Grocery Spin Off: for those spending about 600/month?

What does a typical meal look like for you?

I can't figure out where to cut back.

We go through 2 boxes of cereal a month (for 3 people). We do a gallon of milk a week. A carton of OJ every 2 weeks. A bottle of apple juice every 3 days. DS will eat a PB&J sandwich for lunch. I usually have a roast beef sandwich with some lettuce. Dinner is either chicken, steak, fish or pasta with a veggie. I am just trying to figure out how some people are able to spend so much less than we are.

Re: Grocery Spin Off: for those spending about 600/month?

We spend about that much bc of organic produce and meat. It is expensive and adds up!

Re: Grocery Spin Off: for those spending about 600/month?

We don't drink juice or soda...really there's only water (tap) and milk at our house. Occasionally a bottle of wine

DD is still young, so we usually make babyfood

We do go over that if we go out (which I do more than DH), order in, and this doesn't include formula, also if I feel like getting some other random stuff I like (certain fruits usually that end up costing more)

Crockpot meals usually last us several days. DH takes the same lunch everyday (PB sandwich, banana, pretzels) and I usually graze a little on snacks during the day, so usually no lunch

We *can* do $600 a month, but we usually spend more

Re: Grocery Spin Off: for those spending about 600/month?

We save so much by going to BJ's

Re: Grocery Spin Off: for those spending about 600/month?

we spend far less than that. About $250 a month between peapod & Sam's Club (only go once every two months to sams just for meats, baby stuff & pet supplies).

I find with Peapod I buy a lot less crap. I only buy what we need and been doing it for about 2 mos and its working. My bill is anywhere from $75-$85 every two weeks.

honestly, I buy so much store brand stuff and use coupons.

I also pick-up cheap stuff at Walmart & Sam's Club. I find for 90% of stuff, store brand is a'ok for me.

Message edited 2/17/2010 1:36:39 PM.

Re: Grocery Spin Off: for those spending about 600/month?

Posted by Stacey1403

We save so much by going to BJ's

Re: Grocery Spin Off: for those spending about 600/month?

I am not brand loyal. Almost everything I buy is on sale. I've had $60 grocery orders go down to $25

I actually don't really stock up, I did when I was working, but unless there is a mega sale (like DH brings those Stouffers sandwiches to work and they are normally $3.99 and they are on sale for $1.99) I shop for the next couple of days..

I use all diapers, whatever I get coupons for.

Milk kills me. The cheapest I find it is $3.29 a gallon at 7-11 (I know its cheaper at Target, but it does taste different)

Re: Grocery Spin Off: for those spending about 600/month?

We spend about 800 - but we have 2 adults and 2 boys who are 8 and 6.

I buy on sale - I often plan around what is on sale. And when something is on sale I buy in bulk. I will never pay more than 4.99 a pound for porterhouse, never more than 2.50 max for chicken cutlets, etc..

I don't generally buy cold cuts because they are expensive.

I don't buy soda or soft drinks unless we are having a party.

I avoid a lot of convenience items - I can chop my own veggies.

I make due with a lot of generic items.. Oateo's are just as good as Cheerios.

Oh and COUPONS are really a friend. Those Catalina's at the register are great and the coupon books that come in the paper help too. It doesn't SEEM like a lot.. but I've seen an order shrink from $180 to $130 pretty fast!

And Peapod helps me. I don't get swayed by impulse buys when I use Peapod. I get what I need and don't buy something I don't need just because it's on a cute display or is marked SALE at the endcap.

ETA: And God help me.. but I am very picky about what I buy organic. I would LOOOVE to buy all organic meats and veggies and milk.. but it's not feasible. I get organic milk for the boys.. and non-organic for Rob and I. I never buy organic tough skinned veggies/fruits (pineapple, avocado, onion). I reserve organic for stuff like apples, berries and other things like that.

Also.. more than a few of my friends are fisherman so most of my seafood is fresh and free.

AND I've stopped overcooking. When I DO have leftovers.. we actually EAT them for lunch.

Message edited 2/17/2010 1:49:23 PM.

Re: Grocery Spin Off: for those spending about 600/month?

Going to BJs
limited amounts of steak/fish
A lot of chicken cutlets and pork chops
A lot of burgers
We also don't drink anything except water, coffee and milk
Target brand on some stuff
Store brands on a lot of Sydnie's non nutritious snacks
I buy a LOT of something when it is on sale and I refuse to buy certain things at full price

Re: Grocery Spin Off: for those spending about 600/month?

typical meal is usually a nice piece of meat (flank/hanger steak, salmon, chicken breasts, chicken parts) a freshly sauteed/roasted veggie (kale, chard, spinach, carrots, squash), and a starch (rice/pasta/potato)

food is just very expensive where we live. we save about $30 a week when we shop upstate at our house over when we shop near our apt in Brooklyn.

however, I am fine with my food budget being a little on the high side b/c to me, food is so important. it needs to be fresh. it needs to be healthy, it needs to be good.

I skimp on other things so I don't have to worry about that.

Re: Grocery Spin Off: for those spending about 600/month?

We too look for deals. We also drink a lot of water/coffee & just milk (no juice, rarely soda).

Breakfast is usually cereal or oatmeal or eggs or fruit.

The fruit adds up.

Lunch is cold cuts & bread or soup or DH loves boca burgers.

Dinner is usually pasta, rice & beans, veggies & rice, stirfry or something thrown together (we really don't do meat very often).

DD is the expensive one...she'll go through fruit like there's no tomorrow

Message edited 2/17/2010 2:06:43 PM.

Re: Grocery Spin Off: for those spending about 600/month?

Re: Grocery Spin Off: for those spending about 600/month?

We aren't the average family -- DH is gluten and dairy-free and I'm dairy-free while I'm pumping/BFing for younger DS. Older DS (2yo) eats dairy and gluten.

Typical meal is broiled/baked meat (chxn 2-3x a week, beef 1x, fish 1x, pork 1x), rice/pasta/quinoa/potato plus steamed veg. I usually make a soup/stew with leftovers at least 1x/week. Adding beans (start with dry beans in a bag b/c they're cheaper than the canned ones) also helps lengthen a meal.

Meat Farms saves us tons of $$$. Produce is very fresh and super-cheap.

We hit Costco 1-2x per week because we buy my soymilk and DC's organic whole milk there. While we're there we'll pick up a Rotiserrie chicken for $5 -- that easily gives us two meals.

We stretch meals very well. For ex, with the rotisserrie chicken, we'll eat it on the first night with a veggie and potato, then we'll shred the remaining meat for tacos or chop it for a jambalaya or a pilaf dish with rice or slice it for chicken sandwiches or for salads. Then we'll save the carcass and make stock with it, throw in some veggies and/or beans and then we have a hearty soup.

We buy in bulk when there's a sale -- I think Pathmark has the best meat deals. We invested in a deep freezer for our basement so when we see a sale, we stock up and then dip into the freezer as needed.

I have been more diligent about planning our meals -- making sure that we have something planned for every night so we never come home and say, 'OMG, what's for dinner - let's get take out' --which is what we used to do 1-2x per week.

I used to be a coupon queen, but recently found the manufacturers are getting greedy and ask you to buy 2 of something in order to save $0.50 or a$1 -- I'd rather buy one of the store-brand and be done with it. Much cheaper IMO.