fam of 4. we probably spend more like $1,200 a month on groceries. food is expensive!

Anyone grow their own herbs, lettuce and sprouts.

Anonymous wrote:$1000 a month? You must be fat. Please eat less.

You are an idiot, it actually costs more to eat healthy.

Family of three:

The only way I've found to cut back and still get all of the organic and speciality products I like is to have what we call two "throw away" or pantry meals per week and/or leftovers from last night's dinner or freezer leftovers. If you want a high quality ingredient, fresh meal every night with two sides, you are going to be spending a lot of money. I sometimes go to cheaper grocery stores, but it's important to know what to buy. For instance, I far prefer Trader Joe's hummus and flatbread to any pricier store.

Snacks are another abyss, especially if you have tween/teens. They can be both picky and eat like garbage disposals. Seriously, I buy a week's worth of snacks (tortilla chips, granola, whole wheat crackers, protein bars, etc)- two days later, it's gone. If you're at home when your kid gets home from school, it's cost saving to have a snack ready for them (budget preservation, not helicopter parenting). Otherwise, they disappear to their room with an entire box of expensive organic crackers or eat a container of cookies or ice cream that you bought as a "treat."

Pantry recipe for bonus-

short pasta
olive oil
4 anchovies filets chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
2 table spoons of capers chopped
generous pinch of red pepper
salt/pepper to taste

while pasta is boiling, chop your ingredients. Saute garlic and red pepper flakes in 2-3 table spoons of olive oil (1 minute)

add capers and anchovies, saute for another 30 seconds. Add al dente cooked pasta (1/2 half to 3/4 pound) to the warm skillet and a little bit of left over pasta water for emulsion. Mix it up and eat. I sprinkle salt/pepper for taste. It's all to taste- we like a lot of flavor, you might want it more mild. You could put a fried egg over the top for protein.

(this should be in food and dining- but it's cost cutting meal)

We are pescatarian so our proteins tend to be expensive. I typically buy 4 lbs of tuna, shrimp, oysters, crab, and salmon (a total of 4 lbs not 4 of each) per week. Then, a bunch of fresh produce. 5 person household.