We are trying to make changes around here and one of them is cutting back on our food budget. It is starting to get crazy around here. At one point we were nearing the $2000/month food budget. Now we are past $2500/month! Two gallons of milk a day and the fruit goes so fast.
How do you manage your food budget? I seriously need ideas. I have tried couponing but don't have much luck with that. No grocery stores here double coupons and often other brands are cheaper then the brand with the coupon.
We are feeding on average 10 people a day. I did the math....2500/30 days equals $83/day. That equals about $8.30/person per day. How far off is that from the norm?
I need to trim the budget and the food budget is our largest expense. So, send me your ideas and recipes.
Thanks!
We are feeding 8 for about $600-700 a month. My kids only have milk at breakfast and they can get the unclaimed milks from school lunch for free.
ReplyDeleteWe're coming in at about $3.50 per person, per day. I feed 7 people and spend $700 per month on groceries. All of my children--little one included--eat like adults. There's no difference in their portions from mine.
ReplyDeleteI try to use recipes that have no more than 8 ingredients. Less expensive favorites in our house: Baked spaghetti, taco soup, tacos, Mexican chicken, Hero burgers, chicken quesadillas, Mashed potatoes with meat sauce, chicken rice casserole. All are filling and simple.
For breakfast we make French toast, Farmer's breakfast, baked oatmeal, pancakes (made with ground flax meal and millet flour so they're more filling), scrambled eggs with sausage. We avoid cold cereal because it's so expensive.
My kids would be right there with the two gallons per day of milk if I let them. I limit them to a glass of milk at either breakfast or dinner, plus milk in their cereal, if we have cereal. The rest of the day they drink water. Sometimes I'll add a drop of peppermint extract or a splash of cranberry juice or lemon to a big pitcher of water for variety.
I put applesauce in school lunches every day, and I buy a lot of whatever fruit is in season. Each shopping trip I'll buy a special fruit, like grapes or pineapple, and we'll enjoy it for dessert that day. They're allowed a piece of fruit with breakfast and a piece of fruit as a snack (they have other snack options, too). I never limit the veggies they can eat. Meghan and Lexi have learned to like sliced cucumbers and bell peppers with Ranch because sometimes that has been their only option for snack.
We make our own popsicles with popsicle molds and fruit juice. Baggies of grapes that have been tossed in sugar free jello mix and then frozen are a favorite treat.
I do the majority of my shopping at Sam's Club. I get the specialized meal items at Walmart.
I will email you recipes. Leave me a comment on my blog or drop me an email if you haven't gotten the recipes by Monday. =)
We do lots of beans. We usually have beans a meal or two then add them to hamburger meat.
ReplyDeleteOur biggest savings is in our produce co-op that we started. We found a wholesale produce company that would deliver to a home if we bought I think it was 25 cases. Our produce co-op was started. A group of us order and sort and use every 2 weeks produce at wholesale prices.
We also cook from scratch. Often making double casseroles and freezing for busy times.
I spend about $800 a month for 9 people and we homeschool, so I am doing 3 meals per day for everyone. My husband eats breakfast at home and takes his lunch everyday, also. We limit milk to only breakfast, except for my 2 year old and they are allowed tea with dinner. We do a small entree for dinner and make the rest of dinner, beans, lots of veggies and fruit. We only have 2 small snacks a day. One about 10 (an apple or orange) and one right around 3:30 (pretzel sticks and juice). It can definitely be much cheaper!! Good luck! You might also try once a month cooking.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.frugalmom.net/blog/in-the-kitchen/freezer-cooking-in-the-kitchen/7-steps-to-once-a-month-cooking/