My $200/month food budget

kokostiletto asked how I can keep within a $200/month food budget. Although I didn’t exactly do it this month (thanks to dining out more often than usual), I’ve done it in the past. It takes discipline, but once you get into the swing of things, it’s pretty easy.

I guess it also really helps that I stay over at BF’s at least once a week, and he makes me dinner.

Anyway, I’ve posted about this before, and I’ll just update what I’m making these days…

Standard meals that I rotate:

• Vegetarian stir fry
• Vegetarian pizza
• Hummus & pita
• Wasa bread w/cream cheese & smoked salmon (with steamed veggies as a side)
• Steamed fish & veggies w/brown rice
• African Chicken Stew
• Vegetarian fajitas
• Vegetarian chili

At least once per week I’ll eat a can of soup. Or instant noodles. Something easy and cheap, but not particularly nutritious. And it also helps that I don’t buy red meat – and rarely ever buy chicken. When I do buy chicken, I buy it bulk, then portion and freeze what I don’t use.

For my lunch, I usually bring leftovers from dinner. But today for example, I have veggies and hummus & pita for lunch. And for my snacks I have wasa bread and almond butter, as well as a banana and an orange.

I try to always buy my produce from an Asian grocery store. Their prices are usually half the price of Safeway, so it’s completely worth it if I have to go out of my way to get there. Luckily, I have 2 within a 5 minute walk from my house. Safeway is just used for the essentials. Unless the Asian stores are closed.

I put my dining out and my groceries into the $200/month category, just so I have some flexibility. But when it comes down to it, I try to stick to about $125-150 for groceries, and $50-75 for dining out.