

Rice is a super cheap filler. We eat a lot of it, lots of different ways.

I don't really have any suggestions for sandwich fixings.

Soups are great. You can have roast chicken with rice and veggies one day and throw the leftovers in a pot with broth to make a soup for the next day.

ShelliesTrying

I live in a rural area. Any bulk stores are 2 hours away. I do make it a couple times a year. I buy lots of fozen veggies. I don't buy a lot of canned foods in general. My 3yo loves all veggies so I try to keep sugar snap peas, cucumbers, sweet peppers and stuff like that for her. I try to keep apples, bananas and oranges as well. When other fruits are on sale I will buy those as well.

ShelliesTrying

A goal of mine is to prepare meals for the week ahead on the weekends. I am generally so busy I haven't been able to accomplish that yet. Kids will devour a pot of beans as well, luckily!

ShelliesTrying

I thought rice wasn't really all that good for you. I buy rice but don't make it often, I will look into that more and try to add it in more often. We eat A LOT of peanut butter sandwiches! Esp me and my 3yo, haha.

amandadunwoody

Sounds like you are doing a lot of the things I would recommend. I'd watch the ads of the local groceries because they will have sale items to try to get people on the door. If it's an item walmart carries you don't have to go to the grocery, just price match at walmart.

Also, I know people that buy only store brand items. Sale prices for national brand items are often better.

Do you use coupons? Walmart honors manufacturer coupons and competitors coupons.

ShelliesTrying

I have not used coupons. I don't know how people get into that, haha. When I see coupons they are usually for items that we don't use or eat so I never look for coupons. I will check into that. I do buy a lot of store brands.

jodybo2

I feel you! I bought a 10 lb bag of leg quarters for $3.50 with a competitor's ad at wal-mart this past weekend. Normal price was around $7. I cook it either in BBQ sauce or Italian dressing which is also very cheap. Also, chicken and dumplings with cornbread go a long way and is not expensive at all. It's a good thing your kids like veggies!!

crystalewhite

Do you grow your own food at all?

diannethegeek

It sounds like you need to go back and reconsider how you're defining "healthy." The middle of my grocery store has a lot of my cheap essentials. Rice, beans, frozen fruits & veggies, canned veggies, canned tuna, oatmeal, peanut butter, etc. Don't get trapped into thinking that all of those cheaper packaged items are unhealthy. Many of them can be included in a balanced diet.

kpeterson539

There was a while that I really needed to pinch the pennies in regards to food shopping. In fact, my food allowance was about $20-25/week, except for the "meat week", which I'll explain below. Albeit, it was only for my husband (at the time) and myself but I'm just hoping I can help with some of my experiences.

-I ALWAYS would shop the flyers from the local grocery stores.
-I would generally buy meat in bulk 1 time a month freezing them into the portions that we would use. I would usually by the cheap cuts, like chicken quarter, finding a bunch of ways to prepare them.
-One of the stores I would frequent would batch fruits and veggies that were slightly bruised selling a HUGE discounts......sometimes pennies for what it was worth.
-Buy items that can be used a number of ways......like pasta, rice, chicken, beef, etc.

I know that some of the ideas are just simple but I did want to try to help.

ShelliesTrying

I have never gardened. I wanted to start one this year but I just couldn't make it happen. (we had a very hard, life altering summer and I'm trying to get us on our feet)

I do buy tuna, rice, beans, frozen fruits/veggies, oatmeal, peanut butter etc. I meant that I avoid the middle stuff like pop-tarts, chips, cookies, frozen meals etc.

goldthistime

I second the motion to switch to oatmeal from boxed cereals. Sounds like you are making healthy choices but cheerieos, mini wheats, raisin bran etc. are crazy expensive compared to oatmeal. As the previous poster suggested, add things to your oatmeal to make it more interesting. Brown sugar, raisins, maple syrup, apples, peaches, blueberries etc. If your family misses the crunch maybe you could make your own granola too. It's not as hard as it sounds.

ShelliesTrying

I really appreciate everyone's suggestions.

ashleyweatherholtzmathis

I've shopped at walmart before to grocery shop and can usually get out of most grocery stores spending about $115 on weekly groceries including some frozen quick foods for the hubby to take to work for his lunches. I try to bargain shop, I look at the circulars and see what's on sale and base a weekly menu off them. I buy chicken breasts and section out a serving for each person in freezer bags, ground turkey and section out 1/2 a pound in separate freezer bags (use half for spaghetti, half for meatball sandwiches). I buy veggies (zucchini, onion, potatoes, mushrooms, spinach), fruit (bananas, strawberries, grapes), rice, pasta, canned crushed tomatoes, canned stewed tomatoes, salsa, kids lunchables are normally a dollar a piece, and I get those to pack in my daughter's lunches, shredded cheeses (for addition to salads or for pasta bakes, omelettes), natural lightly salted popcorn, wheat sub bread, extra virgin olive oil, eggs, turkey sausage crumbles (and only use one serving per batch of scrambled eggs for the family.. goes a lot further and flavors eggs wonderfully) almond milk, both vanilla and chocolate (easier for kids to willingly drink) and waters. We don't do juices, or sodas in our house... strictly water or almond milk and almond milk is only allowed twice a day.

My favorite recipes are:

Breakfast: Turkey sausage/cheese/spinach omelettes (2 eggs, 1/4 serving of turkey sausage, 1/4 cup of spinach, and 1/4 cup of shredded cheese.

lunch: (school at this time, so she typically eats a lunchable with almond milk. and hubby eats a cheap lean cuisine frozen meal, I eat a few servings of spinach with light ranch or a serving of fruit)

after school snack: fruit or popcorn with cold water.

dinner: Spinach side salad with light ranch dressing (or dressing of their liking), Zucchini boats (zucchini split in half, spoon out just a bit of the center to make room for filling of ground turkey, homemade spaghetti sauce using canned crushed tomatoes with garlic paste, chopped onion, and italian seasoning, topped with mozz cheese. (can add turkey or low sodium pepperoni for the little ones)

(This is just one of our typical meal days)

rugratz2015

There is a facebook group called 'feed your family on about £20 a week' - Not all of the recipes are healthy, but you will get plenty of money saving tips and recipes.

ShelliesTrying

The cereal comes in to play bc it is easy school mornings and not time consuming. I have been planning on trying the over night crock pot oatmeal with steel cut oats but I haven't been able to yet. We learned how to use our waffle iron to make eggs for eggs sandwiches so that was exciting. It's just a habit I am working to break.

amandadunwoody

Chili, spaghetti with a salad, tacos, beans and rice, cabbage soup/unrolled cabbage rolls, vegetable soup, and chicken noodle soup are all ideas for homemade, healthy meals that you can feed 4 people for 2-3 days for a few bucks. And all are pretty kid friendly too.

I have followed the advice of making a bunch of chicken breast in the crockpot and then diviting it out for meals and freezing it. Then you have 1lb packages of cooked shredded/cobbled chicken to thaw and add to any dish.

I buy meat only when is marked down or on sale. I'm also feeding a family on a limited income so forgive me if I'm going overboard.