Grocery Diaries

She came $32 under budget.

“I always start with a big batch of rice.”

They stopped at two stores.

They portion and freeze a lot of meat.

She prioritizes fresh, nutritious food.

She cooks every day.

She tracks her groceries in a handy app.

A “very robust pantry” is key.

“I buy mostly store-brand items.”

We eat a lot of bacon, ground beef, and ribeyes.

Including a bottle of Chardonnay.

“I don’t force myself to stick to a weekly budget.”

They picked up some staples for free at a local food pantry.

Meats are frequently added as a “condiment” in vegetable dishes.

Oh, and they also came in $5 under budget.

“Grocery prices are among the highest in the country” in her town.

So many BOGO deals!

"I scour our grocery circulars for the best bulk sales."

They barter for fresh produce at the farmers market.

They stock up on meat once a month.

They shop online — at multiple stores — to compare prices.

They cut their spending to pay for an extra dinner out.

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“Curbside pickup just makes it so easy.”

“I make a conscious effort to control impulse purchases.”

They switched things up this week and shopped at three stores.

“I prefer to grocery shop at one place and buy in bulk.”

She even forgot her grocery list at home!

They also shopped at Target, Grocery Outlet, and Weis, a local chain.

Oh, and they also went dumpster diving and foraging.

They stocked up on pantry staples and meat to freeze for later.

Grocery pickup and the drive home take less than five minutes!

They shopped mostly at Aldi and stopped buying produce only once a week.

“We rely primarily on grocery delivery services and receive two each week.”

They shopped at four retailers and even scored freebies from a Facebook Group.

“I visit multiple stores (ideally on the same day) to get only the best deals.”

They shop twice and plan three or four meals at a time.

A trip to Trader Joe’s and a few solid rotating meals are key to keeping costs down.

In the thick of a kitchen renovation, strategic meal planning is key.

They shopped mostly at Aldi and Walmart, plus Hy-Vee and a local produce market.

She shopped at Trader Joe’s and only made one trip to the store all week.

She does grocery pickup at Walmart and only made one trip to the store all week.

“I HATE to waste food and frequently plan for nextovers because I am only cooking for two people.”

She has a savvy Imperfect Foods strategy.

She has a savvy three-store strategy.

I order my groceries online to be picked up later that day — this saves time and so much money!

We almost always have pizza on Friday.

We don’t follow a specific meal plan, but approximately 70 percent of our groceries are consistent from week to week.

They spent $114.77 Canadian dollars, which is just under $85 in U.S. dollars.

Here's everything we bought and what we made.

"We cook three dinner recipes per week, plus a Wednesday 'snack plate' night."

"We cook mostly at home and are professional picnickers and snack haulers."

Here's what they bought and what they made with it all.

They also keep six backyard hens, who provide them with about three dozen eggs a week.

They purchase chicken, fish, meat, some produce, and pantry staples at Costco.

"I don't mind making a meal and eating it for several days in a row."

"What sounds good to me can change in an instant and it's important that my shopping reflects that."

"I also started a garden this summer."

Here's everything we bought and what we made.

Here's everything we bought and what we made.