apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I make a list and stick to it. I'll figure out what I want to eat and figure out which ingredients I need and which I already have on hand. Sometimes I'll buy ingredients that can be used in a variety of meals (zucchini and red bell pepper can be used in a kung pao chicken dish or tossed with a little olive oil and some pasta) to leave it a bit up to spontaneity.

I also choose where to shop for the week based on the ads that I get. If one store has milk or chicken at a really good price, I'll shop there for the week.

Also: dried beans and whole grains (barley, wheat berries, etc) tend to be cheap and nutritious.

I don't use coupons...though I should probably start doing so. Every dollar counts!

Another awesome tip is to take your kids with you (yes, I know, most tell you NOT to take them!) and do the following:

1. Start in the produce department.
2. Tell them they can choose one or two things in "this" aisle that they want.
3. If they're young kids, ask them to pick a really special piece of fruit or veggies and carry it through the store for you so that it "doesn't get bruised". It'll keep their hands occupied and give them a job.

Giving your children a voice and a choice in the good stuff that they eat gives them ownership and makes them feel all grown up and important on a trip that often results in tears for little kids and moms alike.

I nearly had a seizure looking at this picture..

That picture made me seriously queasy...

I a make a list and use coupons and buy more when on sale, it helps.

1) Set out a weekly menu-base your shopping on what you want to eat and what you want to cook. I live alone, but do try to make the meals for 2 or 4 so I have leftovers for lunch or dinner, or to freeze for those days when I barely feel like reheating anything.

2) Cook your meals "out of your pantry"-see what's hiding on those shelves that can be used up!

3) Keep a well stocked pantry and a running list of what you need and what you need to replace. Even in a small kitchen with limited space, keeping certain staples on hand makes cooking less of a chore and you are less likely to run out to the store for just one item and come home with 6, 5 of which you don't need.

4) Read cooking blogs, web sites, cook books, magazines and find a couple key dishes you can make that can tempt your tastebuds without resorting to take a way or delivery.

5) Even though I live in the country, I do travel about once every 4-6 weeks to the closest city with a decent ethnic market to stock up on sauces, spices, condiments to make home cooking more 'exotic' and more palate tempting.

6) Breakfast for dinner. Every few weeks I make breakfast for dinner-pancakes, scrambled eggs. I don't frequently have the time in the morning to sit down and make a full cooked breakfast. It's a nice change of pace and balances out those days I do have leftover pizza for breakfast.

I try to keep a balance between cooking enough food for a lunchover meal or two and having containers of food sitting in the fridge or freezer. I'm getting more adapt at making small batches of soups and stews. It takes practice. I do skate by many weeks on about $25-$30 for a food budget.

That picture made me a little ill too.

Regarding homemade treats, that's what we do. Cakes, cookies, and even renditions of store-bought treats (such as oreos, ding dongs, etc). I can't justify spending 5 bucks on a couple cookies or whatever, so I just bake all out treats. The upside of this is that we can eat treats that are modified to suit our desires - oreos with different flavoured fillings, chocolate chip cookies with nuts and cherries in them, biscotti with spicy and sweet filling (like cranberries or cherries and homemade crystallised ginger), etc.

I buy staples only when they're on sale, and then in huge quantities (i.e., 20 pounds of pasta at one time when it's a dollar a pound).

I never meal plan, though. We have short food attention spans in my house and need more spontaneity so we keep lots of staples and just buy the produce that's in season and make foods that fit our whims.

Like greycottage, I also sift through the pantry to see what I've been hiding in there.

Also I make foods I can eat for multiple meals, such as spending 5 dollars to make a quiche (which can be eaten hot or cold, plus can be frozen for later also).

The most helpful thing for my food budget, though, is that I live with someone who eats whatever I set in front of him, without complaint, no matter what.

One of the biggest things right now that has helped the wallet and waistline is going back to my european roots and eating my "hot" meals for lunch, and sandwiches/salads for dinner. This makes it easier on me, because I eat lighter & take less time to prepare a meal at night.

A mentor once told me cooking meals on the weekend in a bigger batches and then toss in the freezer to last throughout the work week.

I've gone near-vegetarian just because it's cheaper. I make a lot of soups and stews, largely because they make a lot of leftovers that can be taken to work or eaten over the course of the next week or so.

I also make a LOT of things from scratch -- and I think a lot about STOCKING my pantry wisely, with lots of basics that let me cook from them easily.

And I live off my farmer's market all year. I taught myself how to can tomatoes so I could preserve their tomatoes all year, and I haven't had to buy canned tomatoes from the supermarket in a year and a half.

I try to look at ads at different grocery stores. some things I will get at whole foods that I will find $4 more expensive at other bargain stores which is funny. since I live in manhattan I sometimes will go to target in brooklyn to get certain things that are way more inexpensive and I save about $20. $4 subway ride but it evens out in price.

and yes, that picture made me feel sick too :\

I shop at the farmer's market and keep a list of what I've bought on the fridge, striking off items as we use them. When it's 6 p.m. and I'm desperate and hungry, it helps remind me of the many delicious dinner options we have. As a result, we eat out about once every 2 weeks. For many Americans, throwing out food at the end of the week is the biggest source of wasted money and our precious resources. Thriftiness starts with buying what we actually need.

Oh, thank goodness for my lovely pantry!! The toughest part has been adjusting to less people in the house. The kids are gone and cooking for two, even with "planned overs" can be tough. We stock up when things are reasonably priced and do without when things are "oh my goodness" expensive. Made several loaves of bread this week, with my brother's old bread machine and it was wonderful. Also, portions have gotten smaller, good for the waist and less waste. Have a great weekend.

With just a little planning and organization, I have greatly lowered my families weekly food costs. Here are some strategies I swear by.

1) Menu plan. This one habit alone keeps a lid on purchases of processed dinners and take-out.

2) Read you weekly grocery flyer. Make a grocery list and stick to it.

3) If you use coupons, try to shop somewhere that takes double coupons.

4) Every week I make a large batch of brown rice. This inexpensive staple works as a side dish, in burritos, with chili, stir fry, stuffed peppers, etc., etc.

5) If you come across a protein you eat on sale, double up and put half in the freezer. One week when you're feeling the pinch you will be greatful to have a protein on hand without having to dip into the weeks budget.

7) When bananas start to go bad just stick them in the freezer to use in smoothies or baking later.

8) Eat vegetarian at least once a week.

9) Use your slowcooker. Nothing is better at making tasty food out of cheap, unglamorous cuts of meat and grains.

Our food bills went down a lot when we went from omnivore to vegan. Even so, I'm looking to start using more dried beans, less things like prepared seitan and tempeh. Though it's kind of hard to give up Field Roast grain sausage.

http://www.fieldroast.com/products.htm

Making a list and sticking to it is very important. Meal planning. And using up leftovers. I mostly don't buy special foods for breakfast and lunch. We eat leftovers from the previous night for those meals. There's been a lot less food waste around here lately because of that.

I make a big batch of brown rice or quinoa every sunday night too, for throwing in here and there, in wraps, lunches, or soup during the week. That way the "stuff that takes too long" is ready in a reheat and I am more apt to use up veggies in the fridge because of it.

Also, if your bananas are getting ripe and you happen to be making a coconut curry... try them in it. Same goes with winter squash.

Any bananas that are becoming extra ripe go straight into the freezer. Thaw them for banana bread, muffins or use as an egg replacement in quick bread recipes. Using a crockpot is also a great idea - it makes cooking beans a snap (and using dried beans is one of the most cost-effective ways to get protein in your diet). I can't stress the importance of just sticking to a budget. Give it a try! I have been using a $30 a week budget on groceries for me and my boyfriend for almost 5 weeks now and you would be surprised at how you learn to do without or make something creative.

Our local vocational college has a meat cutting/butcher program where students learn to cut meat. Well, very few people here know that they then sell that meat at a ridiculously cheap price at a small counter in the college. I can fill a large bin for about $70 and it will feed us for a month or more.

I actually never make a list. I buy only what's in season and on sale. We're fortunate to have a great year round produce market nearby - I center my meals around fresh produce with a side of protien vs an emphasis on expensive meat. I look at what I have and make something, vs planning meals. I keep the pantry stocked with basics - pasta, rice, beans, sauces, spices, etc. Also having a few emergency things in the freezer like frozen veggies, pot stickers, sausages, enables me to throw a meal together when I'm tired or home late so we aren't tempted to eat out.

Latest strategy: making salads with shredded cabbage instead of lettuce. A head of red cabbage is cheap, lasts longer in the fridge than lettuce, makes a lot of salads, and is good for you. Now I don't waste lettuce when it goes limp.

Love the idea of making a big pot of rice at the beginning of the week! I'm going to do it!

Here are my ideas for saving money:

First I clip coupons and compare with the generic brand. Sometimes after coupon the name brand item comes out to be cheaper.

I buy generic when possible.

I clip coupons and when making a grocery list I write, "coupon" next to the item so I know to use a coupon for that item.

Eating on a budget isn't too much of a problem...but drinking on a budget is! And I don't even mean alcoholic drinks, I mean juice. We just bought $12 of 64 oz. juice cartons, and that was the sale price. Not to mention the occasional can of soda or water...

1) A well-stocked pantry and spice/herb collection
2) Vegetarian with occasional splurges on seafood
3) Crockpot
4) Cook from scratch.
5) Actually eating the leftovers.

The biggest bonus in our situation is that my husband is a brewer which means we drink microbrews for free. He also has a sweet-tooth which inspires weekend baking binges resulting in cakes, cookies, and other treats.