debi334's Journal, 19 November 2013

If you are doing Atkins or low carb, you can buy acceptable foods on a low budget. I feed a family of five for less than 400. a month, all low carb - no potatoes, pasta, rice or breads. 

Way to go Debi!! So proud of you!!! 

Mjgh06 What kind of things do you buy for that kind of budget? 

I shop at Kroger and WallyWorld and buy bulk everything and go shopping once a month unless there is a super sale example Kroger had colored bell peppers on sale for 4for$1.00 I bought all they had. Bulk meats, cheaper that way - mostly chicken and ground beef and some pork roasts(cut up by butcher into whatever I want). I then repackage at home into freezer baggies by meal portions. Then the fresh veggies - a lot of cauliflower and summer squash, broccoli, onions, romaine lettuce, and occasional bell peppers or other fresh veggies when and only when on sale, plus frozen green beans. Veggies I buy on sale and buy enough to cook and freeze for the month. Sometimes have to go back for more veggies if they come on sale. Then dairy - a lot of HWC, a lot of shredded cheeses, butter and occasional cream cheese and milk when on sale. I have been planning meals out for two weeks at a time and we pretty much eat the same meals over just rotated through the weeks. I do a lot of supper casseroles, pot roasts in crock pot every Sunday and quiches for my breakfasts. I have a sidebyside fridge/freezer and I after I freeze baggie everything up into meal portions I can stack like the dickens for the month. I freeze meat in quartsize bags and then the veggies in quart size bags and put them together as a complete meal in gallon baggy. I hope that covers it. I probably missed something. You can look at my cookbook on here to see meal examples.  

Portion control is a big thing too... Like with chicken or pork chops, each person only gest one thigh or one chicken breast, or one pork chop. Veggie sides are no more than 1cup per person. Salad is all you want... reminds me I left out cucumbers for salads, I do buy them and radishes for the roasts and occasionally turnips..see I knew I forgot some things. If you watch for sales, it really is amazing how much you can buy. This past grocery trip I spent 354 and change -That was 2.5 weeks ago and included TG Turkey and extras for TG dinner. What helped me starting out is an excel worksheet that allows you to prepare meal menus and then creates a shopping list with $$$ amount cost before going shopping. I can just enter my monthly menu and it calculates what it will cost me and the list of stuff to buy.  

Thank you Mjgh06. But I don't have nere that to spend on groceries at one time. But I can try with what I do have. Thanks for the advice!