What should i buy for groceries on a limited budget?

Question

I need to have food in the house at all times but my budget makes the last 2 weeks of the month hell on me. What can i buy that will last?

Answer 1

buy those cheap Chinese noodles, I think they are 25 cents, you can add pieces of beef its good and cheap, same with the pork kind. Kraft dinner is good. also chicken legs in bulk, separate them in baggies and freeze them. kool aid without the sugar, then add only half the sugar. Frozen punches. 10kg bag of potatoes, good for fries, will last and cheap. hamburger helper. you can buy ground beef in family sizes can also seperate in baggies and freeze.

Answer 2

1. Do most off your shopping once month not every week, leaving only bread eggs and milk being bought on a weekly basis.
2. when your in the meat dept really do comparsion shopping just because the smaller package of meat is cheaper does not mean it is the best value sometimes buying up in weight is cheaper and you can get more than one meal from it. So in other words 3 lbs of hamburger meat can be spaghetti one night and a couple nights later the rest can be burgers.
3. Buy bulk in some of your staples like Pasta's and Rice If you buy packaged sides dishes like macaroni and cheese or flavored rice stir clear of the family size yes it feeds a family of four but if you buy two boxes you get just a little extra for a reheated lunch and the volume in the end is cheaper.
4. Do not be afraid to freeze your left overs trust me it will help when the budget might get a little tighter do to unseen circumstances

Answer 3

When I'm trying to save money, we eat more beans, rice, peanut butter, pasta, and canned tuna. I try to have at least one or two dinners per week that don't include meat.

My store usually has larger packages of ground beef or chicken, at a lower price per pound than the smaller packs. I buy that and freeze it in portions. I've also found some recipes that allow me to stretch meat, so we use less. Spaghetti sauce can be made with a small amount of meat (meat sauce, not meatballs). Sloppy joes can be stretched with kidney beans; we didn't taste any difference! I cut boneless chicken into small pieces, which makes it seem like more.

This website has some ideas, too: http://savingdinner.com/ She offers a menu service for a fee, but there are some recipes and money-saving ideas for free on the website.

Answer 4

Canned or frozen fruits and vegetables, rather than fresh. Ramen noodles, soup, cereal, etc. Also, I agree with the answer above, if you live somewhere that has a low price grocery store like Save A Lot or Aldi's, you can buy almost any type of grocery item there for very cheap.

Answer 5

Wow, all of the tips above are great. =)

Stock up on pantry staples as listed above. Add some sauces to the list (e.g. soy sauce, worcestershire sauce,etc.) plus veggies/spices that are used in most recipes (onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, lemon). Many simple and delicious dishes can be whipped up from these basic supplies.

Just to be on the healthier side buy fresh produce as much as you can. Buy fruits and vegetables in season. Know when they get new stocks at supermarkets so you get the freshest picks.

Learn to make use of all parts of any meat/fish/seafood you buy. For example when you buy a whole chicken, you can use not just the meat, but also the bones in making stock, which you can freeze for later use.

Increase intake of veggies and decrease meat. Vegetable stirfries, soups, and salads are relatively inexpensive to make, they're filling and they're healthier to boot.

Hope this helps!

Answer 6

Ramen noodles are really cheap. Beans go a long way, not the canned kind, get the dry kind and make em homemade.
Buy basics like flour, meal, sugar, shortening, etc........like people used to buy way back before everything was prepackaged.
Learn to cook with recipes.
Plus buy groceries at the dollar stores and the very cheapest grocery stores you can find.

Answer 7

Your best bet would be to shop at a discount grocery store, I am not sure what state you live in but, here in Michigan, they are called Save-a-Lot, or Aldi. If you don't have one in your area, check you ads on Sunday and shop and buy stuff on sale, stock up on can goods and frozen when they are on sale. Clip coupons and return empty cans and bottles for deposits. Stay away from name brand items, buy generic, they often taste the same and are way cheaper. I hope that helps.

Answer 8

"Summit" sumed it up!!! That is exactly what I was going to say.
You can also try getting something that you can make more than one meal with.
Bake a whole Chicken.. Take the meat that is left off and seperate. Bake 1/2 the ckicken with a family sized can of cream of mushroom, box of chi.x. rice,2 cups of water, and can of mixed veggies for about 45 mins. salt and pepper to taste. DELICIOUS Its my own casserol. My family loves it. With the rest of the chicken make ckicken salad, noodle soup, and stir fry or fried rice. You can use 1 Whole chicken to make several nutricious meals.

Answer 9

Read the store's flyers and stock up on stuff when it's on sale. Like 5 pounds of burger is on sale at the beginning of the month. Just portion it up and freeze it. Buy canned stuff on sale. Rice, beans, canned veggies. Even cheaper is to buy dried beans and boil them yourself. Make your own bread and tortillas. And lots of pasta. And when you buy cheese, shred it yourself and freeze it. Make your own breadcrumbs.

We once went 3 weeks without buying new food. Save the money for dairy, butter, eggs, and the occasional fresh veggie.

Answer 10

beans and rice (makes a complete protein when eaten together).
Make a big pot of soup or stew and freeze it in 8-24 ounce containers. This way you can have some now, and some later.
Pasta dishes are relatively inexpensive.