Recap.

Oops one of the most Important  things I didn't discuss was the fact that you need to set a budget.  If you are on snap, it's pretty much done for you.  Otherwise, the USDA has stats to go by.   There are four levels of budgets, and it is broken down by age groups .   Remember to read the fine print,   There are adjustments for smaller and larger families.

If you are on snap. Divide your monthly total by 4.2 to get your weekly budget.  

To recap

 Groceries on the cheap  takes a different approach to grocery shopping.   Instead of going to the store and buying one weeks worth of groceries you think you will need. You buy the perishables you need and a loss leader protein..  You identify shelf ready stock and frozen foods that you use on a regular basis, decide  how much stock you will carry and replenish the stock when you can get it for a rock bottom price.    ( sales and coupons,) .

Stocking affords you the luxury of always having food In the house.   It is a good hedge against many disasters, great or small.    Anything from being to sick, or having a sick baby and not wanting to go shopping, to that dastardly s word in this part of the country.  (SNOW) .

No child  should suffer the insecurity of having no food in the pantry.

On the meal train of life, the engine makes the planning and the direction.    The cars are the shopping and the planning of the meals, the next car the cooking,     If you spend more time on the front end of the meal train, and less on the back end, you will be better off financially.

After analyzing the ads, pick the two stores that have the best buys on what you need to buy,   Take your coupons, the ad, a calculater and leave the family at home.    Get in and get out,   The stores make most of their money on impulse buys. Stick to your list unless you find an unadvertised special that is on your stock list.  Get in and get out.  

Make final meal plans after you get home from the store.   A plan beats the take out gremlins.

Finding recipes that your family likes  and learning how to semi- scratch cook makes cooking more efficient and saves time and money.

 Taking a quick survey of the fridge mid week saves money because you can incorporate anything that you need to use up on your meals.

Use bins or mark shelves with you shelf ready stock items so that you can tell at a glance what you need to start watching the sales for.

Snap has been reported to be four dollars per person per day.  That breaks down for a four person family to be 1.25 a meal and a .25 snack.  That's a five dollar dinner.    Remember that the total you spend on lunch and breakfast has Leave money for  pantry items like mustard , catsup, flour, sugar etc.

Balance every meal with protein and fiber.    Sugars and carbs leave the body fast, protein and fiber stay and will help you not be hungry before the next meal.  

Buying your food for 1/2 price or less allows you to have a treat every now and then and give you the luxury of always having food in the house.



Jane