So how did we do?
After last months shocking grocery totals we decided to take action and cut our spending. I am happy to report that we spent $600.71 this month on groceries. We did it by making a detailed list that we keep on our computer and print out, shopping only once a week and clipping coupons for ONLY the things that we were going to buy anyways.
What a relief!!! I was afraid that we would be the family who spends $900 a month just because that was what it took.
So...on to my next step. Refining my list and creating healthy meals for a week. I am trying to limit my convience food buying. So I have a few questions...
1. If there was one meal that you would like to make for your family each week what would that be?(handmade)
2. Do you schedule out meals for a week, month etc? If so...what does your schedule look like? Do you use the same set of 7 meals for the entire month? Do you plan certain snacks or just the main dinner meal.
3. Is there a certain website that you have found especially helpful in making healthy cost effective meals?
Hmmmm...other than that...I think I am good. I don't know that I am looking to plan out breakfast or lunch but it would be good to have some sort of schedule for dinners. I am probably also looking for the caloric intake on meals as well so that I will know if I can eat the meal too.
THANKS!!!!!
posted by Erin @ 1:24 PM
11 Comments:
1. You mean besides the basic - spaghetti, tacos, etc? We're pasta, casserole type people - not much of the meat, potatoes, veggie around here. There's an Enchilada Casserole that's easy and relatively cheap. Layer: torn up tortillas; a mixture of crm of mushroom soup, can of enchilada sauce, pinto beans and hamburger (pound-ish or less/none with more beans); and shredded cheese. I do about 3 or 4 layers. Then bake at 350 for about 30 min. Yummy.
2. I usually schedule for atleast 2 weeks (though in Dec. I scheduled the whole month but shopped for 2 weeks at a time). If I know days we'll need to eat out according to schedule, I pencil those in. Since we live a ways from the city, it's nice to buy big loads twice a month and only run to the closer stores for a few things if needed.
3. My fav website is allrecipes.com It's not really catered to low cost or anything but I find everything I need there.
We're REALLY tight right with my hubby is night school. So we try to spend around $200 or so a month on groceries. Do Costco bulk buying and make a lot at a time.
We do egg/cheese quiches. Quick, easy, girls love them.
mashed potatoes, green beans, and meatloaf. Simple, healthy.
Friday nights we do box pizzas.
Sunday nights we do just popcorn while we watch a movie as a family (at least in theory we try to do it).
We don't buy sodas or other unneeded type things.
Those are just a few thoughts from our house. :D
kraftfoods.com
Love it, Love it, Love it! They have so many different options on their website from healthy meals to not so healthy meals. ;o) They also have a "One bag, 5 Meals" (or something like that) Where you can make 5 different meals from one shopping bag... I know the title kinda gave it away! Anywho, that's the website I love! I also get their FREE magazine in the mail!
What I do is just plane out x amount of meals that I am going to need for that pay period (we get paid twice a month so we only go food shoping twice a month). I then write out my ingreadents for the meals that I am going to cook and get everything on that list. When I am done shoping I keep the list on my frige and X of the meals after I cook them that way I know what I have and what I have used and I am not trying to remember where it went if or use it for something else!! I will e-mail you one of my shoping lists if you would like because I do the same thing you do, I keep the lists on my computer that way after a while I can just go and print out my list and not have to make such a long list!!! All I have to put on them is bread, milk butter.... you know stuff that you go through on an everyday bases!!! I hope this makes sence and it helps you somehow.
I am doing OAMC now (just did a session yesterday for 2 wks of meals. I borrowed a book last week because I felt like I was making the same stuff every two weeks. So, we haven't tried the new ones yet but my fav meal (and my fams)is Swiss Chicken. Love it! We have been shopping at Aldi and whatever we can't get there or I find a price that's cheaper I shop around. I shop every week because Dan gets paid every week. I do plan out snacks and sides to go with every meal also. I set aside money for a hot and ready pizza night (or taco bell) and then on Sunday afternoon is when we treat the kids to McDonalds. I am working on cutting back but right now we are at around $550-600 a month for groceries (that includes diapers, baby food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, paper products, etc...not just food.)
I plan breakfast, lunch, snacks & dinner. I have a chart posted on my fridge for the week's menu. (And I would be happy to email you a copy of my weekly menu chart and grocery list if you are interested.) I change it up and don't do the same meals over and over. I try to space them out, so we will only have our favorites several times a year. Other than that, I find new ones to try. I plan out my menu once a week, go shopping once a week and know exactly EVERYTHING that I need to buy. This has cut out a LOT of extra "randomly wondering down the aisles and tossing in what looks good" spending!
I love, Love, LOVE Aldi! I've never been into name brand items. When I cook it all together in a recipe, it all tastes the same to me. I have been shopping there long enough that I know what they usually carry. I also love allrecipes.com and I can go on there and find simple recipes that have ingredients that Aldi sales. I really don't like shopping more than one store just b/c it's not easy with kids (and I only have 2 compared to your 5), but occasionally I find a recipe that is too good to pass up and will go to Woodman's to buy the remaining ingredients that isn't carried at Aldi.
Hope this helps a little.
Oh yeah, and how could I forget?! We LOVE the Pillsbury cookbooks. We have a subscription to them! And each time a new one comes in the mail, I have Josh go through and fold down the corners on the ones that look yummy to him - so he gets to pick out a few things that I would NOT normally pick. (I'm *very* picky!) And then I work them into the menu over the next few weeks.
LOL We're kind of a mixture of everyone! I haven't been doing it lately but now that I won't be working I am going to get back into OAMC. I usually planned out for the whole month and cooked that way, Cooking a couple days for the whole month, and then once I have a base I usually just doubled things along the way and what not. And I use the same months meals three months in a row (spring, summer, fall, winter), but rarely have the same meal except fridays during that month. We always do pizza on Friday nights too! And like Christin do popcorn on Sunday nights!! I would have to say that by using Aldi and coupons and such I usually spend about $400-$500 a month. I also keep a computer print out of all the things I would have on hand and that way all I have to do is circle
those that come up and add those that would be extra! I have also done my OAMC with what meat is on sale. Anyways, good luck!!
1. Something with chicken. We eat a lot of chicken, but it's not the most cost effective meal. Like Beth, we love Swiss Chicken too. We usually do Spaghetti with {homemade} meatballs once a week and before I had the baby I would make one pot of homemade soup weekly. Soup is a very cost effective meal when paired with some homemade rolls & a tossed salad.
2. Um, shamefully, no. I try and keep the freezer stocked with OAMC meals, so I just pull something out as I need it & throw together some side dishes. Snacks are usually pretzels/crackers or fruit. Like Steph, I am an Aldi fan too. ;>)
3. Have you looked at hillbillyhousewife? Lots of cost effective from scratch ideas there. I couldn't live without allrecipes either!
STEPHANIE-I would love an emailed copy of your schedule and organizational food stuff!!! TOTALLY!!!! THANKS!!!!!
Everyone else-Thank you so much for your tips! I am working on this process of becoming more "domestic" but am trying to find a way to work my eating into the families eating.
SERIOUSLY GUYS!!! THANKS!!!!
http://www.biblicalwomanhoodonline.com/2008/01/frugal-friday-balancing-frugality-and.html
This was just posted today and I thought it might be helpful as well.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home