Dollar A Day Meals

Janet  spends,  at current grocery prices, $30 per person for 30 days, for three frugal  meals  a day.   She explains: "I believe the list offers a variety of healthy foods for  money  spent.  We buy in bulk, case lot sales, grocery store specials,  local outlets.   It took me a while to get into this kind of buying mode, but over time we certainly have reaped the benefits. I usually shop monthly, unless we find needed sale items from weekly local ads. We plan one year ahead.  Thus, when our local grocery store has their yearly case lot sale we've already planned how much we need per person for our family. We also buy bulk bags: 25 to 50 pounds at  best  price,  on  sale  only.   In-store  bulk  sections  are terrific when need just a pound or two  (or less)  of an item  (our area has a store nearby  that has  a very nice bulk section).  Watch weekly  grocery  store  specials carefully.   For  example,  recently  we bought our regular brand of  mozzarella cheese for $ .91,  8 oz. cuts.   Since there is an expiration date of 4 months out we bought a few extras to keep in the fridge to help  stretch our grocery dollars.  My  goal  is to  make simple, tasty,  frugal, thrifty meals; to help others do the same."

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$ave Money: shop with a list! Encourage  you: carefully study this important page. 

Here is a breakdown of amounts used  for one person / 30  days  of  meals,   plus  grocery costs,  from  Janet's  most  recent  purchases.   Meals  were  planned  using  the  thrifty  menu  on  this  site.   List  is  compiled  to  reflect the  best price found for each item.  Where was the food purchased?Though hesitant to list local stores, because she is aware  that  it  will  not  reflect prices in other areas,  Janet includes  that  information  here, for teaching purposes. She found staple items at the same listed stores, with exception of ordering baking powder  (Rumford's) in a 5 lb. container froma local health food store  (some health food stores carry Rumford's in their bulk section).   She likes this brand  because it contains no alum  and stays  fresh  several  years;  keep  tightly covered when not in use.

Watching nutrition:  Grow sprouts with the wheat kernels and lentils.   The vegetables included herein: cabbage, carrots, crushed tomatoes, broccoli, celery, garlic, green beans, onions,  potatoes, tomato sauce, pinto beans, lentils. Suggest you buy salad fixin's and grow them in your garden. The fruits included herein: orange  juice,  raisins,  fresh  bananas,  fresh  apples. Suggest you buy other fresh fruits on sale, plus grow fruit/berries in your garden; buy frozen fruits on sale; also  canned  fruit  on  sale  such  as:  mandarins and pineapple;  bottle  your  own applesauce and/or other fruits.  This  can  be  done  and  still keep food budget frugal. When money is tightest, the list below is what we buy; any cash left over goes to fruit (see below). 

[NOTE:  If any of the best priced food items you find in your area are in larger amounts than your family/situation would use within a reasonable time, to still get the best price: go in with others to buy, split evenly.]

Prices fluctuate throughout the year: please.....become acquainted with best time to buy at best price possible.

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Sam's Club

   .33___Ramen:  2 packages / box of 36 packages_$5.88

[you may be able to use pasta for less than the ramen. 2 oz. of dry pasta   is a serving: thus if found on sale, it may be financially advantageous]

   .30___Raisins:  1/2 cup / 4 lb._$6.98

   .35___Pepperoni:  16-24 slices / 5 lb_$11.98

[we separate  the pepperoni into  snack baggies,  about 16 to 24 slices per baggie, press air out and seal bag;  those baggiess are then  put  into gallon sized freezer zip-loc bags,  labeled with date of purchase.  Freezes well for about one year,]

 1.80___Pinto beans:  7 cups / 25# bag, $12.83 

[pinto beans were the best price,  but by all means, if your family likes another kind better, even though it might cost a bit more, buy and use them. Beans are HEALTHY and inexpensive.]

   .39___White rice:  2 and 1/3 cups / 50# bag, $16.63 

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Winco

   .81___Stoneground cornmeal: 2 c./Bob's Red Mill medium grind/ 24 oz._$2.06.  [can buy whole dry corn, or popcorn, and grind your own.This would cost about $.50 for 2 cups stoneground (or whole ground) corn meal. I do not recommend de-germinted cornmeal,it has little nutritional value]

   .60___Lentils (brown or green):  2 cups / bulk_$.77 lb. (about 2 and 1/4 cups in one pound of lentils: one of the best and healthiest foods ever)

   .41___Brown rice:  1 and 3/4 cup / bulk_$.54 lb.

 1.20___Vegetable oil:  3 cups / $2.39_48 oz.

   .44___Carrots:  one pound / $.88_two lb. bag

   .36___Celery: half bunch, 3/4 lb./ $.48_lb. [one bunch was about 1 and 1/2 lb.]

  .96___Onions:  4 lb. / $5.99 for 25 lb. bag, fall sale  

[Other than in fall bulk sale, the price in all stores visited, is about $ .48 per pound.  Onions are so healthy, we need to have them in our diet.  Grow your own storage onions in your own garden!!].

   .22___Garlic:  2 bulbs / 16 oz. bag_$1.28

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Walmart Superstore

 1.00___Cabbage:  medium-large head / $1.00_3 lb.

   .35___Bacon: 1/4 lb. / $4.18 for 3 lb. bacon end/pieces 

 1.45___Chicken:  2 and 1/2 lb. / $5.78_10 lb. leg quarters

   .73___Broccoli, frozen chopped:  4 servings_16 oz. bag

   .25___Margarine: 2 sticks / $.50_one lb.  

[we prefer using butter / Sam’s Club  had best price; I'm aware that some families cannot afford to buy butter: as a young family, we were in that situation]

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LDS cannery

  1.18___Wheat: 13 cups / 25# bag_$5.90  

[found whole wheat flour $.36/lb., and cracked wheat $.37/lb. in bulk section Winco__quite decent prices. Helpful for those not yet able to grind their own]

  .15___Quick oats:  3 cups / 25# bag_$7.50 

 1.50___Dry milk:  4 and 1/2 cups / 25# bag_$24.80

[if you desire using fresh milk to drink, and want to stay near the $30 per person /30 days, work it into your grocery list/budget]

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Local store, Broulim's; Western Family brand

   .98___Green beans:  2 cans / 14.5 oz. / case lot sale

 1.47___Tomatoes, crushed:  3 cans / 14.5 oz. / case lot sale 

   .60___Tomato sauce:  3 cans / 8 oz. / case lot sale

   .25___Mac and cheese:  1 box / case lot sale

   .59___Tuna in water:  1 can / 6 oz. 

   .98___Orange juice:  1 can / frozen 12 oz. concentrate  

   for the best sugar and unbleached flour prices, watch sales during year

   .58___Unbleached flour:  9 cups / 25# bag_$6.99

[our grocery store just offered locally milled unbleached flour, a 25# bag_$5.98. Nine cups will be $.54; we will use extra savings towards buying fresh produce]

 1.12___Sugar:  2 cups / 25# bag_$13.98

   .60___Ground beef:  1/2 lb. /  $5.99_5 lb. chub, on sale [if gr. beef is too much, we find gr. turkey on sale; or we find beef roast on sale and grind our own gr. beef: often a better price that way. *See recipe page for mixing gr. beef by using cooked cracked wheat; this lowers price and adds fiber to the meat without changing taste.]

   .68___Mozzarella:  1½ cups grated (6 oz.) / 8 oz._$.91

[the next best price for mozzarella was 5 lb. bag, grated, at Sam's Club]

   .93___Medium cheddar cheese:  2 cups grated /8 oz. was $.93 [next best price was $3.99 for 2 lb. chub]

   .97___Eggs:  size large, one dozen 

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Local potato outlet [or local farmer's market; or your garden]

  .60___Potatoes: 5 lb./ local outlet / 50 lb. box_$6.00

[the next best prices we found for potatoes were Winco, then Sam's Club]

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Best  fruit  prices  for fresh:   usually  at  Winco. Janet checks  local ads  for fresh fruit and vegetable sales / prices every week. Canned fruits are purchased on sale only.  Goal is to get as much for the money as possible. Learn to bottle your own; it can be a great way to $ave.  

  4.87___Fruit, fresh and canned [NOTE: fruit money will fluctuate according to how much money is leftover after       other purchases]

[usually, we buy bananas, apples on sale;  other fresh fruits as on sale.  Also  canned: mandarins, pineapple tidbits at case lot sale.  We bottle our own applesauce.  Find group purchases to save money bottling applesauce/fruit at home]

Grocery List ($30):

dollaradaymeals.com

Wheat, dry  whole  kernels   (or  buy whole wheat flour and dry cracked wheat)

Quick oats

White rice, long grain

Brown rice, long grain

Stoneground cornmeal 

  (or it works to grind popcorn)

Unbleached flour

Mac/cheese

Ramen noodles

Lentils, brown or green

Pinto beans  (recently noticed that pinto beans were more than black beans; get the kind that cost the least amount)

Bacon

Chicken

Ground beef or turkey

Pepperoni

         (or Sausage)

Tuna in water

Eggs, large size

Nonfat dry milk

Mozzarella cheese

Cheddar cheese

Margarine or butter

Vegetable oil

Sugar

Broccoli, frozen/chopped,                                 16 oz.

Green beans, 14.5 oz. can

Tomato sauce,  8 oz. can

Tomatoes, crushed,

                 14.5 oz. can

(Prefer  crushed  tomatoes, but if not on a good sale we use canned diced tomatoes; find best prices; or bottle your own every year.)

Fresh: Cabbage 

          Carrots

          Celery

          Garlic

          Onions

          Potatoes

Fruit, fresh and/or canned

Raisins

Orangejuice concentrate        (frozen 12 oz.)

Sprouting:  u s e  whole  wheat kernels & lentils      for sprouting.  If  want   more variety, the seeds        f o r  sprouting, such as alfalfa, mung bean,  or radish,  are pennies per Tablespoon.

Staple Items:

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We purchased staple items for about $45; will replace them one or two at a time,  as they get low.   Some  of these items will last over a year.  We  save  $3 to $5  a  month to use  for replacing staple items.  W e  do not  include these purchases  in  our  $30 monthly groceries  per  person  [although  a t times  w e   do have some  money  left  after  grocery  purchases,  depends  upon what sales,  plus fruit and vegetable prices we find]

Soy sauce, 10 oz. bottle, Winco

Salsa or Taco sauce

Worcestershire sauce

Dry yeast (best price Sam's Club     lb. vacuum packs / 2 for $4.22)

Vital wheat gluten $2.41_lb. at   Winco bulk (also called gluten flour)

Baking powder (Rumford's 5 lb.           'bucket' from Nature's Nook)

Baking soda, Winco or Walmart

Cider vinegar, 16 oz. bottle

Ketchup, local store sale

Yellow mustard, local store sale

Dry parmesan cheese  [keep in fridge for longer storage] local store,Winco; Sam's Club (large can)

Lard  (keep  refrigerated);  or shortening,  Winco  

Occasionally: plain yogurt with cultures, 6 oz / Walmart super (use for yogurt starter/see recipe details),

Chicken bouillon cubes

Beef bouillon cubes

Sea salt $.19_lb. (Winco bulk)

Pepper *

Garlic salt

Onion powder

Italian seasonings

Crushed red pepper (optional)

Lemon pepper

Chili powder

Dried crushed oregano

Ground cumin

Dill weed

Parsley flakes

Vanilla

Ginger

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

*Walmart had several spices @ .50  each /  Winco had spices in bulk / Sam's club had larger sizes of most