By Jamie Salvucci
Everyone is feeling the squeeze at the grocery store, but we manage to feed our family of seven on about $200 to $225 per week.
As the mom and shopper, I have had to get pretty creative on that tight budget to keep everyone fed. There are ways to cut food expenses.
Prepackaged foods cost the most. The more you make from scratch, the more money you save. Curate some simple recipes everyone loves. For example, tacos. You can easily make homemade spice packets for tacos (or chili). Grate your own cheese. Or, try homemade pancakes. This barely takes any longer to prepare than the boxed mixes. Soups and bean dishes can be dinner for a weekend.
For those packaged items you must purchase, stick to the store brand versions or stock up when items are on sale. Stick to cheaper cuts of meat. Keep an eye out for 'Manager's Special' stickers. These items are about to expire. Use them right away or freeze.
Focus on staples. Stock up on flour, sugars, oats, butter, milk, yeast, and oil. You can make bread, pancakes, and cakes. Look into options for the purchase of bulk staples. I purchase flour and other staples in 50-pound bags at a co-op. This lasts us a few months and is considerably cheaper than grocery store options. Whip up a quick batch of oatmeal cookies, or banana bread. Homemade bread makes a great snack and combined with soup is a good dinner, although we buy a loaf of sandwich bread every week. Make your own pie crusts. It is not as difficult as it sounds (and you can freeze them).
Cut out sodas, juices and sports drinks, except for special occasions. Your kids will be fine with just water, despite what they might tell you.
Right now, eggs are particularly expensive. Keep a few chickens, if possible. One chicken will generally lay an egg a day. Just a few can provide enough eggs for your family. Bonus: They will eat your table scraps and soggy cereal that your kids don't want to finish.
Make a menu plan based on what you can get on sale that week. Having a plan helps cut down on last minute purchases.
Finally, teach your kids to cook and bake. Preparing foods from scratch can be more time-consuming, so get everyone involved. Even my nine-year-old can mix together simple recipes when everyone is looking for a sweet treat.
Jamie Salvucci and her husband are raising five children in the Poconos of Pennsylvania.
