1 Jan- 18 Dec 2015 we have spent $1639.24 on food....I expect we may spend $20 before end of the month.
This for 2 adults.
...
This = $136.60 month
or $31.52 week
Wow. That is mind-blowing. What sorts of groceries do you buy? And where? Was your grocery spending always this low or have you made changes?
For 2015 we lived 4 months in Australia and 8 months in Canada.....and we have found we are able to eat well in both countries.
We take advantage of all store incentives. Credit card points.Gasoline purchase rebates for groceries. Coupons once in a while.
When something goes on special, stock up. Buy 10, when they are 1/2 price :)
Grocery stores, fruit/veg markets, have reduced to clear tables. If most of it is edible, buy it. If you can't eat it all fresh, freeze it, or cook it up into a meal, and freeze it.
All our meat is either on sale or reduced.
We throw out very little food. If you are tired of leftovers, incorporate them into a new meal.
Breakfast is usually oatmeal porridge (not instant) with chopped up apples, or other fruit and cinnamon/ brown sugar.
Or cream of wheat porridge (not instant)
or eggs in a variety of ways...lots of omelets with vegs/cheese.
Cereal on occasion...only if it was on sale, and topped with fruit.
Lunch might be a homemade pizza, salad, soup,..if we eat at all.
Or it could be almonds (filling)
Supper is usually meat, potato, vegetable.
Snack- might be cake, toast, bagel, nuts
Tea and coffee all day long
Juice at supper time
In Canada we use our bread machine. In Australia, we take advantage of the $1.00 loaf bread.
We buy many of the same things, and cook them in different ways.
Potatoes- mashed, baked, boiled, casseroles, pan fried
Veg- boiled, oven roasted, fresh
Meat- stew,in soup, roasted, pan fried
Use spices to change flavors.
We don't buy large bulk containers of food at Costco type stores. By watching sales and buying reduced, I think we do just as good..or better. We splurge on treats now and again...but if you always have them, they aren't treats.
We've always been careful, but we are probably getting better, mostly because we make a game of it.
Sometimes we will go to the store several times a week, for reduced food.
We only have a small fridge, and decided against getting a chest freezer. Try to have a variety of food on hand.