How can I eat well without starving my wallet?
Photo by ralphbijker 
With the current state of the economy and rising cost of everything from fuel to fun to fashion, I’ve been taking a pretty close look at my budget, and one thing is clear: I spend way too much money on food. With working full time, teaching an evening class, working in my pottery studio, and cultivating a social life, I juggle a pretty busy schedule.
I’m rarely organized enough in the morning to bag myself a balanced lunch, and cooking a healthy, inexpensive dinner for myself is usually the last thing I feel like doing after a long day. Instead, I usually dine out or grab something on my way home, which can really put a strain on the wallet (not to mention the waistline!) This week, I thought I’d root around Answers to see if I could cook up some inspiration for optimizing my weekly food budget, and maybe even get some basic-meal ideas I could keep handy at home.
- When shopping at the grocery store, Holly suggests skipping the processed foods and offers some recommendations about which natural ingredients give you the biggest bang for your buck.
- Paul makes a really good point about avoiding grocery shopping when you are hungry. Studies support the idea that hungry shoppers tend to spend more and make less sensible decisions on what to buy. Eat beforehand and shop with your brain, not your stomach. He also suggests avoiding the grocery store when you are angry or depressed-those shoppers tend to buy more sweets and indulgent items, and find it more difficult to make healthy food choices.
- Silly’s-gone-C-r-A-Y-Z saves cash by buying foods in large quantities and repackaging them into smaller servings. Cooking an entire ham at once yields meals for the entire week and is a lot cheaper than cooking individual portions every day. A little planning can pay off big-time.
- Bringing lunch to work instead of hitting a restaurant is certainly a wise money-saving practice. Jeffrey P recommends packing it up the night before so you’re not rushing to try to take care of it in the morning. He also keeps grab-and-go items like canned soup, crackers, and fruit on hand to make putting together a healthy lunch a little easier.
These are some wonderful ideas that make a great jumping-off point to start me on a healthier eating pattern, both fiscally and nutritionally. What others can you suggest?
How do you maximize your food budget to make the most of your dollar while still eating well?
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My mom taught me this one – buy only what’s on sale if you can. I make fun of her for it, but if I’m shopping while away at school, it really saves you cash. Also, if you’re buying an item where quality doesn’t matter much, always go for the store bargain brand. You can count on it to be at least a couple bucks cheaper than the brands you see in commercials.
Buy a vacuum seal system. When produce is in season and cheap, package and freeze delacacies you will pay premium for when they are out of season.. Make large pots of hearty soups and stews, freeze portions and enjoy good meals without cooking.
When items that are staples in your diet are supermarket specials stock up. Yesterday large packages of oatmeal were special at my supermarket, two LARGE Quaker Oats containers for $5.50, this was a buy one get one free deal, since I have an oatmeal breakfast twice a week and bake cookies in the winter this is a great deal for me.
The vacuum and freeeze gadget has been a real money saver for me.
A person, I do not know male or female, working full time and part-time and overtime and undertime has no time to cook, wash or shop. The workholics who are greedy have no choice other than eat whatever is easily available in the fast food restaurants. There is not enough time to go to a regular restaurant. What is the use of earning if you can’t enjoy life. I know a person working two full time jobs because he has to pay for a mansion. He hardly has any time to sleep there. The bank benefits from interest payments. Please consult a Psychatrist for answers.
Save time during the week by cooking larger meals on the weekends and portioning into individual-sized servings. Freeze the meals in plastic containers, and pull one out and microwave in the evening. (You could even thaw in refrigerator that morning.)
Buy things off season and save $$! I always stock my freezer with roasts during the summer, and steaks in the winter. They cost less off-season, and I can serve dinner more cheaply when eating March’s cheaper steaks in the heat of the summer!
Use your crock-pot to have a meal ready when you come home. To save time, you can even prep everything the night before, put is a Ziploc bag and dump into the crock-pot before leaving for work.
Cook soups and stews, especially when it is cold outside. They are filling, many freeze well, and they taste even better the next day. (Also good for taking to work if you have access to a microwave!)
Lastly, cook meals that allow “planned-overs”–in other words, if you cook a large Roast on Sunday, you can make hash later in the week, have hot roast beef sandwiches one night, etc. I always try to cook with an eye on having enough left over for another meal. (My family jokes that I can get 4 meals out of one roast chicken–and I usually do!)
–BrainBabe
You sound busy. The ONE thing I did is boil spagetti and cut up tomatoes, avacados, a green onion, then pour on shaker cheese, sunflower seeds, parsley, oregano, and basil. That is pretty good. I liked it because it is very good for me and I personally love the taste of it. I do know that not everyone likes the same things. Oh, put on no spegetti sauce and do put on a tiny (about 1/2 tablespoon), bit of corn oil, and no salt and pepper. Make a pretty large batch for yourself because it is gone amazingly fast. Have a good day.
I cook, on the weekend, in my dutch oven, use a basic broth, veggie, beef or chicken, then add vegetables and a grain(rice or pasta), takes 90 minutes total from prep to end of cooking.
This will be a HUGE batch. Get those Glad containers and fill them up. I use the longer flat white ones there is a variety of sizes.
Make a nice pile of them in the freezer (add date to remember when you made it). When you get home just make a green salad or crusty bread and you got dinner for the entire week.
Lunches can be made the day before and put in sealed bags.. all you have to do is add a can of soda or bottled water and a piece of fruit. Its not that hard to the take the time to eat healthy. Your worth it so give it a try!
Lots of good ways at saving, but, for a consistent & real long term money savings I feel you gotta make cooking part of your lifestyle,do it every day and make it a part of your life. In your busy schedule maybe go all the way and chuck in a cookery class (I’d start with curry) and you could be so used to – and enjoying – cooking it’ll become second nature,and then you’ll start saving money for life? Blooming social lives always have room for a home made dinner party. – When you enjoy cooking food, it’s only the doing dishes that puts you off. (p.s. if it turns out you REALLY can’t cook though, I’ll go with not shopping when you’re hungry)
I live on a farm, so most of the food that eat is grown in my back yard. Save for meat products.
I know it’s a lot easier for me to say: Grow your own food because I live in the sticks, but if you’re in the city it’s not so hard either. You just need a window, really.
I have a friend who lives in Richmond, VA. He grows his own tomatoes, squash, beets, etc. He eats extremely well, and still has time to balance his education, job, and social life in one hand, while he can quick whip up a tasty, healthy meal three times a day in the other.
I’m not saying resort to only eating veggies and fruits that you can grow…But they make creating an extravagant, well-balanced meal a lot easier.
Buy the minimum things you need at the store, purchasing only foods that are of the off-brand type, and use your own home-grown foods at home to complete whatever it is that you’d like to eat.
My mother makes her own salsa, using exactly this: Home-grown tomatoes, onions, peppers, and whatever spices you like to boot. It’s so tasty!
I sited a link that can tell you some really yummy foods that you can grow in a box right by a window. I don’t encourage you to buy the ‘special box’ they’re trying to sell you. But it tells you the right seeds to put in each container and such.
Hope this has helped!
I usually buy stuff on sale. If it isn’t on sale then I would not purchase the item. Also coupons help too. pick up as many copies you would like and that should help you save money.
Why not change from working in your pottery studio, to growing a small garden! I have one, and I get most of my veggies from it, nice and fresh. You really don’t need a lot of space; grow some tomato plants in the pots you make. I used an old window planter filled half and half with sand and soil to grow carrots. Growing your own will cut down on your expenses.
Keep fresh brocolli, cabbage, mushrooms, carrots and take to work to stick one vegetable, or mixed, into microwave for lunch. Take a little sour cream to top and you have a healthy, hot lunch for pennies. Lunch out at the least is $7 x 5 is $35 a week. Dinner is same. Cook at home, a piece of meat, chicken or fish along with a baked potato and green veggie. Cheap and good for you.
try this for the next week budget menus:
Ground meat for burger sandwich and spring rolls. it can be freezed.
tuna salad(put in sterelized bottle) REF only
chicken legs for fried chicken w/ rice (buy only how many consumable for the whole week.
include always the veggies every days sandwich. if you would like the simple recipes for that menu, just send through my yahoo.
This is how I eat well without paying a lot:
For starters I live in farm country so I buy as much produce as possible at farmer’s markets. The only time I buy produce at the grocery store is during the winter months.
I buy all my meat in bulk. I make monthly trips to the butcher’s, buy my meat (they usually have good deals for buying in bulk), then I vacuum seal and freeze the meat.
I clip coupons every Sunday, and try to build my shopping list around which coupons I have.
I also have a bonus card for my local grocery store. They have great deals every week.
And lastly I have a membership to Sam’s Club, so I buy all my snack foods and drinks in bulk; non-perishable items as well (toilet paper, napkins, etc).
In times like this, it’s best to sacrifice independance & move back in with your parents, even if you’re married with kids. Poll your money together, shop for food at Winco & Super Wallmart, buy enough food to last a month. We have 2 refrdgerators & 2 pantries. We spend $500-$600 a month on groceries & each big meals on small salaries.
eating well has to do with experience. I know how to prepare many meals, I make extra and freeze it. I have stuffed green peppers now and chimichongas in my freezer along with individual chic breasts, pork chops, steak, fish, hamburger patties, hamburger for casseroles, and a frozen meatloaf. I know what i am doing. I know what grocery is cheapest, “Win Co” I freeze bread. I have ingrdients at hand. So invest yourself in cooking tv. Get an education from other gals at work, ask their fav meal.
If you live in a cold climate this is good because here we eat stews, soups, chicken and dumplings, chicken and rice, beans and bacon with corn bread, chili these meals will feed alot for 2 days and are cheap. when it’s hot you don’t want to turn your stove on and heat the house.
The dollar store has a lot of goods for a buck and some are actually pretty well known items.
If I’m craving unnecessary foods, like chips, I only buy them at dollar stores or a cheap place like Walmart. I’ve also found that certain local Dollartree or “$5 and Below” stores that have a refrigerator section sometimes carry some decent stuff like Hotpockets.
If you are on any kinds of medication, check out Walmart’s site. The Pharmacy area has a link to print out the list of the medications they are offering for $4 for a 30 day supply and $10 for 90 days. And check back maybe each month because they add things to the list. My mother and sister have just started using it and had a large savings.
At Amazon.com, search for
budget cooking
At Google, search for
“budget cooking”
“frugal cooking”
“simple living”
“frugal living”
I think everyone feels this way. The easy way would be to have cereal for breakfast and make a few sandwiches for lunch and dinner. You could try doing this either at night for the next day or in the morning.
Pack in plastic bags and take them with you, I’m sure it will save you a bunch and relatively healthy.
Another thing you can do is during a free moment on the weekend is to cook up a big pot of something you enjoy, have a portion of that for the next meal, then freeze the rest in portions in plastic containers.
Okay, here’s the real skinny – and it’s a pain in the butt at first. First figure out the calories needs per day – do some research for your target weight plus what you’re exercising. Next, figure out your macro nutrient ratios (carbs to fats to proteins) for the full day. Divide by 5-6 meals. You’ll find that since your insulin and blood sugar will be regulated, many cravings for “poor food” will go away. And what you’ll find is that eating every few hours (grazing) will keep you happy and healthy. If you abide by this 70-80% of the time, you will be so jazzed and energized, you will lose the need to eat as much “well” and start asking “will this give me energy or remove my energy.” I know this doesn’t affect your “wallet” per se, but I promise you – food = energy. Engery (endorphins) will give you pleasure, and the whole spending money thing won’t be an issue. I shop at the local grocery store, and I am well known in the office as upbeat and excited, and I attribute most of that to my diet. The question is, will you do all of that work? I wish you the best!
I save money by drinking power shakes all day long. That way I dont have to cook anything, nor do I waste any energy. My electricity bill is only 23 dollars a montrh because of it. If I want something solid, I just visit somebody and eat at their house.
I think you should just try a lot of farmer’s markets, they’re generally very cheap on fruits/vegetables and of course these are healthy for you. Try certain stores that specialize in healthy foods, too, mainly because regular grocery stores generally up the price for “ogranically” grown or for just about anything healthy. I find that grocery stores are the only place that sell cheap meat, though, and specialty cuts and places like that don’t usually have cheap meat.
One trick is to make extra. It’s just as easy to make a double pot of pasta or rice and more efficient as well. Just about any meat or veggie goes with either. When I’m in a hurry, I add canned or fresh steamed veggies to a bowl of rice and add a little light soy sauce. When I make spaghetti using jar sauce, I put the leftovers back in the jar and refrigerate. I can add different things to go with it later for variety. When I’m really in a time crunch, I resort to an old fashioned pb&j sandwich with a good whole grain bread. Fruit is the perfect food. Full of vitamins and comes in it’s own natural wrapper, ready to eat. If you eat healthy and cheap most of the time, it really makes you appreciate an occasional dinner out a lot more.
Grow your own vegetables. Don’t make excuses like you don’t have space or time. Everyone has space to grow lettuce and tomatoes in their home, and it takes virtually no time (water it every couple of days, pick).
If you have more space or can plant anything outside, do that during the spring and summer. It saves TONS of money, and a small outdoor garden doesn’t take up much time either.
Buy the rest of what you need, set aside a day when you have 2-4 hours, and cook for the entire week. Then put everything in containers and re-heat during the week. Soups, stews, and pastas wills give you the most bang for your buck.
Convert a couple of “meat” meals a week to vegetarian – chances are if you’re American, you’re eating way more meat than you need anyway. Substitute beans or tofu or pine nuts and seeds a couple of meals – you’ll save a lot of money this way.
I make monthly menus so i know what I need to buy., then I shop once a month. That way I don’t over spend, I cook one weekend, I feeze everything, I know what I’m having and what’s in it, and I control my weight. It also tastes a lot fresher! I also find that if I do want to treat myself and go out, I have the money for it and I actually enjou it so much more!
If you’re single, buying in bulk doesn’t always work. However, I buy food at the local food co-op where I can get dry goods in the quantity that I prefer. Not only do I waste less, but I put more money back in the local economy.
If you are a member of Sams Club or Cosco,
you can purchase necessary food items in bulk. If you have time to invest in a veggie garden, I would urge you to do so. It’s really not hard to grow healthy, organic food in your garden. (If you have time.)
I also go on case lot sale. But do not purchase everything there is. I make my self a list of the things we use most. Than I go and stock up.
I cook meals in crock pot or bake them in the stove. I make more portions, so that they can be frozen in. That saves time and money. Most work places now a day’s, offer a fridge and a microwave. I have toober ware and put them in. That’s how I sent my other half off to work.
I read all comments for Sept. and many were very good and I agree with most. What is most important is that you have to say you are important and stay away from already processed foods whether frozen or canned in the stores. You could say I am important and I am going to pledge to myself that I will definitely set aside at least 2 Sat. or Sun. a month or whatever 2 days you have, but start with every other week and, exactly, buy onsale items–breads, bulk meats like roasts, whole chickens (cheaper), hams, etc. whatever you like to eat. Make sure you buy a scale if you have a weight challenge!! This is a must. A citrus fruit is a must each day–whether in a.m. or the mid-afternoon for a “pick-me-up” & make sure it is the fruit and not juice due to fiber; 4 eggs a week; 3-4–1 C. of veggies a day; 3-4 starch servings; 1 apple a day; (basic pyramid eating); use these items (especially the cooked items) to divide and seal-a-meal the full meal in one package or separate and staple together, freeze and grab on your way out for lunch and for your dinners. Drink those 8 glasses of water and get some dairy in there. I was always very busy when I worked and had children who had also had their individual lives with school, sports, social lives, etc. besides my own and husband’s. You can do it and I helped many as I was a Jenny Craig counselor and did not resign until all my clients were consistently losing each week and not gaining and were doing it on their own with fresh foods–not already prepared and measured for them as this is what you need to learn to incorporate into your own life. Without a healthy eating plan for yourself, eventually you could become ill and not be able to do those things that are important to you. I give permission to yahoo to release my e-mail to you, if you would like, so you can contact me so I may help you if you would like. You NEED to care for yourself and it seems you are very interested in life to do so. Blessings to you — there is a lot of good advice in the comment section for you to use so gleen what works for you–just stay healthy!!!! Jim’s Queenie
Hi:
If you mean eating well as eating nutrionally or as tastier food (hopefully both), if you have a bit of space for a container, try growing some herbs or greens. Chives are easy and great to grow, and so good snipped into eggs or soup. Thyme is very easy to grow, and a great addition to just about any meats. You might check out a gardening site like Burpee’s or Park’s to get more ideas for growing herbs easily. They should also have some information on growing greens like leaf lettuce in a similar manner.
To cut some costs, you might try to have a meatless night and find good vegetarian recipes that combine items like beans and corn for a complete protein. Getting dried beans and soaking them is very cost effective – lentils are also good because you don’t need to soak them and they cook quickly.
Probably the best advice is to try to plan meals in advance so that you use the ingredients the most effectively. Like instead of buying a whole pre-cut up chicken, buy a whole chicken, and cook it in a crock pot on a low heat so that you can get good chicken stock, along with some chicken meat that you can use in a lot of ways. Usually, when I do that, I’ll pull the chicken out after the meat is cooked, and pick off most of the meat, and then I’ll put the bones back in to really render them to enrich the chicken stock. You can freeze stock in ice cube trays, and when it’s frozen, you can pop them into a plastic bag, and when you want a boost of flavor in something like a soup or some beans, you can add a cube or so.
Hope this helps and might give you some ideas.
You have received some great ideas from the other readers so I’ll add a few ideas that can help stretch your food budget. We are retired our pennies have to go far like yours.
I really get organized with the newspaper ads. I circle the foods on sale that we like to eat and buy them even if we do not want them that week. They are wrapped, labeled and frozen for future use. This is one way to save, plus using coupons.
In the Wal-mart Deli they have great rotisserie chickens for around five bucks in many flavors. Depending how many are going to be served you can get a couple meals from them for two people. Either eating it hot as is or cutting the meat off the bones for chef salads etc. It’s a real bargain and time saver.
If you visit a farmer’s market they often reduce fruit that has a little blemish like apples. It takes no time to remove these little spots and prepare a Waldorf salad with raisins, walnuts, celery and mayo etc. it’s one of the best tasting salads for fall or anytime. You can also cut the apples into slices and make applesauce with brown sugar, cinnamon simmered for a short time in water for about 25 minutes until soft.
Now that the weather is getting cooler or in some areas colder, there is nothing like vegetable soup and you can make it in nothing flat with veggies, V8 juice, water and spices you desire.
A good stew is a great entree to prepare chicken or beef plus potatoes, onion ,celery, carrots and parsley to keep it streamlined. It’s a one pot meal with not so much mess. If you put it in the oven or on the stove when you get home from work it will be done in no time before you have to crash.
Finally in order to save organization is the real key. When you go shopping, stick to your list or if you don’t have one make one. It’s a wallet saver. Don’t shop slowly push yourself to keep up a good pace the more you browse the more you are likely to add something you don’t need to your cart.
Plan meals ahead of time not at the last minute. You body will be healthier along with your bank account. Good luck to you and others who are trying to keep their senses and cents!
Mama Jazzy Geri
Control food level, don’t go to high disbursements restaurant. Sometime take bread for a meal and this is good for our health too.
Try making vegetable soup with noodes. The noodles thicken the soup up and make it nice and filling. And soup stays for a fair length of time in the freezer
My friends and I shop at the Sams Club we purchase items together than split the bill. This works well for us.
700 calories = or less than $2.50. Add no more than $1.50 for luxury goods (foods that serve more purpose than keeping you alive). Take note that I am very stingy and try to hover around $2.00 a meal (which I consider 800 cal). Avoid foods with excessive unnatural chemicals. I consider a food to have excessive crap when it has more than three undesirables in it. Things I limit as much as possible (depending on how good the food looks): chemicals conatining the following: aluminum, nitrate, nitrite, hexa, yellow 5, monosodium glutamate, synthetic sugars I don’t want to spell (xylitol doesn’t count), generally the more syllables there are in a chemical name, the less chance it is good for you. I’ve seen some stuff at the dollar tree I wouldn’t eat if someone tried to coerce me to with a .45 ACP round.
Oh yeah, I forgot, try and get as much non-nitrated protein as you can for under $2 per 700 cal. Protein is hard to get for cheap. Also take a multi-vitamin so that being cheap doesn’t make you vitamin deficient. I currently take a daily multi, 2k mg fish oil, 400mg echinacea, 25k i.u. vitamin A and 600mg calcium. I would suggest not exceeding those dosages since many problems can arise if one does. I let doses I’ve missed slip by (consider that the human body hasn’t always had an abundance of nutrition and therefore does not need to be pampered).
I usually buy Lean Cuisines, at 2.50 per box, they are ok and the taste is satisfactory.
You could try buying frozen dinner packets such as the ready to cook Skillets that come in a variety of assortments such as rice and chicken teriyaki, or vegetables and noodles and chicken, etc…there are so many options…it’s easy to get home cook and not feel bad because the food isn’t bad at all and it’s partly healthy.
I’ve read on many blogs that if you buy frozen vegetables, you are better off than buying fresh ones because they are flash frozen and still contain the same nutrients than lets say canned veggies. They are cheap too.
If you really want to cook, buy whole grain pasta and chicken breasts, it’s not that expensive, and make a healthy delicious meal instead of unfreezing one.
Buy whatever produce is in season, which will usually get you a better deal, and look up recipes online that sound delicious and nutritious.
I just eat Lean Cuisines and whole grains and it has really helped my wallet…I used to spend a lot on food as well, but I’ve survived…and you will too.
Good Luck!!!
my bad, I meant that frozen veggies contain the same nutrients as the fresh ones but last longer…canned vegetables aren’t good to buy because they have too many preservatives.
I just recently started cooking my meals and I have to say it is a whole lot cheaper…this is what I did
I went to Wendy’s 5 days for lunch and got a side salad with no dressing and 2 nights for dinner and got one of their larger salads.
The next week instead of going back to Wendy’s I saved the containers and on Sunday night I went to the store and bought things to make a salad with and I made salads for dinner with all the toppings for 3 days and made one big one for lunch. I did this again on Wednesday with fresh lettuce (I wouldn’t recommend making salads for the whole week because they can get a little mushy) Along with the salad I bought 5 lean cuisine meals…they were pretty good but they are excellent for measuring out portion sizes when you go to cook your own meals.
Dinners were great because I could just go home and grab a salad already made out of the fridge and eat it while the lean cuisine or whatever was heating up.
Some other ideas for meals to put in the lean cuisine dishes are
* half a breast of chicken with steamed veggies (buy veggies in bulk and put them in the ziploc zip and steam bags)
* whole grain pasta with basil pesto with the other half breast.
* Grilled salmon (a George Forman grill works wonders for grilling quick meals) with veggies. Make sure you have some candles around for this one especially if grilling inside because the salmon can get kinda stinky but candles help neutralize the odor and it will be gone in an hour or so.
* I also bought lots of fruit instead of chips and cookies and I washed cut and sliced everything and placed them in containers. I placed grapes in a bowl on the counter wtih clementines so if I was hungry I automatically went for the fruit.
Making homemade soups and stews is a wonderful Idea as they can be frozen in portion sizes and reheated in a few minutes. While making a grilled cheese sandwhich.
Most of these dinners only take 10-15 minutes to prepare and you can even prepare them before hand if you wish. Making lunches, I usually had sandwhiches with fruit or a salad but I made them the night before and grabbed them as I was walking out the door in the mornings.
Good luck to you, it sounds like you are very busy but once you get into the routine it becomes very easy!
Give your wallett nutrition by growing a basic garden, (tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and onions. Make pot of various soups, freeze it, and add to the list of ideas as you go.
Another way to save money is cook something in a Crock Pot that you can portion up, freeze and then microwave at work or at home to eat it.
Become a freegan and go dumpster diving. Good luck
Invest in a crockpot! You can find really good quality ones at nearly any department store, usually for under $50. I use mine several times a week. Most recipes are simple, just toss everything in and let it simmer for the day. Quick, simple and healthy because you decide what goes in. Plus, you’ll usually have food for a day or two after! I made a turkey chili on Wednesday, and it cost me a grand total of $8 for the ingredients, plus my husband and I both had enough for dinner and for lunch for the next day.
DONT SHOP AT SAFEWAY – Target has everything at half the price.
-Also try: Trader Joe’s & Walmart
Cheap meals that I eat:
Bean and cheese burritos that I make myself:
Tortillas (10) – $2
Cheese bag – $2.50
Can of beans x3 – $4.00
= 10 bean & chees burrito’s $8.50
(about .85 cents per burrito)
(if you shop at TARGET)
______________________________
Pasta Roni x 6 – $9.00
Box of breaded shrimp – $6.00
= 6 pasta & shrimp for $15.00
($2.50 per meal)
__________________________
Tuna Helper $1.50
Tuna .79
$2.29 per meal
___________________________
Egg Sanwich
12 Large eggs – 1.50
Bread – $2
atleast 6 Sanwiches = $3.50
________________________
Buy cup noodles, case of 6 for about .40/ea for small meals or snacks.
Buy Kraft mac’n'cheese for $1
Progresso soups that you find at Safeway for $3 are $1.50 at Target
_________________________________
If you have a Costco card, buy things there that you eat a lot & most definitely bring your lunch to work.
I average about $3.50 for break & lunch combined by bringing fruit for breakfast (which is the most expensive) and bean & cheese burritos for lunch)
I moved away from home this past year and was spending a TONNNN on groceries when I first started out. My boyfriend and I have started making a weekly meal plan. Basically we sit down on Saturday afternoon and decide the meals for the next week. Then we plan a grocery list of things just for those meals. We find we save tons of money because we dont end up throwing anything out. Most times it stretches into a couple of extra days of leftovers too… it has definitely worked wonders on our spending.
I save money by making things like a large pot of pasta, or chili(lots of protein), stir fry with stew meat cut fine,and while we all like variety, I can use these products for 4 days and mix and match. I shop at the cheap stores, often buying a dollar item for 1/2 price.I buy only the things of quality at the shop n save, or similar stores, and when I have extra money to spend.Always look for the 10 for $10.00 specials on TV dinners, they are good for a quick meal. I only do big meal prep on the weekends or special occasions.I see many good suggestions, but I use the planning method to cut down on preparation time, and left overs that often taste better the 2nd or3rd time around.
A few things we do in our house:
1) My sister and I share a BJ’s membership. We make up our respective grocery lists (which are pretty similar anyway), go shopping, go to her house (since it is closest to the store) and split the food as well as the bill down the middle. This works for pretty much any membership warehouse – Sam’s, Costco, etc. Just remember to bring storage bags and if you have to drive farther than the rest of the family, possibly a container w/plastic ice cubes (the same ones I use when packing lunches for the week) or ice packs for any cold products if you have a far drive (which I do).
2) Shop at the most inexpensive store possible if the items you want are not at the membership warehouse or are cheaper elsewhere. For example, paper products are cheaper at Wal-Mart than pretty much anywhere else. They also have a greater variety of cereal.
3) As the article states, do NOT shop while hungry. You’ll end up purchasing things that look good to the eye even if you wouldn’t typically want those items.
4) Make meal plans for the week and ALWAYS shop with a grocery list. This way you’ll stick to buying only the items you need and not the items you want.
5) Use coupons. Of course, this only works if you normally purchase the product. Do not use a coupon to purchase a product you normally would not use – it is just a waste of money.
6) Plan ahead. Pack lunches the night before, prepare any dinners possible (i.e. – if making a casserole, put all the ingrediants in the bake dish, cover and store in the fridge for the next day where all you have to do is throw it in the oven when you get home from work OR use a crockpot which can be left unattended for hours on end).
7) Scrape, scrape, scrape. Spatulas are handy for more than just mixing. If you use a spatula to scrape a bowl, you can easily get one more muffin (or whatever you’re cooking) out of the batter if you use a spatula.
Take advantage of sales, store coupons, and manufacturer’s coupons, especially when you can get the three combined! However, this can be a bit of a hassle to sort through everything, and the coupons tend to be for pricier, fancier items that I wouldn’t ordinarily buy, so it’s got its pros and cons. Aim for buy one, get one (b.o.g.o.) free sales. Certain things will always go on sale or have a coupon. For example, I only buy cereal if it’s b.o.g.o., preferably with a coupon.
Also, keep in mind certain wholesome foods that are cheap and easy – canned beans are cheap as dirt, and taste great if you add some savory spices and maybe some cheese. Canned sardines are also cheap, and good with lemon and pepper and maybe grilled or sizzled a little to heat it up. I like both of the above with whole wheat bread, toasted. Again, the bread I get on sale. The combinations mentioned are nice, full meals with lots of nutritional value.
Oh, and I also like applesauce with too much cinnamon.
Check and see if there is an Angel Food Ministry in your area. You get some good food at a reasonable price. There are no applications or requirements so everyone qualifies as long as you can afford the cost of the boxes.
Not eating meat saves a lot of money, seriously. Eat fresh fruits, vegetables, and just plain healthy food. It’s much cheaper than the stuff that companies attempt to hook you on with advertising, and it won’t cause cancer – which is very expensive to treat. Also, as Americans, we go out to eat entirely too much. Try only going once a week at most.
I work at a grocery store and stuff is getting very expensive!! However I have always reduced my weekly eating bill under $30. Mostly I buy what’s on sale, always buy things that are decent enough to eat, but at the same time something that you can eat every minute or your life. So basically skip out on the snacks, ice cream and etc.
If your looking for a good snack to keep your hunger down, buy some peanuts! A little container of them are around 3$ and can help crave your hunger at work. I also stock up on sandwiches, I love ‘em! Meat cheese and mayo you only have to buy maybe once every 2-3 weeks and bread can average you to maybe $8 – 10 for around 5-8 sandwiches depending how much stuff you put on.
Drinks are another thing I have issues with, if you like to keep your diet soda is not for you, however I mix it with other things. I buy Gatorade or powerade, water, and soda for when I am craving it. Otherwise you will end up eating a lot more of what your not.
Good luck, happy shopping!
You can always find recipes that dont even require you to go shopping at all, just use whats in the pantry. Theres over 40,000 of em on my site if you want to give it a try.
http://www.sharedrecipes.org
take spaghetti or rice, both inexpensive, if you got some left over, and maybe some left over packets of soy sauce, part of an onion or whatever bits of veggies in the fridge you can make yourself up a stir fry. sometimes getting creative with what you got will save you tons more money than having to go out shopping for more food.
soon, our economy will crash. for now it’s dropping little by little. depopulation will start (believe it or not)
youtube.com/watch?v=4abkk929fEM
the facts stack up high.
Buy foods that go a long way. Oatmeal, rice, beans, pastas.
I buy a big container of oatmeal for $3 and I eat it everyday for breakfast fort 2-3 weeks. I shop at a local store where I get chicken for $1.99 a pound instead of the grocery store that charges $5.99 a pound. I serve it with rice and vegetables. I get frozen veggies at the store on sale for $1 a pack. I buy a big box of instant rice that only take 5 minute to cook and cost $5 and lasts 2-3 weeks. I buy a pack of pasta(1 lb) for a $1 and I get pasta sauce for $2 a jar. I make beans for a $1 a pound. We eat beans and cornbread. Then I take the leftover beans and make refried beans and make chicken tacos with it and sometime a Mexican style rice. For lunches we eat sandwiches. I don’t drink soda or buy soda. We all drink water 98% of the time. Casseroles are a good way to make a good meal for cheap.
All these supermarket tips are great but they do nothing to address the lack of desire to make lunch in the morning when you are late for work and then slave over dinner when you get home after a long, grueling day. If you insist on eating out, here are a couple of tips:
There are ways to still dine out and stay healthy:
1) for dinner, eat at Chipotle…the ingredients are organic veggies / free-range meats and otherwise all-natural (healthy) and a big, filling burrito is only about $6.
2) for lunch, order sandwiches from your local grocery store’s deli counter for lunch. Where I live, we have SafeWay grocery stores. Their sandwiches are priced similarly to Subway but are bigger, and way more “gourmet”. $5 will get you a REALLY good sandwich that will more than fill you up.
3) drink water. For the most part, it’s a lot cheaper than canned or bottled beverages, and certainly a LOT cheaper than Starbucks. Heck, a lot of the time it’s free!
4) avoid the temptation to buy food and beverages from Starbucks and other coffee joints. Even just the routine of going can in itself be addictive, nevermind the caffine in the coffee. Try to break the addiction / routine and you can save dollars a day!
I had a food saver and it bit the dust. The new Zip Lock freezer bags that sucks all the air out is good too.
One thing I try to do, is if I roast a chicken in the crock pot, when it’s done I’ll throw the bones back in it, along with my veggie “throw aways”, like asparagus stems, celery leaves, etc, I usually save this stuff in a ziplock bag in the freezer. Then add water to the crock pot and let it cook all night, sometimes even 24 hours. When it cools you can strain it and you will have the best chicken broth in the world!
Make sure that you buy things that are on special, but that match each other. Like if you had a choice to buy 2 of the next 3 items, peanut butter, jelly and mustard. I would buy the peanut butter and jelly cause they compliment each other. Also leave out sodas, juices, etc. buy fruit instead, and if you can, make juice out of that. If you like meat, buy a lot of chicken, for red meat, chicken gizzards are cheap. Avoid ordering out, or eating out. I myself am going through some rough times, so i get my dinner and some groceries at the church I attend in exchange for some volunteer work on my day off. If you have money left over, it would hurt to buy a multi-vitamin jar. that way you are sure you are taking in all the vitamins you need.
I have no problems with buying food. In fact, I have stashed away a supply of food that should last me for about five years.
Most of it is dry rice, dry beans, dry peas, dry oats, whole wheat, peanut butter, sunflower seeds, honey. I buy only enough meat to flavor the rice and peas, which I cook together. Or to add zest to a soup made from rice and beans. I put a tablespoon of sunflower seeds in my oatmeal. I do all the cooking myself, and it doesn’t take that long.
I rotate my food stock and replace old with new. A three pound bag of long grain rice costs me about a dollar at Save-A-Lot or Dollar General.
And do you know where I bought a hundred pounds of whole wheat for $12? The local farm supply store. It’s animal feed, with the dust blown off and the weevel eggs killed by freezing. It’s just as edible as the wheat you can spend much more getting from the health food store.
I bought the honey at WalMart after making sure that it was from an American supplier, not Chinese.
I’m growing three dozen apple trees on my land in the West Virginia hills. And a dozen walnut trees. And a few peach trees, pear trees, cherry trees, apricot trees, quince, etc.
Most people do spend ‘way too much on food. But that’s because the don’t know how to shop for food well. One person can still get by on $10,000 per year income after taxes, if he knows how.
Go to my aund & uncle’s house in Bayside Queens, NYC. They’ll feed you more than you can handle.
eat like a peasant; research what the traditional foods for poor people are in countries such as morocco, greece, turkey, and italy. they usually are based with a high low GI carb content (which is cheap), vegetables, and low meat content.
um well idk i geuus u cold try goin on a budget ??? im sorry id really kno economics and stuff very well
One thing that I have always done, especially when you want to eat healthy, is to buy canned fruits and vegetables.
The reason is that fruits and vegetables that are canned are picked when they are at their peak, and they tend to retain their nutrients.
Don’t buy fruits that are packed in heavy syrup. Always buy the ones that are packed in juice. Also, try out store brands and buy everything on sale. Rarely have I ever found a situation where the name brand is better than the store brand unless it’s toilet paper, which doesn’t apply.
If you have time, clip coupons. Always read the sales papers for your local grocery stores. They tend rotate what’s on sale. In other words, it goes in cycles, so if you stock up, you’ll save a lot of money.
I raised three daughters on one income. I understand crunch. They’re grown, but I’m feeling it now. Great post. Really made me think of all the ways I can save money right now and what I learned from being a single mom.
Sincerely,
Jinger Jarrett
The easiest way is to fast. The muslims can, so why can’t we? If they can do it for 1 month, I’m sure we could atleast do it for a week or two, and then have the normal three meals a day. It saves money but loses energy.
But I’ve seen some muslims jog while in the fasting month. So I think that wouldn’t be a problem. Anyways, we’re not really fasting, right? We could maybe have a biscuit or two and a cuppa for lunch. Then have the normal dinner. You could bring a bottle of water for jogging too.
While fasting, we could also understand how the poor feels with no food.
Sincerely,
Fahmi
I usually spend about $25 on food a week. (not counting eating out, which I usually do at least once or twice a week).
It’s all about not buying processed foods like microwave dinners, getting produce in season and from farmers markets, looking for sales, buying the store brand unless you know it’s not going to be good quality, and being creative with what you’ve got, as well as making sure you’re using everything that you buy before it goes bad. And then I try to limit myself to one ‘luxury’ item when I shop that’s a little more expensive and not basic– like ice cream, pesto, etc.
Eating less meat definitely helps with costs as well. I don’t usually buy meat.
As far as packing lunches– I try to do it the night before and have it in the fridge, ready to grab. And I try to cook big portions, so that I will have leftovers for when I don’t want to cook. Same with restaurants– the chinese takeout place down the street has a combo platter for $6 that will feed me for four (smallish) meals.
Eating out is pricey, and it’s possible to be very busy and eat mostly food from the grocery store without spending hours in the kitchen. Avoid ready-to-serve foods at the grocery store and stick to the peripheral depts: produce, dairy, meat. A lot of this food doesn’t need cooking at all: sandwiches, salads, yogurt, cheese, raw veggies, etc.
One week-end day a week, you can cook a few favorite dishes (casseroles, chili, stews and soups are easy) and have left-overs to freeze (individual serving size containers) or eat the following week.
Go to a discount (or dollar) store first when you shop. That way, you can get some of your items for much less than regular retail. Only pay regular retail prices when you need an item you can’t get at a good discount.
If your a fast-food person you can allways go to BK or mickdonalds and use the dollor menu! if not, its easy to cut out cupons bestfor you go shoppin or you could go to a local convinate store, there prises are normally cheaper…i hope i helped
I take angel hair spaghetti boil it up and chill it.
Take some creamy italian dressing and mix it into the spaghetti.
Put some pre cooked diced chicken into it and mix it all up.
Take tomatoes, cukes ( pre cut is ok) and Gpeppers and put over the top.
This is a quick a great fast meal which can be eaten for lunch the next day as well as dinner. It goes along way and has both carbs and protein as well as veggies.
I like to cut coupons and then find meals to cook that will last for at least two meals. One dinner and one lunch. Buy a crockpot if you like hot meals when you get home and learn crockpot cooking receipes. Basically anything in a crockpot is not expensive and you can buy less expensive cuts of meat and they taste great.
I found an entire article titled “Pay less, eat healthy” on this…written primarily for an Indian audience. But I think it’s pretty apt except for references to Indian currency in some places. Here’s the link: http://completewellbeing.com/article/pay-less-eat-healthy/
I live alone and hate cooking. I usually have peanut butter on Triscuits every day for breakfast and then eat only one other meal out. The most satisfying is the $1 double-burgers at McDonald’s. I’m probably overpaying there because I hate cheese but they don’t take off the price so I’m paying for it anyways and everyone is saying it’s so expensive. It’s really disgusting to have to pay for cheese when you’re not even eating it.
you will find a combo of all your answers that work for you. I do coupons every week and try only to buy the sale stuff plus cooking large and freezing leftovers. my house loves to reach in the freezer for lunch at work that day. leave it in the fridge at work and by lunch you have a home cooked meal. For dinner fast food is the easiest I try and only eat off the many dollar menus also if I have time to sit or I am jioning friends for dinner I only eat specials. usualy the specials have more food on the plate anyway and they are generaly balanced. hope you find your balance !
I rely heavily on my crock pots. Some foods cook overnight. That way, they will be ready in the morning, so I can take a lunch, while some foods I opt to have cook after I leave for work. Either way, I always use a timer. That way I determine when they start cooking and when they get turned off. I especially recommend using one for when you are away. That way if for some reason you are delayed in getting home (overtime, traffic jams, emergencies…), it shuts off automatically.
http://www.mygrocerydeals.com works really well in saving money. Processed foods cost more in the long run, so learn to make your own food from scratch and bring leftovers for lunch. I have a crock pot, bread machine, food processor, and a Foreman grill, which makes my food creations quick, easy and lower in calories. Since I have been using this website, I have cut my food bill at least 30-40%. Use coupons anytime you can and shop when you are not hungry and shop only once a week and when things are on sale. Buying in bulk isn’t always the way to save. You need to think before buying in bulk. If it is perishable goods, will you be able to eat it all before the expiration date? And you have to watch unit prices when you go to the larger size.
Stop eating !!!
Brown rice and beans are a good, cheap staple. Add fresh vegetables. Buy meat and fish organic, and if possible, in bulk.
Alexa Fleckenstein M.D., physician, author.
I only buy items that are on sale and I get the Sunday paper to clip coupons. I feed a fimliy of four on less than $300 a month.
eating is over rated. i find it best to just pick up some frozen meals you can find them at food max, wal-mart and safeway for around $1.00 and if you are still hungery after one eat two that is if the salt don’t bother you if the salt is a real pest then cook and freeze meals yourself. and if you don’t have a vacum seal just use zip lock bags but try to get as much air out as you can. hamberger does realwell in the freezer but once you cook it don’t forget to cover it if you store it in the frige it will teast funny other wise. you can do a lot of this with noodles, rice, and bread. they are what we call stables. dip bread in dressing make a saled and put noodle in it to make the saled go farther. add rice to a soup. carbs are our friends if you don’t get cared away with them ceap meat is not allwas the best buy. hamberger will just srinke on you so buy the best if you can. if you don’t like something then don’t buy it.
You’re making this to be WAY more complicated than need be. If you’re to busy/unorganized in the morning to slap a few slices of turkey on some (high fiber) bread, a fruit and/or yogurt…something is VERY WRONG with your lifestyle. Reaccess your priorities and SLOW DOWN before you have a heart attack! For dinners may I suggest buying bagged salad and maybe some tomatoes, mushrooms, whatever else you like in salad. It takes a few minutes to throw together in the evening. While you’re eating your salad, microwave a healthy frozen dinner, Or steam chicken, pork, beef or fish in a pan with canned broth, Throw in instant brown rice and frozen veggies. Viola-quick & healthy. Get inspiration from watching HGTV shows like 30 minute meals with Rachel Ray. Good luck-you can do it!
Whip up batches of healthy muffins for breakfasts and freeze them in packages of two. Keep fruit, yogurt, and cereal on hand for breakfast as well. For lunches, cook up a large roast or a whole chicken on Sunday afternoon. Use the meat to make sandwiches or salads – use multigrain bread, real butter, and real cheese for the sandwiches ant they will be healthier. Throw in some carrot sticks and there you go – you can even buy baby carrots so you don’t have to fiddle with peeling and chopping. For supper, it’s really very easy to pop something into a crock pot in the morning while you munch on a muffin or apple, and then when you get home you’ll have ready-made food that will require minimal preparation.
It’s cheaper to buy ingredients and make things than it is to buy ready-made food. With a little bit of preparation you will find that you can easily have homemade dinners each night – you can make all kinds of food in a crock pot. Soups, stews, lasagna, roasts….tons of stuff. Way healthier and more cost-effective than buying premade stuff. It just takes a bit of forethought.
And one more thing….if you’re spread that thin, it might be a good idea to examine your schedule and pare it down just a bit. All that stress can’t be good for you either!
Good luck and happy eating.
You know everything people say here are good things, but when you shop buy things that you can make 2-3 helpings for. Meat that is baked or broiled are great, veggies the same way, and for snacks veggies raw are the best way to go. Make your meals the day before so you are not rushing, there is`nt anything worse to feel than being rushed. When you cook make enough to pack that night your lunch for the next day, as well as make several snacks for throuout the same day. You don`t have to change all your shopping habbits just change how you prepare it. Think healthier, baked or broiled not fried, more fish, prepared the same. More raw veggies, and eat alot of small meals starting with b/fast, and through out the day as well. Good luck Mel