This is breaking my bank!!!!

[reneeruecks]

I just went food shopping Sunday, spent $200 and I pretty much have nothing for dinner tomorrow. My husband had gone to the butcher 3 days before and bought a ton of meat (spent at least $50) we are food shopping every few days and spending a ton. We shop at whole foods and I feel like grass fed meats are never on sale!

Any budget tips??

[ShannonM816]

Remember that grass fed, organic, pasture-raised, whatever is the ideal -- it's not necessary. You may decide that it's worth it to you to buy those things, regardless of price, but Whole30 doesn't say you have to. This article has some tips on prioritizing spending, and there are some previous discussions here in the forum about doing Whole30 on a budget -- here's one, and another, or google Whole30 forum budget for more.

 

I'd say stick to simple meals, don't do a lot of recipes that require special ingredients you don't already have. Buy meat and produce that's cheapest, and then look for ways to cook it. If it's available in your area, and you have a freezer, look into buying a half a cow from a local farm. It's a big expense at the outset, but if you have the space to store all the meat, could save you money long term.

[kirkor]

Could you scan your receipt?

[theminimalistcommunity]

Are there any cheaper grocery stores in your area? Can you order from a butcher that sells in bulk? We save money by buying free range/grass fed products from a butcher in bulk online, and we order a big seasonal box of veggies and fruit each week. We go to the grocery store only for the essential packaged products (dried herbs, salt, pepper, coconut oil, coconut milk, etc.). 

[Brewer5]

I've done three Whole 30's ~plus we eat this way much of the time~ and I never felt the need to shop at Whole Foods.  Meat, veggies, healthy fats, a few spices.  Really -- that's all you need.  It doesn't have to be fancy.  Especially if the budget is tight -- it can be very, very basic.

[juleemodz]

I concur with the person who said not to worry too much about the grass fed/organic foods.  They are ideal, but not necessary.  

 

Perhaps you should also take an honest look at the amount of food you both are eating?  If you are eating way too much food, this can be an issue.  My hubby and I are both obese, and both learning to eat normal sized portions.  I spend about 75-100 every week, and it lasts right through, with some things left over.  I do a lot of cooking in the crock pot, and a lot of fish.  5 pounds of chicken every week.  We limit the beef and pork, but not eliminate it (about 2 nights a week.)  I can get a pack of 36 eggs for 5 bucks (usually buy 2 every week) - we each eat 2 hard boiled eggs for breakfast and sometimes have eggs for dinner.  Don't get me wrong, we are not starving ourselves.  I spent a little more on food the first week because I was buying for our pre-whole30 appetites, and stocking up on things we didn't have..  Now, we just simply aren't as hungry.  How far into the Whole30 are you?

[reneeruecks]

Well, we have been shopping at whole foods for a long time, I like it there.  There are a few other stores we could go to but I don't really like them.  I have been trying to go to them a little more.  Even before I started the whole 30 I really try to eat all organic and grass fed and pasture raised animal products.  I feel like the animals have a better life when they eat and live how they are supposed to!   Since I have eliminated all the extras I'm just eating a lot more meat.  My son is 20 months and he eats so much as well! I also get pasture raised eggs and they are 7$ a dozen right now. and I usually get 3 dozen. 

 

I already threw out my receipt but I am going to check the links posted above and see how it goes!

[Kristen CNM]

One of my favorite meals is the slow cooked pork carnitas from the Whole30 book.

 

Even at Whole Foods a 3-4 pound boneless roast will only cost $13-15. The meat is great and there are plenty of leftovers.

[QuilterInVA]

I just read an article in Business Week (available on line) that compared Whole Foods to Kroger Organic. Whole Foods was nearly $100 more for the SAME foods. Whole foods says they are reducing their prices, but there is little evidence. One just opened here 2 weeks ago and I couldn't believe how much more they wanted for the same brands. I won't be shopping much there. I sure didn't see any meat that I could get 3-4 pounds of for $13-15. Ground Beef was $10 a pound.

[Tulips]

There are some great tips on here! You guys rock!!

 

My hubby and I are on the Post-College diet, so in transitioning from eating Ramen and free pizza all the time to losing all the weight we put on, it's taxing. We're also paying off student loans Dave-Ramsey-style, so it's can be a huge financial dilemma. But with a friend's help, I actually reduced my grocery bill from around $125/week to $65-75/week during my first Whole30!

 

 

Here are a few of my mind/money-savers:

-Shop at off times, and go to the stores that you might not like as much for the more expensive items. For instance, at least once a month, I go to the store at about 6 AM on Saturday morning to get the stuff to make laundry detergent, restock canning supplies, and any odds/ends like toilet tissue and dish soap. A bottle of Dawn is a bottle of Dawn, regardless of where it's purchased.

 

-Here's the biggie: With the exception of fish and the twice-monthly steak, I only buy meat for <$2/lb. Hold on a second, don't laugh (too hard). This does mean that we mostly eat poultry (and occasionally, pork), but not always. We buy stuff in HUGE quantities, and split/freeze it. A lot of this stuff actually comes from farmer's markets (hello, eggs!), as my CSA attempt resulted in too much food that went to the neighbors (but if you have a family, it might work for you). While you might not get the boneless-skinless chicken breast, you buy 6 chicken breasts and remove the bones yourself for $1.87/lb rather than $6.49/lb (these are the prices at my local market this week, same brand). Most stores have "flash deals" on different meats every week, so buy two weeks' worth so you can mix it up. Also, it's right before Thanksgiving, so a lot of meat other than turkey is on sale.

 

While $2/lb might be a bit low for you, set a mark (maybe $4-5?) and stick with it!! Yeah, that rib eye might look amazing, but if it's not budgeted, keep walking.

 

Side note: I do buy organic about 75% of the time, and if it's not organic, it's pasture raised, grass fed, humanely harvested, etc. So even though the meat I purchase is cheap, it's humane and quality. You can absolutely go cheaper, but at the expense of the animals and of your health.

 

-Go to multiple stores if you need to/are able. Yeah, this sucks a little. But if you can get $0.98 apples at one store and they're $2.47 at your normal store, it adds up with multiple items. Obviously you won't do this for one item unless it's substantial, but often the stores near me "flip-flop" between meat and veggie deals.

 

-Buy the same base item for multiple meals. If you buy 5 lb of chicken, use 1 lb for chicken and broccoli, 1 lb for grilled chicken, 1 lb for Morrocan chicken, etc. This works particularly well if you don't have the freezer space to do the "stock up on cheap beef!" trick above. It seems a little more boring at first, but it's cheaper and saves a ton of time!

 

There are always ways to reduce the budget. A lot of it is prioritizing, and that's great! Just take a little longer at the grocery store this week and bring a notepad. If you don't want to shop somewhere other than Whole Foods, then what can you change/cut? Tessamae's dressings are good, but using balsamic vinegar, some olive oil, and a few spices is good too, it just takes a little longer.

 

One last thing: Remember, meals, especially weekday meals, don't have to be a show. We aren't in the 1940s trying to impress our Grannie-in-law. Leftovers are wonderful, and it's fine to have 20-minute salmon cakes or a turkey wrap and salad for dinner. My "holy guacamole I'm busy!" go-to meal is a can of chicken, chopped pickles, and mustard. Super cheap, totally compliant, and satisfying!

[berrybird]

It's just my husband and I, and we don't have a ton of storage space, but we still have a Costco membership and regularly shop there. Large packages of good quality meat (we mostly do chicken thighs, pork roasts for the crock pot, and ground beef, plus a variety of compliant pre-cooked sausages) get split up into smaller packages immediately at home and chucked in the freezer. It's a lot of cost at once, but it lasts a long time. Then we buy veggies and fruit based on whatever's on sale at our local markets. We keep very little in the way of frozen fruit or veggies beyond an "emergency bag" or two of a veggie blend so that the freezer can be 70% meat for cooking/20% soups/stews/prepped food ready to defrost/10% Odds and Ends. I go to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods about once a month in a city that's about 40 minutes away for a few special things (Tessemae's dressings at WF, almond butter at TJs, etc) but the reality is that Whole Foods is going to be more expensive than buying organic at your local store chain most of the time, at least in my experience.  In my area, cage free organic eggs from a local company are $3.50 a dozen. I know it's not the same as pasture raised (I miss being able to buy such eggs at a farmer's market in the last community I lived in) but I try to think through what I'm willing to compromise a bit on - if it's not anything, you're going to feel it in the wallet.

[ultrarunnergirl]

In addition to all the excellent advice above, make things that are cheap.

 

I don't know what you are normally eating, but here's an example -- instead of grilled steaks for a meal, make it steak salad. Make sure your salad is more than just greens - add cubed cooked sweet potato or beets, some broccoli, good filling veggies.

 

Cheap cuts of meat, in your crockpot with onions and spices. Chicken thighs are cheaper than breasts. Bone in.

 

Up the veggies - pile your plate HIGH, and you can get by with one palm-sized portion of protein instead of two.

 

Frozen veggies can be a good buy -especially if they don't go to waste in your crisper drawer, if you buy too much and don't get around to cooking it.

 

Make soup with ground meat, onions, veggies.

 

Canned salmon can be a good option - make salmon cakes from It Starts With Food or Well Fed 2. A real treat and won't break the bank.

 

Keep at it! And remember, if you enjoy a drink or a few when not Whole30ing, you are already saving a good amount this month without alcohol!

[reneeruecks]

thanks! ALL great tips!

[littleg]

"Off cuts" of meat are a good way to get good quality meat for less.  There is a local beef farmer in our area who slaughters a cow each month - he has a list of people who get their CSA beef each month and then he calls me for the left overs  My favorites are beef heart and beef shank.  He charges the CSA members $11/lb for their 10lbs of beef a month.  He charges me $8 for regular meat (anything from roast to tenderloin are the same price - he usually doesn't have too many tenderloins left ).  He charges me $4 for off cuts - so I leave there with a pile of hearts and shanks for $4 a lb!  The heart is a little prep work (membranes, etc are all still on it) but beef shanks are super easy.  Toss it in my instant pot for 2 hrs and the meat is so tender it is amazing - I actually would NOT go back to other types of meat now (plus the connective tissue with all its collage is really good for you!).  Plus - I make so much beef broth I can't go through it all so the dogs are getting a bit of extra goodness each day.

 

I found this farmer on a Craigslist - at least near me there are a lot of small-scale beef farmers who aren't paying to sell at farmer's markets - and they all list on craigslist.  Might be worth checking out.