Posted on 10/15/2008 8:22:08 AM PDT by HungarianGypsy
While reading another thread I noticed someone speaking of how they were able to spend $400 per month to feed their small family very well. So, I had an idea of asking how everyone budgets for groceries,
Allot depends on your location and what is available.
In my area, Save-a-lot has good prices, limited selection. A couple of other stores, IGA types, are somewhat to significantly higher. I find the local Walmart Supercenter is the highest on many products.
Stores, such as Fred’s, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, etc., have an interesting variety of food items. They each seem to have some items not available at the other stores. Their prices are competitive.
Several of the grocery stores have special sections which are quantity products — canned products in gallon containers, etc. Bulk usually costs less, comparatively, if you have storage available.
In large skillet, 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup (undiluted), one tin salmon, one cup frozen peas. Mix together and heat over medium-low until warmed thru. Serve over hot buttered toast with plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
(My hockey-Mom used to make that for my brother and me...)
They're gone within two weeks, so I generally don't have that problem (I'm part Scots-Irish, I can eat spuds for dessert). The main thing is to make sure they are in a cool, dry and ventilated place that is very dark and that they are not just dumped in a drawer.
I do lots of things, some of them already repeated.
1. If you work, make lunch for the week on Sunday. Try and do something that is six servings and freeze one. That way, you won’t have to make a pot once every few weeks. I make spaghetti sauce or what I fondly call C.I.C. (crap in a crockpot)
2. Buy the whole chicken. I cut out the breasts and break off the legs and thights and save seperately. I use everything else to make a broth. I can usually pick off a good extra cup or two of meat from the carcass. I use that for a soup or stew (see line one)
3. Revisist the leafy greens and other vegetables. I eat alot of Kale, Carrots, Cabbage, Swiss Chard, and fully grown spinach (not the bagged baby stuff). These are CHEAP. I paid .75 for a bunch of Kale two weeks ago and got about 7 servings. Please note that these have all been labeled “superfoods” at one time. I like to steam it in a little chicken broth with some paprika.
4. Don’t be afraid of store brands. Normally I buy one of something, epecially if it is on sale to see if I like it. If I do, I switch exclusively to the store brand and stock up when it is on sale. I got 20 cans of a decent quality tuna for $9.00 last month. I won’t buy tuna again for several months.
5. Experiment with beans, lentils and rice. I have had great successes mixing beans, rices, small amounts of meat, veggies and cheese. One of my favorites is mixing navy beans, chicken broth, onion, spinach, lemon and parmesan cheese. I have added a little leftover chicken and tuna to this too.
6. If you like sourdough, learn how to make it. This is least expensive way to make bread. Once you get a start going, you only need flour, water and salt to make great bread.
I almost NEVER eat out - it’s a budget killer. If I’ve been out and around for awhile and I’m hungry, I’ll get a couple of Wendy’s dollar burgers. I can’t remember the last time I ate in a restaurant - I can feed myself for two days for what a mundane restaurant meal costs.
Check your local growers and producers. We get our chicken, whole, from a Mennonite congregation. These are free-range, no chemicals. Huge birds, lots of meat, very well priced. Also, we have a non-USDA meat market, unbelievable cuts.
I travel a lot for work so when I am not traveling, I’d rather have my husband’s grilled pork. Service and taste are not as good as it used to be anyway.
My brother in law works for Redners. I shop at Wegmans sometimes and he does not like that much. But, I get good vegetables there at good prices; big heads of cauliflower for $5 for 2. You do have to be careful there. I like Karn’s for meat.
Beans and rice, rice and beans.
now that we have an Aldi here, I shop there. That helps tremendously in keeping the grocery bill down. I also go to Winn Dixie or Food Lion but ONLY buy the stuff that’s on sale...I think the Winn Dixie a couple towns over has salted peanuts 10 bags for $10...I use the discount card that they require but neither is connected to my phone number and address...:)
Occasionally go to Walmart but now that Aldi opened a couple weeks ago, the trips there will be fewer because Aldi just smacks them on most prices...
bachelor, btw...
Redners has pretty good prices. But their best meat sales are not the 5-for$20. I've often gotten bones thighs for $1.39 there - dirt cheap for pure meat. I figure that if I can get the meat boneless for $2/lb or less, I'm doing OK - in other words, if bone-in pork chops are $1.70 and boneless are $1.99, the boneless are a better deal.
Hamburger any more is a waste of money - it can be more expensive than London Broil or roast on sale.
Portions of ingredients can be altered. Nothing is critical.
Serve with a nice hot horseradish along with rye bread and butter.
Thanks for the link!!!
Do you have to be low income to buy from Angel Food Ministries?
No. Anyone can use Angel Foods. Here's the FAQs.
You’re welcome.
Lots of good stuff there!
One of my favorite cookbooks had many plant centered things. Although, for me animal products of some kind are an absolute must. Keeps me semi-sane and my name out of the news for going postal. :)
Your football player sounds like my six year old. It’s funny, because in my house the person who eats the most looks almost skeletal.
Great list idea! Please add me.
Currently a single father raising two daughters, and one of them’s a teenager, on a food budget of $200/month. I’m a decent (daughters say, “great!) cook, so I make nearly all of our meals from scratch. I even bake bread on occasion, though I’m not sure it’s much cheaper to make it as it is to buy it, lol!
Salad is a staple at suppertime in our home. I don’t buy the pre-cut “bag-o’-salad”, as it goes bad too quickly. I cut up romaine myself, along with the other tasty’s that go in it. And I make my own salad dressings (it’s really easy, and they taste sooo much fresher).
Okay, a quick, easy recipe:
Pasta Primavera
4 - 6 cups water
1 Cup shaped pasta (it really doesn’t matter what shape)
1/2 bag frozen mixed vegetables (store-brand is fine)
2 - 3 tsp olive oil
1 TLB salt, plus additional for seasoning
pepper for seasoning
Grated Parmesan cheese
Bring water to a boil in a large sauce pan or dutch oven.
Add 1 tablespoon of salt to boiling water, then add pasta.
Boil pasta for 7 - 8 minutes, until al dente.
Add frozen veggies and allow to return to a boil.
Turn off heat, and then drain pasta and veggies in a colander.
Move pasta and veggies to a serving bowl.
Drizzle olive oil over pasta, then salt and pepper to taste.
Toss and serve with a side salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil for dressing, and a piece of garlic toast.
Server grated parmesan on the side for sprinkling onto pasta primavera.
Total cost to feed three people: $3.00, at the most. That’s $1 per person!
And it’s a fairly balanced meal, to boot.
There’s veggies, carbohydrates, “good” fat, dairy...
And my kids love it!
Absolutely not! I helped bring the program to Kern Memorial United Methodist Church here in Oak Ridge- anybody can participate!
Thumbs up, single dad! I was a single dad raising 1 daughter - I finally met the right woman...although it took me a couple years to realize it...and we got married last year. Now a married dad with a 15 year old and a 10 month old. Life is good, God is Great!
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