Healthy Groceries for around $100/month

fatalis_vox

So what about Greek yogurt, milk, eggs, bread, or other fruits? Those are all staples for me and I'd go nuts without them lol. I also live in Texas and spend about $80-$100/ week for me and my boyfriend, but this also includes basic toiletries, cleaning supplies, and random household things like dryer sheets and paper plates.

Since you basically buy the same things each week does that mean that you pretty much eat the same things every day?

I don't eat those things too often, except for other fruits. Whatever looks good or is on sale. Or sometimes if I Have a craving, I'll just go buy one of what I'm craving. (Last week, it was a mango.)

I've never really been a huge bread eater, and for the time it takes me to make a sandwich I can have my dinner prepped and in the oven. Eggs I get sometimes, swapping them out for the oatmeal, but I usually do breakfast at the office instead of at home, so eggs aren't the best breakfast option for me.

I -do- tend to eat the same basic meal: Oatmeal breakfast. Protein, 1-2 servings of vegetables, and a side of rice lunch/dinner. However with seasonings and sauces, there are so many ways to change the flavor. It doesn't taste like I'm eating the same meal all the time. Get creative! It doesn't always work out (Oh man) but I've discovered some great combinations.

fatalis_vox

Very interesting.

My first impression is that you're a bit nutrient light. I just can't imagine that you're getting enough servings of fruits and/or veg, in a variety of colors, per day on your plan. You didn't ask for advice, but I want to offer the thought that it's not JUST about calories. It seems like you're eating at most two servings of fruit or vegetable a day.

That said, it's clearly working for you to achieve your goal, it's very economical, and it shows a LOT of discipline. I admire your dedication. I budget 100 dollars a week for myself and two cats for food and other sundries (toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, etc.) But I tend to eat a LOT of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. I love my antioxidants. An unbiased person looking at my plan would probably tell me to eat more protein and whole grains. :-)

I did consider that I might not be getting all of my nutrients, but the recommended daily fruit/vegetable intake for a woman of my age and activity level is 2 cups a day, and I definitely get that or more. (http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ ; they re-vamped the food pyramid based on current knowledge of health and nutrition)

I don't include other sundries such as cleaning supplies and toiletries in my grocery list--I'm in the military, so I usually get those at the BX when I need them. My dog food costs me about $60 a month currently (though as he continues to fill out, I'm sure that'll go up) and I have petflow.com deliver it every month. So I actually budget for those things separately--This is just my food-from-the-grocery-store budget, lol.

Everyone needs different things, of course, so if what you do works and makes you happy, rock on! And thanks for your input, compliments, and concern.

fatalis_vox

I don't like cooking either, but you make it sound so simple. This is the third time I have heard of a rice cooker, so I'm seriously thinking of getting one.

Thanks for sharing!

Rice cookers are awesome. And someone else on this thread mentioned that you can use them for way more--quinoa, oatmeal, keeping soup warm. Mine also comes with a steamer basket so you can throw vegetables or whatever in there, put water in the bottom, and use it as a steamer.

I usually spend about ~5 minutes prepping my meal, and it gives me two(me-sized) servings. Give it a try for a week, maybe, and see what you think?

_lyndseybrooke_

$100 a month?! $100 a week, maybe.

conqueringsquidlette

I was rocking the $100 budget for groceries for a while when I was single too. It is hard, but I found it really rewarding to win the grocery game, so to speak. I like your menu. I'm trying to think of what my go-to tactics were for back then too, now.

Lots of lentil soup nights because I could buy those in bulk (did the same with other beans and grains. Anything I could buy from a bulk bin, I did). I was a vegetarian by choice back then too, so not being able to buy meat really didn't hurt.... lol

I got big into coupons to save money on whatever I could, but that takes a bit of time and effort that you may not have depending on your work situation, but even just being able to stock up on toothpaste and toilet paper with a good discount meant there was just that much more I could spend on food when I needed to.

Skipping the grocery store and going to a farmer's market or CSA for produce saves a *lot* if you have that option available. Along those lines, anything you can grow rather than buy saves as well (dried herbs are expensive, snipping them right off your plants is heavenly.)

I baked my own bread and made my own tortillas, too. Which not only saved a lot of money (it's like pennies to make both) but gave me a chance to experiment.

amberj32

I got big into coupons to save money on whatever I could, but that takes a bit of time and effort that you may not have depending on your work situation, but even just being able to stock up on toothpaste and toilet paper with a good discount meant there was just that much more I could spend on food when I needed to.

Skipping the grocery store and going to a farmer's market or CSA for produce saves a *lot* if you have that option available. Along those lines, anything you can grow rather than buy saves as well (dried herbs are expensive, snipping them right off your plants is heavenly.)

I baked my own bread and made my own tortillas, too. Which not only saved a lot of money (it's like pennies to make both) but gave me a chance to experiment.

I'm also big on coupons too. We usually spend about $200 a week on groceries/eating out but it's me, my boyfriend, my 20 year old daughter and my boyfriend's mom. I do all the grocery shopping. I'm trying to get everyone to eat healthier. They aren't always on board.
We do go to the farmers market on occasion but I don't know where everyone else lives but they are almost always more expensive than the grocery stores. They do have a lot of great looking produce but I spend $40 on two bags of produce last time I was there.
I would love any bread or tortilla recipes you would like to share.

Thanks for sharing Fatalis_vox!!

Francl27

Good basis, I think. But yeah, all that stuff costs more here too... 3 chicken breasts will be $9 here and once you remove the fat, there's enough for 4/5 meals maybe. Salmon is typically $11 a pound so I guess it's pretty close though (but catfish is typically $7 a pound and sometimes cod is too). Cheap veggies are pretty much $2-3 a pound here.. You're often better off buying frozen veggies on sale at $1 a bag. 5 pounds of apples would probably be $5 or something. I'm in NJ. And the farmer market is just as expensive here.

I spend like $160 a week for 4, and that's including overpriced snacks and yogurts for my 6yo twins (and organic milk). I can almost never find coupons on things I actually buy sadly though (and buying the Sunday paper hasn't seemed worth it just to save $3 on things I actually use).

I'd definitely add some beans, lentils and eggs to your list though... but again I'd need variety.

conqueringsquidlette

That's unfortunate about the farmers' markets for you guys. Here we have a pick-your-own produce farm that is ridonkulously cheap if you can get it together to get out there early enough and avoid the heat, and a couple of the farmers' markets that can go either way. If I get sucked into the super pretty what-is-that days, I can overspend there too, but if I put my blinders on and just get the basics I've saved a bunch. I live in the middle of a desert, too, so I assumed it would be better in places that can actually grow things without tons of effort. Sad to hear it isn't so.

With the coupon game, part of the reason it takes time and effort is because you may not be getting coupons for stuff you want, but you're watching out for the coupons for OTHER things in the store that will let you get the stuff you want for free. It's definitely a process - and it's one that I don't really do much anymore because it's a PITA - but if you're determined to get it down and you have the time to do it, it is an AWESOME feeling to get $100 worth of groceries (including the fresh stuff you can't get coupons for) for under $10. I think that's why the extreme couponers get so into it - it's kind of a rush. lol

Francl27

That's unfortunate about the farmers' markets for you guys. Here we have a pick-your-own produce farm that is ridonkulously cheap if you can get it together to get out there early enough and avoid the heat, and a couple of the farmers' markets that can go either way. If I get sucked into the super pretty what-is-that days, I can overspend there too, but if I put my blinders on and just get the basics I've saved a bunch. I live in the middle of a desert, too, so I assumed it would be better in places that can actually grow things without tons of effort. Sad to hear it isn't so.

With the coupon game, part of the reason it takes time and effort is because you may not be getting coupons for stuff you want, but you're watching out for the coupons for OTHER things in the store that will let you get the stuff you want for free. It's definitely a process - and it's one that I don't really do much anymore because it's a PITA - but if you're determined to get it down and you have the time to do it, it is an AWESOME feeling to get $100 worth of groceries (including the fresh stuff you can't get coupons for) for under $10. I think that's why the extreme couponers get so into it - it's kind of a rush. lol

Oh definitely, I see some friends who get things for dirt cheap. I don't know any store here that doubles coupons though, so that's another downer.

SymphonynSonata

I've found that, in Florida, you can get really amazing deals at unexpected places. Unfortunately there isn't a lot of grocery store competition down here, we basically have Publix, Wal-Mart, Target, and the occasional Food Lion or Winn-Dixie. Wal-Mart is the only reasonably priced store pre-coupons, and because there isn't much competition, there aren't many coupons that can be put to use here (or the rules are really stringent). Anyway, I was looking for new food options and wandered into some cultural stores, like Indian, Hispanic, etc, and I've found that their prices are MUCH cheaper than any big store, even after coupons (unless you're an Extreme Couponer). You'll be slightly limited if you intend on doing your shopping at these types of shops because they're catering to speciality meals but the prices are just unbeatable. $3.99/lb cashews! at the Indian stores. At the Latino grocery stores the fruits and vegetables are just jaw droppingly inexpensive. Where I'd normally spend about $100-$150 on groceries from Wal-Mart I spend about $50 for the same quantity and sometimes better quality produce.

I'm also pretty big on rice which is cheap regardless of where you buy it (I think - I usually go for the 50lb bag at Sam's Club). You can do amazing things with rice and vegetables. Rice is a great food in that it'll be pretty good regardless of what you pair it with.

SezxyStef

I live in Canada..I don't even want to talk about food costs...:sad:

ETA: since summer is coming why not try some container gardening..you can grow 1 tomato plant and 1 cucumber plant in a big bucket easily....along with lettuce in a window box. Hanging basket of cherry/grape tomatoes and a pepper plant.

you can easily get enough food from that to feed you a fresh salad every day all summer long esp with the lettuce which can be sown more than once or if you choose leaf lettuce or a mix the more you cut it the more it grows..

seltzermint555

I got big into coupons to save money on whatever I could, but that takes a bit of time and effort that you may not have depending on your work situation, but even just being able to stock up on toothpaste and toilet paper with a good discount meant there was just that much more I could spend on food when I needed to.

Skipping the grocery store and going to a farmer's market or CSA for produce saves a *lot* if you have that option available. Along those lines, anything you can grow rather than buy saves as well (dried herbs are expensive, snipping them right off your plants is heavenly.)

I baked my own bread and made my own tortillas, too. Which not only saved a lot of money (it's like pennies to make both) but gave me a chance to experiment.

I'm also big on coupons too. We usually spend about $200 a week on groceries/eating out but it's me, my boyfriend, my 20 year old daughter and my boyfriend's mom. I do all the grocery shopping. I'm trying to get everyone to eat healthier. They aren't always on board.
We do go to the farmers market on occasion but I don't know where everyone else lives but they are almost always more expensive than the grocery stores. They do have a lot of great looking produce but I spend $40 on two bags of produce last time I was there.
I would love any bread or tortilla recipes you would like to share.

Thanks for sharing Fatalis_vox!!

Same here with the farmer's markets. Everything is "artisan" or "heirloom" with very dear prices! Even produce is at least twice (if not more) the price it would be at a supermarket. I'd actually say most items are twice the price of ORGANIC produce at the supermarket and 3-4 times the price of non-organic.

Low cost farmer's market sounds like an oxymoron to me...for my area anyway!

JoRocka

Good basis, I think. But yeah, all that stuff costs more here too... 3 chicken breasts will be $9 here and once you remove the fat, there's enough for 4/5 meals maybe. Salmon is typically $11 a pound so I guess it's pretty close though (but catfish is typically $7 a pound and sometimes cod is too). Cheap veggies are pretty much $2-3 a pound here.. You're often better off buying frozen veggies on sale at $1 a bag. 5 pounds of apples would probably be $5 or something. I'm in NJ. And the farmer market is just as expensive here.

I spend like $160 a week for 4, and that's including overpriced snacks and yogurts for my 6yo twins (and organic milk). I can almost never find coupons on things I actually buy sadly though (and buying the Sunday paper hasn't seemed worth it just to save $3 on things I actually use).

I'd definitely add some beans, lentils and eggs to your list though... but again I'd need variety.

It makes me absolutely stark raving mad when people say "go to the farmers market for produce" because yeah- here in the dirty jeresy- it's just as expensive if not MORE expensive.

And I had to drive out of my way to go get it- so I just do all my shopping at shop rite.
(speaking of Birsall was on sale 2/5$ at Shop rite I think)

and- no- they never have useful coupons- always for soda's and stupid crap like that I don't use/drink.

And 1 pack of chicken is about 7-9- I cook and separate into 6-8 oz- and I can usually get about 6-8 tupperwears- depending on how much I ate out of if when I first made it.

My weekly average is about 50$... typically 40-70 depending on what I need to stock up on. Jersey sucks for food LOL

Francl27

Good basis, I think. But yeah, all that stuff costs more here too... 3 chicken breasts will be $9 here and once you remove the fat, there's enough for 4/5 meals maybe. Salmon is typically $11 a pound so I guess it's pretty close though (but catfish is typically $7 a pound and sometimes cod is too). Cheap veggies are pretty much $2-3 a pound here.. You're often better off buying frozen veggies on sale at $1 a bag. 5 pounds of apples would probably be $5 or something. I'm in NJ. And the farmer market is just as expensive here.

I spend like $160 a week for 4, and that's including overpriced snacks and yogurts for my 6yo twins (and organic milk). I can almost never find coupons on things I actually buy sadly though (and buying the Sunday paper hasn't seemed worth it just to save $3 on things I actually use).

I'd definitely add some beans, lentils and eggs to your list though... but again I'd need variety.

It makes me absolutely stark raving mad when people say "go to the farmers market for produce" because yeah- here in the dirty jeresy- it's just as expensive if not MORE expensive.

And I had to drive out of my way to go get it- so I just do all my shopping at shop rite.
(speaking of Birsall was on sale 2/5$ at Shop rite I think)

and- no- they never have useful coupons- always for soda's and stupid crap like that I don't use/drink.

And 1 pack of chicken is about 7-9- I cook and separate into 6-8 oz- and I can usually get about 6-8 tupperwears- depending on how much I ate out of if when I first made it.

My weekly average is about 50$... typically 40-70 depending on what I need to stock up on. Jersey sucks for food LOL

Yeah it's much cheaper typically to buy the big packs of chicken breasts - ends up being like $1.99 a pound instead of $3.25 or something. So it's typically what I get.

conqueringsquidlette

I've found that, in Florida, you can get really amazing deals at unexpected places. Unfortunately there isn't a lot of grocery store competition down here, we basically have Publix, Wal-Mart, Target, and the occasional Food Lion or Winn-Dixie. Wal-Mart is the only reasonably priced store pre-coupons, and because there isn't much competition, there aren't many coupons that can be put to use here (or the rules are really stringent). Anyway, I was looking for new food options and wandered into some cultural stores, like Indian, Hispanic, etc, and I've found that their prices are MUCH cheaper than any big store, even after coupons (unless you're an Extreme Couponer). You'll be slightly limited if you intend on doing your shopping at these types of shops because they're catering to speciality meals but the prices are just unbeatable. $3.99/lb cashews! at the Indian stores. At the Latino grocery stores the fruits and vegetables are just jaw droppingly inexpensive. Where I'd normally spend about $100-$150 on groceries from Wal-Mart I spend about $50 for the same quantity and sometimes better quality produce.

I'm also pretty big on rice which is cheap regardless of where you buy it (I think - I usually go for the 50lb bag at Sam's Club). You can do amazing things with rice and vegetables. Rice is a great food in that it'll be pretty good regardless of what you pair it with.

Oh yeah, this too. Hooray for Meximarts!