This year I am joining a movement for ambo soend January on food. We have a large stock built on our 3778.75 budget amount and it's a challenge to feed us on 100.00 for perishables for the month, It frees up money for savings and uses up some ofmthenfreezer and pantry to start fresh for the new year. We are at half the usda stats for the cheapest budget amount And have replaced and maintained a large pantry and freezer.
That doesn't mean we don't eat or that we don't eat well. We eat balanced. None of us are over weight. I am also on a therapeutic diet. The secret is to buy your food 1/2 price. Buy what's on sale and work your meals around it.
Groceries on the cheap has nothing to do with cheap quality; it's more about shopping in a different way, Instead if going daily or even weekly and buying a weeks worth of groceries, you buy from three different categories. Those being a loss leader protein enough for a months worth of that meal.
In other words, if you eat beef once a week, you need to buy enough for four meals. This saves time, money, and waste. If aoorompriate, you batch cook the meat and portion control it for the freezer. Beef, most of the time for our budget, is 7 percent hamburger. I fry it and de-fat it and portion control it on quart bags and out the quart bags in a labeled gallon bag. The gallon bag can be reused and it makes for easy retrieval from the freezer. Dinner time is half way done and less hectic.
I have target prices for almost everything we buy on a regular basis. If it's more than my target price, I have to think hard before I buy it; we have to need it really bad. LOL. My target price for 7 percent hamburger is close to three dollars a pound: most other meats are under two. I get chicken breast for 1.28 last time, and de-bone them myself , making stick and soup meat from the bones. Boneless, skinless chicken breast that is a good brand is eight dollars a pound. That's a great savings, even when they are BOGO.
Pork loin has a two dollar limit for me. I got it last time for 1.49. Jimmy Dean sausage is the cheapest at Costco unless infind a sale and coupons. I fry it and de-fat it as well. I try to limit our processed meat to once a week or less. I have been buying some that is natural.
Fresh veggies have a dollar a pound target price: that's not always doable, but I try hard. Averaging helps. I was any vegetables that are apropriate in vinegar water.
We have target prices for the staple items that we use on a regular basis. In our house that would be diced tomatoes, pasta sauce, chicken noodle soup, dry and canned beans, green beans, tuna, salmon, some emergency chicken, and pasta . I buy the best quality I can afford, on sale, with coupons and Ibotta if possible. I only buy them when they are at a RBP. I buy as many as I can afford, as many as I can (store limits ) or as many as I need to bring my stock to my self imposed limit, I trynfir a six months supply.
To recap. When I shop, I go to the store with three groups of food in mind. I have already taken a quick look at what we have in the fridge and freezer. Having an organized fridge is a real time saver. I have a,
Lso looked at the ads and noted what is on sale that I can use to fill out my groups.
I am going for :
- Perishables : dairy, eggs, fruits and veggies, I always keep carrots, celery, eggs, milk, sour cream and some yogurt. Cheese is purchased on the oritein rotation and I want to lay about two dollars a pound.
- A rotation protein: based on what meat might be on sale for my target amount or less. Besides beef, Pork, and chicken, I am looking for cheese, fish, bulk beans , and 25 lb bags of rice.
- Any stock item that is on sale. Popcorn and bisquick etc I keep one ahead. Picnic supplies are best bought in the summer around the holidays, and baking supplies are best around thanksgiving time.
A meal plan is a must. If you don't make a plan, you plan to fail
My most profound quote : NO FOOD WILL DO YOUR FAMILY ANY GOOD IF YOU ARE FEEDING IT TO THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL.
No comments:
Post a Comment