The good news is that having a freezer cooking session has definitely helped lower our grocery costs this month. I budget in $800 a month, and so far we have spent $600. I still have at least a week’s worth of meals in the freezer for the family as well as frozen vegetables, so all I will need to buy for the rest of the month are my vegetables and fruits for all of us. I’m hoping I’ll only need to spend $50 or so more this month.
Upcoming Food Expenses
Vegetable CSA–Having said that, it’s nearly time to sign up for our vegetable CSA for the summer. We’re going with the family size CSA that is 1-1/9 bushel per week so that we can also preserve some for the fall. It’ll cost $850 upfront, and the latest I can pay is the beginning of June, though I’m hoping to pay earlier. I’m going to have to keep our monthly grocery spending low so I can find the $850 to pay out of our regular $800 monthly grocery budget.
1/4 Side of Beef–We’ve also gone through our 1/4 side of beef crazy fast now that I’m on the Paleo Auto Immune diet. Luckily, my cousin’s husband has one more 1/4 available, but we’ll need to find another $490 for that.
So, next month I should be even tighter with the money so we can save for these big expenses.
Here’s what we bought over the last two weeks as well as what we ate:
$500 for a 1/4 side of beef is a lot to shell out at one time. I guess you have to go with what works for you.
I agree, it is. But considering it works out to $5 a pound, it’s a great price for the steaks, roasts and other cuts we will get.