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grocery shopping on a tight budget, need ideas!

post #1 of 5
Thread Starter 
We are really tight on money right now and want to get the most for our money...
I would love some suggestions or tips on what to buy for meals/snacks that are really budget friendly and 3 YEAR OLD friendly!! I feel like I buy the same things everytime I go shopping and would like some variety without spending a ton of money. I know buying things in bulk can really help and buying things that aren't premade or prepared. I clip coupons when I can. Are there any other secrets to saving? Id like to know what works for you and your family!

I'm also 11 weeks postpartum and really trying to eat as healthy as I can to lose those extra pounds i put on!..

Thanks..!:
post #2 of 5
You may want to also post this in the frugality & finances forum. TONS of great ideas over there!

As far as tips for saving $$$, well, that depends. What is your current budget? Does your family have food allergies? Are you a good cook (ie: is cooking from scratch an option for you)? How much "box" food are you needing right now with a newborn? Do you *have* to eat organic, or have particular items that must be organic?

In general, I've found that the best way to get our grocery budget under control is to:

1) Make a pricebook. I described how I did this here: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...044&highlight=

2) Cook as much as you're able from scratch.

This is also a good older thread about stretching your food budget:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...451&highlight=

Especially with a newborn I'd say start small. Pick one idea or skill a week or month or whatever. Once it's incorporated into your routine pick another one, and so on.

Good luck!

Holly
post #3 of 5
Check out if any of the grocery stores near you sell bargin produce, then check their bargain produce every time you go to the store. Sometimes, its all too rotted. Sometimes, I get enough 10 plums perfect for making a crisp for 99 cents. Sometimes, there is a LARGE bunch of grapes with only a couple rotted grapes and the rest perfectly sweet for 99cents. Its hit and miss, and sometimes hit and miss in the same bag, but its often one of the best deals around.

Costco has some crazy deals. I bought 10 lbs of onions (well 20, 2 bags), for something like 3 dollars each bag. You just have to really stick to your list. (and of course, you need a membership, or a friend who will take you and let you "use" their membership. should not be a problem.)

Meal planning saves us so much money. So much less food goes to waste if we plan our meals, and buy what we need for those meals (plus a couple treats, example, a peach each or a bag of bargin produce etc), instead of buying what looks good and looks like about a week's worth of food. It also makes it much easier to cook during the week. Oh, today we're having pasta puttanesca. And tomarrow is lentil salad so I need to get those lentils soaking.

Find the most concentrated sources of nutrition. For instance animal fats (butter, lard, beef fat, chicken fat, fatty meat) have a lot of vitamins in minerals in a very small amount, along with a lot of other stuff needed for a pregnant lady and her babe. Whole grains offer more nutrition than refined grains, but if you can find a way to afford it, produce and fats have more nutrition for the amount of food, IIRC. (though in many places grains are cheaper. We have one store here that sells really cheap produce. many places do. do you have an asian market that sells cheap produce? that's one place to check. it can be crazy inexpensive at some of them).

Try techniques which provide more nutrition for the amount of food. For instance, cabbage is really cheap and very nutritious, but if you lacto-ferment it into sourkraut, (the only thing you need to add is salt and water and spices (opt)), there is a lot more vitamin c availible to your body, as well as enzymes which will make it easier to digest. (see the Traditional Foods forum for fermenting advice. It can be done easily in a mason jar.)

Potatoes have a good amount of nutrition in them, particularly if you eat the skins with fat. (it helps you absorb the vitamins) In fact, a lot of the cheapest vegetables are super healthy: cabbage, onions, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, brussel sprouts (cheap some places), garlic. If you prepare the same produce many ways, it will feel different. Example: Roasted broccoli one night, steamed broccoli with salt and butter another, broccoli cream sauce pasta, broccoli salad, cream of broccoli soup, broccoli in macaroni and cheese.... thats a whole week of broccoli right there, in different forms.

That's another way to get cheaper produce in many places: buy it in bulk. Most people don't think to buy produce in bulk, but you can get good deals at the farmer's market and some stores for buying by the flat or more. If it will store a while, thats a week's worth of lunches and dinners and snacks. If not, cut it, (sometimes cook it), freeze it, and use it slowly. If you bought a flat of stone fruit, and cut it up, it would cost less but you can use it for smoothies, dessert, snacks, over time (not so great just defrosted, but cook it a little with or without an added sweetner like honey, and serve with yogurt.)

See if your neighboors or anyone on freecycle has extra produce for cheap or free, or for your picking. You can also try to find a bulk buying group for larger bulk buys than you can use, (and thus steep savings).

good luck
post #4 of 5
great ideas there Caroline.

Prepping in advance is also a great way to save money - motivation wise.
I.e cut up onions, bell peppers and store in plastic bags or containers. so they are ready to go with whatever meal you are preparing.
Carrot sticks in a container of water.

Not exactly "frugal" but frugal in the sense that if they are on hand your most likely to use them instead of grabbing a snack or not making a meal from scratch.
post #5 of 5
I see you are in Maine! Where abouts? There are some good places like Ocean State Job lot where you can buy a lot of good even organic foods for cheap. I do a lot of stocking up there for snacks and weird little things

I don't know if you eat meats but I try to do meats that have a 2 dinner potential or a dinner and lunch potential. Pork Chops are usually quite cheap and theres a lot you can do to dress them up. Whole chickens are another great option. Lots of leftovers.

3 year olds can be quite tricky. I have to rotate snacks or mine gets really bored. He was the BEST eater till he hit 3! Bulk bins are my friend. I buy a little of this a little of that and its cheaper and if thery don't like it then you're not wasting a lot of money. popcorn is another good cheap treat that can be dresed up in different ways.

Baked oatmeal is another good option for a cheap breakfast and of course eggs toast and fruit is great!

We try to do a daily green smoothie. Frozen fruit can be kind of expensive but its worth it if your child will drink their veggies!
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