Cost of food rant

Maerwhyn

I've decided one of the hardest things about eating well isn't the time it takes or missing out on cake and cookies. It's having to choose between healthful food and cheap food. There are so many times at the grocery store where I'm comparing foods and have to take the less-good-for-me option because I can't afford the good stuff. Especially breakfast cereals. I wish I could buy Special K or Kashi cereals because they taste so good, but they're too blinking expensive. My little ones love them too, and I feel terrible giving them sugary crap, but I'd spend half of my grocery budget just on breakfast if I bought the good stuff. I really should get up earlier in the morning and make oatmeal more often, but that gets really boring really fast. Anybody else sick of the compromise?

StrawberryJam40

i don't eat cereal..or haven't in over 3 months. I still buy my daughter her Fruity Pebbles and Cinnamon Toast Crunch (its all about moderation).

I have found that my food bill has gone down.

1. Buying less diet pop (not totally stopped though I tried, but cut out a ton).
2. Buying less processed stuff.
3. Buying less food because I'm eating less now that I'm counting calories. Found out I probably ate 6-8 or more ounces of deli meat in a sandwich, where I'm happy and full with 3 or less (Ok 4 if I'm really hungry). Over eating is more expensive for me.
4. Eating out less to make better food choices for myself.

I also shop the weekly ad sales especially to buy meat. Like when split chicken breast go on sale for .99/lb I'll buy 4 packages of 2 and freeze them. When eggs go on sale I'll get a couple dozen. Then I can have some hard boiled ones around for egg salad, and extras for the protein pancakes I love (that takes 4 egg whites).

I also shop weekly ad sales for any stock items I need that can go in the pantry or freezer.

I've also resolved to not over buy so things don't spoil. I now go to the store more frequently if I need to grab something. I'm usually a few blocks away from it anyway when I leave the gym, so a quick in and out and stick to my list.

PS - Shopping after gym is probably unfair to customers and workers when I'm sweaty and stinky. :laugh:

momblobnomore

You could try coupons just this week there was a deal where you buy 4 special k cereal at publix and get free milk. Lots of companies will send coupons if you ask.

StrawberryJam40

You could try coupons just this week there was a deal where you buy 4 special k cereal at publix and get free milk. Lots of companies will send coupons if you ask.

Yes. And even better when I find a coupon on coupon.com and you can stack them with the in store coupons....and get even more off.

Fareway (our local grocery store) has GM Cheerios and Reese's Puffs cereal 4/$8 with a coupon for $4 off 4. And, I can always find a coupon for Big G Cereal. That makes it less than $1 a box with a second coupon! Score! My child and nephew will eat those.

ponycyndi

My kids like their sugary cereal, and it isn't worth fighting over when we're trying to get to school, so I let them have it.

I only eat cereals for snacks anyway. Breakfast is usually eggs (already boiled and kept in the fridge) coffee, fruit, yogurt, or a smoothie. All super cheap. Sure, I'd love to have kashi every day too, but it's too much for me. Sometimes I make my own granola instead. It's yummy too, and I can actually afford it.

MKEgal

I've decided one of the hardest things about eating well isn't the time it takes or missing out on cake and cookies. It's having to choose between healthful food and cheap food. There are so many times at the grocery store where I'm comparing foods and have to take the less-good-for-me option because I can't afford the good stuff.

Nope. I've been able to stay under budget easily while buying healthy food. (I think I'm currently getting $180/mo, and often have money left to carry over.)

Beans, whether dry or canned, are very cheap & nutritious.
Brown rice.
Chicken, turkey, some cuts of beef or pork, some fish.
Fresh veggies & fruits. Even frozen or canned are OK nutrition-wise, and sometimes a better deal.
Eggs can be breakfast, a snack with lunch, or sliced on a salad for dinner.

And oatmeal doesn't take very long.
Add some nuts & chopped fruit (I love apples with cinnamon, and brown sugar or honey) & you have a healthy long-lasting dish that's great for cold weather.
Here are some recipes for slow-cooker oatmeal. Set it up before you go to bed, breakfast serves itself.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/search/index?search=slow+cooker+oatmeal
For hot weather, mix it into yogurt. If you do it the night before, it softens up; might want to add a little milk so it's not too thick.

Other than chocolate Chex (for a treat) I can't remember the last time I had breakfast cereal. Too many calories, not enough nutrition, and no, I wouldn't buy the sugared stuff.
My usual breakfast is a banana, whole wheat bread with peanut butter, and a glass of skim milk with a serving of Carnation instant breakfast.

Here's a cookbook which was put together specifically to show people on food stamps (SNAP) how to eat healthily and good on a very low budget ($4/day, which is about what SNAP allows people).
The photography is amazing... I want to eat most of these things!
https://8e81c55f4ebf03323905b57bf395473796067508.googledrive.com/host/0B2A2SnkA9YgxaHdzbEhGSmJOZDg/good-and-cheap.pdf

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Mr_Knight

It's having to choose between healthful food and cheap food.

Lentils & rice are cheap as dirt and extremely "healthful".

I used to think cereals were expensive - and then I figured out what a proper serving size is. Suddenly, not so expensive.

It takes 45 seconds in the microwave to make oatmeal, which is possibly even cheaper than rice & lentils.

fannybee

I've decided one of the hardest things about eating well isn't the time it takes or missing out on cake and cookies. It's having to choose between healthful food and cheap food. There are so many times at the grocery store where I'm comparing foods and have to take the less-good-for-me option because I can't afford the good stuff. Especially breakfast cereals. I wish I could buy Special K or Kashi cereals because they taste so good, but they're too blinking expensive. My little ones love them too, and I feel terrible giving them sugary crap, but I'd spend half of my grocery budget just on breakfast if I bought the good stuff. I really should get up earlier in the morning and make oatmeal more often, but that gets really boring really fast. Anybody else sick of the compromise?

Watch the specials . but whole fruits and whole grains breads are amazing for breakfast. I also love cliff bars that are affordable too delicious and very nutritive. I often start by the organic section at the grocery store. It's surprising the deals we can find . but that's just me. :-) good luck

chrisdavey

oats are cheaper than any cereal. $1 for 1kg that makes about 20 decent serves. (10 serves for me )

Swiftlet66

I find the opposite to be true for me... I refrain from most processed foods and buy/eat things like beans, lentils, rice, seasonal veggies and fruits, root veggies, eggs, oatmeal a lot... Everything is high in fiber and if you add some type of fat like butter or olive oil, it'll keep you full longer too. Much better than any breakfast cereal imo but it does require a bit more time in the kitchen.

chadya07

i do not agree. i eat so much less, i spend the same as i did before i just buy BETTER stuff now.

since i dont have to buy chips, pop, pastries, frozen meals, fast food, etc as much as i used to... i can fill my fridge with fresh produce, good cheese, lean meats, greek yogurt, shrimp, fish etc. and i spend the same amount as i spent before, probably less. when i cook for my husband when he is home from the road i only have to buy one steak, i cut of an end for me and give him the rest. before i bought two.

also i eat my sons sugary cereal. i like it. and if you eat a serving with almond milk its not that bad calorie wise. but not for breakfast or i will be hungry again long before lunch.

but then i was a glutton.

also trader joe's is my grocery savior.

2BeHappy2

MKEgal, I am almost crying over here *laughs*. Thank you ssoo much for posting the link and giving the advice that you have. I help a lot of people and families who are working with lower/low incomes and resources like this are invaluable for many of them in eating better. However, many of these resources are just as valuable for those not dealing with any form of income-based difficulties concerning food also. A lot of people tend to shy away from resources like what you posted because they do not want to be considered "those people", but smarter way to get healthier food is just good business sense. Also, the creativity that can exist in turning a pile o what looks to be an incompatible mess of food is an art that can benefit everyone, period.

Thank you again!

Regards,
Rachel

I too thought this was helpful advise and wish Id had something like this when I 1st got out on my own!

Mr_Knight

The thing is, if you really like junk food, you can live on Little Debbies for about $2 a day.

That's $60 a month.

And it doesn't get any junkier than that.

lisabinco

I hope you do check out the PDF link about eating cheap. We ate quite similarly as poor kids growing up, and now I'm discovering that it was pretty healthy for us. I eat a lot like this now and spend less.
There are so many ways to eat fresh, whole real food without spending a lot of money.
The Vegetarian Times website has some great tips for proper storage of fresh fruits and vegetables so they last longer.
Good for you for wanting to learn how to feed your children better.

MKEgal

I'm sorry to have moved you to tears, but glad some see the value in the advice. :flowerforyou:
And that cookbook isn't your normal gov't drivel. It's actually nice food that gives a variety of flavors.

Someone messaged me & said that the PDF link isn't working, maybe because it's on 2 lines, but for whatever reason it's not being a link, so I dumped it into a blog post & it's behaving itself.

Try this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-09-19-cheap-eats-cookbook-696460
It does seem to have lit up as an active link there, and it opened OK in another tab for me.

TestingFun01

I don't eat breakfast anymore, but I use to make overnight oatmeal. Mix oats with flavoured yoghurt and a little milk, refrigerate overnight. Next morning just add a fruit if you'd like. If you vary the yoghurt flavours it tastes different everytime.

evee7340

Definitely look for coupons, like some others said. There are always coupons for cereals in the Sunday paper and on coupons.com. If you have a coupon AND the cereal's on sale, it can be pretty cheap. This goes for most other things you'd buy as well.

Also try store brand cereals. Most of them do knock-offs of the more expensive cereals that really aren't bad!

And oatmeal...I get one (again a store brand, so it's super cheap per serving) that I can make in the microwave in three minutes. If your kids need some sweetness, put a little maple syrup and brown sugar in it before cooking, or just the syrup. Good stuff!

I'm not on the "whole foods are cheaper than junk food!" bandwagon because realistically, sometimes they're just not. It depends on where you live, what's available, etc. But if you are looking for alternatives, they're out there. It just takes a little creativity to figure them out sometimes.

nilbogger

Special K is not that expensive, and not that good for you, either. You can find coupons for Kellogg's cereals regularly (either through Coupons.com or registering with Kellogg's website) and they go on sale fairly often as well. Kashi is a bit better for you (more fiber, more protein) and more expensive, but I've seen coupons and sales for that as well.

There are plenty of relatively cheap, healthy foods: apples, carrots, lettuce, celery, beans, potatoes, oatmeal, bananas, eggs, cabbage, onions, chicken thighs... at least these are always pretty cheap where I live. Other foods you can shop in season, look for sales and use coupons.

Maerwhyn

We only eat out about once a month, which is helpful. I like to cook, so that also makes it easier to eat good food. My morning challenge is mostly that I'm not a morning person, and it takes a long time for me to wake up. So while I'd rather eat cooked food for breakfast, the thought of having to cook something immediately after waking up kills me. So we have cereal. So I guess that's not really a price problem, it's a motivation problem. And thanks for the eat-for-less pdf--I'm definitely going to look at that.

PRMinx

We only eat out about once a month, which is helpful. I like to cook, so that also makes it easier to eat good food. My morning challenge is mostly that I'm not a morning person, and it takes a long time for me to wake up. So while I'd rather eat cooked food for breakfast, the thought of having to cook something immediately after waking up kills me. So we have cereal. So I guess that's not really a price problem, it's a motivation problem. And thanks for the eat-for-less pdf--I'm definitely going to look at that.

You can always hard boil some eggs and keep them in your fridge for breakfast. I do this and grab two on my way out the door to work.

NoStoppingNow77

If you have an Aldi in your town I highly recommend trying to find stuff there. They label items as their own brand and are a lot like the original except at a much lower price. They have a lot of organic items and if I'm not mistaken they own Trader Joe's. They make a cereal that tastes exactly like the Kashi Go Lean cereal but for only $1.69 a box. Can't beat that.

paomiamifl

Husband and I spend $100-150 a month on groceries that last almost 2 months. There have been $75 months here and there as well. *This budget also includes any and all cleaning supplies.*
Things we have learned:
1) trader joe's (if you have one nearby) is about HALF the price of the cheaper "supermarket" when purchasing organic food.
2) eating off an 8" plate is miraculous, not only for waistline but for money not spent on food. No one NEEDS (unless for medical reasons) to ingest thousands of thousands of calories a day. It's ok to be a bit hungry.
3) we NEVER eat at restaurants. EVER. we cook 100% of the time at home! and even have multiple days a month of just popcorn (made at home) or chips and homemade dips, on days we want to "pig out."
4) no one has ever died for eating once a day (as we do) especially those of us who are/have been obese/overweight. You die of malnutrition and for not eating for weeks!months at a time. We in the west have the luxury of surplus food. Other parts of the world, don't, and yet they keep surviving. We have the luxury (it's not a real physical need) to eat multiple times a day if we choose to.
5) I found out I have Celiac disease so even with gluten free stuff, AND organic, we are spending hundreds less than before.
6) we pay in cash so that if we take say 160 dollars with us to buy food, that's ALL that gets spent. The rest will have to wait for the next time.
7) there's always that "next time" and waiting for it is actually a great exercise in patience and self-control.
8) we exclusively drink coffee at home. It's about 4 dollars for an espresso 16oz "brick" that lasts 7-10 days vs. ONE coffee from Starbucks or elsewhere that costs the same, PER CUP.
9) before, we used to consume 1 pound of pasta between us in 1 sitting. These days, the gluten free bag lasts for 2-4 times (4-8 servings, instead of 2) longer.
10) living with less: weight, expenses, stress...it's a life-changing, positive thing.

I've lost almost 91 pounds and husband around 50. I see how much healthier we are, and the amount of things we are able to accomplish on a daily basis since we changed our lifestyle. For us, it's been a fantastic change, one we could never go back from.

juggernaut1974

We only eat out about once a month, which is helpful. I like to cook, so that also makes it easier to eat good food. My morning challenge is mostly that I'm not a morning person, and it takes a long time for me to wake up. So while I'd rather eat cooked food for breakfast, the thought of having to cook something immediately after waking up kills me. So we have cereal. So I guess that's not really a price problem, it's a motivation problem. And thanks for the eat-for-less pdf--I'm definitely going to look at that.

I make a big batch of steel cut oatmeal in the evening, after dinner. Portion it out into 4 portions, and I'm set for the week. Only takes 90 sec. in the microwave in the morning to heat it up.

Lizzy622

I've decided one of the hardest things about eating well isn't the time it takes or missing out on cake and cookies. It's having to choose between healthful food and cheap food. There are so many times at the grocery store where I'm comparing foods and have to take the less-good-for-me option because I can't afford the good stuff. Especially breakfast cereals. I wish I could buy Special K or Kashi cereals because they taste so good, but they're too blinking expensive. My little ones love them too, and I feel terrible giving them sugary crap, but I'd spend half of my grocery budget just on breakfast if I bought the good stuff. I really should get up earlier in the morning and make oatmeal more often, but that gets really boring really fast. Anybody else sick of the compromise?

Quick cooking oatmeal is much cheaper and healthier. I would make a big pot and let the kids add maple syrup or raisins or cinnamon or nuts. I have also found ways to cut meat and add veg which actually reduced my food bill. Buying grains and such in bulk also helps.

melimomTARDIS

We are big cereal/grain eaters in my house!

I usually get off brand cereals, with no added sugars. Instead of special K corn flakes, I buy Generic Flakes of Corn. (Or whatever)

I also buy big tubs of oatmeal, and eat oats most mornings.

I usually have lowfat granola bars, like nutragrain, nature valley,or quaker chewy chocolate chip.

I always have bagels on hand too, and I serve them with peanut or soynut butter.

Those are the everyday breakfasts around here.

I keep one "treat" cereal, and "treat breakfast" around. So in addition to all that I listed, I keep have coco puffs and strawberry poptarts for the children. Not for everyday, but certainly some days. Sometimes I have a bag of mini donuts up there.

When I serve any breakfast choice, I include a serving of fruit, (usually an apple, or a glass of orange juice) and a serving of dairy (milk, or yogurt). I feel okay about these breakfasts.

My budget is way restrictive, and it has been even tighter in the past. Feed your kids as healthfully as you can, remembering not to go crazy in the process.

SoDamnHungry

Shop on sale, and look for coupons.

melimomTARDIS

also wanted to add- dont change your life in ways you find unsustainable.

I dont LOVE to cook. I however eat at home pretty much all the time. Most of my meals take 15 minutes of hands on time. So quick grain based breakfasts are my JAM yo. If I am making eggs its usually for dinner.

missiontofitness

Couponing + stocking up during sales has been a god send for me.
Also, it helps me free up my budget so I can afford to splurge on produce that I want. Spending $.15 on a jar of pasta sauce that is usually $2? Look at that, I have an extra $1.85 towards produce!

Also, I buy in bulk when I can; makes meat and produce cheaper that way, plus I can freeze the extra for later.

squeepig

That PDF file that was linked is AWESOME!!!!

bellaa_x0

when i go grocery shopping for my boyfriend and myself, i find that the bill is considerably higher when he comes along and throws in foods that i choose not to eat or prefer not to eat on a regular basis (chips, ice cream, cookies, frozen pizza, etc.). my bill is actually cheaper when i stick to my list of veggies, fruits, meat, water, milk, etc. for the week. not sure where you shop, but i usually spend between $100-$150 a week on the two of us between trader joe's and stop & shop.