[Corin Stormhands]

Wife keeps telling me that South Beach is expensive because she's buying stuff we haven't traditionally bought.

I have to keep reminding her that's because she doesn't count the money we were spending eating out, ordering pizza or "just picking something up" as coming out of the grocery budget.

With Nana joining the family and with Jr. discovering he prefers steak, eating out has gotten to be vey spendy.

[2Jedismom]

Well, after we settled in to Atkins, I learned how to do it on a budget...but at first it really was expensive!

We don't eat out as much as we used to either.

Garn, do you think he'll make me start eating "butter flavored spread"? It's a molecule away from plastic, I say.

[RosieCotton]

I think I spent a lot more on groceries at first...but now I catch the sales, and stock up on things I use a lot and freeze them, like lean hamburger and chicken and (occasionally pork), plus seafood. And for vegetables, I take the store flier every weekend and use that to make my list, so I get whatever's in season and cheap.

Mostly it just requires a lot more shopping, since I'm eating far more vegetables than I used to, and those can't be stored forever like processed foods...

And you're right...ordering out adds up! And I don't do that much now.