My Real Food Budget

I’ve heard a lot of people complain that eating whole, natural organic food is just too expensive! “We just don’t have the budget for it” “We can’t afford it”… well, I’m here to break that myth!

I do believe that it can be expensive to eat natural organic foods, but it doesn’t have to be! You just need to know where to shop, stock up on bulk items, and spend a little more time cooking. Now, some of you may say you don’t have time to cook. Well, I work full time, work out 3 times a week, help my husband with his Practice (he has his own Chiropractic Practice) and take care of our household chores (most of them, my husband does help!) and I still have time to cook  even some time to relax! If you have kids, get them involved! Kids love to help and to feel important. Let them measure, pour, and stir. It will also help create a love for cooking and preparing food in their hearts!

Here is a look at our real food Budget, where the money goes and what we buy in typical month.

Our Monthly food Budget: $ 350.00. This is to feed Mike and I and does not include household items, ect. This buys us grass-fed beef, pasturized chicken, organic produce and organic bulk items, beans, pasta, ect, along with high quality oils and seafood.

Here is how our budget is broken down:

Item	How long it last  (months)	Amount	Total Cost	Monthly Cost	Where to Buy
Local Grass Fed Beef, 1/4 Cow	12	100+lbs	$422.00	$35.17	Whiskey Ridge Farm
Spices	9	varies	$16.00	$2.00	Wherever
Meats-Chix, Saus, Bacon,fish	1	varies	$52.00	$52.00	Trader Joes
Oils (EVOO and Coconut)	2	32 oz	$29.99	$15.00	Trader Joes
Pasta	2	4 packs	$7.96	$3.98	Trader Joes
Milk (almond, coconut)	1	64 oz	$3.38	$3.38	Trader Joes
Fruit- orgnc	1	varies	$10.00	$10.00	Trader Joes
Red Wine	1	4 bottles	40	$40.00	Trader Joes
Produce - orgnc	1	varies	57.96	$57.96	TJs, Freddies
Eggs - Free range	0.5	1.5 dz	$3.99	$7.98	COSTCO
Canned Tomatoes & Sauce (organic)	2	8 cans	$17.98	$8.99	COSTCO
Chips - Corn Organic	1	3lbs	$3.99	$3.99	COSTCO
Sauces and Sweeteners	2	48 oz	$22.57	$11.29	COSTCO
Baking Supplies orgnc	5	varies	$48.23	$9.65	Azure Standard
Beans and Rice orgnc	6	5 lbs	$34.63	$5.77	Co-Op
Canned Salmon	1	2 Cans	$4.90	$4.90	Trader Joes
Nuts (almonds, cashews) orgnc	6	5lb each	$46.30	$7.72	Co-Op
Random Extras	1	varies	40	$40.00	Wherever
	Totals:		$861.63	$319.76

As you can see, our actual spending comes in about $ 30.00 less than our budget. This helps buffer any unexpected items, items that are on sale and we want to stock up on, or splurge buys.

SAVINGS TIPS:

If you notice, nothing on my list is pre-made food, snacks or meals. (Besides the corn chips, our splurge!) This is the main way that I keep our budget on track. It is much more frugal to make your own snacks and meals, not to mention healthier.

We find that when we feed our bodies nutrient rich, hearty meals, we don’t feel as hungry throughout the day, therefore, we don’t need snacks as much! If we do get hungry, fruit or veggies are always on hand to munch on!

Stock up when you see things on sale! Albertson's has a organic line of chicken products, and I occasionally find them ½ off, with a manager’s special. I throw the chicken in the freezer and pull it out when I need it. This is a great way to save money while eating natural foods.

Also, visit Saving Naturally, for great coupon deals every day for organic foods, natural household items and more! This is a great way to save money! Don’t under-estimate the power of coupons!

I'm sharing this at Simple Lives Thursdays!