Not your typical how-to-reduce-your-grocery-spending blog post

I hear you all the way down here in northern Vermont Renee! Our food budget is almost exactly the same percentage of our income - it is our number one expense for sure. We just put healthy food as the number one priority as far as spending goes. We buy all of our fruits and veggies organic, pasta, organic local raw milk, occastional local pastrue rasied beef and some juice (which we don't buy much juice). None of the saving money on groceries blogs speak to me either - we spend most our budget at a local natural food store and the rest at a small grocers. Our local general store offers a food coop buying club and I do order with them from time to time which helps. One cookbook I do like for whole foods (although it is not all) is More-with-Less by Doris Janzen Longacre. It is good to know that there is another family out there that shares this priority.

Blessings,

Tonya

I can't tell you how much reading this post has helped me. Through the years I've gone back and forth between spending more on quality ingredients and buying inferior junk because I want to be one of those "big savers" that I read so much about. It keeps sticking in my mind that our family of  shouldn't spend more than $100 a week at the most. But we spend way more...and while I do see areas where I'm wasteful (eating out too much and buying non-necessities like alcohol) I don't want to buy less. In fact, there are places on my list where I would like to spend MORE. Like switching from regular cod liver oil to fermented. Buying less meat but making the meat I do buy 100% organic and grassfed.

Thank you for the information on buying clubs!

I always appreciate these food-related posts - sooo discouraging sometimes reading blogs (especially American) re: super low food costs, even for those trying to eat a healthy diet. That just isn't my reality. We've always done alot of (but not exclusively) second-hand (clothing, dishes, vehicles, etc.) to help cut costs, rarely eat out, and when we do often choose a cafe rather than restaurant b/c it lowers cost - and I like it better anyways; we've lived mostly with one vehicle over the years though now have a second as there are 3 drivers in the house so we share but my husband still mostly walks to and from work; we attempt to be careful at home about energy use, etc... all so that we can buy real food and live within our means. I buy my staple grains, beans, seeds from an organic food coop but must also source many foods from the nearest city and because gas is costly we can't go in constantly so at times I run out of myhealthy options and do without or make do with foods from closer to home. We buy local organically raised eggs, honey from about 1 hour away when possible, and sometime buy part of a locally raised animal for the meat eaters in my home or joyfully accept wildmeat that friends need to get ride of to empty their freezers for hunting season.

Having said that, this past year or so has been rough. I've had to cut my food budget because we are paying for braces for my son and tuition for me in addition to a couple other rising costs in our budget. Ouch. I've tried, how I've tried, but I keep going over my (unrealistic) food budget and then pulling from other areas to compensate. Last month ALONE I overspent by $520 and looking in my kitchen you couldn't really tell! That ate up the $ I had been saving for a new clothes washing machine.

This is always such a balancing act - we put extra $ each month to pay off our mortgage early and there are months I wish we could literally EAT that money instead. But my husband and I both feel this is important to our major values and life goals of being entirely debt-free. Fortuntately, braces and tuition payments end this fall and we can reallocate most of that money toward groceries once again.

One area that I often consider where I could save money is in supplements - sometimes I want to quit buying any and instead put that $ toward food. But I read far too much convincing research regarding the benefits of fish oils and probiotics, as examples; also, because I believe I was seriously deficient in some areas following my 3rd pregnancy and my youngest had severe allergies/resulting behavioral issues which were resolved through diet but also supplementing, I cannot give this up entirely.

Oh dear, this is turning into a short essay:) I'll end by saying that I sooo appreciate your recognition that you are wealthy. So are we - I will happily wrestle with all of this because of the recognition that we are incredibly fortunate to even have choices, to have a home, and so forth.

I did try being part of a food buying club where we used to live.  It didn't save me much money at all, and was a lot of stress.  I hate to leave a negative comment about it, but I wonder how you made it work to actually save money AND not be stressful.  For me I was in charge of a lot of the emails and people would send their orders in late and some items wouldn't come.  I actually found that I had to be super careful about prices as sometimes (lots of times, actually) even buying in bulk did not compare to the grocery store prices (comparing organic and organic or conventional and conventional).  Maybe this would be better with other buying clubs. I found the one I was part of seemed to mainly sell prepared foods eg. packages of things.  They did have some bulk too but it wasn't all bulk.

Also wanted to add that we, too, spend a lot on food, and I also get discouraged about the prices I hear about on blogs.  I tried following one blog in particular about how they did things to make the food budget work for them and I came to the conclusion that we must need more food than that family.  I was really hungry and started losing a bit of weight trying to make the food stretch! Yikes!  I find being active and nursing = a lot of food needed.

thanks for sharing this. will definitely look into buying club in my area. have you ever shared some thoughts about supplements? i saw you wrote that you use them and would love if you share what you think are the important ones for adults and kids who eat mostly plant based food. thank you.

Just want to say that I really appreciate you being honest about the cost of eating healthfully, especially when it's more challenging to find healthy foods.  Because of health issues we were forced to change the way we eat (something that never would have happened otherwise, simply because my husband and I come from such differing backgrounds about food)--and we spend so, so much.  Now the health benefits are worth it, but I, too, have felt that nagging guilt that this should be an area of big savings.  It helps to just honestly face the fact that we'll have to save in other places (which we do) in order to be healthy.  I just read and so enjoyed both your other ebooks last night and this morning, so hopefully one day soon I will be in a position to think about a buying club...I know your ebook will be the perfect road map.  Your writing is always practical and encouraging.

 We also spend ALOT of money on food.  We eat absolutely no pre packaged processed foods, but to buy organic of everything isn't feasable either.  We would go broke in a hearbeat.  My kids eat ALOT and they are only  12,12,9,6 years old.  We also buy from a food buying club and the prices we pay are always cheaper than the HFS in our areas by a $1-$2 /package especially for things like almond flour, or coconut flour.  I was just wondering how you  budget for your family of 5, wondering what your secrets were on saving money, and thinking that we probably spend about the same amount probably more on our family of 6!  Sounds like we are saving in the same way!!  Thanks for the post, I like to hear others that eat like we do!!!

We 'save' on our food 'budget' by having low clinic bills.  i.e. Since we eat well, we're healthy, and typically are not ill.  Although we do not see that percentage saved on the bottom of our grocery receipt, I do believe our family can avoid some major health issues by eating well and being active.  I gave up on coupons long ago for they typically are for foods we don't eat (and, when we do eat 'those' foods we're tricked by the food science in the ingredients that it is good only to feel physically icky and crabby later on).  Also, we buy our clothes and as many items as possible used.  

However, a lot of my husbands income goes toward food for us and 3 kids under 10.  It doesn't exceed our cost of living, but maybe close if I actually looked at our bills.  Every so often I have a little cringe when the total at the co-op is given, I swallow, I pay, but know I wouldn't make any other decisions.  Our food values and non-negotiables seem similiar to yours and a few others who have commented here today (organic as much as possible, locally sourced/owned, supplements) and so I won't go into our overall approach too much.  Actually, it's encouraging to discover a little niche here of other families who think of a $100 a wk. food budget as low and hard to obtain without dropping some non-negotiables.  So, let's not feel guilty about this challenge to strive for nurishment and nutrition.  Isn't it worth the thriving in our days that we experience?

I have tried a sort of food buying club, but the first one I was involved in was a little stressful and am unsure of how to start one of my own.  A friend of mine and I did order together through a bulk company in dry goods last month, but to meet the minimum truck order was costly.  We need to expand our participants in order to make it worth the while.  All to say...  your book is mighty timely!  

Oh, I hear you!  We spend a fortune on food, and I used to get sucked into reading those "tips" for frugal food purchasing, even though they were aleays completely useless to me.  I shop all over the place here - I get raw milk and eggs from a nearby farm, I'm part of the buying club (same distributor as our co-op) we have a year round farmers market and I've got a prepay CSA with one farmer, I have a HUGE garden and grow berries, and I shop at the co-op (which is too $$) and the regular grocery store.  I am unable, so far, to get meat at prices that I feel are affordable (DH and kids eat meat, although not very much, I eat chicken or ground turkey on occasion) but I can't bring myself to buy meat at the grocery store!   I feel so lucky to have the resources close by that I do, but it's still a lot of money.  I try to keep in mind that I'm paying ahead, so to speak, to avoid paying the doctor!  (or insurance company, as the case may be)  If I can swing it, we'll do a meat CSA next year and I'll still get chicken/turkey from another local farmer.  Honestly, I can't fathom $100 a week - that is nowhere near manageable for our small family of 4, with the food choices we make.  I feel like I'm doing well if I keep it to $200 a week.

I'd really like to get out from under this house and it's oil furnace, so I could feel more comfortable spending what we do on food.  Honestly, if it weren't for our other expenses, I'd feel completely justified, because I really do like supporting the local farmers and the co-op here. 

And I think it's kind of funny that I imagined gardening would save me $ on food.  Based solely on the cost of seeds, it probably does, but there are a lot of other costs that have gone into it.  But starting my plants under electric lights, that's not a big savings!  And I can't generate nearly enough compost to cover my garden, so I pay for that, too!! 

I'm so glad you wrote this.  Our food budget is almost as much as our mortgage.  With food intolerances and trying to eat organic, it is really hard.  I got a free e-book once that talked about how to eat on $250 a month!  Their whole premise was to eat whatever was in the sale flyer at the cheapest grocery store.  There are rarely couons for what we buy.  I don't know that I have it in me to do a food club, but it's good to know that option exists now.  

Renee

Did you manage to organize a food buying club in Gaspé?  You are a very ressourceful person! You never cease to amaze me.

100$ per week for a family of 5 is impossible around here, even if you are the the cheapest junk food.  I didn't even think that was possible period.

Thanks for this blogpost. Very inspiring. 

Renee, this has nothing to do with the topic at hand, but I just wanted to say that you continually inspire and encourage me. I have been reading and being blessed by your blog for quite a few years. We are moving soon to a much smaller house. I am excited for the adventure ahead, but know that there will be struggles along the way. I know this is what God has for our family at this time. I am reading back through your archives on your own story of moving. It is really helping me and and as you always do, making me think! Well, I'm off to purge some more stuff! Thanks, again, for sharing your life with us! I hope you have a wonderful day in your beautiful part of the world!

I really needed to read this Renee, thank you!  We recently switched our family over to gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, absolutely no processed foods.....we are experimenting with GFDF for 6 weeks and I don't know that we will cut them out forever but I do know that I don't want us to ever go back to the processed foods, sugar, and flour!  We are all eating great and I'm very happy with how I feel now, but the amount of time it's taking me to meal plan, shop, and cook is knocking me off my feet!  We're only on week 2 so I know there's a learning curve and I'll get more efficient.  I've also been very worried about the amount we're spending on groceries right now and your post is reassuring!  I think I feel like I'm doing something wrong when I spend so much money on food!  I appreciate your grounded perspective as always.  :)

Oh how I love my food buying club! I could not live without one anymore! Our love affair with food buying clubs started in the Yukon 9 years ago and now our local FBC has such amazing local veggies and sprouts and greens that this was the number one thing we missed the most during our trip! So glad you started one in Gaspé!

I bought the book. I am excited to read about buying clubs, something I know little about. We buy almost no processed foods, make many foods from scratch, have some food allergies/intolerances, and prefer organics when possible, but I think we are also very fortunate to live in one of the most abundant parts of the country for fresh, local, affordable food  year round, that falls within our parameters. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

I try to do a little bit of both when it comes to food. I watch for sales and stock up when I can on things we use all the time. I try to by local and/or organic as much as possible. I am willing to pay more for things like bacon without additives because I know it is better for my family. (I can't give up bacon.) My store does have sales from time to time on organic products. I am starting to make my own mixes with recipes found online to save money, but I am using organic sugar, flour, etc in them. This saves time and means I am less likely to buy a convience item. I do have an organic garden, but it doesn't produce at the level I wish for feeding my family.

I think this is the first time I read a post on a blog about grocery that reflects our family situation...Feels great to know we are not alone!! I'll check our area for food buying clubs :) Thanks !!

Valerie