Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Grocery Advice Needed

I just got home from another depressing trip to the grocery store. Yep, definitely in the red again this week. I just can't seem to make it on the $100 per week we budget for food. I know of others who make it on less, so what am I doing wrong?

Here's what I think I do right so far: I shop first for sale items, basing my week's meals around whatever's on sale. I shop at multiple stores for food to get the best prices: Econo (good sales), County Market, Sam's, and sometimes Walmart or Target. We don't waste much. I try to buy the lowest cost per ounce possible. We don't eat a lot of junk food and hardly any pop.

Here are our trouble areas: We eat a ton of dairy--yogurt, milk, cheese--and some kind of meat in every dinner. My kids mow through 5 lbs. of apples in less than a week, as well as a lot of other fruit. We like to get a Papa Murphy's pizza once a week ($8 or less).

Does anyone have any great wisdom and/or tips for me? I'd love to know how others are making it work. Maybe we can all learn a new idea from this.

21 comments:

Keithslady said...

I don't know how much over your $100 goal you're going, but it sounds like you're doing a lot of "the right things". I'm generally feeding 9 (ages 4-17 and 2 adults) with a 10th (age 18)eating randomly (she works as a cook at a resort--free food). My cost is $800-$1000/month. I don't know the types of foods you buy, but you can save money by limiting:

boxed cereals (substitute pancakes from scratch, oatmeal--not the packaged instant kind, other cooked cereal--try cooked rice with some butter and br. sugar, they love it and using brown rice makes it healthier although mine definitely prefer white, eggs and toast, or make your own Muesli),

and,
canned foods--soups, sauces, stews, spaghettis are all cheaper and healthier from scratch.

I keep powdered milk to use for cooking--it's cheaper and lasts forever in the cupboard. I save the fresh milk for drinking--we go through a gallon a day.

Cutting back on the meat helps too. Do you cook at all with beans or legumes? I have a couple of really good recipes using those. In fact, one of the black bean meals is often a birthday favorite. If your husband likes meat you can keep some leftover for his meal and train the kids to eat the alternate proteins. Or, use less meat by making dishes that have the meat mixed in and use small pieces--i.e. rather than serve steak make straganoff, instead of hamburgers, make sloppy joes, and make more or larger side dishes.

Do you buy individual yogurts? If you go through a lot (we do) it can save to get the 32 oz. size and serve it in small bowls (Wal Mart has an off brand that is reasonable and contains the acidopholus--comes in plain, strawberry, and vanilla.)

There's a wonderful cookbook that my mother-in-law recommended that is great for making economical meals. I believe it's put out by Mennonites. It's called, "More With Less" by Doris Janzen Longacre. If I only had 2 cookbooks in my kitchen I'd have that one and "Joy of Cooking". (And I don't really love the kitchen detail!)

If Papa Murphy's is your weekly sanity saver then get it! Or try making your own and freezing some. I have to make 8 pizzas for a meal so there's no point in trying to double and freeze, but if you only use 2 you could have three meals frozen.

Hope you can find something here that could help.

NoOtherName said...

Thanks, keithslady! I'm serious that you should start a blog with all the knowledge and wisdom you have from raising 11 kids--wow!

I could especially use the no-meat ideas...I don't have any good recipes. No meat is a stretch for me--I'm glad you said you really like those dishes!

The yogurts are another key one. Those individual ones are killers.
Great ideas! I think I'll look for that cookbook! :)

NoOtherName said...

I also think I need to get a cow.

Anonymous said...

J
We need to shop together for that cookbook. I am all about healthier ideas and sticking to my budget. I am only one but I do so bad in this area.
Farf

Pam said...

i'll put together some no-to-hardly any meat recipies. very cheap, easy and healthy!

Joey said...

Whoa...my eyes are deceiving me...Martha left a comment!? FARF??? Martha??? Are you okay?

kristi noser said...

THREE CHEERS FOR THE RED WHITE AND FARF,
FOR THE FARF MAY BE SOMEDAY A BLOOOOGGERRRRR!

NoOtherName said...

Hey, Bert--
Tell us what TSP is again. I think it's some cheap meat-substitute that you swear by, but no one else I know has ever heard of it. Where do you get it? Thanks for all the other hints--you are amazing, you creative budgeter, you!

And Noser, I am anxiously awaiting any ideas you have--cough 'em up, already!

Keithslady said...

TVP=Texturized Vegetable Protein, made from soy, can be mixed equally with water and added to ground beef to ssssttttrrrreeeetttccchhh the budget.

Joey said...

I have an even better method. See, it seems that as long as you remain single, people invite you over. Weird, I know, but very fun, enjoyable, and of course, humbling to know that people like that care about you.

The down side: you have to pay for the gas to get there. But hey, the food is great!

(In all seriousness to everyone who has reached out to me though who may be reading this, thank you! It means more to me than I could ever hope to adequately express.)

Carla said...

Just some thoughts.
Planning your menu around sales I think would be difficult. I have a rotating menu with your basic(boring) simple taco, meatloaf, pasta recipes. I shop Econo. Pat shops County Market. I always buy store brands, shop the dollar aisle and the Reduced for Quick Sale meat section. I do not leave the house without my grocery list, menu and a calculator and I ask God to help me not go over. I usually spend $100-$120. Oh, and my record for fastest grocery shopping is 42 minutes. Cherub free of course!

NoOtherName said...

I like that reminder to ask God help not go over budget...I guess I kind of forget that part! Good idea!

The planning around sales thing really does work, however. For instance, if pork chops are mega on sale, we'll be having at least one meal of pork chops that week. I grab however much I need of the sale price item to make it until the next sale. When 3 lb. bags of frozen chicken go on sale at Econo for $4.77, I will buy 2 or 3 so I'll always have chicken in the freezer until it goes back on sale. This technique has saved me lots!

Carla said...

DUH...I do that too. I thought you meant that you wait for the paper to come out and find Polska Kielbasa and Diet Cherry Coke on sale...and you buy that. :)

Joey said...

I think you've found the trick to getting blogging attention. Talk about food!

Great, now I'm hungry...and doubting whether my trick will still work now. I think it does?

NoOtherName said...

Don't worry, Joey--Bri and I will feed you (and guest) soon. :):):)

Joey said...

Wow, three smiles? That works for me. Are you sure you know what you got her into though? ;-P

Joey said...

Oh, and this weekend won't work. Heading northeast to meet my family. :)

Joey said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
NoOtherName said...

Is that earlier comment referring to you or to my cooking?

If it refers to you, nope--don't really know what I've gotten her into. But I think she knows (after over a dozen multi-hour intra-state phone conversations) and a 14 hour "shoe-shopping" date. And she did say yes. So really, I'm off the hook.

Joey said...

Refers to me. As for you being off the hook...hmm...tough to say you hold no responsibility, but then, in light of the evidence you've presented, I may just be convinced that you're exempt.

theswamphare said...

Eat with us on Wednesdays when Brian works late. I'll accidentally overcook and you can bring home left-overs.

swamp hare