Monthly Food Budget

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Monthly Food Budget

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amother

Thu, Jun 17 2010, 2:48 pm

I know we've had quite a few threads about this. For all those who would like to know why I am posting anonymously, I don't feel like advertising that we had to get food stamps and chessed coupons.

I want to know if those of you who are particularly food budget savvy, if you think a family of 5, almost 6 B"H can eat healthily and well on $600. I think it can be done, but I'm still nervous. I have all my kids home all day and some of them have sleeping issues, so it's not so simple around here. Sometimes I like to have it easy and pop fish sticks and frozen fries in the oven, even though it's not the healthiest or most budget conscious decision.

I do make many of our baked goods and things for health reasons, as we avoid food colorings and as many preservatives as possible.

I live in Brooklyn.

amother

Thu, Jun 17 2010, 2:51 pm

OP here. Forgot to add a few facts. By having my kids home all day and having to make many of my husband's lunches, that is included in the food costs.

Also, one can't eat dairy and a few other food allergies, and the others are particular about meat and almost no fish. They love fruits and vegetables and whole grain muffins etc, but the meat proteins are difficult to get in them. So I sometimes feel like I'm dancing around the lunch and dinner menus.

amother

Thu, Jun 17 2010, 2:55 pm

We are a family of 5, almost 6, and our monthly food budget is $500. We try to eat healthily (avoiding additives, using whole grains, etc.). We get WIC, but no food stamps or other help with food. So I think is is very possible. Our budget was $500 before we got WIC, too. My kids are home all day at eat a lot. My husband often buys lunch, but those costs come from our $500 budget as well. No allergies here, but I am starting to try a special diet for one of my children for some special needs she has, so I am trying to work with that, too.

amother

Thu, Jun 17 2010, 2:57 pm

OP here.

Thanks for answering. You gave me encouragement. I don't get WIC. Do you find it hard to do? It seems a bit like a hassle to me so I was hesitant to try.

fiddle

Thu, Jun 17 2010, 3:26 pm

we are a family of 4, home all day, dh gets sent with lunch and supper. We spend 1000 shekel per month. I understand we are at different locations which definitely make a difference but it may even out bc some stuff here are more pricey than stuff there, same with cheaper. I find that shopping on Sunday with a full weeks meal plan, shabbos included, saves us a ton of money. One night a week we generally have something simple like macaroni cheese and corn, but the rest of the week includes some kind of chicken dish, ground chicken dish (don't like ground beef) and possibly a pareve choice of fish n chips which my kids actually eat. Sunday there is leftovers as I make extra food for this reason. Shabbos isn't crazy but when I have guests I will go over the weekly budget since many people are not satisfied with a simple dinner.

amother

Thu, Jun 17 2010, 3:31 pm

OP here.

I have been debating doing a meal plan. I have heard some people rave about, and others not.

What about doing a meal plan really helps? Because you buy only those things and stick to it therefore it decreases your food costs?

Again, thanks to everyone who is responding.

amother

Thu, Jun 17 2010, 3:34 pm

We are a family of 8 with many food allergies and my weekly food budget is 350 thats not including occasional take outs.

amother

Thu, Jun 17 2010, 3:35 pm

amother wrote:

We are a family of 8 with many food allergies and my weekly food budget is 350 thats not including occasional take outs.

So that comes to $1400 a month. My monthly is $600 for 5, almost 6.

saw50st8

Thu, Jun 17 2010, 3:37 pm

If you are worried about proteins, try alternatives like chick pease, eggs, lentils...

amother

Thu, Jun 17 2010, 3:42 pm

Yes , but that includes pampers paper goods shampoos detergents........

amother

Thu, Jun 17 2010, 3:46 pm

amother wrote:

Yes , but that includes pampers paper goods shampoos detergents........

Okay, I see. That makes a difference for me though. I can't include those things on my food stamps or chessed coupon budget.

saw50st8, I do try to include those things. I guess I'm just a little discouraged but trying to be encouraged because two kids can't eat eggs. Two kids have sensory issues and some foods seem to freak them out. I work around it, but I was just wanting to hear from others with similar (or even smaller) budgets how you make it work.

I love simple Shabbos meals, because nothing gets wasted.

amother

Thu, Jun 17 2010, 3:47 pm

I always thought that we were spending too much on food. I reasoned that if I would be elligible for food stamp we would get $1000 a month and thats only for food. The govt probably based in on how much food our family would need, (and thats for non kosher food)

amother

Thu, Jun 17 2010, 3:49 pm

amother wrote:

OP here.

I get $330 in food stamps. The rest is chessed coupons. I am thinking about a food pantry that is within the community too. We have been really struggling financially. I wish we could live in a cheaper apartment, but moving costs a lot of money and we have a nice place, nice size, nice landlords. The rent is reasonable but they make us pay for heat and that really affects our utilities.

fiddle

Fri, Jun 18 2010, 12:23 am

I write down exactly what I need ingredients included and buy just that no more. If I know I will only be using 4 cucumbers during the week, that's all I am gonna buy. Same with the rest. I buy what I need and nothing more and don't end up 'needing' something bc it's sitting there on the shelf calling my name.

alpidarkomama

Sat, Jun 19 2010, 11:51 pm

We have 6 and easily stay on that budget. Lots of beans (mostly chick peas, black beans, and pinto beans), lentils, eggs, homemade soy milk and yogurt. Meat on shabbos only (occasionally one other night). Usually real meat on Friday night and Saturday lunch is a stretched meat (meat balls, cabbage rolls, chicken salad, etc.). Takes a lot less meat per person in a recipe like that. LOTS of salads with the salad course. I had 10 people for lunch today and the total amount of ground beef consumed (in cabbage rolls) was 1/2 pound! And, really, they were good. Smile

We also do breakfast for lunch 1x/week and breakfast for dinner 1x/week. Homemade bread is CHEAP (costs me about 50 cents for a 1.5 pound loaf) and filling if made w/whole wheat. At the end of the week I toss in all the leftovers and make a big soup. Kind of like a free meal.

Homemade french fries are nearly as easy to make as frozen. A medium-sized potato per person, slice them, dress them with oil, matzo meal, and salt and bake for 45 minutes or so at 425. Much better-tasting then the frozen kind.

Grains are good and cheap too, and there's such a variety!! Oatmeal is even great raw with a little milk or raisins.

You can do it!!

JRKmommy

Mon, Jun 21 2010, 3:54 am

It's challenging, but if you do a meal plan and don't have a lot of Shabbat guests, it's possible.

I've been weaning my kids off of the quick junk, and looking for easy, kid-friendly stuff to make instead.

Turkey meatballs have been a hit with the kids.

They also started eating baked salmon fillet instead of fish sticks (only one meal instead of two to make, it's just as fast, and the fillet is actually cheaper).

They get pasta one night.

Here's a sample of our menu plan:

http://sites.google.com/site/w.....menu/

amother

Mon, Jun 21 2010, 7:55 am

Thanks for posting that JRKMommy. And alpidarkomama, I love to make breads and muffins. I appreciate everyone's responses.

alpidarkomama

Mon, Jun 21 2010, 9:01 am

JRKmommy wrote:

They also started eating baked salmon fillet instead of fish sticks (only one meal instead of two to make, it's just as fast, and the fillet is actually cheaper).

Yes, when you look at the price per pound of things like fish sticks and corn dogs, it might shock you! Plain fish is a LOT cheaper!

JRKmommy

Mon, Jun 21 2010, 3:20 pm

When it comes to things like potatoes, there's no comparison - plain potatoes are FAR cheaper. If you have a microwave, baked potatoes are almost no effort.

Canned, diced tomatoes are an easy meal maker. I use them as a based for black bean soup, chili, curry, spaghetti, meatballs and beef stew cholent.

I make chocolate chunk oatmeal muffins for snacks. Far cheaper than buying junk, and you can make the recipe nutritious. I make my own muffin mix on Sundays, by combining 1 cup whole-grain flour, 1 cup rolled oats, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 cup chocolate chunks, and 1/4 cup sugar. I fill several plastic containers with mix, and then write on the lids: "Muffin Mix: add 2/3 cup apple sauce, 1/2 cup oil and 1 egg." In the morning, in the time that it takes to preheat the oven, I can grab the mix, add the liquid ingredients, and mix and spoon the batter into the silicone muffin pan. It bakes for 25-30 min while I take a shower, and then we've got fresh-baked bliss.

Pancakes are easy as well. Again, pre-mix flour, rolled oats, and baking powder, and then just add the milk and egg when you are ready to cook the pancakes. It's really cheap, but comes across as a treat.

I've also been stocking up on resealable frozen fruit, which was on sale here. It doesn't go bad like fresh fruit, so I use only what I need, throw it into the blender with some juice and water, and drink a smoothie for breakfast.

Great spices can make the cheapest dishes taste great and exciting. I love garlic and buy tons of it. Plain beans are boring, but you can make so many different varieties of hummus and bean dips, which are cheap and fast. I make them for Shabbat, and use the leftovers for wrap fillings during the week.

Buy produce in season. Talk to the people at the grocery store, find out when the fresh produce comes in, and when the best time is to look at the reduced shelf. Some bargain produce is better than others - I find that peppers disintegrate quickly, but cauliflower is fine if you cut away brown bits, wash very well, and steam it.

moe770

Wed, May 02 2012, 5:37 pm

We spend about 700 a Month for family of 2 adults and 1 toddler Nd non eating baby. We are out of townso cholov yisroel is way expensive. I make all food- bread baked goods even yogurt sometimes. I send husband to work with lunch and breakfast, we don't buy junk food or prepared foods except for pretzels and rice cakes! I feel like I am so cheAp with what I buy. The hardest part is the produce, you need it for the healthiness of it but there's not really a way to get around that expense. Well, we are planting a garden but that's a longer term non reliable project.

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