For a long time, I had to fight with my boyfriend, Dale, over what to get for groceries. He eats out a lot, and has never really had anyone to cook decent food for him since he joined the Army. Now, 6 months into the relationship, I can get him to eat at home 50% of the time, which has saved us about $400 dollars a month. With me not working, having a son who lives 3 hours away from me to support, and bills not falling on regular cycles, knowing what to buy at the grocery store has been a huge benefit when it comes to easing stress and the budget. So, without further ado, here’s what I buy on a weekly basis, for a month’s worth of groceries. (Note – this list will cost about $150 per month in my end of town – Ft Hood, Texas. It might cost more elsewhere.)
WEEK 1 -
Toiletry Restock
1 Bag Boneless Skinless Frozen Chicken Breasts
1 Gallon Milk
2 Personal Size Cans Soup Base (IE – Cream of Mushroom)
4 Cans Vegetables
1 Bag Frozen Hamburger Patties
1 Loaf Whole Wheat Bread
1 Box Pasta
2 Cans Pasta Sauce
WEEK 2 –
Condiment Restock
1 Pound Butter
1 Dozen Eggs
1 Jar Peanut Butter
2 Jars Jelly (We each have our personal flavor.)
2 Bags Stouffers 2-Serving Stir Fry
1 Frozen Pizza
2 Cans Vegetables
1 Box Mashed Potatos
1 Box Bisquick Mix
WEEK 3 –
Baking Supply/Spice Restock
1 12-Pack Soda
1 Pound Fresh Fruit
1 Pound Fresh Meat
2 Cans Soup (IE – Clam Chowder)
1 Loaf Bread
1 Pound Lunchmeat
1 Pound Cheese
2 Frozen Juice Concentrates
WEEK 4 –
Ultility Restock (IE – Garbage Bags)
1 Box Frozen Fish (I like Gordon’s.)
2 Bags Frozen Side Dishes (IE – Tater Tots)
1 Desert Item
1 Head Lettuce
1 Container Fresh Mushrooms
2 Tomatos
1 Bag Carrots
1 Bag Potatos
2 Cucumbers
As you can see, everything should roll over into the next week, allowing for variety of shopping and taste. Week one deals primarily with your stock items. Frozen meats can be made into such a variety of different dishes, and you don’t run the cost or the risk of them spoiling. Soup bases allow for cassaroles and such to be made much more easily and inexpensively. I personally keep Cream of Mushroom on hand, because Dale and I both love mushrooms, and that stock base will soak up the flavor of whatever you cook it with. Week two deals a lot in ingredients. Eggs and butter go into most baking, and they are also used in a lot of contemporary recipes. For the nights you don’t want to cook, the Stouffers bags come in REALLY handy. You can even easily remove some of the frozen seasoning disks if you don’t like the strength! Most of the bags have rice or pasta in them, which fills you up nicely.
Week three deals a lot with lunch by providing lunchpail materials, such as sandwhiches and fresh fruit. The juice will offset the soda as far as nutrition goes, and the concentrates are much cheaper than the ready-to-drink stuff. And lastly, week four deals primarily with salad fixings. Remember to take your fruits and veggies out of their plastic bags prior to refridgeration, to extend their shelf life. Wash everything before you eat it, too.
I’m sure you’ve noticed the large amounts of starch in our diet. Unfortunatly, while starches fill you up nicely, they also give your body lots of carbs, and if you’re not active like we are, you might gain weight on our list.
At any rate, I hope this helps!
Ciao!
Kate
