Need to cut food budget

[Mama Lynx]

I desperately need to cut back on our food spending. However, it's very important to me that we eat a high-quality diet. Plus, I have four boys who eat a ton - especially fruit. They eat tons of fruit, and I hate to limit them, because ... it's fruit :) We're used to spending a lot of money on food, frankly. But that has to stop.

 

How can I feed a family of six, well, on less than $1000 a month? Without feeling like we're depriving ourselves, and without me feeling that we're compromising on nutrition?

[Kathleen in VA]

Great question! Anybody???

[Tina]

You've probably already cut out chips and such (tho I do buy tortilla chips to go with salsa), and pop/soda/koolaid and such.

If you haven't already started cooking everything from scratch, that would be my next suggestion. Processed foods are pricey.

Stick to the outside aisles of the store. Could the kids eat more vegetables for snacks, to cut back a bit on fruit consumption? Popcorn--popped in a pan- is a cheaper snack, too.

More beans and less meat? Or at least use less meat by fixing stir-fry or casserole meals.

Fix more side dishes to make the main course go farther. Coleslaw, beans, macaroni/potato salads, spanish rice, eggrolls, whatever goes with it. If the kids take several of those, there's less room for the meat or whatever. My oldest will eat the spanish rice or whatever for a snack, too.

[Erica in PA]

I desperately need to cut back on our food spending. However, it's very important to me that we eat a high-quality diet. Plus, I have four boys who eat a ton - especially fruit. They eat tons of fruit, and I hate to limit them, because ... it's fruit :) We're used to spending a lot of money on food, frankly. But that has to stop.

 

How can I feed a family of six, well, on less than $1000 a month? Without feeling like we're depriving ourselves, and without me feeling that we're compromising on nutrition?

 

We spend about $350 per month, for the five of us (kids are 12, 7, and 5). Our costs will definitely go up as the kids grow, though. If you're lucky enough to live near a discount grocery store (close to expiration items, overstocks, discontinued items, etc.) that is a huge help. Most things at ours are 50% to 75% off the usual price. I shop at Aldi's for most of the rest, and lately I've been shopping at the local farmer's market for produce. Sam's Club can be good for meats, and a few other things.

 

I think we eat fairly healthy. Certainly we eat much, much healthier than I did growing up. I don't buy organic things, unless I find it seriously discounted, but we eat a balanced diet. The kids have fruit a couple times a day, and usually two veggies. If I can't get to the farmer's market, I only buy fruit that is on sale.

 

Erica

[Lisa in SC]

Please feel free to ignore any and all of the following; also, please know that I'm just sharing some things that dh & I have been discussing recently.

 

I'm realizing that the amount of variety we have come to expect is really unnecessary. There is so much that can be done with oatmeal, brown rice, dry beans and possibly potatoes on occasion by using various seasonings, broths, and fruits/veggies. Cheaper fruits and vegetables are apples, oranges, bananas and whatever is on sale/in season. Raisins are reasonable if purchased in bulk. Cheaper veggies are peas, green beans, carrots, onions and whatever is on sale/in season. Then, keep on hand whatever baking supplies you use. If you use dairy, stick to basics there as well. Plain yogurt (add your own fruit), eggs (if you use them) and maybe whatever cheese you can find at the best price. Sticking to basic staples will save so much money.

 

For example, just off the top of my head, you can vary oatmeal a lot of ways: plain oatmeal with apples & cinnamon or raisins or...whatever combo you like; baked oatmeal; oatmeal muffins...many ways to use oatmeal for b'fast & that doesn't count other breakfast possibilities (i.e. homemade tortillas, eggs & cheese for special occasion b'fast burritos; pancakes with fruit topping, etc.). Really, there are tons of things you can prepare for breakfast with relatively few ingredients. The same goes for dinners -- lunches for us are usually leftovers from the previous day's dinner. For snacks, I usually make up a big fruit salad that sits in the fridge all week and I also make a couple of carb-based things. This week it was whole wheat zucchini bread and I had popcorn available (not microwave, just plain ol' popcorn done on the stove).

 

My goal is to have nothing in my pantry but ingredients. When all of the convenience food is purged from our list, we're finding huge savings. Many of our staple foods have increased in price, but our total bill is lower due to our planned use of the basics.

 

Hope that made sense.

 

Lisa

[Tammyla]

Prices just seem to be going higher and higher. I've done a few things.

 

*To reduce some of our grocery bills, I stock up big on sale items that can be stored.

 

*I purchase fruits at Sam's (huge bags) or when it's on sale. The sale flyers are often my grocery lists lately.

 

*We pop regular pop corn in the microwave in a paper bag folded down twice. Very inexpensive snack.

 

*I also keep lots of fresh washed & cut up veggies on hand. They make wonderful snacks.

 

*I'm now making more things from scratch too. Yogurt was a big hit in our grocery budget. Now, I make it for very little and it tastes so much better.

 

*Joining Sam's and purchasing most of our summer vegetables from a local organic farmer has really helped.

[Tina]

You might want to read this thread, too:

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38043 .

 

My boys will fix themselves an egg sandwich if they're starving, too. Eggs are cheap.

In the winter, we don't do the cold cereals. It's oatmeal or farina (cream of wheat) for cereal. Muffins or smoothies made with frozen fruit are good, too. In fact, smoothies would be a cheap way to get fruit in, using the frozen fruit!

 

I started making my own bread, complete with grinding my own flour to save money, too.

[Mama Lynx]

You're hitting on part of my problem here: We are all used to convenience. Especially the kids. Well, and DH too, frankly. I can eat whatever's here without much problem, but often DH just won't eat breakfast if we don't have what he wants for breakfast ... and the kids are difficult about that, too. They've grown up with, well, whatever they feel like having for breakfast and lunch, they can have. I'm not a short-order cook, I teach them early on to make it themselves for breakfast and lunch, but still ... one wants sandwiches so we have sandwich stuff, one wants turkey burgers, one wants spaghetti and meatballs ... they react badly when we don't have their usual variety on hand, because they've never known anything else and don't understand it (I'm just talking about the youngers, here).

 

So that will be a major part of the challenge. That, and convincing them to like oatmeal :)

[Mama Lynx]

Where do you find a discount grocery store? I've been looking online for one in our new area, but haven't come up with anything.

 

Would you mind sharing some examples of typical meals at your house?

[st_claire]

Can you start a garden in your backyard?

[Mama Lynx]

Can you start a garden in your backyard?

 

I don't know ... we rent, and we're just about to move in. I don't know how the landlord feels about gardens.

[Doran]

I desperately need to cut back on our food spending. However, it's very important to me that we eat a high-quality diet. Plus, I have four boys who eat a ton - especially fruit. They eat tons of fruit, and I hate to limit them, because ... it's fruit :) We're used to spending a lot of money on food, frankly. But that has to stop.

 

How can I feed a family of six, well, on less than $1000 a month? Without feeling like we're depriving ourselves, and without me feeling that we're compromising on nutrition?

 

I'm interested in this thread for our own purposes and probably have little of value to contribute because I don't think we're the model family in terms of cutting back on food spending. Frankly, I'd rather continue to go without high speed internet and cable t.v. before sacrificing our quality of food to save money. Not saying those are options for you, or that they should be...I'm just sayin' ;) It's very hard for me to "go back" to eating foods that I'm less comfortable with from a food quality/sustainability standpoint.

 

Here's what we're doing for now (note that we, too, are still searching for ideas):

 

 

• I'm buying milk from a smaller dairy which is known to not use rBGH in its herd. I can't justify organic right now, unfortunately, so this is my compromise.

• I've all but stopped buying bottled or cartoned juices. We're drinking water 90% of the time.

• I'm not buying only organic/grass fed cheese, I'm buying some "commercial" brands of cheddar. Same with butter (choosing Cabot creamery for that).

• I'm shopping through our food buying club (big discounts here) and at farmers' market as much as possible. Also at a fairly new, local Amish Farmers' Market for some items.

• We're buying wine only on weekends now (sigh).

• I'm trying to think ahead this summer towards freezing more than ever. I'm not off to a rocking start, but it's early, yet. :001_rolleyes: I want to go blueberry picking to freeze those, and also try to freeze peaches and tomatoes/tomato sauce. I hope to put up, either frozen or canned, beans, corn, and greens. This won't pay off right now, but it will down the road.

• We made flour tortillas the other day for the first time, loved them and the process. They make a great substitute for bread and they're much less expensive. Haven't tried freezing them, so I can't speak to that.

• We're packing lunches or hearty snacks instead of eating out if we're away from home at mealtime. No dinners out either.

• I'm paying closer attention to what things cost so that I can decide if I want to spend that amount or not. Just being more aware I think is helping.

 

That's all I can come up with for now. It is really tricky. I'd be curious to know what your pantry looks like. It might help both of us to swap notes on that a bit.

 

Hang in there!

[julesmama3]

Have you gone to aldi.com and put in your zipcode? I don't know how big they are across the country but I live in MD and I know of 3 off the top of my head.

 

Another suggestion is looking through the circulars and when you see something on sale that you usually use go and get a bunch of it.

 

You can really save money at a warehouse type grocery store-ie BJs, Costco

[Mama Lynx]

Have you gone to aldi.com and put in your zipcode? I don't know how big they are across the country but I live in MD and I know of 3 off the top of my head.

 

Another suggestion is looking through the circulars and when you see something on sale that you usually use go and get a bunch of it.

 

You can really save money at a warehouse type grocery store-ie BJs, Costco

 

Can you really save at Costco? I get so overwhelmed in there!

 

I tried Aldi's a couple of years ago. They did not sell much that we eat, it seemed. However, it's probably time to re-evaluate.

[In The Great White North]

You didn't say where you lived? My dad (where I-80 crosses the PA-OH line) pays a lot less than we do here. It's a lot easier to eat less $ there. Here, it's a lot harder.

 

We do have a garden and can get bulk staples from a coop. We don't have Costco or Sam's, just BJ's, where the only "staples" that are cheaper are dairy and sometimes fruits. You really have to do some math! Flour, for example, is always more at BJ's per pound (in the huge bags), than the grocery store (in the 5lb bag).

 

Dh has some extravagant ideas or what a "staple" is, like "OJ not from concentrate," which I could live without. Oh well. For us, to eat fewer $, would have to include some changes in what they think should always be in the house (OJ, ice cream, Swiss cheese). They're not terribly fond of beans and rice either.

 

A garden can really pay off but you have to protect it! Deer ate all our tomoatoes last year. There are tons more gardens in the area this year and they are all fenced. Ask the landlord about a garden - we let our tenants garden. If your landlord isn't into a garden, you can at least do lettuce, spinach and cherry tomoatoes in pots. Maybe even green beans up a trellis (Scarlett Runner has nice red flowers too).

[Doran]

Can you really save at Costco? I get so overwhelmed in there!

 

I tried Aldi's a couple of years ago. They did not sell much that we eat, it seemed. However, it's probably time to re-evaluate.

 

 

I have two problems with places like these. One is that there are none proximate to me. The closest ALDI's is 30 miles away. But, like you, the other is that they don't seem to carry the kinds of foods we would choose to eat. But, maybe I'm just being too picky.

 

This is what I mean about having a hard time being willing to compromise. :confused:

[Ravin]

My advice:

 

1. Look for less expensive sources of food. When you buy in bulk for a large family, Sam's Club or Costco can save you a bundle on certain products; so can clipping coupons and watching for store ads, etc., though it can be a tad time consuming and I at least have to watch that I don't buy things I wouldn't just because I have a coupon; stick to products you regularly use/like. Just find deals on them. Sticking with whole, unprocessed foods is generally less expensive, too.

 

2. Look into local farmer's markets and CSA's. Depending on your area, you can find high quality fruits and vegetables, local and in season, for less than what they sell for at the grocery store. With that many kids, local places that do "pick your own" can be worthwhile, too. Nothing like having fun for an afternoon picking peaches, then having all you can eat fresh plus a bunch to freeze or make jam (freezer jam is easy to make, if you don't know canning) with. And a whole lot cheaper than buying a jar of jam or $2.50/lb peaches at the store (what it is at Wal-Mart this week here).

 

3. Did I mention buying in bulk? Making your own convenience foods can help if you don't like cooking from scratch day in, day out. In one afternoon you can churn out enough homemade hot pockets to last a while, for example (look up recipes for "pasties"). When you do cook, make twice as much of the main entree and freeze the second batch--this works great with casseroles and then you have something less expensive than a pre-made storebought meal to pull out on a night you're not up to cooking. Also, the crock pot is your friend.

 

4. Teach your kids to cook, so you don't have to do all the work!

[happygrrl]

I agree with all the above posters, and just want to add a few things. We eat as organically as possible. We have 5 in the family, but lots of company.

Costco saves us quite a bit. They have lots of organic, and though some is comparable to the grocery store prices most is about half of store prices. I buy frozen fruit, organic hamburger (which we stretch by throwing in a can of kidney beans BTW, no- one has caught on yet!), kettle chips, canned tomoatoes, etc, etc. You just have to budget a LOT of time to wander, and then you won't feel so overwhelmed. Think of it as a huge thrift store, give yourself lots of time the first time, and you can get the hang of it.

 

Another thing- our costco is 2 hours away (though at a town I have to go to once a month). If I buy only one giant bag of organic tortilla chips, the kids seem to eat less, as they know that when they are gone, they are gone. We won't get them again for another month. So by buying more at a trip, and taking one less store trip a month, you can cut costs. Does that make sense? I do it with my haircuts now too... by going a week longer in between I have 2 less haircuts over the course of the year, that equals savings. Apply the principle to the groceries and you will save lots without realizing it.

 

Recruit the kids! After telling them that I can't buy item X every trip due to the economy, they of course complain. Eventually the get it, and even become interested in helping out. Sort of. They still won't eat my leftover surprise, but they are better (also, my friend commented about how much $ I throw away as leftovers, and I have been getting better at that, too).

 

When I find that smokin' sale on toothpaste or whatever, I now buy enough to carry me to the next sale. Makes a HUGE difference. I don't get the psychological panic attack at cutting costs if I see my pantry all full of the basics. When my pantry is bare, I buy more. It's genetic or something.

 

OK- off to work in the garden (big this year to be able to have organic tomatoes... they grow well in pots, too...). HTH!

[OnTheBrink]

Can you really save at Costco? I get so overwhelmed in there!

 

I tried Aldi's a couple of years ago. They did not sell much that we eat, it seemed. However, it's probably time to re-evaluate.

 

Definitely re-evaluate Aldi. They're owned by the same folks who own Trader Joe's, and their inventory has reflected that. You may be pleasantly surprised!

[Erica in PA]

Where do you find a discount grocery store? I've been looking online for one in our new area, but haven't come up with anything.

 

Would you mind sharing some examples of typical meals at your house?

 

Hmmm... maybe in the yellow pages? Look for grocery outlet, or surplus grocery, something like that. I hope you can find one. Even if I had to drive a long way to get to ours, I'd make the trip. It makes a huge difference in our food costs.

 

Typical meals....breakfast is always fruit with.... eggs and toast, or pancakes, or yogurt and granola, or oatmeal

 

lunch, served with a fruit and a veggie...bean burritos, all different kinds of hot or cold sandwiches, spaghetti, chicken nuggets, soup

 

dinner, usually with two veggies... red beans and rice with ham, lots of soups with biscuits, casseroles, pasta, big salads, chicken and mashed potatoes, all sorts of things

 

snacks are a wide variety of things.. fruit, cheese, crackers, nuts, chips and salsa, baby carrots and dip

 

 

Does that help?

 

Erica

[sweetbaby]

We are family of 7 and spend about $700 on grocery a month. I shop at our 24hr Walmart Supercenter for everything except our meats. They have a meat dept. but it's a little pricey. I buy store brand on EVERYTHING unless I see a good sale on name brand items. I purchase our meats at Kroger's because they have great prices and cuts.

 

A great cost and time saver for me has been menu planning. I have a pantry list that I try to keep stocked which allows me to whip up a meal in minutes. I shop every two weeks according to our menu. It has made a major difference in our home.:)

 

 

Another option is bulk shopping like at a wholesale club store such as Sam's or Costco. You would only have to shop once a month usually.

[gardening momma]

Also compare products by price per ounce or pound. If the shelf tag doesn't give this info, bring a calculator (sometimes they don't always give the right amount anyway--sometimes it'll show how much per unit, which is the whole thing).

 

Two days ago, I went to the grocery store (Walmart supercenter) with dh and our 2 dds. I split my list with him (simple stuff for him). Part of what he needed to get was frozen corn and peas. He came back with these huge bags...I didn't know they came in such big bags. They were 5 lbs each. But, they were the cheapest per ounce (5 cents per ounce). We have a separate freezer in the garage, so we have room for them.

 

So you can still get good food for a small amount if you watch the prices. I almost always buy store brand because it's usually cheaper than name brand. I have a very few items that I prefer name brand for. Most of the time I can't tell the difference in quality.

[*anj*]

Stephanie,

You've gotten a lot of great ideas here. The only thing I want to add is that you might want to actually figure out how much fruit the boys are eating each day. Even though fruit is very good for you, they should still be limited. So if they're eating maybe 6-8 servings of fruit per day they're actually eating too much according to the USDA.

 

Girls

 

9-13 years old

 

1 ½ cups**

 

14-18 years old

 

1 ½ cups**

Boys

 

9-13 years old

 

1 ½ cups**

 

14-18 years old

 

2 cups**

 

 

They count whole pieces of fruit (apples, bananas, etc.) as a "cup."

 

Is it possible that you could get them to start snacking on vegetables more often? You can buy carrots, celery, broccoli, green beans, cucumbers fairly inexpensively, especially at this time of year. They may even find that they feel more full after eating the veggies because there is less sugar to make their bodies feel hungry again sooner.

 

I hope that makes sense, and I hope it's helpful. :001_smile:

[Rebecca in GA]

This healthy eating post from Wise Bread may be useful.

[Gamom3]

$400-$500 a month for a family of 5-6(3 dc--18, 12, 10 and half the time a gf 17)

 

Do cut out frozen meals..this is a BIG expense, even though it makes life easier! Chips and sweets are a special treat....when my parents visit they bring the kids a bag or two of chips.

 

Fruit is expensive and I have to limit mine, apples are eaten here like chips..yes it is a good thing but when they cost almost $7 for 3lbs we don't get them..bananas are a favorite(other than oldest) and affordable, so we do get those a good bit.

 

We do not let our kids just go and get out of the pantry.

 

Make a menu and stick with it..this does help!

 

I do my main grocery shopping monthly and pick up sale items and milk every week or so.

 

Now that oldest is driving, I will send him to the store and he will pick up ONLY what I want....when I go I see things, so this helps a great deal!!

[paula j]

I agree, the convenience food has to be the first to go. Maybe if you had certain things available for snacks and they could choose from those. You could have cut up veggies in zip lock bags and maybe ranch for dipping. I make a peanut butter dip and have things like apples they can cut up and dip. Popcorn is good, trail mix, sometimes we buy rice cakes or grahm crackers and have peanut butter on them. My dc also like tortillas roll ups, just put some shredded cheese on a tortilla, roll up like a burrito and microwave till melty.

 

For Breakfast we eat alot of oatmeal, eggs, pancakes, muffins, and omelets. For lunch we usually have deli meats and cheese for sandwiches or roll ups, sometimes tuna or egg salad. My dc like a tuna salad I make that has 2 cans tuna, chopped apple, cucumber, raisins, shredded carrot, mayo, then you hollow out 4 tomatoes and put about 1/2 the pulp in the salad and mix, then stuff the tomatoes with the salad and serve with crackers. We also do chicken salad and sometimes fruit plates or left overs for lunch. In the winter soup is good too.

 

We have been buying a side of beef from a friend who raises organic and it has been so much better. there is so little fat that we don't use half as much meat as we used to so this has actually cut our cost. We have been trying to eat more casserole dishes and bean and rice type things. If I make a roast we will use the leftovers to make barbque beef sandwiches or in a casserole. Same with chicken, we make chicken salad, chicken enchiladas, soup, pot pie, stir fry.

[Gretchen in NJ]

I don't know ... we rent, and we're just about to move in. I don't know how the landlord feels about gardens.

 

 

You can have a veggie garden in pots. Garage sales are great for picking up in-expensive garden supplies.

 

:iagree: with cooking everything from scratch. Also, grating your own cheese, etc...

[Gretchen in NJ]

You can have a veggie garden in pots. Garage sales are great for picking up in-expensive garden supplies.

 

 

 

I just had an after thought. The garden could be a lesson for your children.

[brehon]

My dh (who does most of the grocery shopping for our family of 6 and is very good at it) told me the other day that he spent $500 this past week. Having our garden does help w/veggies; unfortunately, right now we don't grow enough to can/freeze to have until the next year. I have two kids who are very sensitive to dairy; so, we must buy soy, rice, &/or almond milk (depending on what's cheaper that day). And we've limited milk drinking to 2 small cups a day per kid -- this has not been a popular decision. Like you kids, mine devour fruit. It feels weird to think about limiting that. The cut veggies available for snacks is a good one; I'll start cutting up veggies tomorrow.

 

One idea which has helped us is to buy meat which is about to expire (I think someone else also mentioned this). My dh actually asks the butcher instead of just looking at what's out in the meat case. We've saved substantially on meat this way. We have a large enough freezer that we can freeze the meat. We mainly eat chicken and pork; but have found terrific deals on ham and beef about to expire.

 

One area I need to improve in is breakfast. My kids mostly eat cold cereal with, you guessed it, milk. I need to drag my lazy self out of bed earlier to make a better (and cheaper) breakfast. Other than that, we cook from scratch, including all breads/sweets.

 

Although we do sometimes buy a Costco's and Sam's, the reality is both of those stores are too far away to justify the cost in gas. Hope you find an answer! Good Luck!

[RoughCollie]

I started saving a lot of money on groceries by changing the way our family eats.

 

I do not buy frozen anything, except for ice-cream products and vegetables. I rarely buy snack foods, except for popcorn.

 

We make bread, other baked goods, and pizza. We are going to start making our own cheese, too.

 

I have a square foot garden but it hasn't started producing anything yet.

 

I try to buy local produce, and I got a list online of the most important fruits and vegetables to buy organic, and the rest I buy regular.

 

Meat is something I am careful with. A lot of the time I stretch it out in soups and meatloaf, for example. I keep a sharp eye out at the grocery store because the meat manager will slap $1-$3 off coupons on meat that is about 24 hours from the due date. We eat what is on sale, anyway.

 

The dinner plates are set up 1/2 vegetable, 1/4 grain, and 1/4 meat.

 

The kids and DH don't much like the transfer of labor from the convenience food company to themselves, but they'll get used to it. They will also learn how to make bread, cheese, other baked goods, and grow veggies. This will be good for them, I think.

 

Edited to add that not sending DH to the grocery store saves a lot of money!

[Mamagistra]

Am I remembering correctly that some members of your fam have dietary restrictions? I know that makes things difficult.

 

I sure wish I could offer some suggestions. Our food budget is extremely high so we just sacrifice in other areas when needed. Do you have a freezer to help you out? That might make some of the make-ahead and bulk-purchasing ideas more fruitful for you.

 

Perhaps having the 'keets help you bake and cook a variety of things might be fun and help you stock some goodies. ;)

 

:grouphug: I still wish y'all were moving down here... :(

[julesmama3]

Can you really save at Costco? I get so overwhelmed in there!

 

I tried Aldi's a couple of years ago. They did not sell much that we eat, it seemed. However, it's probably time to re-evaluate.

 

It depends if you eat all organic or not. They don't have much of that but you can save on eggs, butter, shredded cheese, canned food, fruit, veggies.

[Mama Lynx]

I do a lot of this already.

 

We do have some convenience foods, but not much. I stretch meat meals into two or three meals. We make our own pizza. I stopped buying chips, and we eat air-popped popcorn.

 

So where is my money going?!?! I guess that's the first thing to figure out.

 

I've always let the kids graze, but I think maybe that has to stop. I've always hated the idea of planning snacks, but who knows how much they're eating throughout the day? I don't. My two younger ones can go through a loaf of bread (whole wheat, excellent ingredients - bread is one area where I cannot skimp) in no time flat.

 

"Vegetables" and "snack" have never gone together in my own vocabulary ;-) It would only benefit me to change that. My children are not fond of veggies in general, except the youngest who thinks that raw carrots are the best thing ever.

 

They're not big on beans, and actually, there are few beans I can eat. Mamagistra mentioned dietary restrictions - they're all mine: no nuts, few beans ... I've gotten to where I can eat small amounts of wheat, eggs, and dairy, but I still tend to stick to gluten and dairy-free most of the time. The kids don't have to, though. No yeast, for me, which is why I gave up baking our own bread. I can teach the kids to make bread, but it would be quite a feat convincing them to do it every week. Hmmm.

 

We pulled in tightly this month, and even we spent $1200. I've got to make it less.

[Lisa in SC]

You're hitting on part of my problem here: We are all used to convenience. Especially the kids. Well, and DH too, frankly. I can eat whatever's here without much problem, but often DH just won't eat breakfast if we don't have what he wants for breakfast ... and the kids are difficult about that, too. They've grown up with, well, whatever they feel like having for breakfast and lunch, they can have. I'm not a short-order cook, I teach them early on to make it themselves for breakfast and lunch, but still ... one wants sandwiches so we have sandwich stuff, one wants turkey burgers, one wants spaghetti and meatballs ... they react badly when we don't have their usual variety on hand, because they've never known anything else and don't understand it (I'm just talking about the youngers, here).

 

So that will be a major part of the challenge. That, and convincing them to like oatmeal :)

 

I understand what you're saying. It's difficult to make big changes. However, (and I am saying this kindly...not in a testy way *at all*), if your dh won't eat breakfast, then that's his decision, kwim? I'll admit that I am fortunate to have a dh who willingly eats whatever is presented, but my children are another story.

 

We're making some pretty radical changes here, too. We've talked about the reasons we feel the changes are necessary (and it's not just financial), and we've explained that what is served is "it" for the meal. No choosing something different. They can choose to eat minimally at a meal, but no whining/complaining/etc. If they choose to eat minimally, then that's their choice. Obviously, our 2yo doesn't understand any of this, but he's been fed according to my plan all along, so there's nothing for him to balk at. :D

 

Dh doesn't care much for oatmeal, but he eats it. I promoted it as being good for his heart, cholesteral and wallet. He doesn't mind it baked or if he can top it with a little maple syrup or cinnamon. He doesn't *love* it, but he doesn't mind it, either.

 

It's kind of a process, y'know? I don't think you can make really radical changes all at once unless everyone is on board. However, you can start with the things you normally prepare and make gradual changes (i.e. less meat, less cheese, etc.) and then maybe over a period of time you can change the meat to beans and the cheese to no cheese. Even if you decrease the meat or cheese by half & add in a few no meat days, you're saving on your total.

 

Oh, and another thing that I noticed in our family is that they will consume pretty much whatever amount I put on the table. So, I started dividing many of the things I prepare. I put half on the table & set half aside for either lunches or I freeze it for a fast dinner some other night. That way, I'm getting more than one meal for the price of one.

 

It's not easy to move to a non-convenience lifestyle. I started gradually and I would encourage you to do the same. It's too easy to start off with a bang and then burn out. I would make simple changes at first while working on the family's attitude of acceptance and leave the bigger changes for later.

 

I don't know if any of this is coherent (I'm out of my mind with some kind of insect bite that is itching more than seems possible) or applicable to your situation, but I hope it helped to encourage you.

 

Lisa

[laylamcb]

...I throw spinach and carrots (both cheap at Costco) and often half of an avocado (NOT cheap but loaded with folic acid) into smoothies. My ds is a very picky eater, so I began this to get him to eat SOME type of vegetable. But actually we all drink The Smoothie now. I throw in fruit (usually fresh and a frozen banana), a container of yogurt, a large fistful of fresh spinach leaves, a large fistful of baby carrots, occasionally some protein powder, and milk or water. It looks, um, about the color of my parents' 1971 Ford Maverick--but it tastes good! Serving suggestion: An opaque glass of some kind. ;)

 

Layla McB

[FriedClams]

Check out your yellow pages and check for local produce distributors. I use one here that won't sell retail, but you can buy things by the case. For a case of Gala apples (40 pounds? It's BIG) I paid $30.15. We eat a lot of fruit and I like having it around, so it's worth it for me to buy it in big bulk. Before it goes bad I bake pies, make applesauce, etc. I also buy onions, potatoes, salad lettuce ($5 for a hug bag of salad ready iceburg)... It saves me a lot.

 

I would advise eating through all your convenience foods and not restocking. If the kids want something - that's what their allowance or spending money is for.

 

Do you menu plan? I know it makes a huge difference for me if I have a plan and stick with it. To curb complaining I might involve everyone with the planning. I would give them a list of reasonable lunches and let them decide what day you will eat them. Same with dinners. Then, stick with it. Do not waiver.

 

We eat cereal, eggs, muffins, etc. for breakfast (I cannot pass up cereal for less than $1.50 a box).

 

Lunch - sandwiches, quesadillas, soup, crackers and cheese with sandwich meat - fruit and water

 

Dinner - pasta, casserole, breakfast one night a week, loaded baked potatoes, stir fry, sloppy joes, red beans and rice, baked chicken, etc... all with a green salad and a starch (rice, bread, etc.) We usually go meat-free 2 to 3 times a week, though sometimes it's more.

[Tabrett]

3. Did I mention buying in bulk? Making your own convenience foods can help if you don't like cooking from scratch day in, day out. In one afternoon you can churn out enough homemade hot pockets to last a while, for example (look up recipes for "pasties"). When you do cook, make twice as much of the main entree and freeze the second batch--this works great with casseroles and then you have something less expensive than a pre-made storebought meal to pull out on a night you're not up to cooking. Also, the crock pot is your friend.

 

4. Teach your kids to cook, so you don't have to do all the work!

 

You might want to look up "pasties" recipes with out your dc around. When I did this, the kind of "pasties" I was looking for is not what came up first in my search~if you know what I mean~:w00t:

[Philothea]

Some suggestions/ things that we have done

 

1. If you are able to make anything or grow anything from home and trade it with a friend who grows or makes something else, that is so helpful. My parents can tomatoes and they always give me enough jars to last me through the year, my grandmother grows and dries basil for me as well.

 

2. Take a grocery list to the store, it will help you stick to your meal plan and budget. We pretty much do not go down the aisles but shop the perimeter of the store--dairy, meat, produce. It saves a ton on impulse buying

 

3. I make my own salsa and buy the chips at a wholesale club. This is my favorite snack, it also keeps forever in the fridge. Another family favorite is homemade spinach dip, so we make a lot of snack at home.

 

4. Learn how to make veggies taste better. Spinach sauteed in a bit of butter and olive oil and minced garlic does wonders for picky eaters. Sometimes it is just knowing how to prepare veggies in a more crowd pleasing way. I still hate cucumbers, but I love them in tzaziki sauce.

 

5. Learn how to make no-brainer things that take little time. I read all the ingredients on the taco mix package, and realized that I had all of that stuff at home so I stopped buying taco mix. I also learned how to make a killer teryaki marinade for pennies. My next venture is going to be salad dressing. You mentioned the kids like spaghetti, even making the sauce ahead of time, freezing it in small batches would be easy for your kids to reheat and cheaper than buying a canned concoction.

 

6. If you can get your family to eat salad, go for it, before every meal. We recently were given a salad spinner so I just cut up all the romaine lettuce and spin it and put it in the fridge. I think it keeps forever, then there is always crispy lettuce ready for a pre-dinner salad. I keep everyone's favorite dressing on hand.

 

I love Costco, we buy lots of stuff there. But I do check the prices and weights against the grocery store. The main things I buy there are meats, cheese, butter, dried cranberries (for salad), and selective produce.

 

That's all I can think of for now.

 

We're going to try to bring our grocery spending down more by keeping a running tab of how much we spend for the week and not going over.

[MommyX8]

Look into local buying co-ops. And then, buy in bulk.

 

I buy mostly organics but since I buy in bulk, it it basically the same price as grocery store non-organics.

 

Plus, I have a vengence against high fructose corn syrup. So if it contains HFCS, it doesn't come in this house. That eliminates A LOT of junk that you don't need.

 

Don't buy what you can make. I can buy a dozen doughnuts for like $7 or I can bake a cake for less than $2. My kids are just as happy. I make my own butter and yogurt, too.

 

Also, evaluate your non-food groceries. I don't buy anything disposable so that does free up money to go towards other things, like raw milk, CSA, half a cow once a year, and so.

[Amy loves Bud]

I'll admit that I'm not a bargain shopper when it comes to food. I rarely buy clothes anywhere fancier than Target, but I don't skimp on food.

 

However, I wanted to tell you that my grocery store offered a 15% premium if you cashed your tax rebate check in for their gift cards. That turned my $2100 tax rebate into $2415 worth of grocery cards. So it won't lower the cost of my groceries, but I just got $315 more in groceries. I think a lot of grocery stores are doing this sort of thing.

 

(P.S. I'm still giving the tax rebate away ;) )

[melissel]

I understand what you're saying. It's difficult to make big changes. However, (and I am saying this kindly...not in a testy way *at all*), if your dh won't eat breakfast, then that's his decision, kwim?

 

If her DH is anything like mine, though, then he'll just buy himself something when he gets to work, which defeats the purpose all around. Thank goodness mine is not much of a picky eater *whew* Though, I have the opposite problem with him--he eats gigantic portions and then complains he has to lose weight :glare:

 

So where is my money going?!?! I guess that's the first thing to figure out.

 

How much food do you waste? I'm embarrassed to admit that we waste far, far too much food, and that's a big draw on our monthly budget. Often, I'll make extra of something to have it as leftovers, but then no one wants the leftovers, and there's only so much I can eat. I'm trying to curb that myself.

 

"Vegetables" and "snack" have never gone together in my own vocabulary ;-) It would only benefit me to change that. My children are not fond of veggies in general, except the youngest who thinks that raw carrots are the best thing ever.

 

A good friend taught me a trick, and so far it's worked here when I remember to do it. She puts veggies (either the ones that go with dinner or freshly sliced things) on the dinner table while she finishes cooking. It works here because the minute my kids see me start up dinner, they're all over me for tastes, bites, other snacks, etc. I direct them to the veggies. Now if only I could make myself eat them too :glare:

 

I can teach the kids to make bread, but it would be quite a feat convincing them to do it every week. Hmmm.

 

 

Like Doran said, tortillas are fun and relatively easy to make. They're labor intensive up front, but they keep pretty well in the fridge or freezer (though once you make them cold, I find they're not as nicely floppy as they were when they were fresh). If you can dig up a tortilla press, they're even easier. I usually roll mine out, which I hate doing, but I love the end product. They're easy to keep around for egg wraps, PB&J, CC&J, regular sammiches, etc. (If you want, I can give you my recipe and instructions. I posted them elsewhere once, so I should be able to dig them up again.) Also, in terms of sandwich items, have you thought about just buying big versions of the favored thing (real ham, an actual turkey breast) and slicing off the thinnest slices you can for sandwiches? The kids may balk at first, but convenience deli meats are sooooo bad for you (which is not to say we don't eat them, of course *duck*).

 

I throw in fruit (usually fresh and a frozen banana), a container of yogurt, a large fistful of fresh spinach leaves, a large fistful of baby carrots, occasionally some protein powder, and milk or water. It looks, um, about the color of my parents' 1971 Ford Maverick--but it tastes good! Serving suggestion: An opaque glass of some kind. ;)

 

Thank you for that! I've been toying with trying this kind of thing out. Do you think a regular blender would do the job (read: hide the evidence :lol:) well enough? And what kind of fruit do you think covers the veggie taste well?

 

TIA!

[Doran]

I do a lot of this already.

 

We do have some convenience foods, but not much. I stretch meat meals into two or three meals. We make our own pizza. I stopped buying chips, and we eat air-popped popcorn.

 

So where is my money going?!?! I guess that's the first thing to figure out.

 

I've always let the kids graze, but I think maybe that has to stop. I've always hated the idea of planning snacks, but who knows how much they're eating throughout the day? I don't. My two younger ones can go through a loaf of bread (whole wheat, excellent ingredients - bread is one area where I cannot skimp) in no time flat.

 

"Vegetables" and "snack" have never gone together in my own vocabulary ;-) It would only benefit me to change that. My children are not fond of veggies in general, except the youngest who thinks that raw carrots are the best thing ever.

 

They're not big on beans, and actually, there are few beans I can eat. Mamagistra mentioned dietary restrictions - they're all mine: no nuts, few beans ... I've gotten to where I can eat small amounts of wheat, eggs, and dairy, but I still tend to stick to gluten and dairy-free most of the time. The kids don't have to, though. No yeast, for me, which is why I gave up baking our own bread. I can teach the kids to make bread, but it would be quite a feat convincing them to do it every week. Hmmm.

 

We pulled in tightly this month, and even we spent $1200. I've got to make it less.

 

 

If you were to list the items on the shelves of your fridge and pantry right now (unless you're down to next to nothing here at the end of the month), including brand names, that might help a few of us or maybe you figure out where you might find savings from among your food choices. For example (and this one will not apply, I'm sure), for awhile I was buying Terra Chips for my oldest because she was limiting wheat/gluten products and those seemed like a tasty alternative to corn chips. I didn't really recognize, until some frequency of buying those dang things, that they cost almost $5/bag! Same for a six pack of Mike's. The stuff is fun, but Ye Gods it's pricey! That's what I meant about paying closer attention. I'm not bad at noticing the prices of some things, but if it's someone's favorite, I'm more apt to buy it without thinking so hard about what it costs, you know?

 

So, would you feel too exposed to post a list? I could do the same. I'm sure I'd find numerous products that "ought to go". Or, perhaps some of us could brainstorm other areas that merit a revamp instead of food. I'm really very curious about all this because when you live pretty frugally already, but still want to figure out how/where to trim costs, it's awfully difficult.

[TraceyS/FL]

On thing i want to add on meat - the meat at Costco is VERY high quality.

 

I can buy the same leanness of hamburger at Sams or WM and have to drain a bunch, often with the Costco stuff there is nothing to drain. It's like buy the really expensive stuff for way less.

 

But DH bought a pork loin on sale - was all proud of his "deal". Then i was at Costco and bought one there, and he cut it up and saw how much it "wasn't". It was still 1/2 the price.

 

I'm interested in trying the popcorn in the brown bag someone posted - my kids are blowing thru the small 100 cal bags i bought, and i'd rather them have "air" type than that anyway.

 

There was a website i found thru here that has a BUNCH of recipes for homemade convienence foods. We have loved EVERYTHING we have tried. I haven't bagged it up like she suggests so that i can just grab one and go, but it sure is nice to know i can make my own beef rice-a-roni (without the carrots - because i hate that they added carrots to it :glare:) and it's grub.

 

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/homemadeconveniencefoods.htm

 

Her hamburger helper is grub too! LOL!!

[GVD22]

I cut my food budget by learning how to use coupons correctly. I went from spending $600-$700 month to feed my family of 5 to spending $250 a month. It would be less but I buy alot of fresh fruits and veggies. Even storebrand/generics are expensive to me now. I shudder to think what my bill would be like now if I hadn't changed my ways.

[Jenny in Florida]

Can you really save at Costco? I get so overwhelmed in there!

 

Well, I can tell you that I'm letting our trial membership at BJ's expire today, because after three months of experimenting, we don't feel it's worth the money to pay for a year. Every couple of years, when I go on a money-saving kick, we get to wondering about a wharehouse club. We've had year-long memberships to both BJ's and Costco in the past, too.

 

For us, because we don't do a whole lot of processed, conveninence-type foods, it just isn't much of a savings. This time, I sat down and worked the math very carefully and found that I do as well or better just buying generics and store brands on a regular basis from my usual grocery store.

[Pamela H in Texas]

We are trying to learn to garden...

 

But honestly? The best thing to allow us to buy more fruits and veggies was for us to do the grocery game. I can tell I'm pickier about diet this time as I'm saving "only" about 50some percent. But we have both bins and two out of 4 shelves of the fridge full of fruits and veggies. The freezer is packed with frozen veggies and meats we used to eat only once a year (as well as staples such as chicken and ground turkey, of course).

 

A lot of people worry about all the processed foods on the gg, but you don't have to overdo those. But buy buying what you ARE going to buy pasta-wise, cereal-wise, canned/frozen veggie-wise, etc, you have more money for fresh produce.

 

Anyway, I did it before, stopped for a year or so, and have been back at it about a month. I've lost 15 pounds (was is related? I don't know. I've been giving the wii fit credit). Our spending had crept up to $150 per week and we were rationing food half the time. This past week, I spent $85 and every inch of the pantry, fridge and freezer are full (and part of the stockpile area too!). Pretty good for a house with two teenagers!

 

It might be worth the $1 to try it for a month.

 

And of course, try gardening. We're even going to try peaches. We have apple tree sprouts too but I don't think those will grow long in Texas!

[lynn]

I desperately need to cut back on our food spending. However, it's very important to me that we eat a high-quality diet. Plus, I have four boys who eat a ton - especially fruit. They eat tons of fruit, and I hate to limit them, because ... it's fruit :) We're used to spending a lot of money on food, frankly. But that has to stop.

 

How can I feed a family of six, well, on less than $1000 a month? Without feeling like we're depriving ourselves, and without me feeling that we're compromising on nutrition?

 

I am right there with you. One thing that I do is make fewer trips to WM or Publix thus not buying "extras" when I do go for the few things I may need. Another thing I do is rotate my stock up items. One week stock up on the meat, the next week cleaners, soaps, paper products etc, the next week snacks, breakfast items etc. This seems to eliminate the need to run out for toilet paper leading to oh I could use this or that and spending an extra $50. does that make sense. I find the majority of my overage on food budget was when I ran out of something and had to go out to get it and buy things I just didn't quite need for that month.

[TraceyS/FL]

Well, I can tell you that I'm letting our trial membership at BJ's expire today, because after three months of experimenting, we don't feel it's worth the money to pay for a year. Every couple of years, when I go on a money-saving kick, we get to wondering about a wharehouse club. We've had year-long memberships to both BJ's and Costco in the past, too.

 

For us, because we don't do a whole lot of processed, conveninence-type foods, it just isn't much of a savings. This time, I sat down and worked the math very carefully and found that I do as well or better just buying generics and store brands on a regular basis from my usual grocery store.

 

I"m always surprised to hear this. Now, i've never been to BJ's - keep saying i'm going to pop in when i'm "in town" and never get there.

 

But the money i save at Costco for meat, cheese, butter and 100% juice alone pays for the membership (not to mention TP & paper towels, i LOVE the kirkland paper towels - we still have some left and i bought them 4 months ago!). I have to drive 60 miles one way to get to Costco - and it's still worth it.

 

But it's always why i say to do what you did - try it. Take your grocery list, price things that you normally buy. That is the only way you can tell if it will work for you. One thing about Costco is the meat might be only slighty cheaper - but i can say, that the quality has proven over and over to be so much higher.

 

We are getting a Sam's Club 2 miles from my house, i really am going to have to work to shift my overall list (my mom and I split a membership there - they don't care and suggested it!) from Costco to Sam's. That might be hard - but for the extra savings in gas $$ i'll have to suffer :D (and i'll still be in town every so often so i can get my Costco stuff).

[TXMomof4]

I've been reading all of these, and the only thing I can suggest is really working on making more of those convenience foods. Someone suggested the Hillbilly Housewife site, and I do agree it's great. There is a recipe for brown sugar granola that is fabulous. My kids love it. They just eat it with the oats, but we have a store here, Sprouts, where you can buy bulk almonds, dried fruits, grains etc., so I can make a HUGE batch of granola for cheap and the kids like it just as much, if not more than the kashi bars. Those things are OUTRAGEOUS when you think that a box is exactly one serving/person at our house. Same thing for cereal. I love the kashi cereals, but I can serve a seven grain cereal from Sprouts for significantly less. Also, I keep carrots in the fridge and when the kids come in crying because they're "STARVING" they can have carrots. If they're really hungry, that'll do. But most of the time they're bored and want to eat. Carrots don't fit the bill, so they'll go do something else.

[BlsdMama]

I desperately need to cut back on our food spending. However, it's very important to me that we eat a high-quality diet. Plus, I have four boys who eat a ton - especially fruit. They eat tons of fruit, and I hate to limit them, because ... it's fruit :) We're used to spending a lot of money on food, frankly. But that has to stop.

 

How can I feed a family of six, well, on less than $1000 a month? Without feeling like we're depriving ourselves, and without me feeling that we're compromising on nutrition?

 

Wow! $1,000 a month? We're a family of nine and our budget absolutely MUST stay under $500 per month. Generally it runs at $400/month. *But* we live in Iowa.

 

I've not read all the replies, but generally here's what we do:

 

Make a menu

Make the grocery list off the menu

Stick to the grocery list

 

These three things will save you.

 

Breakfast - think filling. Protein and whole grains paired together gets you the most bang for your buck. Whole grain muffins, muffins with veggies in them, muffins with flax, this is what you're looking for. Pair it with an egg and you're set.

Lunch - Leftovers (always make extra at night) and beans and rice and filling things. Soups go a very long way - again load it with veggies. Lunch is NOT a major meal. It should be light, but filling. Nutrition being of utmost importance.

 

Supper - Your family, like every other American family, probably makes WAY too much meat. You only need a couple ounces. IMO, we also eat WAY too much fruit, but I'll come back to that. Plan on meals that do not center around meat. Meals are a part of the meal, not the main attraction. Lots and lots of veggies in season. Check your local farmer's market for the best of the best.

 

Make a list of every meal you can think of for breakfast, supper, and lunch. These are your "Master Meals" lists. You use these to make your menus. Plan your snacks. We make bad reflex decisions. Our thought out plans are MUCH better.

 

On fruit - there is too much of a good thing. Fruit is great, veggies are better. Fruit, though it's natural sugar, still contains a LOT of sugar. Diabetics are often very surprised at how much fruit alters their blood sugar. Buy it, but buy it in season when it's least expensive. It will lead you to try new foods too. Vegetables are a better choice. Muffins would be more filling. No one should ever go a day without yogurt. Yogurt is EXPENSIVE. Much cheaper to invest in a gadget - EuroCuisine Yogurt Maker.

 

Generally everything comes down to money or time. If you put in the time to plan, you'll spend less money. Also, look at the cuts of meat you're buying. Buy in bulk when on sale, but don't buy expensive cuts. The cheaper cuts usually require a longer, moist cooking method on lower heat, but then can taste just as good!