Please welcome Heather from My Overflowing Cup for today’s post.
If you’ve read my blog, you’ve probably heard me say that our bills may not be negotiable, but our grocery receipts usually are. When finances are tight, often the only area we can control is our food spending.
While my husband works hard to bring the money in, my job is to make it go as far as it can while feeding our family healthy meals. With two growing teenagers, that task isn’t always easy, but it is possible. Today I’d like to share what works for our family.
My #1 tip for trimming grocery spending is an easy one: Serve simple, frugal, scheduled meals.
A few years ago, I heard my Pastor’s wife list off the meals that they eat on certain days of the week. It went something like…”Sunday’s breakfast is protein shakes, Monday is oatmeal, Tuesday is…..”
My first thought was how boring to always know what you’re going to eat on what day. She assured me that it isn’t boring at all. As is usually the case, I now find myself benefiting from her wisdom.
This makes meal planning simpler and has saved me a ton of money. Having a routine keeps me scheduled so that I don’t forget to prep something and end up tempted to eat out.
By having a schedule and knowing what we usually eat, I can save money by buying many foods in bulk. These include: oatmeal, both rolled and steel-cut, various flours or wheat berries for grinding into flour, sugar, spices, powdered milk, dried and canned beans, canned tomatoes, sauces, etc.
Just be sure that your family will consume all of the food you purchase in bulk. It doesn’t matter how much you saved per pound if you end up throwing it out!
Should you try the same thing for your family, they may balk at first, but they’ll get used to it. After all, the goal of eating is to fill the tummy and nourish the body.
Where did we get the idea that every meal has to be a gourmet one? I honestly don’t see a problem with that, if you can afford it. If your budget doesn’t allow for that lifestyle, however, then this alternative is sure to please your wallet and your family.
Here’s what it looks like for us. Glean what you can from my suggestions, but feel free to make this work for your family.
Breakfasts:
- Oatmeal (both regular & steel cut oats flavored with this Buttery, Caramel-ly Sauce) – (T, Th, & Sun)
- Homemade baked goods: Oatmeal Raspberry Muffins w/ Chocolate Chips, waffles, pancakes,
- scones, etc. – (W & Sat)
- Scrambles (eggs, potatoes, veggies, & a little of your favorite breakfast meat) – (M & F)
Lunches:
- Soups & Homemade Breads – The BEST EVER Enchilada Soup (more often in the fall & winter, less in the summer)
- Salads – Easy, Healthy Corn & Black Bean Salad (less in the fall & winter, more often in summer)
- Sandwiches on homemade bread (pb&j, egg or chicken salad, grilled cheese, tuna) As sandwiches rely on me making homemade bread, this category is more of a hit and miss.
- Leftovers
Dinners:
Our dinners are always heavy on rice, beans, pasta, and veggies with meat as an accompaniment rather than the star of the show. We eat a lot of stir-frys (1-2 times a week), Italian (1-2 times a week), and Mexican-based dishes (2-3 times a week) as a result. These include:
- Chicken & Vegetable Stir-fry with Rice
- Chicken Fried Rice
- Chicken Chow Mein
- Spaghetti – both red & white
- Baked Ziti
- Pasta w/ homemade white sauce, Chicken, & Veggies
- Tacos, Burritos, & Quesadillas
- Mexican Lasagna & Enchiladas
- Pot Pies
Snacks & Dessert
My teenagers (and their parents, if we’re being honest) seem to enjoy snacks and desserts on a regular basis. To keep costs down, we don’t purchase many packaged foods as the same things can be made from scratch for far less. Yes, this does require time, but if you have more time than money, this works well. Our favorites are:
- Popcorn (air popped or made on the stove top are the most frugal)
- Homemade cookies (Healthier Coconut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies)
- Muffins & other baked goods
- Fruit (fresh, canned, frozen, or smoothies)
Drinks:
Everyone loves to drink soda, chocolate milk, juices, flavored waters, etc., but the truth is that when times are tight, we need to drink more frugal liquids. This took some getting used for my family, but we adjusted rather quickly. For the most part, we drink water, milk (reconstituted from powdered), iced tea, and hot tea. It may not seem like much at each shopping trip, but over the course of the year, our beverages can really add up.
I hope that this post has inspired you to think about creating a rotating schedule, buying regularly consumed foods in bulk, and simplifying your meals.
My suggestions are just a start. The sky’s the limit. Don’t let a small grocery budget make you think you can’t feed your family well!
Heather is a follower of Jesus Christ, devoted wife of over 21 years to her high school sweetheart, and homeschooling mother of their two teenage boys. She can be found blogging about faith, food, and frugality at My Overflowing Cup.
This post is linked to Thrifty Thursday.
I like your thinking! I am always always trying something new and would love to simplify and pick up on some of these repetitive ideas here! So glad you shared…you are an inspiration.
Marsha Baker recently posted…3 Delectable Desserts using a Cake Mix base {Blast from the Past}
I’m so happy to have encouraged you, Marsha. Like I’ve said before, there is a lot to be said for simplification! Blessings to you.
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup recently posted…My #1 Tip For Trimming Grocery Spending
Great idea about scheduling meals, makes it easier and less time consuming when trying to meal plan. We tend to eat the same 10 or so meals anyway. Thanks for the tips.
Tobi@SimplyJesus recently posted…31 Days of Books that Inspire.
It does simplify things, Tobi. Thanks so much for taking the time to read and leave an encouraging comment!
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup recently posted…My #1 Tip For Trimming Grocery Spending
Visiting from Merry Monday. I love my meal plans. It takes time to sit down and do it but far less time because I get to run on autopilot until the next shopping trip. We have veggies with every meal but I wish I could do with less meat. That’s pretty much a no-go with hubby.
Rachel recently posted…Cherry Pie Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze
Yes, Rachel, it can be a challenge to get the hubby (or the kids) on board. In that case, I just do the best I can while still honoring his wishes. Thanks so much for reading and commenting.
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup recently posted…My #1 Tip For Trimming Grocery Spending
“running on autopilot”–that’s what I’m striving for, Rachel. LOL! Thanks for stopping by. I’ve got to go check out your coffee cake–yum, yum.
I completely agree! Dinner doesn’t have to be a complicated meal. I always say that there’s nothing wrong with having cereal or sandwiches for dinner sometimes too! I also try to make meat stretch and attempt to stick with casserole, scrambles, etc to make it go father. I love your idea of a schedule though, I think I’ll try to implement that in our house. Found you on Thrifty Thursday, thanks for sharing!
Laura Sue Shaw recently posted…A New Christmas Tradition the Kids will Love
Thanks for stopping by Laura. “dinner doesn’t have to be complicated” is my new motto–lol!
We often have what we call “snacky dinners”. We have cheese & crackers, fresh fruit or smoothies, popcorn, and dessert. Whatever works, right? Thanks so much for reading, Laura!
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup recently posted…Locks of Love…A Story of My Aunts & Uncles
I like that idea–snacky dinners.
Great ideas, Heather! We especially love waffles with homemade maple syrup :). My husband does most of the breakfast preparations, and I do the rest–lots of soups and salads.
Anita Ojeda recently posted…Caring for a Spouse with Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM)
Absolutely! Every meal doesn’t have to be gourmet and sometimes our old favorites taste best. Thanks for a great list.
Sarah Mueller recently posted…Best gifts for boys who already have enough toys
This is so true, Sarah. I asked my family recently if they were getting bored of our favorites and they assured me, “absolutely not”. Thanks for reading!
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup recently posted…Locks of Love…A Story of My Aunts & Uncles
Such a great tip and one I really haven’t tried! I really need to allocate “days” like this. It really does make sense!
Thanks for sharing and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop.
Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo
Jennifer | The Deliberate Mom recently posted…Where She Wandered
Thanks for giving us a place to SHINE each week, Jennifer!
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup recently posted…Locks of Love…A Story of My Aunts & Uncles
How nice that hubby takes care of breakfast! I hope he will try the waffles & syrup recipes. Thanks so much for reading.
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup recently posted…Locks of Love…A Story of My Aunts & Uncles
My hunch is that most families wouldn’t even notice the repetition. Great tip! It is too easy to get caught up in the Pinterest lifestyle of thinking we need to make a fabulous new recipe every single meal.
Shannon @ GrowingSlower recently posted…Make Your Own Christmas Photo Cards Free Online
Yes, while Pinterest is so much fun, it can be so defeating too. Thanks for stopping by, Shannon.
That’s very true, Shannon. I know mine don’t. They’re just happy to eat regular meals. Thanks for reading and for taking the time to leave a comment.
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup recently posted…A Week Of Thanks {Family & Friends}
So true– simply sitting down to meal plan is the surest way to not overspend my grocery budget. I like the idea of a framework too. We don’t have many meals where the protein is the star of the show either. I often will plan a soup, a pasta night, a Mexican dish, leftovers, and then I also try to include one dish a week that I know will work as a hospitality dish. Having a meal that we can share always on the ‘menu’ helps to free us to invite people over without hesitation. Also, I don’t assign days to the meals, but rather just know that I have what I need for those meals, and whatever we feel like that night we can make. It works pretty well for us 🙂
Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life recently posted…4 Ideas to Help You Not Miss the True Advent Season
That’s a great idea of planning a hospitality dish to share with others. Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Lisa.
Thanks so much for sharing, Lisa. I love the idea of a hospitality meal! I enjoy having people over for dinner as often as possible. What a great tip! Thanks so much for taking the time to read.
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup recently posted…A Day of Giveaways {& a B4AC Update}
I love the idea of a hospitality meal also! I do this on a little different level as our schedules don’t often permit for entertaining. My hospitality meal is usually a soup or casserole that freezes well that can be taken in times of need, i.e., a birth, sickness, or death.