Money Saving Meals

I get asked a lot  how Jamie and I have a grocery budget with all the cooking and baking that I do!  The answer is that we don't.  There isn't a grocery budget in our house and we learned that that is a big big big problem!! One of our New Years Resolutions was to save money, and so far we have been very successfully except in the GROCERY department, so today I went on a money saving mission in my local grocer for a few low cost dinner options. 

Here are a few tips I learned over the past few years:

1. Buy meat on sale!! Especially rump roast and chicken.  Even if it is not on your list you will be very thankful for those extra savings later.
2. Don't buy more veggies than you need.  For example just because the tomatoes are on the vine doesn't mean you can't break the a part.
3. Stock up on Non Perishables when they are on sale.
4. Buy household goods somewhere other than the grocery store.
5. Check the grocery ad before making your menu for the week.
6. Plan as far in advance as possible.
7. Look for recipes that use the same ingredients. For Example, if you need 16 oz of ricotta but it you can only find a 24 oz container you need to use the other 8 oz before they expire.
8. LEFTOVERS LEFTOVERS LEFTOVERS
9. Eating at home for 2 can be less expensive than dining out.
10. Eating at home for 2 can be more expensive than dining out.

Those last two need a little further explanation.  The first one, eating at home can be less expensive than dining out, is very true! I can make pizza, a steak dinner and lunch much cheaper (you will see this later) than I can get it at a restaurant.  The last one, eating at home can be more expensive than dining out , is very true as well!! I can not make a Mexican dinner for 2 with all the fixings for the $16 or $18 dollars we can eat it at the restaurant I HAVE TRIED! Also let me address the notion of leftovers for a minute, my husband hates leftovers but sometimes if I want to make a great meal there will be leftovers and guess what we are going to have to start eating them!!

That brings me to my first MONEY SAVING MEAL! It is a money saver because it will feed 2 people twice or 4 people for $6.88 a serving and it is a delicious pot roast!

Here was my grocery list and the cost of the item:
Rump Roast ($17.18 on sale for $5.49 a pound)
Steam and Mash Potatoes ($2.50 on sale for 2/$5)
Onion ($.97)
Baby Carrots ($1.69 and will be left over for snacking)
Beef Consomme ($1.75)
Brown Gravy Mix ($.75)
Onion Soup Mix ($1.69 and there are two packets in the box)

The only other item needed is Cream of Mushroom which I had in my pantry and I purchased it on sale a few weeks ago for $.99.

TOTAL FOR THE MEAL: $27.52
TOTAL PER PERSON (2) FOR (2) MEALS: $6.88 (dinner Thurs and Lunch on Friday).

That to me is much better than a fast food combo meal for that same price and it is a crock pot meal so it is fast and easy.

ANOTHER MONEY SAVING MEAL: FRENCH BREAD PIZZAS, an alternative to delivery pizza, plus we can't get delivery where we live. There are some days when we work late, have had a big lunch or are just two plain tired to cook a big meal and that is where this recipe comes in.

Here was my grocery list and the cost of the item:
Pepperoni ($3.34 on sale 3/$10)
Mozzarella Cheese ($5.69, I was surprised that preshredded was cheaper than block)
Pizza Sauce ($1.79)
French Bread ($2.39)

TOTAL FOR THE MEAL: $13.21
TOTAL PER PERSON: $6.60

And to me better than DELIVERY!!! Plus it is customizable, which is important to me because Jamie and I do not like the same toppings.

So those are two dinner ideas that are perfect for staying in your grocery budget, now lets look at lunch.

Here was what I bought and the cost of the item:
Bakery Bread ($3.99, we are willing to pay more for this item than regular bread)
Tomatoes ($5.11, should have taken one off the vine)
Cheese ($2.50)
Doritos ($2.50, they were on sale 2/$5)
Sandwich Meat ($5.99 for 1lb of ham and turkey mixed)

TOTAL FOR LUNCH STUFF: $20.09
PER MEAL: (IT WILL FEED 2 PEOPLE FOR 2 LUNCHES) $5.02

So brown bagging lunch is a much better option than eating out every day! I purchased a few other items that we needed such as deodorant and stove top cleanser.  Our favorite granola was on sale, I need breakfast sausage and gelato (we are giving up sugar next week) so my total grocery bill was $115.64, but just on 3 suppers (I left one recipe off because it was a freezer meal) and all my lunch stuff the total was $74.87.

And there you have it! My first step towards spending less on GROCERIES, but don't fret I will still whip up fabulous desserts and wonderful meals, but Money Saving Meals will be added to my menus to make those things possible. 

How much money should 2 people spend at the grocery every month anyway!?

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