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My wife and I we buy groceries biweekly. Usually paying $220 to $240 for 2 weeks of groceries. In the winter we usually get the bill to $180. Only difference in the winter is we do a week of soup and the following week turkey meatballs. Then 6 days of chicken in those 2 weeks.
Our grocery list and cost is as such:
Almond Milk usually store brand or name brand on sale - 2 for $6
Yogurt usually a sale of 10 for $10 or 10 for $12. We usually pick up 20 to 24 yogurts.
2 bags of name brand shredded cheese - About $4-$5 for 2 bags
Store brand circle bread - $2 each usually pick up 4
Store brand whole wheat 8 pack of rolls - $2.50
Store brand veggie burgers 4 for $3 each
2 packs of Tofu or a 5 pack of fish if on sale usually cost about $4 to $5 total
Chicken we mostly eat chicken. So we used to buy the name brand organic that was 5 pieces for $4. Now we found that the store brand usually has 10 to 12 pieces for $5 to $6. We usually eat chicken for 10 nights an 2 pieces. So usually pick up 4 packs for about $20.
Then sometimes the Perdue single portions go on sale for $5.99 pick up 5 of those if they do. Pretty good deal and good to have in the freezer.
Usually every month pick up family size of chicken nuggets last us 4 weeks.
Pick up 4 store brand whole wheat pasta that is about $8
Pick up 4 to 5 instant pouch rice for $2.50 each box
If there is a rice on sale for a $1 usually pick up 4 boxes of those to have on the side
During the summer we pick up 1 or 2 veggies on sale
Usually 4 store brand lettuce bags. Most sales are 2 for $5. So that's $10 there.
When can sales go on we grab mostly beans for $1 each. Like to have at least 5 cans of beans in the house. White beans, cheese, whole wheat pasta, tomatoes, and mushrooms make a great quick meal.
Usually pick up 4 containers of mushrooms for $2 each
Oatmeal usually get us 4 boxes for $2.50 each box
Pick up 8 frozen veggies. Usually a sale of 2 for $4 or some go on sale for $1.75.
Pick up 4 bags of frozen peppers and onions.
Pick up regular or sweet potatoes depending, which ones are on sale. Pick up 4 for $2 so usually pick up 8 potatoes
Grab a bag of carrots depending what is on sale. Usually the 2 pound bag is 2 for $5 or the $5 pound bag is on sale for $5.99
Then 3 containers of the store brand hummus (2 for $4)
Crushed ginger for $4
Chili Past $4
Feta Cheese 2 containers for $6
Dressing 2 for $6
Marinades 2 for $6
Then usually a random spice for $3
Then 4 bags of peanut butter pretzels for $12 total
Tub of pretzel rods for $6
Seltzer a 24 pack last us about 4 weeks for $6
Eggs usually $2.50 on sale most of the time last us 2 weeks
Store brand bagels or English muffins 2 packs for $4 total
Peanut butter 1 tub $3
Jelly $3
Honey $5 but last us 4 weeks
Bananas 2 bunches cost us about $1.50 each bunch
Frozen store brand fruit 2 for $6 last us about 2 weeks
Packaged beets 1 pack for $2 last 2 weeks
Crushed garlic jar last us about 4 months cost about $5 a jar
Cucumbers 1 to 2 for about $1 to $2 a cuke
Container of sliced olives $3.50
Bag of onions for $4
Random times maybe once a month we splurge on a pound of turkey lunch meat and pita bread
Also once a month ice cream or store made cookies
Cat litter for $8 once a month
Cat food $8 once a month as well
Get the veggie burgers at Dollar Tree, you get 2 in a box for a buck. That is less than half of what you currently pay. You could also cook your beans from scratch & save some money, likewise the hummus, but that is a lot of time in the kitchen, not sure if that appeals to you.
You can cook a big pot of beans & freeze it in meal or can size bags, so you have beans ready to go when you need them, instead of opening a can. Cooking a big pot & portioning it out, also saves time, as well as money.
Last edited by evening sun; 07-22-2017 at 10:23 AM..
Learn how to cook them from scratch. In other parts of the world, those two items comprises a majority of a person's calories and they are dirt cheap (hence why they are such staples in so many impoverished areas).
If that doesn't appeal to you, do you have an Aldis or Lidl in your area?
Try some online resources for dry goods especially. Coupon like a mad fool. Shop the Dollar type stores. Use an online portal that gives cash back.
Have lunch before you shop, shopping hungry is a major cause of impulse buying.
Most of that stuff would be cheaper at Sam's but you'd have to pay for the membership.
Also, learn to cook your own rice, make your own marinades, chop your own lettuce. I use dried beans but I have a pressure cooker so that's not an all day project. I also make my own yogurt and bread. I spend about $600/month on food but I'm feeding four and I can't buy anything premade like nuggets or cookies.
How many mouths are you feeding for 110$ a week?
I spend sparingly 80$ every two weeks ( if I can go without lunch each day).
And that's for 2 ppl.
Lots of rice,noodles,stock broth,oats.
Limited eggs and milk .
Until you know what you can survive on you won't know what is a necessity vs a treat.
I sincerely hope you can skim your budget to meet your diet needs ...I do understand that for health reasons some foods are a must.. Proteins or veggies.
My wife and I we buy groceries biweekly. Usually paying $220 to $240 for 2 weeks of groceries. In the winter we usually get the bill to $180. Only difference in the winter is we do a week of soup and the following week turkey meatballs. Then 6 days of chicken in those 2 weeks.
Our grocery list and cost is as such:
A lot of this is going to depend upon where you live and where you shop as to what your costs will be. Plus, it appears you buy a lot of "convenience" type foods based on the packaging which will always cost you a lot more:
Yogurt usually a sale of 10 for $10 or 10 for $12. We usually pick up 20 to 24 yogurts. Why buy individual containers? That is always going to cost you more not to mention all the extra wasted packaging. Purchase the large tubs (35 oz or more). I buy Fage Greek Yogurt for $6 a 35.3 oz tub and add frozen fruit to it myself. YMMV on price.
2 bags of name brand shredded cheese - About $4-$5 for 2 bags Buy block cheese instead and shred it yourself as you need it. It stays fresher longer, is cheaper and it is 100% cheese with no fillers like “cellulose,” that keeps the shredded cheese from clumping (eeew).
Store brand whole wheat 8 pack of rolls - $2.50 I would think that you could get the frozen ones cheaper.
Chicken we mostly eat chicken. So we used to buy the name brand organic that was 5 pieces for $4. Now we found that the store brand usually has 10 to 12 pieces for $5 to $6. We usually eat chicken for 10 nights an 2 pieces. So usually pick up 4 packs for about $20.
Then sometimes the Perdue single portions go on sale for $5.99 pick up 5 of those if they do. Pretty good deal and good to have in the freezer. Do you only eat chicken breast meat? Those prices seem high for other parts of the chicken. Other parts have a lot more flavor. You could also buy the whole bird and bake it up yourself, chop it and freeze it. The remainder of chicken and bones are great to make broths and soup.
Pick up 4 to 5 instant pouch rice for $2.50 each box.
If there is a rice on sale for a $1 usually pick up 4 boxes of those to have on the side That is very expensive. Buy bags of rice instead and flavor/season it yourself if that is why you prefer the boxed pouch stuff. You are really not saving any time buy purchasing the boxed rice. It all cooks the same.
Usually 4 store brand lettuce bags. Most sales are 2 for $5. So that's $10 there. Whole heads of lettuce are much cheaper and takes nothing to chop it up yourself.
When can sales go on we grab mostly beans for $1 each. Like to have at least 5 cans of beans in the house. White beans, cheese, whole wheat pasta, tomatoes, and mushrooms make a great quick meal. Are you buying only name brand beans or the store brand? Where I shop all (or most) store brand beans are .59 - .79 cents a can. If you can't get them that cheap in store brand then I would purchase the bagged or bulk beans instead of the name brand canned beans.
Usually pick up 4 containers of mushrooms for $2 each. You don't mention the size you are getting for $2 each. Nonetheless, the whole mushrooms are cheaper than sliced if you happen to be getting the sliced.
Oatmeal usually get us 4 boxes for $2.50 each box This is way too expensive for oatmeal! Buy the big containers instead and flavor them yourself if you happen to be buying the boxes of individual servings that are flavored.
Pick up 8 frozen veggies. Usually a sale of 2 for $4 or some go on sale for $1.75. Again, you don't mention what size you are buying for $1.75. And are you buying only name brand? I often find store brand or generic brands for .99 cents a bag. You can also purchase the large 5 lb frozen bags in most stores for around $10.
Pick up 4 bags of frozen peppers and onions. I would purchase fresh peppers and onions, chop them up yourself and freeze. The frozen ones you buy end up being so much water by the time you cook them and end up mushy. And when I purchased them a few times they contained very few peppers and mostly onions so it was a rip off in my opinion. Never again.
Pick up regular or sweet potatoes depending, which ones are on sale. Pick up 4 for $2 so usually pick up 8 potatoes. I can get 5 lb bags of russets for usually $1 - $2 but again, it depends on where you live and where you shop. But buying individual regular potatoes instead of bagged is always going to cost you more.
Grab a bag of carrots depending what is on sale. Usually the 2 pound bag is 2 for $5 or the $5 pound bag is on sale for $5.99. Again, this must be because of where you live or shop because I have never paid $6 for 5lbs of carrots. Half that at the most, but definitely no where near $6.
Feta Cheese 2 containers for $6 Again, buy a block and crumble it yourself.
Dressing 2 for $6. If you insist on bottled dressing then store brand or even many name brand are much cheaper. But health-wise it is much better to make your own and a lot cheaper than what you are purchasing it for. Mix some olive oil and red wine vinegar with whatever seasonings you want and voila! Instant "healthier" salad dressing without all of the extra ingredients, fat, sodium of bottled dressing.
Marinades 2 for $6 Marinades are also very easy and cheaper to make from scratch that are much healthier.
Then 4 bags of peanut butter pretzels for $12 total I know everyone needs their indulgences but instead why not buy cheap store brand pretzels and dip them in peanut butter yourself? Add a bit of honey to your PB if you want the sweet/savory taste.
Tub of pretzel rods for $6 Store brand should be cheaper and these can be used for your PB pretzel indulgence as well.
Container of sliced olives $3.50 I can buy store brand/generic 16 oz whole olives for $1 and chop them up as needed.
Bag of onions for $4 This must be based on where you live or shop because I pay half that for a 3 lb bag of onions.
Cat litter for $8 once a month
Cat food $8 once a month as well These should not be included in your food budget.
When I talk about how much we spend I do not count anything to do with pets, but do consider paper and laundry products.
As everyone knows I am a strong supporter of Aldi's and Sam's club. If you do most of your shopping between the two of them, use dried beans and rice at least a couple of times a week you will cut your budget. Also do more "from scratch" cooking, it really isn't that more time consuming and it is healthier and fun. I find the best way to shop is watch ads, shop for specials almost all the time and make a menu each week. NO, you don't have to follow it exactly. I doubt many of us do. Things come up and we make changes, but if you get in the habit it really is easy.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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A lot of this is going to depend upon where you live and where you shop as to what your costs will be. Plus, it appears you buy a lot of "convenience" type foods based on the packaging which will always cost you a lot more:
Cut the specialty stuff, / instant anything ...buy ingredients and make your own.
Cut any processed foods (rolls and breads) or go bare bone - Whole Wheat at Dollar Store, buy 'cull' produce from your store manager in early morning or late evening, often free...
since 1980. ...I put $100/ month in an envelope for FOOD and entertainment.
When it is empty, we get creative, or go without. (Chest freezer helps, buy on sale... turkeys at Thanksgiving for <$0.20 / #, fresh salmon in season, fresh fruits frozen / gleaning produce...)
We eat VERY well (to well) also host / cook for shut-in seniors within the same budget.
We get 22 servings from a $4.99 Costco Chicken. (soups / salads / burritos / sandwiches (lettuce wrap, no buns or bread)) Try that out and you will learn to embrace the program.
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