More Food Spending Questions

I posted earlier asking how much money is typically spent on groceries, eating out and alcohol in a one month period. Most people seemed to say about $400. I spend $800, which is INSANE!! We are going into worse debt, and I wanted to lower our food spending by half. Knowing this, I worked really hard to come up with cheaper meals, buy only needed ingredients, didn't buy alcohol and only ate out when necessary and with coupons... I think we are still averaging $800 a month. So this brings me to my questions:

-What are some typical, cheap meals that you make?

-What are some of your saving tips regarding food to make sure you stay within your $400 budget?

-When you do go out to eat, which places do you typically visit?

Re: More Food Spending Questions

here's what we do:

1. try to plan out meals and only shop for them (ie. i got yogurt for breakfast, lunch meat and bread for lunch, and planned out our dinners for the week and just got what i needed for those based on what i already had in the house)

2. plan meals around what you already have and only buy what you really need

3. if you're going to go out on the weekend then have a late lunch at home and just get appetizers at the bar for dinner, have some drinks before you go so you don't spend too much on alcohol out, or go to places that have good specials

4. if you want to eat out during the week go for cheap things like pizza or chinese (we order from the special combo menu and we egg rolls, rice, and an entree for $7 each)

5. make big dishes so you have left overs that will last you 2 nights instead of one (things like baked ziti, lasagne, chili, soups, etc.)

Re: More Food Spending Questions

We try to buy all of our groceries on sale. We buy most of our meat, eggs, milk/half and half and bulk dry goods at costco .Some cheap meals we make are cannellini beans with crushed tomatoes and grilled chicken or sausage, rice and lentils (Indian style), escarole and bean soup, chicken soup, lasagna (especially if you buy the cheese on sale), quinoa and black beans, lentil soup, veggie soup, beef stew (DH has several good recipes). We try to eat breakfast at home and always make our own coffee to go in the morning. This has helped to save a lot of money.

Re: More Food Spending Questions

We were in the same boat. We started doing peapod and it has helped a lot. I plan a menu on Wednesday and then order the food. We have it delivered Saturday for the following week. I feel bad letting food go bad so we tend to eat in more because of this.

HTH

Re: More Food Spending Questions

$800 a month for 2 people??? what do you buy

I cook almost everyday...and by no means do i make 'cheap meals' ....I buy all ingredients, fresh, and usually pay higher price by buying 'organic stuff' such as milk, yougurt cheese that is organic etc....and we still spend 300-400$ a month only....
I mean im making rib eye steaks, wild alaskan salmon, chicken breasts, everything from SCRATCH..... and its still not that much....

if you look at ur grocery list do u see where u are spending the most $? however, DH and I dont drink really, so we dont have an alcohol expesne, we have a few good bottles of wine that last us.

However DH is a biggg juice fan he drinks NO water and we get the pomgrenate juice which is like $9.99 and tropicana...but still it doesnt amount to even 700-800...im not sure how i can help u, but i want too !! lol
do u spend most of ur $ on meat?

Re: More Food Spending Questions

I go where the sales are..sometimes I end up going to 3 different stores. I buy all my canned goods, cookies, chips, etc at target. I buy chicken in bulk at BJ's.

I never buy breakfast- I have it at home. I make my own coffee at home too. I pack lunches to bring to work (and pack them for DH too).

We use a brita instead of spending $$ on bottled water.

We go out to eat only once a week.

I almost always buy the store brand for things (depending what they are).

Re: More Food Spending Questions

We're vegetarian, so I'm just throwing it out there that I have no advice in the meat/poultry/seafood/fish areas.

Cheap, at-home meals: pasta with sauce, pasta with garlic and oil, soup and sandwiches, breakfast-for-dinner.

You have to shop the sales. If you don't get the supermarket's circular delivered, look at it online before you write out your shopping list. Plan meals around the sales.

Don't go to the store hungry! You WILL spend more. Last night, DH and I went to Trader Joe's and Stop & Shop. We had been running errands prior to heading to the stores. We stopped at 7-11 and grabbed a bottle of water and a couple of protein bars and ate them before we went in the stores.

Buy store-brand. Use coupons. Only clip coupons for products you will actually use.

Frozen veggie and fruit have just as much nutrition as fresh, and are pretty cheap. Use the veggie in a stir-fry or sauce and fruit in homemade smoothies.

We drink - a lot. We always have beer and wine in the house, and make a run for liquor every couple of months. Last night we did spend $100 on liquor, but it will last us a good while. Beer...buy it on sale. Wine...find a type you like that's in the $6-8/bottle range.

We generally go out to non-chain places...I do tend to go on restaurant.com to see if there are any certificates available for any place we are going to.

Re: More Food Spending Questions

Thanks for all the tips girls.

We do use the circulars, and usually end up shopping at 3 different places to pick up all the sales.

We do plan meals ahead and try to only buy what is needed for those meals. We try to cook a big enough dinner so that it also serves as lunch for DH and I.

Both DH and I have breakfast and lunch at home so we are only spending for dinners, snacks and food on the weekends.

We were trying to analyze it in Quicken and we don't exactly know where it is mostly going to.

We only buy chicken (which can be expensive if it is not on sale) and chopped turkey or sausage (which are usually cheap).

But I think we spend a lot more because we both like different things. He likes orange juice, I like cranberry juice. He drinks expensive coffee and I like having fresh fruit in the house. He likes yogurt and cereal and I like cookies and cheese. We have a lot of separate purchases.

Also, every weekend we have been entertaining and we usually take our friends out and we make larger meals, so techincally during weekends we are usually spending for 4 people.

We usually buy beer on sale and bottles of wine under $15. We never have more than two bottles or one case of beer at a time and we don't drink that much.

We shop 4 times a month. (sorry not 4 times a week- once a week) Usually the most expensive item we pick up at the supermarket will be about $6 and that is usually chicken or cheese.

We have only been living together for 3.5 months now. We didn't really have anything when we started, so I am hoping our numbers are off because we were stocking up on all the essentials we needed to have in our pantry and were entertaining everyone who wanted to come see our apartment.

I am hoping if we stop going out to expensive restaurants and re-evaluate in another month or two we should see it start to decrease. We also have to stop cooking with alcohol that is a big expense. We love penne alla vodka, chicken tequila fettucine, pasta carbonara, wine sauces, champagne salmon and beer in fajitas and chilis. I think we need to think of some cheaper recipes with less ingredients.

If you girls have any other advice, let me know!!

Re: More Food Spending Questions

We use a program called Angel Food Ministries, there are several places around LI for it, where you get food for 4 for a week (lasts us longer) for about 30-40, depending on what you order.


You can get 5pounds of meat for 25 (rib-eye and sirloin), or a mix of types of food, including vegetables, eggs, meat, milk, etc, for $31. It helps keep our cost of food down.

Re: More Food Spending Questions

Juices and snack foods are expensive. We do not really eat much of either. We eat a lot of red meat and drink pretty expensive coffee and my bills do not come close to yours. Try shopping only once a week from a list this will reduce impulse buys. A friend of mine kept track like you said you are going to start to do and he reduced his spending by so much- He did it for all of his and his wife's spending and they realized how much money they were spending on impulse buys and snacks.

Re: More Food Spending Questions

Some advice:

Stop taking your friends out. That can be really costly. If they're coming over to see the new place, you can easily do some quick appetizers and beer or wine at home. Or if they suggest going out, then go out...but don't pay for all of them. If they suggest going out, then they should be able to pay their own way.

Stop cooking with alcohol. Also costly, and honestly it doesn't make much of a difference in the taste of the food anyway.

When you say you're 'only spending for dinners', do you mean that you eat out for dinner every day? If so, cut down on that too.

Don't go to the store four times a week. You're setting yourself up for impulse buys that way.

Make a list and stick to it, don't stray from it.

Juice can be pricey...if you aren't attached to a particular brand, buy whatever is cheapest.

As much as I find Rachael Ray more irritating than a yeast infection, she does have budget-friendly recipes on her site. Here you go: budget-friendly meals

Re: More Food Spending Questions

We really never eat out, or even order out and I really believe it save us lots of money. Since cooking for 2 often leads to lots of leftovers, DH and I will eat leftovers for lunch OR we have lean cuisines (which i only buy on sale). Groceries, i usually buy what is on sale and if meat we like is on sale, i buy it and put it in the freezer. If its things we need, milk, bread, special ingredient, i buy it when i need it.
We buy alot in BJ's, the frozen fish is the best, good to thaw quick, cooks, quick.
Cheap meals... pasta! pork and chicken can be very cheap on sale aslo!

Re: More Food Spending Questions

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Posted by summerbride20

We shop 4 times a week. Usually the most expensive item we pick up at the supermarket will be about $6 and that is usually chicken or cheese.

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This is probably contributing ALOT to spending so much. You should make a list and shop once a week. DH and I have been using Shoprites shop at home for the last 10 months. While we do have to pay $10 for the service, I find on average we have been spending $10-$30 less per week because we aren't making impulse buys.

Re: More Food Spending Questions

I've been analyzing this more and I realize that quicken was adding in what we were considering travel expenses (eating out on the honeymoon- super splurged) and we did have some expensive dinners before the wedding and to celebrate around the wedding. I think once we cut out eating out we'll be good. I edited quicken a bit, it was also adding in home goods items from target and made it solely the food purchases being considered... I think the $800 number already dropped to $600. That is alot better and plus, we think the spending will be going down from now on... so
Even $600 is a lot, I know, but its much better than $800 so for now, I'll take it.
I still love tips tho, so thanks again for all the info and advice.

Re: More Food Spending Questions

i spend a pretty penny cuz i go to specialty shops.. but i def know how to shop on a budget.. and we eat A LOT..its actually sickening to some ppl lol

pay attention to PRICE per POUND for meat.
shop around. buy family packs of meat.

**chicken breasts should be purchased when they are 1.99/lb ** buy a family pack. and when youre done with that, they will be on sale again lol

ONLY buy stuff on sale, that way u get diff stuff each week.


**** buy your fruits and veggies at a farm stand...NOT at a supermarket. its wayyyyyyyyy cheaper at a fruit/veggie store than at waldbaums***

u will become more familiar with sales as time goes on.


as far as eating out.. RESTAUrant.com is amazingg!

dh and i go out to eat a lot.. 3-4x a week. we dont like fancy places. i dont believe in spending 100$ on a meal for 2. its ridiculous. we live in the greatest city in the world with an abundance of amazing places to eat..FOR CHEAP. why spend 80$ on a steak when i can get the same thing for 20. ya know?

look in the local paper for deals. by me theres all u can eat steak night for 16$. comes with soup and salad.

cheap eats are the best!

Re: More Food Spending Questions

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Posted by eternitybride

We use a program called Angel Food Ministries, there are several places around LI for it, where you get food for 4 for a week (lasts us longer) for about 30-40, depending on what you order.


You can get 5pounds of meat for 25 (rib-eye and sirloin), or a mix of types of food, including vegetables, eggs, meat, milk, etc, for $31. It helps keep our cost of food down.

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isnt that for people who are poor?

Re: More Food Spending Questions

I've never put my meat in the freezer before, I guess I should buy larger packs so it would be cheaper and then freeze the rest. The cheapest I find chicken is 3.99 a pound at waldbaums.

I love the idea of farmstands. I think there is one very close to my house. I never considered that before because i always assumed it would be more expensive.

I have also never used restaurants.com, I will certainly check it out!! We are trying not to go out at all anymore unless its for a slice of pizza or something but... I know there will be times we end up just giving in.

Re: More Food Spending Questions

3.99 is reg price for smalll packs. family packs are on sale for 1.99

u can go to bjs or costco and get the already frozen chicken tittties that are individually packaged for 2.79. thats what i usually do. i cant freeze my own food. something about salmonella and tupperware in my freezer makes me cringe lol

and only buy a restaurant.com coupon when u have a coupon code for 80% off. 1 person basicallly eats free.

Re: More Food Spending Questions

Honestly, since i buy all organic its really hard to make anything 'Cheap'. It always ends up a little more.

But some cheaper meals you can make are meatloaf, Pasta Piselli, Chicken Cutlets (any style), Chicken stir fry sausage & peppers. Etc. HTH!

Re: More Food Spending Questions

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Posted by grkbarbie

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Posted by eternitybride

We use a program called Angel Food Ministries, there are several places around LI for it, where you get food for 4 for a week (lasts us longer) for about 30-40, depending on what you order.


You can get 5pounds of meat for 25 (rib-eye and sirloin), or a mix of types of food, including vegetables, eggs, meat, milk, etc, for $31. It helps keep our cost of food down.

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isnt that for people who are poor?

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Im not one to get on anyone for making a statement.And im more then sure you probably didnt mean it the way its seems on here. But maybe sometimes we could choose our words more tastefully> You never really know anyones financial situation on this site. And some people may think its kind of rude.