How to cut down grocery bill, and still eat healthy?
abbynormal52
Posts: 151 Member
I've spent quite a lot this month so far, on groceries. Some was on paper towels, kitchen items. But groceries are a bit high, so I want to try and do better next month.
Some of you eat what I would call "specialty" or quick meals, like for example, a beef stick. Anyone want to share how they meet their Macro-goals without "cooking" every meal like I am doing now? I do have protein powder, a good one called Organic Valley. But that will fill in what I may be short on, with it's 25g protein (I think it's 25) but it is hardly a meal. I still have to eat some "solids" to feel truly fueled.
I'll throw this out there, and maybe get some ideas for simpler meals, but filling. Thanks in advance for any input;) Denise
PS My biggest expenses are meats and fresh vegetables, and fish, omg, fish is so high, and our fisherman haven't been going out lately. It's much less expensive to buy it fresh down at the fish market when it comes in;)
Some of you eat what I would call "specialty" or quick meals, like for example, a beef stick. Anyone want to share how they meet their Macro-goals without "cooking" every meal like I am doing now? I do have protein powder, a good one called Organic Valley. But that will fill in what I may be short on, with it's 25g protein (I think it's 25) but it is hardly a meal. I still have to eat some "solids" to feel truly fueled.
I'll throw this out there, and maybe get some ideas for simpler meals, but filling. Thanks in advance for any input;) Denise
PS My biggest expenses are meats and fresh vegetables, and fish, omg, fish is so high, and our fisherman haven't been going out lately. It's much less expensive to buy it fresh down at the fish market when it comes in;)
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Greek yogurt with fruit. Cottage cheese with salsa and raw vegetables. Peanut butter and fruit or celery. Sandwiches. Nuts. Cheese and vegetables. Beans are pretty easy to cook.3
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Ok, I love yogurt, cottage cheese, and I do a lot of Peanut butter. Beans are great to cook, forgot about doing a pot of those;) I have to see how the yogurt and cottage cheese work for me since I quit them trying to figure out if I had a problem with Dairy. I could try a bit though, test it now that I'm off most things that I thought "might" be adding to allergy symptoms.
Thank you for the ideas;) Easy to forget those thing like cottage cheese that has so much protein;) I used to always use Yogurt with my protein powder to make a great blended drink;) Denise
Most of these are what I would consider snacks in between meals, not a full meal. I'll try though;)
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I forgot salads. We buy a bag of kale salad and a head of cabbage and a rotisserie chicken at least once a week. I like the cabbage, chicken, maybe some kind of dressing. My husband likes cabbage, kale mix, chicken, feta, olives and craisins. He eats it every day. It is a little dry for me and sucks my will to live if I try to have it two days in a row.
Regarding cabbage, another super easy meal is a bag of shredded cabbage, a couple pounds of ground meat, a can of tomato sauce, an onion and spices according to taste. Just salt and pepper for a cabbage roll taste, but it can also be made more Mexican or New Orleans. You can also add mayo, relish and cheddar cheese to get a Big Mac flavor. I always do that by the serving, but if you are feeding a big family...
Replace the ground meat with chicken, leave out the tomato sauce and add Chinese seasonings for an easy stir fry that tastes almost like egg roll filling.9 -
What about frozen veggies with different types of meats. I love the Asian mix or california mix etc- all can be found at walmart in the great value(cheap ) brand for $1.50 or less. Chose a simple meat and bam-8
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abbynormal52 wrote: »I've spent quite a lot this month so far, on groceries. Some was on paper towels, kitchen items. But groceries are a bit high, so I want to try and do better next month.
Some of you eat what I would call "specialty" or quick meals, like for example, a beef stick. Anyone want to share how they meet their Macro-goals without "cooking" every meal like I am doing now? I do have protein powder, a good one called Organic Valley. But that will fill in what I may be short on, with it's 25g protein (I think it's 25) but it is hardly a meal. I still have to eat some "solids" to feel truly fueled.
I'll throw this out there, and maybe get some ideas for simpler meals, but filling. Thanks in advance for any input;) Denise
PS My biggest expenses are meats and fresh vegetables, and fish, omg, fish is so high, and our fisherman haven't been going out lately. It's much less expensive to buy it fresh down at the fish market when it comes in;)
Denise - good morning. Do you think that you'll be able to start an edible garden, space permitting?4 -
concordancia wrote: »I forgot salads. We buy a bag of kale salad and a head of cabbage and a rotisserie chicken at least once a week. I like the cabbage, chicken, maybe some kind of dressing. My husband likes cabbage, kale mix, chicken, feta, olives and craisins. He eats it every day. It is a little dry for me and sucks my will to live if I try to have it two days in a row...
I add cottage cheese to salads to give them the feel of having salad dressing, but with more protein and far less calories. Sometimes I add a little Newman's ranch dressing and sometimes I make my own using the Joy of Cooking recipe, which is similar to this: http://shadygroveranch.net/homemade-ranch-dressing-recipe but the original recipe uses 2-3 T of lime juice instead of the 1 t lemon juice, plus 1 T snipped chives. The original recipe calls for 3/4 C buttermilk, which I think makes for too thin a dressing - I use 1/2 C cottage cheese or plain yogurt thinned with 1/3 C water.
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I like buying frozen shrimp (cooked or raw) for a low calorie high protein option and I find it much cheaper than buying fish (either fresh or frozen). Frozen veggies can be a great low cost option and can be tossed in any dish.
I also find using a crockpot for things like chili (some ground meat, an onion, 1 can each of red kidney beans, white kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and chickpeas (if you like them), then add some seasonings) it makes 8 large portions and is great for leftovers when you don't want to cook. Also, throwing together odds and ends of fresh or frozen veggies in a frittata ( I use mostly egg whites from a carton (Costco) with a couple whole eggs makes a great cheap dinner or lunch for 2-4 servings.
It takes some planning to do it on a budget but I find now after about 7 months we spend about the same or less on groceries than before and end up throwing less away because of planning. Good Luck!1 -
888sisters_weight888 wrote: »abbynormal52 wrote: »I've spent quite a lot this month so far, on groceries. Some was on paper towels, kitchen items. But groceries are a bit high, so I want to try and do better next month.
Some of you eat what I would call "specialty" or quick meals, like for example, a beef stick. Anyone want to share how they meet their Macro-goals without "cooking" every meal like I am doing now? I do have protein powder, a good one called Organic Valley. But that will fill in what I may be short on, with it's 25g protein (I think it's 25) but it is hardly a meal. I still have to eat some "solids" to feel truly fueled.
I'll throw this out there, and maybe get some ideas for simpler meals, but filling. Thanks in advance for any input;) Denise
PS My biggest expenses are meats and fresh vegetables, and fish, omg, fish is so high, and our fisherman haven't been going out lately. It's much less expensive to buy it fresh down at the fish market when it comes in;)
Denise - good morning. Do you think that you'll be able to start an edible garden, space permitting?
Hi Denise - when all I had for gardening space was a balcony I had herbs in containers - they did great.
Swiss chard is super easy to grow in the ground so it might do ok in containers. Young leaves are great in salads and mature leaves work in smoothies or steamed. I did not have good luck with kale in containers.
If freecycle.org is available where you live, you might be able to find containers for free there. Gardeners like me always have extra containers we'd rather give to someone than throw out.
Also, farmer's markets or farm stands often have better prices and fresher produce than supermarkets. (However, farmer's markets that specialize in organic tend to be overpriced IME.)
https://www.localharvest.org/3 -
abbynormal52 wrote: »I've spent quite a lot this month so far, on groceries. Some was on paper towels, kitchen items. But groceries are a bit high, so I want to try and do better next month.
Some of you eat what I would call "specialty" or quick meals, like for example, a beef stick. Anyone want to share how they meet their Macro-goals without "cooking" every meal like I am doing now? I do have protein powder, a good one called Organic Valley. But that will fill in what I may be short on, with it's 25g protein (I think it's 25) but it is hardly a meal. I still have to eat some "solids" to feel truly fueled.
I'll throw this out there, and maybe get some ideas for simpler meals, but filling. Thanks in advance for any input;) Denise
PS My biggest expenses are meats and fresh vegetables, and fish, omg, fish is so high, and our fisherman haven't been going out lately. It's much less expensive to buy it fresh down at the fish market when it comes in;)
In order to not have to cook every meal, I cook extra protein for dinner and then have it in big salads for lunch the next day or so.
I add fat and fiber to my protein smoothies in order for them to be filling. I like chia seeds and dried coconut in my coffee/protein powder smoothie. I get these both from Amazon.2 -
My staples are:
- Eggs
- Dry beans
- Rice
- Cheap cuts of meat
- Fresh/frozen produce (whatever is on sale)
I plan my meals around sales. There are lots of apps that will collect weekly flyers for you to browse.
I do a lot of meal-prepping with my Instant Pot. Dry beans, rice and meat cook up like a dream. I do big batches of hard-boiled eggs for quick breakfasts.2 -
Switch to chicken thighs. In my opinion they taste better than breasts and a lot cheaper! I get chicken drumsticks really cheap too. Freeze them in pairs of 4 for drumsticks, 2 for thighs, and I'm good all week for about $10 combined for thighs/drumsticks. Eggs are cheap. Frozen veggies are cheap.8
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How about ground beef tacos? Spaghetti with some of that ground beef? Breakfast casserole with eggs, milk, spinach, cheese, sausage or bacon and any other veggies you want.3
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What are your store options? Aldi and Costco are great low cost options. Deals stores/dollar stores are also great options to get low priced food.
Frozen veggies are cheaper than fresh and actually retain their nutrients better than fresh that's been transported from out of state/country.
Rice is a very inexpensive option that makes a good base for all sorts of dishes. Same with oats.
If you do have an Aldi nearby they have fantastic prices on fish.2 -
888sisters_weight888 wrote: »abbynormal52 wrote: »I've spent quite a lot this month so far, on groceries. Some was on paper towels, kitchen items. But groceries are a bit high, so I want to try and do better next month.
Some of you eat what I would call "specialty" or quick meals, like for example, a beef stick. Anyone want to share how they meet their Macro-goals without "cooking" every meal like I am doing now? I do have protein powder, a good one called Organic Valley. But that will fill in what I may be short on, with it's 25g protein (I think it's 25) but it is hardly a meal. I still have to eat some "solids" to feel truly fueled.
I'll throw this out there, and maybe get some ideas for simpler meals, but filling. Thanks in advance for any input;) Denise
PS My biggest expenses are meats and fresh vegetables, and fish, omg, fish is so high, and our fisherman haven't been going out lately. It's much less expensive to buy it fresh down at the fish market when it comes in;)
Denise - good morning. Do you think that you'll be able to start an edible garden, space permitting?
Not where I live, but they have garden spaces to rent for a season, or, some I think are free. I may check it out if I get up the willingness. I have heard a lot gets stolen even though it's in a "secure" area., but I can check. We do have a seasonal Farmer's Market where I am going to be frequenting each Friday. I think it's only one day, have to check that too;)2 -
I love everyone's input!! I eat a lot of the things mentioned, and what I am thinking I just need to be more organized in my meal-planning and shopping. There is a lot on here I haven't tried yet though and will definitely be making a list of things mentioned;)
I am better at budgeting so before my next trip to the grocer's, I'll plan ahead. I'll start today while I am doing laundry, lol;) Thanks everyone!! Denise5 -
kshama2001 wrote: »concordancia wrote: »I forgot salads. We buy a bag of kale salad and a head of cabbage and a rotisserie chicken at least once a week. I like the cabbage, chicken, maybe some kind of dressing. My husband likes cabbage, kale mix, chicken, feta, olives and craisins. He eats it every day. It is a little dry for me and sucks my will to live if I try to have it two days in a row...
I add cottage cheese to salads to give them the feel of having salad dressing, but with more protein and far less calories. Sometimes I add a little Newman's ranch dressing and sometimes I make my own using the Joy of Cooking recipe, which is similar to this: http://shadygroveranch.net/homemade-ranch-dressing-recipe but the original recipe uses 2-3 T of lime juice instead of the 1 t lemon juice, plus 1 T snipped chives. The original recipe calls for 3/4 C buttermilk, which I think makes for too thin a dressing - I use 1/2 C cottage cheese or plain yogurt thinned with 1/3 C water.
No matter what I add, the kale mix sucks my soul if I have it too often. I actually like it once in awhile, especially with the included poppyseed dressing or cottage cheese. On the other hand, I can have the red cabbage 4 or 5 day a week.0 -
My wife and I are both very routine-oriented and don't vary our meals all that much.
Breakfast:I'm a breakfast skipper and she does a lot of oatmeal, cold cereal, bagel w/ cream cheese, etc. with greek yogurt and a banana.
Lunch: I have a protein shake (use MyProtein Whey Concentrate), turkey/roast beef sandwich on wheat bread with spicy mustard, and two strawberry oikos greek yogurts. The Mrs. opts for more variety, sometimes a sandwich and assorted snacks, carrots w/hummus, pretzels. Other times soup, salads, or leftovers (which is rare, I'm not fond of them so we don't plan to prepare extra portions).
Dinners: We do a lot of baked Chicken breasts with vegetables, sometimes rice or a potato. If pork loin is really on sale we'll get a whole loin and have the butcher cut it into chops, once home I'll parcel out into 16oz portions and bag so we can defrost a meals' worth at a time. Not my preference over chicken but is cost effective when you can get it sale for <$1/lb. We're also both very fond of breakfast foods and will do scrambled eggs, bacon, and protein waffles for dinner probably once/week. Again, when on sale we'll grab a "Family size" pack (2.5-3.5 lbs) of 80/20 ground beef to keep in the freezer to make tacos when we feel like it. Since it's just the two of us that usually get's us through 2-3 dinners per pack depending on the size.
As far as how we shop, we typically shop sales and will stock up on whatever staples are on sale, making full use of our deep freeze. Almost exclusively buy bags of frozen vegetables to steam in the microwave2 -
I have a very high grocery bill. I do cook mostly every meal. I like gourmet and I also live in an expensive area. What does help is simplifying meals, so that they use a minimum of ingredients. It is much cheaper to just make a protein, rice and a vegetable than to make a more complex rice dish, which is going to require 10 more ingredients. I buy the big box of oatmeal that lasts me a long time. Pasta is also cheap. Ground beef or sirloin is also cheaper than steak. London Broil is cheap and can make a good stew in the crock pot.3
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I plan 4 meals per week and cook enough so that we have plenty of leftovers for lunches and to fill In the other nights of the week I have a $550 a month budget for a family of four. Shopping at aldi helps a lot. For snacks I have been doing high protein because they are more filling. So far I’ve been doing cottage cheese, and Ive also made tuna salad and eaten that with crackers.2
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I plan 4 meals per week and cook enough so that we have plenty of leftovers for lunches and to fill In the other nights of the week I have a $550 a month budget for a family of four. Shopping at aldi helps a lot. For snacks I have been doing high protein because they are more filling. So far I’ve been doing cottage cheese, and Ive also made tuna salad and eaten that with crackers.
$600 a month for 5 here, so we're very similar. I LOVE Aldi
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spaghetti in clam sauce really really affordable. purdue cooked chicken breast - 3 servings - its only 3.79. very affordable eggs. very tasty millions of ways to fix them...great protein.0
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spaghetti in clam sauce really really affordable. purdue cooked chicken breast - 3 servings - its only 3.79. very affordable eggs. very tasty millions of ways to fix them...great protein.
Ya, we have eggs for dinner about once a week. It's a great meal when time and/or energy is short. Scrambled with onions and peppers and kielbasa, fried with tater tots, frittatas...2 -
What do people but at Aldi that is cheaper?? Every time I have taken the time to comparison shop, Also might have a few things cheaper, but then other things are way more expensive and it averages out that other stores are cheaper. Perhaps our Aldi's just has higher prices because it is in a food desert while I drive further to Ralph's?0
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I tried Kale and it's stickery
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lucerorojo wrote: »I have a very high grocery bill. I do cook mostly every meal. I like gourmet and I also live in an expensive area. What does help is simplifying meals, so that they use a minimum of ingredients. It is much cheaper to just make a protein, rice and a vegetable than to make a more complex rice dish, which is going to require 10 more ingredients. I buy the big box of oatmeal that lasts me a long time. Pasta is also cheap. Ground beef or sirloin is also cheaper than steak. London Broil is cheap and can make a good stew in the crock pot.
I do that as well instead of using recipes that complicate things like rice, or pretty much anything;)
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concordancia wrote: »What do people but at Aldi that is cheaper?? Every time I have taken the time to comparison shop, Also might have a few things cheaper, but then other things are way more expensive and it averages out that other stores are cheaper. Perhaps our Aldi's just has higher prices because it is in a food desert while I drive further to Ralph's?
Oh gosh, everything lol. Snack foods, breakfast type stuff (oats, syrup, cereal, granola bars etc), coffee, baking supplies (waay cheaper), dairy (1.88 for 12 oz shredded cheese, real butter for $2, gallon of milk for $2 etc), fresh/frozen produce, paper goods, pet food, bakery items, meat/frozen meat, grains/bagged and boxed goods etc etc etc. I love Costco and Daily Deals too, but Aldi has the lowest prices for a complete shopping trip (Costco and Daily Deals I only get a few things at each that are good deals).2 -
Hmm, had never heard of ALDI but I found this interesting when I did a search: https://marketwatch.com/story/5-reasons-not-to-shop-at-aldi-and-one-big-reason-why-you-should-2017-06-130
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Doubt if my small city will have an ALDI anytime soon, but then again, I am thinking of moving to a more populated area;)0
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MerryMavis1 wrote: »concordancia wrote: »What do people but at Aldi that is cheaper?? Every time I have taken the time to comparison shop, Also might have a few things cheaper, but then other things are way more expensive and it averages out that other stores are cheaper. Perhaps our Aldi's just has higher prices because it is in a food desert while I drive further to Ralph's?
Oh gosh, everything lol. Snack foods, breakfast type stuff (oats, syrup, cereal, granola bars etc), coffee, baking supplies (waay cheaper), dairy (1.88 for 12 oz shredded cheese, real butter for $2, gallon of milk for $2 etc), fresh/frozen produce, paper goods, pet food, bakery items, meat/frozen meat, grains/bagged and boxed goods etc etc etc. I love Costco and Daily Deals too, but Aldi has the lowest prices for a complete shopping trip (Costco and Daily Deals I only get a few things at each that are good deals).
The produce selection here suuccckkksss. I can't even get decent onions. For some reason the next nearest store doesn't have decent onions, either. They just have these two packs of mammoth onions. Aldi's (here) doesn't carry whole grain wheat, and when I have checked for spices, they didn't have what I wanted either (dried onion and garlic salt, as I recall). The pasta is more expensive than my regular store, as is the milk.0 -
abbynormal52 wrote: »Not where I live, but they have garden spaces to rent for a season, or, some I think are free. I may check it out if I get up the willingness. I have heard a lot gets stolen even though it's in a "secure" area., but I can check. We do have a seasonal Farmer's Market where I am going to be frequenting each Friday. I think it's only one day, have to check that too;)
Fortunately for you Denise, the Farmer's Market might very likely benefit your budget. In these parts I've found that it is sometimes defeatist, having to deal with inflated prices, so buying off the farm directly sometimes is a consideration for me.
Appreciated kshama2001's recommendation for edible gardening, for my sister and I will soon be investing time to start and develop ours, preferring hanging themed gardens Vs taking over spaces in the backyard. We're starting with our vegetable cutaways. Hydroponics first to nurse the roots then transplant and we're going to sprout beans again.3
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