Reader Alyssa wrote in with this great question:
I have about $40-$45 a week for a grocery budget. Right now, I do not have access to a stove/oven and have to rely on a mini-fridge and microwave. I live alone. I try to eat as much organic produce as I can (I stay away from the Dirty 12). Do you have suggestions on how to meal plan and eat well on that amount? Thank you!
My Advice:
I well remember the days of surviving on a $35/week grocery budget in the early years of our marriage. This included all the ingredients to make 21 meals for both of us each week, plus all household products.
There were so many frustrating days, but we got really creative and made it work for us. Though grocery prices have risen over the past decade and couponing isn’t as generous to us as it once was, I still wholeheartedly believe that you can get by on a very minimal grocery budget.
Here are my top 5 tips to eat well on a low grocery budget without using coupons:
1. Shop with cash and a calculator, so that you’re not tempted to go over budget. When I do this, I find I have to bargain with myself and figure out which things I don’t really *need* and which I can’t put back to stay under budget.
2. Make sure you’re meal planning each week and shopping weekly to shop in-season prices and hit all of the changing sales. Meal planning saves you a fortune. Only buy what you need for the meals you decide on for that week. Keep breakfasts and lunches simple.
3. Try shopping ALDI or a similar discount store in-town. I’m a huge, huge fan of ALDI — even to this day! (Be sure to check out my 25 favorite things to buy at ALDI!)
4. Examine your budget and see if there are other areas you can cut down on so that you can allow yourself more wiggle room in your grocery budget. Maybe your grocery budget is one area that you need to be spending a bit more for your family, and that’s totally okay! Every family is different.
5. Use up what you already have in the fridge and pantry. Get creative with meals and use AllRecipes.com or MyFridgeFood.com to create meals around what you already have on hand. And staying organized is a HUGE part of saving money on groceries!
I promise if you adopt these five simple tips, you’ll see a pretty significant reduction in your grocery bill!
Reader Tips:
{Thank you to all of our readers for providing these tips in a recent Facebook post!}
1. Use a slow cooker. It can be a lifesaver for your sanity, time management, health, and budget! Look on the Internet or Pinterest for healthy slow cooker recipes. You can easily make a huge meal for $5-$10 in the slow cooker that will last you for several days! You can often find slow cookers at thrift stores or garage sales for a couple bucks. You can also find one-person slow cookers for just $10 online.
2. Buy a rotisserie chicken and make several meals out of it. A rotisserie chicken will stretch a LONG way if you’re creative! chicken salad, chicken with veggies, wraps, chicken quesadillas in the microwave, salad with chicken on top, and more. When you’re done with the chicken, throw the bones in a slow cooker with some old leftover veggies, salt, and seasonings. Cook for 24 hours, strain out the broth, and freeze for some wonderful soup later!
3. Buy a hot plate. This will greatly expand your meal possibilities. Cheap meal ideas using a hot plate include oatmeal, beans and rice, spaghetti, and many more. Spaghetti is a super frugal meal because it goes a long way. You can even add veggies in ti for extra nutritional value! Hot plates aren’t very expensive, and it will be for itself very quickly with all the frugal meal possibilities.
4. Start a vegetable garden. Or grow food from what you buy — such as celery and green onions. You can save a fortune by growing your own food!
5. Get creative with your proteins. They will fill you up and make you feel more satisfied on less food. Some ideas might include the rotisserie chicken idea mention above, canned tuna, microwaved scrambled eggs, peanut butter, cheese sticks, nuts, and canned beans. (Eggs are often $0.50 per dozen at ALDI, and a generic brand of peanut butter will last quite a while!)
6. Make soups. They will go a really long way, and can be used for multiple meals. Pack the soup into a few small tupperware containers and eat on them all week long.
7. Get creative with microwave meals. Some of these ideas have already been mentioned above. You can also look up “one cup meals” online for some interesting ideas! You can make omelettes, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, popcorn, baked apples, brownies, cakes, pasta, and more in the microwave. I suggest browsing Pinterest with key words to find what you’re looking for.
8. Don’t forget about healthy cold dishes such as veggie salads, pasta salads, and overnight oats.
9. Eliminate all snacks, drinks, juices, and packaged foods. These are filler foods that are usually more expensive and won’t satisfy your hunger.
10. Purchase produce with a long shelf life that doesn’t require refrigeration, such as squashes, onions, potatoes, and bananas.
11. Make your own spice blends to season foods frugally and up the flavor!
12. Always check the manager’s special/clearance section at your local grocery store. This is especially true for meat and produce. You’ll often find the best deals when you shop early in the morning before 8 a.m..
13. Try Asian markets. They are usually much cheaper then a regular grocery store for produce, meat, and spices.
14. Keep meals simple and natural. Think: baked potatoes, rice, roasted chicken, etc.
15. Rethink what a “meal” looks like. Instead of thinking in terms of meat/veggie/side/dessert, think of the nutrients that your body needs for the day. For example, oatmeal with celery sticks and peanut butter might not be a traditional breakfast, but it’s pretty healthy and filling!
16. Shop at the Farmer’s Market. Shop seasonal at the farmers’ market with cash. You can especially get some great deals during the last hour of the day (prepare to bargain!). You could most likely get a week’s worth of fruits and veggies for $10-$15 using this method.
17. Split produce costs with a friend. If you’re afraid your produce might go bad, consider going in on costs with a friend to pay less and not waste the extra that’s left over at the end of the week.
Looking for more?
Be sure to check out the Facebook post for a plethora of additional ideas, sample menu plans, and tips! And check out this Sample $30/Week Grocery Budget that includes a full menu plan and grocery list.
Also, don’t forget to sign up for my FREE 5 Days to a Better Grocery Budget eBook that will help you take better control of your grocery budget. It gives you all the tips, tricks, and practical advice you need to create a grocery budget tailored to your family's needs that you can actually STICK to (because that's the key!).
What other suggestions do you have for Alyssa? I’d love to hear in the comments below!
