Make a plan, adapt the plan if you need to, but make a plan.
In case someone is new, I thought I would walk you through the process.
We have a stock of food. I have purchased a months worth of protein to include various types of protein to use on a rotation basis. I stocked when prices were low. The object is kinda like a stockbroker would buy stock for speculation, but with food theirs not much of a gamble. LOL. You buy when the comidity is priced low and eat when it's high.
We have a lot of pepperoni because I get a three dollar package for .50 at the tree with coupons. We, also have a lot of eggs because we are getting them for .79 a dozen. It only, makes sense to have pizza one night and breakfast 4 dinner another night . The rest of the week is wide open, I usually work on a matrix of proteins that outline the plans and make otmamquick and easy task,
2 vegetarian ( for variety and cost averaging )
1 fish
3 pork or chicken
1 beef ( for variety and certain amino acids and irony )
Equals 7 meals
- Pizza - pepperoni I make scratch crust. Granddaughter is getting good at spreading pizza sauce, cheese, and pepperoni Pepperoni and sauce come from the dollar store. I freeze the sauce in ice cube trays and ,when frozen, transfer to a freezer bag.
- Breakfast 4 dinner. Use eggs, fruit of some kink, and a starch : pancakes, English muffins ( 167 a dozen from Freddies) or hash browns. Sometimes in Leiu of fruit, we have yogurt parfaits.
- Fish packets - a family favorite : mom likes the ease of prep, the kids think it's playing camp out, and somebody ( that illusive person that is never there) likes that there is almost no dishes. Place on parchment paper, stack the following : a piece of romaine or spinach, a scoop of cooked rice, a piece of fish, and a fresh green veggie like green beans, Seal in a packet and bake in an oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Or wrap in parchment, then foil, and grill.
- Chicken enchilada casserole I made chicken enchiladas last week and have more filling left we put in the freezer. Then enchiladas were a pain in the totusche to roll, so this time I'll layer in a round casserole and cut like a pie.
- Sausage with roasted root veggies. Salad
- Chicken pot pie - chicken breasts I de-boned and froze . Mixed veggies I got on sale for .85.
- Meatballs and speghetti . Sauce we got for .50 a liter and spaghetti I got for .25 with a coupon and Meatballs were a.98 with a coupon.
4+1 = 5......four people. One meal, five bucks. So,e of these meals are less than a buck. Some are slightly more. In order to stay on a four dollar a day meal plan, you have to stick to less than five dollars in order to eat the other two meals and have some stock on hand,
Groceries on the cheap is looking at the "put the meal on the table train" from a different perspectives.
The emphasis is on purchasing good shelf stable or frozen food for a RBP in quantity - enough to last you until it goes on sale again or to keep a controlled non-perishable stock of the things you use on a weekly basis.
This means that instead of shopping daily or weekly for just the things you need to cook your meals for the week. You go to two stores and buy :
1) a protein that is a RBP - enough to make that meal for x number of days. (I.e.: if you eat it once a week, buy enough for 4 meals.)
2) produce and dairy you will need to fill in the meals for the week.
3) a stock item, if you need to and it is on a RBP - enough to fill in to your self imposed stock level.
You often are paying 1/2 price for your food. This allows you to put well-balanced meals on the table consistently on a four dollar a day per person budget. You spend more time on the locomotive ( planning and shopping ) end of the train, and less time in the caboose ( kitchen j) by
cooking more efficiently.
Four dollars a day is the target amount for people on snap. My premise is that of you can do it on 4 dollars a day, spending more is not difficult and you still get more nutrition for your buck.
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