Need suggestions on cutting food costs

Much of my money after bills each month goes to food. I need to change this but I need a LOT of help and good suggestions to accomplish this. Problem #1: I can be realy picky but get tired of the same stuff all the time. Problem #2: I HATE... NO LOATHE COOKING!!! I can not stand preparing meals even if it's PB&J or mac and cheese. Help!!!!!

Much of my money after bills each month goes to food. I need to change this but I need a LOT of help and good suggestions to accomplish this. Problem #1: I can be realy picky but get tired of the same stuff all the time. Problem #2: I HATE... NO LOATHE COOKING!!! I can not stand preparing meals even if it's PB&J or mac and cheese. Help!!!!!


Have you looked into what is called once a month cooking? Where you do the bulk of your cooking in 1-2 days, then don't have to worry a lot for a month or so. Lots of the things we like to eat can be done up ahead of time, either raw and ready to cook or precooked, just need to thaw and heat? If you are interested, pm me and I will give you some sites I have found.

These 2 threads had some good suggestions:

http://www.bankruptcyforum.com/showthread.php?t=6676

http://www.bankruptcyforum.com/showthread.php?t=7483

How many people are you cooking for, Krobin?? If it's just you, it's really tough. Cooking for one person is really hard to do.

You have to search in the stores for meats that are packaged in smaller portions so you can take it home and seperate it down again. Keep one portion fresh to cook and freeze the rest. Or freeze it all for later.

Buy your veggies frozen so you can pour out just what you need for a meal and use a twist tie on the bag for the rest.

Buy your fresh fruits and veggies pre prepared at the store. Many groceries are carrying green pepper strips and chopped fresh onion and such now. That's prep work you don't have to do to cook. Just throw it all together and you're good to go.

Prepackaged bag salad mix is too much for one person. Buying salad fixin's is too much also. Maybe swing by Wendy's and pick up a 99 cent salad to go with your meals now and then.

Buy frozen prepared foods at the store that come individually wrapped. Like chicken cordon blue or other stuffed chicken breast items. Then you can take them out one at a time. All you have to do is pop it in the oven and you've got your entre.

Fazzoli's has larger sized portions if you get it to go. You could probably get 2 dinners out of salad and Baked Ziti from Fazzoli's and the price isn't too too bad.

When you go to Subway, buy a footlong instead of a 6 inch. Then you have a sandwich for 2 meals. Dinner tonite and lunch tomorrow. And it costs less per sandwich that way. If you normally buy a 6 inch and don't eat it all, have Subway cut the 6 inch in half. Eat one half for dinner and the other half for lunch. Whatever works for you.

Does your grocery have a salad bar in the deli?? One grocery near us back in Kansas City had a salad bar. They had grilled chicken strips on that bar that were wonderful. Some hot summer days when I didn't feel like cooking, I'd run by that grocery and fix a leafy green salad with some of that chicken in it. Throw in a little bread and it makes a great dinner.

Just a few ideas for you. Maybe something will help.

It's just me. And yes, it's hard. Grocery shopping of any kind in this country is not designed for single people.


Kristina

George foreman grill for meats. Microwave for vegetables. Very very little effort.

George foreman grill for meats. Microwave for vegetables. Very very little effort.

I have one of the old, original George Foreman grills and absolutely love it. It gets used at least once a week. Cooks fast and cleans up quick too. Hotdogs, hamburgers, marinated chicken breasts, pork chops, sandwiches, you name it. We use that thing for everything. Maybe, some day, when it dies, I can replace it with one of those units that has interchangeable plates. Then I could do WAFFLES too! :D

Microwave is the way to cook frozen veggies. They come out tasting great. Not water logged. More like fresh than canned any day.

You mentioned being "picky" eater, and not liking to cook. Canned/frozen foods and microwave plus other suggestions above are a place to start for you. Check out what is available in smaller sizes at discount stores, and if only a few things appeal to you, stock up on those, even if not your usual, name brand. Only veggie you like is corn? Fine, buy the biggest, cheapest frozen bag you can find and 5 minutes in microwave, you have what you need for that meal. I was surprised at the dollar/discount stores around here what new items come in each week, and manage to hit the stores every week or two. Canned fruits, cereals and soups, especially, may be off brand, but are amazingly cheap and are in smaller sizes. (Think too expensive, still?? If you buy cookies and chips, look at label to see a nutrient comparison, and cut those back a bit to add some variety with fruit for a dessert or snack...) I may at times walk out with only one item, others, can fill a whole cart. And, if you haven't put one on your shelf already, do a search on Amazon or B&N for "cooking for one, bachelor pad cooking, college student's pantry guide"....some such topic. My nieces and nephews have found these helpful; most of them have set off on their own only having used the microwave for reheating meals Mom sends them home with after family parties. Or for taking the chill off of leftover pizza. (Coupon for good deal on big pizza or two-for deal?? eat a couple slices, freeze rest and reheat it in a toaster oven to get crisp crust or microzap it for softer crust. Not too expensive that way spread over several meals, and 2 slices for a meal plus a salad or canned fruit to fill you up won't add too much to the cost or your waistline!
Don't think you need to transition all at once to a new way of eating: pick one day a week or one meal every couple of days and change your routine gradually. See what can be worked into your lifestyle and what your stress level will allow.

I have one of the old, original George Foreman grills and absolutely love it. It gets used at least once a week. Cooks fast and cleans up quick too. Hotdogs, hamburgers, marinated chicken breasts, pork chops, sandwiches, you name it. We use that thing for everything. Maybe, some day, when it dies, I can replace it with one of those units that has interchangeable plates. Then I could do WAFFLES too! :D

Microwave is the way to cook frozen veggies. They come out tasting great. Not water logged. More like fresh than canned any day.

Yup. I have also lost 50 lbs in the past 4 months eating this way.

Yup. I have also lost 50 lbs in the past 4 months eating this way.

I guess BK has more than one way of getting a fresh start. Congrats!

Yup. I have also lost 50 lbs in the past 4 months eating this way.

Congrats, FOMO!! :yes2:

I've dropped 4 clothes sizes myself this past year!

We have a wedding to go to soon and we've been out dress shopping, daughters and I. It's been a mix of depression and fun. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to find anything at the 2nd hand stores or consignment shops. So off to Dept stores we went. Depression because of the prices of nice dresses. But the girls and I have had lots of fun and joked and poked fun at the way some of the dresses look on. Using Minny's "24 hour rule", we haven't bought a thing yet. :D

Daughters have been telling me my clothes are too loose and I need some new, smaller clothes. They locked me in a try-on room and brought me clothes to try on. I saw the sizes and was sure I couldn't fit in them. But I did! WoooHooo!! :yahoo:

Unfortunately I've gained about 10 lbs. in this process! Dh and I are on a diet now! No fried foods (hard here in the Deep South!), no desserts, alcohol, etc.

At least it is summer and I love salads and fresh 'mater sammiches!:D

I just found a "supper solutions" near me. "Size Wise Suppers" (12 meals, 2-3 Servings) for $114 and since I'm single, that 24 meals. $4.75/meal isn't bad. If I like it, "Full Size Suppers" (12 meals, 4-6 Servings) for $184 thats 48 meals $3.83/meal. And they have the Low Fat, and Low Carb options. I wish they had something like a 6 meal sampler.

Lots of good food idea's FOLKS............... excellent suggestions.....

Yes, and I love "mater sammiches" too......................... and my summer foods cantelope and watermelon......

Very hard to cook for one person, some things are just better if you go buy it at the fast food place, now that they offer such a variety, along with diet foods....

Notice how much money you spend on soda's............. out of the machines is so expensive............ try cutting back to one a day at the office....... that $3.00-$5.00 a week or more you'll save............

Besides you need the "water" anyways............ THINK 'REFRESHING' WATER!!!! I found I went looking for the glass of cold water after a while............

Most people are really spoiled when it comes to their food....... certain brands (not always the best), certain cuts of meat, (be reasonable about what you can afford).... fast food restaurants and eating out..... (cut back a day or two a month on this............ AND ALL THIS ADDS UP..... VERY QUICKLY....

Change your lifestyle a little......... instead of eating out, stay in make a sandwich and read a good book... (satisfy the mind and the stomach at the same time)...

Use a LOT OF COUPONS.............. for grocery and fast food....

Buy shoes and clothing 25%-75% off........ believe me the styles don't change that quickly..... buy clothes out of season (for the next year)....

I found a $125.00 leather jacket on markdown at Penneys at the end of the winter..... I PAID $4.00 FOR IT - YES $4.00.... also bought me two other coats (heavy and rain) for $8.00 a peice......

The deals are there - you just have to look around and be "shop wise".....

Do your Christmas shopping thru the summer.... who says it has to be in December??? I bought myself, and my two brothers all a covered casual swing for $25.00 a peice at the end of the summer. They loved getting them for Christmas... Instead of paying $350.00 for them - I paid $75.00 Total.... left over money to spend on me if I wanted too......

Camping supplies is an execellent thing to buy at year end after season and put back for a gift...... you can save a lot of money... same way with patio items...... (a new grill is really cheap in Sept).....

LOL, my grill is 25 years old, still looks like new.... only thing I've replaced is some of the boards on it and a new burner..... Take care of it and it will last you a long time.........

People who have to replace high ticket items because they don't take care of them are wasting their money......

Don't laugh, but I still wear sweaters that I had in high school and I've been out of school 40 years - and believe me they are not out of style yet..... just take care of them.........

My thoughts,

The Grocery Game

http://www.thegrocerygame.com/

My sister swears by this and saves about half her bill everytime she goes in there.

The Grocery Game

http://www.thegrocerygame.com/



Just a warning here... due to the high volume of fradulant internet coupons, many retailers are no longer accepting them. I work in retail and we quit taking them about 9 months ago or so.

The last couple posts reminds me of something really weird. A couple years ago, priceline.com had groceries lol. I did it once, it was crazy. You rang up your groceries online, and paid by card. Then, you'd print out a receipt. Then, you goto your grocery store and get these specific items you paid for. Goto checkout, and give the cashier the printed receipt, which has a barcode she scans and pays for your groceries! It was so weird, I got some great deals, but never tried it again.

Well, if I'm gonna go to all the trouble of ordering online - THEN I WANT THEM DELIVERED.......

If I have to go pick them up, its the same as going shopping for them and checking out................ (only thing I've done is prepaid for them)............

Whats the purpose, basically the same price, I'm sure..........

Just a warning here... due to the high volume of fradulant internet coupons, many retailers are no longer accepting them. I work in retail and we quit taking them about 9 months ago or so.

This isn't just about internet coupons--that's a minimal part of it.

Instead, you put in your zip code and choose your stores. They will give you a list of what is on sale and let you know if there are coupons in the Sunday circular for them. They let you know what are good items to stock up on. You get a list with actual cost, savings, savings with coupons, percent total discount--some things end up free.

My sister regularily uses them and her bill is usually cut in half.

This isn't just about internet coupons--that's a minimal part of it.

Instead, you put in your zip code and choose your stores. They will give you a list of what is on sale and let you know if there are coupons in the Sunday circular for them. They let you know what are good items to stock up on. You get a list with actual cost, savings, savings with coupons, percent total discount--some things end up free.

My sister regularily uses them and her bill is usually cut in half.


<sigh> No stores available in my zipcode. And my Sunday paper seldom ever puts coupons in it anymore.

Oh, well.

I ran across a newspaper article about the USDA site MyPyramid.gov and thought it would make a good tool to convince my girls there is no daily requirement for cola and junk food. I have stopped buying anything but the basics, and there are always salad fixings and canned fruits if fresh ones are too pricey for snacking. If they want junk, they buy it out of the little funds they bring home from parttime jobs while in school. So I sat them down in front of the computer when my older daughter (she should know better, since she is a biology major!) told me they would get sick without more meat in the diet (I stopped buying bacon and sausage for breakfast sandwiches, but do keep ham on hand and turkey smoked sausage when on sale). They put in what they had eaten yesterday and compared that printout to one I had done with their "wish" list of foods for a day. A real eye opener for them! Not sure they are totally converted, but I only make one main meal a day and they can eat it or spend their own funds. I have my sister keeping all kinds of plastic containers for me after margarine, etc, is gone, and I'm getting quite a nice stockpile of single portion meals for a week when my pay goes elsewhere than grocery shopping.:dry:

awesome advice

The Grocery Game

http://www.thegrocerygame.com/

My sister swears by this and saves about half her bill everytime she goes in there.

DO NOT PAY MONEY TO SAVE MONEY!!!!!

Check out www.dealagogo.com Better deals and it's FREE!!!!!

DO NOT PAY MONEY TO SAVE MONEY!!!!!

Check out www.dealagogo.com Better deals and it's FREE!!!!!

Time is money also. $1.25 for a week--home much do you pay for the Sunday paper? Small price to pay when you have two little ones (one still in diapers) and a disability. Pulling up one list in 5 minutes versus an hour of searching. (Plus, my parents and myself pull off of her account also.) Also, many areas of the site do not require registration.

You've never looked at the site I posted. I can tell by your response. Look it up, then reply. There are areas for each store. Takes 10 min max. Most often there are more deals saving you more money including non-advertised in store specials.

DAGG has a forum for each grocery store. Most stores already have people that match up the ads.

I have kids (look in the picture) I do just fine with the amount of time it takes on DAGG.

Being lazy costs money. Good luck staying out of debt. Use your head, not your wallet(or your sisters).

Buying a newspaper with coupons is OK, PAYING for a subscription to an online matching service is NOT.

Oh, I did look--and you didn't look closely at the Grocery Game. And this time I did a pull of TGG and compared it to DAGG directly and it's missing so many specials including a bunch of free after coupon items. TGG breaks things down into free, stock up on, and buy if needed. Unfortunately, DAGG doesn't help much that it doesn't have our major grocer here.

DO NOT call my sister LAZY. Serious rheumatoid arthritis (both knees replaced), needing a neck fusion in the next few years, and hands that are gnarled beyond belief. She has the most well stocked pantry in the basement. And her savings are unbelievable.

You use what you want, we'll use what we want. And let's leave it there.

I guess I'm in the "boonies" as far as those sites are concerned. None of the groceries are within 30 miles of me, and without reliable transportation, I'll just keep borrowing my neighbor's Sunday and Wednesday newpapers for the food ads.

Being single and hating to cook I understand your problem. Below are some ideas that have worked for me:

Fruits and Veggies- If you have a Costco near you (and a membership) they have some great veggie and fruit trays that last about a week or so and cost about $10 dollars. Another easy veggie idea is to try the new Birds eye steamfresh veggies that you just toss the bags in the microwave and heat. These are great!

Meat- I use my Hamilton Beach grill to cook all my meat quick. Trader Joes has some precooked chicken breast strips and marinated chicken breasts (in either lemon pepper or balsamic vinegar marinades). These can either be eaten cold or reheated. Perdue makes original and Italian chicken breast cutlets that are ready to eat cold or heated. Another place I get my meats is ordering thru marketday.com. You order online and pick up at a school or church that participates in the program. Each portion of meat is individually shrinkwrapped and frozen. They also sell individial pieces of meatloaf, lasania and pot roast.

I have saved money using the suggestions above and also lost 17 lbs since eating like this instead of hitting the drive-thru all the time.

I cannot imagine having rheumatoid arthritis and very young children! I was diagnosed a few years ago with fibromyalgia and it is no fun. My husband is having major surgery in a few weeks and I'm checking out Super Suppers. Apparently if you host a party at their store and have 7 or more people you get your entrees free. Not a bad deal to hang out with your friends, make all your food and save time and gas on grocery shopping.

Gotta love that Super Suppers concept, Jane! for those who may not have heard of it, there are several around the country, look online for your area,
Dream Dinners, Dinners Ready, Dinners Done Right, Super Suppers, and others. We have the first two and I am a DD fan. You basically go and prepare 6or 12 meals for which all the shopping, chopping, and clean up is done for you. Then you have a bunch of gourmet meals for your freezer. Great for working moms.

I cannot imagine having rheumatoid arthritis and very young children! I was diagnosed a few years ago with fibromyalgia and it is no fun.

They are adopted from birth--she tried and tried for years and even tried in vitro, but it didn't happen. They say being a mother is a fulltime job--I think it's more like 3 fulltime jobs! And she's got the cleanest neatest house you'll ever see--right out of Martha Stewart Living. LOL Luckily she gets SSD for her and the kids.

I too am a single person and found the ways to save money:

Low carb helps because one can cook tons of chicken breasts and make salads for lunches and dinner.

Nuts and peanut butter for snacks and fruit.

I usually make a large batch of chili and take to work for lunch.

Bags of salad are cheap and go well with the chicken.

It takes me about 2 hours to cook enough for a month. I spend less time cooking than waiting in line at the food court for lunch.

The George Forman grill is awesome! I like buying those bags of chicken breast at the store and cooking those and putting them on a bun for a great chicken sandwhich. Also like someone said above they are easy to clean and are good for cooking many other things.

Great ideas about the chicken, chili, and salads! I'm planning to stock my freezer with healthy meals for when my husband has his surgery and will be out for at least a month. I need something my kids can pop in the oven while I'm on my way home from work. I like to get together with my friends and cook.

This spring, I had four or five organic potatoes in a paper bag that had sprouted and were all shriveled. I cut them into pieces with at least one sprout on each and stuck them in the ground behind the house. A couple of months ago I dug about 30 pounds of potatoes out of the ground. I also got 50 walla walla onion sets that cost me next to nothing and those suckers grow huge. Now I have fried onions and potatoes that taste fantastic. I also grew beets the size of softballs, peas, parsley, shallots, tomatoes, eggplant, chives, celery, raspberries, gooseberries, blueberries, currants, and rhubarb, along with some basil, peppermint, and 9 artichoke plants. Most of it was from seeds, heirloom, so I can save them for next year. I've NEVER done this before, and I'm really proud every time I harvest something. It seems like a miracle to stick a seed in the ground and end up with wonderful food.
The latest book I read was T. Colin Campbell's "The China Study". I no longer consume any animal protein! I had cancer 4 years ago, but this year have not even spent my $100 deductible on my medical plan. So, if you want to know how to save money not just on groceries, but also on medical bills, lose weight, and live a long healthy life, eat a vegan diet, grow your own vegetables and fruits, drink water, exercise, and stay away from doctors and hospitals.
Cheers!

George foreman grill for meats. Microwave for vegetables. Very very little effort.

[I][B]
I have the little grill now, perfect for bf & myself, and you can put just about anything on it...

As for food & just one person......well, although it's 2 of us...here's what I do:

1. Pain in the ass but easy w/out children in home, I go to the store which happens to be right next door...lucky...and I get what I need for dinner fresh...

Why? I used to buy for 1-2 weeks, ended up freezing things & never using them (especially when it was just me). Plus, my meat/fish is always the as fresh as can be...there is a taste difference when your meat has been frozen.

2. I really stick to the fresh veggies for dinner but I don't mind buying the frozen just to keep in fridge...again...I like to steam my veggies, better for you & easy.

3. I go easy on the breads, cookies, etc...as they can be empty calories & my bf eats in his sleep...there will be nothing in the morning left...so why have an abundence of treats? lol....

4. I keep a few apples, oranges, & bananas so that when he grabs, it's good for him...

5. We try to do a fish, pasta, meat, & chicken meal a week, along with a pizza one night and he'll do a mish mosh depending on what's in the fridge...

I've lost 15 lbs since April, when I really started eating lighter (due to being broke) and better.

I cut out the soda, except for the weekend, but only one a day, and the 8oz. not 12 oz....cut out eating the whole bag of popcorn & cut 1/2...even if I have to hide it...I basically cut everything I ate in 1/2....

As a one, you could try the 1/2 thing...I used to get a sandwhich, 1/2 it and make it last 2 days...our portions are so screwed up, all you really need is half anyways....

It's always the prep time that sucks, but if you cut up your own carrots, celery, onions, tomatos, you'll save about $2 an item....the cut up foods cost more (at least down in FL)...

brown bagging it with leftovers can be more exciting if your dinner was good!:D

I noticed its cheaper for me to eat out than buy a poop load of groceries. I'm single too. But I eat one meal a day. If I eat breakfast it knocks out my appetite for lunch and dinner. I admit I do snack too throughout the day, especially at work (since I'm always there). Weekends I'm starving, I usually either choose lunch or dinner.
I find too, when I do have the time to cook, like tacos (not much cooking involved), I can usually eat the same thing for at least 2 weeks before I get sick of it. Than I find something else that I can usually eat for at least 2 weeks. So I don't need to have too much variety in my meals.
For a single person, depending on how much you need to eat, eating out for me is cheaper!

Catchmeifyoucan :cool:

This spring, I had four or five organic potatoes in a paper bag that had sprouted and were all shriveled. I cut them into pieces with at least one sprout on each and stuck them in the ground behind the house. A couple of months ago I dug about 30 pounds of potatoes out of the ground. I also got 50 walla walla onion sets that cost me next to nothing and those suckers grow huge. Now I have fried onions and potatoes that taste fantastic. I also grew beets the size of softballs, peas, parsley, shallots, tomatoes, eggplant, chives, celery, raspberries, gooseberries, blueberries, currants, and rhubarb, along with some basil, peppermint, and 9 artichoke plants. Most of it was from seeds, heirloom, so I can save them for next year. I've NEVER done this before, and I'm really proud every time I harvest something. It seems like a miracle to stick a seed in the ground and end up with wonderful food.
The latest book I read was T. Colin Campbell's "The China Study". I no longer consume any animal protein! I had cancer 4 years ago, but this year have not even spent my $100 deductible on my medical plan. So, if you want to know how to save money not just on groceries, but also on medical bills, lose weight, and live a long healthy life, eat a vegan diet, grow your own vegetables and fruits, drink water, exercise, and stay away from doctors and hospitals.
Cheers!

WOW Emma~ that is so COOL!!!!!! I think that I will definately have a garden next year....can you grow potatoes in a warmer climate (okla) in the winter...shows I know NOT MUCH in the garden department......
I love potatoes but they say you should not have more than twice a week....it is showing in studies that Diabetes 2 can be caused by too many potatoes a week......my Mom has just been diagnosed with Diabetes.....old age onset, but it could affect me as well...she is skinny, and I never dreamed she'd have diabetes...usually weight is a diabetic issue~and what brings diabetes on....
Great to hear you are SO healthy now from surviving cancer.....GREAT TO HEAR THAT!!!!:clapping:

if you have an Aldi nearby, shop there! they're so cheap, and the quality is no different than name brand stuff at regular stores. i ♥ Aldi! we spend so much less on groceries since i started shopping there.

yes the grocery game is the best . you can save a lot of money on every household things not just food!!!!

Many, many things you can do to cut cost around the home.......

Vingegar and water cleans windows, glass top furniture, and lots of other things.

Bleach and water cleans commodes, counter tops, showers, shower curtains, etc........

Old dish towels make good "paper towels" and are washable..... especially with Bounty being $1.49-$1.79 a roll.

Liquid furniture polish goes a whole lot further than spray.....only takes a little on the rag.

Old plastic wallmart/grocery bags are cheaper and work just as well as trash bags in bedrooms, bathroom, and sometimes even in the kitchen if you take you trash out daily. Most people don't realize they spend $.13 for each trash bag they fill and throw out.

Old newspapers rolled up make excellent "fire starters" for fireplaces. Put a drop of scented oil (or perfume) on them and the scent goes throughout your whole home. Saves buyin firestarters and air freshner both....

Spraying your yard twice a summer with a flea control spray on waterhose, is cheaper and easier than spraying/bathing your dog weekly and using expensive chemicals on the animals backs. I have been doing this for about 15 years and I haven't seen a flea or tick around my house, yard, or dogs in over 10 years. And they stay out all day except at night. Even have other dogs next door, etc.

Lots of ways to save money, just have to be smart, and think of good ways...... and the cash does add up.....

Here is what I do. I shop for sales at local farmer market. I use my outdoor BBQ and indoor foreman grill. Low carb is cheap if I buy chicken breast and tuna when on sale. I drink a ton of water and tea- no soda and no booze. Costs me maybe $60-100/week to eat well compared to $10 for lunch and more for dinner.

I used to buy big family packs thinking I was saving money. All I was doing was collecting food, and when you collect it, you need to eat it. According to everything I've read, you only need like 1/4 pound of meat per day MAX. A serving is like the size of a deck of cards. So I went and really looked at serving size and started to buy based on that. The amount of meat you buy if it is only one person and you NEED meat (which is to say, you can eat vegetarian perfectly fine too) is about a pound and a half per week! Although this seems like "not enough" really, it opens up the gateway to better cuts and more variety. Veggies are more necessary in the diet. I actually try to focus on them more than meat simply because you can get enough protein from vegetables. Even then, a serving is only something like 1/2 cup and they say that you should have about 5 servings per day. That's 2-1/2 cup per day, that's 17.5 cups per week (more than the meat). An apple, a banana are actually 2 servings. Anyway, you can calculate the other "needs." So, just sticking to the proper serving size you suddenly shrink the food budget down and start to see why and where any overweight is coming from and where the hemorrhage is in the food budget. The human body actually needs a lot less food than you might think. Often just things with a lot of fiber really help get rid of hunger and lower your budget. (adding fiber does too, like throwing bran into white rice). Oh and snack on carrots and bananas they are cheap.

Oh, as far as what it costs per week, about 25-35$ for food. Maybe about 5$ for extra condiments, or drinks. it varies, one week I might need to buy coffee, another I might need a 25 pound sack of rice. I eat meat about 3 times a week, eggs twice, and vegetarian twice.