Intentional Meal Planning: Budget

Now that we have our why, it’s time to prepare! Today we are going to talk budget.

My goal today is to get you ready to plan. I used to run to the grocery store, wandering the aisles and wonder how on earth we are going to get a meal plan together. I’d come home with a giant grocery bill and a whole lot of food we never ate. So this post and the next one will help you set yourself up for success.

Up today, budget and spending! I regularly hear from families that their grocery budget is too high, or that they have no idea how much they spend. Although budgets can be a pain (I hate them!) they make a world of difference. When you know how much you spend and how much you plan to spend, you can get your finances in order.

Only you and your family can set your budget, but I’m going to use mine as an example here. I recommend setting your numbers in place for the month or the year, giving you a bird’s eye view, and then dividing it into weeks. I have a goal of grocery shopping once per week, so I divide my spending accordingly.

Before I lay out our family’s plan, I also want to tell you the secret to sticking to our budget: CASH. A couple times a month I withdraw cash from the bank, divide it up, and use it for groceries and a few other categories. When my cash is gone, my spending is done. Honestly, this is super difficult for me, but it proves effective. It also forces me to get creative in how I shop if I know I only have so much cash in my wallet!

Budget

Our family spends $400/ month on groceries (around $90 per week). I plan meals weekly for our family of five (three children, ages 7, 4, and 1 plus two adults). We divide up our spending quite a bit, so this $400/month only accounts for actual food. We have a separate out-to-eat budget that allows us to go out a couple of times a month. I also have $60/month for household goods—this includes paper products, cleaning supplies, personal care items, makeup, etc, and $100/month for kids—diapers, clothes, kid activities, etc. The last category I’ll mention is what we call our “hosting budget.” We hold $40/month in an account that we use if we have families over for a big dinner or a house guest. We don’t use this every month, but we let it accumulate so we have what we need for hospitality.

So how does all this work together? I usually bring $80-100 in cash to the grocery store, plus I keep the $60 household cash in my wallet, spending as needed until it’s gone. Your budget might look different than mine, but the point is the same—make a plan and stick to it. Give yourself the goal of not overspending for a month and see how you do.

Spending

Several of the responses on Instagram were how I only spend $90 a week on groceries. Truth be told, it’s actually the most I’ve every spent! I’ve used this budget in both Colorado and North Carolina, so I have found it works in multiple areas of the country. Here are a few of the strategies I use:

Buy what’s in season.

When it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables, I could easily spend my whole budget! I have learned to buy what’s in season. I do a quick scan through the fruits and veggies, then grab whatever is on the best sale. Rather than aiming for variety each week, I aim for variety throughout the year. So we may eat a lot of asparagus for awhile, but we’ll switch to broccoli or green beans later.

This also works on some non-perishables. Baking supplies are usually cheapest between October and December. During those months, I use a portion of my weekly grocery budget on flour, sugar, and chocolate chips so I’m stocked up for the year.

Buy in “bulk.”

We don’t have a Costco membership, so bulk is a loose term. What I do is purchase products I know we’ll use in larger quantities when they go on sale. I have a general tally in my head of what good prices are on different items. If I see something at a great price, I stock up. For example, my kids love Annie’s brand organic mac & cheese. It’s usually $1.50-$2 per box. $1 per box is a great price, so when I see it at that price, I buy 10 boxes. Or if chicken happens to drop below $1.99/lb I’ll get 10 lbs. and freeze it. When Ben and I first got married, we had pasta night at least once a week—we used to wait for our favorite pasta sauce and noodles to go on sale and then buy 20 jars and 20 boxes of noodles. We eat a little less pasta now, but the idea is the same!

Use your freezer!

Like I mentioned with chicken above, when I find a good price on meat, I buy it and freeze it. I like using quart size freezer bags so it’s pre-portioned and easier to defrost.

I like to buy frozen veggies in the freezer aisle. Did you know that for around $1 you can get a back of frozen, chopped onion that’s about the same as 3 onions? I love these because they don’t go bad and they’re so much easier to cook with! I also buy veggie stir fry blends, peppers & onions, and frozen corn.

I also like to freeze cookie dough balls. When I bake, I’ll double the batch and freeze half in balls. Next time I need cookies, I don’t have to do a last minute store run for chocolate chips or flour.

Shop around.

After years of shopping, I know what costs less where. Particularly since we’ve moved to North Carolina, I buy certain things at certain stores. I typically do my weekly grocery shopping by stopping at Aldi first, then finishing at Harris Teeter. I also have a short list of items that are cheapest at Wal-Mart. Sometimes I’ll set aside a little money and grab those items the next time I’m shopping there. In Colorado, I used to buy most things at King Soopers (a Kroger store) and follow up at Sprouts Farmers Market.

Buy less organic.

I know, I know, organic is all the rage right now. Personally? I’m not always convinced that organic is the best way to go. Sometimes it feels more like a brand tax than an actual difference. I tend to look for more “natural” products or a small ingredients lists than organic. And while I do look for “no growth hormones” in my milk, eggs, and meat, I don’t buy free range or organic unless the price is right. For produce, I try to buy organic if it’s on the dirty dozen list, but otherwise I stick to regular.

Skip the name brands.

Unless you have a very favorite product (for us it’s Blue Bell Ice Cream), skip the name brand and go generic. You can usually find a product that’s basically the same thing for much less money.

Choose a “meat of the week” and use it multiple times

This week I bought 3 ½ lbs of chicken. Yesterday we had grilled chicken, tonight we’re eating chicken tacos, and later this week I’ll make chicken curry. Last week I used ground beef for tacos and hamburgers. Another week Ben smoked a pork butt that we used as pulled pork, taquitos, and pork sandwiches. I aim for around 3 days with the “meat of the week” and then fill in with vegetarian options or out-to-eat days in between.

Have a few weekly meal staples.

We always eat some form of tacos on Tuesday and make homemade pizza on Friday or Saturday night. I know this, so I am always planning ahead for the ingredients. When cheese goes on sale I buy a lot and freeze it. I do the same with tomato sauce.

Keep your options simple.

With three kids, the name of the game is easy. We give our kids a few good options for breakfast (oatmeal, toast, or cereal) and lunch (PBJ, grilled cheese, turkey sandwich, mac & cheese), and our family all eats the same dinner. I also buy a few snacks (off brand!) in large boxes for the kids to enjoy.  I don't buy juice, soda, pre-made lunch kits, or individually pre-packaged snacks. Honestly, they're bad for kids anyways and they are expensive. I have a couple reuseable snack bags I send to school with Eli or take to the park instead.

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Take the next week and set your budget with your partner. Find a number you can both agree on, then give it a go for at least a month before you make changes. And let me know how it goes! I can't wait to hear!