Grocery shopping has quickly become one of our biggest expenses outside of bills. With rising gas and production costs, food prices have risen sharply. The only food that has stayed the same or risen slightly higher is produce. That will even change with the higher oil prices and the trickle-down effect. 

When prices go up and your budget gets tighter, you have to start being a little boring. One of the ways I save money is by making the same meals, or variations of them, every week or every two weeks. Focusing on cheaper meals that everyone loves helps your grocery budget.

When my kids were small, we ate tacos, spaghetti (with or without meat), and corn casserole almost every week. I also would make a roast chicken in the slow cooker every two weeks, use the meat for a few meals, and use the bones and scraps for chicken broth. Breakfast for supper was also pretty popular with my kids. I learned how to make homemade pizza that everyone loved because it was definitely cheaper than takeout and better than most frozen pizzas. 

Now that the kids are gone, our meals have changed. We also eat high-protein, low-carb meals about 80% of the time. We eat taco salads, fajita salads, a chicken/broccoli/mushroom skillet, a cheese crust pizza, eggs and meat, and grilled chicken/pork chops most of the time. Vegetables are side dishes to almost every meal. Chicken is still one of the cheaper meats at the store and we use boneless, skinless chicken thighs most of the time. A frozen 2.5-pound bag will last us two meals.

Creating a meal list will be the key to creating your grocery list. Write or type a list of the meals you make in a month. This should include your or your family’s favorite budget-friendly meals. Having basic meals means you can create a simple grocery list each time you go to the store.

One of the easiest ways to save money while grocery shopping is to have a grocery list. Going to the store without a plan or a list can be a disaster for your grocery budget. Having a basic grocery list means you will not miss the items you use the most. On this list are the things you eat every week without fail.

You can make your list as simple or detailed as you like. This list will be different depending on what you eat and how many people you need to feed.

Our basic grocery list looks something like this:
* Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs (one bag)
* Baby Bella Mushrooms (whole or sliced)
* Fresh Broccoli
* Romaine Lettuce
* 2-4 blocks of cheese (8 oz.) depending on what I am making for the next week or two
* Yogurt (2 – 32 oz. tubs)
* Zucchini (winter and spring)
* Fresh Green Beans (winter and spring)
* Fruit (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries)
* 1-2 Frozen Pizzas (for nights when we need something quick to eat)
* 1-2 Red or Orange Bell Peppers
* 1-2 Onions
* Lunchmeat or Summer Sausage and Cheese for lunches

I fill in the rest of the list with things we need, but this is the basic list I use every time I go to the store. We do use some canned and jarred goods, such as pickles, barbecue sauce, mushrooms, and beans. 

Now, for us, we do grow some of our food and preserve it. I make our pizza sauce, salsas, diced and crushed tomatoes, pickle relish, jams, and broths. I also make our bread, protein bars, and any desserts from scratch. We get eggs from friends. We have a freezer full of beef and pork because we buy half a pork or a quarter of beef directly from the producer or the meat locker (usually cheaper than buying in the store).

We purchase some food in bulk to get better deals like:
* Flour
* Almond Meal/Flour
* Protein Powder
* Yeast

Now, is this to say that you cannot try new recipes or new things? Absolutely not! However, the focus is on saving money at the grocery store and your food budget. By having basic meals and using the same ingredients, you will save a lot of money. This simple grocery list, with every item you purchase every week or two weeks, will keep you on budget. 

Thanks for reading,
Erica

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