Price of food and lack of money...Help needed!

bltmgray

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iysys

I agree...farmers markets tend to be a very cheap alternative to the grocery stores

this is so interesting. here the farmers market is much much more expensive than the grocery stores.

KnottyNCrotchety

I agree...farmers markets tend to be a very cheap alternative to the grocery stores

this is so interesting. here the farmers market is much much more expensive than the grocery stores.

They tend to be about the same price for either here.

BUT a lot of the farms have U-Pik, where you go and pick your own berries, peaches and apples. This is WAY cheaper than any other way to get that stuff. Blackberries, raspberries, marionberries were all $1.80 per POUND when I picked them myself this summer instead of the $1.80 a pint at the market or store. If you freeze berries spread out on a cookie sheet, then they don't stick together in a clump and are easier to use later on. I also make all of our jam, low-sugar. This is a little expensive to get set up with, as you have to have a canning pot and jars, but you might be able to find those things at the thrift store. Homemade jam is cheaper but I also have control over what goes into it, so it is healthier too. I also grow my own herbs, tomatoes and a few other veggies. If you do not have a yard, look into a community garden plot, a lot of places here give them out free to lower income folks. For the labor (good calorie burn too!) and the cost of seeds you can have a summers worth of fresh veggies. It would be a fun thing to do with your kids also. My kids loved being the one to get to pick the salad for dinner when they were the age of your kids.

Another idea is to make your own spagetti sauce. If you get the big cans of stewed tomatoes when they are on sale and add in your own herbs, some chopped onion and garlic, you can make a huge batch and then freeze it in smaller batches for much less than the Ragu or Prego jars and its much healthier, again because you control what goes into it. I freeze in quart size ziplocs. I "burp" them and then freeze them laying flat. Once they are frozen, then they can stand up on end and take up very little room in the freezer. I thaw them out, add in any leftover meat I want and we have yummy spagetti or pasta for dinner. You can also do this for chili and soup.

Talk to the butcher at your grocery store. Tell them you are on a budget and ask for advice. They will usually be happy to help you and if you get someone that is unhelpful, ask someone else. They can tell you when they mark down the meat (day of the week, time of day,etc) so you can be there when they do it. They can steer you towards the best deal of the day etc. The advice about getting the cheaper cuts and slow cooking it is a great idea, as is cutting up your own chicken.

Lastly, look into baking your own bread. It is WAY cheaper than anything you will find at the store, including the discount store. I bake 6 loaves at a time as it is just as easy as baking 2 and freeze the rest. Then I only have to do it once a month or so. Look at the thrift store of loaf pans as they are cheap and plentiful there. Again, because I control what goes in there, I can make it healthier than what is cheap at the store. The kind of bread I bake with lots of whole grains, etc is $5/loaf at my store. Again, there is a little start up cost, but the supplies will last for a while. Whole wheat bread flour, regular flour, whole oats, cream of wheat and bulk wheat germ ( plus the loaf pans from the thrift store) would get your started. Then every week you can add a different whole grain from the bulk bins. You can also bake your own muffins (cheap breakfast!), scones, etc.

I do use coupons, but mostly for shampoo, toothpaste, and cleaning supplies, although I am always watching for food ones I can use too. When you are at the thrift store getting your loaf pans and maybe canning supplies look in the book section for the Tightwad Gazette books. They are a little out of date now, but can really inspire you in different ways you can cut back on expenses. I read them when I stayed home after my third child and they helped me immensely.

You can totally eat healthy for less money, its just more time and effort on your part. But as a stay at home mom, you have all the time in the world right?