Grocery Spending/Menu Plan | I should probably stop stocking up now.
On Saturdays, I share my menu plan for the upcoming week along with a photo of my groceries and a tally of my spending. My goal is to spend $100/week for our food, toiletries, and cleaning products. I'm currently in the midst of trying to buy more local, sustainably-produced food while sticking to my budget. Can it be done? I don't know, but I'm going to try, and I'll share what I learn as I go along.
I'm super over budget this week. WAY WAY WAY over budget.
It's for two good reasons, though.
Last week, I got a call from a local farm letting me know that a quarter of a cow (150 pounds hung weight) was available for purchase. I didn't want an entire quarter, so I found a friend to split it with me. So, I now have a freezer full of local beef (and I do mean local...the farm is 30 minutes from my house), and I spent $218. Normally I'd have planned ahead for an expenditure like this, but the quarter of beef was a surprise to the farmer and to me, and I just decided to go for it.
I've never bought beef like this before so I haven't the faintest idea how long it will last us, but I feel like I got a very good price on very local beef, and I'm happy. And I'm thrilled to give my money to a little family farm that's been around for several generations.
Then midweek I got a sale flier (flyer?) from a local grocery store, noticed that Gold Medal unbleached flour was on sale for $1.50/5 lbs, and I jumped for joy. My Easter sale flour stock was just about depleted (I had 2 bags left), so this was excellent timing.
I bought all 13 of the unbleached bags they had (I'm sure there were more in the back but I didn't bother to ask) and gleefully brought them home. Yay! Gold Medal unbleached rocks my world when I need white flour (I grind wheat for my whole wheat flour needs).
So, the flour took another $19.50 of grocery money.
I then proceeded to spend $49.79 at Aldi and $38.12 at Weis.
That means I spent $325.41 on groceries this week instead of $100. Dear me. That's almost a whole month's worth of grocery money! But it was for the cause of local food, and I don't feel at all bad about it.
I'm over by $225.41, which is about two week's worth of grocery money. We have the money to cover this (the overage is basically the beef), but I think it would be lovely if I could manage to make this work with just our grocery money. So, I think I'll take $100 out of November and December's budgets which will give me $75 to work with each week until the end of the year. I'm pretty sure I can make that work, especially since I have a decent supply of meat in my freezer, and I absolutely, positively will not need to buy any beef for a long time.
For breakfast this week, we'll be eating oatmeal, muffins, Cream of Wheat, cereal, toast, yogurt, and fruit (not all on one day!).
Lunches will be homemade bread, homemade yogurt, nuts, fruit, cheese, and leftovers as necessary.
And dinners are as follows.
Saturday
- Since my nephews were here on Friday night, we thought it wouldn't be the best time to have our weekly at-home date night (the odds of them all playing quietly in Joshua's room while we ate were, uh, not good.). So, we're doing that tonight and our kids will be eating various leftovers (my nephews are going home late this afternoon).
Sunday
- Buttermilk Waffles
- Fried Mush
- eggs for those who want them (usually Sonia, Lisey, and me)
Monday
- Grilled hamburgers (with local beef, naturally)
- homemade buns
- fruit salad
Tuesday
- Beef and Chicken Fajitas (with grilled onions and peppers)
- chips and salsa
Wednesday
- Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Scalloped Potatoes
- green salad
Thursday
- Tortilla Soup
- Cornbread (or if I'm feeling inspired, I may make a yeasted cornmeal bread)
- green beans
Friday
- Takeout night for Mr. FG and me, leftovers or something easy for the kids
Today's 365 post: The face of discontent
I was just going to say that if you didn't count the beef ( a special purchase), you only went over $7.41. That's pretty good. Overspending on occasion for something useful that will get consumed is not necessarily a bad thing. Since we're trying to take from our budget instead of savings, we do challenges like this too. When we find our spending a little too much in one area or we're anticipating a larger expenditure in the future, we'll tweak our budget and 'borrow' from another category or cut back as you suggest.
Hope it goes well. Looking forward to your challenge!
Kristen, you will love the local beef! My family has purchased meat like this (going in with a neighbor to help reduce cost like you did) in the past many times and it is SO good! The extra money to purchase it, in my opinion was well worth it to buy from a local farmer and the taste is just wonderful. I, too have taken from "another" part of the budget to make up for something that is a great deal I didnt see coming.
Have a wonderful week.
Shopping ahead for the holiday as well? Or just some other baking with the 4 cans of pumpkin pie filling.
We never EVER get flour sales like that. When I lived in Massachusetts flour was even more expensive than it is now. I get a 5lb bag of King Arthur for around $3. I could get Wal*Mart brand cheaper but I'm a fusspot about protein levels and stuff.
I guess it's a good thing I don't bake as often as you. 🙂
Hmmm... I live in Massachusetts and I just bought the same sale as Kristen on Gold Medal unbleached flour. I was practically giddy when I saw the ad! I sent my betrothed to the store with instructions to buy 5 bags. I would have asked for more, but I don't have the storage for it.
Yay! Loads of baking coming soon to a kitchen near me. 🙂
I do this too...give myself a break on overages when it's for an unbeatable deal(s) like you found b/c I know I can make a lesser food budget work in the weeks and months to come b/c I'll plan my meals around whatever it was I got such a good deal on that it was worth it to blow money all in one fell swoop. Great finds!!
My family and I buy a quarter of organic cow every 6 months or so, and spend about $250!
When we run out of meat our grocery bill take on an extra 25 to 30 dollars a week. Meat is so expensive. So in my mind it just pays for itself!! 🙂
Great about the beef. I love doing that and having a freezer full of beef cuts (especially the expensive ones I'd never buy in the store!). I'd suggest you give yourself a break on some of the overage of the beef and not cut your grocery budget to just$75 a week. You gotta keep in mind that Thanksgiving and Christmas are very close! 🙂
Yes, you are going to love the beef. We have bought from local farmers several times, and the quality and flavor of the beef puts supermarket beef to shame. And you got a FABULOUS price! I was thrilled to get my last batch for $2.50/lb. The only "problem" I've had is sometimes the butchers put the hamburger into 2-lb packages, and I try to only serve 1 lb at a meal. But I just cook it all up and freeze half of it.
Enjoy!!!
Forgot to say--I usually buy 1/2 a beef at a time, and I save up money ahead of time as much as possible, both for the beef and also for berry/canning season. But you had an offer you couldn't refuse...I would have grabbed it too!
So was the beef 218 for just your portion? or the whole portion? how much does that come out to per pound and all that? (Not sure if you split the 218--109 ea.-- or if it was your share--432 for all of it).
Do you have anything special you're already thinking of making some of it with? Or will you just use it as you normally would in your weeks?
We buy beef this way also, and have another big expense for meat in the summer when we get our salmon for the year frozen and processed. I'm planning to save my extra grocery money from each week for the year this year and see if I can't pay for those two big expenses from the leftover dollars and cents.
Woo Hoo for great deals! I love when flour and baking items go on sale! I try to keep a stock of baking supplies(flour, sugar, oil, yeast, shortening) in my storage room.I keep an inventory of what I have and replenish my supply during the spring and fall case lot sales. I am picky about store bought bread and baked goods. I would rather bake my own, then I know what is in them. I am a fan of buying local meat, as well. I have found it tastes better,healthier, and you are helping to support your local economy (I am very big on that)!
They had a similar sale where I am as well and I kept thinking I had bought waaay too many bags of flour (I bought 4 despite some rolling eyes from the hubby) but it seems you've totally outclassed me. 13! Is that a personal record? It's such a good deal though.
And great find on the local beef as well, hopefully you can use it all. You might need to cook up some new recipes or start putting beef into everything 🙂
This year my mom asked to split the cost of beef, so I have to factor it in our budget. She used to purchase a 1/2 and let us take as we please. (I moved out in my teens...my brother's will be living at home till their in their 30's:) evening it out I guess) She will often bring it over for me to cook dinner for her :). It is so worth it. I use it for chili, stews, beef soups, stir fry, shepherd's pie, lasagna, speghetti sauces, tacos etc. I usually make 2-3X the amount and freeze the rest into family size portions. I will never go back to purchasing a premade lasagna in my life now!
Enjoy
Too funny! I was thinking the same thing when I came home with a trunk full of flour this morning. I have been over budget for a few weeks now, but expect the next several months will be under since there are so many things I won't need to get. I am envious of your beef, though. Michelle's suggestion to cook entire too-large packages of ground beef is a good one, precooked thaws quickly for fast meals on hectic days. I anticipate having to shop mainly for perishables for the next four months or so, like milk, eggs, fresh fruit and veggies, and even the produce will only supplement what comes out of the freezer and canning cupboard. Since a cold and snowy winter is forecast, it is comforting to think I won't have to venture out often which will save on gas, and when I do go, it won't be for much. I am also hoping to set aside any surplus funds over this time for next year's canning and freezing to minimize the impact on the weekly budget. I find it easier to know what I have available to spend on a weekly basis, without recalculating, and I think it is too easy to blow the budget on something at a good price, and then find yourself short when there is a need. So I am going to try working out a "stocking up" budget separate from the regular one, like Jenny mentioned.
Okay, okay, I'll ask -- what store(s) are y'all finding the flour on sale this week? I don't see it in my stores' circulars, but I'm wondering if your sales are at stores I could hit. 🙂
Great deals, Kristen! It's so nice to be in a position to take advantage at short notice. I hope you've survived the Child Invasion intact. Wait - did you go shopping with all of them?
Prices were very strange when I went shopping today. Flour is on sale (didn't get any, I overbought last year) as is sugar (got 4, will get more next trip), but butter was 25% more than last week. What's with that?!?
I love your family's goal to eat more locally! Like everything else, it's a journey.
I don't know what your community is like, but we have lots of great resources in Northern Indiana. I've found 3 groceries that have product overruns and near expiration date cereals (including organics) for less than 1/2 the cost of even Aldi, but they don't really advertise. I've found a couple of little out of the way shops that sell bulk items like flours, even specialty organic flours, baking soda for cleaning, and bulk spices for a whole lot less than the grocery. I know there are places that have food clubs for organic and sustainably grown products, but I've never personally used them.
Our family's secret to a well stocked freezer is lamb. We buy it from wool spinners that usually have more wethers than they need. Our last order was for four one-year-old lambs, at $2 pound, even after it was processed. We get chops, roasts, and ground. Gourmet for a good deal.
Raised beds have been a great food resource for us. We grow a lot of the food we need for the winter in raised beds that could easily fit in a subdivision lot. We get the kids involved, and have yummy, inexpensive veggies and fruits all winter long.
I blog about sustainable agriculture and growing your own food, you might like to check out http://plainandsimpleme.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/lets-get-ready-to-rumble/ to get you started. I also HIGHLY recommend localharvest.org, for those of you that don't know how to find local farmers, and goodguide.com to find out if the products you currently use are environmentally, socially, and healthfully sound. Goodguide even allows you to compare prices.
Can you explain the difference between the regular white flour and the unbleached flour which you purchased? Do you have a homemade bread recipie you would be willing to share? I love homemade bread but don't have a recepie for it?
Some things are just worth it and local beef is one of them. Just can't pass up opportunities like that when they come along. I love having a freezer full of beef; you will too!
I think stocking up on deals like that is very frugal indeed. Not to mention that you'll be eating good beef for dinner!
We buy a 1/2 a stear and 1 whole hog at a time. The total cost for both together runs about $900-$1000. Not sure what cuts you get with your beef, but we get rib eye, T-bone, Sirlion Tip, and sirlion steaks. We get several roast varieties, tons of ground beef, and stew meat. Our hog contains sausage, bacon, jowl, ham, ham hocks, pork roast, pork ribs, and super thick pork chops. This usually lasts us a year for a family of five. We Purchase our meat and dairy from mennonite families. It is costly in one lump sum. But it works it way out quickly, due to high meat prices in a grocery store. Funny how retailers expect us to pay so much more for for the unwanted extras they put in our meats!HA!!!
Once you have the beef in your freezer you will never be without it again! It is such a great way to buy in bulk and it really does reduce your grocery bill.
If you do not have an alarm on your freezer please order one for yourself today! We've been buying a quarter of a cow for 5 years, and this year, less than one month after we received our quarter we lost both our beef and our freezer. Our freezer shut off during a relatively mild storm and we both forgot to check it. By the time we went to get beef, well it was an awful mess and the freezer could not be salvaged. The alarms are 10-15 dollars on amazon. I would have saved us about $800!