Perhaps it costs more right now because you're building a pantry of items that you weren't using before?
There are definitely ways to cut corners. Frozen fruits and vegetables are a good way to save, especially in winter when fresh food is more expensive. Rice and beans are cheap and healthy!
There may be ways to cut corners, but so far it's not working for me. I am spending TON of money on groceries, and I have to run to the store a few times a week. Just like Robin said, my groceries consist mostly of fresh produce. No matter what I do with spinach, after 3 days it is limp and not very palatable. A head of romaine lettuce takes a lot of space in the fridge. I try to buy what's cheaper any given week, but unless it's the peak of the season, raspberries and blueberries are always quite pricey and I go through a lot of those. Pineapple - the cheapest I can ever get (when on sale) is $2.99.
I used to shop at farmer's market but now I go to a spinning class on Saturday morning so market is out. (Ours is downtown and unless you get there early in the morning it's tough to find parking and I hate the crowds). I do agree that it may be a bit cheaper at farmers' market but overall it does not represent a big chunk of money because I can get there only once a week (if at all).
Rice and beans may be cheap and healthy but I crossed rice out of my diet completely. It's a lot of carbs in a portion that is not very filling. I use dry beans but that's only when I make soup in a crockpot (i.e. in winter only) - otherwise I use canned beans in chili, and various other chilli-variations of mine.
Perhaps it costs more right now because you're building a pantry of items that you weren't using before?
There are definitely ways to cut corners. Frozen fruits and vegetables are a good way to save, especially in winter when fresh food is more expensive. Rice and beans are cheap and healthy!
That is what I was going to say- building a pantry of items-. At first my grocery bills tripled it seemed. Now that I am finding foods that work for us it has settled down. Without all the trips to McDonalds I figure it will eventualy even out to the spending I had before.
. Just like Robin said, my groceries consist mostly of fresh produce. No matter what I do with spinach, after 3 days it is limp and not very palatable. A head of romaine lettuce takes a lot of space in the fridge. I try to buy what's cheaper any given week, but unless it's the peak of the season, raspberries and blueberries are always quite pricey and I go through a lot of those. Pineapple - the cheapest I can ever get (when on sale) is $2.99....
Rice and beans may be cheap and healthy but I crossed rice out of my diet completely. It's a lot of carbs in a portion that is not very filling. I use dry beans but that's only when I make soup in a crockpot (i.e. in winter only) - otherwise I use canned beans in chili, and various other chilli-variations of mine.
A tip for spinach...Left over bag-o spinach is good cooked too. If you find you are not eating it quickly enough, wilt it in a skillet with a little cooking spray and store in the freezer in freezer bags. It is great in omelets, soups and veggie casseroles.
I agree about the rice. Rice is very calorie dense, and plain old white rice really doesn't have that many nutrients in it. I skip it. Same with pasta.
Interesting some people's farmers markets cost more than the supermarket. Weird how that can vary- We have two in town actually- I don't know what I would do with the one I go to- The produce at our supermarket is not that stellar and PRICEY-
I do use a lot of frozen veggies too and they are CHEAP!
I spend a lot of money at the grocery every week. But, I find that I spend a helluva lot more if I get lunch at Whole Foods during the work week!
We buy local produce at the farm stands -- I live in the country -- that is sometimes the same price, sometimes less, sometimes more, but always better than grocery produce.
I find that I spend the most on things like ground turkey and chicken. It is expensive to get good lean protein. I am super picky about chicken. It seems like the kind that's always on sale looks icky!
Farmers markets around here are trendy and very yuppie-ish, so yes, much more pricey. We have a garden, but hubby just spent over $100 on materials to build a fence to keep bunnies out...they have been gnawing everything down to the ground. So the garden is more of a hobby and really won't save us money over buying produce elsewhere.
Here's another tip:
Those Debbie Meyer Green Bags can be used to keep produce in the fridge for much longer than usual. I have no idea what the heck they do -- something about trapping and releasing ethylene gases from the food -- but we can keep strawberries for > 1 week!
I think it depends on what you are buying. The "diet" business is a huge money industry....so if you are spending money on 100 calorie packs or various other diet food then YES your are going to spend some money and your grocery tab can run up fast! HOWEVER....if you will focus on buying fresh fruits, veggies, lean meats, milk, dairy, etc....and stay away from the middle isles of the store you should save some money.
Some tricks I use are not buying pre-prepared veggies...like the ready to eat baby carrots, celery hearts, etc....it is more expensive. Also you can try buying bags of fruit or even mixed bags of fruit and bags of onions and potatoes....that should save you some plus your getting bulk...
Also try not to vary your menu a whole lot......for example....I will buy a pound of lean ground turkey and use half of it for spaghetti one night (spaghetti, value brand noodles, and I do splurge on the Newman's Own Sockarooni Sauce but it is all natural and wonderful!) and then the next night or a couple nights later we will use the other half of the ground turkey for sloppy joes (buns, canned sloppy joe sauce, and baked tater tots)
Usually the meat is where I spend most of my money.....I will get online and check the sales papers for Wal-Mart, E.W. James, Kroger, etc. and see who has the best deal on meat and what veggies and such are on sale...and of course you can check your Sunday paper for coupons and several places will double coupons!
I have a single friend who doesn't like to cook. He eats out 3 meals a day, and tries to eat as healthy as possible. He spends, easily, $20-$25/day on food and drinks.
I love to cook. 90% of my grocery bill goes to fresh produce, and buy organics wherever I can. I build my meals around what produce is in season and what's currently in my pantry. DH and I spend ~$400/mo on groceries and personal items, including feeding our two horses, errr, dogs. That includes feeding his beer and Mt Dew habits.
I suppose if you were living off of a Taco Bell value menu before, it would be significantly more expensive to eat healthy, but think of the money you'll save:
Medications over your lifetime - obesity has a much higher risk of cholesterol/heart/blood pressure issues. Not to mention body aches that require Advil/Tylenol/Aleve etc.
Clothing - The higher the size, the higher the cost typically
Cars - Less weight means less wear and tear and less gas mileage. Even 10lbs of extra weight puts a toll on your car, hence the suggestions to not carry a bunch of stuff in your trunk if you don't have to
And the list goes on and on. The "savings" may not be immediate, but they do add up.
Even more importantly for me, the more weight I take and keep off, the better I FEEL. The healthier I am, the more things in life I can enjoy. I only have this one lifetime, and I'd rather not spend all of it inside my house because I'm too big/ashamed/whatever to get out and enjoy it to the fullest.
We're a family of 6, so do spend a pretty penny at the grocery store, but I always just buy what's in season. I won't pay 4.99 for a lb. of grapes, for 5.99 for a pint of strawberries.. I stocked up today on boneless/skinless ch. breast 'cause it was on for about $2ish for a pkg. of 2 breasts! So I bought 10 pkgs... berries are always in season now, so we stocked up on those, and bought 3 blueberries, 3 strawberries, 3 raspberries... YUM!!
I find if I buy what's in season, I save $. And I will always buy "local" first & foremost, even if it does cost a bit more. I'd much rather support my local farmers than someone in California who ships my strawberries clear across North America to get them here in Ontario... kwim??
My grocery costs are astronomical since I've been eating more healthy, but I do buy a lot of "higher end" meats (salmon, beef tenderloin, boneless skinless chicken breasts) and such, and a few "convenience foods" (laughing cow cheese, sugar free jello pudding, sugar free drink mix packets, etc).
I guess it's cheaper than eating out, but IMO, it is cheaper to eat junk (especially when you're cooking for one).
Last edited by grneyedmustang; 06-25-2009 at 01:15 PM.
Think about if you used to eat out 5-7 times a week at $10 a pop- that's $50-70 that now goes towards groceries. I'd go back and figure out how much you used to eat out worth in a week or month- then see how much more you spend on groceries.
Since my husband and I eat out less our groceries are slightly higher but in the long run we are saving money
For veggies and fruits and things try looking at places like Henry's or Trader Joe's or some othre whole foods type market- I buy a TON of produce each week and since I switched to Henry's Market my produce is like $20 a week for two of us.
Eating "healthily" depends on how you define that. If for you this means fresh orgainc produce from a local farmer, you are going to spend a whole lot more than a number 2 at the drivethrough. For sure.
If you are single or a couple and want to eat as fresh as possible, you will be making a bunch of trips to the grocery store weekly because you won't be wanting to store huge amounts of produce in your fridge for long periods of time -- it'll go bad.
So I agree, it CAN cost more, but it doesn't have to.
I have no problem with using frozen veggies, especially in the winter when a head of fresh romaine lettuce is $5.99 EACH. I make a mean spanakopita with frozen spinach. You can use fresh, but you're cooking it anyways. Frozen is just fine. We eat alot of frozen green beans -- cheap and I like them. Same goes for cauliflower, carrots, and broccoli. We also used tinned veggies such as tomatoes and beans (I know, one is a fruit, and one is a legume, but you get the idea!) and stick with the no-name cheapest ones we can find. The price difference is HUGE.
We eat alot of frozen fruit, especially in the winter. Here, in the SPRING (i.e. right now) at the HEIGHT of strawberry season, 1 small carton is around $3.00. Raspberries and blueberries are $4.99 for a tiny carton. I use frozen for compotes and jams and in dessert recipes. They are way cheaper. I always check out the "specials" section in the produce department. You can get bananas for, say banana bread or other recipes like smoothies for $1.00 a pound. You can also get same-day use produce for less and it tastes just fine.
Pork tenderloin is about 1/3 the cost of beef tenderloin. We go with pork.
We buy family packs of chicken. If you get the chicken with the bone and skin on, it costs way less than, say, boneless skinless chicken breasts. I break the chicken down and freeze what we don't need. For stir frys, chicken tenders are 2/3rds the cost of boneless skinless chicken breasts. A pre-cooked ham is good for ham steaks on the bbq, then sliced thin for sandwiches, and the leftovers go into a ham strata for breakfast. A pound of bacon becomes 2 breakfasts, then cooked to add to sandwiches and the rest becomes bacon bits that I put in the freezer. The excess fat that is cooked off goes into a small jar, and I use just a BIT to flavor things like home-made baked beans.
I like omega-3 eggs, but since we eat primarily the whites, we get the cheapest eggs we can find. The yolks have the omega-3 and not the whites, so I won't pay a premium for it.
Dairy is costly, so I have to pick and choose wisely. A big brick of no-name mozza is way cheaper than pre-shredded Kraft mozza for pizzas. I will shred up the mozza and keep it in the freezer. The more plastic and packaging, the more it costs. I get big tubs of yogort and not the small single servings. I get no-name instead of brand names, too.We never get prepackaged processed cheeses -- we stick with brick style low fat options and slice them up ourselves.
I bake our own bread -- it is better for us and I like to do it and I can make a bunch of buns, and loaves and freeze them for use later. (I have a great multigrain recipe) and it isn't hard at all to make. It just takes time, but if I'm at home anyways, I can have bread rising while I'm doing something else. Stale bread gets ground up into bread crumbs, or cubed for breakfast stratas or made into croutons and stuck in the freezer.
You can save a TON if you can buy your spices in bulk instead of in the nice glass jars. A typical jar of spice costs $6.00 here: the same amount in bulk costs less than a dollar. Seriously.
But the most important thing you can do is cut down on your food wastage. Plan what you'll have for the week so that all the left-overs are eaten. Like us with the ham --we'll have ham steaks twice, some sandwiches over 2 days, and a breakfast strata that lasts 3 days. The bread I make for the sandwiches also goes into the strata, and the leftovers are made into croutons or crumbs.
I think it comes down to creativity, planning, and perhaps reexamining your definition of "perfect eating". You can do lots with not so much money. You just might not be able to eat organically or from the local market, but you CAN get your fruits and veg in cost-effectively.
I find that farmers' market produce lasts much longer than grocery store produce, sometimes 4 to 5 times as long, so I have a lot less waste. Even when the produce is higher priced than the grocery store, it's sometimes a better value if there's less waste.
I've been hearing about the green bags, and everyone I've talked to has said they work very well, so I'm going to have to try them.
I looked up and wrote down all of the farmers' markets within a 30 mile radius, and hubby and I are going to try out a few - just as something fun to do in the summer.
Asian groceries are often a great place for bargains. Large 1 lb cans of Canned mushrooms are often the same price as the tiny 4 oz cans of button mushrooms in larger grocery stores, and come in more varieties (I like straw mushrooms).
Quart bottles of gourmet soy sauces, and rice vinegars are as cheap or cheaper than small bottle of Kikoman.
Bean sprouts are fresher and come in huge bags for the price of small packages in other stores.
We buy the tvp from the bulk bins in a local health food store for $2.49 - 2.69 per pound (equivalent to 4 lbs of ground beef). If we bought it in 25 lb. bags, it would cost 1/2 to 2/3 that. I don't like ground turkey, but I can make ground meat with a similar fat content and a much better taste (to me) by mixing cheap ground beef with tvp. So for half the price or less of the cheapest ground beef, I can end up with a product that is as lean as the most expensive grinds of beef/turkey/chicken. I've done the same with chorizo and ground pork (ordinarily cuts that aren't very diet friendly, but they have a lot of flavor - by combining it with the tvp, I get the best of both words, flavor at a calorie bargain).
Saving money at the grocery is a matter of making many small changes. You save dollars by watching the pennies. If you have a super Walmart, they match prices - so you can take in the weekly flyers from other stores, and they will sell it at the flyer price (as long as it IS a price - they don't match buy one get one free, or other deceptively priced deals - because their regular price may be half that of the store giving the "deal").
There are a lot of ways to save money, and sometimes you can free up more grocery budget by saving on other things. I never buy new, if I can find it used. charity and thrift stores, garage sale, Freecycle (great site for giving and seeking items that would otherwise go to a landfill).
We do spend a higher proportion of our income on food, than we used to - but surprisingly since we switched to buying "cheap" our standard of living is actually as good, or better than when we were making four times as much money. We bought new and convenient, because we didn't think we had the time to make different choices. And to some degree, that is a challenge. If you're working 60 hours a week, it is going to be a lot harder to take the time, energy and effort it takes to save money (not just on food, but many things).
