Need suggestions on cutting food costs

[krobin02]

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!!!!!

[arkienurse]

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.

[anonymuse]

These 2 threads had some good suggestions:

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

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

[SinkingFast]

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.

[krobin02]

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


Kristina

[FilingOnMyOwn]

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

[SinkingFast]

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!

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

[Bobby'sGirl]

Dollar stores and warehouse stores...

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.

[FilingOnMyOwn]

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!

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.

[anonymuse]

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!

[SinkingFast]

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

Congrats, FOMO!!

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.

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!!

[jane taylor]

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!

[anonymuse]

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.

[Minnymouth]

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,

[anonymuse]

The Grocery Game

http://www.thegrocerygame.com/

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