I spend more on groceries than rent

[ihugtrees]

I don't understand how, but we are spending about $125-150 a WEEK on groceries for TWO people since becoming vegan and beginning to drink green smoothies. This last week was the straw that broke the camel's back when we spent $200.

We buy a lot of produce, & we buy nuts & seeds raw/organic in bulk. Protein is from the commissary for cheap (beans-dry, tofu--occasionally burger crumbles if we can find the vegan ones)--we also get our pasta, rice, & tortillas/pita bread from there. I've seen people say that they shop sales, but I can't see the sales at the commissary or the health food store until I get there, and I can't meal plan on the spot--plus, the stuff I buy usually isn't on sale any way. We tried to get a local CSA type thing (bulk organic produce) & they made a mistake on our order, then had horrible customer service, so we ended up cancelling (it really didn't save us much money). There are no co-ops or farmers markets nearby. We buy avocados, bananas, onions, & mushrooms conventionally from the commissary but all other produce organic. If we get away with spending less than $125 in one trip, I've forgotten something that we have to run to Publix for, and everything is even more expensive there.

We get most of our recipes from vegweb.com. For breakfast, I do tofu & veggies in some sort of scramble w/ toast, & lunches are almost always leftovers, or some sort of veggie salad if we don't have leftovers. The main part of our dinner meal is always veggies, but as sides (or in combination with veggies), we usually do pasta 1-2 times a week, rice 2-3 times a week, and some kind of bread 1-2 nights a week...plus a protein (some kind of bean or nut. Maybe once a week seeds, or tofu) We have also been spending about $15 a week for vegan chocolate or the ingredients for some kind of dessert or ice 'cream', but am determined to stop doing that (for our budget as well as our !!)

Stuff we buy every week:
2-3 cartons of soy milk (for me), 1-2 cartons of almond milk (DH)
1 box of cereal
4-5 bags of spinach (we find the bunches at the health food store go bad more quickly although they are a little cheaper per oz)
5 lbs bananas
1 package of mushrooms
6-7 avocados
5-6 bags of frozen fruit
4 blocks of firm tofu for breakfasts
2 blocks of silken tofu for smoothies/desserts/soups
Pasta
Rice
Either tortillas or pita bread
Fresh garlic

Every other week:
1 tub of soy cream cheese
1 tub of sour 'cream'
1 tub Earth Balance Butter
Agave nectar
Ezekiel bread
1 block of soy cheese
EVOO
Sesame seed oil
=Approximately $80 a week on BASICS + whatever we spend on other veggies, extra ingredients, spices, etc...plus non-food grocery items

To recap: I need help figuring out cheaper meal ideas, that have smaller serving sizes and reheat well (we make big meals & try to eat the leftovers for lunches, but we never can finish them. Sometimes they don't reheat well, like our recent polenta experiment, or the spring rolls we made a few weeks ago). We don't mind eating beans a few nights a week, but we get tired of the same old beans and rice recipes. So, any idea for bean meals that aren't just mexican themed beans and rice? Or cheaper meals in general? Are there places to get coupons for these items that I don't know about? Any other ideas on how to save?

[Ianthe]

I see lots of processed stuff that you could cut out if you want.. stuff like veggie crumbles, cream cheese and sour cream- those are things we rarely buy. There are lots of different ethnic foods that are beans and rice based- indian is my favorite.. i also make cajun food often.

Food prices have also gone up

Would you qualify for WIC to help you with beans, tortillas/rice, juice, veggies? It saves us about $75/month

[Chakra]

On a family of 5, we spend between 700-800 a month on food! It's insane. I'm very strict on what we eat and it's expensive! I don't do anything processed like the tofus and cream cheese. Just a lot of raw foods, grass fed beef etc. It's crazy. I'm trying to cut down but I just don't know how.

[Keeta]

For our family of 3 (1 DH, me pregnant, 1 3 year old) we spend about $375-$435/month.

Looking at your list, I wondered if maybe Costco might be a good investment for you guys - particularly since you buy so much smoothie stuff per week. I know they sell those BIG tubs of organic baby spinach there. You could probably also find deals on bananas, avocados and frozen fruit. Plus, you could get cases of soymilk for cheaper than by the carton (the aspetic container kind, which are great since they are shelf stable!). You can get some organic cereals there as well to save (Optimum brand granola, sometimes Kashi). You can also definitely find pasta in bulk and rice. You might want to keep track of the unit cost you are paying at your normal shopping places and compare them to Costco. It might not always be a better deal, but many many times it is.

Also, I cannot stress this enough - you MUST meal plan! For at least the current week, better to do two. I have been doing this this month and keeping really close track of our spending, and it's saving us a TON of money! I no longer go to the store and go...hmmm...yeah, I like kale...and collards...and that and that....and then get home and let stuff rot. I have a list of what's in our pantry, fridge and freezer and plan meals around what we already have, supplementing with the fresh stuff we might need from the store. But I've basically averaged $85/wk, which is a LOT lower than before meal planning.

Another thing I've done is stopped buying organic as a rule - if there is a good deal, sure. But otherwise, I stick to the dirty dozen as strictly organic and everything else it's what's the best price. Here is a really handy pocket-sized list you can take shopping with you as a reminder - I never go shopping without it now! I just "laminated" it with some clear packing tape to reinforce it.

ETA: keep your eye out for a cheap bread machine on Craigslist or at a garage sale. We found a little one at a garage sale for $10, and it saves us SO much money. I bake a loaf every week for pennies. I bought a 5 lb bag of whole wheat flour and 5 lb bag of bread flour - and it's lasted FOREVER. I just use the dough cycle and bake in a loaf pan, because aesthetically I like it better. But you can also use it for pizza dough, etc. And I've seen recipes for Ezekial-type breads on allrecipes.com, so you can do something like that at home. I made homemade pita a few weeks ago and it's FUN! They puff up in the oven like magic!

You don't need a bread machine for tortillas - those are pretty easy to do if you're inclined. Just google for a recipe, there are a million!

[ihugtrees]

We actually just applied for WIC. It will save us money with some things...the things that sucks is that the soymilk (which is only .50 less than any of the brands we like) is the one brand we absolutely CANNOT stand (8th continent. YUCK!) It will save us money with the fruits and veggies ($10/week), beans (1 lb a week), and rice. I'm also going to switch the kind of breakfast cereal I get, as well as start subbing juice for some of the fruit in my smoothies in order to use the WIC $.

We actually do meal plan, and it hasn't helped much. We don't waste ingredients, just the leftovers from our meals. We make too much, I think--they go bad before we can eat them all (after a dinner and 2 lunches each, we are done! But usually still have another serving or two that goes in the trash.)

We are seriously going to consider Costco in the future. The good news is that right after Thanksgiving, we are moving temporarily (2 months) to a city, and will be living less than 10 minutes from a co-op. After that, when we are permanently settled in somewhere, we will think about getting a Costco membership (and hopefully will have space to plant a garden!!)

[Anna06]

My 2 cents......

Keeta
Looking at your list, I wondered if maybe Costco might be a good investment for you guys - particularly since you buy so much smoothie stuff per week. I know they sell those BIG tubs of organic baby spinach there.

Costco saves me lots of money. When my membership expired I tried to do without it, but no no no it is worth it.

Plus all the produce I also buy my baking supplies and fruit juices for my kids there.

I always make a big pot of veg soup once a week, pot of beans and I grill some baked potatoes and various other vegs. After one meal of baked potatoes I usually make hash browns and potatoe salad out of the left overs.

Good luck with your budget. Let us all know what works for you, and what doesn't.

[Anna06]

Keeta For our family of 3 (1 DH, me pregnant, 1 3 year old) we spend about $375-$435/month.

Also I would like to add....WOW Keeta way to go on your food budget!!!

I spend way to much......sigh

[Keeta]

Originally Posted by Anna06

Also I would like to add....WOW Keeta way to go on your food budget!!!

I spend way to much......sigh

Thanks! It's been a major work in progress, and something that I've put a lot of effort into, so it feels good to see results!

I wanted to post this link to a food blog I like, Casual Kitchen. They posted their 25 Best Laughably Cheap Recipes, and I thought we could all use the inspiration! Many are not vegan, but easily veganizable.

[Ianthe]

Originally Posted by Anna06

Also I would like to add....WOW Keeta way to go on your food budget!!!

I spend way to much......sigh

Our food budget is about the same as Keeta's... but we also use vegan WIC foods (soymilk and tofu are not included in Utah). We have a family of 4, one of which is 100% BF'd.

[Anna06]

LizzyQ
Our food budget is about the same as Keeta's... but we also use vegan WIC foods (soymilk and tofu are not included in Utah). We have a family of 4, one of which is 100% BF'd.

I will say WOW to you too then That is great.

I should know, but I don't know how much I really spend each month on food. Probably close to 700 - 800.

I am the only veg.....so I buy some meat plus I have one teen age boy that eats....a lot, and dd who has severe food allergies. So I buy several "special" things for her.

Think I will try to get that # down.

[Ianthe]

Originally Posted by Anna06

I will say WOW to you too then That is great.

I should know, but I don't know how much I really spend each month on food. Probably close to 700 - 800.

I am the only veg.....so I buy some meat plus I have one teen age boy that eats....a lot, and dd who has severe food allergies. So I buy several "special" things for her.

Think I will try to get that # down.

It can be harder when you have to buy specialty foods, but beans and rice is always cheap and versitle. Plus we always try to make enough for lunch the next day, so that cuts back on processed/quick lunch foods. We don't have a teenager, but as a BFing mama, I eat a ton too

[lotusblossom9]

Costco is great! We buy so much there that we upgraded to the Executive Membership, and now get 2% money back on what we buy. They are carrying a lot more organic products. We try to buy the top 10-20 dirtiest foods organic on the Environmental Working Group's list.

Every 1-2 weeks or so we order a case of organic produce from the health food store. Usually a box greens (lettuce, kale, or spinach) and a case of fruit (apples or oranges). We try to buy seasonally...we usually get the oranges and apples for less than Costco prices!

I buy hempmilk from www.vitacost.com, along with anything I would buy at a healthfood store. The prices are awesome. It is $4.99 shipping on any size order, and if you order through www.ebates.com you get a5% cash back for shopping at vitacost.com.

[loveandgarbage]

it's hard to be a frugal vegan! i've been there, and it was tough. do you have any asian food stores in your area? i used to get tofu much cheaper there. i would also recommend, if you haven't already, exploring different grains. quinoa is high in protein, and is a great main meal when mixed with veggies and a handful of chickpeas. it's cheap if you can find it in bulk somewhere. you could also do steel cut oatmeal for breakfast, and mix in some almonds for more protein, and maybe some dried fruit. buying produce that's in season will save you. depending on where you live, that means squash (so much squash right now!), carrots, kale, cabbage, and other winter veggies.

[KnockedUpButtercup]

I wanted to chime in to agree with some previous posters, and add my own two cents worth. I'm feeding a husband and two teenage boys on $125 a week (some organic, some not), so I'm about to write a book here:

1. I totally wanted to second the Meal Planning comment - plan plan plan! Plan around what you have that needs using, what loss leaders are being offered (I have 4 dif. stores I hit regularly), what's abundant and in season. Also plan your most ridiculously inexpensive recipes for a couple of nights a week, and use those to offset more expensive meals. Our favorites are Mujadarrah (a Middle Eastern lentil/rice/caramelized onion dish), baked potatoes covered in black beans, and the TVP burritos from Hillbilly Housewife.

2. Bread machine - Keeta mentioned that too. I have one that I picked up for $15 at Goodwill and it's been an amazing investment for me. My multi-grain bread loaves, laced with flax, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, cost under $1.50 each. The delay-bake feature is also a lifesaver for a busy mom - I just set it up at night and wake up to fresh bread three times a week. Any leftover slices that are getting a bit dry, or the heels, can go in a bag in the freezer - those will make great breadcrumbs when you need them!

3. Costco, as well - as several posters mentioned, for me it's worth it just for the veggies and baking supplies! You have to guard yourself carefully there, though. :roll

4. WIC - use the 8th Continent soymilk in cooking and buy the kind you like for drinking. Pancakes, cornbread, etc. take several cups of milk each, and you won't notice it there. Or a creamy pototo soup - that would be a great use of it.

5. TVP - it's what veggie crumbles are made of. TVP (texturized vegetable protein) is what is left when soybeans are pressed for their oil. Morningstar Farms rehydrates it, flavors it, colors it, freezes it, then ships it out across the country - you can save money and reduce your carbon footprint by doing that yourself. (It works best in recipes with tomatoes, IMO - sloppy joes, tacos/burritos, spaghetti, etc.) It's just pale beige crumbles that rehydrate in seconds - and it's not a soy isolate, either, it's everything that's in a soy bean except the fat.

6. Vegetable Stock - make your own in the crockpot. All week I add any vaguely flavorful looking veggie scraps to a container in my freezer - celery tops, onion ends, carrot peels, green bean trimmings, the stems from basil, cilantro, or parsley, the ends of squash or zucchini - and on the weekend I dump it all in my crockpot. I add a sauteed onion (don't bother peeling it!) and some smashed, unpeeled garlic cloves (I just whack them with a saucepan), maybe a couple of carrots, salt, peppercorns, and 10 cups of water. The key is to do this before you go to bed - then you wake up to 10 cups of practically free stock. And it's rich and flavorful, not pinkish and wimpy like storebought stock can be. I keep out enough for the week's meal plan and freeze the rest. Don't use cabbage, greens, broccoli, or cauliflower, though - it will ruin your stock.

7. About your Crockpot...the key to hardcore grocery savings there is to use it overnight to prepare staples like stock, beans for recipes, etc. overnight. Just set it up before you go to bed and deal with it in the morning.

8. Freezer - freeze your leftovers when you cook large amounts of something. Then you won't get sick of them, and you'll have a ready meal when you're busy some night. I don't have that problem any more, with two teenage boys - but I used to freeze part of giant batches of soup, jambalaya, and so on. I still fill my freezer with stock, beans, etc. that I've cooked in large batches to use later. You can also use it to store grocery store finds...our local chain had red peppers for 79 cents each recently! I bought 20 to chop and freeze, plus some to eat. And I wish I'd gotten more. And you can freeze celery, too - that way it doesn't get wasted. I just slice every stalk when I buy it and freeze what doesn't go in the recipe - I have time-saving, pre-sliced celery awaiting me always.

9. Loveandgarbage mentioned grains - those are a great investment, both for finances and nutrition. A cup of cooked quinoa has more calcium than a quart of milk! I know you're doing green smoothies, but you also mentioned scrambled tofu for breakfast several times a week - have you thought about making steel cut oats or quinoa? You can take oatmeal in the "savory" direction if you don't like sweet breakfasts, too - with sauteed veggies and some Bragg's or soy sauce.

It sounds like you're eating a really healthy diet, which is wonderful. With some small changes, you can tame your grocery budget and still eat that way.



Holly

[catnip]

Don't forget Trader Joe's for $1.29 a pound organic whole wheat pasta, really good prices on nuts, $1.19/14 oz firm water pack tofu. The prices on canned beans are really good there, too. I usually cook beans from dry, but when having a $1 can of beans on hand saves me from the take-out trap, it is nice to have. And they've got cheap canned tomatoes. And good values for such unnecessary neccesities as Joe-Joes, vegan ice cream, and vegan chocolate.

We get our bread, peanut butter, soymilk, pecans, canned tomatoes and maple syrup from Costco after extensive price comparison. 1 lb tubs of organic pre-washed baby spinach are $3.49 there, too, which usually comes out CHEAPER than the bunched spinach, as well as more convenient.

[Soundtrack]

I am not fan of soy milk, so I make my own rice milk. It comes out much cheaper than the cartons. It is another options.

[wytchywoman]

I spend an insane amount on food too but I basically cook three different meals each night. I have DS 1 who is gluten free and a meat eater, I have DS 2 who is essentially a veg*n but has a list of about 10 foods that he's willing to eat ( none of them are veggies BTW) and then there's me, an overweight veg/trying to transform to a vegan and desperately trying to lose weight as well. It sucks!
I've been considering Costco but wasn't sure if it would be worth it. What types of things do you all buy there that you think make it worth the price of membership?