I need to cut our grocery bill...help

[HollyDay]

If at all possible, I need to cut our grocery budget in half. I'm not sure where or how to start. I don't buy chips, sodas, beer, wine, packaged foods. My cart generally contains fresh fruit, veggies, meats, and staples. I bake from scratch the majority of the time.

 

I will start a baked potatoe night. If fall ever arrives with cooler temperatures, I'll do a soup night. Salad is crazy expensive and doesn't last long so I need to figure that out.

 

Plans, ideas, suggestions greatly appreciated

[Annie G]

I would probably increase the starches you serve. Rice, potatoes, noodles...stuff like that is cheaper than fruits, veggies, and meat. So like a fried rice night with chopped veggies in it, chicken and dumplings, etc. 

[HollyDay]

I would probably increase the starches you serve. Rice, potatoes, noodles...stuff like that is cheaper than fruits, veggies, and meat. So like a fried rice night with chopped veggies in it, chicken and dumplings, etc.

I've actually tried some pasta nights but dh is trying to lose weight and doesn't want the carbs. I eat lentils frequently and add beans as a side but dh not so much

[fairfarmhand]

Change what you can to frozen veggies and fruits.

 

Also, as much as it pains me to say so, I sometimes ration the fruit.

 

It doesn't kill a kid to eat celery sticks and carrots after they've had their ration of an apple each day.

 

Switch to whole grain flour and learn to bake with it. Whole grain pancakes, muffins and breads are more sustantial than white flour.

[HollyDay]

Change what you can to frozen veggies and fruits.

 

Also, as much as it pains me to say so, I sometimes ration the fruit.

 

It doesn't kill a kid to eat celery sticks and carrots after they've had their ration of an apple each day.

 

Switch to whole grain flour and learn to bake with it. Whole grain pancakes, muffins and breads are more sustantial than white flour.

Yes, I do make homemade pancakes and such. It has been awhile since I made bread regularly...summer heat does that. I do use whole grains

[bolt.]

If you want the absolute lowest costs, you need to go carb-heavy to make your meals filling with few extras. At this point (if you are at that point) the protein is a garnish, and so are the veggies or fruit. It's also going to be pretty repetitive, because buying in bulk is your new best friend.

 

Oats, made with water, every day for breakfast. Add raisins. Serve with milk.

 

Calculate on a cost-per-filling-meal basis whether home made bread is more or less cost effective than other starches for you. Keep a starter so you won't need yeast often.

 

If bread is effective, peanut butter sandwiches, a serving of cheap giant-can apple sauce and a carrot/celery make a lunch.

 

If it's not then you want to have lunches similar to suppers. Main ingredient: potatoes, noodles, rice, barley, beans, broth, or something made from flour. Topped with one or two frozen vegetables, a bit of meat or egg, seasoned with herbs, spices, flour-gravy or white sauce. Cooking oil can help these choices be more filling: whatever is cheap and plentiful in your area.

 

Occasionally have a fresh or frozen fruit instead of the raisins or apple sauce (or in addition) to add nutritional varety. Tomato paste is another worthwhile ingredient. And onions.

 

How long do you have to do this?

 

Edited to add: can you grow greens? Spinach in a plant pot is relatively quick, easy and sustainable.

[applethyme]

My favorite cheap meals:

 

breakfast for dinner

scalloped potatoes and ham

potato soup

homemade chicken soup an homemade bread

red beans and rice

chili

 

I wait until the grocery store adds come out to decide what I'm serving.  Also if I normally buy something that is really on sale I will buy two or three.  I try to keep between $10 -$20 a week for "stock up money." For example there is only one kind of refried beans that ds likes.  They are normally $1.19 a can.  I budget to buy 4 cans each month = $4.76.  When those beans go on sale for $.69 per can I will buy 8 for $6.32.  Next time I shop I use the money that I would normally spend on those beans to buy something else that is on sale.  This helps keep my pantry full but I also save a bunch.  Certain foods I buy at certain times of the year.  Condiments and salad dressing really go on sale in the summer months.  During that time I will buy all the condiments and salad dressing I will need for the year.  It sounds like a lot but no really.  The savings can be huge though because often these items are BOGO at my local grocery store. 

[bolt.]

If your DH is not prepared to eat on a slashed budget, he's either going to 'not eat' or the budget will be 'not slashed' -- but don't worry. Loosing weight isn't going to be hard with less *actual* food. It won't matter if it's carbs or not.

[TammyinTN]

When in full budget mode we do....

 

breakfast for dinner 2 nights 

brown rice and lentil tacos or burrito bowls

soup with sandwich night

spaghetti w/ sauce --no meat and a big salad and bread

1 big roast with veggies for 1 meal and chopped up for sandwiches another

pizza night is pretty cheap with you get them at Costco or Sam's

 

Shop at Aldi if at all possible...I can save a bundle there.   

 

Edited to add--quinoa is a little expensive, but it packs a protein punch and can be made for breakfast or a side.  

[kiana]

Definitely switch to frozen vegetables for most of them, and frankly I find fruit unnecessarily expensive for the amount of nutritional benefit you get from it. Also (as I am on a budget myself) the only meat I really eat is chicken, and pork or tuna if they're on sale. 

 

I mostly pick my vegetables based on the most nutritional value and the cheapest, which results in a lot of broccoli as I can still find that (at Walmart only) for $1/lb and the other ones that are that cheap (peas, corn, and green beans) have far less nutritional value. I also eat a fair amount of carrots, spinach, and sweet potatoes that I can buy cheaply fresh. Other vegetables are really more of a garnish. 

[justasque]

If at all possible, I need to cut our grocery budget in half. I'm not sure where or how to start. I don't buy chips, sodas, beer, wine, packaged foods. My cart generally contains fresh fruit, veggies, meats, and staples. I bake from scratch the majority of the time.

 

I will start a baked potatoe night. If fall ever arrives with cooler temperatures, I'll do a soup night. Salad is crazy expensive and doesn't last long so I need to figure that out.

 

Plans, ideas, suggestions greatly appreciated

 

Cut out anything that doesn't contribute nutritionally.  You've done a lot of that, but you'll need to do more.  No juice, no non-whole grains, etc.  See if there are any grocery outlets near you; they may be in a different neighborhood.  Here, for example, there's a produce outlet that has a vast variety of fruit and veg for prices much, much lower than the grocery stores.  The apples are smaller, the berries are riper, but the many exotic/ethnic varieties are good and cheap.  I've also found an excellent street vendor in a low-income neighborhood, who sells decent produce for small prices.   Shop around - even regular grocery stores charge more in higher-income neighborhoods (and carry more expensive foods).   Eat seasonally - now, for example, you'll want to be changing over to root veggies, winter squash, etc.  Save the summer veggies for next year.   Learn to cook with what you have on hand rather than relying on recipes.  If you can substitute things, or even wing it entirely, you can transform a bit of this and a bit of that into a whole day's food.

 

Also, look into food stamps, WIC, food pantries, and any other benefits that you may qualify for.  They may help you to give your kids the nutrition they need.

[Jean in Newcastle]

A carb heavy diet can lead to increased medical problems which will give you increased medical bills.  

 

Is there a Grocery Outlet in your area that has discounted items?  Can you ask your produce department if they have rejected produce?  Ours will give it to you at a discount but you have to ask.  (Not rotten or anyting but not up to their standards of perfection in looks or size).  

[snickerplum]

Look into Ruby's Pantry. Our church used to provide volunteers on distribution days and I've heard wonderful things.

https://www.rubyspantry.org

[happypamama]

Frozen veggies bought on sale are a huge budget help! I can add an additional pound of veggies for far less than I can add an additional pound of meat, and they are only a little more than more starches would be. (16 oz. of whole grain pasta is a bit over a dollar here, and 16 oz. bags of veggies are about a dollar on sale. I easily buy 20-30 bags at once, and we will eat 2-4 of them a night.)

 

Frozen cauliflower, boiled, drained well, and mashed, makes a reasonable and lower carb sub for mashed potatoes, without being a ton more expensive. And frozen green beans sauteed in a little olive oil with a little salt and pepper are very good too.

[Lori D.]

- comparison shop the weekly grocery store ads; buy what's on sale and plan your menus around that

- for produce -- don't buy bags of salad or pre-cut veggies; buy fresh/loose and make your own salad

- how about bottled water -- can you cut that cost by getting a Britta or other water filtering system?

- are there desserts that can be cut -- packaged cookies, ice creams, candy, treats?

- eggs are often a cheaper source of protein than meats

- cut out coffee, chocolate, and sugar -- expensive, and not very nutritious

- don't eat out

- no Starbucks or other purchased beverages

- for extra nutrition: boil up chicken bones for stock and freeze for use in making rice or soups

- use less meat/poultry per meal by making soups, stir-fry, casseroles, and "one-pot" recipes with lots of vegetables and potatoes or rice

- for canned goods, wait for the "loss-liter" sale, and buy a case to have in the pantry

- bags of dried beans and rice are much cheaper and provide more food than canned beans and boxes of rice pilaf or seasoned rice

- buy generic brands rather than name brands

- if you need a name-brand item, clip coupons to reduce cost

- are you in an area where hunters have extra deer, elk, or other meat they are trying to find a home for?

 

- do you live in an area where you could grow a vegetable garden (and it would be economical -- i.e., don't need to water because you get adequate rain) -- now would be a good time to plant lettuce, kale, and spinach for making your own salads; you can use scissors to snip off outer leaves, and the plants keep growing for several months; seed packets are MUCH cheaper and yield MANY more plants than buying "6-packs" of starter plants at a nursery

 

- stock up when there are sales and stuff your freezer -- for example, one store here is having boneless/skinless chicken legs ($.69/lb) and breasts ($1.77/lb.) on sale for  -- I buy 20-30 lb., individually wrap the uncooked chicken pieces, freeze, and pull out what I need later for cooking for dinner; next week those prices shoot back up over $2.50/lb.

 

- do you have a "co-op" or other type of store that has cheap prices on bags of dried beans, rice, etc. if you buy in bulk? Maybe go in with a friend or neighbor, and get the 40-lb. bag of rice, and split it; now you have a cheap filler item that works for breakfasts and dinners...

 

- for produce, does your community have something like this program -- once a week or every several weeks, for $10, you can go fill a box or medium-sized crate with all the produce you want; it is perfectly good produce, just rejected by grocery stores as "the wrong size/shape"; these types of organizations try to truck in produce that would otherwise rot in the fields and you get the savings

 

 

Honestly, it doesn't sound like you have very much wiggle room in your food budget -- not enough to cut back by HALF -- so can you cut back in other areas?

 

- buy clothes/shoes at second-hand stores or only from the massively reduced clearance racks

- do you have a little one? cloth diapers are reusable and can save over disposable in the long-run 

- cut cell plan to one phone

- cut out cable and pay-for-streaming services

- reduce internet service to bare bones that is workable for your family

- walk and bike more, DH carpool or take public transit to work -- drive less and reduce gasoline needs (and car wear-tear and repair bills)

- does someone in the family have an expensive hobby that could be cut or reduced?

- reduce your electric and gas consumption (AC and heating) -- shorter showers and hand-wash dishes (rather than dishwasher) reduces energy consumption of heating water; simply putting foil-covered cardboard in your windows can help insulate!

 

 

Having to watch absolutely everything that goes into the grocery cart and into everyone's mouths can get very stressful -- would it be less stressful to try and earn a little extra? Is there something you can do from the home that is flexible that would earn a little extra? Or clean houses on Saturdays? A one-time help: clean out your house and sell valuable things thru Craig's List and have a yard sale for the rest...

 

 

BEST of luck in reducing your budget! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Entropymama]

If you don't mind my asking, how many people are you feeding and for how much? It's possible cutting in half isn't going to happen and you'll get frustrated fast. 

 

See if you can supplement your grocery trips with food banks. Do you qualify for WIC or food stamps? I'm assuming you're in the U.S. 

 

Ethnic foods are cheap. Mexican, Indian, even Italian for pasta dishes. Try ethnic groceries for spices, too, they're often cheaper. 

 

Dried beans are very economical, filling and good protein. I make my own refried beans in the crock pot - you can find recipes online. It costs about $1.00 to make enough for 7 of us. Serve with rice and salsa and you've got lunch for under $3. You can also do black beans and rice for this price. Split pea soup without meat. Potato soup. Corn chowder. Chili without meat. Spaghetti marinara. 

 

Homemade bread or cornbread is a great, cheap side dish. 

 

Eggs and bacon are relatively cheap for animal protein. Watch for sales - I can sometimes get whole chickens for .79/lb or thighs for 1.29. They're not organic but they're better than starving. 

 

Frozen fruit in smoothies gives you vitamins without being terribly expensive. 

 

Best of luck to you!

[fdrinca]

To get our food budget to the minimum, we:

- only buy apples (pears if they are priced similarly). 

- standing weekly mealplan of: beans and rice (Mexican flavors), beans and rice (Indian flavors), chili (AKA soupy beans and rice), homemade pizza night as a splurge, and crockpot chicken/pork (everyone gets a small serving of meat). 

- no milk, juice, or other pay-for drinks other than hot tea

- nothing premade/individually packaged (cheese sticks, yogurt containers, prepped salad)

- veggies are either carrot sticks or frozen 

- no breakfast cereals; breakfast is oatmeal or quinoa or eggs (more expensive, but the protein sticks with the kids)

- snacks are filling but not especially tasty (walnuts, cheddar cheese slices - not crackers, etc)

- buying in bulk for most staples, when it is cost-effective to do so

- hitting up the warehouse club and grocery outlet

 

The MOST effective way we cut our budget was by being very vigilant about food waste. We have a "clean the fridge" leftover night; breakfast must be finished before snacks are consumed (unfinished breakfast goes into the fridge for later), serving portions are very small with seconds/thirds/fourths encouraged.

[Prairie~Phlox]

I buy bulk Romaine at Sam's Club, it's so much cheaper than precut lettuce/bagged salad.  I also buy bulk items through Azurestandard, beans & oatmeal, you probably need to see it it's worth it, but for me it is.  I pretty much do like everyone else.  Also if you have a smart phone, make sure you are using apps like ibotta, checkout51, receipt hog & receipt pal, anything back is money in your pocket!

 

[G5052]

Watch what you buy too, although you're probably doing that.

 

For example, when we're tight, I buy two kinds of the cheapest fruit per serving and limit fruit to two servings a day. Only when that is gone do I buy more.

 

Same with the veggies. If peppers are expensive, I don't make any dishes with peppers or I use frozen ones.

 

With the beef prices the way they are, we only eat beef twice a week, and I do mostly stews and soups to stretch the meat. Once a week I'll grill or do a chicken/roast in the oven, but that's it for a meat-centered meal.

[Joyofsixreboot]

For years we lived on a pretty tight budget. My biggest suggestion is to see if there is an Aldi nearby. It has saved me a fortune on basics. Breakfast was oats, toast, hm muffins or eggs if cheap. Lunch was leftovers, a pbj sandwich, a bean quesadilla or soup and crackers. Carrot sticks or other inexpensive/sale veggie and possibly canned fruit. Dinner was a casserole, starch or soup with meat, beans or a little cheese. Fruit was usually the " special" at the Kroger in town so if grapes were $1.20/lb or pineapples $.99 that's what we had. Frozen vegetables were used unless there was a sale. Salad was for Sunday. Sometimes. I make lots of multi use meats, for example the ever popular roast chicken can be Sunday lunch, the leftover bits are in a casserole on Monday and the carcass gets turned into chicken noodle soup on Tuesday. Snacks for my kids were muffins, cinnamon or pb toast or more beans and salsa. I wouldn't expect to cut 1/2 right away. It's a process. Other ways to cut costs STAY home, only thrift clothes, library, free entertainment. I still cut shampoo and dish soap 1/2 with water and clean with only vinegar and elbow grease. But really, learning to love walking most places, the library and plain doing without saved us the most.

[waa510]

Some things that have worked well for us in the past:

 

Shopping at Aldi. The produce can be hit or miss depending on the store 

 

Making homemade tortillas without lard (we use a hippy homemaker blog recipe) and homemade pizza dough

 

Having a dedicated eating of leftovers for dinner/lunch

 

using eggs as our protein in stir fry

 

cutting out as much meat as possible

 

using ground turkey in place of ground beef as it was always cheaper

 

Soups, lots of oatmeal and vegetarian meals (lentil tacos, tofu scramble)

 

budgetbytes.com is a great site for cheap healthy recipes 

 

[fairfarmhand]

BTW, when we had to cut back, we did away with snacking.

 

However, if I wasn't diligent, the family was legitimately hungry. With no snacks, every meal has to have protein and fat and be filling. I also had to cook enough that everyone could eat all they wanted. I had to have leftovers enough so that if one of the kids felt hungry an hour or two after they'd eaten a meal, they could get more of the last meal's food out of the fridge.  Additionally, I had to serve my meals ON TIME. We needed a filling meal every 5 hours or things got ugly really fast.

[unsinkable]

If you need meat, look for the cheapest cuts...like bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, whole chickens and who,e turkeys. Also chuck roasts, and sausages (not the healthiest but tons of flavor so a little goes a long way).

 

If you do serve fruit, add a bit of protein like cheese or peanut butter. I think it stretches both items and keeps you fuller.

 

I'll second budgetbytes.com. She has great recipes and I also like her voice.

http://www.budgetbytes.com/

 

Another great recipe site is simply recipes and then sort by choosing "budget."

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/type/budget/

 

 

:grouphug:

[HomeAgain]

We cut snacks way down...and we made them the cheapest food possible.  I split a 50lb bag of popcorn with a friend.  $25/2 + $3 for a container = year long cheap, easy snacks.

 

Have you ever read the Tightwad Gazette?  It's outdated by about 20 years now, but my goodness, there is so much good in there!  How to cut corners you didn't even think about, how to be creative in your community...we get Bountiful Baskets twice a month.  Dh has a love/hate relationship with it. LOL  He loves all the fresh fruits and veggies.  He hates the two days after when we're squirreling as much as possible in the freezer.  Nothing gets wasted.  I have about 6lbs of blueberries that I froze so I could make muffins this winter.  We were up to our ears in them at the height of the season, but we prefer to eat them when they're cold.  Spotted bananas get sliced and frozen. Mangoes, peaches, nectarines...anything that will go bad by the next day will be frozen.  Limp celery, carrots..both finely chopped and bagged.  I break them out for stews, soups, and sauces.

 

I don't think you'll be able to cut your grocery budget in half overnight.  I don't.  It's a lot of changes and if you're already exhausting all options, it's going to be hard. But I do think being more mindful of where every bit goes can help anyone.

[HollyDay]

Thanks so much for all the ideas. An aldi just opened up and I will go there next time I need a market trip. I think half is too ambitious right off. I will shoot for 1/4 and see where that takes us. Looking through my pantry last night I got some ideas of things to cut out or cheaper products. For some reason, I have not been buying store brand as much as I used to. I have not had good weekly meal plans this summer as I usually do during the school year. So that changes today.

[FO4UR]

I've actually tried some pasta nights but dh is trying to lose weight and doesn't want the carbs. I eat lentils frequently and add beans as a side but dh not so much

 

He might have to make some tough choices.  Make up 2 menu plans with the grocery lists & cost for him to look at.  One list is the current menu, one is a *possible* plan for slashing the budget.

 

Ask his input for changes that will or won't be worth it, in his opinion.  If he never sits down to look at what food costs, and put it all together, he may not really get that a low-carb diet is expensive b/c it necessarily means more fat and protein.  

 

I'd also note any extra work that will go into keeping the food budget down, and ask where he can pitch in.

 

Both adults have to be 100% on board with the changes in order for them to stick.

 

 

Thanks so much for all the ideas. An aldi just opened up and I will go there next time I need a market trip. I think half is too ambitious right off. I will shoot for 1/4 and see where that takes us. Looking through my pantry last. Isn't, I got some ideas of things to cut out or cheaper products. For some reason, I have not been buying store brand as much as I used to. I have not had good weekly meal plans this summer as I usually do during the school year. So that changes today.

 

 

Aldi is wonderful!  They have good meats, and if you are smart you can walk away with some really good stuff cheap.

 

Also, I hit places like Gordon Food Service once every few months.  I can usually get things like lunch meat at a fraction of the price, and it's good meat.  You have to be savvy though b/c not everything is a deal.  Yesterday, I found a store where they sell off the surplus of a distribution center.  I saved BIG there, and we noticed the meat was insanely cheap.  We will be going back again next month.  

 

 

Huge bags of salad were the same price as small bags at a regular grocery store.  Open, shake, place a clean/dry paper towel in the bag and it will keep longer.  Change out the paper towel when it gets damp.

[Denise in Florida]

To get our food budget to the minimum, we:

- only buy apples (pears if they are priced similarly). 

- standing weekly mealplan of: beans and rice (Mexican flavors), beans and rice (Indian flavors), chili (AKA soupy beans and rice), homemade pizza night as a splurge, and crockpot chicken/pork (everyone gets a small serving of meat). 

- no milk, juice, or other pay-for drinks other than hot tea

- nothing premade/individually packaged (cheese sticks, yogurt containers, prepped salad)

- veggies are either carrot sticks or frozen 

- no breakfast cereals; breakfast is oatmeal or quinoa or eggs (more expensive, but the protein sticks with the kids)

- snacks are filling but not especially tasty (walnuts, cheddar cheese slices - not crackers, etc)

- buying in bulk for most staples, when it is cost-effective to do so

- hitting up the warehouse club and grocery outlet

 

The MOST effective way we cut our budget was by being very vigilant about food waste. We have a "clean the fridge" leftover night; breakfast must be finished before snacks are consumed (unfinished breakfast goes into the fridge for later), serving portions are very small with seconds/thirds/fourths encouraged.

 

This was going to be my suggestion.  A few years ago I started a compost bin and a tiny garden. I did not grow enough food to make a budget difference but noticing how much waste went into the compost bin (or trash for meat based waste) was a huge wake up for me. 

 

I don't know if that applies to you but I see a tremendous amount of food waste now that I started to look at it.  

 

Lots of good advice here.  Best luck to you. 

[Ravin]

If you live where there are multiple grocery stores, I would start getting proactive about shopping the ads. Only buy the fruits, veggies, and meats that are on good sales. For fruits and veggies, these are generally also the ones in season in your region, so it's a more eco-friendly way to shop within the confines of the modern food industrial complex.

 

If you have a walmart with a decent grocery section, you can shop all the ads at once by going there and ad matching.

 

Also, look into CSA's, Bountiful Baskets, farmer's markets, and food reclaim stores--ones where they sell food rejected by the big grocery chains for damaged packaging, being close to dates, imperfect cosmetic appearance of produce, etc. There's one in my area and they are awesome. There's also a nonprofit group that specifically does a "farmer's market" type resale for stupid cheap for rejected produce. You basically get it for the wholesale price or less.

 

I have a friend who is a SAHM of four and she is my resource for figuring all such things out.

 

Buying meat in bulk is another strategy--or from a discount program. In my area, the food banks actually have a meat package they sell, the proceeds go to buying more food for giving away.

[Kalmia]

I will second The Complete Tightwad Gazette. The numbers are twenty years outdated (as is any computer advice lol!), but the mindset is completely applicable, the book is funny and easy to read, and it gives you support when you are making hard choices. The library may be able to get it for you or buy used.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Tightwad-Gazette-Amy-Dacyczyn/dp/0375752250/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1443196950&sr=8-1&keywords=the+complete+tightwad+gazette

 

 

Our local farmer makes deals with people who ask to buy in bulk or buy seconds on produce.

 

http://eatlocalgrown.com/article/11467-20-ways-to-build-a-whole-food-kitchen-on-a-budget.html

 

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/food-policy/save-money-on-groceries-zmaz10aszraw.aspx

 

This website contains a visual and a list of what you get if you buy a quarter cow for the freezer.

https://www.homegrowncow.com/buying-meat-in-bulk

 

http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2012/07/05/beef-from-field-to-freezer-a-how-to-buy-a-cow-guide/

 

This will help you find farms near you

http://www.eatwild.com/products/

 

 

 

 

[DawnM]

BTW, when we had to cut back, we did away with snacking.

 

However, if I wasn't diligent, the family was legitimately hungry. With no snacks, every meal has to have protein and fat and be filling. I also had to cook enough that everyone could eat all they wanted. I had to have leftovers enough so that if one of the kids felt hungry an hour or two after they'd eaten a meal, they could get more of the last meal's food out of the fridge.  Additionally, I had to serve my meals ON TIME. We needed a filling meal every 5 hours or things got ugly really fast.

 

 

All of my kids know how to make stove top popcorn.  It is rather cheap and they like it a lot.  

[lmrich]

Aldi can cut your bill in 1/4. They have a good selection of frozen fruits and veggies as well as fresh - not consistently good, but I kind of liking hunting for the best. 

 

Oatmeal is filling and can be added to smoothies and pancakes. 

 

Good luck

[Laura Corin]

Seconding Aldi.  We ate from there almost exclusively when Husband was out of work.

[Garga]

Aldi can cut your bill in 1/4. They have a good selection of frozen fruits and veggies as well as fresh - not consistently good, but I kind of liking hunting for the best. 

 

Oatmeal is filling and can be added to smoothies and pancakes. 

 

Good luck

 

 

Do you make the oatmeal on the stove and then add it to the smoothie?  About how much?  How do you add it to pancakes.  Add the raw oats, or cooked oatmeal?  How much? 

[DawnM]

It is hard to know how to advise if I don't know what you spend now. 

 

There is an e-book called "How to feed a family of 4 for $200" on amazon.  It has some great ideas.

[kristi26]

I'd switch to frozen veggies as much as possible as others have mentioned. Buy them in bulk when they are on sale. Ours often go on sale for $1/bag around here at a regular store.

 

You can also hit up the bargain grocery outlets. We have Amelia's (they changed the name recently, I think), Aldi's, Sharp Shopper...anything like that in your area would be helpful.

 

Also as others have mentioned, go vegetarian several nights a week.

 

Good luck! We've been working to cut our grocery budget down too. It's not easy!

[kiana]

If your husband is going low carb he's probably eating a bit more fat. Investigate chicken leg quarters -- they're usually ultra-cheap if you get the mega-bags. They're really a staple of my diet. 

[AuNaturel]

Have you considered financial assistance with the government? I'm all for saving money, but food is where I draw the line. I buy smart and abuse sales to make our money stretch further, but I won't reduce the quality of the nourishment of my family. If you have trouble purchasing your grocery bill, take advantage of food stamps or whatever is available to you.

 

With that said, buying bulk especially during sales and freezing to preserve food longer is your friend. Even tomatoes can be frozen. My freezer is filled to the brim with raw meat, veggies, and individually portioned home cooked meals.

 

Cheap but filling meal suggestions are perogies, stuffed cabbage, sauerkraut with sausage, shepherd's pie, chicken and dumplings, home made mac n cheese, spaghetti, chicken scampi, beans and rice, creamy potatoe soup, biscuit chicken pot pie (make with a drop biscuit recipe instead of pie crust) and meat less chili. I would be willing to share my recipes for any of the above.

 

Cook more than enough and freeze what isn't eaten in individual portions for lunches. Slice or shred left over meat and mix with a gravy or bbq sauce and freeze for future hot sandwiches.

 

Cook big batches of pancakes and french toast and freeze in individual portions for breakfasts. Oatmeal can be delicious if you add the right ingredients. Cream of wheat is also a good breakfast choice.

 

Everyone deserves a treat too, but buying them pre made in stores can be costly. Make homemade cornstarch chocolate or banana pudding, your own popsicles (I fill my molds with yogurt --buying the big container not the tiny ones--and fruit chunks), or freeze bananas and blend them with milk, vanilla extract, and sugar for the most nutritious and delicious milkshakes. If a meal is light, I like to follow up with one of the above for dessert. No one wants to look at food for the rest of the evening afterwards!

 

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[Sneezyone]

I'd use dried beans rather than canned and larger cuts of meat (like whole chickens and pork roasts) and ground meats that can be prepared in multiple ways. IMHO, food is like everything else...you pay with your money or your labor. Foods that require require more labor are usually cheaper.

[HollyDay]

My effort to cut the budget is a good thing, this is not a "needs assistance" situation. Upon very careful consideration of our monthly expenses and looking at coming expenses, I know a change is needed. Our monthly grocery bill has gone up a huge amount. Some of that is rising costs. There are other areas of the budget that will be cut too. Nutrition will never be compromised. Neither will education or healthcare.

 

The grocery spending just amazes me. I'm spending twice per month what I spent per month last year. That is why I would like to cut it in half. If rising costs prevent that, then cutting it by 1/3 would be a great help. Income isn't going up so I'm trying to keep "outcome" lower

 

I'm also cutting expenses in other areas. Our Christmas budget will be less for instance. My book budget is going to take some cuts but I'm glad for a good library. Eating out is going to change too. Any "fluff" is getting a long hard look. Where can we save? Where can we not save? Dh is looking at cellphone plan options.

 

A family budget is complicated. I need to make changes in my area....meals, home, etc.

[Lori D.]

My effort to cut the budget is a good thing, this is not a "needs assistance" situation… Our monthly grocery bill has gone up a huge amount. Some of that is rising costs….  I'm spending twice per month what I spent per month last year. That is why I would like to cut it in half. If rising costs prevent that, then cutting it by 1/3 would be a great help. Income isn't going up so I'm trying to keep "outcome" lower

 

What ages are your children? Do make allowances for the fact that growing children (tweens/teens) hit a stage where they eat as much or more than an adult -- esp. if burning a lot of calories in a sport. So it's very possible that part of your grocery bill increase could be due to a much greater volume of food being consumed… ;) 

[HollyDay]

What ages are your children? Do make allowances for the fact that growing children (tweens/teens) hit a stage where they eat as much or more than an adult -- esp. if burning a lot of calories in a sport. So it's very possible that part of your grocery bill increase could be due to a much greater volume of food being consumed… ;)

 

yes, I wondered that too.  I still think I can do a better job meal planning. 

[AimeeM]

Often a desire to cut the food budget has nothing to do with needing assistance (indeed, most of those - who I know personally - desiring to cut that budget would never qualify for public assistance), and everything to do with realizing that spending in that area has substantially increased or it is recognized that it's come to a point of spending unnecessarily large amounts.

 

If I were to ever cut spending on something, barring other specific circumstances, food would be one of the first things, actually, because I have a pretty darn generous grocery budget - but cutting it down wouldn't compromise quality or nutrition; rather, it would compromise convenience, lol. A larger-than-it-should portion of that budget goes towards healthy, but prepared deli foods (for example) or pre-prepped meals. Right now I'm in a position where I feel that I need the convenience (homeschooling, moving, a kiddo with multiple therapies weekly - and I'm just plain tired, lol), but after we're settled in the new house, I would LIKE to make some changes in the food budget arena, so I'm watching this thread with interest.

Have you considered financial assistance with the government? I'm all for saving money, but food is where I draw the line. I buy smart and abuse sales to make our money stretch further, but I won't reduce the quality of the nourishment of my family. If you have trouble purchasing your grocery bill, take advantage of food stamps or whatever is available to you.

With that said, buying bulk especially during sales and freezing to preserve food longer is your friend. Even tomatoes can be frozen. My freezer is filled to the brim with raw meat, veggies, and individually portioned home cooked meals.

Cheap but filling meal suggestions are perogies, stuffed cabbage, sauerkraut with sausage, shepherd's pie, chicken and dumplings, home made mac n cheese, spaghetti, chicken scampi, beans and rice, creamy potatoe soup, biscuit chicken pot pie (make with a drop biscuit recipe instead of pie crust) and meat less chili. I would be willing to share my recipes for any of the above.

Cook more than enough and freeze what isn't eaten in individual portions for lunches. Slice or shred left over meat and mix with a gravy or bbq sauce and freeze for future hot sandwiches.

Cook big batches of pancakes and french toast and freeze in individual portions for breakfasts. Oatmeal can be delicious if you add the right ingredients. Cream of wheat is also a good breakfast choice.

Everyone deserves a treat too, but buying them pre made in stores can be costly. Make homemade cornstarch chocolate or banana pudding, your own popsicles (I fill my molds with yogurt --buying the big container not the tiny ones--and fruit chunks), or freeze bananas and blend them with milk, vanilla extract, and sugar for the most nutritious and delicious milkshakes. If a meal is light, I like to follow up with one of the above for dessert. No one wants to look at food for the rest of the evening afterwards!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[gingersmom]

Do you use coupons?

 

I saved $35 this week using coupons.

 

No, I did not buy junk food. I bought Cheerios, yogurt, coffee, pretzels, organic canned tomatoes, shampoo, toothpaste, laundry detergent and more stuff I can't remember.

[BrookValley.]

Do you make the oatmeal on the stove and then add it to the smoothie? About how much? How do you add it to pancakes. Add the raw oats, or cooked oatmeal? How much?

Not the OP of that post, but I add a small handful (1/3-ish cup I'd guess) of raw, old-fashioned oats to smoothies. No need to cook. It really makes a smoothie into more of a meal that sticks with you.