Cost of food rant
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bump for the link0
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I don't know if these tips have been mentioned but here are some I use:
1- Shop at Costco. It's bulk but the prices are usually unbeatable.
2- Let good food become a way you treat yourself and your family. Even the best groceries are cheaper than the cheapest restaurant, I think. Kids would probably rather have a nice cooked breakfast over Kashi cereal, anyway. Mine would!0 -
In, mostly because I definitely need all of these tips, and I want to save the thread!
I do have one tip to add though, and that's to eliminate variety in whatever areas you can. I'm only feeding myself, so it may be easier for me than those with families, but I eat the same things for breakfast/morning snack/lunch every day.
Breakfast is two fried (no oil/butter) eggs on a tortilla with 1/4 of an avocado and a sprinkle of kosher salt. 315 cals and about .65c
Lunch is a sandwich with mustard, a slice of cheese or half of a Laughing Cow wedge, and half a package of Buddig lunch meat plus a pot of Greek yogurt. 320-400 cals, $1.70. It's a lot cheaper without the yogurt, so sometimes I eat a whole package of lunch meat on the sandwich instead.
Morning snack: granola bar, .33c, 150 cal
Dinner is really the only place I vary, and I make up big pots of soups, stews, rice & beans, whatever I can get cheap, or have staples onhand.
ETA: I do this because not having other options makes it easier for me to shop. If I stop and think, maybe I'll want bagels and maybe cereal and maybe oatmeal and maybe bacon, it costs way more to have all that on hand. When I know exactly what I'm going to have, I need to buy far fewer ingredients.0 -
So here's a follow-up question. Do I just have an unrealistic expectation of what my budget should be? I have a family of 5 (baby's still nursing though, so I'm feeding 4) and I'm budgeting about $100 per week for food. I always feel like I'm running out of money at the end of the month. I usually shop at Costco and Winco.0
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$100 should be enough for food. What i found was that things like detergent, cleaning supplies and personal care items were eating up my food budget. Try budgeting for these things separately. Plan your meals based on sales and in season produce. Mixing beans or mushrooms into ground meat lets you use less meat and stretch your dollar.0
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http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/01/grocery-costs-for-family/2104165/So here's a follow-up question. Do I just have an unrealistic expectation of what my budget should be? I have a family of 5 (baby's still nursing though, so I'm feeding 4) and I'm budgeting about $100 per week for food. I always feel like I'm running out of money at the end of the month. I usually shop at Costco and Winco.0 -
So according to that article, my problem isn't really the cost of food, it's that I have unrealistic expectations. I'm already doing everything that article says you need to do in order to eat cheaply, it's just not realistic to expect to feed all of us on $100 a week. Bleh. I guess I need to reevaluate my budget. Though it is kind of a relief. It'll be nice to feel justified in spending a bit more on food and not be so stressed out trying to stay under budget.0
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Bookmarking. That pdf dowload is pretty awesome.0
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Healthful food or cheap food?
Lol.
For example:
I just brought home 240 pounds of pig and lamb. Pasture raised, cared for by young 4H kids. Purchased at auction. It's most of the meat need I have for the next year. The cost was $4.51 a pound averaged out between the pig and the lamb.
We're talking raised locally, no unneeded antibiotics, a full natural life without feed lots, lean quality meat, strong taste of terroir. Hard to get this quality of meat at the butcher shop, let alone a super market.
Just bought and canned 12 quarts of winter squash (pickled), ended up taking home 40# of squash and a mess of zucchini from a local farm. Less than $20.
This whole healthful or economically efficient argument is BS.0 -
What? A box of cereal is approximately $4... how much cereal do you buy for it to be half your budget... and there is more options to breakfast than cold cereal... you know like oatmeal, cream of wheat, eggs, bacon, a ham sandwich...0
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So here's a follow-up question. Do I just have an unrealistic expectation of what my budget should be? I have a family of 5 (baby's still nursing though, so I'm feeding 4) and I'm budgeting about $100 per week for food. I always feel like I'm running out of money at the end of the month. I usually shop at Costco and Winco.
You're already buying at Winco? Dude... the vegetable prices there are amazing.
The expectation isn't unreasonable at all. My wife on I when we shop at Winco spend about $30 a week on food on average. Just buy less boxed stuff, and you should be fine. It takes a lot of meat and vegetables at winco to reach $100.0 -
Dbmata: That's an excellent strategy *if you have a freezer.*
I live in a tiny apartment with a mini fridge and one of those freezers that's 2 inches tall and is only really useful for ice cubes. So the whole buying-in-bulk and freezing thing doesn't work for me (and, I assume, lots of other people). Because of this I usually only eat meat 1 or 2 times a week, and the rest of the week eat things that need less refrigeration, like eggs or tofu, as the protein.0 -
And for the record, my budget is $400 a month... I buy a ton of fruits, vegetables, yogurt, cheese, lean meats, even the expensive Special K cereals...0
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Step 1: Buy tons of chicken
Step 2: ?????
Step 3: Profit!0 -
Bump0
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www[dot]budgetbytes[dot]com is really helpful!0
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Cook eggs the night before. You can make an omelet or make a big batch of scrambled eggs. I keep scrambled eggs in the fridge for up to two days. If you microwave them in a small dish it will slide out perfectly to fit on a bagel thin or toast. You could make a little breakfast sandwich (open face for fewer calories) and it will be healthier and keep you full longer than junk cereal. Eggs microwave for 1 minute, the same time it would take to pour a bowl of cereal and milk.0
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Check out the blog budgetbytes.com. She always does delicious meals that are budget friendly but this month she is doing a "SNAP challenge", which I was unfamilliar with but apparently challeges a person to eat below the poverty line for a month. It's pretty interesting. I take some of her recipes and modify to make them a little lighter (reduced fat cheese, etc.) though lots of times the recipes are reasonable as is.
I've had a lot of success cutting my grocery budget the last few months by at least 25%. I look for recipes on budgetbytes and skinnytaste.com (meals under $10 section) which helps...I think the biggest thing for me though has been making more use of my Sam's Club membership. I now buy all my meat there, divide it for multiple use and freeze. I bet this saves me at least 50% on my meat costs which are, for most of us, the biggest part of the expense. I've found other things there too that I save big on too...frozen veggies, fresh lettuce and a few other things. I also have made a point to make more vegetarian meals. I aim for about 1/3 of our meals to be vegetarian. I'm still looking to cut more from my food expenses so I'm always looking for a new way to trim it up but I am thrilled with an extra cash to go in savings.0 -
Dbmata: That's an excellent strategy *if you have a freezer.*
I live in a tiny apartment with a mini fridge and one of those freezers that's 2 inches tall and is only really useful for ice cubes. So the whole buying-in-bulk and freezing thing doesn't work for me (and, I assume, lots of other people). Because of this I usually only eat meat 1 or 2 times a week, and the rest of the week eat things that need less refrigeration, like eggs or tofu, as the protein.
You have a closet. you have room in the living area.
If you want it to happen, you'll make it happen. My first place was essentially a 200 square foot room. I had my development setup, a chest freezer, and a place for all my cooking equipment.
"I don't have space" is really code for, "Cool story bro, but too hard."0 -
we spend a lot on food. Our grocery bill is around 900 a month. But since we cut out crap cereal, soda, boxed stuff (did this about two years ago) and replaced it with oatmeal, smoothies, fresh fruits and veggies I did not notice a significant increase in our grocery bill. Things that are out of season cost more, so learn to roll with those changes, plan stuff out in advance and try to only go to the store a couple times a month, running to the store constantly will cost you more in the end. I love costco for dry stuff like pasta, oatmeal, etc.0
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I want to hug you.
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.)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.
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.pdf0 -
Bump to remember the link with the recipes!0
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How many people do you feed on that?And for the record, my budget is $400 a month... I buy a ton of fruits, vegetables, yogurt, cheese, lean meats, even the expensive Special K cereals...0 -
I personally find that my grocery bill goes down when I am eating healthy because I am not buying pre-boxed meals.
I can make a soup out of 5 different veggies that will cost me less then $5 and will last me several days. I would suggest crock-pot recipes. What about smoothies or yogurt for the kids? If you want to make the oatmeal taste a little better....add apple slices...cinamoon...pure honey....nuts...fruit...anything you can think of. The same goes for the yogurt.
I had to live on a pretty strict grocery amount while I was in grad school and trust me, I was able to eat very healthy and not spend that much. It all depends on what you are purchasing.
My monthly budget is less than $150 and I feed myself and my boyfriend on that. I take lunch to work the entire week and eat dinner at home. For me...its all about making 3-4 different things at the beginning of the week and eating it throughout the week. I also shop at the Price Rite in town which can be pretty cheap. I always stay away from big name grocery stores...its all the same food anyway.0 -
My food bill definitely went down once I started changing my lifestyle and losing weight. It really doesn't cost more to eat healthy unless you're buying fancy, branded-and-packaged organic foods. Eat foods in season...grow what you can (I live in an apartment so tomatoes, strawberries, peppers and herbs are the best I can do)...cook from scratch...avoid exotic ingredients or make them a special treat...buy sale items in bulk. My big splurge is protein bars but since I no longer drink a 2 liter of Diet Pepsi every day, I can spend that on protein bars--when they're on sale, of course
Just think of it this way. The more hands that are involved in processing, packaging, advertising and shipping your food...the more it's going to cost. Eliminate the middlemen = You have more control over quality + cost0 -
As a busy mom on a budget myself, all of this advice (coupons, bulk buying) and Leanne Brown's "Good and Cheap" (pdf and website www.leannebrown.com ) are excellent!
I'll add one more thing that I found really helps me: Planning the Week's Meals (all 3 every day and snacks for the kids).
I found templates on line for Daily Menu planning along with ones for Pantry items, Freezer items, Pricing list.
Once a week I take some time and go through it all.
Making sure I have on hand the special stuff for making meals tasty and different --- artichokes, olives, sundried tomatoes, lemons -- as well as the basics themselves.
The pricing list helps me remember where the yogurt was 2 for 1, where they have 16oz jars vs only 8 oz jars of my favorite almond butter, or organic canned tomatoes for a dollar cheaper -- things like that.
I take my foundations of Chicken, Fish, and Meat (I don't eat Pasta, but maybe you do) and rotate them through the week with different vegetables. I have a day that is specifically Left overs, and one that is what my son calls Smorgasbord where we set out meats, cheeses, condiments, and everyone fends for themselves.
And, also, we sometimes have dinner leftovers for breakfast. It's fast and easy and they already know they liked it so there's no arguing over taste.0 -
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.
These recipes look awesome! Thanks!0 -
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.)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.
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
This is awesome! With two teenage boy swimmers to feed I am always looking for ways to cut the grocery bill!
Thanks!0 -
Sounds like an awesome store, but I've never even heard of it, so I doubt it's here in Utah. We just barely got a couple of Trader Joe's in the last few years, and they're still nearly a half hour drive away. My lifesaver is Winco, which is a warehouse style grocery store in Utah and Idaho. They're relatively new, and I love their bulk-bin section. I love being able to buy just half a cup of something rather than a whole bag that then goes stale and gets wasted.0
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