Can I see your monthly grocery budget and what you cook?

Question

We’re having a hard time budgeting our monthly groceries. We always go over and it feels like we never have anything to make a full meal. And I’m tired of tacos, spaghetti and pizza. There’s 4 of us but our girls are small, 2 years and 9 months, so they don’t make a big impact just snacks. Our budget is $400-$450. I know it’s more than doable, I just haven’t figured out how. I should also mention we have limited space so freezing meals or having a stock pile isn’t really an option.

Answer

1. Plan your meals before you leave the house. I use google sheets spreadsheets on my phone. I plan breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner. 
2. Create your shopping list from your meal plan. I usually do this in the kitchen to make sure I’m not buying something I already have. 
3. Use the envelope method when shopping, that is, no cards just exact cash in an envelope. 
4. It’s better to grocery shop on a weekly rather than a monthly basis. 
5. To avoid spoilage freeze fruits and veggies or make smoothies or soup. 
6.Shop on a  Monday, that way any remaining food will be used up on the weekend and you will have a fresh batch of food to start off the week. 
7. Clean out your fridge and pantry before each grocery run. 
Hope this helps! Good Luck 😉

Answer

I have a stash of frozen meats(beef, chicken, fish) and in mynpantry always keep rice, quinoa, couscous, and variety of pastas in the pantry. I usually pick a grain or pasta, a meat, and either frozen veggies or fresh that i picked up. I am not huge on breakfast so we usually just buy yogurt in bulk that everyone in the family eats including my 3 year old and some cereal and eggs. Lunches are usually a sandwich, salad, soup, or leftovers from another dinner. So a lot of our meals use the same ingredients but i mix up the spices and do different themes like italian or Mexican or asian and use what i have for that. Making stir fry noodles out of spaghetti with some chicken is one of my favorite easy asian dishes. I am big on sauces and condiments and marinating so I get a lot of variety and different flavors that way with same ingredients. Start also slowly building your pantry with canned essentials like black beans, corn, tuna, etc. Items that can be used for many recipes. Versatile ingredients is key!

Answer

Following 👀

Answer

I have the same budget. I do a lot of meat+carb+veggie meals (mostly roasted and steamed) and I also find a lot of meals on the internet to copy.

Can I see your monthly grocery budget and what you cook?

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey