As many many many people in the comments have pointed out, you can freeze tortillas! Also great tips down there on keeping cilantro fresh. Personally, I would still go for the smaller package, as it opens up a little more money for other foods. My goal is cheap AND variety! Thanks for watching :)
The Grown Up Millennial I was just getting ready to make that comment. It’s an excellent idea for your budget when you shop at home first at another time. Other than that I just found your channel. I’m looking for ways to cut our own budget back which includes freezing certain foods. I was very impressed with your plan as well as what you got for your money. I like that it was more on the healthy and not foods that are full of preservatives and as you said a little less healthy. I’m not always looking for this type of video but so many I see are full of these type of items and my stomach or my body is saying let’s do some more healthy items and produce etc. I just subscribed. Thank you for the video.
Quick tip from a Mexican: Tortillas can be freeze, divide them in small batches in ziplock bags and throw them in the freezer. Also if possible buy your beans at a Mexican store. You can get a lot more for the same price
I've been the cook in this family unit for more than 40 years now and eating healthy has always been Priority One. I fed the two of us on a $20 a week budget until well into the 90's even after we moved away from the east coast where food is always cheaper. I religiously used your technique of avoiding the centre of the store for almost everything. Buying in season and cooking large batches of soups and stews as the backbone of our week's meals was my other tricks. Now I cook large amounts-typically enough to feed 6- for a different reason: illness. I can no longer last doing shopping for a 2 week period in one go or I'll be in bed for the rest of the week and too ill to cook any of it. Took me several trips to the store and the complete wasting of all that food before I realised what had happened to me. Now I give him small lists of things to bring home with explicit instructions on what to get and what to do if they don't have what I wantand I make back up plans in case he can't get what I need for my evil (menu) plan and try to use my head to make up for what my legs can't seem to do any more. It's working so far. My healthy back up if I can't cook and there's nothing on hand he can cook, is to eat at either a Chinese , Thai or Mexican restaurant--luckily there are a number of these nearby and they are usually pretty cheap, plus they're the most likely ones to cook from scratch with fresh ingredients and not go in for the typical restaurant fare which we all know is about as healthy as serving a lead paint chips casserole. I try and get to know the families who run the restaurants too. That helps me learn what is good eating on their menus. Over the years we've explored growing gardens, composting, canning, salting and drying and smoking foods as well as tailoring recipes to make them healthier, like when substituting some kind vegetable to replace pastas and empty starches. I've worked every angle I could to pinch pennies until I made Abe scream and weep and cry uncle. I still have a collection of soup-stew-casserole recipes written down and try to cook larger amounts when I can, and use the balance to send him off with healthy lunches and get at east one healthy left overs meal out of it. And of my friends who are of different ethnic backgrounds and who cook from scratch I always chat them up to see what's in their repertoires that I can learn from and see if I have any recipes to share in turn. Most of those 40 years I stayed at home and made feeding us well my full time vocation, so I've got quite a playbook built up by now. I'm happy to say it's been gratifying work I'm proud of.
Lentils, potatoes, pintos, carrots, onion, bananas, peanut butter, eggs, tuna, pasta, rice, tomato paste, green peppers, bread, oats. With a few spices and some oil and whatever cheap produce you can find, you can do very well on this diet and eat for around $3 a day or even less.
Yes you sure can!!! I buy Aldi oats big thing for like 2 bucks something, and cinnamon, almonds, peanut butter, and frozen blueberries from Walmart are good on them too!!!
$3 a day is great! I do this and have enough 'left over' to add in a few faves...frozen blueberries, walnuts, organic coffee, organic col pressed oils, avocados, good cheese....
Tip on that cilantro! Trim the bottoms and put the cilantro in a jar or cup or something with some water on your countertop. It keeps so much longer than just leaving it in your fridge to rot.
I'm in a Facebook meal budgeting group and I preach reading those sale ads, as well as using a calculator. This was a well organized video on what you have to do: make a list, set a budget, meal plan. Saving money on groceries is a very big deal. Prices are constantly sliding up, but we might not get a raise for years.
Great video! Im a 66 yo , mostly vegan last 50 yrs. You make such a good point of getting the healthy stuff first and then not forget to get snacks. I spend $20 wk in Summer, $30 winter but I eat 100% organic.
Joni Loverin from reading the comments I do know that. My son holds a very healthy lifestyle but I see one more reason that he is a vegetarian $$ wow I love that people are budgeting on this. I am going to work more produce and fresh foods into our meals as well as shop at home first.
Bro that Spanish scene made me so happy. I love when non native Spanish speakers speak Spanish! It's so dope to know other people wanna learn 😁 your Spanish was great btw
Aww! Iv been teaching myself Spanish for all of 2019 and the fact that I could understand what they were talking about at .75 speed , made me really happy. It shows progression. It's nice to know pple enjoy when you show interest and speak their language. I'm always scared to talk to ppl in my target language but it's nice to see pple are happy to know you try. I'm still afraid but 2020 will be the year I speak to natives without being scared of sounding dumb lmbo 😂😂
@@survivingthejourney7292 for 2019 I took 2 hours out of my day to learn Spanish. I read books, watch TV in Spanish with subtitles, I listen to music in Spanish and use phone applications like Duolingo for grammar structure and Anki for word retention. I also text native speakers with the app hello talk. It's really all about your style of learning and creating a study routine for yourself
You are the most helpful video that I've seen on this topic! I'm only 16 and I do the shopping in my house. I like to make a game out of it by making mom set a limit for how much to spend, and I take my list and see how much of my list I can get and for how low of a price. I usually always stay way under my budget! :) Keep creating videos! Btw, tu español es excellente!
Your mom is teaching you well! This is one of the most important skills you can learn that will help you throughout your life. More parents should do this!
Old fashioned oats, cinnamon, raisins, almonds; veggie fried rice, potatoes, kale onions tomatoes... so many cheap meals. Store cilantro in water, top shelf.. or wrap in a towel
I like! Very smart tips. You shop like I do. I just had tacos for lunch, made with split red lentils and a bit of brown rice, with roma tomatoes, spinach, and avocado, on real tortillas I made from masa flour in an iron skillet. So easy to make taco filling ahead and freeze it in small portions. I keep celery, tomatoes, onions, green onions, cabbage, spinach, kale, all sorts of beans, rice, and quinoa on hand for making soups, stews, pilafs, slaws, taco fillings, chili, and more. I finally figured out how to grow plenty of cilantro and parsley in the kitchen, as well as my own sprouts. Here's a couple of tips for stretching the budget a bit more: grow carrot greens from carrot tops in a saucer of water, then transplant to a pot, and do the same with the roots of green onions. Save your veggie scraps in the freezer from carrots, onions, sweet peppers, and celery, and make vegetable broth when you've saved enough. Then you can make tasty soup and stew. Saving money on meals is never dull.
It's so refreshing to see a great video like this, a girl actually walking to the grocery store (not using the car) and not using the channel for makeup! Gosh, I am so tired of that. Consumerism. Healthy and great choices :)
i grew cilantro from seeds and had so much I was begging friends to take some. Costco rice is so cheap if you buy 50 lbs at a time. Flour is crazy cheap at Costco also. Making bread saves a bundle. I make all kinds of meals with my left over bread and when it's stale i turn it into bread crumbs.
Oh and as for the tortillas, they make awesome tortilla chips when you've already use the other for what you need. Sliced into 6 or 8, spray the cookie sheet, and then throw in the oven at 350 for about 12 to 15 minutes and throw in some salsa or guacamole or whatever, and you're good to go for your next movie night.
Great video! You can actually buy cilantro in bulk. Take what you're not going to use, and freeze it in an ice cube tray full of water. Whenever you need some just melt the cubes!
I am very glad you mentioned that a person's size and location can influence the price they will spend a week. I was going to say something about it if you did not, but you did. As you said, this video is a general guide and tips.
If you like popcorn, try making your own on the stove. It's super easy, healthy (because no preservatives and extra butter/"butter") and super cheap. Just put a little oil in the pot (enough to cover the bottom, I use coconut oil. You will not end up consuming all the oil, it just helps it to cook more evenly than no oil), put 3 kernals in. when those pop, add enough to cover the bottom of the pot with a little space. Put the lid on and wait until you don't hear that much popping going on. So much cheaper than microwave popcorn and I think more delicious.
I was thinking the same thing. I have an air popper that was given to me and it makes the easiest yummy popcorn that I can season however I want. The microwave popcorn is not the same anymore.
You are good at Spanish. I actually find French easier. I took Spanish 1 at the community college. I had to repeat it. I think the teacher passed me because he didn't want to see me again.
On the West coast they are called Fry's. And Kroger tends to have some great deals from time to time. This past summer they had 3 for $5 on the strawberries
Same. When there was $15 in the basket, that was at least $35 for the same items where I live. The strawberries would be 4 or 5, and just the milk $4. Those two items = $9. However, I love the video and the ideas. It's really useful.
@Jasmine Trujillo i can get $1 bags of frozen veggies at my walmart. Also $1 bags of beans and rice and my united has sales on their eggs once a month, a dozen for a dollar something. There are so many possibilites of you know what your doing. Right now I'm eating a soup that's maybe $2.50 a serving... Mostly because I used vegan chicken broth seasoning. A four pack was $34. They taste like the real thing so I like them.
@T. Dee such is life with high end vegan food. These things taste like the real thing. Even my meat eater father though I cheated and used real chicken broth in my soup.
Just a tip: you CAN freeze tortillas! (make sure you let them thaw in the frig for a day before using them and DON'T put them in the microwave to thaw) ;)
Okay, so my new FAVORITE way to heat tortillas? Put them in foil with or without a pinch of water, in the over at 350-400F for 10 minutes. Like if I do frozen pre-cooked drumsticks ($2/package) and tortillas ($1 per 30), that is a really yummy and protein rich dinner for like $2.30. If I add veggies it is $3.30 for over 1500 calories (I eat like a horse)
sweet potatoes with cinnamon and peanut butter and oil olive/veg butter makes for a great dessert that is naturally sweet........ you can also use them instead of rice for lunch/dinner...... add veg meat and vegetables..........avocadoes , cabbage, nuts, raisin,dried cranberries, tomatoes are also great items......... for another dessert- nuts with raisins/dried cranberries. avocadoes with shredded cabbage and dressings and add vegan meat tomatoes sauce with vegetables/beans/veg meat- experiment with different combinations......
I love them, they are so handy! I use them from everything from stir fry, fajitas, cook them with beans in my crock pot, all kinds of things! Thankfully the Dollar Tree store has them in their freezer section. I have like 8 bags in my freezer right now! LOL
pls don't line any hamster cages with news paper, they can get sick from the ink. I am aware it was said as a joke, but I figured people should know just in case.
I love this video. I am a lot older than you and JUST getting around to making an effort to eat healthy and I was laid off from my job so also on a budget. What prompted me to do this is that i am eating as I always have and suddenly gained 20 pounds. That is unacceptable and I also have been putting off trying to eat better for a long long time. Thanks for the tips!
I usually go to the dollar store to pick up my rice and beans or I get the store brand since it is a little cheaper. And I get all of my produce from a food pantry (do not make enough to buy food) but I usually go to the dollar store or get the store brand when I shop.
The good thing about buying spices from the Mexican/Latin foods aisle on top of being cheaper is , the if you’re getting a spice you don’t use on regular basis you won’t waste a lot. I really like the oregano.
The only thing I hate about most frozen veggies is, you usually only get 10 to 12 oz. in those ten for ten deals. I like to try and stock up when they have a full 16 oz bags for 1.00
I realize I"m watching this 3 years after its been up ..Regardless, there is no time limit to learning new ideas. Love your ideas of shopping the perimeter first. Also, you showed how you can eat healthy yet not deprive yourself of your favorite snacks .I really liked your ideas and being old enough to be your mom it just shows your never to old to learn something!! Nice job honey.
Hi... My first time watching.. I wanted to mention that if you rather pick the larger tortillas, you can get that, take what you want out, seal in it's original bag and place them in a freezer bag or grocery shopping bag tie tight and freeze the rest.
Nice ideas, I eat on 10 dollars for 2 weeks. What I commonly do is frozen veggies and pasta. Tomato sauce over pasta sauce as you can get fresh mushrooms and garlic very cheap and make your own pasta sauce cheaply. Also finding ground beef on sale along with frozen kidney beans and chili mix is a meal for 3.82 cents. With a pot of chili you can freeze it in ziplock bags then pop out a bag and put it in a pot of boiling water to reheat ( microwave ovens take upwards of 240 watts per minute in power totaling 38 cents per minute). And if you buy rice you could mix boiled rice in your chili for another meal.
Thank you for not being rude to the cashier. This is a big pet peeve of mine when I am out and see this. Also, great video on how you can still eat healthier with a limited budget and not deprive yourself of that occasional treat.
I use an app for flyers so I can see all stores prices for specials, or search for specific foods I want to see which stores have the best prices. I too create my list with the known cost per the app. I know exactly what I’m going to buy and pay before I leave the house. Despite having a small condo, I organized my space for a decent pantry. And perhaps it looks silly but I also have a standup deep freezer in my place. I like to make and freeze a lot of meals. When I come home from work I want a home cooked meal ready to go, and so my freezer and fridge is filled will meals I prepare in advance.
Kudos for the video content! Sorry for chiming in, I am interested in your thoughts. Have you ever tried - Dinanlinson Natural Beauty Approach (do a search on google)? It is a great exclusive guide for learning what to eat to look younger minus the normal expense. Ive heard some decent things about it and my best friend Jordan after many years got cool success with it.
Get a vacuum sealer & small freeze. I have been feeding my family healthy foods on less money. For 35 years I fed 3 boys & myself for $200 a month & now that I am a senior on a fixed income, it really comes in handy & I shop the sales, so my meals are what’s on sale for the week. I am feeding myself fresh vegetables & healthy meats for $25 a week with leftovers. I also cook from scratch.
I live alone and I buy the big stack of corn tortillas and I keep them in my fridge...believe me, they will last forever and not go bad, if you do that...I keep them in the bottom in a drawer and I have kept them as long as 6 months and they are still good...if you are going to use them rolled, be sure to at least heat them in the microwave, so they don't break up. Thanks for taking the time to do this video and show people how they can eat healthy even on a budget.
So adorable!! I'm an old BabyBoomer who has finally recognized that NOT ALL OF YOUR GENERATION ARE JERKS. This video was VERY HELPFUL AND ENJOYABLE. I always felt funny buying frozen vegies and fruit thinking fresh was better. BUT, THANKS TO YOU, NOW I FEEL VINDICATED. Thank again for this presentation. ✌💜🙋
Hola, it is so refreshing to see a video on TH-cam that deals with food purchases on a budget that are healthy... Most are loaded with high carb, high sodium, high sodium and high sugar products with very few veggies or fruit... Keep up the good work...
I love this video and rewatch it sometimes for inspiration. Do you think you could do an updated one now that you're married? Say, a $40 or $50 weekly budget for a couple? As a married person myself that would be helpful. :)
Too bad this is 2018 now. SS payments have not risen as our food prices and gas have. Our prices in FL have absolutely skyrocketed. I have found that our local farm stores are much lower in prices and the quality of fresh foods , dairy and meats is much better.. I am single and 82 years old, and my food /grocery prices cost way more than $30 a week. Thanks for the advice on shopping.
I've fallen in love with frozen veggies, not only are they cheaper but theyre so much more convenient, they're already chopped up and you pretty much just have to heat it up and it's cooked. I put them in the microwave for 3 mins and they're ready to eat. Before I was buying fresh vegetables, cutting them up and cooking them on the stove. It used to take me sometimes an hour to make vegetables for up to 3 days (plus 3 minutes to warm up left overs) (I eat a lot of vegetables) but now it only takes me 3 minutes a day! Even if they were slightly more expensive I would still go with frozen veggies, A million times better! I would never buy frozen fruits though because I never have smoothies and I like to eat my fruits whole so I have to go the fresh route which sucks because they go bad within a week, whereas the frozen ones could last months longer.
What do I buy on a tight budget??? Produce: roma tomatoes, bananas, iceberg lettuce, carrots, onions & avocados. Frozen section: mixed berries and broccoli. Dairy: milk, Greek yogurt, eggs, shredded cheese and brick cheese, and heavy whipping cream. Breads: flour tortillas and whole wheat bread. Meat: fresh ground beef, boneless chicken thighs and bacon. Snacks: LaFavorita tortilla chips, almonds, chocolate chips and walnuts. My tips: #1 My list has six categories: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, pets and household items. #2 Shop different stores for bargains. #3 It's cost effective and healthier to buy ingredients rather than processed/shelf foods...ie homemade chocolate chip cookies vs Chips Ahoy :D Thanks for the video.
Little tip for your cilantro. Place stock end in a glass with approx 1 - 2 inches of water. Exhale a few times into a plastic bag, big enough to cover the head of your cilantro and cover the glass. place in your fridge, you'll find that it lasts almost 2 weeks. if you've used some, exhale again into the bag and place back in the fridge. I use an elastic band to hold the bag on the glass.
I don't know if you are near a "Dollar Tree", but I get most of my bagged, and frozen groceries from there. Only some Dollar Trees have a refrigerated/frozen section. But the ones that do, have an excellent variety of stuff! I get all my bags of beans and brown rice from there. They have pretty much everything you can think of, with the exception of fresh produce! For fresh produce, I go to the farmer's market. That way, I get to walk around outside and enjoy the fresh air while I shop. I prefer to give the local small produce people my money (and usually less of it, or I can get more for my buck), rather than a big grocery chain, when I can. Also, around our city, we have a ton of produce stands. I always hit them up, they usually have great deals.
Girl, I enjoyed your video, you get to the point and was very helpful. I'm 59 yrs old been divorced for 7yrs it was very hard to august on buying food. Keep the informative videos coming. Thanks
Excellent ideas! Thank you! 2 thoughts. Hit the food bank first. If you are given 5 pears, carrots a jar if peanut butter, raisin bran cereal, you have more money to spend on milk, eggs and meat. Tips... Hot cereal goes much farther and can be flavored like cold does. Refrigerate a big batch Monday to scoop n heat all week.
There for awhile my husband lost his job back in 2008 and we were living off of 25.oo a week. I did the same as you walking around the perimeter of the store. I was able to purchase meat at a discount because I asked questions as to when there was sales and I wrote them down as to how much and when. I was taught at a very young age that things go on sale about every 12 weeks or seasonally that's a great time to take advantage of stocking up and that some stores give you a discount of 5% or more by buying by the case.
I shop the edges first---that is where the reduced bins are....I plan my meals based on what I + what treasures I find in the reduced bins....I only buy canned fruits when damaged or couponed....I buy most of my fruits fresh from the reduced bins and freeze or can them myself....veggies the same.....I only buy milk when it is about to expire(sell by dates, not use by dates)---- I get it 89 cents a gallon this way! I divide it into smaller containers and freeze them and take them out as needed before use. if it goes bad, I make cheese...... feed the whey to the animals
Thanks for sharing your, money saving tips.I agree that frozen veggies,are very nutritious.Mixed veggies with fried rice,is yummy & simple.If you can,buy the store brand,or no-frills rice,in a family size bag.Storing the rice in a tight,air tight jar,package,or container will make it last longer.You are right,carrying a shopping basket,lessens your chances,of over spending.Don't forget to place items that spoil quickly,in your basket,last.Freezing extra food,is such a good idea! Keep doing what you do.
The outer isle tip works for most stores. Unfortunately, it doesn't work for my local Walmart. I was just thinking about it. They have chips along the outer isle, cookies and crackers along the back across from dairy and on the other side, they have a full bakery. They do however have the fruits and vegetables right up front.
Totally proud of you young lady. When I started out I collected books like the complete Tightwad Gazette. When the internet started I read Simple Dollar,Dollar Stretcher and whatever Mary Hunt wrote. Maybe they are extreme for you but this was how people with big families were doing it. Also the Economides (yes that is their name) family were an inspiration for me. All of the above mentioned were inspirations to me and now so are you.
The Grown Up Millennial I hope this isn't a weird question. But where do you live? Only asking cuz you started speaking spanish and since most of the videos you spoke english
My granmom is great with budget buys potatoes and bananas and all sorts of peppers which she saves seeds to plant, saving money when we grow our peppers and onions when they sprout she plants them too, we walk to Latin market and often produce marked down 75 percent we get goat,whole chicken and whichever fish on sale.
To prevent cilantro from going bad if its in soil water it and let it sit on the windowshill, if its cut pour bioling water on it for about 20-30 seconds let it dry off a bit and hang it up individually on a thread and let it dry in a draft free place or chop it and freeeze it for easy measure put it in an icecube tray.
I remember many years ago when my daughter was diagnosed with Celiac disease, and we had to go gluten free. Trader Joe's was one of the few places that had gluten free food in our area. They were SO expensive! Have they gone down at all in their prices? Thank goodness most places have a lot of gluten free foods now! But I learned through time that many foods are naturally gluten free as well.
For those of us who are still carnivores using less meat can be done easily by using it as a seasoning more than a main ingredient! I had one strip steak for five of us and had leftovers! First bought meat at discount grocery store for 50% off usual price! I sliced it into half then took each half and made thin slices! I added canned Asian chestnuts, sliced peppers and onions leftover from another meal, and I marinaded the meat. it! I took leftover cold rice 🍚 and fried it then seasoned it with soy, ginger and garlic 🧄! I put it aside then used the same pan and cooked the meat and the marinade, added the vegetables then lastly the 🍚! Five people on one strip steak 🥩 with leftovers mind you! Grow your vegetables in a window box or small garden! Bruised fruit and vegetables cook just as well as pretty ones! Think food stretches such as very, salads and pasta meals! Meat being used as seasoning is normal everywhere but America! We have one of the highest population of overweight and morbidly obese people in the world! Countries that allowed our fast foods restaurants in are now seeing American illnesses, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, acne and such as never seen in most countries that didn’t have fast foods! We exported fatty, sugary, salty, oversized foods that are more expensive there! They have twelve dollar BigMacs! They don’t have restaurant meals with doggie bags or free refills on drinks! Serving sizes are smaller along with the plates! We serve in plates many times about ten inches around but others serve in eight inch plates and meals are proportioned with twice as many vegetables, rices and unprocessed grains and small portions of meat! Saving money isn’t only a matter of being frugal cash wise but also saving on doctor’s visits and expensive medications and medical procedures such a stomach stapling! No expensive diets shakes and over sugared granola! Cheap can save your health!
Your video was very helpful and informative~ I gave up trying to eat healthy my first year of university because of funds but I really wanted to try again but on a budget since I'm now living off campus. Your tips are gonna be so helpful!
she did good at that high priced store. there is a Ralphs around the corner from where i live , you have to be on your peas and Q's when you shop there. I went to one of Ralphs Spin off stores called Food 4 Less i had not shopped for alot of food in a long time . I found what ran my bill up was buying meat and when i got back home i was super tired after reading all those Labels. im lucky to have a chest freezer so i filled it up with meat and veggies. the next time i shop i will not have to buy that stuff over. I remembered to get oat meal and dried beans and rice , i don't like rice but when i was a kid my mom made me eat it , I learned to make shrimp fried rice and broccoli rice and its not so bad. i went on to long so will end thanks for the video..
If you buy the larger package of corn tortillas, you can freeze them. My parents portions the tortillas in increments of fives and places them in freezer bags. Then they pull out how many they need for meals down the road. Just a thought if you're into bulking up on food storage.
Cilantro saving tip once you get cilantro home cut off a half inch from the bottom and soak it in a clean glass of water change the water out once a day and refrigerate and leave this glass towards the front door of your fridge I find if I leave it too far back and it's under a cooling vent the leaves get too cold and shrivel up in a dark green wilted state.
To cut my budget for food I have the groupon app which I use to find weekly sales at my local grocery stores. I go through each stores sales items and find the one with the most items I use and go there to shop. This is a great way to stock up on foods you eat a lot. I only go to another store if they have items I really need, is at great price or doesn't go on sale often. This saves me a lot of money and time. Happy Savings!
I make my own bread and tortillas. I cut paper towels 5 years ago and started using washable cloth and recycled coffee filters if needed. I’m now cutting coffee and coffee creamer.
Dark green vegetables are really healthy. I think you should add kale, swiss chard, or bok choy to your diet for your under $20 budget, at around 1.99 per bunch.
Some foods that you buy from the store can be regrown indoors. A lot of ways to do so from the hydroponic method, to the hay method, and to the lazy methods without having to do much at all.
ive always had a small vege garden grow just greens kale lettuce leeks spinach and chard always have greens my patch is only 4 feet by 2 feet. grows heaps
Did I read the 4 for 5 in strawberries correctly??? Here in nz it's $5 for just half the size and for one of them 😢 I'm living in the wrong country I love strawberries 😂😂😂 and half the time the quality not that great
Thank you for creating and posting this. I think the point you make about buying the slightly more expensive tortillas and not having waste is so true. How many people, including myself, buy something that is less expensive per unit price, and then turn around and throw the excess out because it becomes rancid or stale! I don't think almond milk is a great deal, regardless of the price. I read in a science health magazine that many almond milks only have 1 and 1/2 almonds in them. Even with that amount, the company can still say that it's almond milk. I would stick with rice milk, or a low fat soy milk. If you insist on almond or cashew milk, you can spend $8-$10 and buy a fine mesh zippered nut milk bag. They are on the internet and on both Ebay and Amazon. The instructions oftentimes come with the bag, and you save a lot of money over time by making your own nut milk.
soon returning too work after my illness.. for 1 1/2 years I've used Foodstamps ($94 a month)..my basket resembles yours..only exception is I shop for 1 month, but save $10 for re-stocking produce/diary after 2 weeks...shopping a month at a time allows a more varied diet...example: oatmeal, cereal, egg dishes (omelets, frittata, french toast, etc.) for Breakfast///salads, homemade soup, sandwiches for Lunch/// and a variety of Dinners....sorry I'm a meat eater, but I've reduced greatly the amount I consume for many reasons
wren 22 I'm sorry about your illness I'm happy that you are feeling better to go back to work but quite appalled that you were given a mere $94 a month in food stamps . Where I live so many people are in similar hardships but it always seems that idle derelicts who are capable of working are getting $500 a month to eat well best wishes
Frozen Veggies,fresh fruit,frozen berries,plant based milk,oats,Pasta,brown or white Rice,beans tons beans,2 cans of tuna i eat some fish twice a week gotta be in water and wild caught thats my groceries list
actually I always by my cilantro at the market where they only sell them in larger bunches. However cilantro freezes beautifully so the moment I get home I wash dry and chop them and toss it in the freezer.
As many many many people in the comments have pointed out, you can freeze tortillas! Also great tips down there on keeping cilantro fresh.
Personally, I would still go for the smaller package, as it opens up a little more money for other foods. My goal is cheap AND variety! Thanks for watching :)
The Grown Up Millennial I was just getting ready to make that comment. It’s an excellent idea for your budget when you shop at home first at another time. Other than that I just found your channel. I’m looking for ways to cut our own budget back which includes freezing certain foods. I was very impressed with your plan as well as what you got for your money. I like that it was more on the healthy and not foods that are full of preservatives and as you said a little less healthy. I’m not always looking for this type of video but so many I see are full of these type of items and my stomach or my body is saying let’s do some more healthy items and produce etc. I just subscribed. Thank you for the video.
Those kinda tortillas u can quarter and fry make ur own chips!
Thanks I’ve never frozen tortillas before 🤔 good to know!
If you plan and budget ahead you can get the bulk sizes to freeze and still have variety 👍🏻
Quick tip from a Mexican: Tortillas can be freeze, divide them in small batches in ziplock bags and throw them in the freezer. Also if possible buy your beans at a Mexican store. You can get a lot more for the same price
I've been the cook in this family unit for more than 40 years now and eating healthy has always been Priority One. I fed the two of us on a $20 a week budget until well into the 90's even after we moved away from the east coast where food is always cheaper. I religiously used your technique of avoiding the centre of the store for almost everything. Buying in season and cooking large batches of soups and stews as the backbone of our week's meals was my other tricks. Now I cook large amounts-typically enough to feed 6- for a different reason: illness. I can no longer last doing shopping for a 2 week period in one go or I'll be in bed for the rest of the week and too ill to cook any of it. Took me several trips to the store and the complete wasting of all that food before I realised what had happened to me.
Now I give him small lists of things to bring home with explicit instructions on what to get and what to do if they don't have what I wantand I make back up plans in case he can't get what I need for my evil (menu) plan and try to use my head to make up for what my legs can't seem to do any more. It's working so far. My healthy back up if I can't cook and there's nothing on hand he can cook, is to eat at either a Chinese , Thai or Mexican restaurant--luckily there are a number of these nearby and they are usually pretty cheap, plus they're the most likely ones to cook from scratch with fresh ingredients and not go in for the typical restaurant fare which we all know is about as healthy as serving a lead paint chips casserole. I try and get to know the families who run the restaurants too. That helps me learn what is good eating on their menus.
Over the years we've explored growing gardens, composting, canning, salting and drying and smoking foods as well as tailoring recipes to make them healthier, like when substituting some kind vegetable to replace pastas and empty starches. I've worked every angle I could to pinch pennies until I made Abe scream and weep and cry uncle. I still have a collection of soup-stew-casserole recipes written down and try to cook larger amounts when I can, and use the balance to send him off with healthy lunches and get at east one healthy left overs meal out of it. And of my friends who are of different ethnic backgrounds and who cook from scratch I always chat them up to see what's in their repertoires that I can learn from and see if I have any recipes to share in turn. Most of those 40 years I stayed at home and made feeding us well my full time vocation, so I've got quite a playbook built up by now. I'm happy to say it's been gratifying work I'm proud of.
Firstname Last - That is so cool. I love your story.
Kudos to you 🙂👌
Lentils, potatoes, pintos, carrots, onion, bananas, peanut butter, eggs, tuna, pasta, rice, tomato paste, green peppers, bread, oats. With a few spices and some oil and whatever cheap produce you can find, you can do very well on this diet and eat for around $3 a day or even less.
Yes you sure can!!! I buy Aldi oats big thing for like 2 bucks something, and cinnamon, almonds, peanut butter, and frozen blueberries from Walmart are good on them too!!!
You can also save a little more by making your own bread (when you have the time), instead of buying from the store.
@spirals 73 yep... Same problem here
$3 a day is great! I do this and have enough 'left over' to add in a few faves...frozen blueberries, walnuts, organic coffee, organic col pressed oils, avocados, good cheese....
Thank you so much! These are really good suggestions
Tip on that cilantro! Trim the bottoms and put the cilantro in a jar or cup or something with some water on your countertop. It keeps so much longer than just leaving it in your fridge to rot.
Good tip!
Wow thanks
Thank you
I do the same! I chop it and freeze it! It is perfect when you use it
I separate the bunch out flat onto a few feet of paper towel or a rag/towel, roll it up, and then store in a plastic bag; it'll last me up to 2 weeks
I'm in a Facebook meal budgeting group and I preach reading those sale ads, as well as using a calculator. This was a well organized video on what you have to do: make a list, set a budget, meal plan. Saving money on groceries is a very big deal. Prices are constantly sliding up, but we might not get a raise for years.
Thank you for the kind words and thanks for watching!
May what group
Great video! Im a 66 yo , mostly vegan last 50 yrs. You make such a good point of getting the healthy stuff first and then not forget to get snacks. I spend $20 wk in Summer, $30 winter but I eat 100% organic.
Joni Loverin from reading the comments I do know that. My son holds a very healthy lifestyle but I see one more reason that he is a vegetarian $$ wow I love that people are budgeting on this. I am going to work more produce and fresh foods into our meals as well as shop at home first.
Bro that Spanish scene made me so happy. I love when non native Spanish speakers speak Spanish! It's so dope to know other people wanna learn 😁 your Spanish was great btw
Aww! Iv been teaching myself Spanish for all of 2019 and the fact that I could understand what they were talking about at .75 speed , made me really happy. It shows progression. It's nice to know pple enjoy when you show interest and speak their language. I'm always scared to talk to ppl in my target language but it's nice to see pple are happy to know you try. I'm still afraid but 2020 will be the year I speak to natives without being scared of sounding dumb lmbo 😂😂
1hinita Hi 👋 wow that’s great! How did you teach yourself Spanish because I want to learn as well !
@@survivingthejourney7292 for 2019 I took 2 hours out of my day to learn Spanish. I read books, watch TV in Spanish with subtitles, I listen to music in Spanish and use phone applications like Duolingo for grammar structure and Anki for word retention. I also text native speakers with the app hello talk. It's really all about your style of learning and creating a study routine for yourself
1hinita Wow ! Congratulations on your journey and accomplishment. I thank you for the advice ! 😊
You are the most helpful video that I've seen on this topic! I'm only 16 and I do the shopping in my house. I like to make a game out of it by making mom set a limit for how much to spend, and I take my list and see how much of my list I can get and for how low of a price. I usually always stay way under my budget! :) Keep creating videos! Btw, tu español es excellente!
That's awesome Olivia! That skill will definitely serve you well and its a great outlook in general. Keep it up!
Making it fun works.
Your mom is teaching you well! This is one of the most important skills you can learn that will help you throughout your life. More parents should do this!
Why don't your parents do the grocery shopping?
@@sherriwalker2651 Parents need to do the grocery shopping themselves. Fewer parents need to do this. Parents need to be parents.
Old fashioned oats, cinnamon, raisins, almonds; veggie fried rice, potatoes, kale onions tomatoes... so many cheap meals. Store cilantro in water, top shelf.. or wrap in a towel
All great ideas! Thanks!
Kyle Kakouris almonds are $7-8 lb. Love them but not cheap!
On the cilantro note, I get the badia brand dry in a pouch. It's about a dollar!
The Grown Up Millennial m
Almonds are not cheap.
I like! Very smart tips. You shop like I do.
I just had tacos for lunch, made with split red lentils and a bit of brown rice, with roma tomatoes, spinach, and avocado, on real tortillas I made from masa flour in an iron skillet. So easy to make taco filling ahead and freeze it in small portions. I keep celery, tomatoes, onions, green onions, cabbage, spinach, kale, all sorts of beans, rice, and quinoa on hand for making soups, stews, pilafs, slaws, taco fillings, chili, and more.
I finally figured out how to grow plenty of cilantro and parsley in the kitchen, as well as my own sprouts. Here's a couple of tips for stretching the budget a bit more: grow carrot greens from carrot tops in a saucer of water, then transplant to a pot, and do the same with the roots of green onions. Save your veggie scraps in the freezer from carrots, onions, sweet peppers, and celery, and make vegetable broth when you've saved enough. Then you can make tasty soup and stew. Saving money on meals is never dull.
Can you tell us how you grow your cilantro in your kitchen?
It's so refreshing to see a great video like this, a girl actually walking to the grocery store (not using the car) and not using the channel for makeup! Gosh, I am so tired of that. Consumerism. Healthy and great choices :)
i grew cilantro from seeds and had so much I was begging friends to take some. Costco rice is so cheap if you buy 50 lbs at a time. Flour is crazy cheap at Costco also. Making bread saves a bundle. I make all kinds of meals with my left over bread and when it's stale i turn it into bread crumbs.
Send me some then
Oh and as for the tortillas, they make awesome tortilla chips when you've already use the other for what you need. Sliced into 6 or 8, spray the cookie sheet, and then throw in the oven at 350 for about 12 to 15 minutes and throw in some salsa or guacamole or whatever, and you're good to go for your next movie night.
we do that but if we are not having salsa we just sprinkle them with a little salt and granulated garlic...yummy
Do you use corn or flour?
@@michelledean9890 Corn.
You can freeze tortillas and cilantro. You can freeze everything. Even milk!!
Yes! My freezer is a godsend
I plan my meals around what I have at home. Then I only add what I need. My last grocery bill was under $60. I use to spend over $100! :/
Marz Riv : Best tip of the day!
The most simple, practical and real advice for any grocery shopping on a budget that I found.
Thank you so much for the kind words and thanks for watching! :)
Great video! You can actually buy cilantro in bulk. Take what you're not going to use, and freeze it in an ice cube tray full of water. Whenever you need some just melt the cubes!
I am very glad you mentioned that a person's size and location can influence the price they will spend a week. I was going to say something about it if you did not, but you did. As you said, this video is a general guide and tips.
You won me when you spoke Spanish. Thank you for doing that for that man and learning.
If you like popcorn, try making your own on the stove. It's super easy, healthy (because no preservatives and extra butter/"butter") and super cheap. Just put a little oil in the pot (enough to cover the bottom, I use coconut oil. You will not end up consuming all the oil, it just helps it to cook more evenly than no oil), put 3 kernals in. when those pop, add enough to cover the bottom of the pot with a little space. Put the lid on and wait until you don't hear that much popping going on. So much cheaper than microwave popcorn and I think more delicious.
Yes! I love making popcorn that way!
s
I agree!
I was thinking the same thing. I have an air popper that was given to me and it makes the easiest yummy popcorn that I can season however I want. The microwave popcorn is not the same anymore.
Plus microwave popcorn has that crap in it that was dissolving people's lungs. Anybody remember what that stuff is called?
You are good at Spanish. I actually find French easier. I took Spanish 1 at the community college. I had to repeat it. I think the teacher passed me because he didn't want to see me again.
HAAAAA!!!!!
I find French easier too, I did limited Spanish and and French in high school and ended up doing French 1 at uni.
I don't know where she was shopping at, but where I live I never see that low of prices!
Peggie Green , It was Kroger. Some areas of the country they go by other names. I read once that Kroger is in all of lower 48.
It was also almost four years ago when she made this video, prices are probably doubled by now to what she paid back then.
On the West coast they are called Fry's. And Kroger tends to have some great deals from time to time. This past summer they had 3 for $5 on the strawberries
Kroger! Where I live it's known as Smith's! I have always shopped there and I used to work there!
That 20 dollars went super far! Definitely cannot get that much food for 20 dollars in my area 😭
Same. When there was $15 in the basket, that was at least $35 for the same items where I live. The strawberries would be 4 or 5, and just the milk $4. Those two items = $9. However, I love the video and the ideas. It's really useful.
Notice that vegitarian food is cheeper. Have a tip: don't eat so much meat and you can save a lot of money.
@Jasmine Trujillo i can get $1 bags of frozen veggies at my walmart. Also $1 bags of beans and rice and my united has sales on their eggs once a month, a dozen for a dollar something. There are so many possibilites of you know what your doing. Right now I'm eating a soup that's maybe $2.50 a serving... Mostly because I used vegan chicken broth seasoning. A four pack was $34. They taste like the real thing so I like them.
@T. Dee such is life with high end vegan food. These things taste like the real thing. Even my meat eater father though I cheated and used real chicken broth in my soup.
Go Vege!
Not to mention saving the animals, your health and the planet.😊
@@kathleenkleovoulou3389 true. But, meat eaters usually don't care about that or they wouldn't eat it. Now money, they see that.
Just a tip: you CAN freeze tortillas! (make sure you let them thaw in the frig for a day before using them and DON'T put them in the microwave to thaw) ;)
You can freeze those tortillas! Just pop them apart by wedging a knife between them.
That's what I do only takes a few seconds in the microwave to thaw them.
Okay, so my new FAVORITE way to heat tortillas? Put them in foil with or without a pinch of water, in the over at 350-400F for 10 minutes. Like if I do frozen pre-cooked drumsticks ($2/package) and tortillas ($1 per 30), that is a really yummy and protein rich dinner for like $2.30. If I add veggies it is $3.30 for over 1500 calories (I eat like a horse)
Lisa Miller Thanks I have wondered about if they can be frozen since its just me and the smallest packs are almost the same price as larger packs.
Also a good way to freeze without them sticking together, line each with cookie sheets, that way you can remove easily after freezing
Or separate with wax, freezer or parchment paper - can also use foil and pop in a sealable bag to freeze
sweet potatoes with cinnamon and peanut butter and oil olive/veg butter makes for a great dessert that is naturally sweet........ you can also use them instead of rice for lunch/dinner...... add veg meat and vegetables..........avocadoes , cabbage, nuts, raisin,dried cranberries, tomatoes are also great items.........
for another dessert- nuts with raisins/dried cranberries.
avocadoes with shredded cabbage and dressings and add vegan meat
tomatoes sauce with vegetables/beans/veg meat- experiment with different combinations......
My favorite frozen veg mix recently has been the peppers and onion mix! Great starter for fajitas! Yummy!
You know you can steam veggies in about the length of a Netflix TV show right? :)
I love them, they are so handy! I use them from everything from stir fry, fajitas, cook them with beans in my crock pot, all kinds of things! Thankfully the Dollar Tree store has them in their freezer section. I have like 8 bags in my freezer right now! LOL
HLC love love love those!!
Put cilantro, stem down, in a cup with water and cover it with a plastic grocery bag. Mine will last a couple weeks this way!
This is one of the best budget friendly shopping I’ve seen! Healthy, fresh and varied options!
pls don't line any hamster cages with news paper, they can get sick from the ink. I am aware it was said as a joke, but I figured people should know just in case.
Great PSA! I'll keep that in mind :) Thanks for watching
Also don’t use the circulars as a dog kennel liner, the ink can discolor your dog’s fur as well
I was thinking the same thing. That was good
I thought the same. I had hamsters as a kid, we got special shavings from the pet store for the cage.
I was just about to comment that but then I saw you already said that :) same for birds
I love this video. I am a lot older than you and JUST getting around to making an effort to eat healthy and I was laid off from my job so also on a budget. What prompted me to do this is that i am eating as I always have and suddenly gained 20 pounds. That is unacceptable and I also have been putting off trying to eat better for a long long time. Thanks for the tips!
I usually go to the dollar store to pick up my rice and beans or I get the store brand since it is a little cheaper. And I get all of my produce from a food pantry (do not make enough to buy food) but I usually go to the dollar store or get the store brand when I shop.
The good thing about buying spices from the Mexican/Latin foods aisle on top of being cheaper is , the if you’re getting a spice you don’t use on regular basis you won’t waste a lot. I really like the oregano.
I agree! Thank you so much for watching
Never in my life have i payed one dollar for starwberries .they are 5.00 each isallt
That's a shame! Living in California definitely spoils me when it comes to diversity of produce
Weren't they $1.25 ?
Sometimes the 99 cent only have strawberry and berries
I buy frozen store brand strawberries
They're usually about 2.5-3.99 on sale in NJ. Not bad. But I wait for the 2-3$ sales. Until we can plant our own produce.
The only thing I hate about most frozen veggies is, you usually only get 10 to 12 oz. in those ten for ten deals. I like to try and stock up when they have a full 16 oz bags for 1.00
I seldom see the 16 oz for $1. I totally know what your talking about. The same for bacon..smh
I like Kroger. I worked for them twice. My friend takes me there once a week.
I realize I"m watching this 3 years after its been up ..Regardless, there is no time limit to learning new ideas. Love your ideas of shopping the perimeter first. Also, you showed how you can eat healthy yet not deprive yourself of your favorite snacks .I really liked your ideas and being old enough to be your mom it just shows your never to old to learn something!! Nice job honey.
Thank you so much for the kind words Sheila! I'm happy you found this info helpful :)
A list is so important. I always add an item or two at the very bottom - wish items. If I have enough, I'll get a pantry item. Good video.
Hi... My first time watching.. I wanted to mention that if you rather pick the larger tortillas, you can get that, take what you want out, seal in it's original bag and place them in a freezer bag or grocery shopping bag tie tight and freeze the rest.
Nice ideas, I eat on 10 dollars for 2 weeks. What I commonly do is frozen veggies and pasta. Tomato sauce over pasta sauce as you can get fresh mushrooms and garlic very cheap and make your own pasta sauce cheaply. Also finding ground beef on sale along with frozen kidney beans and chili mix is a meal for 3.82 cents. With a pot of chili you can freeze it in ziplock bags then pop out a bag and put it in a pot of boiling water to reheat ( microwave ovens take upwards of 240 watts per minute in power totaling 38 cents per minute). And if you buy rice you could mix boiled rice in your chili for another meal.
Thanks for the tips, especially the microwave use cost.
Thank you for not being rude to the cashier. This is a big pet peeve of mine when I am out and see this. Also, great video on how you can still eat healthier with a limited budget and not deprive yourself of that occasional treat.
I use an app for flyers so I can see all stores prices for specials, or search for specific foods I want to see which stores have the best prices. I too create my list with the known cost per the app. I know exactly what I’m going to buy and pay before I leave the house. Despite having a small condo, I organized my space for a decent pantry. And perhaps it looks silly but I also have a standup deep freezer in my place. I like to make and freeze a lot of meals. When I come home from work I want a home cooked meal ready to go, and so my freezer and fridge is filled will meals I prepare in advance.
reptilianskin What app?
Flipp
I pop popcorn kernels in brown paper bags in the microwave.Then drizzle with sunflower or hemp oil.
wow great price on those fruit and veggies, yes buy on sale and freeze, absolutely the best way to save.
Kudos for the video content! Sorry for chiming in, I am interested in your thoughts. Have you ever tried - Dinanlinson Natural Beauty Approach (do a search on google)? It is a great exclusive guide for learning what to eat to look younger minus the normal expense. Ive heard some decent things about it and my best friend Jordan after many years got cool success with it.
Get a vacuum sealer & small freeze. I have been feeding my family healthy foods on less money. For 35 years I fed 3 boys & myself for $200 a month & now that I am a senior on a fixed income, it really comes in handy & I shop the sales, so my meals are what’s on sale for the week. I am feeding myself fresh vegetables & healthy meats for $25 a week with leftovers. I also cook from scratch.
I live alone and I buy the big stack of corn tortillas and I keep them in my fridge...believe me, they will last forever and not go bad, if you do that...I keep them in the bottom in a drawer and I have kept them as long as 6 months and they are still good...if you are going to use them rolled, be sure to at least heat them in the microwave, so they don't break up. Thanks for taking the time to do this video and show people how they can eat healthy even on a budget.
Tortillas freeze well. Divide it up so you don’t have to thaw the entire package Excellent video.
So adorable!! I'm an old BabyBoomer who has finally recognized that NOT ALL OF YOUR GENERATION
ARE JERKS.
This video was VERY HELPFUL AND ENJOYABLE. I always felt funny buying frozen vegies and fruit thinking fresh was better. BUT, THANKS TO YOU, NOW I FEEL VINDICATED.
Thank again for this presentation. ✌💜🙋
Hola, it is so refreshing to see a video on TH-cam that deals with food purchases on a budget that are healthy...
Most are loaded with high carb, high sodium, high sodium and high sugar products with very few veggies or fruit...
Keep up the good work...
Easy enough to make your own popcorn and I think it tastes better also. Thanks for sharing, I look forward to vids like this.
You can buy mass quantity of corn tortillas or even flour and freeze them.
Obviously just seal them well.
I love this video and rewatch it sometimes for inspiration. Do you think you could do an updated one now that you're married? Say, a $40 or $50 weekly budget for a couple? As a married person myself that would be helpful. :)
Too bad this is 2018 now. SS payments have not risen as our food prices and gas have. Our prices in FL have absolutely skyrocketed. I have found that our local farm stores are much lower in prices and the quality of fresh foods , dairy and meats is much better.. I am single and 82 years old, and my food /grocery prices cost way more than $30 a week. Thanks for the advice on shopping.
As she was shopping, I was making my grocery list according to what she was buying😂😂
You did really good on the Spanish.
I've fallen in love with frozen veggies, not only are they cheaper but theyre so much more convenient, they're already chopped up and you pretty much just have to heat it up and it's cooked. I put them in the microwave for 3 mins and they're ready to eat. Before I was buying fresh vegetables, cutting them up and cooking them on the stove. It used to take me sometimes an hour to make vegetables for up to 3 days (plus 3 minutes to warm up left overs) (I eat a lot of vegetables) but now it only takes me 3 minutes a day! Even if they were slightly more expensive I would still go with frozen veggies, A million times better! I would never buy frozen fruits though because I never have smoothies and I like to eat my fruits whole so I have to go the fresh route which sucks because they go bad within a week, whereas the frozen ones could last months longer.
This is great for college kids, and even for when your're just starting out on your own after graduation! Thamks for uploading.
What do I buy on a tight budget??? Produce: roma tomatoes, bananas, iceberg lettuce, carrots, onions & avocados. Frozen section: mixed berries and broccoli. Dairy: milk, Greek yogurt, eggs, shredded cheese and brick cheese, and heavy whipping cream. Breads: flour tortillas and whole wheat bread. Meat: fresh ground beef, boneless chicken thighs and bacon. Snacks: LaFavorita tortilla chips, almonds, chocolate chips and walnuts. My tips: #1 My list has six categories: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, pets and household items. #2 Shop different stores for bargains. #3 It's cost effective and healthier to buy ingredients rather than processed/shelf foods...ie homemade chocolate chip cookies vs Chips Ahoy :D Thanks for the video.
Finally a video I can share and feel good about. Very good content! Thank You
Thank you for the kind words!
Little tip for your cilantro. Place stock end in a glass with approx 1 - 2 inches of water. Exhale a few times into a plastic bag, big enough to cover the head of your cilantro and cover the glass. place in your fridge, you'll find that it lasts almost 2 weeks. if you've used some, exhale again into the bag and place back in the fridge. I use an elastic band to hold the bag on the glass.
here in Canada the prices and choices u had is only a dream. I get 10 tortillas for cheapest $3. wow
I live in Canada too and invested in a cheap tortilla press and buy the masa or flour on sale.
wow this is informative and entertaining! good job, you deserve way more views!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you found it helpful! :)
I don't know if you are near a "Dollar Tree", but I get most of my bagged, and frozen groceries from there. Only some Dollar Trees have a refrigerated/frozen section. But the ones that do, have an excellent variety of stuff! I get all my bags of beans and brown rice from there. They have pretty much everything you can think of, with the exception of fresh produce! For fresh produce, I go to the farmer's market. That way, I get to walk around outside and enjoy the fresh air while I shop. I prefer to give the local small produce people my money (and usually less of it, or I can get more for my buck), rather than a big grocery chain, when I can. Also, around our city, we have a ton of produce stands. I always hit them up, they usually have great deals.
Girl, I enjoyed your video, you get to the point and was very helpful. I'm 59 yrs old been divorced for 7yrs it was very hard to august on buying food. Keep the informative videos coming. Thanks
Excellent ideas! Thank you! 2 thoughts. Hit the food bank first. If you are given 5 pears, carrots a jar if peanut butter, raisin bran cereal, you have more money to spend on milk, eggs and meat.
Tips... Hot cereal goes much farther and can be flavored like cold does. Refrigerate a big batch Monday to scoop n heat all week.
There for awhile my husband lost his job back in 2008 and we were living off of 25.oo a week. I did the same as you walking around the perimeter of the store. I was able to purchase meat at a discount because I asked questions as to when there was sales and I wrote them down as to how much and when. I was taught at a very young age that things go on sale about every 12 weeks or seasonally that's a great time to take advantage of stocking up and that some stores give you a discount of 5% or more by buying by the case.
I shop the edges first---that is where the reduced bins are....I plan my meals based on what I + what treasures I find in the reduced bins....I only buy canned fruits when damaged or couponed....I buy most of my fruits fresh from the reduced bins and freeze or can them myself....veggies the same.....I only buy milk when it is about to expire(sell by dates, not use by dates)---- I get it 89 cents a gallon this way! I divide it into smaller containers and freeze them and take them out as needed before use. if it goes bad, I make cheese...... feed the whey to the animals
You can as well freeze cilantro. Just wash it, dry it up of excessive water, cut up and put it in your container or ziplock bag. Easy-peasy🙌🏻
Thanks for sharing your, money saving tips.I agree that frozen veggies,are very nutritious.Mixed veggies with fried rice,is yummy & simple.If you can,buy the store brand,or no-frills rice,in a family size bag.Storing the rice in a tight,air tight jar,package,or container will make it last longer.You are right,carrying a shopping basket,lessens your chances,of over spending.Don't forget to place items that spoil quickly,in your basket,last.Freezing extra food,is such a good idea! Keep doing what you do.
The outer isle tip works for most stores. Unfortunately, it doesn't work for my local Walmart. I was just thinking about it. They have chips along the outer isle, cookies and crackers along the back across from dairy and on the other side, they have a full bakery. They do however have the fruits and vegetables right up front.
Totally proud of you young lady. When I started out I collected books like the complete Tightwad Gazette. When the internet started I read Simple Dollar,Dollar Stretcher and whatever Mary Hunt wrote. Maybe they are extreme for you but this was how people with big families were doing it. Also the Economides (yes that is their name) family were an inspiration for me. All of the above mentioned were inspirations to me and now so are you.
Such great tips when on a strict budget!! Thank you
wow your spanish is excellent :]
Muchas gracias!
The Grown Up Millennial
I hope this isn't a weird question. But where do you live? Only asking cuz you started speaking spanish and since most of the videos you spoke english
Horacio Q ç
Any girl Judging by all those palm trees she walked by, maybe Miami.
My granmom is great with budget buys potatoes and bananas and all sorts of peppers which she saves seeds to plant, saving money when we grow our peppers and onions when they sprout she plants them too, we walk to Latin market and often produce marked down 75 percent we get goat,whole chicken and whichever fish on sale.
To prevent cilantro from going bad if its in soil water it and let it sit on the windowshill, if its cut pour bioling water on it for about 20-30 seconds let it dry off a bit and hang it up individually on a thread and let it dry in a draft free place or chop it and freeeze it for easy measure put it in an icecube tray.
I remember many years ago when my daughter was diagnosed with Celiac disease, and we had to go gluten free. Trader Joe's was one of the few places that had gluten free food in our area. They were SO expensive! Have they gone down at all in their prices? Thank goodness most places have a lot of gluten free foods now! But I learned through time that many foods are naturally gluten free as well.
Don't forget you can always put things in the freezer
For those of us who are still carnivores using less meat can be done easily by using it as a seasoning more than a main ingredient! I had one strip steak for five of us and had leftovers! First bought meat at discount grocery store for 50% off usual price! I sliced it into half then took each half and made thin slices! I added canned Asian chestnuts, sliced peppers and onions leftover from another meal, and I marinaded the meat. it! I took leftover cold rice 🍚 and fried it then seasoned it with soy, ginger and garlic 🧄! I put it aside then used the same pan and cooked the meat and the marinade, added the vegetables then lastly the 🍚! Five people on one strip steak 🥩 with leftovers mind you!
Grow your vegetables in a window box or small garden! Bruised fruit and vegetables cook just as well as pretty ones! Think food stretches such as very, salads and pasta meals! Meat being used as seasoning is normal everywhere but America! We have one of the highest population of overweight and morbidly obese people in the world! Countries that allowed our fast foods restaurants in are now seeing American illnesses, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, acne and such as never seen in most countries that didn’t have fast foods! We exported fatty, sugary, salty, oversized foods that are more expensive there! They have twelve dollar BigMacs!
They don’t have restaurant meals with doggie bags or free refills on drinks! Serving sizes are smaller along with the plates! We serve in plates many times about ten inches around but others serve in eight inch plates and meals are proportioned with twice as many vegetables, rices and unprocessed grains and small portions of meat!
Saving money isn’t only a matter of being frugal cash wise but also saving on doctor’s visits and expensive medications and medical procedures such a stomach stapling! No expensive diets shakes and over sugared granola!
Cheap can save your health!
Your video was very helpful and informative~ I gave up trying to eat healthy my first year of university because of funds but I really wanted to try again but on a budget since I'm now living off campus. Your tips are gonna be so helpful!
I'm so happy to hear that! Let me know your progress :)
I love frozen fruits and veggies! They are so cheap, handy, and just as delicious!
she did good at that high priced store. there is a Ralphs around the corner from where i live , you have to be on your peas and Q's when you shop there.
I went to one of Ralphs Spin off stores called Food 4 Less i had not shopped for alot of food in a long time . I found what ran my bill up was buying meat and when i got back home i was super tired after reading all those Labels. im lucky to have a chest freezer so i filled it up with meat and veggies. the next time i shop i will not have to buy that stuff over. I remembered to get oat meal and dried beans and rice , i don't like rice but when i was a kid my mom made me eat it , I learned to make shrimp fried rice and broccoli rice and its not so bad. i went on to long so will end thanks for the video..
If you buy the larger package of corn tortillas, you can freeze them. My parents portions the tortillas in increments of fives and places them in freezer bags. Then they pull out how many they need for meals down the road. Just a thought if you're into bulking up on food storage.
Cilantro saving tip once you get cilantro home cut off a half inch from the bottom and soak it in a clean glass of water change the water out once a day and refrigerate and leave this glass towards the front door of your fridge I find if I leave it too far back and it's under a cooling vent the leaves get too cold and shrivel up in a dark green wilted state.
To cut my budget for food I have the groupon app which I use to find weekly sales at my local grocery stores. I go through each stores sales items and find the one with the most items I use and go there to shop. This is a great way to stock up on foods you eat a lot. I only go to another store if they have items I really need, is at great price or doesn't go on sale often. This saves me a lot of money and time. Happy Savings!
Organic cilantro has a longer fridge life. Try growing zucchini. It is super easy and you can get a ton from one plant.
Try short grain brown rice, the texture is similar to white. Also, tortillas freeze well.
I make my own bread and tortillas. I cut paper towels 5 years ago and started using washable cloth and recycled coffee filters if needed. I’m now cutting coffee and coffee creamer.
Loved your video. You are so knowledgable and make eating healthy sound fun! Will give it a try!! Thanks
Dark green vegetables are really healthy. I think you should add kale, swiss chard, or bok choy to your diet for your under $20 budget, at around 1.99 per bunch.
I never buy freezer meals! I agree with buying the smaller pack of tortillas. Freezing them changes the texture, making them dryer.
Some foods that you buy from the store can be regrown indoors. A lot of ways to do so from the hydroponic method, to the hay method, and to the lazy methods without having to do much at all.
Hi, how do you do hydroponic method indoors?
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ive always had a small vege garden grow just greens kale lettuce leeks spinach and chard always have greens my patch is only 4 feet by 2 feet. grows heaps
Did I read the 4 for 5 in strawberries correctly??? Here in nz it's $5 for just half the size and for one of them 😢 I'm living in the wrong country I love strawberries 😂😂😂 and half the time the quality not that great
Spices are essential, because well seasoned foods are filling & the spices are good for you.
Thank you for creating and posting this. I think the point you make about buying the slightly more expensive tortillas and not having waste is so true. How many people, including myself, buy something that is less expensive per unit price, and then turn around and throw the excess out because it becomes rancid or stale! I don't think almond milk is a great deal, regardless of the price. I read in a science health magazine that many almond milks only have 1 and 1/2 almonds in them. Even with that amount, the company can still say that it's almond milk. I would stick with rice milk, or a low fat soy milk. If you insist on almond or cashew milk, you can spend $8-$10 and buy a fine mesh zippered nut milk bag. They are on the internet and on both Ebay and Amazon. The instructions oftentimes come with the bag, and you save a lot of money over time by making your own nut milk.
soon returning too work after my illness.. for 1 1/2 years I've used Foodstamps ($94 a month)..my basket resembles yours..only exception is I shop for 1 month, but save $10 for re-stocking produce/diary after 2 weeks...shopping a month at a time allows a more varied diet...example: oatmeal, cereal, egg dishes (omelets, frittata, french toast, etc.) for Breakfast///salads, homemade soup, sandwiches for Lunch/// and a variety of Dinners....sorry I'm a meat eater, but I've reduced greatly the amount I consume for many reasons
I'm happy to hear you're feeling better! It sounds like you were really smart with your limited income. Best wishes as you return to work!
wren 22 I'm sorry about your illness I'm happy that you are feeling better to go back to work but quite appalled that you were given a mere $94 a month in food stamps . Where I live so many people are in similar hardships but it always seems that idle derelicts who are capable of working are getting $500 a month to eat well best wishes
Frozen Veggies,fresh fruit,frozen berries,plant based milk,oats,Pasta,brown or white Rice,beans tons beans,2 cans of tuna i eat some fish twice a week gotta be in water and wild caught thats my groceries list
actually I always by my cilantro at the market where they only sell them in larger bunches. However cilantro freezes beautifully so the moment I get home I wash dry and chop them and toss it in the freezer.