what are some easy ways to cut a food budget?

Question

hello all. I need some cheap idea's to cut our food bill. We feed 3 adults, 2 kids (one only on weekends other full time) and countless animals (dont need to cut that, we have it at a good cost)....step-son has breakfast and lunch at school 5 days a week which leaves only the 3 adults for all 3 meals. We have my 2 yr old step-daughter only on weekends and she doesnt affect the budget much. Any quick, cheap, kid-friendly, tried and true idea's to save some cash? We are trying to save for a car!

in case you are wondering we are in the United States (Wisconsin)

Answer 1

I agree that the first step is really stocking up on your non-perishables. Everything from canned goods to pasta to rice. Watch for the sales, clip coupons only for things you would normally buy. Oh and when stores have sales, sometimes the item on sale is still more expensive than another brand, so check the prices of all of them. (I bought a can of store brand corn that was on sale, but the Del Monte one was cheaper.) Once you've stocked up, the only things to buy for a while are things like eggs, dairy, and fresh veggies. And my final bit of advice...use Excel to track your grocery spending. I put the amount in, and then what all I bought. One glance and you can see how often you shop, how much you've already spent during the month, and what you still have on hand that you might have forgotten about. (Like, "I forgot I just bought 4 cans of tuna last week, I don't need more!") And of course, make a running list of things you think you'll need. You don't have to buy everything on it. Like if you see ricotta on your list since you just made lasagna two nights ago, you can skip that for a while.

Using Excel really helped us. The two of us were spending $450-$600 a month on groceries. Now it's down to about $350 a month. Good luck!

Answer 2

There are so many ways. Preplan your meals and stick to your grocery list. I was forced to do the same thing. I just wanted to be sure that my child had nutritious food. Some of the things I did was set up a weekly menu and used this as my guide. For example. I would buy three to four pounds of hamburger. this I could use for three meals and a snack. first meal tacos, then another night would be speg and meatballs and another night might be meatloaf or shepherds/ chinese pie. For a snack I would save a little burger for nachoes or english muffin pizza's. The little pizzas are another meal we do we use the whole pack and each person gets to make them their way, However i do not buy much extras for this we usually use whats on hand and cheddar cheese from the taco's and it tastes just as good. Stews soups casseroles are great this time of year and really help stretch the budget. Also the ole standby kool aide with only 3/4 of a cup of sugar and please you wont save anything even your sanity if you make your kids drink powdered milk cause its cheap lmao. and those box foods mac and cheese and canned spaghetti o's and stews are so bad its not even worth exposing your family to good luck and sorry I rambled Another way to save is to have a breakfast night ie eggs and bacon or pancakes. Try switching to can fruit during off season just get it in water or light syrup. Go Generic many items are the same and made by the same company only packed different ie.. cereals peanut butter sauces things like that. Grab the bakery deals two for one. Bread Freezes great and thaws fast. have a soup night add rice or other ingredients suck as dumplings. You may also use the chicken or beef leftovers to make your own soup. I will par boil my chicken then add bullion and whatever else and it works fine. Check out the wed site in sources or just use a search engine and type groceries on a low budget thats what I did.

Answer 3

Eat less meat. Meat can be expensive so reserve it for special occasions. You can get protein from other foods such as eggs, milk, soy, rice and beans, etc. which cost less. See if you can find a place to get meat for cheap.

Eat more grain, vegetables, beans. Grains can be bought in bulk and stored. Look for what's in season and what's on sale. Things like corn and potatoes tends to always be cheap, think of ways to incorporate them into meals without getting repetitive. Pasta and rice are pretty cheap. Also is there anyway your could grow your own vegetables or herbs?

Don't eat out. Eating out is expensive. Try to eat at home everyday, it's healthier too. The same goes for ordering in.

Make it yourself. Avoid prepackaged foods and convenient foods. Those snack pouches and premade cookie mixes and sauces are expensive and can also be made at home. Also, things such as granola, yogurt, bread, and other foods can be made at home cheaper.

Don't think you have time to do all this cooking? Do it in advance. Make your own premade mixes and store them. Some people do all their cooking for a week or even a month in one day and freeze them. Or they will do all their preparation in advance, so they only have to heat/cook the food.

As everyone else has said, try to buy in bulk if you can. If there is no store near you it may not be worth it, but if there is take advantage. Also take advantage of sales, coupons, and cheap prices. But don't buy things just because they are a good deal. Make a list so you only get things you really need. Spices, seasoning, grains, nonperishables, and things you consume lots of are good to buy in bulk.

Keep receipts and make a budget. How much are you spending now? What is your goal? This will help you focus on what you can afford to spend. Use the receipts to make your you stay on track. It's easy to buy more than we expected to. One way to avoid this is to plan a menu and then shop.

There are many resources out there on cheap living and cheap eating. These are just a few quick tips. Search the internet for more tips and recipes for cheap eats. Also consider other ways to save money such as turning down the heat a few degrees or unplugging appliances that aren't being used.

Good luck to you.

Answer 4

Definately buy in bulk where you can, once you get it all home seperate frozen foods into enough for one meal time, then you just have to grab one bag out of the freezer and your good to go. Work out what the main food items you eat are, then work out the many options by changing one or two ingredients, eg: Pasta/Spaghetti: Bolognese, carbonara, add diced chicken etc. Potatoes and rice are filling, you can use these heaps of ways.

Only buy items when they are on sale and stock up on them while you can, it may take a while to stock up on everything, but it will work if you want it to. Don't be afraid to go without something if you don't really need it.

I would be packing school lunches anyway.

Answer 5

Buy in bulk, the first bill may be a little higher but it softens your costs alot in the long run and look through the local stores flyers for specials and deals.Before the summer I bought a 50 pound box of chicken leg quarters for $12 and I repackaged and still have some in the freezer. And use coupons

Answer 6

Look in the newspapers for grocery ads. Clip coupons. Shop at discount centers. Cook homemade meals instead of convenience foods. Buy a membership to Costco or Sams Club you'll save the cost of membership the first time to shop there.

Answer 7

several ways. If you have a costco nearby, you can save by buying in bulk. you can do coupon from the paper. dont buy everything at the same store, buy wherever it is on sale but only what is on sale. have your step son eat breakfast at home, and send a lunch with him. it will require some time to make the lunches but it will save you some money

Answer 8

As a college student I have gone through periods of living on Raman noodles, only about 10¢ each pack.

Answer 9

Spaghetti is pretty cheap and good.

Answer 10

ramen noodles. DELICIOUS AND NUTRICIOUS :D