Groceries Are Killing Me
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I honestly can't believe that. Eating healthier caused me to SAVE money on groceries. WHAT are you buying? are you making smart decisions? Usually fresh and natural foods are cheaper than the processed junk ones.
I don't know where you get your groceries, but fresh produce is WAY more expensive than buying frozen or canned! Our grocery bills are usually around $100 - $150 (for a family of 4) and I'd say at least $50 of that is produce alone.0 -
I spend $800 for a family of five and I buy Greek yogurt, fresh veggies, fruit, fish, lean meats, etc. Maybe take a really good look at what you are buying and convenience foods?0
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We shop organic and we do not buy factory farmed meat.
We spend roughly $100/week. That does not include breakfast and lunch for hubby M-F (his work has a subsidized cafeteria so that's paid separate--and it's cheaper than taking your own food to work).
Most of our shopping is at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.
We're in the 1% of US residents that only buy humanely raised meats. The other 99% supports the factory farmed system. We're much healthier for it.
We cook pretty much all of our dinners in.0 -
That plain yogurt is also good with savory flavors such as Greek or Indian recipes. Yogurt can be used instead of salad dressing, mayo and sour creme in things.
Plain yogurt (Greek is thicker) plus any of these things
minced onion
minced garlic
minced cucumber
minced mint leaves or parsley
minced radish
dill weed
pickles, sweet or sour
minced peppers, hot, mild or sweet
tumeric
pepper
celery (seed or stalk)
onion soup mix
etc......0 -
Clip Coupons...we've cut 40% off our grocery bill...saving on things like TP and paper towels and toiletries leaves extra money for fresh fruits and veggies!0
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I do not approve of what I am about to suggest, but I do it myself, so...
If you are in the USA, you can get a membership from Amazon.com - I think it is 70 bucks a year...
I buy food from amazon in bulk, because I can buy organics in bulk from them on a schedule of delivery and it really saves on the cost. actually, many things are cheaper this way, even when you add in the 70buck membership fee- because with the membership there are no shipping fees. Not just food, but also things like tea, supplements etc.
If you have good sun and a south facing window- a 5 gallon bucket- grow tomatoes. They are sooo expensive in the store. And green leafies... (kale, spinach, chard) easy to grow- big on nutrition...
Good luck to you.0 -
Buy in bulk as much as possible from some place like a Costco or Sams. You can get large amounts of rice/beans for a lower price. Also you'll find that some proteins are just too expensive to be used on a daily basis. I love salmon. It's my favorite fish but it's a treat for me due to the price so I normally buy tuna instead. Chicken is much cheaper than steak (and less fat too) and eggs are always a good source of protein.
Sadly it does cost more to eat well. Froot Loops cost much less than actual fruit.
Costco/Sams isn't really that much of a savings if you buy smart when things are on sale.
I spend a lot more on groceries now, yes. But I also don't spend as much going out, etc. So it works out. I just try to buy when things are on sale. If chicken is $2.99 a pound for boneless/skinless I buy and freeze it. It's nothing for me to buy 6-8 packages at a time.
It hurts at once, but it helps when I need more and it's $4.99/lb.
Farmers markets are also a good source of veggies/fruits and can usually run you less.0 -
I went to Whole Foods last weekend to buy some No Hormone/No Antibiotics beef and chicken. The cheapest beef I could find was $14 a pound, and the chicken was $8 a pound. Obviously, I walked out without any meat.
Either you pay for it now in quality food costs, or you pay for it later in medical bills.
If you buy the family packs at Whole Foods they are VERY affordable (enough chicken for 3 meals for around $7). Also, humanely raised local beef has 1/2 the fat of factory farmed.
Up to you.
I've spent 35 years being a responsible carnivore. If you shop meat based on price you're going to get grain fed government subsidized Tyson-like product. Eat up!0 -
Wow! I've found that my grocery bill has actually gone down since I've starting eating healthier. I do watch for seasonal fruits and things on sale. I buy very few things pre-made. My big splurge last week was $12 on some fresh gulf shrimp - but that was enough for four meals!0
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Try making your own yoghurt - google instructions, it is easy and so long as milk is cheaper than yoghurt, you are away!!0
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I agree with others that say buying healthier is more expensive. It might also have to do with demographics, some areas groceries are way more expensive than others. I a friend of mine who lives in FL could not believe what groceries costs here in GA, I layed out a menu plan for that coming week and wrote it all down and out beside it put the costs of what it costs to buy it and she was floored. Buying produce and fresh is alot more expensive here than buying the canned or packaged stuff. The best that I can do is buy in bulk when its on sale...especially meats, etc that you can freeze. We are a family of 5 and ours costs around 900 a month and I do all my cooking from scratch!0
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I honestly can't believe that. Eating healthier caused me to SAVE money on groceries. WHAT are you buying? are you making smart decisions? Usually fresh and natural foods are cheaper than the processed junk ones.
Not me. I am spending WAY more on groceries now that I'm eating healthy. Produce is extremely expensive!! I am going to start hitting the Farmer's Market on Saturdays to get veggies cheaper. Hopefully I can save a bit.0 -
Great post!!! Awesome ideas. Especially frozen fruit/veggies. I know canned veggies and fruit have added sugar and salt, but they can be rinsed and can be an alternative. Definitely meal planning makes a big difference too, then you know exactly how much you have to buy, check out the flyers before hand to see if there are things on sale you can incorporate into your meal plan. Try some new websites for meal ideas, Kraft and Cooking Light, for some healthy recipes, some can be budget friendly.0
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I honestly can't believe that. Eating healthier caused me to SAVE money on groceries. WHAT are you buying? are you making smart decisions? Usually fresh and natural foods are cheaper than the processed junk ones.
I don't know where you get your groceries, but fresh produce is WAY more expensive than buying frozen or canned! Our grocery bills are usually around $100 - $150 (for a family of 4) and I'd say at least $50 of that is produce alone.
The Weight of the Nation taught us that fruits and veggies are NOT in any way subsidized by the US government. Products filled with corn and soy are. Oh, and the grain fed feed lot factory farmed meat of course.0 -
I shop the ads~ whatever might be on sale that week I stock up on. I am a coupon addict and integrate the coupons I can find online and in the paper with my lifestyle as well. Dole fruit cups on sale this week + a coupon = $1.00 for four cups.
Use online coupons and the ads of your stores around you to find the best bargains- my grocery bill used to be up there with yours until I started couponing and watching the sales.0 -
I went to Whole Foods last weekend to buy some No Hormone/No Antibiotics beef and chicken. The cheapest beef I could find was $14 a pound, and the chicken was $8 a pound. Obviously, I walked out without any meat.
Either you pay for it now in quality food costs, or you pay for it later in medical bills.
If you buy the family packs at Whole Foods they are VERY affordable (enough chicken for 3 meals for around $7). Also, humanely raised local beef has 1/2 the fat of factory farmed.
Up to you.
I've spent 35 years being a responsible carnivore. If you shop meat based on price you're going to get grain fed government subsidized Tyson-like product. Eat up!
Try not to be so judgemental. Ok? It's annoying. I know you are passionate about your thing, but I can buy chicken that will feed me for 2 weeks as opposed to 3 days on the same $7. Sometimes, that matters, a lot. I understand that it's not as healthy. But, don't judge it. It is what it is.
Cheers.0 -
I spent $600 on groceries last month. For one person. Admittedly, it's not like I've eaten everything I bought - there's still some salmon in the freezer and pantry staples that will last me a few months. But holy hell. I probably ate $50 worth of Greek Yogurt alone this month.
Seriously, I can't afford to spend this much on food each month. There must be a less expensive way to eat clean and healthy.
Advice?
How is that even possible when you are only eating 1500 cals/day.
My family grocery bill is about 375/month for 2 adults and one toddler eating an average total of about 4000 cal/day. This works out to about 0.3 cents/calorie. You results end up costing 1.3 cents/calorie, which is more than 4 times the amount we spend.0 -
Have you considered joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm? For $17 per week I'm able to get the MOST AMAZING organic produce from a local specialty farm. If I bought these veggies/herbs in the store, I'd be spending $40-$50 minimum per week.
You can find CSAs near you at the following site: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/0 -
Check around for a Mexican market, I get my veggies at Rio Ranch or La Noria at a rate of about 6 lbs/ dollar.
Also I don't know how people afford that greek yogurt, maybe it is a magical food but I rather doubt it. I get organic European style yogurt from Trader Joes for about $2 / quart.0 -
EEeeeek/ I spend 700 dollars on groceries for 4 people. I would say shop at Aldi if there is one around and Costco. Saves me lots of money. I have to go to four different places to buy groceries just to save money for more groceries.0
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I just thought of something else... go to Farmer's Markets just before they close to buy produce. The selection isn't always as great, but it's fresh & local, & I've often found that folks would rather cut you a great deal at the end of the day than pack it back up
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I went to Whole Foods last weekend to buy some No Hormone/No Antibiotics beef and chicken. The cheapest beef I could find was $14 a pound, and the chicken was $8 a pound. Obviously, I walked out without any meat.
Either you pay for it now in quality food costs, or you pay for it later in medical bills.
If you buy the family packs at Whole Foods they are VERY affordable (enough chicken for 3 meals for around $7). Also, humanely raised local beef has 1/2 the fat of factory farmed.
Up to you.
I've spent 35 years being a responsible carnivore. If you shop meat based on price you're going to get grain fed government subsidized Tyson-like product. Eat up!
Try not to be so judgemental. Ok? It's annoying. I know you are passionate about your thing, but I can buy chicken that will feed me for 2 weeks as opposed to 3 days on the same $7. Sometimes, that matters, a lot. I understand that it's not as healthy. But, don't judge it. It is what it is.
Cheers.
Thanks for your feedback but I'm not judgmental.
To each their own, but I don't believe in feeding my family factory farmed meat.
When you have a family member fighting cancer it makes you re-think what you are buying.0 -
You are shopping at the wrong grocery chain. I spend only about $550 a month for a family of 4. I shop at Kroger's.0
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EEeeeek/ I spend 700 dollars on groceries for 4 people. I would say shop at Aldi if there is one around and Costco. Saves me lots of money. I have to go to four different places to buy groceries just to save money for more groceries.
For folks on a budget the Aldi stores (produce) can have some really great buys. I like how they force you to bring your own bags. I wish there was more Aldi's near me. There's one around 35 minutes away.0 -
You are shopping at the wrong grocery chain. I spend only about $550 a month for a family of 4. I shop at Kroger's.
How is their selection of organic meat and produce? I haven't been to a Kroger in a while.0 -
You are shopping at the wrong grocery chain. I spend only about $550 a month for a family of 4. I shop at Kroger's.
My choices are:
Stop & Shop
Whole Foods
Trader Joe's
BJs
...and near to work but not home: Wegman's.
I say go for the stuff on sale and freeze the extra.0 -
I buy most of my protein and healthy fats in bulk from Costco: 10lb bag of chicken breast, lean turkey patties (35g p!), morning star sausage, lean swiss cheese, 6lb protein powder, black olives, natural peanut butter, raw almonds, turkey breast sandwich meat or lean ham, chicken sausage, canned chicken, tuna and turkey, frozen fruit for smoothies and fish oil caps/vitamins. I probably do not spend more than $200/month except when I have to get more powder.
Kroger is great for all the carbs and some protein: baby spinach a couple of times a week, fat free cottage cheese, carbmaster yogurt, microwavable yams, etc ...0 -
Buy produce in season in bulk and freeze it in one meal portion freezer bags. Suck the air out of the bags with a straw. Freeze the bags flat and consolidate them into a gallon freezer bag. produce may take some home processing such as blanching, steaming, fire roasting etc.
I buy meat in bulk and break it up in one meal portions but, don't suck the air out. Just squeeze out the air with your hands as much as possible. Have a sink full of hot sudsy water with a squirt of bleach and a clean tea towel handy for this job. Wipe down every surface that the meat and you touch including the outside of the bags. Wash you hands alot and toss that tea towel in the dirty clothes (whites) immediately upon finishing the job.
I keep an old bottle dish soap bottle with diluted bleach water on the sink to keep my dish sponges and rags fresh each day.0 -
Oh and it's $25/year to run an extra freezer in the basement.
So, buy things on sale or split a CSA or meat/fish share to support your local economy.
Freeze the extra. (or can if you're ambitious).
You can split a CSA or meat share with a friend and you'll still have more than you can eat in a week to get you through the off-season.0 -
Stay away from single serve items SOOOO NOT WORTH IT!
Make a list, stick with it (use the sale ads)
Cook once, eat twice. Almost all of my lunches are left over dinners from the day before.0
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