September 08, 2008 | Ginger | Comments Comments

Grocery Bill Doubled In 9 Months: We Have A Problem

Today we went on our biweekly shopping trip to Trader Joes.

I am pissed!

Our grocery bills have been inching up for a little while now but dammit if this didn’t take the cake! Now, granted we have been out of town so we didn’t go food shopping for a week or so before the trip but, now a week after returning we had nothing in the pantry, well we did but not the basics. So we needed to buy all the basics and goodies that keeps our pantry stocked to get us through the next 2 weeks.

Back in January our grocery bill was $99 at Trader Joes. Today that same bill is $247.07.

Color me just a little confused and, well just pissed off! This doesn’t even include the fruits and vegetables as we have those delivered by Washington Green Grocer at $42.75 for a large organic box.

This is where I start to balance health vs. my pocket book as I’m sure so many of you do already. On one hand I could just say screw it an go back to Shoppers and deal with their less than fresh, often spoiled non-organic foods but I just don’t feel that I should have to sacrifice health for my pocket book. Our grocery budget is $350 for the month. That leaves just over $100 left for anything grocery related. And Im not saying that we can’t go over the budget but after July’s $650 grocery bill, we had to cut back on the random trips.

So what am I going to do?

Well, for one I think that we have to develop an actual list of items that are bonafide staples in our house. We sort of know what we want but we are the type to try something new every time we go to Whole Foods or Trader Joes which switches things up a bit. We aren’t brand loyalists but we really only shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joes at this point because we are being more health conscious and with the recent increases in grocery prices, we might as well shop there anyway.

Here’s the plan:

1. Make a list of staples and adhere to that list.

2. Make sure that list of staples when totaled keeps us within our budget

3. Get Evert bags because we spend WAY too much money on fruits and veggies only to have them spoil quickly before the weekend gets here. We end up having to go to the supermarket often during the week because the spoil too quickly.

4. Try to use EVERYTHING in the pantry before running to the supermarket. By everything I mean anything that can be used to make up a meal. I think we are so used to certain foods that if those aren’t stocked then we feel that we have nothing to eat.

Here’s the grocery receipt:

$#@%@%

*sigh*

What say you: How are you managing the fast rising costs of groceries? Can you share any tips with me?

BloglinesDiggdel.icio.usFacebookNewsVineRedditStumbleUponTechnorati

Entry Information

Filed Under: Featured • Groceries

Tags: Groceries • Trader Joes

About the Author: Girls Just Wanna Have Funds is for the woman that wants to take charge of her personal finances. We value budgeting, investing, frugality and remain mindful of our spending habits. Move over and make way for women who are in control of their financial destinies and not afraid to say it. We're armed with a positive net worth and not afraid to flaunt it while breaking financial ceilings one stiletto at a time!

Comments: 49 | Post a Comment | Trackback URL

theBadLibrarian (4 comments.) | Sep 8, 2008 | Reply

Point number 4 is what I do the most. Once you get into that mindset you find that you have plenty of stuff to make a meal, when once you would have looked in the fridge and shrieked ‘We’ve got nothing to eat!’ I call it fridge scrapings soup or fridge scrapings risotto, but that’s just a joke! Some of our nicest meals have been made this way.

I think continuously restocking a small number of staple foods feeds allergies and food intolerances, too, but that’s just my opinion. I say we should be more flexible about what we eat and what constitutes a meal.
theBadLibrarian (4 comments.) | Sep 8, 2008 | Reply

fr’instance, my breakfast today is foraged blackberries and yoghurt. Nice!

theBadLibrarian’s last blog post..It’s a PROMO FRENZY all over the land!
~Y (6 comments.) | Sep 8, 2008 | Reply

Omg, this post is right on time, as i’d just been feeling like my grocery bill is getting out of hand. It seems like each month I go over budget, even if by a little bit, and that’s frustrating. Unlike you and J, I don’t exclusively shop at the organic/whole food stores, because i simply cant afford it. Also, although I grew up eating only fresh veggies from the produce section, i find that today Im unwilling to buy the fresh produce because it would mean making too many little trips to the grocery store to get fresh veggies, when I can keep bags of frozen spinach and brocolli in my freezer. Tried the fresh veggies and they spoiled if i didnt use them right away, and nothing hurts me more than to see food gone bad.

But anyway, I definitely agree with Points #1 and #4. When I adhere to those points faithfully i find that i save more money… the problem is that im not always consistent. Also, I typically try to bring leftover dinner to work for lunch, so that it doesnt go to waste (since the man isnt a big fan of leftovers beyond a couple of days), so that really helps in terms of lunch food budgeting.

I surely dont have any other tips to offer, so looking forward to what other readers suggest.

~Y’s last blog post..Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in NYC
Laura (8 comments.) | Sep 8, 2008 | Reply

I noticed that you have mint and oregano on your receipt… you should try using the dried herbs. They’re not QUITE as good, but they’re much cheaper and they don’t go bad.

Laura’s last blog post..Race Report: Bruegger’s Bagel Run 5K
sfordinarygirl (5 comments.) | Sep 8, 2008 | Reply

Trader Joes’ produce is expensive even the organic kind. And it’s wrapped in plastic at least out in California. Do you have a produce market or a corner store you can buy fresh vegetables/fruit from? You’d save a lot of money especially on organic plums.

When I’m pressed for time I shop at my corner store and they carry fresh produce. Also dried herbs are cheaper and just as good.

Are you able to skip buying the mixed vegetables with butter sauce and cranberry juice? I can’t believe how expensive juice is at $4.99.

sfordinarygirl’s last blog post..Rude job interviewers
Celeste | Sep 8, 2008 | Reply

The cost of living (quite literally) is rapidly eating away (Oh Lord< help me with my puns…) at everything, especially our food bill.

In my house, we’ve always remained ahead of the game by doing exactly some of what you’ve mentioned:

*We don’t skimp on quality - that doesn’t mean all name brand, either
*We use EVERYTHING we possibly can before we do a big shop - milk still flies through this house, so…it’s always a weekly purchase
*I have fed my family meats at literally ONE THIRD the cost by REALLLY watching for “Manager’s Specials” - My favourite brag is the time I purchased $150 worth for only $30! I cooked all day Sunday, and had enough “ready made” meals for THREE WEEKS
*We stock our fridge with venison every winter - lean and healthy - $65-$80 fills a freezer and lasts nearly four months*We buy VERY LITTLE processed food - I bake, I cook every day - I’m a VERY BUSY mom…one learns to tweek it where it’s needed
*LOSE the snobbery attached to buying store brand and marked down goods - my kiddies know that there’s been a really good mark down on certain goodies, when they see surprises that we don’t normally have/purchase (i.e. sweet rolls in the freezer for weekend breakfast combo treats)
*PAY CASH FOR EVERYTHING - charging food is ridiculous
* And the most obvious - my least used/least fav - use coupons - I’ve found that they’re generally not realistic to the healthy approach I try to give my family - look instead for really good sales (i.e. when Bob’s Red Mill products… grains, cereals, flours go on sale, I STOCK my freezer)

Just a “few” of the money savers I use. C.
Sara | Sep 8, 2008 | Reply

I agree with several posters that you might be going overboard with your “quality vs cost” equation. Frozen veggies are pretty much frozen veggies and that butter sauce usually has quite a bit of sodium in it. I highly recommend buying frozen veggies from larger veggie stands - just as cheap as from a store and likely more local too.

Kudos for eating many veggies and fruits but sounds like you are mistaking organic for automatically being better. It also sounds like you are over-buying fruits and veggies.

Have you a Pensey’s near you? They are the best dried herbs and spices I have ever come across! And they are cost-efficient too. I also recommend growing your own mint in a container. It is a plant that is very difficult to kill and will take over unless you container plant it anyway. Get a large pot for a small plant and watch it take over by the beginning of next year! Yes, fresh herbs taste better, but not much better. Save fresh herbs for a treat or special dish like mozzerela caprese that requires freshness and you will find that most dried will do just fine in the right combinations and quantities.

We have pretty much stopped buying any steak unless it is on manager special at a store. Instead, we buy buffalo sirloin. Cheaper and leaner than beef - just cook it medium on low heat. Yum! Always stock up on meat when it is on sale, not when you run out. A small stand alone freezer will be worth the electricity to run it if you can take advantage of good sales, repackage the meat well, and freeze all you can handle.

Learn how to make bread - it freezes well! I keep dinner rolls, pita bread, loafs, and sometimes muffins in the freezer just fine for weeks! And there are plenty of “overnight” bread recipes out there if you just want to have the fresh crisp-from-the-oven loaf. Milk and beer breads can also be made in a little over an hour with just a little bit of work before you start making dinner.

Sit down and write out a list of your favorite recipes. See how many you have. Is there enough variety to have these as meals and leftovers for a month? Stock up on any common items. Try to eliminate or substitute other recipes that have more common ideas with the others and pull out the all special ingredients for occasions.
Ellen (1 comments.) | Sep 9, 2008 | Reply

There are several things that I do(among others) that most certainly influence my ability to stay within our grocery budget. Both require a change of habit, of behavior. Both yield great results.

#1. At the beginning of the week, I sit down and make a menu plan for the week. The plan primarily focuses on dinner. I always seem to have what I need in the house for breakfast and lunch. I keep my menu plans archived in a notebook and refer to them when planning a new menu.

#2. After creating my menu plan for the week, I make a grocery list based on what I will be preparing for that week. I put EVERYTHING I think I’ll need on the list, based on the recipes. But before leaving for the grocery store, I doublecheck my pantry and frig to make sure I really don’t have what I’ll need for that weeks’ recipes. Nothing worse than buying a jar of salsa when I already have three in the pantry!

#3. When I go to the grocery store, I stick to the list like glue. Even if something is on special, I don’t buy it. Now, one caveat here. My plan is to build up a “reserve” of saved funds that will be regularly added to or refunded as needed. These funds will be available for things that aren’t on my weekly grocery list but still should be purchased because of any special sales etc. This step, #3, saves money AND time, as I tend not to dilly dally as much in the market. I’m very focused and driven completely by my list.

Because I’ve been grocery shopping for so many years, I have an innate sense of what the items in my grocery cart will cost. But if I needed to make sure I didn’t go over my weekly grocery allowance, I would bring a calculator with me and add up the items in my cart as I moved from aisle to aisle, guesstimating on the produce items that needed to be weighed.

I often find that the recipe I’ve planned for Monday yields enough leftovers for Tuesday. This ends up potentially bumping each nights’ planned menu to the following night, thus pushing the last night on the menu plan to the first night of the following week. This is actually excellent! This means that I end up spending less money the next week on groceries!

On the first of the month, I take my weekly grocery money from the ATM machine. I divide it into envelopes, one per week, and stash it in a special hiding place. At the beginning of each week, I retrieve the grocery money for that week and put it in a place in my wallet reserved just for grocery money. When I get to the end of that money, there ain’t no more available for that week. If I have money leftover (which rarely happens), I decide whether to have an unplanned trip to a restaurant or to save the money for something else. In any case, it’s nice to have to make THAT decision!

These are just some of my strategies for saving money on groceries.

Ellen’s last blog post..Ellen’s Fractured Pelvis
Jillian (1 comments.) | Sep 9, 2008 | Reply

I used to be able to feed my family (my husband and I) for around $60/week. About 75% of our items were organic.

In the past month, I’ve spent approximately $150/week on groceries! I can account for some of the increase…For example, my son is now 15 months old and is eating a good deal more than just breast milk. Between organic jarred food and extra “adult” food, I knew there would be a bit of a jump in my grocery bill. Additionally, we just moved to Chicago and have started shopping at WholeFoods. I don’t seem to have the choice but to buy EVERYTHING organic when I shop there. That jump from 75% organic to 100% organic has definitely contributed to our increased weekly food bill. (I should mention that we buy most of our produce locally, from farmers’ markets or from WholeFoods where they label the produce as “Local” when it is.)

I’m at a loss as to what I should be doing differently. Right now I meal plan each week. We’re vegetarians, so we don’t have to worry about the high cost of meat, but still, I find myself spending much more than I would like to. Our meals are fairly simple: stir-fried veggies and rice; lentils and vegetables; avocado, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches; steamed veggies and rice; pasta with homemade sauce; etc. I take inventory of our pantry before shopping, and I’m pretty good at scraping together a meal from leftover ingredients when I need to. *sigh*

Ideally, I would like to spend no more than $100/week on food. If I ever reach that goal, I’ll let you know. (=

Jillian’s last blog post..Sunday Drive: September 7, 2008
Cynthia (1 comments.) | Sep 9, 2008 | Reply

Need to save money on groceries? Don’t shop at Trader Joes. Henry’s Markets if you have them are a great alternative with that combo health food / farmer’s market feel.

I’ve tried real farmers markets but they don’t seem to be any cheaper.

Basically, I live by coupons and club savings at Ralphs, CVS and stores like them. It’s the only way I can get by.
The Collegiate Gourmet (1 comments.) | Sep 10, 2008 | Reply

Food prices have gotten ridiculous. Even Trader Joe’s has slowly crept up. It’s still less than Von’s or Albertson’s but I’m sure TJ’s has felt the crunch, too. The other thing that irks me about TJ’s is they constantly discontinue items. That’s how they keep prices down.

The Collegiate Gourmet’s last blog post..That’s Not Wack Pepperjack Sandwich
sfordinarygirl (5 comments.) | Sep 10, 2008 | Reply

Have you looked at growing your own food even just herbs? Our grocery store sells a big basil plant for $3.99 which beats buying it by the bunch $1.5 each time. There’s also less waste with basil plants because you trim as you need. Even growing a small cherry tomato plant helps.

Are there ethnic supermarkets where you live? even the Mexican grocery stores are cheaper than TJs. Don’t discount grocery outlets if you have them like the ones in CA called Grocery Outlet- great cheese, olive oil and gourmet food at rock bottom prices - cheaper than TJs.

sfordinarygirl’s last blog post..MUNI Gestapo: Thanks for the ticket!
sfordinarygirl (5 comments.) | Sep 10, 2008 | Reply

Also what helps save money on groceries is eliminating little luxuries such as fruit juices such as orange, apple and cranberry. You’ll get more vitamins by eating fresh fruit. Most of the juice contains alot of sugar. I also don’t buy crackers, packaged foods, bread and anything that’s not in season.

sfordinarygirl’s last blog post..MUNI Gestapo: Thanks for the ticket!
Ginger | Sep 10, 2008 | Reply

Ok you all are really posting good tips!

I will address all of you but just wanted to clarify from what I have read so far:

I do believe that organic, locally grown food is best for us. I refuse to eat the persticide ridden foods at Shoppers and Safeway. There is a HUGE difference in the taste of the foods from those supermarkets, hence why we will only shop at Trader Joes for perishables at this point.

We dont do much canned food at all, I believe in fresh foods. I will try the Trader Joes frozen veggies because I know they are more fresh then the ones at Shoppers but just understand that this is our goal, to eat fresher and healthier foods. I wont scare you with how many pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals are in your fruits and veggies but just take heed.

We dont eat much meat at all so that doesnt account for high prices. I should post the whole receipt and then see what comments I get then.

Gotta run!
Michelle (6 comments.) | Sep 10, 2008 | Reply

Wow, that’s a hefty bill! We just did our shopping at Trader Joe’s and our bill was about $30 more than usual.

We’ve started splitting our shopping among a super cheap bargain store, Costco, and TJ’s. At Costco, we can get a good stash of pantry stuff, and things we can freeze. Cheapo bargain place is where we get our other staples, that we’re not too choosy on, like bread, dairy products, paper towels, etc., and we can use coupons there, saving us even more money. The only problem there is getting good meat and vegetables… it’s kind of a tossup as to what’s good in there…

And then we go to TJs, Whole Foods, Hows or Vons for the fresher stuff, like produce, and organic stuff — I totally believe in shopping local, too!! Fortunately, we live pretty close to all those locations, so we’re not killing our gas by spreading our shopping out.
Jubilee31156 | Sep 13, 2008 | Reply

I agree. I also am learning that reviewing the grocery receipt afterwords is a good idea as well. I learn from that how things I may not have needed were actually a waste of money(example: $6 specialty olives or a frozen food for $5.00). Reviewing my receipts has helped me to cut back the next time I shop. Also as you mentioned always going grocery shopping with a list and sticking to that list.
Adrienne | Sep 15, 2008 | Reply

It isn’t your imagination. I thought I’d seen an error on a price sticker a few weeks ago, so ended up keeping a price book (or a modified one) ever since. I’m now comparing prices at the 3 or 4 stores I use most often, and buy only what I need from the cheapest place. Since I only visit each store 1 or 2 times monthly, I’ve decided to make do if I run out of anything until it’s time to buy it again (a forced variation of eating out of my pantry).

I’ve also decreased the volume of prepared food I get, either from the deli/prepared counter or elsewhere. Since it’s just me, the cost between finished food and the raw ingreients has been pretty close. However, my price book is telling me otherwise. Hence, buying part of a watermelon and cutting it up myself takes about 5 minutes (yes, I timed it), and at .99/lb. with 2 lbs of rind that I threw away(yes, I’m weird enough to have measured that too), I still saved $2.00 on the cost of my weekend snacks buy not buying the already-cut-up version at the grocery store. Ditto for chick peas and black beans, which I used to buy in a can. Now I’m back to my college days when I bought dried beans in bulk, soaked them in the fridge overnight and while at work, and then cooked them in a slow cooker or a slow oven . . .while roasting meat and veggies for the week.

I start a new store cycle tonight, so we’ll see if this is sustainable and if the little bit of extra effort pays off in the next 2 months or so.
CdnStealthGirl | Sep 17, 2008 | Reply

Another tip is to not buy non-grocery items in the grocery store. The markup on non-grocery items (cleaning supplies, toilet paper, batteries, etc) is pretty high. Save those items for walmart or another department store.
Josh Hatcher (1 comments.) | Sep 17, 2008 | Reply

Hey, I am a pastor, freelance designer, and author of a great book called “Cheap Ways To…” available on Amazon.com

I am also a proud cheapskate and father of four.

We have found a really great way of stretching out those funds a bit.

Angel Food Ministries - http://www.angelfoodministries.com/
I am no way involved with these guys other than as a loyal customer.

There goal is to provide food relief to communities throughout the us.
They buy in bulk, and then distribute through churches and other non profits.

it’s NOT a charity program… it’s just a way to provide low cost food.
People in any income bracket can order through them… and its cheap enough to buy a box for yourself and your sick granny or poor neighbor…
Venecia (1 comments.) | Sep 17, 2008 | Reply

I just wrote on this very same topic. One thing we did was switch the order of the two stores we shop at. We used to go to the organic / healthy place first and then the nicer grocery chain place for things we knew we could save a ton on. But now we shop in the reverse order and it’s saving us a ton — without too much compromise on our goals for sustainability.

Venecia’s last blog post..Real Inflation
Meredith (4 comments.) | Sep 17, 2008 | Reply

Hi! I’m new to your blog, but am pretty sure (quite certain) that we live in the same area.
We have found that Sam’s has a decent selection of organic items at pretty good prices. We get a 1 pound thing of organic spinach there (for less than $5) and it lasts us about 2 weeks. Now that it’s apple season, we’re thinking of going to one of the apple farms to pick apples. I’ve been told the prices aren’t too bad if you do that.
I also like to get Safeway’s frozen organic strawberries or other berries. The prices are good, and my son cannot get enough of them.
Mary | Sep 17, 2008 | Reply

I did a price comparison between Trader Joe’s and another grocery store a while back. What I found was that their prices for prepared foods (whether ready-to-eat or frozen foods or boxed mixes) were quite good, but the staples I buy - like quick oats, dry beans, brown rice, etc- either cost more or are not even carried by the store.
neimanmarxist (3 comments.) | Sep 17, 2008 | Reply

we plan everything we are going to eat. i make a menu based on what’s left over and what is in the pantry. if you only buy things for meals you’ve planned it will bring your bill way down i also don’t buy any processed foods. i just buy staples and make all the food myself. it is time consuming but it’s also healthier and cheaper. i just get right to it as soon as I’ve brought the food home from the market- i cook up five meals right away, then husband comes in and does all the dishes. we eat the five meals over the next week; I freeze 1/3 of each dish for us to grab in the morning and eat for lunch.

Cooking in advance and cooking everything from scratch sounds like a huge time commitment but if you do it all at once it isn’t bad at all. I figure, if I didn’t cook in advance, I’d spend an hour cooking each night. Making five dishes at once takes ~ 3 hours and about an hour of clean up (which husband does, not me) . so actually I save two hours!

hope this helps.

neimanmarxist’s last blog post..When Fancy Strikes
neimanmarxist (3 comments.) | Sep 17, 2008 | Reply

one more thing! i hit the farmer’s market first and get all the produce there it reduces the grocery bill by about 30%

neimanmarxist’s last blog post..When Fancy Strikes
Kristen@TheFrugalGirl (1 comments.) | Sep 17, 2008 | Reply

I gotta tellya, working on cutting down my food waste has helped our grocery bill A LOT! I never realized how much money I was losing with my wasteful habits.

I don’t know if you meal plan, but I’m a huge fan of that…I plan my main dishes and my side dishes for dinner, and that has saved me money and helped me to reduce my waste.

Kristen@TheFrugalGirl’s last blog post..Vacation menu
Lou | Sep 18, 2008 | Reply

Consider these habits: 1) Whenever you make a casserole, double the recipe and freeze one. Somehow that always winds up both cheaper and easier. 2) Buy whole chickens instead of pieces. It’s worth the price of good cooking shears to be able to either cut up the raw chicken yourself or pull every scrap of meat off the cooked whole chicken, which will give you enough meat for at least 3 meals. 3) Use evaporated milk instead of cream or whole milk in any recipe where the milk will be cooked - casseroles, soups, puddings. this does not work in cold dishes, but gives the mouth feel of cream in cooked ones. 4)Toss all leftover greens, meat scraps and chopped onions, peppers or celery into a “soup bag” in the freezer. About once a month put the contents of the soup bag into the slow cooker all day with a bouillion cube and some water. Strain the result and use as a base for a gallon of healthy,homemade soup (all you need to add are some cooked beans, and a half jar of salsa - and maybe a half cup of that cooked chicken) to make a simple, filling soup.
Kelly | Sep 18, 2008 | Reply

You might consider planting an herb garden . You can plant most herbs in a container or hanging basket , you don’t need a whole garden to grow herbs .
I really love a cup of tea with candied ginger and fresh picked chocolate mint .
I buy oranges , limes , and lemons when they are on special and make fresh squeezed orange juice , lemon and limeaide . This is very simple with an electric juicer, I have a wooden juicer , a metal hand press for the limes and the traditional glass juicer .
I also google whatever ingredients I have on hand rather than running to the grocery store for the needed ingredients .
I have found some new family favorites that way , such as ” one egg” banana bread .
Eat less meat and do what our mothers and grandmothers did without thinking, add a starch to your meal . Bread , pasta , potatos , or rice are very filling .
If you are worried they will make you fat take a walk or better yet , work on your garden after eating .
sfordinarygirl (5 comments.) | Sep 18, 2008 | Reply

You’ve probably got more comments than you expected - but seriously I switched to eating 90% vegetarian/vegan meals. I do buy a dozen of eggs and on occasion some feta cheese but eating vegetables three meals a day has dramatically improved my health and lowered my grocery bill.

One of my favorite recipes to make in bulk is vegetable quinoa - http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/01/quinoa-vegetable-paella.html

The author uses so many vegetables which you can get full from very easily with all the water and fiber count.

And definitely growing your own herbs is cheaper or buy dried - the differences are very subtle and the savings are significant. If you’re worried about wasting food such as vegetables cooking immediately after you grocery buy for the entire week and freezing them in ziplock bags and you’re all set. I’ve done a lot of bulk cooking and if I know the food won’t be finished in a few days, I dump all the contents into the freezer bags and toss it inside. That way the vegetables doesn’t go to waste and you still get your healthy meals.

sfordinarygirl’s last blog post..Clothing swaps
Andrea | Sep 18, 2008 | Reply

THere’s a wonderful book–How to Cook Without a Book — that helps IMMENSELY when dealing with a fridge of stuff that has to be used. You’ll have to adapt some of her approaches for a lower fat style (her pan searing is perilously close to pan frying; I substitute veggie broth for the oil, for example).

The other thing is that, if things are spoiling and you have to make mid-week runs, then plan for that. One, as you buy, think about how and when you will use the item. Two, simply buy less at each trip and intend to come back at midweek. Or do as others have suggested, and freeze things for the rest of the week. I’ve used all three approaches, and significantly cut down on my waste.

Is there a farmers’ market near you? There’s one near me, and I find that the certified organic meats, fruits, and veggies I buy there last significantly longer (and are cheaper) than either the Whole Paycheque or the local Krogers and Publix shops. (There’s only one Trader Joe’s, and it’s hell and gone a quarter of the way around the perimeter, i.e. about 25 miles one way.) The veggies are so good that I have done what the poster above suggested and radically increased my veggie consumption while decreasing my meats to condiment status. It’s kept my grocery bill pretty flat while helping me get back ontrack with weight loss.

Anyway, whatever path works out best for you, good luck with it, and thanks for your fantastic blog!
barbara c. | Sep 18, 2008 | Reply

Are you nuts?! Why do you shop at the two most expensive stores around and then complain about your food bill? I stopped in Trader Joes the other day and laughed my way around the store. There were signs everywhere touting how cheap they were. $5.99 for a gallon of milk? Come on, at that price my family would spend over $42.00 a week in milk. I shop at Aldi’s, Meijer’s and Food for Less. Meijer’s has a great organic produce section and makes a point to buy as much locally as possible.
I have used as my frugality bible the books by Amy Dacyczyn ‘The Tightwad Gazette’ for many years. She promotes using the pantry principle, buying food to restock your pantry, not necessarily buying food for each recipe. My pantry is always well stocked with low priced staples, my freezer is well stocked with sale priced family packs of meat that have been broken down into usable sizes. I have big herb and vegetable garden and have frozen or dried a lot of produce for the winter. I just don’t buy expensive food. I’d rather buy $2.99 lb catfish than $12.99 lb salmon. We eat hamburger, chicken, turkey, and pork alot but also a fair amount of meatless meals, pasta or rice dishes. My family is well fed and very healthy. I think that you really need to rethink your shopping habits in this rapidly changing world
Dan | Sep 18, 2008 | Reply

Why is it that people assume “Organic” means “Healthy”. In some situations this is NOT the case. People need to learn to think and research for themselves. Many times “Organic” means no pesticides at all. Even natural ones people have been using for thousands of years that are completely healthy for humans. This means the food is more likely to have pests in or around it as it is growing. Same for animals that were not given antibiotics. Antibiotics are not always bad. There is scientific evidence that food poisoning occurs MORE frequently from ingesting “Organic” foods than non-organic. Many times, companies toss the label “Organic” on their product just because the normal process to grow, harvest, and distribute their product fits the bill, so they can slap an advertising label on it and they are suddenly able to charge more because all the lemmings out there will pay more for a word.

Yes, I acknowledge that in some cases “organic” does taste better, looks better, and is better for you, but I am willing to bet that less than 40% of all “Organic” products fall into this bucket.
Ginger | Sep 18, 2008 | Reply

That some people would be me.

My information and basis for this decision is well researched, Im not looking for your approval. Antibiotics are not always bad? My bad, when you teenager stops responding to antibiotics to stop an infection then come see me. Talk to me when he also starts growing a beard at 8 or developing larger testicles at 7.

I can deal with a few pests around the food, as long as I wash it clean upon arrival into my home.

I also purchase foods from LOCAL farmers who don’t use pesticides or any hormones OR antibiotics in their food. Yes, Ive also visited their farm and have an arrangement where they deliver the fruits and veggies to our home.

It is a choice that I have made for my family and we actually like it. Show me your studies and I will show you 5 for each one you bring to the table. MBA programs are starting to discuss this very issues with their students which is around the business practices of the agricultural community. Get off the FDA bib for a minute long enough and you’ll start to understand what’s really at risk here.

My decision. My health.

Not Yours.

Spare me the excuse to continue eating foods loaded with pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, antibiotics and hormones which are now causing our little girls to develop as early as 7 years old in some cases. Doctors are telling parents to lay off the cows milk in an effort to stop their cycles from starting so early.

In the name of cost? I have cut back on PLENTLY of other things to be able to purchase the kinds of foods that are healthier and safer for my family. I no longer eat fruits and veggies that are not organic because I am allergic to the coating of pesticides and wax they put on the outside. My lips get red and swollen each time. I have not eaten “regular” pesticide ridden foods in so long that yes I can taste, smell and EXPEERIENCE the difference with organic foods, fruits and veggies.

I am incensed that you would have the nerve to come here and question MY DECISION to spend MY MONEY on Organic food items. It is my choice, once that I feel is the BEST healthy option for my family and I.

Common sense tells you that if cows are developing mastitis from all the hormones they are given then what will that do to us? Oh Im sorry, have you not been reading the health magazines around the sudden increases in cancer?

Sorry everyone, but I really really can do without the organic vs. supermarket debate. I’m well researched and informed in this area and my decision is not one of privilege but one for the sake of my health.

If this came off salty, well Im not sorry about it because this post wasnt about organic vs non organic. I shop and Trader Joes and Whole Foods in the DC METRO area because it works for me. My family, they all practice a holistic vegan diet, Im coming around after having my mom battle colon cancer.

It’s best for ME.
Marcus Murphy | Sep 18, 2008 | Reply

My two cents to the conversation is evaluate what foods need to be organic. Things like Bananas, Citrus Fruit, and Avocados are sold at Trader Joe’s as non-organic and the health benefit between the two is negligent compared to cost. The outer peels on them prevent them from absorbing almost any of the chemicals into the edible parts. This can shave some significant bucks off your bill, especially for the avocados. Also, try going to the Farmers Market at the end of the Market. Many of the vendors are keen to bargains because they really would rather sell off their inventory at a lower price then haul it back with them.
James | Sep 19, 2008 | Reply

Hi, I found your blog on this new directory of WordPress Blogs at blackhatbootcamp.com/listofwordpressblogs. I dont know how your blog came up, must have been a typo, i duno. Anyways, I just clicked it and here I am. Your blog looks good. Have a nice day. James.
Kristen | Sep 19, 2008 | Reply

Instead of buying fresh herbs (or dried for that matter, they are just as ridiculously over priced here anyways), I paid 3.99 each for the plants. My staples are parsley, oregano and basil, but next year I may add chives and dill. I keep these little investments on my kitchen window sill where they get a boatload of sun. They require little work and no green thumb (I certainly don’t have one), even when they start to wilt or dry out I just water them well and in a day they have bounced back. And my kitchen smells great all the time!
I have had them for about 4 months now and my only issue is trying to use them faster than they grow. I may even try drying my overrun myself. I’m a little afraid to re-pot them as I’ve had bad experience with that killing otherwise healthy plants (the trauma maybe?).
Look for a book on year-round indoor pot gardening, I plan on growing wax beans and tomatoes inside next year. We have nasty 8-month long winters here so outdoor gardening doesn’t usually pay off well.
AnnJo | Sep 19, 2008 | Reply

Hi, Ginger,

Please, let your heart be not so troubled. I don’t think anyone is trying to tell you what to think or what to eat; may I gently suggest that stress from getting “incensed” at a difference of opinion is probably just as detrimental to one’s health as you believe eating non-organic foods would be?

I happen to view the possible but (to my mind) so far unproven dangers of low levels of pesticide residue on most foods is not worth the 100% - 400% higher prices, TO ME. If it’s worth it to you, then of course it’s your money so it’s your call. Thankfully, in our society, we are each allowed to spend our food money in conformity to our own values, risk assessments and beliefs.

I think some commenters here only have been trying to suggest that your observation - that food prices have skyrocketed - is distorted because of where you shop. I am a careful food shopper who keeps a price book, checks the ads for the three major grocery chains in my area weekly, and visits Costco about once a month.

My observation is that in the last year, food prices have gone up only about 5% for most of what I buy, which is a very diverse food list. But I buy almost no packaged or pre-prepared foods, and prepare all our meals, snacks, desserts, and most condiments (salad dressing, tartar, BBQ , alfredo, marinara, cheese sauce, etc.) from scratch. I buy dry beans, rice and flour in 25 lb. bags, onions & potatoes in 20 lb. bags, oatmeal in a 9 lb. box (for breakfast, meatloaf filler, breads & granola bars), heads of lettuce rather than bagged, and so on. I make rolled pastas from scratch, for fresh pasta at a fraction of the cost of store-bought. Meal planning and proper storage avoid most waste.

Although I rarely buy organic, I have noticed that those prices have gone up a lot more - not sure why. I also notice that when I shop at Trader Joe’s about four times a year (for chocolate and wine, they’re great) there is little opportunity to buy in bulk, and they have far more pre-prepared foods which I rarely use. When you think about the rise in gas prices, it makes sense that pre-prepared foods are going to go up a lot more, since there’s a lot more transportation built into those products and their packaging.

I noticed you have a lot of fresh herbs on your receipt. I grow my own bay leaf plant (fresh bay leaves are extremely fragrant and flavorful), thyme, rosemary, chives, parsley, and cilantro in pots, and they are all very easy to grow (the first three are perennials and with proper care will last for years). I’ve never had any luck with basil. Swiss chard is also a good container plant and decorative too.

We spend about $350 a month for two adults and one 6′4″ teen-age skate-boarding maniac boy who inhales his food and chugs his milk. We go through nearly a gallon of milk a day. At Costco or the regular grocery store, it’s $2.50-2.75 a gallon. Organic would be about $6.00 a gallon, more than double. I can’t justify spending an extra $1,000 a year for milk alone, on the available evidence. But - that’s my choice, just like your spending is yours.

I do think that the implications of organic foods, whether financial, as I see it, or health related, as you see it, are important enough that people should investigate from reliable sources for themselves, and not just blindly follow either path. That should be something we can both agree on, right?
Andrea | Sep 19, 2008 | Reply

You know, if you think about it, Annie, you’re already doing most of the things that folks who go organic are doing. Like you, I make the bulk of my own condiments, grow my own herbs, make my own bread, use the sorts of ingredients you use … and like you, my food prices are not skyrocketing. Pace both Consumer Reports and Prevention, I do spring for organic produce at the farmer’s market on those items that I eat often (and that make sense to buy organic). With that sort of diet, I think chugging non-organic milk is not nearly the issue that it might seem to some on the surface. (And whether it is or not, it’s frankly nobody else’s business but yours.)
The Lady Girl (1 comments.) | Sep 21, 2008 | Reply

This is a conversation that I had with myself as well. As a single gal, I typically spent about 30-40 a week for groceries. Well, that has now crept up to $80 or so. Going to the organic market…well that’s much more. I am certainly feeling the difference in my pockets.

The Lady Girl’s last blog post..Communication with New People
Aryn (1 comments.) | Sep 23, 2008 | Reply

I just have to say in response to comment #1, restocking the same staple foods doesn’t encourage food intolerances and allergies. It may encourage food dislikes, but the other two are biological and usually genetic. Eating a wide variety of foods won’t prevent them.

Aryn’s last blog post..When to Use Your Emergency Funds
Marcia | Sep 24, 2008 | Reply

You know, groceries in general have just gone up. I shop a lot at TJ’s (because for the staples like milk and rice, they are cheaper than everywhere else - $5.99 for a gallon of milk that is ORGANIC is a fabulous deal). The people who say “you should shop here-or-there” - just don’t realize that location matters a LOT.

Everything I buy, at TJ’s or elsewhere, is more expensive. Whole wheat flour, brown rice, dried beans, fresh vegetables, frozen vegetables, cottage cheese. I stopped buying cottage cheese when it went from $2.59 to $3.99 for a 32-oz container. I started buying it again because, well, I like it. I just don’t get it as often.
ElleX | Sep 24, 2008 | Reply

Ginger, great post. I am a Pesca-ovo Vegetarian (I eat fish (no shellfish) and organic eggs). When it comes to fruit I only purchase frozen mangos and organic bananas (sometimes I buy organic apples) from Trader Joe. I shop at a local Green Market called Home Economist, Earth Fare, Farmer’s Market, and Super Target for my other organic fruit and vegetable needs. I, also, had a small container garden this summer.

I suggest checking your local supermarkets (including Super Walmart and the Dollar Tree) to see if they sell organic foods and toiletries. Surf the internet for coupons for organic products. Also, check Amazon as they sell organic products, too.

Someone above suggested this already but it bears repeating: keep a price book with prices from your local markets on the items that you purchase most often.

Ciao!
Katie (1 comments.) | Sep 30, 2008 | Reply

The High Cost of Eating Healthy

I found this article interesting and can personally relate. I remember my first job making 50k in Chicago with high rents and the psychology of walking through the supermarket and wanting to buy foods I could not see myself affording, especially meats. If you’re on a budget are you going to buy the $5 90/10 ground sirlon or the $2.50 70/30 ground beef? My diet was limited to what was on sale and eating healthy as this article descibed was unknown. Did I eat wine, cheese, and exotic things from Trader Joes? Nope! It was what was on sale at SuperTarget!

As my income rose so did my purchasing power and consumer confidence in buying more expensive items. For example, now that I can afford better foods (healther and meat), I’ve started to make cooking a hobby trying different receipes that call for ingredients I have just learned about. Oregano? Honestly, I never heard of that until about a year ago.. I started to feel confident in spending $8-10 cooking a homemade healthy meal with fresh spices. No more McDonalds! I buy the $4 wheat bread that only has 45 calories per slice instead of the $2 150 cal/slice bread.

Feeling and looking healthier as a result.
King Richards (1 comments.) | Oct 17, 2008 | Reply

Hey what a blog,,,so you take any donations?
Loansome (1 comments.) | Oct 26, 2008 | Reply

Making a list and sticking to the list really helps, IMHO.
When I sort of “lost” my job, and was living on the savings I earned, I had to make a list at least a week before I actually did the groceries, because I re-evaluated my list everyday. I learned that reviewing the initial list made over and over again, gave me a means to cross out the stuff I learned that I could do without. It also gives time to check if I have enough or if this supply/stock could last for an extra week etc.

Loansome’s last blog post..Faxing instant loan no payday
Toy (2 comments.) | Oct 27, 2008 | Reply

I’m happy you posted this. The change was slighty gradual over the year but nonetheless very drastic. There are a few farmers starting their own markets. This may relieve some of the produce stress. I’m not sure what’s going to happen with the trademark companies. I think alot of us will have to revert back to preparing everything by scratch.

Toy
http://www.See My Healthy Hair Grow.com
Em | Oct 27, 2008 | Reply

On the comment about fruits with thick peels and how there is no health benefit to eating their organic variety:

Have you ever tasted organic bananas? Try one when you chance upon it. Or an orange- there is a huge difference in taste that comes from the plant not being genetically modified. It fights its own battles against pests and nature in its attempt to store food and grow.

Taste contributes to satiety and organic foods have complex tastes, as opposed to simply super sweet.
AnnJo | Oct 28, 2008 | Reply

Em, I think genetically modified and organic are two different things. Almost all modern fruits, vegetables and livestock are genetically modified, through breeding and hybridization.

As for taste, I grew up in Puerto Rico where we had oranges, bananas, grapefruit, lemons, guavas, mangos, breadfruit, and some stuff you wouldn’t recognize the names of, all growing in our 2 acre back yard in very rich totally untreated soil, and we never sprayed anything, so I guess they were organic. Some were delicious, some were so-so, one (jaguas) was totally gross. It depended on the variety and our tastes. Some tasted a lot better when we were really hot and thirsty than when we weren’t. The fourth grapefruit you eat in a day isn’t anywhere near as tasty as the first one. (It also does a number on your tooth enamel.)

I buy organic bananas and other organic produce when they are the only option and I really really want that item, and there’s no difference in taste, to my mind.

But if you believe organic foods are better for you, they will probably taste better to you, too. That’s how the human brain works, and that’s fine for you, as long as you can afford to pay premium prices for what is essentially a self-deception. A lot of people actually get well on placebos, due to the power of belief but that doesn’t make a sugar pill real medicine.

What concerns me is that there are a lot of people out there who can’t afford premium prices and as the organic foods fad sometimes drive the other foods out of the market, those people will reduce their consumption of fruits and vegetables to satisfy the whims of their richer neighbors. Even though I’m not poor, I sometimes find myself skipping a purchase of some fruit or vegetable altogether because I don’t want to spend .79 for a pound of vegetable and $2.00 for the “organic” sticker attached to it.

I believe that the explosive growth of organic foods in the markets, sometimes driving out the alternative product altogether, is a major component of the increase in grocery prices over the past year that this post was all about.

Last time I went to Costco, the canned diced tomatoes I used to buy for 48 cents a can were suddenly “organic” and 99 cents a can. The non-organic diced tomatoes were available in a #10 can (96 ounces), and were about the same price they’d always been.

When a credible scientific source conducts a well-designed test of the pesticide/herbicide content of organic versus non-organic products that have been treated the way I treat my produce, i.e., well washed and peeled where appropriate, and shows me that the non-organic product contains a biologically significant higher level of pesticide and/or herbicide residue, then I’m willing to listen. Strangely, there’s been no real effort to do anything like that, for all the hype about organic foods and the millions spent on marketing it. Even the Consumer Reports tests that showed only minor differences were done using unwashed produce. Who doesn’t wash their produce?
Miss M (11 comments.) | Oct 29, 2008 | Reply

I hear you, the grocery bill keeps creeping up even when you’re buying the same old stuff. I don’t know why many commenters are bagging on TJ’s and saying they are too expensive, where I live they are often cheaper for staple items compared to the regular grocery stores. One thing I’ve done, which won’t work for everyone, is to reduce the number of shopping trips. We’re just a household of 2 (plus 4 canines) and tended to buy too much food, wasting some of it. Now I shop every other week, we buy more than if we were shopping for a single week, but it’s not twice as much. We’re saving about $100 a month this way. I found we were no good at sticking to a list and would go for 1 item and leave with 20. I’ve found for me the best way to save is reduce the opportunities I have to spend money, if I never enter the store I won’t spend. We have a vegetable garden that supplies a lot of the fresh vegetables and don’t mind the frozen variety, and we don’t drink much milk so if we run out, who cares. Everything else lasts two weeks no problem.

Miss M’s last blog post..Got a Sharebuilder Account? Want 2 Free Trades?
Dan | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply

I feel pity for the vegans out there. It has been scientifically proven that a diet lacking meat will shrink the brain, so it is understandable that they jump from conclusion to conclusion and will do anything the media will hint at being extra healthy no matter the cost.
I am laughing all the way to the bank selling the organic stuff for HUGE profits.

Grocery Bill Doubled In 9 Months: We Have A Problem

Popular Posts

Entry Information