and where we shop
I often talk about our grocery budget and show my weekly haul on Instagram, but I thought it might also be helpful to post it in written form.
At this point, with the six of us and our dietary needs and appetite, we have settled on $1,000/month for our grocery budget.
We came to this conclusion after I took Grocery Budget Bootcamp. That class helped me solidify our main goals with food:
We want grassfed and/or organic dairy
We will eat local meat and buy a ½ cow each year
We will cut back on meat consumption
We will aim to cook from scratch versus buying convenience food.
What does this budget each month NOT include?
We budget one large chunk each year for our beef
It does not include toiletries or paper products
If we buy 50lb bags of grains, which we get at our local Amish store, I budget extra that month for those purchases
With our needs, preferences, and locations the stores I shop at CURRENTLY are:
Aldi
Walmart
Sam’s Club
Yoder’s
Each week I post my Aldi haul on Instagram and take questions – then I also aim to post our dinners each evening, except on Sunday when we are off social media. Most often that day is leftovers, so people have already seen it. 😉
I get most of our food at Aldi – the things I need that I cannot find there are minimal, but when they pop up, I get those at Walmart via a pickup so I don’t have to go in.
My main item purchases at Sam’s Club are:
Honey
Maple syrup
Yeast
Nuts
White vinegar
Olive Oil
Pita
And at Yoders I get all sorts of things, but my standards are: oats, wheat berries, stevia. I usually pick up a few fun items there too – I can’t leave behind a good fried pie. 😉
I hope that’s helpful. I try to be very transparent with the way we eat and where we shop – sometimes it feels more vulnerable than showing you guys my underwear drawer….people are brutal, man. HA!
If you have any questions, I’m happy to answer them.
Soli Deo gloria,
Stacy
Christy says
Hi! I have just recently discovered your Instagram platform and I’m really enjoying your tips! I am interested in grinding my own grains. Do you have a blog post on this or a book you could recommend? Also, why do you purchase oats from Yoders as opposed to the grocery store (if you don’t mind sharing)?
Stacy Myers says
It’s easier for me to buy bulk 50lb bags of what I need versus smaller quantities at the grocery store – plus the Amish make amazing pimento cheese so I need a reason to go. 😉
I’m so glad you’re here! Thanks for stopping by to say hello. As for grinding grains, I do have a few You Tube videos on it (they’re old) but I learned just about everything I know from Sue Becker on the Bread Beckers website.
https://www.breadbeckers.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fITxb7yWknk&t=14s
Mary Barfield says
How much space does half a cow take up in your freezer?
Stacy Myers says
I have a chest freezer – and it will depend on the size of the cow. But about half.
Cathi says
Thank you for sharing. We’re Aldi shoppers, too.
Stacy Myers says
It’s our favorite!
Pam Moss says
I’ve really enjoyed these posts in my email! Thank you for sharing.
Stacy Myers says
Thanks for subscribing!