The Basics

Groceries on the cheap takes a different process of buying and cooking your food..   The net result is that you can feed your family well on four dollars a day each.   Four dollars is the proverbial amount of money that some say SNAP is based on.

Besides eating on four dollars a day, we also grew a pantry on that budget.   One of thee premises of groceries on the cheap is to have a basic stock on hand for emergencies.   Studies have shown that when people have to worry about where the next meal is coming from, they reduce their life expectancy.

This methodology is based on principles.   The more you incorporate them into your routine, the more money you will save.

1. The biggest:   NEVER pay full price.   Find the RBP on the things that you use on a regular basis. When you find an item that you use a lot of at a lowest possible price, buy as many as you will need until they go on sale again or as many as you need to fill in your specified amount of stock.   Keeping a four to six week supply of non perishables is a good benchmark.   
2. Plan your meals and portion control.   Portion control is a dirty word for many people, but your doctor will tell you that it is really important for your health.   The other word is balance.   Eating a well balanced diet has always been a good idea.   
3. Buy things at their lowest possible price in bulk quantities when it makes sense.   We buy oatmeal, rice and flour.   Oatmeal when purchased a Costco in bulk costs . 085 cents a serving. A serving of regular oats equals 4 servings of the envelopes of instant oatmeal, nutrition wise.   Flour is a real bargain when you use it to efficiently make bread and bakery items.   The savings are remarkable.   A loaf of artisan bread can cost upwards of 2.50.  The actual cost is a quarter to make peasant bread and takes about ten minutes hands on time.   
4. Efficient scratch cooking.   Another time and money saving concept.    Besides, you aren’t eating things you can’t pronounce.  Or soap!    Yes, there is soap in some foods your children want to eat. 
5. Plan your meals.   The best way to avoid temptation is to take it away.   If you have meals planned and prepped, life is easy even if you are tired. 
6. Use any trick that comes your way to cut food costs.   Waste not, want not—use up bits of things leftover and salvage a little of something before you make a dish.   Pulling a little sausage away from a tube of sausage you are using for breakfast just means you can use some of it for a pizza another night.   Ibotta, coupons, discount food stores, all help in making you get more for your buck.