Grocery Shopping

Tips for successful shopping:

1.) Plan ahead, evaluate your pantry and make a list
2.) Go alone!
3.) Never go while hungry
4.) Buy in bulk for best prices
5.) Buy seasonal produce for best prices
6.) Stick to shopping the perimeter of the store and only deviate when grabbing something from your list
7.) Avoid impulse buys (except on marked down meat)
8.) Limit trips to once or twice a month

I know, this sounds ridiculously stupid. These are no brainers, right? Then why do we still find ourselves running to the store right after work, starving, and then leaving with 9 extra items? I know I do occasionally. Then I get home, eat, start to put groceries away and think to myself, "Dang it! My stomach totally had its way with me!" 

So plan ahead. Take a day to go through your pantry, figure out what you have on hand, what you need to refill and what additional items you need to make meals for XX nights depending on your schedule. You may find it easiest to only plan week by week. I like to do one major shopping trip and then small trips only to stock up on produce and dairy.

The one thing I allow myself to buy on impulse is in the meat department. Most of the time, the store I go to has different specials on things like chicken breast, roast, or pork chops. I'll buy them when I see that they are a significant savings from regular price. Then when I go home I will separate whatever it is into portions and freeze for when I plan meals next month. 

I'll give you more tips to save money soon!

My Budget Experiment

Let's talk money. The U.S. national average spent on food per week is $151 according to a Gallup poll in August 2012. Households without children spent $143/week and young adults (18-29) spent the most at $173 per week.

That amount is almost as much as my ENTIRE food budget for the month! Jake and I’s goal is to only spend $200/month, that’s 1/3 of the national average. I don’t think this is because we are ‘poor’ or so destitute that we cannot feed ourselves. I think the difference lies in spending money with intention. There is almost every type of food imaginable within a five-block radius in most large cities and that allows us to buy on impulse and craving. I don’t think 18-29 year olds want to spend that much money on food, they would probably much rather put that money towards the latest ipad. However, how hard is it to say no to your daily indulgence of Starbucks and eating out for lunch? It’s difficult. BUT, if you can prioritize your budget, possibly saving money towards going on vacation instead of on treats from 7 Eleven, it is worth it. 

So set a goal; set your intention. It can be a large goal to cut spending in half or it can be modest like saving 5-10%. I honestly think in terms of ‘go big or go home.’ Set a goal that is a little frightening. If you fail, so what. I guarantee that you will achieve much more than on any modest goal you would have set. This also depends on your spending habits to begin with. If you are by nature reserved in the spending department, it will be a lot more difficult for you to see a huge percent in savings. However, you do have something going for you – it won’t be such a shock to cut down on a few things and that means you will stick it out possibly saving more in the long run.

My husband and I plan on keeping within our budget in a couple of ways: stocking our pantry with staple food items, experimenting with tried and true family recipes while also expanding options with food from other cultures and making as much food from scratch as possible (this is also friendly to the environment by cutting down on all of the packaging waste).

My plan is to record my receipts from the grocery store and then, at each month's end, break down the cost per recipe and cost per serving. I will give you guys information on how much you will be saving from making the meal at home vs. buying it ready-made from the store. I am only cooking for two but most of the food I make serves 4-6. In our house, we do leftovers! Anyway, this will help you plan accordingly with adapting the meal plans to fit your family. At the end of the month I will do a grocery audit to see if we stayed within budget. Let's get started!

With Love,
Jess

"Do small things with great love." ~ Mother Teresa

My cousin Britani and I during harvest on the farm.

One of the most important decisions people make day to day is what to eat. Making the decision of what food to put into your body comes from many different motivations including cost, taste, nutritional value, availability, convenience, etc. I think it is very important to examine which motivations drive you. For me, food is at its best when it is nutritionally sound, natural and inexpensive.

I was raised in a single parent home in a small town in Kansas of only 5,000 residents. I spent most of my summers on my Grandparents farm just outside of town. As a result, I learned to connect with food at a young age. I was also exposed to how food can communicate to others - you can tell a lot about how much money someone has by their food habits. I have several friends who thought leftovers were disgusting or who would look at you weird if you packed your lunch instead of paying for something in the school cafeteria. Even though convenience and eating out is put on a pedestal in this country, there is something about a home-cooked meal that holds its value and creates nostalgia in many people. Thanksgiving is a great example of this; so many enjoy it because they can't wait to eat that family recipe that's been passed down for generations. I believe that is because food also communicates love. Whether your Grandmother is in the kitchen or you are making something for yourself, food that is prepared with care and thought for those who are going to eat it evokes feelings of comfort, sincerity, happiness and love.

I want to share my love for home-cooked meals from scratch that are both healthy and easy on your budget. Not only did I grow up in an environment that was conducive to eating farm fresh food on a budget but I am also a new addition to the housewife club! I want to share my journey of maintaining a strict food budget while getting creative and learning new things in the process.

With Love,

Jess