In my cart, in my belly, in my wallet
February 10th, 2010
Did you ever see that game show called Supermarket Sweep? It was one of my favorites when I was kid. (No surprise, right?) The contestants had to win challenges involving guessing the price of food items in the grocery store. Actually, it was a bit like The Price is Right. Maybe all that after school TV paid off because I am a grocery calculating machine.
Every weekend I hit Whole Foods with grocery list in hand. And these aren’t just willy-nilly shopping lists with items that sound yummy. Cookies, Bread, Peanut Butter. I mean, maybe I buy those things. But my lists are formed based on recipes for the week, minus any ingredients I already have in the house. 2 cups brown rice, 1 cup chickpeas, 3 lbs. sweet potatoes.
I’ll repeat that. Save yourself money by meal planning and deciding exactly what you need and how much. Need kidney beans? Great. How much? Do you already have some in the house?
Oh, you do. Great. Now how much do you actually have to buy? It’s a line of questioning that can save you big time.
Here’s another good question when deciding on a recipe. Can you substitute any ingredients with items you already own? Or, can you buy a cheaper alternative ingredient? Organic almonds are pricey and arguably worth it. But if you are trying to keep costs down – can you use sunflower seeds instead? Maybe. It’s worth considering because they are 1/4 the price.
While shopping, notice what’s on sale. This week I had planned to cook kale, but collard greens were on sale for half the price. Awesome! On the fly I decided to go with collards instead. Planning is important, but staying flexible helps tremedously!
Finally, how can you make the most of the ingredients you are buying? Using half a bag of carrots? Plan how you’ll use the other half so they don’t end up going bad in your refrigerator’s lower shelf. Efficient use of ingredients will save you money every time.
This past week my meal plan included:
- Steel cut oatmeal breakfasts with fruit
- 3 lb. meatloaf with buttered carrots and sauteed kale collards
- Carrot Nut Spread with whole wheat pitas and salad
- White Bean Escarole Soup
- Collard wraps with sweet potatoes, black eyed peas and corn over rice
For me, cooking with beef involves finding a source of grass-fed, preferably heritage bred meat. Luckily, I had some on hand from a local farm. My meatloaf used 2 lbs. of beef and 1 lb. of liver and the cost is not included in this grocery bill. But all in all, I’d put the week’s meal expense at just about $100. Not bad for two people. (Of course, to spend even less you could cut back on animal products, choose fewer organic items or not buy that handful of Lara Bars…)
What are your priorities when you go grocery shopping? For more tips on savvy budget shopping, take a peek at some of my past grocery bills.
This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays.
