**This post has been entered in Pennywise Platter Thursdays at The Nourishing Gourmet and Frugal Fridays at Life as Mom!**
How much do you spend on groceries? Especially if you focus on real food. People say that real food is “just so expensive!” So I started to do some reseach about how much people really spend on groceries so I could figure out where I fit in, then I started looking for ways to save even more!
According to U.S. gov’t data, a family of 4 should spend a certain average amount on groceries per week. Here are there breakdowns:
$116.20 (thrifty)
$147.50 (low cost)
$182.70 (moderate cost)
$226.30 (liberal plan)
To me, that seems like a lot! I spend between $100 – $125 per week on groceries and I find that to be VERY liberal. I could easily do it for a lot less, I’m sure. And I buy tons of fresh produce, high quality meat (and a lot of it), entirely organic foods. One would expect my food to cost a lot more. By the way, I’m feeding two adults with huge appetites (I’m exclusively breastfeeding an 8-month-old and breastfeeding a 2-year-old 3 – 4 times a day) and a 2-year-old with a huge appetite (my friends are shocked at how much she can eat).
So how do we do it? And how can we save even MORE?
First, if you think that buying “real food” means buying organic potato chips, Annie’s bunny snacks, organic canned food, organic pop…stop right there. Yes, that’s horribly expensive. And no, it’s not any better for you. Go back and read several articles in my blog to get a feel for what I mean by “real food” first. You’ll see I don’t include any processed or packaged snacks at all. The only “packaged” snack I buy is dried fruit. THAT is the first, HUGE money saver! So now, here is more:
*Plan your meals in advance.
We’re going to talk a LOT more about this soon. But if you write down exactly what you’re planning to have each day (all meals and snacks, not just dinner), you can make a grocery list based on it. No more last minute “what’s for dinner” followed by a quick trip to the store. No more purchasing food you don’t end up using because you just didn’t make any meals that needed it. Less wasted food = cheaper.
*Buy in season
Have you noticed that strawberries are dirt cheap in May and June and extremely expensive otherwise? You might find them for $1 or so per lb. in the spring and $5 or more the rest of the year. Why? Because strawberries bloom everywhere in May and June so the supply is huge. The rest of the year they have to be grown in hot houses or flown in from who-knows-where. You can save a lot of money by knowing which produce is in season in your area and when. Then, buy primarily those items to plan your meals around. What happens if you live in a climate where it’s cold part of the year and nothing’s really in season, like I do? We’ll get to that.
*Buy at a farmer’s market
Grocery stores have to mark up their prices because they’re really the “middle men” in the transaction. They don’t grow the food, they get it from the growers and sell it. So why not go straight to the growers? Many areas have farmer’s markets, usually on Saturday mornings (but not always, so check your local listings). Often times, this produce is picked that morning before being brought to the market so it’s as fresh as possible. It’s not marked up because there is no middle man. And you might be able to strike a deal with some of the farmers if you buy enough or if you know them, because unlike retail stores, they set their prices and have the ability to change them if desired.
*Join a CSA
We talked about what this was yesterday, so go back and read that post (click the link at the top of this post). CSAs can save you so much money, because you’re paying a flat fee for guaranteed fresh produce every week (barring some natural disaster that kills the crops, obviously). You’ll get a lot of produce for much less money over all. We calculated we’ll save at least $700 on produce just through a 4-month growing season. But it doesn’t end there….
*Can fruits and vegetables at home
This is a HUGE money saver. Take advantage of your CSA or farmer’s markets and stock up on that local produce when it’s super cheap. Buy TONS more than you could possibly eat right now just because of the freshness and great prices. Then learn how to can and put it up for the winter. Your produce will still be local and fresh (sort of) and you’ll have saved tons of money. If you choose, you can just freeze it. But my freezer is full of stock and meat, and later I’ll have to put sprouted grains in there, so I’m going to choose to can my fruits and vegetables. This year, we’ll be canning apples, pears, strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes (as sauce and salsa), and who knows what else! Some things don’t need canning — potatoes, garlic, and onions, for example — just store them in a cool, dry place, like a pantry or root cellar to keep them good through the winter.
*Buy in bulk
Bulk always saves you money and it’s not just for packaged purchases. Sometimes you can find apples for $3/lb but $20/half bushel. A half bushel weighs at least 20 lbs. (It’s not done by weight but by volume.) See how that works out? If you can buy 20 lbs. of apples or pears or strawberries or tomatoes at once, you can save a lot of money. Just can the ones you can’t eat right away. Buy meat in large quantities — a quarter cow, a side of cow, a half a cow, etc. The same can be done for pigs, sheep, etc. Chickens may be able to be purchased in bulk, too, although that would mean several chickens. We’re planning to get half a pig soon, and we’ll be paying only $1.75/lb hanging weight, as opposed to buying bacon, ham, or pork roasts at $6/lb or more. By the way, if you don’t have a huge freezer yet, get one. You can also buy coconut oil, lard, etc. in bulk too. The sky’s the limit here!
Another hint about bulk buying: we’ve started to set aside money every time we use up some of our bulk purchases. So, every time we use a package of ground beef ($6, 1.5 lb. package), we move that money into a savings account. When our beef is nearly gone, we’ll have the money right there waiting to buy more. This works for any bulk purchase. Start setting aside $5 – $10 per week now, and then buy a bulk item when you can afford it. Set aside a little money when you use it, and maybe a little extra if you’re looking for another bulk item. You’ll eventually get on a “bulk rotation,” where each time you get paid, or each month, you replace a different bulk item. Other bloggers have discussed this more indepth; we’re just starting out with it.
*Buy directly from farms
What happens when farmer’s markets end? Well, keep track of your favorite farmers and ask if you can buy directly from their farms when the season’s over, if they have food that is still available (like beef, maple syrup, etc.). Most will say yes. Some will even give you a discount for driving out to the farm. Sometimes they’ll give you a great deal for buying in bulk. You never know! But get to know your farmers and who knows what kind of deals you could get.
*Grow your own
If you’re so inclined, start a garden. It doesn’t have to be huge. A small pot of herbs on the windowsill is garden just as much as a half acre full of every food imaginable is. Do it as big or small as you want; it will require tending but you’ll get SO much fresh produce from it. Then preserve it as desired and you’re set.
*Use EVERYTHING
When you buy a chicken, don’t just roast it and eat the meat. No, eat the skins, use the bones for broth, cut the bones open and tap out the marrow and eat that too. Eat every part of the vegetable, reserving the “weird” parts for soups or stocks (a lot of bloggers have said they keep a baggie in the freezer of vegetable scraps to use for stocks. I keep meaning to try it and forgetting but it’s a great idea!). If you really can’t use it, feed it to your animals or put it out to compost, so you can use it to grow your own food.
*Focus on nutrient-dense foods
If you’re feeding a big family, or just people with big appetites, it will seem like you’re always fixing food. I can make a couple pounds of meat and several apples, a couple pounds of carrots and assorted other veggies and it’s gone in one meal. Really. But the thing is, if you’re feeding your family good quality eggs, meat, and lots of veggies, you won’t need to buy as much as if you were feeding them junk, because those foods have so many more nutrients per gram of food. Plus, some of the most nutrient-dense foods (like eggs) are really quite cheap!
How much do you spend on groceries per week or month? How do you save money?
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TESTING!
Love this! I laughed at your description of what "buying organic" is NOT (ridiculously expensive "organic" packaged/processed foods). Yeah, that’s a sure way to spend $1,000 or more a month on groceries — yikes!
My personal goal is not to set foot in a grocery store at ALL any more, with the exception of a local non-chain shop that carries organic staples and seasonal produce/meat/dairy from local farms. I also do some of my bulk shopping at Costco, but I haven’t set foot in the big chain grocery store 2 minutes from my house, in at least 4 months! I love my CSA and have found three more organic farms within 25 miles from me… so excited to start buying grass-fed stuff from them!!
We spend $100 a week, on average, on the 3 of us. Two adults and a toddler who eats like an adult.
That’s lots of fresh produce, meat, and less than average in the way of processed/packaged foods. Some weeks are cheaper…especially if we have meat in the freezer or veggies/berries ready in the yard. Some weeks are more expensive, but usually because of toiletries/cat litter/etc.
We try to buy "good" meats (and are switching our meat shopping to Giant Eagle because our area Kroger just isn’t cutting it). We don’t generally buy organic produce…I know, I know. We’re working on the switch. In the summer we grow lettuces, carrots, peas, onions, green beans, strawberries, sweet potatoes, squash (we are still eating potatoes and squash from last summer!), raspberries, tomatoes, etc. Huge savings there! We use the peas into the winter in stir fries (we freeze them), the carrots last ages after being blanched, as well.
My grocery bills for my husband and I vary quite widely. A good portion of that is due to our both working (at the moment) from 7 am until 7 pm most days, and dinner has to be easy to prepare after that sort of a day. Two nights a week we eat with church events (I know, it’s not nearly as healthy as it could be) but with our schedules, it’s the best we can do. We’ve been making changes – as much organic produce as we can get at our Winn-Dixie, organic eggs instead of non, better cuts of meat since we don’t eat it as often. But…our lunches can’t be anything that needs heated (we have an ice pack to keep stuff cold, but no time to go home at lunch) so we’re doing cold cuts and chips (not 100% organic ones, but ones with sea salt and organic potatoes and oil, no MSG) with fruit and pudding. Depending on if we have people over, our weekly grocery bill can vary from $50 (on a week where we end up not having anyone over and/or eat at other peoples’ houses on the weekends) to $150, but never more than that.
Meal planning with our schedule is a must, though. If we didn’t, we’d never eat.
Lindsey-
You should try separating "pets" and "toiletries" from your grocery budget and see if that works for you. I love that because I would be SO frustrated on weeks where we need T.P., Paper towels, and cat litter on top of regular groceries! I use a cash system for groceries and toiletries so I either separate out toiletries and pay for them separately from groceries or just transfer the cash from the toiletries pocket in my wallet to the grocery pocket at a later time. We keep pet money in Savings and keep a running total on how much we have. The extra that adds up over time helps us to pay for any Veterinary care they might need. It’s taken awhile to figure out exactly how much we need for each, but it definitely helps you keep track of your spending and it keeps me from feeling guilty about spending money at the grocery store. I know exactly how much I have and when it will be replenished
Liesel
Great post! Our grocery budget is $65 a week, including toiletries, which are usually free or nearly free by rolling over CVS extra care bucks. More about that on other blogs, though ;o)
Regarding our groceries, we buy some organic, but not all. We buy local whenever possible, and keep a small garden (11×11). I shop farmer’s markets when they are in season here. We don’t eat lots of meat, but when we do I like to buy Amish chickens from our local butcher. They come from only about an hour away, and I feel pretty good about how they are treated.
We do not usually buy processed foods. We also buy grains in bulk, and I use my grain grinder to do our breads, muffins, etc. It works for us.
we spend around 130-180 every week, but that is not counting our CSA and meat, which we buy in bulk form the farms. I am trying to get it lower, but I don’t buy a lot of ‘fluff’ food, chocolate and coffee are it mainly. I buy whole foods and raw ingredients, but $38 of that is raw milk every week. I do buy deli meats, applegate, I am trying to figure out other lunches that aren’t sandwiches, I made my own bread for a short while, but with a new baby it is hard to get the basics done in the kitchen as it is. I would love to know what you are buying and cooking to keep your bill at $100. I really liked your idea for your bulk purchases about setting aside money every week as you eat something. I am going to have to start to do that. thanks! good post.
Excellent and very imformative. I am making an effort to shop more like you suggested. I reacently found a local co-op and will start shopping the Farmer’s Market when things are in full swing. I’m also making the effort to buy bulk beans & grains. Our budget is very limited right now but I’m trying to make the most of it.
While I agree that it is possible to get under the USDA Thrifty plan level, I would like to point out that the plan accomodates four adults because as kids get older the eat as much as adults. If you read the plan carefully, all the portions are the same size. This is important so that parents who need guidance can get some despite the age of ther children. I am nursing as well and I know how much I eat, and it doesn't hold a candle to the teen boys.
Believe me, at some point, boys start to eat twice as much as an adult. My husband warned me that our boys would eat more than he does (he is six and half feet tall and three hundred pounds) and I didn't believe it. He was right. My 17 year old son lifts weights and runs about 20-25 miles a week right now. He can eat a pound of meat at a sitting and would eat more if I let him. One pound!? Isn't that supposed to feed four people?
I have ten children and four in the teen and tween age range. Affording food is a consideration. I spent $900 dollars a month and the lion's share goes to meat, appropriately enough. We go through about 120# a month. I have learned that buying meat in bulk (that is by the case) at Costco is the way to go. I can get a case of whole organic chickens (that is 10ct) for $1.74/#. To stretch that amount even more I always make stock with the carcass. If you use a little acid (I like Bragg unfiltered, raw apple cider vinegar) you can pull more gelatin from the bones and get more protein for your dollar. Adding it to brown rice (and serving it with beans, often times) gives us a bigger protien boost and allows me to serve less meat.
Just FYI in case anyone else is reading the year's highlights. Happy New Year!
We must live in an area where farmers don't know how to grow food somewhat inexpensively because our farmer's market is EXPENSIVE! I still shop there for whatever I can, but a small bunch of carrots is $2 and there are only 4 carrots. Potatoes are $4 a pound the whole summer. Tomatoes vary, but are usuall $2 a pound. I want to support the local growers and do whenever I can, but it certainl isn't a money saver and I never buy enough from them to can the extra. We're trying to become more self sufficient, but our garden was a flop this past summer. We have dairy goats and free ranging chickens, but didn't get much in the way of produce this year. It was probably a good lesson to learn though!
Like Kelly, I don't find the farmer's markets to provide any savings at all. The prices are about double what I find at the grocery stores. CSA's are also quite a bit more expensive in my area, even when you're going to the farm (an hour + away, so gas and time are factors as well) and picking your own stuff–every family I've talked to that has done CSA's has ended up going back to the grocery store for their produce the next year because they just couldn't afford the prices. I do find quite a bit of savings by buying my own whole grains in bulk and grinding them myself. But when I tried buying a slaughtered pig directly from a farm, it ended up costing quite a bit more per pound than I had anticipated, lots of hidden costs, and didn't get nearly as much meat as I had expected. Grass fed beef prices are 3-4 times higher than the prices in the grocery stores for "regular" beef–and it can be less per pound if you buy a whole or half cow, but I worry that my experience will be just like when I bought the pig… As it is I pay more than double the grocery store prices for eggs and milk, so I can get raw milk and fresh, pastured eggs. But that's a huge chunk of my grocery budget right there, just for milk and eggs.