$100 grocery bill? How do you do it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you achieve this glorious feat, including feeding kids, would you mind sharing specific tips and perhaps even a recent grocery list/bill?

We are a family of four, including a 6 and 2 yr old. I can definitely shop the sales at one store, but I can't visit different stores in a week for the best deals (except for Costco, I go there once a month in addition to my weekly grocery.)

We're trying to incorporate more vegetarian dishes, but fish is a tough sell in our house. I do my best to menu plan, it's a work in progress. I feel like a lot of our expense is stuff for the kids (yogurt and fruit out the wazoo, stuff for their lunches.) Still working on trying to get the kids to eat exactly what we eat every night.. also a work in progress. All in all, I'm still around $200 a month, not including that dreaded Costco run.

Fish is not vegetarian. Go for real vegetarian food at least twice a week and this should help cut costs substantially. Think beans, tofu, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since I cook from scratch, very very rarely is anything I buy "on sale" and NEVER have I had use for a coupon.

Really? Produce, meat, and dairy all go on sale. So does flour, vinegar, sugar, baking soda, etc. etc. etc. If you don't WANT TO or NEED to pay attention to sales, that's your prerogative, but please don't tell me that because you cook "from scratch" you couldn't be saving money.

LOL

It's probably the same person who said (in a different thread) that those who cook from scratch simply "cannot do so" by shopping at Giant or Safeway. Funny, I didn't know that Giant and Safeway don't have produce, proteins, eggs, and pantry staples.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone share their shopping list for one example week - specific quantities if you can? Rough menu.

I'm just amazed by this - grocery store purchases are our biggest budget offenders.

Sure.

This week, 7 meals planned. Some of this stuff we already have from previous shops (I buy pasta when it's on sale for <$1 and try to stock up on canned beans/tomatoes when they're on sale as well).

Vegetarian chili (several kinds of beans, plus peppers and onions), cornbread (using mix, adding actual corn), cheddar/sour cream on top if people want
BBQ chicken tacos (I don't have a slow cooker but make in Dutch oven), salad
Veggie stir fry with tofu
Baked tilapia, salad, some kind of starch on the side
Southwestern breakfast for dinner - scrambled eggs, black beans, tortillas
Some kind of casserole involving many vegetables and some pasta
Miso soup with tofu and veggies in it

Adding in getting some snack stuff (extra veggies, fruits, crackers, snacking cheese), the bill for the Peapod I just did is $128.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone share their shopping list for one example week - specific quantities if you can? Rough menu.

I'm just amazed by this - grocery store purchases are our biggest budget offenders.

Sure.

This week, 7 meals planned. Some of this stuff we already have from previous shops (I buy pasta when it's on sale for <$1 and try to stock up on canned beans/tomatoes when they're on sale as well).

Vegetarian chili (several kinds of beans, plus peppers and onions), cornbread (using mix, adding actual corn), cheddar/sour cream on top if people want
BBQ chicken tacos (I don't have a slow cooker but make in Dutch oven), salad
Veggie stir fry with tofu
Baked tilapia, salad, some kind of starch on the side
Southwestern breakfast for dinner - scrambled eggs, black beans, tortillas
Some kind of casserole involving many vegetables and some pasta
Miso soup with tofu and veggies in it

Adding in getting some snack stuff (extra veggies, fruits, crackers, snacking cheese), the bill for the Peapod I just did is $128.

wow - so for example for the tacos how much chicken did you get? and you bought tortillas? do you shred your own cheese or buy pre-shredded?

I think I need to plan it out more to reuse items like you have (tacos/southwestern theme)