Eat for less: More grocery budget tips

I had $100 to spend and a lengthy list of items to buy. Bananas, pears, celery. Rice, eggs, cheese, bread, milk, cheese. Ground beef, cheese, chicken, cereal, cereal bars, cheese.

My frustration grew as my cart filled, the eye ever on the budget. I wanted sparkling water but decided to skip it since we now go through almost two gallons of milk a week. Orange juice wasn't on sale so I opted to get a smaller jar of peanut butter.

By the end, I tossed up my hands. I went back through the aisles and grabbed what I wanted. I was done with the budget and whatever we were over ... well, we were over.

I lucked out that week, staying under my budget and still getting some luxury items, but it's not always that way. It can take a lot more finessing to get the necessities and the fun stuff for the week.

But I've learned a few tricks that help me get what I want and keep it under budget.

Be loyal to a store — when it pays. Kroger is the most convenient store to my house, and the chain is also the most popular in the area. Like so many stores, they have a loyalty card, which offers savings and a way for the store to track purchases. It can feel a bit invasive but Kroger mails out loyalty coupons that can be applied to the items I buy most. Free cereal bars? Yes, please. And, while you are at it, I will take 50 cents off the rice that's on sale. Thanks for asking.

I also get fuel points at Kroger, and my $400 monthly spending at the store can save me $5 on gas. It's not a lot but I'll take it.

Shop in the morning. My neighborhood store will put perishable items on manager's special like clockwork — at 8 a.m. Meat that can go in the freezer and vegetables still with days of life can be found at a good discount. I try to make it at the store on Friday before work or Saturday before a run to get the best-looking products for the best price.

Get to know the employees. I shop at the same Kroger at the same time (usually) each week. I know the guy in the meat department, and he knows me. He knows I like to buy sale items, to which he'll direct me. I never would have bought chorizo had it not been for him but the $2.49 roll became two meals, including chili. Employees are also, at times, at liberty to further mark down items or make them free depending on the expiration. A Kroger employee gave me a six-pack of Tropicana juice boxes at no cost as he only had four days on them. It was an instance when being a regular shopper worked to my advantage.

Use coupons for the things you buy. I rarely use coupons from online sources or the newspaper because they are most often for things I don't buy. If I wouldn't get it at full price, I don't need it at a discount — no matter how great the savings is.

A note on this: Use the coupons only if it makes the deal better. For example, I had coupons for Laura's Lean Beef and Kroger's Simple Truth Chicken. I could use them whenever to save a bit but I waited. On Saturday, I found both products on manager's special, which equaled about double the savings.

If it's a good deal, buy it. On the most recent shopping trip, I didn't need either the beef or the chicken but I bought them. Yes, it cut into the budget for things I needed on that trip but it was going to save me for the next week. I do this especially with meat as it is often the most expensive thing on the list. A word of caution: I buy what I think I will use in the next month but no more. Grocery stores cycle specials and new coupons come out. I will be able to get a good sale again.

Plan double-duty dinners. There's a good chance that the Laura's Lean Beef will become meatballs next week. The first meal will be with pasta and sauce, and the second can be a meatball sandwich. Pulled pork and barbecue chicken are great for this, too.

Know what's worth your money. Mark drinks Tropicana orange juice. Period. The times I have tried to go to a lower cost beverage have been met with complaints and, sometimes, waste. I no longer try to save money on juice. However, there are no complaints when it comes to store brand cereal and pasta. I also alternate between the good stuff and the value items. One week, we get Private Selection ice cream (the best) and the next week it's Kroger brand or a sale item + coupon.

How do you save at the grocery?

Related post: Getting started on a budget

Getting started on a budget {A Three Things Thursday post}

With $40 in my hand as I pushed the cart, I was testing the definition of a tight grocery budget. I looked for the cheapest cuts of meat and then tried to find packages that were marked down further. I skipped the name brands, then the store brands and stocked up on the value products.

I was 14, and my parents were recently separated. My dad was lost, unsure of what to do with two kids - much less how to do it with the debt of two adults and one income. He wasn't a cook or a shopper, and his attempts at stocking up for a week's meals left him frustrated and upset.

So I volunteered.

In the six months that followed, I did my best to find the most amount of food for the least amount of price. I wasn't worried about health, quality and sourcing. I was worried about making sure everyone, most importantly my dad, had enough to eat.

Those days, and constraints, may be far behind but the memories are vivid. (I can still taste the canned ravioli that Dad watered down so it could go further.) It's not the case for some and it can be why I scoff when people will say that eating healthy isn't expensive. Sure, the grocery bill doesn't have to be outrageous when you put your focus on eating better but when just eating is expensive, the added pressure of "healthy" can be intimidating.

But it can be done.

Here are three meal ideas - breakfast, lunch and dinner - that come in under budget.

1. Breakfast: Eggs. Simple as that. I was recently listening to a Vinnie Tortorich podcast, and a guest said that eggs are one of the most complete proteins. They are also filling and affordable. A dozen of non-organic eggs at my Kroger comes in just under $2, and I buy the 18-pack carton for $2.99. You can hard boil the carton and eat two with salt and pepper. Make a frittata, using frozen veggies, and cut into individual portions. Or, if you have time, poach a couple and serve with toast.

Source

2. Lunch: I can easily spend upwards of $10 on lunch supplies for a week's worth of quote-unquote healthy lunches. It's not so bad when you consider that's what I spend when I got out but it's double what cheaper frozen meals cost. My solution: Dried beans, lentils and brown rice. For about $1.50 and a little prep time, someone has the building blocks of a nutrient dense, affordable lunch. Rice bowls are also insanely easy and versatile - add frozen or fresh veggies, choosing based on a "theme" (Mexican, Japanese, Indian) and it's done. Don't like bowls? Add some broth and turn it into soup. The beans and lentils serve as affordable protein options although one could easily use tofu or meat found on sale.

Bonus: You can prep lunch on Sunday and just grab and go throughout the week.

3. Dinner: The rule here is to keep it simple. It's fun to try new recipes and keeping the flavors fresh can help with adherence. However, a lengthy ingredient list can significantly increase the grocery bill. Some of my affordable favorites are Salsa Chicken - as a salad or wrap; homemade chili over a sweet potato (save on meat and add more beans); taco soup; and one-pot pasta.

This post was inspired by a beautiful friend who is starting her own journey. So give her some encouragement and share your budget meals!