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

[sclisa]

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 (http://lovesschool.blogspot.com/2008/01/pantry-picks.html)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 (http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/fruits_amount.aspx#).

Girls

9-13 years old

1 ½ cups**

14-18 years old

1 ½ cups**
http://www.mypyramid.gov/images/spacer.gif 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." (http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/fruits_counts.html#)

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 (http://www.wisebread.com/healthy-frugal-eating) 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.

[sclisa]

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

[Kayaking Mom]

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.

[ustasmom]

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!

[BlsdMama]

DON'T BUY CEREAL. (That'll save you a ton.) Even the cereals like Kashi, etc., the extrusion process isn't all that healthy for you. Better to make a granola. Try "Megan's Granola" on all recipes.

And AllRecipes is FABULOUS for finding soup recipes.

On our menu we usually do a hm pizza night (Jay's Pizza Crust on AR w/ 1/2 whole wheat), a mexican night, a salmon night, etc. My favorite night is "Soup, Salad, and Breadsticks" - it fills us up but is so nice and lightweight. Try Jamie's Minestrone on AllRecipes. Fabulous! (Yes, I'm an all recipes addict, but it's the one thing that has made from an "okay" cook to a really good one, lol!)

[Mama Lynx]

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.

So how did you do it? I've never used coupons much ... have never worked out a good system for doing so.

[TraceyS/FL]

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.

I have to laugh - this would NEVER fly at my house. My DH, eats 1 meal a day mostly these days (i refuse to count his candy bar and soda breakfast as a meal), and if that meal didn't have meat he'd freak. He seriously needs the protein - so i can't cut it if I try.

on the weekends if i get him to eat lunch - i can cut back on dinner.... and i never had leftovers because he's eating it 2 meals worth at dinner (for the record, he's a 30" waist and works hard labor all day - how he can not eat lunch i dunno).

But in my fantasy life my kids & DH will eat like you suggest :D

[Mama Lynx]

Okay, here's what we're doing:

I've made a dinner menu plan, but I need to work on breakfast and lunch. We're planning:
one meat night,
one soup night,
one casserole night (usu. made with the leftover meat),
one fish night,
one pasta night,
one homemade pizza night,
and one leftover night.

The idea is that the meat night will give us leftovers for the casserole, and possibly the soup, too, if we want. The meat will be whatever's on sale, or whatever's in the freezer from previous sales.

The kids do usually have cold cereal for breakfast, so I'll work at getting them off that. Only two of them like oatmeal, but we can make pancakes, eggs, muffins.

Lunch ... they love to eat tortillas and cheese, but I don't like them eating that every day. They don't like beans. Have to think about lunch.

And snacks. I guess we will have to plan snacks. They do love popcorn.

They do like yogurt, and I do have a yogurt maker ... but I haven't yet managed to make yogurt in a way that they will like it. I love it plain, but they do not. Any tips on making yummy, fruit-sweetened yogurt?

My kids don't eat much vegetables, and the probably to eat too much fruit. Frankly, I'm lazy, and have never wanted to do the work of getting them to eat more vegetables. Still, generally they'll eat carrots and broccoli, at least, and some salad. It is also possible that we can make smoothies with veggies in them for snacks ... I used to make my kids smoothies every day, but it became a pain, and I stopped.

I will still have to manage to buy some of my special items, like rice milk. It is even possible that going back to eating much wheat/dairy will make me ill again, but I'll work with that if it happens.

If you are on a tight budget, how do you handle bulk items? What if the cost of the bulk item is a significant chunk of your budget that week?

Like Amy and Doran, we're used to good food ... high quality, gourmet, eating for pleasure. I used to say we'd never skimp on the food, but now it's not really a choice.

Does baking bread really provide a savings over storebought, if you do not grind your own grains? I can buy flour in bulk ...

[Julie in CA]

If there's a Craigslist in your area, or if there's a small-town newspaper with inexpensive classified ads, post an ad:
"Growing family looking for unpicked fruit. We will pick your tree for you if you don't mind sharing just a bit of the harvest with us." (or something like that).
Then, make sure you learn how to properly preserve (either by canning or freezing) what you've picked.
If no one responds to your ad, the next place to try would be a local senior center or local churches. Definitely make it clear that you will pick fruit for the owner of the tree, in return for just a fraction of the harvest, and that it will be to feed your own family, not to sell. Leave a half-size hand-printed flyer at each place you visit, so that they have your number, but realize you're not a slick professional looking to take advantage of them. There is wasted fruit on trees in every town, you just have to find it. Once you've "cultivated" a few sources, keep their names/numbers on your calendar in the right season, so that next year in June you call the person with an apricot tree, next year in July you call the person with a peach tree, etc. It sounds like a bit of work in the beginning, and it is, but has financial benefits that will start immediately and last many years.
As a happy side effect, you can often meet some REALLY nice folks this way!

[urpedonmommy]

Does baking bread really provide a savings over storebought, if you do not grind your own grains? I can buy flour in bulk ...


Just my 2cents but....yup. Especially if you usually buy good quality whole wheat/grain type breads. Around here (NW PA) a loaf of 12 grain or whole wheat type bread runs about 2.50-3.50 a loaf. I can make 2 loaves of whole wheat honey bread for about 2.50, so that's about half price. My loaves are just a bit smaller than store bought, but i can slice them thinner and get the same number of sandwiches out of a loaf. Also, if I were willing to use sugar instead of honey, I could cut the numbers down even more--about 2.00 per 2 loaves. The key is buying the ingredients in bulk,(and finding the right recipe--some use greater amounts of expensive ingredients etc.) . You can also add things like sunflower seeds, ground flax seed, poppy seed, other flours and grains etc if you can find them inexpensively for a multi-grain bread, but that pushes the price up, so do the math to decide if it's really a savings--oatmeal is usually a good cheap addition to boost nutrition.
Back when bread was .79 a loaf, it didn't work, but now...

[Alice]

I know you are here in Northern Virginia (or moving here soon, right?). Have you tried the Korean or Asian grocery stores in this area? The produce is cheap, cheap, cheap. It's amazing how much of a savings it is. I don't know exactly where you are...the biggest, nicest one I know of is Super H Mart in Fairfax. http://www.hmart.com/ourstore/ourstore_main.asp#va. But there are others around...If you want to PM or e-mail me and tell me where you are I might be able to give you a recommendation of something closer to you. My dh is Chinese and loves these stores.

[laughing lioness]

I didn't have time to read all of the posts so don't know if this has been suggested or not. We cut out liqued milk. We could easily go through a gal a day and at $4 a gal it can be a huge chunck of our food budget. We have been using powdered milk from Sams and /or powdered soy milk from the health food store.
Also, garden- I know it's been suggested but even just one crop- we have a bumper crop of lettuce this year-it's saving us $5 a week x 9 wks (conservative) = $45. We also grow herbs- VERY easy to succeed at- thyme, basil (think Pesto = ), parsley, etc. And anyone can grow tomatoes- my goal this year is a years worth of spag sauce and protection from Somanella -lol

[Jenny in Florida]

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!).

Well, that's probably why I don't do as well at these places: We don't eat meat, cheese (well, my husband eats a bit) or butter, and I don't use paper towels.

Now, I agree that I could save the cost of the membership by buying at BJ's only the few items on which I do save money: orange juice, bananas, frozen strawberries . . . That's all I can think of at the moment. However, it's just not practical to buy only those things there and then still do the bulk of my shopping elsewhere. It's out of the way, a direction I don't usually go, with a parking lot that is difficult to get into and out of in traffic. And, as others have mentioned, the more times one goes to the store in a week or a month, the more items one tends to buy that might otherwise not get bought.

So, for me, "saving" the cost of membership is only the beginning of the discussion.

[ereks mom]

I shop at Save-A-Lot for everything but meat, which I buy on sale at Kroger or Ingle's.

I cook "meat-stretcher meals": casseroles, soups, or stews made with 1 lb. of meat or less plus vegetables and either rice, beans, or pasta, and I often serve homemade rolls, biscuits, or cornbread.

Meat
I buy meat only when it's on sale; my policy is to spend under $2 per lb. for meat. I buy frozen fish, hot dogs (made from chicken), ground beef, turkey ham, turkey smoked sausage, canned salmon, tuna, chicken, and sometimes pork loin, turkey breast, or beef roast when it's on sale in my price range. I guess my "splurge" would be the 1-lb. package of thin-sliced sandwich meat ($3). Dh & ER are hunters, so we usually have at least a little bit of venison in the freezer.

Fruits & Vegetables
I buy fresh cabbage, carrots, celery, bell peppers, onions, potatoes, apples, and bananas. I buy canned tomatoes, beans and green peas, and peaches and/or pears (packed in juice, not syrup). I buy frozen green beans, broccoli, and lima beans. Each summer my FIL has a garden and we get summer produce for our freezer, such as peas/beans, corn, squash, okra.

Dairy/Eggs/Juice
I buy cheese, margarine, milk ($4 per gallon here), sour cream, and eggs. I sometimes buy orange juice or apple juice when it's on sale.

Other
I buy peanut butter, jelly, sugar, flour, coffee, oatmeal, grits (a Southern staple :)), rice, pasta, store brand/generic cold cereal (only when it's $2 per box or less), bread or buns, and condiments (catsup, mustard, BBQ sauce, mayonnaise, pickles), graham crackers, saltines or snack crackers, tortilla chips, and tortillas. If there's enough money, I occasionally buy a few "extras" if they're on sale or CHEAP, such as Wal-Mart’s 98¢ cookie assortment.

Of course, I don't buy all of these things in one shopping trip; I buy some here and there so that I can stay within my budget, which varies from $25-$50 per week, depending on dh's income. It takes planning and some extra work because most of what I cook is from scratch. I would like to add more fresh fruits, but in general, I think we eat a pretty healthy diet. I plan for a protein, a starch, and at least one fruit or vegetable for each meal.

[Mama Lynx]

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.

I would not feel too exposed ... but I'm not sure how representative it would be right now. We're moving next Monday :D So I've been eating down our pantry, and getting rid of things.

Let's see ... in my pantry are ... tortilla chips, Tostitos brand, but their natural brand. I'm sure that's pricier than we should be spending. So good, though :) Popcorn for the air popper. Cereal (oh, you don't want to know. I've been buying organic cereal for the kids.) Oats - rolled and steel cut. Grits. Puffed amaranth cereal (mine, but I don't have to buy it again).

Rice noodles - easy and gluten-free, though low on nutrition. Brown rice.

Quinoa and whole wheat noodles of various kinds. Lentils and split peas.

Baking goods - cocoa, sugar, honey, agave nectar, baking chocolate, flours (all high-quality, mostly organic, wheat and non/wheat). Two bags of cornmeal, for some reason. Brown sugar. Maple syrup. Shortening, cornstarch, baking powder (non-aluminum), raisins, kosher salt, all kinds of spices

Balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, coconut oil, olive oil, safflower oil, molasses

Dinty Moore Beef Stew, some Amy's soups, potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, Vidalia onions, dried figs, garlic, sunflower seeds, fruit-sweetened jelly, dates, canned salmon, canned tuna, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, olives, whole wheat bread (with no high fructose corn syrup), canned tomatoes, canned green beans, canned peaches (favorite child snack), canned artichoke hearts, canned pizza sauce.

Red Fire bars :)

Everything is high quality, with no hfcs, and few if any artificial additives.

In the fridge are lettuce/bag salads, carrots, cucumber, zucchini, celery, cheese, milk (usu. Organic Valley), rice milk, yogurt (Stonyfield Farms), pepperoni, peanut butter (peanuts only), Sunbutter, butter, eggs, lemons, lunchmeat, soy sauce, salad dressings, condiments ... often I have leaf spinach in there for salads ... cream cheese ... tortillas, salsa, avocadoes, lime juice

In the freezer are frozen berries, frozen veggies, turkey burgers, meats, flour when I buy in bulk

On the counter are apples, bananas, and a spaghetti squash :) And, alas, a jug of cheap wine.

No juices or soda. We drink water, tea, and we make lemonade. In the winter I buy hot cocoa mix for the kids.

What's there now is already partially a result of cutting back and buying differently.

[GVD22]

So how did you do it? I've never used coupons much ... have never worked out a good system for doing so.

I sent you a PM.

[EndsWell]

I am finding this a fascinating thread. I just mapped Aldi's and see that there are 2 within 20 miles of me. I am going to check it out. Thank you for all the great ideas here.

[Spy Car]

Apologies in advance Mama Lynx, because I glean you have a problem with some beans, but perhaps the best way most people can both improve the quality of their family members health AND cut costs at the same time is to make whole-grains (especially brown-rice), some form of beans, and fresh vegetables the backbone of our diets. And add to that fruits, nuts, soups, and perhaps fish, fowl and small amounts of meat.

It's the "processed" foods that tend to break the budget and to undermine health. It's possible to have a "win/win" by eating "better" and less expensively. Cutting coupons, or shopping at Sam's to buy unhealthy "processed" less expensively only solves one part of the food equation. As we strive to feed our children's' minds...so should we be mindful of nourishing their growing bodies.

If the tone above sounds "preachy" I beg forbearance.

Standing down from my soap-box.

Bill (who will sign-off saying a "crock-pot" can be your friend) :001_smile:

[H.S. Burrow]

1.) Started making our own bread...including the grinding of wheat berries into flour....put 1 cup in your blender and visit the board for a few minutes and presto....you have flour!

2.) I purchase most everything at Wal-Mart (don't have a Costco or other type store near). I have just this month started dividing my purchases into 2 separate transactions. One is for FOOD ONLY and the other is for ANYTHING that cannot be eaten. This has helped us to *see* where our money is going....those darn codes on the receipt can be difficult to decypher!

3.) I purchase the meat on sale at two of our local, smaller grocery stores and make up several meals each week and put them in the freezer. For instance last week whole, boneless pork loin was on sale for $1.77 a pound. I purchased one and divided it into 7 different meals and froze them. Each week, I purchase one of whatever meat is on sale. The only thing that I will pay more than $2 per pound for is fish.

4.) I ordered a menu (complete with shopping list!) from www.savingdinner.com (http://www.savingdinner.com) and have also subscribed to one of their weekly menus for 1 year. I have saved all of these and adapted the ones that are our favorites to "freezer meals" so that I can make up several at a time when meat is on sale.

5.) I only buy cereal when it is on sale.

6.) I made a "Mom's Diner" menu with several of our family's favorite meals and snacks. The kids choose items off the menu for the coming week...including breakfast. I keep a container with breakfast tortilla mix (scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, sausage) and oatmeal (cooked in the crockpot once a week) in the fridge and my dh makes his own breakfast tortilla or oatmeal each morning.

These have really helped us with our spending on groceries. Last week I spent $137 on food and put 13 meals in the freezer.

[magistramom]

I found it inspiring to read classic books with the idea of food storage and cooking in mind. I'm surprised at what I've learned! Some call these fluff classics, but... I've enjoyed them for gleaning teeny bits about cooking and food storage: Little Women, Little Men, Oliver Twist, Little Britches, Lonesome Gods, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, My Name is Asher Lev, The Chosen, and hey, even the Little House series, American Girl series, and so on. You can expand your culinary awareness by reading books set in other countries as well (think China, India, middle ages, etc.). As I read, I've come to understand so much about food (and parenting, and herbal medicines too). I've learned about early kitchens and meal prep, canning, smoking/drying/curing, holiday meals, haying and harvest festival fixings - even how to pack a lunch pail for that one room school kids went to for part of the year:) These books have reiterated to me that even today, it is wise to have a full pantry (and storage beyond) of the basics: salt, flour, sugar, brown sugar, rice, baking powder and soda, beans, jams, corn and maple syrups, pectin, condensed milk, honey, chocolate, vanilla, spices, oils and shortenings.

Modern conveniences to store include: pasta, soup bases, bouillion cubes (sp?), canned soups, dressings, seasoned packets (taco, etc.), BBQ sauce, ketchup, Lipton onion packets, mustard, pickles, and exotics that you like for special meals (coconut milk, enchilada sauces, giardiniera, pie filings, - whatever).

Now, on to other thoughts...
Short order cooking can work if you modify the definition... 1) You don't cook, 2) All you do, is help your kids learn to assemble various items (cooking will follow). All you need to do is choose and prepare ONE item (lettuce, eggs, pasta, rice, bread, etc.) and then lay out a variety of items. For example: Say you choose lettuce. This means you will have salad as a main course for dinner. Now what you need to do is pull out out all the fixings imaginable: from dried cranberries, roasted sweet potato chips, canned oranges, pickles, cauliflower, carrots, cheese, even marinara and sloppy joe sauces. Read here...lots of leftovers... With all the fixings out, everyone can assemble what they like. You can stretch a chicken breast, ground hamburger or small steak with these salad dinners too by shredding it and pulling out different fixings (taco salad, steak and potato salad, pasta/lettuce/veggie salad, chicken/orange/sesame salad). Having a buffet for a few weeks is an easy way to clear out your refrigerator and pantry to start anew. It is also a great technique to help ween kids off of heat-n-eat meals and snacks. They begin to get in touch with their pallets and possibly, their inner creative "chefness".

It is an adjustment to buy the "right" bulk foods. We quit our Costco membership, partly because we are only a family of four, and do not need to buy in bulk, but mostly, because we were purchasing convenience/heat up foods high in salt and fat. We realize we are a rare breed. If this is too drastic, you could try to find someone with a membership that is willing to "club" with you (one membership, 4 families chip in). This is where you get 3-4 families together: one family is in charge of coupons and is the grocery list contact person; another person does the bulk shopping with the membership; then another person divides everything up and packages it for the other families; and a final family delivers the goods.

We switched to co-op buying and frequenting local veggie stands and the lesser desired rancho markets (we live in the SW where we can get tons of super fresh seasonal and non-seasonal veggies year round right out of the fields and off trucks). We also are a part of a co-op that rents out trucks that bring "down" peaches, pears, tomatoes, apples, and berries in the fall from UT and WA. These are only available in bulk - and are super ripe, meaning as soon as the truck arrives I put my canning pot on to boil. Canning in bulk is a huge PITA but the results are delicious. Try to find someone in your area to walk you through the process to help you build your confidence that everything is being done "right".

Try to recycle everything. Potato and root vegetable peelings are great when soaked in salt water, roasted and then dipped into homemade dips (or pepper jams/jellies). Making homemade stocks are in vogue now with all the press in cooking magazines and on cooking shows. Peelings and bones are great for the stock base (just make sure to skim the surface scum VERY often! for clarity). These stocks can be canned as well.

My kids love croutons, so I had them begin making homemade croutons (I make them from the ends of bread - just dry them up and saute them with oil and herbs du jour). They show up in their diets now as snack food alone or with popcorn mixed with the dregs of other snacks. I use the croutons as toppings for crock pot meals, salad toppers, and when mashed, bread crumbs.

I found that a lot of our fast food and heat-n-eat meals were due to not being prepared. Try preparing meal bases in advance (look on once a month cooking sites). For this, you can: make and freeze dough (e.g. small tortilla rounds that can be thawed and heat pressed; cookie doughs, bread doughs); have a bake day and freeze all the goodies; brown up 5+ lbs of hamburger and package them for the freezer; cook two chickens instead of one - prepare one for freezer meals...of course investment in a good freezer is key here...

Good luck! You still have a HUGE budget to work with. Enjoy making gradual healthy changes!

[Jen in PA]

We spend between $300 and $350 each month to feed a family of four, although the kids are pretty young. I refuse to skimp on produce, so I can sympathize on that one, but maybe some of what we do may be useful.

1. Homemade bread/muffins/cookies/oat bars. This saves us so much money and I like having control over the ingredients. I don't touch HFCS, so I find making my own stuff to be a sanity saver.

2. Homemade pizza with local mozzarella cheese. Yummy and so inexpensive, plus I can even sneak leftovers on as a topping.

3. I do let my kids have cold cereal, so long as it's store brand cornflakes or oat rings, which I can get for a buck a box. They eat them either as-is or with fruit or cinnamon sprinkled on top. I like to make up big pots of oatmeal a few times a week which makes for a quick hot breakfast if we microwave individual portions. Other weekday mornings we tend to have toast or muffins.

4. For weekend breakfasts we usually have eggs/quiche one morning and pancakes the other. I always make enough pancakes to reheat for at least one other morning during the week. This week I put chocolate chips in the pancakes, which made me pretty popular around here:001_smile:

5. We are dairy addicts, but I have really had to limit the variety in this area to stretch our budget. I buy ALDI plain nonfat yogurt and stir in fruit, nuts, honey, etc. If your kids like it really sweet, try stirring jam in instead. I love cottage cheese, but rarely buy it now that it has gotten so expensive. I can get local cheddar cheese for $3 a pound, so we eat lots of cheddar and less of the other varieties unless I hit a great sale.

6. I do make beans/lentils/split peas a few times a week. Lentils are nice tossed on salads this time of year, and I love almost any soup made with legumes. I add curry to a lot of things, as well as various hot sauces, so I always think of our bean meals as being pretty flavorful. I also use tofu much more than I used to, especially crumbled into things that I once used meat in, like stir fries and pasta sauces.

7. As for produce, I buy only what is on sale, plus lettuce. I can get red leaf lettuce pretty cheap, so I buy plenty of it each week, then build salads with whatever is a good deal (and I can't wait for my garden to start helping out a bit here!). We have salad every night, and dress it simply with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and sea salt, so I never spend money on dressings. I stock up on whatever fruit is in season, and freeze what we can't use right away. I actually love it when the store is selling super-ripe bananas for a dime a pound -- I peel and freeze them, then throw them into smoothies. My dd will not eat watermelon, but loves watermelon slushies, which are nothing more than frozen chunks of watermelon whirred around in the blender.

8. I buy the meat that is on sale, and that is what we eat. I would rather eat a little bit of good meat than a lot of meat that I don't trust or enjoy. I feel like we get quite a bit of protein from nuts, beans, and dairy products, so I don't worry too much about meat, although DH likes it for dinner every night. I have learned to use canned salmon where I would have used fresh in the past, and the kids now eat tuna in place of cold cuts.

9. I keep the pantry stocked with rice, pasta, and potatoes, and aim for at least half of our starches to be whole grains. I would personally prefer to up that percentage, but DH was raised on white bread and white rice, and I find that he is much happier when I don't push this one too far.

10. I am very careful about snack foods. They add so much to the grocery bill and disappear so quickly! Aside from treats I bake myself, we usually have dollar store pretzels, ALDI peanuts, and an assortment of dried fruit on hand. I keep veggies cut up and the kids like spreading peanut butter or cream cheese on them.

I hope something here is useful. I really think I'll be trimming even further the way the economy is headed.

[Mama Lynx]

Apologies in advance Mama Lynx, because I glean you have a problem with some beans, but perhaps the best way most people can both improve the quality of their family members health AND cut costs at the same time is to make whole-grains (especially brown-rice), some form of beans, and fresh vegetables the backbone of our diets. And add to that fruits, nuts, soups, and perhaps fish, fowl and small amounts of meat.

It's the "processed" foods that tend to break the budget and to undermine health. It's possible to have a "win/win" by eating "better" and less expensively. Cutting coupons, or shopping at Sam's to buy unhealthy "processed" less expensively only solves one part of the food equation. As we strive to feed our children's' minds...so should we be mindful of nourishing their growing bodies.

If the tone above sounds "preachy" I beg forbearance.

Standing down from my soap-box.

Bill (who will sign-off saying a "crock-pot" can be your friend) :001_smile:

No problem, Bill. I don't take any offense to your tone.

I do take into account that most of you don't "know" me. We really do eat very, very little crappy processed food. Honest. We eat whole grains (except for my weakness for rice noodles), and I'm very well-read about nutrition. It's also true that my dh and kids, though they don't eat the processed junk because it's not generally in the home, still much prefer meat over vegetables, and that part of our diet is still an uphill battle.

Right - I can't eat most beans ... and nuts are right out. I'm also not supposed to have eggs or dairy, and spent the last year never touching the stuff ... which meant that our meat consumption increased as it was almost the only kind of easy protein I could get. I think I can go back to eating some beans (lentils, chickpeas ... but no black beans, kidneys or pintos), and some eggs, and I've been back on dairy and wheat for a month or so without ill effect. When I can eat more of those things, I can see how it will be easier to back off the meat again. Yeast is also out, so while I can make bread for the kids (or get the kids to make bread!!), I won't be having any of that myself.

But I absolutely agree with you.

[Spy Car]

No problem, Bill. I don't take any offense to your tone.

I do take into account that most of you don't "know" me. We really do eat very, very little crappy processed food. Honest. We eat whole grains (except for my weakness for rice noodles), and I'm very well-read about nutrition. It's also true that my dh and kids, though they don't eat the processed junk because it's not generally in the home, still much prefer meat over vegetables, and that part of our diet is still an uphill battle.

Right - I can't eat most beans ... and nuts are right out. I'm also not supposed to have eggs or dairy, and spent the last year never touching the stuff ... which meant that our meat consumption increased as it was almost the only kind of easy protein I could get. I think I can go back to eating some beans (lentils, chickpeas ... but no black beans, kidneys or pintos), and some eggs, and I've been back on dairy and wheat for a month or so without ill effect. When I can eat more of those things, I can see how it will be easier to back off the meat again. Yeast is also out, so while I can make bread for the kids (or get the kids to make bread!!), I won't be having any of that myself.

But I absolutely agree with you.

Stephanie (Mama Lynx), I actually have the advantage of "knowing you" a little better than you might realize, as I joined TDJ several years ago, and while I seldom post there (feeling a man with an infant child didn't always have much to add) , I have had the extreme pleasure of reading many *many* of of your posts over the years (to my great benefit).

I'd have been shocked to learn you were living on processed foods. So I was "spouting off" in a general sence (as I'm quite guilty of doing when the subject of food and nutrition comes up).

I just know when we are doing our best (and we slip up), there is a whole-grain at the center of virtually every meal, beans made daily, and lot's a lot's of veggies, And then other things round the diet out. And I feel that we are eating delicious and healthful food, and still rather economically.

Best of luck working items back into your diet and finding things you (and your family) can eat!

Bill

[Mamagistra]

We really do eat very, very little crappy processed food. Honest. We eat whole grains (except for my weakness for rice noodles), and I'm very well-read about nutrition.

The sad truth is this: if you did start eating a bunch of cr@p, you could probably cut your food bill by half or more. :glare: That's crazy, isn't it?

I like your idea of having a weekly menu based on certain types of food. I am trying to get to that place myself, but I'm still too scatterbrained to make it happen.

I have found that by spending a few extra minutes flipping through my recipes, I've been able to better choose good meals with common items. That's probably just a basic skill for most people, but I'm only now cultivating it. :tongue_smilie: IOW if I'm purchasing fresh mint, I 'm trying to have a plan that uses it all up.

As another example, one versatile-but-cr@ppy item I happen to buy is partially-cooked tortillas. Those babies stand in for pita, naan, wraps...even just tortillas! :lol: Last night, they held falafel; tonight they'll hold fish tacos; by the end of the week, they'll be breakfast burritos.

I'm still watching this space for ideas... :D