Groceries! Dish it out...

[BrokenRecord]

I don't know if this is the same as "The Dollar Store" which we have here- where everything is either $1 or $2...but this is great advice!!! I realized this year how much stuff you can get at these places which cut down on the price! Tooth paste, cleaning supplies, paper towel! It's amazing!!!

Yes!! They also have a Betty Crocker line of cooking utensils and tubberware here...for $1!! I always go to the Dollar Store for cleaning supplies, paper towels, gift bags, etc. Sometimes I have to watch myself because I'll end up spending way more than what was intended, throwing stuff in the cart, those dollars still add up in the end! Lol.

[Dal PhDer]

Yes!! They also have a Betty Crocker line of cooking utensils and tubberware here...for $1!! I always go to the Dollar Store for cleaning supplies, paper towels, gift bags, etc. Sometimes I have to watch myself because I'll end up spending way more than what was intended, throwing stuff in the cart, those dollars still add up in the end! Lol.

Haha! I know! I always get home and unpack my bags and find stuff I don't remember getting...it's like "I don't need this ceramic country pig S&P shaker!!"

It's a dangerous store! And I'm not afraid to admit that I occasionally buy their food there...but I am scared as to why it's a $1...I have a feeling it fell off a truck and got damaged, or is a couple months past good! I haven't died yet though!

[TropicalCharlie]

Having lived in Hawaii where many grocery items cost twice as much as mainland prices, I had to adjust and make the most of my food. It was easy to spend as much as $200 for 2 people and not even get a full week of groceries there. One thing we did and still do now to extend our food while keeping within budget is making a main protein dish that can be used in different dishes for the rest of the week. Buying a big chunk of pork shoulder on sale and making chile colorado or kalua pork in our crock pot, then using the meat in quesadillas, tacos, ramen, fried rice, etc. It really saves time on busy days when our schedule is a bit funky and prevents us from eating out since the main ingredient is already prepared, and we just have to assemble it into a meal. Now that we are back on the mainland, we are still getting used to how affordable groceries are. A box of cereal doesn't cost $7, lol.

[GreenePony]

Having lived in Hawaii where many grocery items cost twice as much as mainland prices, I had to adjust and make the most of my food. It was easy to spend as much as $200 for 2 people and not even get a full week of groceries there.

DH and I rented a cottage on Maui for part of our honeymoon and we were shocked at food prices (especially since we were past Haiku).

[user_name]

i spend about 200 a month on food. i try to make one or two big dishes and have them last for the week--things you ca eat with rice or quinoa. apparently grad students can get food stamps in wisconsin if you're working at least 20 hours a week.

[imonedaful]

Last year when I was working, I was spending on average $250 per month on food. As a graduate student I plan on cutting back a little bit on that. I do have a Costco membership (my brother works there so it is free, lucky me!) where I do stock up on things. I generally take one trip to Costco each month and get dry goods or something freezable and then go to a local grocery store every 1-2 weeks for things I cannot buy in bulk. If I spend $100 at Costco, $25 each week at the local store I can average out to $200 a month. I agree with everybody posting about getting the deals at the local stores. A lot of places have buy one get one free promotions and have cheaper generic brands. When I lived in Florida they had great farmers' markets where they sold things in baskets for $1-$5. I may have to look for something like that here.

[michigan girl]

If you are eligible, apply for food stamps! There is no shame in using government assistance to get through your studies if your income qualifies.

[wildviolet]

Here's a recipe for a spaghetti sauce I made this week with a lot of veggies (you can add meat or not to your liking). My plan is to make batches of this and freeze it for later. This has worked out nicely when I'm too tired to do much except boil water for the noodles (don't forget to salt the water). I don't include amounts because I don't measure when I cook. I just throw everything together.

My Spaghetti Sauce

1. Saute finely diced veggies such as 1 medium onion, 1 green bell pepper, 3-5 stalks of celery, and 2 carrots (adding zucchini and mushrooms might be good, too) in olive oil. Let it soften and brown just a bit.

2. Add chopped garlic and ground meat of your choice (these days I'm partial to local grass-fed beef). Let the meat brown.

3. Add about 4-6 medium tomatoes, diced. Let the tomatoes cook down a bit and brown (see the pattern here?).

4. Add a large can of tomato sauce. Add dried Italian seasoning and garlic powder if you like more garlic flavor (I do!). You can also add a dash of chili pepper flakes for some heat. Salt and pepper to taste.

5. Turn the heat down, cover, and let it cook down for a bit. You can add some water if it gets too thick.

That's it! I use an enameled cast iron pot--it holds a lot and browns the ingredients nicely (important for the development of rich flavors).

[SymmetryOfImperfection]

I eat 2 meals a day. Thankfully I know how to cook since high school. The first meal is noodles + eggs + boiled cabbage + chopped hot dogs, every day. The second is a full meal I cook myself with rice. I think I will stop the noodles, sick of it, and switch to rice porridge instead... healthier and better to eat.

This costs approximately 60 per week, in groceries. Takes 15 minutes to do the first, 1 hour to do the second. When the girlfriend comes over, I cook a better meal, for survival reasons... her cooking is too tasty for me.

I sometimes eat in the cafeteria but feel so bad both in my stomach and in my wallet.

[confusedgradadmit]

Haha! I know! I always get home and unpack my bags and find stuff I don't remember getting...it's like "I don't need this ceramic country pig S&P shaker!!"

It's a dangerous store! And I'm not afraid to admit that I occasionally buy their food there...but I am scared as to why it's a $1...I have a feeling it fell off a truck and got damaged, or is a couple months past good! I haven't died yet though!

Just a cautionary note: always check the bottoms or labels of glassware, dishes, and whatever else for disclaimers like "For novelty use only. Not for use with food." (i.e. "this product contains massive amounts of lead but we're betting you won't read this"). I've seen this before, both online and in person. That said, I too get whatever I can at the dollar store, but mostly because I live downtown, and the dollarama is the only place to get household stuff in less than a 30 minute bus ride. All the big box stores are out in the suburbs

As for my own situation, I've just moved to a part of Canada where the cost of living has almost doubled. For example, a loaf of plain old wonder bread costs almost $5 (its normally around $2 or less). Of course, the flipside of that is that the average call centre pays $20/hr plus benefits (there's a minimum wage here, but it doesn't matter because nobody pays that low), so that means my $30k stipend is essentially minimum wage. That said, I don't worry TOO much about saving money on food. My bills are basically just rent and food, so after my rent ($950) and tuition ($5k per year) is paid, I've got about $1200 for food and living. My spending will be unusually high this month, cause I just moved across the country and had to buy mostly all new stuff ( and don't get paid till September), but next month I'm expecting to fall around the $400-500 range for food, which is actually pretty good for me since I was spending about $250-300 back home in Ontario, where things were half the price. I find that not having my car here helps (its not needed, since I live downtown), because I'm inherently very lazy, so without an easy way to get around, I'm more than happy eating fried bologna sandwiches and papa johns (when its on special). Oh, and I just discovered Sbarro, a fast-food chain that serves reasonably fresh Italian food, like stuffed pizza, stromboli, and lasagna, with a side salad and breadsticks Granted, in a place where even McD's will cost you $10, I won't be eating out too much, but its still nice once or twice a week.

Edited August 30, 2012 by confusedgradadmit

[GreenePony]

Granted, in a place where even McD's will cost you $10, I won't be eating out too much, but its still nice once or twice a week.

I've been looking into my options for lunch/dinner on the day where I'm in the district from 10a-8p, ugh. I thought the cafe's on the mall were overpriced. Nope, 9.50 sandwich is totally normal. Thankfully our groceries have only gone up about 10 a week on average, so far.

[Tall Chai Latte]

I found that back in my first year, I was able to save a lot more money than I am now. Maybe it's because I didn't know what's out there to do and with whom I do them.. Haha, now sticking to a budget is a bit difficult. (Recently went skydiving... It was awesome! But my bank account bled )

Edited August 31, 2012 by Tall Chai Latte

[ktel]

I rigorously keep track of all of my spending, and I definitely spend a fair bit more in the summer. About $100-200 more per month in fact. I attribute it to two reasons:

1) It's too hot to turn the oven on so we go out to eat a lot more

2) It's my summer club rugby season which means I'm going out with the girls every weekend

I have never mastered the art of having fun for free.

[SymmetryOfImperfection]

Question: Are sausages safe to eat? Are they healthy to eat? I want to incorporate sausages into my cooking because I'm too lazy to chop meat, and turkey ham is too bland. However, I'm concerned about food sanitation. Is there a reason to be?

[Chande]

I eat kielbasa quite often. It comes ready to eat but I fry it in a pan (no oil, just its own juices) for a bit to increase the flavor. I haven't gotten sick from it yet so I'm not concerned about it.

Edited August 31, 2012 by Chande

[newpsyche]

There's a website I found called Grad Girl Grub--she doesn't talk about getting groceries per se, but posts really easy (and surprisingly good) recipes that don't require a lot of time or attention. Might help.

[TropicalCharlie]

Question: Are sausages safe to eat? Are they healthy to eat? I want to incorporate sausages into my cooking because I'm too lazy to chop meat, and turkey ham is too bland. However, I'm concerned about food sanitation. Is there a reason to be?

Sausage is delicious! In my experience, it's very flavorful and safe when cooked correctly. When I make pasta with tomato sauce, I use italian sausage and sometimes brat wurst instead of ground beef. Split open the casings and squeeze the contents out. No chopping involved. It adds so much flavor and a nice texture. You can also get italian sausage without casings at certain grocery stores like Sprouts or Whole Foods. Sausage also makes great stuffing in stuffed mushrooms. Yum!

[confusedgradadmit]

Sausage is delicious! In my experience, it's very flavorful and safe when cooked correctly. When I make pasta with tomato sauce, I use italian sausage and sometimes brat wurst instead of ground beef. Split open the casings and squeeze the contents out. No chopping involved. It adds so much flavor and a nice texture. You can also get italian sausage without casings at certain grocery stores like Sprouts or Whole Foods. Sausage also makes great stuffing in stuffed mushrooms. Yum!

Seconded. The best is a nice big bratwurst. Also, I've noticed Italian sausage meat is starting to be sold in the same type of packaging as hamburger (as in, just the ground up meat instead of in a casing). That would make it easier if you plan on adding it to recipes. I don't think I'd really use them unless I had a barbeque, though. Also, always make sure you overcook them just a bit and always check them, because they can get you very sick if not cooked thoroughly. Its not like steak where it can be almost raw and still be relatively safe as long as its a quality product.

Edited September 1, 2012 by confusedgradadmit

[TakeruK]

Question: Are sausages safe to eat? Are they healthy to eat? I want to incorporate sausages into my cooking because I'm too lazy to chop meat, and turkey ham is too bland. However, I'm concerned about food sanitation. Is there a reason to be?

I treat sausage meat like ground beef/hamburger (because that's pretty much what it is!). So make sure you cook it thoroughly to avoid food poisoning. There is a certain temperature that you should cook ground meats so if you want to be super safe, that's something you should check.

[Dal PhDer]

Question: Are sausages safe to eat? Are they healthy to eat? I want to incorporate sausages into my cooking because I'm too lazy to chop meat, and turkey ham is too bland. However, I'm concerned about food sanitation. Is there a reason to be?

You can get lots of different types of sausages. They are safe to eat and easy to cook, but don't tend to be the healthiest. But they're awesome in moderation.

I really like turkey sausages! ...mmmm....late night turkey sausage craving!

[Dal PhDer]

I have recently dug out my magic bullet machine that I got several years ago for christmas (and never used).....I am now in love with breakfast smoothies!! They are so cheap!

I get a couple bundles of banana's at Costco for super cheap and freeze them...then I mix in anything from soy milk, peanut butter, frozen fruit, juices, spinach, almonds, yogurt, flax seed, apples, watermelon...the list goes on! You can make really quick (easy traveling) smoothies for such a cheap price! I think this is now a staple for me!!

[verklempt]

There's a website I found called Grad Girl Grub--she doesn't talk about getting groceries per se, but posts really easy (and surprisingly good) recipes that don't require a lot of time or attention. Might help.

Check out the PBJ breakfast muffins. Mmmmm...

[newpsyche]

Check out the PBJ breakfast muffins. Mmmmm...

How funny!! I've been following the blog, too--the PB&J muffins are INCREDIBLE. I've been microwaving them for about 30 seconds before eating--it makes them warm and even more delicious. Not too peanut-buttery at all. I used blackberry jelly...

[kateausten]

I'm not a grad student yet but I do live alone, cook, and eat fairly well on a busy-recent-grad-in-the-crap-economy budget. I would say I spend about $250/month on groceries, very little on eating out, and I could shrink that and still eat healthily if I needed to but I don't indulge in many pricey prepared foods. A lot of it is based on my lifestyle and might change when I go to grad school elsewhere -- for now, I live downtown in a city with a great climate, so it's easier for me to get to specialty Italian shops and my farmer's market than to a grocery store, and the market is open year-round.

My grocery system:

-Every week, I get a CSA bag from a local produce vendor that has an awesome single-person-friendly CSA program ($20 for a generous but eat-able amount of produce rather than $30+/week for a huuuuuge amount). That's the bulk of my fruit and veggies

-Every week I also go to the farmer's market. There I pick up extra fruit, any herbs or vegetables I need for a specific recipe, and I also buy my eggs, honey, and mozzarella there.

-Once a month or so I go to Trader Joe's to pick up staples like pasta and gnocchi, beans, tofu, cheese other than mozzarella, peanut and sunflower butter, sauces, chocolate (yes, it is a staple!), and a few frozen meals. Basically, everything I don't buy at the market. If they're having a great sale on a produce item that is $$$ at the market, I might take advantage. A Trader Joe's is pretty much integral in my grocery system because a lot of my staple items cost over twice as much anywhere else, as regular grocery stores don't have a generic version of, say, whole wheat gnocchi, and I'd have to get them from higher end brands or specialty stores or WF.

-As needed between TJ's trips I go to the Target near work for organic milk, yogurt, and other perishibles, or the italian shops in my neighborhood for wine or cheese, or Whole Food's for random things that I can't find anywhere else.

I could definitely trim this budget if necessary -- buy more of my produce at the grocery store, stop buying nice cheese, stop buying the local eggs that are twice the cost of Trader Joe's eggs, etc. I also prioritize quality and health over convenience, I feel like you have to choose one over the other with a smaller budget. I will spend more on local produce and nice cheese but won't buy pre-cut veggies, pre-made salad mixes, etc, I make my own snack bars and such, and I reserve frozen meals as a way to avoid takeout when I really don't have time to put together anything else for lunch.

[phonology_rocks]

There's a website I found called Grad Girl Grub--she doesn't talk about getting groceries per se, but posts really easy (and surprisingly good) recipes that don't require a lot of time or attention. Might help.

Thanks that webpage is great!! I like to eat, lol I am also a runner which is my excuse for eating a lot! I spend about 300 a month right now on food, but I certainly don't have the cooking skills I would like to have and this webpage has given me some great ideas!