[momto3kittiess]

What do you buy every week at the grocery store? I need help, lol! I don't have much money and feeding two people for a week on $50 seems impossible!

[LotusMama]

Fage (pronounced Fa-yeh) non-fat, plain Greek yogurt. I eat it everyday with agave nectar or honey. It is so tasty and, in my opinion, its a wonder food. There is no fat and tons of protein. I highly recommend it!

[momto3kittiess]

Originally Posted by jrmohr

Fage (pronounced Fa-yeh) non-fat, plain Greek yogurt. I eat it everyday with agave nectar or honey. It is so tasty and, in my opinion, its a wonder food. There is no fat and tons of protein. I highly recommend it!

I have heard so much about this stuff...I also heard it tastes yucky to...but we will see!! Thanks for the suggestion!

[tweetlebeetle]

I'm signed up with a program that posts weekly menus and a shopping list. It's something that Dave Ramesy endorses. I don't know if I can post the link, but PM me if you want it.

[mayness]

This is a list of things I buy regularly, adjusted for those weeks when I'm particularly low on cash:

Whatever fruits and veggies are on sale - I'll find some way to use them. Also, things that are always cheap: bananas, apples, potatoes, cabbage, onions, carrots, celery, leaf/romaine lettuce, etc.

Lean meats that are on sale, or are marked down because they're close to expiring (I can freeze them if I won't use them that day). I buy the not-so-lean ground beef and drain it really well after cooking. I sometimes buy fattier things like Italian sausage too, and just use less in a dish than I normally would.

Beans - I buy dried and cook them all up and freeze in 1.5 cup portions (the same amount as in a can), but even canned are pretty cheap.

Rice, quinoa, bulgur wheat, barley, whole-wheat pasta, whole grain breads.. whatever grain products I can find for a good price.

Dried herbs and spices - the cost can add up but they last a long time - buy a few at a time as you have the extra money, and buy in bulk if you have the option, it's usually cheaper.

I use broth/stock (chicken, beef, veggie) to add flavor to a lot of things.. I make my own from scraps when I can, but I also buy low-sodium boullion cubes or powder, it's cheaper than buying cans or boxes of broth.

Skim milk, cottage cheese, low-fat plain yogurt (I mix in maple syrup or a low-sugar jelly or honey and fruit).

I really like eating cereal in the morning, so I found one that's a good compromise between value and nutrition - store brand bran flakes.

[Hyacinth]

My list is quite similar to Mayness's.

I also build a lot on what I already have in my pantry, and a web site called supercook is good at helping with that.

I am lucky enough to get garden goods from family and friends, and that helps chisel a few bucks off of my grocery bill.

[retiredone]

There are 2 of us at home, also. I buy a big order of groceries every 2 weeks when my pension cheque comes in the bank. I make out my dinner menus for the month and then I go through whatever 2 week period we are in and make out my list. I have an extensive pantry of staples so I first go through that and cross off anything I might already have. I count up how many meals a food might used in and put that next to the food item so I can judge how much to buy. Here is my list from Friday's shopping trip:

Grocery List October 1-15

(2)Greens--As you can see I will be using them in 2 meals
(2)Turnip
(6)Cabbage
(4)Lettuce
Any Fresh Fruit on Sale for breakfast and snacks
–(1+)Bananas (extra for breakfast)
(2)Cucumber
(2)Peppers
(5)Carrots
(1)Sweet Potato

(2)Veggie Bologna

(1)Veggie Chicken Nuggets

(1)Savory

(3)Dry Beans
-Lentils
-Yellow split peas
-Romano Beans
-Navy Beans

Brown Sugar

(1)Miracle Whip
Margarine
(6)Eggs
(1 )Sour Cream
(1)Yogurt

Frozen Vegetables
(3)Green Beans
(3)Cauliflower
(3)Broccoli
(4)Mixed Vegetables

(1)Ice Cream
(1)Frozen Juice/Punch
(1)Fries
(1)Canned Pumpkin
(6)Cookies (never bought these)

(1)2 loaves Sliced Bread

(2)Gravy

We are vegetarian so you don't see any meat on the list. But I would do as Mayness does if I ate meat. I make my own bread and most desserts and always have whole wheat flour, white flour, sugars, margarine, oil, oatmeal, other cooked cereals. And I buy boxed cereals when they go on sale. I buy other staples such as rice, pasta, herbs, spices, nuts (keep in freezer) etc. as needed and often when on sale. Canned tomatoes are very economical and can be used in all kinds of soups and casseroles. We never use fresh milk but I buy a bag of skim milk powder at half the price of fresh skim milk. I mix that up the night before and it's ready for the next day. I actually like the taste of the powdered skim milk better than the fresh skim milk.

This week I didn't need potatoes as they were on sale the week before and I purchase 3 -10 pounds bags in anticipation of Canadian Thanksgiving (Oct. 12) and company eating more than we usually do.

I bought the Debbie Myer Green bags and put my fresh produce in those to keep them fresh. This has really cut down on spoilage. Tomatoes were on sale this week and I bought 6 even though they weren't on the list. We'll use them in salads and sandwiches for supper.

Hope this helps.

[momto3kittiess]

Thanks everyone!