How would you spend it?

[Rebookie]

Soo.... You have 150.00 for groceries for two weeks. How would you spend it?

I am doing a little research on meal planning and budgeting. I want to know what you guys would do with it? Do you split the money in categories? (50 for meat/50 for groceries/50 produce)

I hope my question is making sense!

[ladytoysdream]

If you don't do menus, you may want to make a list of meals for the next 2 weeks. Do a pantry/freezer inventory if you haven't done one recently. Check online for a recipe website using your main ingrediants. Then just fill in the blanks of what you need.

In this house, priorities would be milk, bread, and a couple of cheap store brand chip type snacks for him. $ 150 would last us more than one month. I just did January for $ 120. Included some marked down produce too. I do have good freezer inventory and actively can extra bargains. January was extra chicken and fresh carrots. I needed neither but extra meat in the freezer and more filled canning jars always make me smile.

[NicJean]

I'd look for things I could stretch (doesn't matter how much money I have on hand). For example: make a roast turkey, eat a holiday-type meal, eat leftovers as sandwiches, couple days later make turkey salad for sandwiches or over green salad, or make a casserole with some meat, then with the remaining meat and carcass, make a stock for soup later on (I tuck soup starters in the freezer all the time, defrost, add veggies, more seasonings and voila.) Or, buy bulk ground beef, but split it into 3/4 or half pound baggies in freezer - use grated zucchini to stretch it/make it last longer. Something I'm doing now is trying out more vegetarian fare, beans last a long time, soups are great now it's so cold, even stews last a while in my house. I keep re-inventing meals till we eat them all up. Good luck!

[josantoro]

$150 for 2 weeks!! wow, we would go crazy !! There are only 2 of us, so it is more like $75 every 3 weeks or so. We don't eat much meat, or processed food. Shopping list usually looks like

Produce - onions, potatos, bananas, citrus, tomatos

Frozen - spinach, broccoli, peas

Grocery - tomato sauce, sugar, flour, coffee, pasta, rice.

Dairy - cheese, yogurt, soy milk, juice

We make our own bread and sweets. We get a lot of staples from the CSFP (commodities) program in our state.

For treats we have either popcorn or chips once a week, and instead of soda we have fruit juice and seltzer mixed.

[Ssindi]

I tend to buy the sales. If what I use and need is on sale I try to stock up. I try to limit my food budget to $50 a week. If there are no sale items I need I don't go. I may not go for 2-3 weeks then make up for it the next month if the sales are good.

[nuisance26]

~That's what we already spend but that is an average over time to keep a decent pantry. I keep a pantry of ingredints and create menus from my ingredients on hand. that's the best system for me.
If I had to think of how to buy in categories of spending, I'd probably use a pyramid concept.
The bottom of the pyramid is pantry essentials like flour, baking powder, eggs, brown rice, oatmeal, yeast, spices, sugar, milk powder, oil & beans. The next level would be fruits and vegetables. The next would be protein sources: nuts and nut butter, dairy products, soy products, and meat. The highest level and smallest amount of money would be spent on optional or convenience items like ice cream, snacks, prepared foods frozen/canned/bakery, coffee and other flavored beverages, cereal, candy, jelly, etc.
So maybe $50 staples, $40 fruits and veggies, $35 protein sources & $25 optional and convenience items.~

[Contrary Housewife]

I think these days we are spending a little less than that for two people in two weeks, but we are eating down an enormous meat stockpile.

Like some others, I menu plan, sometimes just a mental note that we're eating at home 5 days this week so I need to get 5 servings of vegetables. Sometimes I pick recipes and go over my pantry and make a list of ingredients I have. I take the list and buy what we need.

I shop for meat bargains in my area and stock up. Though I 'm really trying to eat from the freezer, I couldn't pass up 7 pounds of veal @ 1.77/ this week. I also pick up pantry items when there is a good sale, like right now I am stocking up on crackers because of the superbowl ads.

I buy vegetables according to what is priced well, and what I want for any recipes I've selected. I have no problem changing a menu plan if the produce looks bad, or if something we love, like asparagus, is on manager special.

So...

1. menu plan
2. shopping list
3. stock up on sales
4. be flexible

[nodmicks]

How many people are you feeding with the $150?

[mombottoo]

The way we eat around here is based upon what I already have and what's on sale.

We always need eggs, bread & milk so those are just a given whenever I shop. The balance may be spent more on meat or more on other stuff depending upon the sales. I generally try to spend 25% of the grocery budget on "stock up" stuff, things like condiments, cereal, pasta, sauces, etc.

[heartofmine]

First inventory what you have and what meals you can make from that.
Make a list of what you are out of or about out of that you know you will need as far as basics like...milk, eggs, bread, sugar, flour, meal, butter, cooking oil etc.
Once you know what you have you can figure out what you need.
Next step would be to check the sale papers and put together the rest of your menu from that.
Anything you have over that use to add to your stockpile.

[WV_mom_of2]

I have a stockpile so I would spend based on what I have on hand and then I would try to stretch the 150.00 around that. I'd go for meats like ground beef that can be used in a large number of meals, pastas, canned veggies on sale, eggs, bread, milk, etc.

[lisaflex]

definitely some bread and eggs and milk.

whole chix...like the above poster said in regards to turkey. that is a great idea! the soup is so super yummy

pasta
onions
garlic
cans of diced tomatoes to make quick sauces

rice

cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches

potatoes - can roast or make baked potatoes

cabbage is cheap and filling and good for you