How to Eat on a $75 a Week Grocery Budget

Think before you buy.

Rising food prices, economic downturns, job losses -- these events typically trigger belt-tightening measures and force people to adopt more frugal grocery shopping habits. In any economic climate, however, you can make a conscious choice to reduce your grocery bills so that they take a smaller bite out of the overall household budget -- and allow you to dedicate your money to other things -- with a series of easy planning, shopping and preparation tips.

Instructions

1. Divide the $75 grocery budget among all the members of the household. Let's say there are three members of the household, which allots $25 per person per week. Divide this between 21 meals, which in this case comes to a total of $1.19 per person per meal. Then multiply it by the number of people in the household. Use this figure as a rough guide when you are in the supermarket. In this case, aim to spend approximately $3.57 or less per meal for three persons.

2. Build up a pantry of basic items. Every week buy important quantities of one basic item in the bulk aisle, such as rice, pasta, lentils and black beans. After a few weeks, you will have plenty of basic items upon which to cheaply build healthy, filling meals.

3. Shop for deals and use your freezer. When the supermarket has a sale on products you use, such as a two-for-one sale on bread, buy the two loaves of bread, pre-slice if needed and freeze one for later.

4. Include less meat in the household diet in favor of cheaper protein sources like eggs, lentils and beans. Try mains like scrambled eggs, hearty lentil soup and rice and beans.

5. Stay away from convenience foods like single-serving packages. You typically pay more for the packaging than for the actual product. Stay away from junk food and empty calories, too. Concentrate on buying foods that are healthy for the body and contain needed vitamins and minerals.

6. Make your own convenience foods for better results. For example, buy a large tub of yogurt, divide it between several small reusable containers and store them in the fridge. Dice vegetables you use often and freeze them.

7. Buy store-brand products instead of name-brand products. Store-brand products cost less and are often of similar quality as the name-brand products.

8. Buy seasonal fruits and vegetables. You will typically pay less for fruits and vegetables that are in season and grown locally than fruits and vegetables that have been shipped in from distant locations. Consider signing up for a box scheme with a community-supported agricultural farm. Members receive a weekly box of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables for less than they would pay at the supermarket for the same amount of food.

References

• Mayo Clinic: Healthy Savings, The Art of Frugal Food Shopping
• Frugal Dad: 9 Ways to Prepare for Food Inflation
• United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Amber Waves: Despite Higher Food Prices, Percent of U.S. Income Spent on Food Remains Constant