Dealing With The Rising Cost Of Food

May 1st, 2008 · 10 Comments

Basic grocery prices have gone up in recent months anywhere from 10 to 25%. We end up paying more for everything from milk and eggs to flour and pasta. Unfortunately most of us still live on the same salary as before… so how do you do it? I thought we could all share some tips on how we each deal with the increased cost of food. I’ll start

1) I’ve cut out any “luxurious” items that we occasionally indulge in like fancy salad dressings, tuna steaks, the occasional bottle of wine, fancy snacks (like smoked almonds, character snacks) or juice drinks like sunkist for the kids.

2) I always pre-plan my meals now and shop with a list. Unless it is something crucially important (like say toilet paper), if it’s not on the list, I’m not buying it.

3) I’ve been getting as much as possible at our local Aldi store. You can get anything from milk and eggs to coffee, chips and paper plates quite a bit cheaper than at your regular grocery store.

4) I’ve cut meat out of quite a few of our meals. I’m substituting with eggs and beans.

5) Water is now the preferred drink at our house. Juice, soda and the likes are treats, not what you quench your thirst with.

6) I try to put off going to the grocery store as long as possible, which forces us to eat what we already have. Before I would run to the store as soon as we were out of something… always buying more than we needed and would end up throwing food out.

7) I keep an eye out for sales on things like chicken breast, hamburger meat or even milk and eggs. I stock up on the meat when it is on sale and freeze most of it.

How about you? What have you done to make your food dollars stretch further?

Tags: Budgeting

10 responses so far ↓

1 Kat // May 2, 2008 at 2:25 pm

We have started watching the sale flyers religiously - luckily, we can walk to the grocery store, so taking advantage of those “Today Only!” sales have allowed us to get ground beef @ .99/lb and frozen chicken breasts @ .99/lb!!

This is in Seattle, where the cost of living is getting more insane that it already was!
2 Sharon // May 2, 2008 at 3:47 pm

I recently purchased a foodsaver,(with the jar sealer attachment) so that I can take better advantage of bulk & family pack sales. Makes a big difference when you don’t have to buy the smaller higher price per portion packs. And with the jar sealer if I open a jar of sauce that we only use a portion of I can reseal it so that it will stay fresher longer. (I do put it it the fridge once I have broken the factory seal though)
3 Pamela // May 2, 2008 at 3:49 pm

We do not buy convenience foods. I am cooking more from scratch and we do not waste. We eat leftovers by making different dishes from the previous day’s meal. I buy only what we need and stock up on sale items (if it is something I will use).
4 Cheryl // May 2, 2008 at 5:54 pm

I’m serving more side dishes with the entree. For instance, tonight I made chicken broccoli and cheese casserole, and I added rice to stretch it, and I’m adding side dishes like baked beans, or biscuits, or mac and cheese that are cheap, to stretch meals.
5 Sheri // May 2, 2008 at 11:32 pm

I’m watching the “extras.” I haven’t done my “big shop” this month yet, so we’ll see what prices are like. I’m almost scared to go!

I’m also wondering what to do when the usual stretchers like rice and pasta are getting so expensive.. or stores are running out. (Rice, flour)
6 Tina // May 3, 2008 at 7:42 am

I ‘m cooking more from scratch. I’m using dried beans and peas more. I use powdered milk for cooking instead of the regular milk; we save it for cereal. I buy store brands. My husband takes leftovers for lunch. I serve more side dishes with our meals and less meat. I do not buy any meats over $2.99 a pound. To not scrimp on health as I’m scrimping on money, I serve raw fruits and veggies with meals - orange slices, grapes, baby carrots and broccoli with ranch dip, whatever is in season or on sale. I also keep canned fruits on hand for whenever I need an extra side dish (peaches, pears, etc.) I do not buy “snack foods” - we snack on fresh fruit, dried fruit and yogurt. I constantly look and listen for money-saving tips from friends and online.
7 Sue // May 5, 2008 at 10:19 am

I save money by avoiding grocery stores as much as possible. I don’t like the chemicals (MSG, Bht etc), GMOs and other little “goodies” that come in all those bags, boxes and jars.

Farmer’s markets are great - and its coming up on market season! You can get all natural foods, and not have to pay for the “organic” certification process.

Plus, you can’t avoid soy if you shopin a store. (The FDA is now looking into removing all health claims and actually putting an allergy warning on all soy products - I found that out the “hard way” - soy is in the top 10 food allergens.)

I’m really surprised that no one has mentioned growing anything! Even when I had an apartment, I grew tomatoes and cucumbers in hanging baskets. These days I am lucky enough to be able to grow nearly all our veggies (’cept corn but including potatoes, lol), some berries and some spices in my own yard.

Growing even some herbs in the kitchen is a great thing for kids, too - we have 2 in diapers here - teaching them where their food comes from, they love watching things grow, and they help to feed the family.

A $1 pack of green bean seeds makes a lovely floral window box (depending on what variety, they have white, pink or purple blossoms), will provide up to #10 - #15 of beans through the season, and you know how they were grown.

I buy all my meat in bulk, from people I know, also - by the side. I can feed my family of 6, plus 4 dogs and 8 cats for $1300 for 18 months. I get beef, chicken, pork, lamb and some venison for that, so there is no boredom. No hormones, no chemicals, no antibiotics.

So, we eat meat at least once per day, usually have 2 - 3 “sides”. I make my own juices in season and freeze them, but prefer giving fruit instead of juice. Dad and Dd are the only ones that really drink soft drinks - and they buy their own.

BTW - be careful about skimping on animal fat and protein…. Children (as well as adults) require dietary cholesterol for brain and neurological development, muscular control and cellular repair.

Please see http://www.westonaprice.org and http://www.mercola.com

I do not do a lot of beans. Improperly prepared, and without pulses added to the same meal, beans are not a good substitute for animal based proteins. Further, they contain phytates, which reduces the body’s ability to absorb ALL protein.

I’m still learning to bake bread…. Sometimes I get a passable loaf, but I don’t own a bread machine. Same with pasta, or I get that from the farmer’s market from a friend of mine.

I admit - I have three freezers… Mainly because I also buy things like brown rice, flour, nuts and fruits in bulk (fruits in season, too). However, running them doesn’t cost as much as one would think - they are in a dark, unheated garage.

Rather than spend $3 for #5 flour, I spend $15 for #50, and store in smaller units in the freezer. Same thing with nuts. They don’t stay long around here, but would last that way up to a year depending on how much one used -

I preserve several things - though I prefer freezing for all things I can get away with. I see no savings to the double reduction in nutrition from canning and then cooking. I only “preserve” what I will serve without cooking later (jellies, pickles and such like).

I also buy local when I can. Buying from local producers saves gas/transportation money, often saves in sales tax (sales direct from the farm do not have sales tax in some cases), ensures my food is the freshest possible, and I know how that food was grown.

For my fellow “tree huggers”, this supports family farmers over corporate ag (traditional farming methods over factory farms) as well as reducing pollution, etc etc.

I make my own ice cream, soft cheeses and yogurt from dairy, eggs and honey I get from a local coop (all raw, and whole dairy).

We don’t do “sick” in our house anymore (not one of us has seen a doctor for illness in 3 years)and I spend about $2800/yr to feed all 6 of us, plus the 12 “meat eater” pets - as well as frequent company.
8 Ruth // May 5, 2008 at 11:31 am

In almost every town I have lived in there has been a small meat processing place where the prices are a lot cheaper than grocery stores. Here in Ky it is Hampton meats and you can get pork chops for $1.39lb, great quality hamburger for $1.35lb, boston butt roast $.99lb. I take 1 or 2 days a month and cook, for instance, take the biggest butt roast you can afford, get a big pot, add basics, salt, gatlic, pepper and onions, boil it in a huge pot til the meat is falling apart then put it in the fridge over night. The fat will go to the top and is easy to take off. Take the meat and shred it. Divide into as many serving sizes you want. Now you have lots of options-add BBQ sauce, you have sandwiches, add beans, rice and taco seasoning and you have what you need for burritos, or mexican lasagne or frajita’s. If you know about Jessica Seinfelds book Deliciously Deceptive, you can ad pureed vegies to any of these, making them healthier, and stretching how far they go, without changing the taste. Refreeze everything including the broth(which has now jellied) and you have a lot of food. Take out a broth bag, add your left over meat, 1 or 2 cans of veg all or the aldi’s generic, but smaller cut, cheaper equivilant, your own spices or a packet of onion soup mix or knorrs veg soup mix and you have soup to eat with your meals. Eat it first and everyone will eat less at dinner and be full of healthy food.
Take some onions, partially cook them, then Take 5 or 10lbs of hamburger, cook it with your basic seasonings, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, drain the grease. Now you have the basics for chili, spaghetti sauce, stroganoff and mac and cheese casserole. Buy tomato sauce in the 6lb cans, add it to what will become your chili and spaghetti sauceafter everything is hot, split it in 1/2, add a 6lb can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed and 1 can of your favorite chili and you have a lot of chili. Serve with crackers and encourage people to break the crackers into the chili. Add mushrooms to the other batch and you have a lot of spaghetti sauce. Add mushrooms to the meat that’s left and sour cream etc and you have stroganoff. Pack it up in big and little freezer bags and you have main dishes and side dishes that anyone in the house can heat up. You can also ad any pureed vegies and noone will know the difference. This cuts out a lot of waste. Make sure you don’t serve anything more than 2 days in a row and you won’t get complaints about left overs. Use parmisian cheese on these and it perks them up and makes them special. They are good for lunches too.
Almost every town has a bread store (very cheap bread)-you can throw bread straight into the freezer. Buy the whole loafs of french style bread, cut them in 1/2, partly hollow them out. Fill them with left over meat or BBQ. For ham I put mustard on them, ham and cheese, heat them in the oven and serve them with soup. Break up the pieces of bread you hollowed out, drizzle them with olive oil or butter, sprinkle the with parmisian and garlic powder, crisp them unter the broiler and top the soup with them. No waste, full family. For dessert canned peaches, a small amount of cinnamon and sugar mix with crunchy granola type cereal heat in the microwave and top with fat free cool whip or vanilla yogurt.
The only brand name I buy is ketchup and tomato sauce. It saves you a fortune.
9 Marie // May 7, 2008 at 9:31 am

I am making my garden quite a bit larger this year and, I am trying to stock up on things when they are on sale. I have a friend who is a Mormon and they store food so, I have learned a lot from her about how to store, where to get good prices and how to use the food storage in our daily life. You can buy in bulk, grind your own flour, so many things! I just bought a 25 pound bag of organic oatmeal (the kind you have to soak overnight before you use it) for $15.00 and I have started using wheat berries of course bought in bulk. You can make a treat to munch on out of them, hot cereal, grind your own bread, use them instead of croûtons, etc, etc. I also joined a local organic food co-op and that is where I buy my bulk items. Also, I am getting into canning this year. There are many ways to save, we have a huge black walnut tree and I have arranged to trade walnuts for apples with one lady who has a lot of apple trees. Also, I have a ton of perennial plants that I am trading with another lady for vegetable plants that she already started for me. I have planted herbs in the front of our house in between the decorative plants, put up a trellis in the front to grow beans and peas, other areas of my yard I will be doing square foot gardening along with my big garden in the back. I just wish I could raise my own chickens!
10 Tami // May 11, 2008 at 8:44 am

I think I have done lots to start saving, although it does not feel like it yet (we’ve yet to see our harvest) Money invested so far is more then expected and we are not done. We have built three garden beds (we are in a new home after 17 years so we are starting from scratch) and planted tamatoes, potatoes, peppers, lettuce, beans, peas, and more, we built a chicken coup and bought 33 chickens, more to come. We’ve built a pig pen and have to hogs coming. With the hogs we will break even, unless we sell one. I watch the sales ads. I do not go to the store everytime I’m out of something but if something is on sale, I stock up. I buy more then we need and save the rest. While I’m shopping I will add staples to add to my stockpile ie Rice, canned goods, beans. I have decided to do my own baking, for cakes and such. No more store bought birthday cakes. I can do just as good here. I just wish I could invest more time at home. There are more such as using coupons. etc. that I have done, to help with the cost.