How We Do: Budget Grocery Shopping

With the rising cost of food, is it possible to feed a family of five 3 meals a day for a week on under $100?  Well let's just see......

1. Check your home inventory and use up anything you have on hand to prepare your meals for next week. This particular week I still had sloppy joe sauce, ketchup, mustard, cereal, oatmeal, shredded cheese, and a chuck roast left over from the last couple trips to the store.

2. Make a menu for the week.

Breakfast and Snacks- Cereal, Oatmeal, Toast, Eggs, Biscuits, Fruit, Cereal Bars, Granola Bars, etc.... nothing spectacular

Lunches- Hot dogs, PB&J's, Lunchmeat Sandwiches, Chips....It's always serve yourself for lunch at my house, so it's whatever they feel like making.

Suppers-
Sunday- Roast/Potatoes/Carrots
Monday-Spaghetti/Garlic Bread/Salad
Tuesday- Sloppy Joes/Chips
Wednesday- Cheeseburger Casserole/Salad
Thursday- Hamburger Helper/Corn/Salad
Friday- Quesadillas/Spanish Rice
Saturday- Leftovers

This isn't the most gourmet menu, but it is reality for me and my family.

3. Make a grocery list.

4. Shop at budget grocery stores, Save-a-lot, Aldi, etc... I choose Save-a-lot because they generally have all the ingredients I need to make my meals.

5. Do not deviate from the list! For example, I really wanted to pick up some apple butter, ice cream, cheese balls, and oh so many other things, BUT I didn't purchase them because they were not on the LIST.

Grand Total: $97.13

It can be done!