Welcome to my one hundred dollar a month grocery budget week #3 show and tell.
Before I show you the groceries I bought and the meals I ate this past week, I wanted to remind you of the ground rules I set for myself for this challenge.
The Ground Rules
- Start with absolutely nothing in the pantry.
- All my meals {and beverages too!} will be at the studio this month.
- No cheat days, free meals etc. If it’s going in my mouth, I’ll report it.
What’s In My Kitchen
- Hot plate, frying pan, saucepan & basic utensils {no oven!}
- Toaster
- Crockpot
- Rice cooker
- Microwave
The Plan Is Simple
- Start with $100
- Buy food
- Show you what meals I made/ate
Week 1 Shopping Trip
On my first shopping trip I spent $38.89. {What you see above.} I wrote about the meals I made HERE.
Week 2 Shopping Trip
On my second shopping trip I spent $38.58. I wrote about the meals I made in week #2 HERE.
Week 3 Shopping Trip
On my third shopping trip I spent $20.41 {leaving me with only $2.12 for the rest of the month!}
If you’ve been reading this blog for a really long time then you probably remember all those free boxes of produce I used to get from Mr. Produce Guy.
Long story short – We had chickens at the time and I’d stop by once a week and pick up a big box {sometimes more} of produce a local market had pulled before setting out the new stuff.
I’d go through the boxes, “reclaim” what was still good and then feed the rest of the produce to the chickens.
It was a clever way to save a lot of money on fruits and vegetables {for my family}, keep food out of the landfill and our chickens all at the same time. I did this for a period of 1 year, 9 months.
It was sort of crazy and time consuming but really eye opening to see how much an average grocery store threw away on a daily basis.
So needless to say, bruised fruit doesn’t bother me. Yes, I’d rather buy beautiful, unblemished fruit. And I think most people would too.
But when you can score bananas for $0.19 a pound, and apples and pears for $0.69 a pound {more than half off what they’d normally cost and you’re on a strict budget} you compromise and pick through the scratch and dent stuff to see if there’s anything worth while.
Sometimes there is and sometimes there isn’t.
And when it comes to finding a deal on ripe fruit, you can always make smoothies! And who doesn’t love a smoothie?
So I bought the discounted fruit and tossed the super ripe stuff in the blender and then poured the chunky puree into freezer containers.
The rest of the fruit I bought {which was more blemished than ripe} went in a big bowl on top of the refrigerator to eat just as I normally would throughout the week.
Another thing I did to save was to buy a gallon of milk {which is cheaper per ounce than buying a half gallon}. I divided the milk into two containers.
The plan was to use a half gallon for week #3 and freeze the second container and use it for week #4.
This is what my cupboard looked like for week #3 after my trip to the grocery store.
And this was was my fridge looked like. {I also had 4 eggs that I had just hardboiled that were sitting in the sink when this photo was taken plus ham and 2 servings of split pea soup in the freezer.}
Below Are The Meals I Ate This Past Week
Day 15
Breakfast – English muffin with peanut butter
Lunch – Split pea soup
Dinner – Split pea soup
Beverages – Tea with milk and sugar, water
Day 16
Breakfast – Fried eggs and ham on an english muffin
Linner – Ham and potatoes with plain yogurt on top
Beverages – Tea with milk and sugar, water
Day 17
Breakfast – steel cut oats, ½ chopped apple, yogurt
Lunch – Peanut butter english muffin
Dinner – Ham, potatoes, carrots, onions, red pepper friend in lard
Beverages – Tea with sugar, water {out of milk} 🙁
Day 18 {Grocery shopping day}
Breakfast – English muffin with peanut butter
Lunch – Split pea soup with a english muffin {I made a fresh batch of split pea soup}
Dinner – Peppers, carrots, hummus, hard boiled egg, cheese
Beverages – Tea with milk and sugar, water
Day 19
Breakfast – Steel cut oats with 2 bananas
Snack – Ham fried rice
Dinner – Chicken breast, cheesy potatoes
Beverages – Tea with milk and sugar, water
Day 20
Breakfast – Steel cut oats with chopped apple
Linner – Cheesy potatoes with chicken, plain yogurt, cheese
Snack- Red pepper, hummus and a hard boiled egg
Beverages – Tea with milk and sugar, water
Day 21
Breakfast – Steel cut oats with bananas and milk
Lunch – I made myself a darn quesaDILLa!
Dinner – Ham fried rice, a juicy pear
Beverages – Tea with milk and sugar, water
This is what the cupboard looked like at the end of the third week.
This is what the fridge looked like at the end of the third week.
And this is what my “freezer” section looked like. 😉
Tidbits
I only have $2.12 left to spend for the rest of the month on groceries. Clearly, I am going to run out of tea in a couple of days. I LOVE tea and I’ve re-used all my tea bags to the max. So do I buy a box of el cheapo tea, go over budget and buy the stuff I like, or just go without?
I’ve said from the beginning that I would like to finish the month with a little money in my pocket. And while $2.12 isn’t much, it would be nice not to spend it.
Penny Pinching Tips
Rotisserie chickens really are one of the best deals at the grocery store!
Potatoes are FILLING!
Also, I don’t know how long an opened container of plain yogurt is supposed to last but I’ve still got some left. It doesn’t taste like yogurt anymore, but more like sour cream so I’ve been using it on top of my potatoes. 🙂
All in all it was another great week in the meals department.
I bought basic things, stretched my one hundred dollar a month grocery budget pretty far and took advantage of the cold weather here in Maine to make some freezer meals {more split pea soup, smoothie cubes, ham fried rice}.
I know I have plenty of food to make it to the end of the month {and even longer}. All I really need to do is stay away from the grocery store.
It’s amazing to me how much less sugar I’ve consumed this month. Do I miss pastries and cookies? YES. But I also don’t crave them as much as I used to either.
How wild is that?
~Mavis
Michelle says
You’ve done awesome! I drink coffee and would rather starve then go without
Audra says
Maybe there is a place in your town where you could get bulk tea and buy exactly as much as you want?
I know it goes against your rules a little bit (just shopping at the one store) but just thought I would mention the idea
Brianna says
I wish my grocery store had a discount produce section, instead they pack it all up and send it to the food bank. Was the blender part of the original equipment or added? You have been very resourceful and congrats on the ingenuity of recipes and eating well.
Mavis Butterfield says
It was in the studio, so I used it! 🙂
OregonGuest says
Nice work on the quesadilla, Napoleon! You should trade one of those bad boys for a box of tea!
Mavis Butterfield says
HA HA HA!! I can’t say quesadilla without saying quesaDILLA out loud!!
Sandra says
I am so proud of you. I feel quite certain you are going to make it. You are surely a woman with a will of steel. What an example you set for the rest of us.
Linda M says
Do you have a Dollar Tree? If so,go grab some tea for like $1.50. Or check a dollarish store. Bet you can find a cheapo option.
So proud of you! Appreciate you doing this and sharing. Thank you !
I have to avoid most sugar. Sugar makes you crave more sugar. Once you pull away from it, you crave it less and less. And if you do indulge, it will probably taste almost sickening sweet to you.
Mavis Butterfield says
So true about once you eat less and less sugar {or anything really}, you crave it less.
Linda M says
Forgot you said you’d only shop one store. My bad!
Lesley says
AMEN about the sugar.
Mallory L. says
I think that outdoor freezer has earned you a “Mainah” badge for sure. Working on prepping for the incoming weather, and the “porch cooler” is one of them. Stocked with the basics incase the power goes out. We have a generator but don’t run it except as needed.
I love that Market Basket takes the time make “scratch and dent” product available!
The quality/price/selection seems to vary store to store. I’ve been a bit disappointed in the price and state at the two Southern Maine MBs, often moldy/rotted and minimal markdown (bananas being the exception). However, I have scored huge at the “new” Rochester, NH location many times in the early morning hours (.49c/lb on almost everything), and in great condition. Gives me hope for the ME stores. They do do a great job marking down dairy and other cold case items, including eggs on occasion (ones with a broken egg or two).
I’ve loved following along and can’t wait to see the final update! We try to keep it to $250/month for two adults and a toddler. Normalizing “seconds” and markdowns is a large part of how we make it work – along with cooking at home, packing work lunches, and utilizing sales. I often feel like one of those math textbook word problems buying large quantities of sale items.
Mavis Butterfield says
$250 a month for groceries is a great budget, and probably smaller than most. You’re doing great Mallory!
Cindy R says
Can you barter a bowl of split pea soup or a smoothie with your husband in exchange for a few tea bags?
Mavis Butterfield says
No bartering this month, just using my $100 budget and what I bought. 🙂
eliz says
Love tea!
It would be nice not to go without tea since you really enjoy it throughout the day, although isn’t is all decaf? Hard to tell you have tea in your mug. I guess you like it weak and milky!
I tried the tea pigs english breakfast you recommended and it is good. Thanks! Do you ever buy it? Do you also like the Tea Pigs Earl Grey?
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes it’s decaf. Tea pigs is really good tea!!
Kari says
I know you planned to shop at just one store, but our Winco sells Stash tea bags individually for about .18 ea, I believe. If you have a similar store, you could grab just a few to tide you. Alternatively, grab a small hunk of ginger and grate a tiny bit into some hot water to steep. You could even get one lemon to add a pinch to it. It’s no earl gray, but quite tasty. Just a thought. Two bucks could get you something to tide you through the week.
You have done such a great job. I think I could totally complete a similar challenge, and maybe it would be a good excuse to take a vacation away from the five young adults that are currently living in my home.
Elise in the SF Bay Area says
Oh yes, the lemon hot water is a great idea. Unless lemons are crazy expensive where you are? If a restaurant doesn’t have decaf black tea, I just order hot water with lemon instead, after dinner, etc.
Deb from Ohio says
Could you make apple peel tea? It wouldn’t be as good, but it would be a hot, sweet beverage for you
Tina says
You can make apple/pear skin tea – Just use the washed peels and seep in hot water. Add milk and sugar.
Lucy from SC says
Just totally amazed at your accomplishments with the food budget. Love your freezer. I’m in South Carolina and starting tonight our weather is a really going to be cold, icy, high probability of loing power. Just praying no trees will fall on my house as I have so many tall pines.
Claire says
Don’t go over budget! You’ve done such a great job. Are you in a group or know somewhere they provide tea and coffee and grab a few there? Sneaky but not buying.
Esther says
Did you eat the donuts? You are a very disciplined person!
Mavis Butterfield says
ALL of them in week 2. 🙂
Heather says
I love this series! So many ideas. Have you considered budgeting for some powdered milk or a can of unsweetened condensed milk? You could put it in your tea and use it for other things. With all the leftovers you have (meat, veggies, etc.) how about frittata, that would yield a few meals and could be used for any meal of the day. Also I see you have cheese, veggies and english muffins. How about a veggie melt with our without meat?! So excited to see what you come up with next!
Rj says
Day 17 dinner……… ‘friend’ in lard” Thanks for a good “typo” laugh!
Michelle C says
Every time you share grocery prices I die of envy! I am sure you recall well the insane prices of groceries in the PNW. I wish we had a Market Basket. I wonder how much I could save on our groceries? You have inspired me to grab a few basic things this month and get a bit more creative to keep costs low. The hard part is getting the rest of the family on board to eat beans or peas. But we do eat a lot of rice and potatoes. I think we will finish the month at $200 per person (times 8 people). It costs a mortgage to feed us.
Mallory Lemieux says
Thank you! I’m glad I enjoy cooking and home economics/finance as it makes it a bit of a game. In the end we aren’t super strict about it, as we are privileged to be able to absorb additional spend as needed. It really highlights that the ability to be frugal is in many ways a privilege, as buying ahead/higher quality items have that higher upfront cost that many are not able to absorb – especially on a whim.
Jess says
I just saw, probably a YouTube short, that one can buy whole, uncooked, rotisserie chickens from Costco in bulk for about $5 each. The couple was cutting them into portions, legs, breasts, etc to freeze for later use. That’s a pretty good deal! Then one can cook however they please!
Marcia says
I am super duper impressed. Even though my budget was blown after your second week, yay California. And I now have a sudden urge for split pea soup. I am having lentil soup for lunch today, which is similar.
Great job on the bruised fruit. I am not sure any stores here really have that anymore.
Ashley B says
I’m enjoying this series as well. As much as you want to keep that $2, I would go ahead and get the tea. Life is short, allow yourself the tea. Or, if you were at a friend or neighbors who offered you tea, keep the bag, and reuse? Or, ask if they’re letting any go….I clean stuff out and give it to my neighbors all the time. Sometimes I ask for some of it back when I realize I’m out lol.
I recently went on a six day car trip and only spent $60 on food. I packed food and a cooler and was very economical. However, with the cold having a warm meal was really nice once day. I would often buy a hot meal and then have it over one or two meal times as portions are big, to me at least.
This month we spent about $300 on groceries, however I also add in things like pet food and supplies, and paper and cleaning products. We have been eating in and trying not to waste any left overs. We are very efficient when we make the time. Because I work full time staying on top of cooking every day/night and avoiding food waste is actually a bit of a time taker. Worth it, but it’s those busy nights with afterschool or work committements that always seem to get us. I will buy oven pizza etc to have as easy meal options, so we stay out of the drive thru lane on those nights.
Thanks again, it’s great to see how restraint can still have great meals!!