Saturday, February 6, 2010

How to Feed a Family of 4 For Around $100 a Week (The Grocery List PART 1)

You will notice right off the bat you aren't buying soda, cookies and snacks. As the pantry builds you will have be more flexibility with your budget but I am assuming it's bare. If you have some items in your pantry already, then your budget will have money for these things you deem necessary.

I have not used store brands but rather name brands in my planning and I priced items based on our local Walmart Store. I have additionally not filled your stomach with things like rice, grits, oatmeal, dried beans, store bought Mac and Cheese or processed food. So in order to hone in on your specific budget you certainly have flexibility. It may be useful to get the Sunday paper each week and to clip the coupons for those items you use regularly or go online and get them there. 

Smoked 1/2 Picnic Ham $8.50
2 Fryer Chickens or Cut Up Chicken $9
3 Gallons Milk $10.50
1 Lb Butter $3.50
2 Dozen Eggs $3.75
8 Cups 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese $8.75
1 Quart Buttermilk $1.75
1 Lb Penne Pasta $1.25
2 Lbs Angel Hair Pasta $2.50
2 Cans Hunts Pasta Sauce $2.25
1 Canola Oil $3.25
5 Lbs All Purpose Flour $2.50
1 Box Light Brown Sugar $1.00
5 Lbs Sugar $3.50
Baking Powder $1.25
Baking Soda $.75
Salt $.55
Progresso Seasoned Bread Crumbs $2.00
3 Boxes Cereal $7.50
1 Peanut Butter $2.00
1 Grape Jelly $3.00
1 Small Ranch Dressing $2.00
3 Loaves Natures Own or Similar Bread $7.50
20 Flour Tortillas $2.00
1 Real Orange Juice (Calcium Enriched) $3.00
1 Apple Juice $3.00
1 5 Lb Bag Russet Potatoes $3.00
1 Lb Bag Carrots $.75
Fresh Broccoli Crowns $1.50
1 Yellow Onion $.50
Fresh Green Beans $2.50
2 Roma Tomatoes $.75
1 Ice Berg Lettuce $1.35
8 Bananas $1.50
2 Golden Delicious Apples $1.00

This first week totals $109.40 and it assumes nothing is on sale. (For example, I paid $.99 for the Potatoes, not the $3.00 listed) I also rounded up prices for the produce. When shopping at Walmart, if you bring the circular for another store with you, they will honor their price. You may also want to purchase the item at the other store if the location is convenient to you.
Pancakes and Buttermilk Biscuit recipes are on this site already. All others made from scratch will follow soon, then we'll move to week 2.

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