A peek into my penny-pinching grocery cart
September 6th, 2009
“Eating healthy is expensive!” Aughhh that sentiment is like nails on the blackboard to me! Every time I hear those words I swear a little part inside of me dies. Because what a cruel, cruel world we must live in if eating properly is out of reach for the average person.
Except…it doesn’t have to be that way. Despite advertising, despite the food industry, despite the friggen USDA food pyramid – miraculously, it really is not expensive to eat healthy. I swear on my Mark Bittman cookbook. In fact, it can even be cheaper when done the right way.
But of course, here we are, trying to define “healthy” to a generation of Americans brought up on Chewy Chips Ahoy and Jenny Craig. We’re a messed up bunch. After all, what is “healthy”? Is it a 100-calorie pack of chips? An organic soda made with evaporated cane juice? Oh, I know…how about Tofurky?
Get the heck out of here. That’s all marketing, doing what marketing does best – making big bucks!
Healthy eating should not include processed food. Man-made stuff, y’know? As in…stuff that didn’t exist before the industrial age. And all those people who helped create and market these modern foodstuffs? They need to get paid. So Tofurky is not cheap. Nor is it healthy. Because it’s not food. Even if it cost $1.00 I’d still say you’re getting ripped off because it is not food, it’s not something your body can use. It’s just…filler.
Ok, rant over.
I often hear people say that a trip to Whole Foods easily costs them $300. So every now and then I like to give you a peek into my shopping cart and prove that you can shop at a natural food store like Whole Foods and spend way, way less than that. (Even when you buy organic, which I do 80% of the time)
The photo above is from today. From the food we bought, we’re planning to make:
- A double batch of sesame soba noodles
- A double batch of stir-fried greens with tofu
- A double batch of chole/chanaa masala with basmati rice
- 1 lb. homemade ghee (clarified butter)
- Veggie slaw to bring to a picnic
- 2 lbs. tandoori chicken also for the picnic
- A batch of creamy cauliflower soup
- Breakfast for the week
- Oh yeah and our cats can eat, too.
This is going to be more than enough for the two of us for the week. Wanna come over for dinner? Our bill came to $117.96.
Not convinced? I’ll share another cart-full. This one was special. We relied heavily on the bulk section, buying grains and beans that cost only pennies yet create meals for a week. And we bought no meat, only some eggs. Animal products are expensive, especially when they are of good quality. Fortunately, most people don’t need to eat meat every day of the week.
And the bill? $54.74.
Whoa! See, you can do it! Here are some tips for eating real, healthy, wholesome food without breaking the bank:
1. Cut back on animal products
2. Eat more beans and whole grains
3. Learn to adore the bulk aisle, buy only what you need
4. Drink water, cut back on bottled beverages
5. Eliminate prepared/processed food
6. Use what you have already, even if it means changing a recipe a little.
7. Plan, plan, plan. Don’t put it in your cart without knowing what you’re going to do with it.
Bam! Your bill will be slimmer, and frankly…so will you.
Spending ~$100 for a week’s worth of food at Whole Foods is definitely tough to do for me. Thanks for these awesome tips. I’ll be sure to use them
September 6th, 2009 at 8:59 pmThis is a great post, Michelle! I cut out virtually all processed foods about a year ago, and I don’t think I’ve spent any more money. My pattern of spending is different, though. I tend to spend a lot about once every couple of months to stock up on pasta, grains, beans, nuts, etc., but regular shopping trips are very inexpensive. It also takes less time to shop because I only visit a few aisles. I’m glad to see you show proof that it can be done!
September 6th, 2009 at 9:02 pmWe completely changed the way we eat a few months ago and we definitely don’t spend more. No processed foods, no animal products, no bottled beverages or coffee, and I plan out the week’s meals in advance so no waste. And of course, we feel great, which makes it all worth it.
Great article, Michelle!
September 7th, 2009 at 6:39 amI love this post and I totally agree with you. Lentils are my favorite cheap item! Just like beans you can make a soup or stew ultra filling with them. And I am a big coupon fan-especially the ones that say $1.50 off dairy or meat for example as opposed to the branded ones. They are are awesome!
This is my first visit to your blog and I love it! Will certainly be following for sure.
September 7th, 2009 at 6:48 amThank you so much for this. I typically spend way more than a single person should at the grocery store. I think health food is worth it, but I really needed to be reminded to “use what I already have, even if it means changing the recipe a bit; and to not put anything in my cart unless I know what I am doing with it.” I tend to over buy. It would be great if you have more tips on cultivating these habits.
September 7th, 2009 at 7:39 amGreat post, Michelle! This is one of my pet peeves, too! When I started eating mostly whole foods, I found that I was hungry less (my body was getting what it wanted!) so I was spending less. People don’t realize that they can be overweight and malnourished at the same time. I shop mostly at the farmer’s market now and just need a few items from the grocery store.
I love your blog!
September 7th, 2009 at 7:40 amI completely agree … my grocery bill has gone way down since eliminating processed foods. My garbage output has also greatly decreased as there is so much less packaging I have to throw away/recycle.
September 7th, 2009 at 8:46 amGreat tips! I love to see all of the healthy produce- yummmm! Cutting back on meat has REALLY lowered our bill! Since I don’t eat it any more and I’ve cut Josh back (without him knowing haha), I think I save at least $25 a week
September 7th, 2009 at 8:49 amAmen, sista.
September 7th, 2009 at 2:37 pmI never understood the whole “Whole Paycheck” deal. When I go to Whole Foods, I rarely buy produce because its cheaper at my local produce store and farmers market and packaged food is purchased at a bare minimum (oils, vinegars, olives, sea veggies, fermented foods, etc). I rarely spend over $75 on a single trip. The only thing I buy that cost the most is some meat due to the fact that I’m not veg (cant eat soy or legumes).
At the produce store where I buy 100% organic, 2-3 bags of fruit and veggies rarely cost me more than $30.
I like to support some of our local, health food stores (though I don’t consider Whole Foods a health food store) but they easily cost me more than WFs. I shop at these places due to convince and wanting to support my local community. I think people are comparing WFs to conventional grocery stores where processed, packaged food IS cheaper.
September 7th, 2009 at 3:22 pm…and I meant to add this is with me NOT eating grains and legumes at all.
September 7th, 2009 at 3:24 pmI so agree that if you pick wise your food, eating healthy isn’t as expensive as people think.
September 8th, 2009 at 6:24 amI need to track down more my groceries bill, but I’d say pretty high, I need to use your tips!
Excellent. Best advice I’ve heard is “Don’t put it in your cart without knowing what you’re going to do with it.”
I am SO guilty of buying what looks good but once I bring it home, I don’t have a plan.
Great post.
September 8th, 2009 at 8:58 amYes!
BUY INGREDIENTS, NOT MEALS!
That’s been my motto, and I probably have the lowest grocery budget of all my friends, AND eat the healthiest!
The bulk food store is great, especially after investing in some pretty glass storage jars to keep them organized and attractive. I like to display my rainbow of nuts, seeds, grains, and dried beans on a shelf in my kitchen.
My food bill is about $250-300 a month for one person (who eats generous meals x3 and snacks everyday).
I think I end up saving money by making sure nothing goes to waste, either. If it’s on its last legs, I’ll either eat it, or pop it in the freezer.
DON’T FEED THE GARBAGE MONSTER!
September 8th, 2009 at 2:58 pm[...] of the Day A peek into my penny-pinching grocery cart Blessings on you as you honestly evaluate the real cost of not eating [...]
September 9th, 2009 at 2:57 amSuch a great post and I love your tips. We stick to a very tight grocery budget and tend to stretch it really far. Since moving abroad our eating has changed a lot and I use very few packaged foods now. I’m really interested to get back to the US and see how this works for our budget. My guess, we’ll be doing better.
I do have to say though that it is really difficult to swallow the produce prices in the US (although, I completely agree that when done wisely healthy eating is cheaper than name brand packaged/processed eating). I wish things back home followed the same pattern as other countries. Here packaged foods and fast foods are expensive, only the middle to upper class can afford them while the produce is dirt cheap and even more delicious.
September 9th, 2009 at 10:44 amGreat post! It’s so true, it doesn’t have to be spendy to eat healthy.
September 9th, 2009 at 1:34 pmPerfectly illustrated! Eating healthy is the opposite of expensive!
September 10th, 2009 at 9:09 amAwesome post Michelle!
September 10th, 2009 at 5:58 pmGreat article Michelle. I always love having a sticky-beak in other people’s shopping baskets – virtual or otherwise. Meat does add so much onto the weekly bill and cutting back even a small amount makes a huge difference. I like the way you’ve talked about how you’re going to use the food, as well as what you’ve purchased. Really useful post.
September 10th, 2009 at 6:26 pmI love your tips, and will use what I can. But I think that you may be a bit unrealistic in saying that $100 for a week’s worth of food is “inexpensive!” Since I’m on disability, and my partner got laid off, we’re living on a $200 a month food budget–that’s our Food Stamp allowance. That money goes MUCH farther at WinCo than it ever will at Whole Foods or New Seasons, or even Safeway! And I can (and do!) purchase healthy food at my lower end store, too!
September 10th, 2009 at 11:32 pmI love and live by your rules #6 & #7! They have been so key to me not bankrupting myself at the grocery store (and that’s a big deal to someone who likes to shop 3x a week–for just me!). This is a great post. I try really hard to live by similar rules and you are for sure better at it than I am!
September 13th, 2009 at 9:51 amThis is a great article.. I agree about the processed food being just filler! i dont buy much processed food- tofu is not my friend! haha.. i have a tight as anything food budget with very little wiggle room and am feeding 4 people, so i be as careful as possible.. i dont shop at whole foods but i do buy my produce at hannafords and HF gets their produce locally most of the time and their prices are WAY better than stop and shop.. makes me feel like at least i am doing a small part in supporting local farming!
September 19th, 2009 at 3:22 pmi so agree with you!!! and i love how you’ve actually shown people what to do. as a country we spend less of our budget on food than almost any other developed country.
did you see the “fruit loops” controversy over on bitten? isn’t so sad that because some ridiculous processed food like fruit loops has vitamin a injected into it that some “health board” is telling american consumers its good for them? i don’t know which is worse, the people putting the checks on the boxes or the people who will be the garbage and consider it food. argh!
September 22nd, 2009 at 1:45 pmTHanks so much! This is great! question-
October 1st, 2009 at 2:22 pmwhat do you do with the “puffed millet cereal” i recently bought some at whole foods, b/c the price was amazing, but boy is it plain.. Do you use it in recipes? Or just eat plain with milk?