Were you inspired to try your hand at Freezer Cooking this week but skeptical as to whether it's possible to do on a budget? FishMama shares tips for Freezer Cooking on the Cheap for her Frugal Friday post today.
Just for the record, everything I used to make my meals this week was well within our $40/week grocery budget. Best of all? We've yet to even touch any of the grocery money for the month of November–and I already have a freezer full of meals! Which means–you guessed it!–I'll even have more wiggle room to stock up this month on bulk purchases (and maybe even to splurge on some more healthful ingredients–like the coconut oil I've been eyeing for the past few months!).
Truly bulk-buying and bulk-cooking are allowing us to eat much more healthfully on a very slim grocery budget. It's taken some practice and time to get there, but that practice and time is starting to really pay off.
Another website that you might be interested in is http://www.simplylivingsmart.com They take some of your current ideas of food storage and planning a step further and they encourage a healthy direction. We also have 2 food co-ops in our area that I have used in the past and food from them can be much cheeper than from whole foods and simular stores.( although you don’t get as good clerance items)
I read a post on bulk coconut oil for a great price on the Kitchen Stewardship website, I’m going to order some later this month!
http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/08/13/a-good-deal-on-top-fats/
I just want to thank you for being so inspirational and uplifting. I thought of you last night when the news said they may extend the first-time $8K homeowners credit until mid-next year. I remember you saying that you wouldn’t take a small mortgage to qualify for the credit this year but it looks like now you may not have to! I got so excited for you and I don’t even know you! I love to see your progress each month (isn’t that time of the month again?).
It reminds me of a quote “live like no one else now so you can live like no one else later”.
$40 a week for groceries? How do you do it? We budget $120 and a big chunk of it is fresh produce and raw dairy products. $40 would cover just fruits and veggies…details on how you do it please? 🙂
Where do you find coconut oil? I’ve been looking for it.
Wow, $40? You’re incredible!! Since I’m preparing for impending morning sickness, I went all out and spent $250 at the grocery store. Granted, that’s enough meals for at least two months and then a bunch of morning sickness essential foods for me (key lime pie yogurt, Cambell’s chicken noodle soup, applesauce, etc….all foods easily “revisited”…ugh).
I do wish I could find cheap ground beef around here. It’s always at least $1.99/lb and that’s when you buy it in bulk (which they’re out of at the grocery store very often) and low quality/high fat.
This has inspired me so much I have been doing research and finding a bulk of recepies and I’m setting my baking days for Saturdays once a month starting tommorow. Saturdays work best for me cause hubby is home to help with kiddos and I have all day to focus on cooking.
Oh, I hope you get the coconut oil! I’ve been using it for the past several months, and we love it. The unrefined kind is so good in pancakes, and baked goods, and makes the best popcorn (the old fashioned way… in a pan, on the stove). I use refined to cook and saute things when I don’t want a mild coconut flavor. It’s really good for you too… but I’m sure you know that. Good luck, and I can’t wait to see what you stock up on this month.
Wow Crystal that is impressive! I thought you used a major portion of your grocery budget to make this many meals!Yay for you!