Nutrition...feeding a family +5

So I have tried this past month to set myself a very specific budget for food shopping for my family as a test. None of this includes my daycare. I plan to go to school full time in Sept 2015 and need to make some lifestyle adjustments prior to then. One being food budget. Currently I give myself $250 a week for food. I'll only have about $1300 a month come school time for food and gas so think this is a realistic budget based on what I will be able to afford. Prior to starting this budget this March, my grocery bill was upwards of $1600-$2000 a month. All organic and all fresh and minimally processed.

I'm looking for any tips and advice on how to eat healthy on a budget. I buy very little processed foods...for example....tinned tomatoes, beans, pasta sauce, tinned fish. Tinned stuff is really for those quick week night fixes. Also they can be pricey because I want the best possible product so generally organic and/or with the fewest ingredients listed. I didn't buy organic meat or fish this month which pains me lol but I understand that I need to make some adjustments if it means putting food on the table with the money I have.

What a struggle it has been for us to eat on this tight budget. I have been price matching with flyers, have checkout51, pcplus points, coupon as much as I can while not buying things I wouldn't normally purchase just because they are the cheapest option. There are a few items that I can't compromise on. My son is a veggie so there are a number of meat replacements I buy which aren't to expensive but still eat up a chunk of the monthly budget. I also make all of my kids school snacks which work out to be quite a bit more expensive but there is no way I am going to revert back to the prepackaged junk. I am so proud of my kids for going with this new school menu so I don't want to undo that. The initial cost of ingredients to make the granola bars is close to $70 but then some of those ingredients last me a few months, while others only last a month. They are only allowed one a day for school so it's not like they munch through them crazy quick. A Jar of raw honey @$9.99 lasts 6 weeks, jar of coconut butter lasts 8 weeks and costs $19.99....you get the idea. I buy my organic grains in bulk so they last me in general 4-6 months but I share them with daycare so I imagine when that is done they will last longer but then I run the risk of spoilage so I'm going to try and find someone to go halves. It is incredibly cheap.

I am trying to grocery shop by the flyers and based on what fresh produce is on sale but again it is difficult to do this and eat healthy at the same time. I've grown veg the last couple of years but only tomatoes and zucchini so I think this year I am going to try my hand at a bigger patch and a few more varieties of veg. This would supplement my shopping bill.

Any other suggestions???...... .pair an empty fridge with my hungry, growing, hormonal 12 year old daughter yesterday and it's a recipe for disaster as she outright asked me to buy wagon wheels and bear paws again :( Not a chance!

I pick and choose what I buy organic - if it has to be peeled then I don't buy organic, like oranges and bananas.

Another thought I have is do you really NEED granola bars, or things that have very expensive ingredients? Perhaps there is something else you can make that is just as healthy but much less expensive. Like maybe pumpkin muffins that you make in bulk and freeze.

I also try to buy little processed food and things with few ingredients. I totally understand where you are coming from with balancing the desire to eat healthy and being able to afford the food at the same time.

I am also planning on gardening much more this summer. My husband is putting in new raised garden boxes in our back yard and I am going to grow us much a possible - onions, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, etc. You could also buy fresh produce this spring/fall/summer while they are in season and freeze or can them to keep for the winter.

Maybe a few sacrifices while you are in school, with plans to resume when you are back working again, will have to happen.

Costco also has good prices on some items, like coconut oil is way cheaper there than anywhere else. Almond butter is also way cheaper there too.

I also make an meal plan for lunch and dinner every week, and only buy what is needed for that week. I have found it makes a big difference in how much we spend in a month.

You can also skip buying some organic produce based on the Dirty dozen and clean 15 list (http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eati...n-produce-list). We also eat home made organic meals, but take into consideration this list and also buy non-organic watermelon, bananas, cantaloupe, pineapple and other fruits that are peeled off. One of my major expenses is meats since I do not have any organic farms close by and we need to buy them from a upscale organic supermarket, but we do not eat that much meat either. I compensate their cost by eating some days fulfilling vegetarian meals or seafood. Costco has frozen shrimp and fish with not additives, too.

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Originally Posted by AmandaKDT

I pick and choose what I buy organic - if it has to be peeled then I don't buy organic, like oranges and bananas.

Another thought I have is do you really NEED granola bars, or things that have very expensive ingredients? Perhaps there is something else you can make that is just as healthy but much less expensive. Like maybe pumpkin muffins that you make in bulk and freeze.

I also try to buy little processed food and things with few ingredients. I totally understand where you are coming from with balancing the desire to eat healthy and being able to afford the food at the same time.

I am also planning on gardening much more this summer. My husband is putting in new raised garden boxes in our back yard and I am going to grow us much a possible - onions, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, etc. You could also buy fresh produce this spring/fall/summer while they are in season and freeze or can them to keep for the winter.

Maybe a few sacrifices while you are in school, with plans to resume when you are back working again, will have to happen.

Costco also has good prices on some items, like coconut oil is way cheaper there than anywhere else. Almond butter is also way cheaper there too.

I also make an meal plan for lunch and dinner every week, and only buy what is needed for that week. I have found it makes a big difference in how much we spend in a month.

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Baked goods need to be gluten free or made with complex ancient grains so don't work out to be much cheaper than the granola bars. I do make muffins as one of their daily snacks with kamut, oats and quinoa flour. still pricey though. I'm going to try and buy the flours etc bulk to make it cheaper. My kids are 11 and 13 so need something that is also filling so it's not like 1 muffin and a banana is going to cut it.

We are meat free more and more as my son is vegetarian. We eat fish once a week, wild, but no more as then it isn't so good for you. I buy the shrimp from Costco in the freezer section...nothing beats them :)

I have had copies of the dirty dozen before so perhaps I should actually start being strict about it....great advice. I want abf minimum for my meat but maybe I will buy it in bulk for a case discount at the farm I buy from and then just use 2-3 meats per week to save some money. A fave meal of ours is chickpea and spinach curry...delish! I also cook and freeze rice in portions so the bulk purchase there is helpful.

is there a reason for buying organic. I would also not do some homemade stuff if it cost me alot. I can feed 6 people (4 older kids) and all my daycare kids for wayyyyy under 200 dollars a week. I cook every single day.

first, prepackaged food isn't bad for you if your choosing the right stuff.
coupons and price matching does make a huge deal
also not going to the store every day is huge too
and buying in bulk too

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Originally Posted by bright sparks

chickpea and spinach curry...delish!

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That sounds delicious! Do you mind to share. One of dck and my family vegetarian favorites is sunflower zucchini pie. My assistant could not believe there was not sausage on it :). I can give you the recipe if you want.

I forgot, I also buy several frozen organic veggies that I will end of cooking and it is cheaper.

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Originally Posted by momofnerds

is there a reason for buying organic. I would also not do some homemade stuff if it cost me alot. I can feed 6 people (4 older kids) and all my daycare kids for wayyyyy under 200 dollars a week. I cook every single day.

first, prepackaged food isn't bad for you if your choosing the right stuff.
coupons and price matching does make a huge deal
also not going to the store every day is huge too
and buying in bulk too

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Most prepackaged food is not optimal for you. I appreciate that everyone has their own opinion on organic foods and for some it is not of importance, but for me it is. I do not wish to put pesticides and herbicides in my body and I want to give my kids the best possible start in life from my own perspective and beliefs in nutrition. I also will not eat farmed fish, red meat or processed foods as they are just flat out unhealthy, do the research it is horrifying, bearing in mind though that some will tolerate one thing differently to someone else so it is a personal thing also.

I'd love it momofnerds if you could back up what you say with examples of good prepackaged foods. I do by some as listed in my original post but they are not everyday foods so not the end of the world if consumed occasionally. Also I'd love to know exactly what you feed your crew for under $200 a week so I can see the error of my grocery shopping trips.

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Originally Posted by Artsand crafts

That sounds delicious! Do you mind to share. One of dck and my family vegetarian favorites is sunflower zucchini pie. My assistant could not believe there was not sausage on it :). I can give you the recipe if you want.

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That sounds great thanks...I will pm the recipe for the curry. It is so easy to make you will laugh. It takes less than 20 minutes and keeps for up to a week in the fridge. I know there are so many major health benefits to being meat free, but as a meat eater myself, I personally love that it keeps in the fridge for so darn long lol Makes cooking for my veggie son so much easier with a quick reheat on the stove or in the oven :)

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Originally Posted by AmandaKDT

Another thought I have is do you really NEED granola bars, or things that have very expensive ingredients? Perhaps there is something else you can make that is just as healthy but much less expensive. Like maybe pumpkin muffins that you make in bulk and freeze.

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Sorry the quoting was wrong so reposted.....

I try to keep my daughter as gluten free as possible without being to hard on her. I want her to eat healthy but be allowed to have some treats. That's why on a regular basis I find it even more important to feed her healthy stuff. Any chance you can give me some suggestions on school treats? I know muffins are generally cheap to make but I don't want to load my kids with baked goods on a daily basis that are filled with gluten

I don't think you necessarily have to give them baked goods all the time. My girls love hummus and veggies, plain veggie sticks, yogurt, seeds, nuts (not always an option at schools).

Making your own pitas I don't think is too hard and you can make them gluten free for their hummus.

these are good http://www.momables.com/homemade-ban...-recipe-baked/

homemade fruit leather is also a good option

For snacks, what about home made popcorn; roasted pumpkins or sunflower seeds; baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, celery sticks, etc with dip; dried fruits and nuts; home made cocoa or coconut chia pudding (I saw the recipe somewhere on internet), celery sticks with peanut butter; edamame with salt and maybe lemon. Even we are not gluten free, these are some of the gluten free snacks I have served dck and my family. I will be making the cocoa chia pudding soon. It sounds good.

Kale chips, cheese, there are also different alternatives to rice cakes in the health super store, like quinoa, corn, etc cakes (the ones that are kind of puffed crackers). Your children can also spread cream cheese, peanut butter, or hummus on them.

Try to grow vegetables that you can can or pickle, to get you a little further into the year. I did pickles, beets and pickled carrots last year and my kids loved them - the carrots worked much better than the pickles, and aside from the boiling, they were easier. I didn't buy the actual canning supplies either - just boiled in a big ol pot and used silicon oven gloves to move them. You can get cans second hand and buy the lids/middle part separately. I found some on sale at save-on last year too.

I'm also going to try to can tomatoes this year, as they grow quickly and (usually) you can get a lot. We use a lot of canned tomatoes as well, so it's something that would be budget friendly for us. If you use a lot of tomatoes, costco has a box of Kirkland organic diced tomatoes - eight big cans (I want to say 28 oz? Not sure though) for under $10. They sell some natural rice blends that are pricey compared to plain white rice, but the same brand/type at the grocery stores is much more expensive. My dad is so skeptical of costco for things not actually being cheaper, and it's true, but sometimes things actually are, particularly I've found for the natural or organic stuff.

Also google "ewg dirty dozen" and "clean 15" for produce. The clean 15 is a list of fruits and veggies that don't tend to take on pesticide residues and such, so it's safer (and cheaper!) to purchase those non-organic.

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Originally Posted by torontokids

I don't think you necessarily have to give them baked goods all the time. My girls love hummus and veggies, plain veggie sticks, yogurt, seeds, nuts (not always an option at schools).

Making your own pitas I don't think is too hard and you can make them gluten free for their hummus.

these are good http://www.momables.com/homemade-ban...-recipe-baked/

homemade fruit leather is also a good option

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I made home made fruit leather...super cheap but not something I had success with lmao...please share your recipe as mine was like boot leather lol

They would need an obscene amount of yogurt and veggies to feel full....my kids have pretty healthy appetites. My son also eats copious amounts of hummus, which then is no longer healthy lol, so I have to monitor the amount he has. They go with yogurt and a healthy granola which seems to be more satisfying.

Everyone has such great snack ideas, I am trying so hard to feed my girls healthy foods. I was allowed to eat such unhealthy foods growing up - Pop tarts, Lunchables, Hamburger Helper - and I don't want this to be the case for my family. I don't buy organic meat, mostly because I can't afford it and also I watched a Marketplace episode that showed that many organic eggs and chickens still had antibiotics in them!!! Look it up, it's true!

But I try to eat real food as much as possible, I really like the ideas on this website - http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/

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Originally Posted by Artsand crafts

For snacks, what about home made popcorn; roasted pumpkins or sunflower seeds; baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, celery sticks, etc with dip; dried fruits and nuts; home made cocoa or coconut chia pudding (I saw the recipe somewhere on internet), celery sticks with peanut butter; edamame with salt and maybe lemon. Even we are not gluten free, these are some of the gluten free snacks I have served dck and my family. I will be making the cocoa chia pudding soon. It sounds good.

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I have a friend who makes chocolate pudding from avocados and swears her kids dont know any different lol. I also have a new recipe to try for brownies that includes black beans which would be a whole lot more filling.

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Originally Posted by Artsand crafts

Kale chips, cheese, there are also different alternatives to rice cakes in the health super store, like quinoa, corn, etc cakes (the ones that are kind of puffed crackers). Your children can also spread cream cheese, peanut butter, or hummus on them.

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kamut rice cakes are delicious and I love kale chips...make them myself

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Originally Posted by 2cuteboys

Try to grow vegetables that you can can or pickle, to get you a little further into the year. I did pickles, beets and pickled carrots last year and my kids loved them - the carrots worked much better than the pickles, and aside from the boiling, they were easier. I didn't buy the actual canning supplies either - just boiled in a big ol pot and used silicon oven gloves to move them. You can get cans second hand and buy the lids/middle part separately. I found some on sale at save-on last year too.

I'm also going to try to can tomatoes this year, as they grow quickly and (usually) you can get a lot. We use a lot of canned tomatoes as well, so it's something that would be budget friendly for us. If you use a lot of tomatoes, costco has a box of Kirkland organic diced tomatoes - eight big cans (I want to say 28 oz? Not sure though) for under $10. They sell some natural rice blends that are pricey compared to plain white rice, but the same brand/type at the grocery stores is much more expensive. My dad is so skeptical of costco for things not actually being cheaper, and it's true, but sometimes things actually are, particularly I've found for the natural or organic stuff.

Also google "ewg dirty dozen" and "clean 15" for produce. The clean 15 is a list of fruits and veggies that don't tend to take on pesticide residues and such, so it's safer (and cheaper!) to purchase those non-organic.

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Thank you so much....I do buy the tomatoes from costco and they save a lot of money. I grew an insane amount of tomatoes last year, to many really, and I have everything to jar them but chickened out after reading up on how easy it is to cock it up and have them contaminated with bacteria. My friends mum has already said that this year she will teach us both how to do it so I look forward to that.

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Originally Posted by bright sparks

Thank you so much....I do buy the tomatoes from costco and they save a lot of money. I grew an insane amount of tomatoes last year, to many really, and I have everything to jar them but chickened out after reading up on how easy it is to cock it up and have them contaminated with bacteria. My friends mum has already said that this year she will teach us both how to do it so I look forward to that.

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My mom and grandmother always canned tomatoes, as long as your jars and lids are sterilized by boiling them in water and your jar lids are sealed then there should be no concern with contamination. It is actually really easy to jar foods, just abit time consuming. Making relish and jam is super easy too.

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Originally Posted by bright sparks

That sounds great thanks...I will pm the recipe for the curry. It is so easy to make you will laugh. It takes less than 20 minutes and keeps for up to a week in the fridge. I know there are so many major health benefits to being meat free, but as a meat eater myself, I personally love that it keeps in the fridge for so darn long lol Makes cooking for my veggie son so much easier with a quick reheat on the stove or in the oven :)

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Could we start a recipe thread? :) Would love to try some new dishes!

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Originally Posted by nschildcare

Could we start a recipe thread? :) Would love to try some new dishes!

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That's a great idea!!

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Originally Posted by bright sparks

Thank you so much....I do buy the tomatoes from costco and they save a lot of money. I grew an insane amount of tomatoes last year, to many really, and I have everything to jar them but chickened out after reading up on how easy it is to cock it up and have them contaminated with bacteria. My friends mum has already said that this year she will teach us both how to do it so I look forward to that.

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I boil the jars after sealing them as well, just to be sure. If I can do it without giving everyone food poisoning, you can too! Trust me lol!

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Originally Posted by AmandaKDT

But I try to eat real food as much as possible, I really like the ideas on this website - http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/

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I've used this website too, it's great!

You may already do this but when I see something that I use often on sale, I buy it even though I may not use it for weeks. I do this with almost everything. Just doing this alone saves me $10-$20 dollars a week. Make a list. One trip to the supermarket per week. That's about all I have.

One thing I do to save money is to buy A LOT of something when it goes on super deep discount. The one that gets me the most excited is toilet paper (yeah, I'm THAT cool!). Every now and then, No Frills will have it on for $9 for about 30 double rolls. I'll buy about 4 of them as that's enough toilet paper to get my family and daycare through about a year. Peanut butter....I bought 6 big jars of kraft @ $2 each about 8 months ago. Laundry soap, same thing. When we were having a particularly bad time financially a number of years ago, Suave shampoos and conditioners went on for $1. I bought about 20 of each and didn't have to get that again for well over a year...it was awesome! I'll spend and extra chunk when these go super cheap then I don't have to ever buy them at regular price and that little chunk is never on my bill. I've found this very helpful. It has gotten us through some lean times. And, I take great comfort in the fact that in the event of a zombie apocalypse, we'll always have toilet paper :)

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Originally Posted by homeschoolmom

I'm gluten sensitive, but can eat red fife wheat with no problems at all. It's the only flour we now use in all of our baking, and the whole family loves it. It's also much cheaper than gluten-free flours and can be substituted cup-for-cup in traditional recipes shich makes life much easier :) I get ours at Bulk Barn with the $3 off coupons I get each week.

http://www.daybreakmill.com/health-benefit/red-fife

My two youngest are the only ones left at home, and they both have huge appetites! I've found that they need protein with their snacks as well as meals or they don't feel 'full'. We always keep hard-boiled eggs on hand, they'll grab a handful of almonds, chickpeas, or edamamme to eat with a piece of fruit, etc. One favourite snack is corn muffins (made from a GF mix from Bulk Barn) with cream cheese and homemade freezer jam. Also, baked oatmeal is filling and portable- we make ours with peanut butter, but if your school is peanut free there are loads of recipes online that are made without. Breakfast cookies made with a variey of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit are also loved here ;)

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I'm for sure going to try the red fife...thanks for sharing. My daughter is okay with kamut too. The ancient grains are typically easier to digest for some people with sensitivities and this seems to be the case for her. My kids are on a balanced day at school which doesn't help with their appetite to be honest. They arrive home from school at 3:50 and their last nutritional break is at 1:15 so they are ready to raid the cupboards and the fridge. Fortunately they ask for snacks, not that they necessarily need permission but it does help me monitor when and what they eat. While some days it seems like the kids eat everything, other days when I break it down they do have restrictions. Either with dietary choices or just due to dislikes and preferences. They are good at trying new things though which I am thankful for.

well, I'm like the others, when things go really cheap then we stock up alot and add that with coupons its an extra bonus.

I don't buy organic, because-this is me, I don't believe that they are truley organic unless I grow them out of my garden (which needs to extended even bigger-darn kids lol) or we go and pick it ourselves.

I live in the country so we have fruit stands everywhere. But in the fall we pick alot of apples, we go strawberry picking-but now have pots with my own.

also, alot of veggies can be frozen, so when you can get them cheap then stock up and freeze. Also, frozen veggies and fruit at the store have the same nutrients as fresh as long as they are not in butter sauce or any sauces, its just that the frozen fruit is sometimes mushy.

see if your grocery store has a dietician, I brought my girl guide group 2 weeks ago to a grocery store and she went thru so many things, its was crazy how much stuff and info is out there.

also, if its cheaper to buy it than make it then buy it. I wont' make granola bars which has the because they don't last long and to make them would cost way to much. Also, our school has to many allergies so lots of stuff cant be sent in.

cookies would be great to send in but in my house your lucky if they last an hour. Also muffins are great or breads are great too.

also, I go thru the flyers and only cook for the week what i can buy from the flyers, this has cut down on alot.

I will say that you can't try to save money and buy high quality food, it just doesn't work that way, like going to a butcher kwim.

I think you need to sit down and really look at what you are buying for the week and what you are making and say, is it cheaper to make it or buy it. I know you want to do everything homemade, but your going to end up burning yourself out. I always have quick meals in my house like hotdogs (when on sale) or nuggets (again on sale) when I'm running out the door for an activity.

I make breakfast every morning, and they have a good supper. Lunch is a bit harder because the school has way too many allergies, and warm yogurt and droopy cheese isn't something my kids are too crazy.

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Originally Posted by homeschoolmom

My daughter just reminded me that one of her favourite snacks before supper is soup. I make homemade chicken or turkey broth and freeze it, and once a week or so I make a huge pot of soup for supper, and the leftovers go into the fridge and they snack from it the rest of the week. I make sure there's lots of protein and veggies in it, and usually some brown rice. I make a huge variety so that they don't get bored of it- gypsy, chicken and rice, kale and sausage, white bean and spinach, etc.

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I make loads of soups for my daycare and my daughter loves them too. sweet potato, leek and potato, chorizo, veggie and mulligatawny. I'm hungry now :)

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Originally Posted by momofnerds

well, I'm like the others, when things go really cheap then we stock up alot and add that with coupons its an extra bonus.

I don't buy organic, because-this is me, I don't believe that they are truley organic unless I grow them out of my garden (which needs to extended even bigger-darn kids lol) or we go and pick it ourselves.

I live in the country so we have fruit stands everywhere. But in the fall we pick alot of apples, we go strawberry picking-but now have pots with my own.

also, alot of veggies can be frozen, so when you can get them cheap then stock up and freeze. Also, frozen veggies and fruit at the store have the same nutrients as fresh as long as they are not in butter sauce or any sauces, its just that the frozen fruit is sometimes mushy.

see if your grocery store has a dietician, I brought my girl guide group 2 weeks ago to a grocery store and she went thru so many things, its was crazy how much stuff and info is out there.

also, if its cheaper to buy it than make it then buy it. I wont' make granola bars which has the because they don't last long and to make them would cost way to much. Also, our school has to many allergies so lots of stuff cant be sent in.

cookies would be great to send in but in my house your lucky if they last an hour. Also muffins are great or breads are great too.

also, I go thru the flyers and only cook for the week what i can buy from the flyers, this has cut down on alot.

I will say that you can't try to save money and buy high quality food, it just doesn't work that way, like going to a butcher kwim.

I think you need to sit down and really look at what you are buying for the week and what you are making and say, is it cheaper to make it or buy it. I know you want to do everything homemade, but your going to end up burning yourself out. I always have quick meals in my house like hotdogs (when on sale) or nuggets (again on sale) when I'm running out the door for an activity.

I make breakfast every morning, and they have a good supper. Lunch is a bit harder because the school has way too many allergies, and warm yogurt and droopy cheese isn't something my kids are too crazy.

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I live in Niagara Region with lots of fruit stands but they are heavily sprayed so I am picky as to what and where I buy from. I buy some frozen veg, specifically corn as I buy non gmo, fresh corn is so bad for you unless you can find non gmo which is really rare. I appreciate peoples difference in opinion when it comes to Organic and you are right, it isn't 100% unless it actually says 100% organic which even certified organic isn't, but its still a hell of a lot better than conventional produce. Organic product can not contain GMO so theirs a huge health benefit right there if nothing else, and that is important to me and my childrens wellbeing.

I make extra portions and freeze them for convenience and quick evening meals when we have lots of activities, but over my dead body will I feed my guys nuggets and hotdogs etc. I know what they are made out of and they just are not even remotely good for you. Beggers can't be choosers but I have to draw the line somewhere. I make burgers from scratch and freeze them. I also make pancakes of varying varieties and freeze them inbetween parchment and then the kids can just pop them in the toaster.

I buy frozen berries for my daughters smoothies, I can barely stand to buy them fresh to be honest as within 24 hours they already spoil and its just a huge waste of money in my opinion.

I have studied nutrition from home and also know a lot of nutritionists. Dieticians have a different approach and are legally obliged to stick to the Canada Food Guide which is not something I follow as it just isn't healthy so really wouldn't be of any help to me.

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also, if its cheaper to buy it than make it then buy it. I wont' make granola bars which has the because they don't last long and to make them would cost way to much. Also, our school has to many allergies so lots of stuff cant be sent in.

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SERIOUSLY!?! I understand that I have a budget to work within, and I have to make some major changes in order to meet it and that will take time and trial and error, but I'm not going to just feed my kids stuff that is cheap if it means feeding them unhealthy foods. My granola bars are made every 2 weeks and last the whole time, I could probably freeze them too. They are nut free, dairy free and gluten free so no worries with allergies there beyond any other food which isn't a common allergen. They are loaded with healthy superfoods too, so not only do I eliminate the garbage going into my kids bodies, but I replace it with healthy nutritious food.

I want to get my cost down as much as possible but there is a difference between cheap....which often means low quality although I understand not always as no names are frequently the same product as brand names, and inexpensive. I am hoping to go to school without the need for any student loans so hopefully I can figure out what works for me and my family within the confines of my budget. I need to figure out what I am willing to compromise, and what I am not.

I have recently started with pcplus points and price match with the other flyers. I don't save heaps but it feels good to save and the pcplus points add up really quickly. There are a suprising amount of coupons out there but unfortunately not to many that are for foods we eat. I buy things that are on sale and in the flyers, but I don't buy an item just because it is on sale unless I would eat it normally. I use a lot of coupons for toiletries and cleaning products though.

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Originally Posted by bright sparks

My granola bars are made every 2 weeks and last the whole time, I could probably freeze them too. They are nut free, dairy free and gluten free so no worries with allergies there beyond any other food which isn't a common allergen. They are loaded with healthy superfoods too, so not only do I eliminate the garbage going into my kids bodies, but I replace it with healthy nutritious food.

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We like to make our own granola bars too, but we're still working on getting a recipe we like. If you've got it handy, could you send me your recipe?

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Originally Posted by homeschoolmom

Do you also have a PC Mastercard? We use it for all of our daily expenses (groceries, gas, etc.) and pay it off at the end of each month so we never pay interest. We earn between $500- $700 each year in free groceries!

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Oooooh that makes me think of another point. We have a line of credit that we use when we do have money on the mc that carries over. The interest on a credit card is obscene compared to a line of credit so if you need to carry it over, it's better to be there. I know it doesn't seem logical to go get another "loan" but if you only use it when you absolutely need to and are good at paying it down (like most other things), it'll save you in the long run.

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Originally Posted by superfun

We like to make our own granola bars too, but we're still working on getting a recipe we like. If you've got it handy, could you send me your recipe?

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Pm your email address and I will forward it to you

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Originally Posted by homeschoolmom

Do you also have a PC Mastercard? We use it for all of our daily expenses (groceries, gas, etc.) and pay it off at the end of each month so we never pay interest. We earn between $500- $700 each year in free groceries!

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It's hard to pick and choose which reward scheme to go with but we chose to use our Amex as regularly as possible for the air miles. My husband earns about 400 a month with work and we use the rewards for tickets to the movies so we can have a free date night. 2 adult tickets, popcorn and a drink is only 170 air miles. It's unfortunate that Amex still isn't widely accepted in Canada so if the savings are that great with the PC MasterCard it may well be something worth looking in to, thanks

If you are in Ontario, you can use airmiles to purchase groceries at Metro.

I purchase much of my meat and fish on Wag Jag. They get some awesome deals on there! Also, I did a lot of my Christmas shopping through Wag Jag, Dealfind, Teambuy and Groupon. I saved a fortune!!!!

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Originally Posted by Woodsy

If you are in Ontario, you can use airmiles to purchase groceries at Metro.

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The list of places to use air miles and earn air miles is huge now but to use an Amex is very different. Sobeys accept it but their prices are higher than most and the produce at my local store is poor

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Originally Posted by cfred

I purchase much of my meat and fish on Wag Jag. They get some awesome deals on there! Also, I did a lot of my Christmas shopping through Wag Jag, Dealfind, Teambuy and Groupon. I saved a fortune!!!!

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Hmmm I used to get their emails and still get teambuy but I've never seen produce advertised?? I actually do a lot of my Xmas shopping online as it's my sons birthday on the 24th too so I really need to get good deals. Things like Lego are nearly always dramatically cheaper in the states. I'm talking a $150 Lego technics set is less than $100 across the border. I also go through air miles stores so that I can collect extra rewards that wouldn't be available to me instore.

It's going to be such a change living off one income while being a full time student for nearly 2 years. I was worried at first and still am a little, but worrying isn't productive, planning and changing now is though. I am hoping to get a job in a pub where a friend works near campus a few hours a week to help pay for gas resulting in a higher food budget. It's on my route to and from campus so won't cost additional fuel and will hopefully give me a couple hundred dollars extra a week which will for sure help.

No, I've never seen produce on Wag Jag, but lots of meat. I bought a 5lb box of sustainably fished Orange Roughy for $35 not long ago and it's fabulous! Watch the salmon though as often, it's Chum which, in my opinion, is kinda nasty stuff. We now just get ethically raised meat from small farms, but I've had wings, steaks, ribs and all were good. Sometimes they have on frozen fruit in bulk, which is great! I'm waiting for those to come up again so I can pounce! We make smoothies every morning for breakfast, which is fast, cheap and healthy. You have to go right onto the site to get at the grocery page. Also, we only go out to dinner now when I have a Groupon or something to support it. Take advantage of those little things so you don't feel like you're living in poverty. I've had some tough stretches, especially after my husband moved on to greener pastures, so I've gotten pretty good at living lean.

http://www.wagjag.com/category/grocery

Another idea we've adopted here is every couple of months, do a 'fiscal fast'. I saw a guy do it on 'Extreme Cheapskates'. While I'm not willing to go to the measures many of those people do, the Fiscal Fast was a good idea. Every 2 months, spend no money for 1 full week....NO MONEY! I'm in the middle of one now. It's hard, but forces you to use up stuff that would otherwise sit there another 6 months.

I have also started making almond milk. While it's not terribly cheap, it's added protein to our smoothies and the almond meal goes into most of my baked goods, giving them a punch of protein too. 2 cups of almonds will yield about 5-6 cups of milk and 2 cups of meal. The meal can be frozen for future use and makes muffins and things soooo much tastier and moist. They just don't go stale! $50 worth of almonds does my family (me, 2 teen boys, boyfriend on wknds) for about 6 weeks).

My children are horrified by how cheap I've become ;)

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Originally Posted by cfred

No, I've never seen produce on Wag Jag, but lots of meat. I bought a 5lb box of sustainably fished Orange Roughy for $35 not long ago and it's fabulous! Watch the salmon though as often, it's Chum which, in my opinion, is kinda nasty stuff. We now just get ethically raised meat from small farms, but I've had wings, steaks, ribs and all were good. Sometimes they have on frozen fruit in bulk, which is great! I'm waiting for those to come up again so I can pounce! We make smoothies every morning for breakfast, which is fast, cheap and healthy. You have to go right onto the site to get at the grocery page. Also, we only go out to dinner now when I have a Groupon or something to support it. Take advantage of those little things so you don't feel like you're living in poverty. I've had some tough stretches, especially after my husband moved on to greener pastures, so I've gotten pretty good at living lean.

http://www.wagjag.com/category/grocery

Another idea we've adopted here is every couple of months, do a 'fiscal fast'. I saw a guy do it on 'Extreme Cheapskates'. While I'm not willing to go to the measures many of those people do, the Fiscal Fast was a good idea. Every 2 months, spend no money for 1 full week....NO MONEY! I'm in the middle of one now. It's hard, but forces you to use up stuff that would otherwise sit there another 6 months.

I have also started making almond milk. While it's not terribly cheap, it's added protein to our smoothies and the almond meal goes into most of my baked goods, giving them a punch of protein too. 2 cups of almonds will yield about 5-6 cups of milk and 2 cups of meal. The meal can be frozen for future use and makes muffins and things soooo much tastier and moist. They just don't go stale! $50 worth of almonds does my family (me, 2 teen boys, boyfriend on wknds) for about 6 weeks).

My children are horrified by how cheap I've become ;)

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Thank you so so much for sharing wagjag. I just went onto groceries for my area and just found the cake shop that I have an appointment with on Friday to place a birthday cake order for my daughters party. They are offering a dozen cupcakes at 50% off and in addition 10% off a custom cake order. cfred, you officially made my day :)