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Inexpensive Meal Planning & Grocery Shopping for a Family of 4

in Food on 01/19/19

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If you’ve been following my blog for a while you know that I’m a planner, so of course, it’s no surprise to you that I meal plan. I started meal planning in 2013 after I met my lovely friend Emileigh. She had been meal planning for years. She would meal plan for the month. I started by meal planning weekly. I haven’t stepped up to monthly yet. I think that would overwhelm me.

We’re a family of 4 (Mom, Dad, 3-year-old daughter, 5-year-old son) and I spend $100, or less, on grocery weekly. I’m a vegan. I talk about why I decided to become vegan in this post. My husband and son started eating chicken again recently and my daughter is picky about meat so she eats lots of fruits and vegetables with me. So how do we do it? I’m happy to share!

I Budget
I follow a blogger on Instagram, Allison at Inspired Budget, who uses the cash envelope system. I signed up for her free course, received the printout for envelopes and started using them right away. My grocery envelope gets filled twice a month with $200. When I go grocery shopping I take my cash envelope with only $100 in it. Here are my current cash envelopes.

I Make Simple Meal Plans
I use to be fancy and try out 2-3 new recipes each week. After 2 kids, who are picky eaters, I don’t have time for that. I have a list of my “Family Favorite Meals” that we have weekly. Spaghetti and homemade pizza are on the list. Majority of our meals are vegetables. You don’t have to have an elaborate meal with tons of ingredients to have a healthy well-balanced meal. If I do try out a new recipe, I’ll pick one where I have the majority of the ingredients in the pantry. Simple is easier!

I’m Not Big On Organic
Shocker right?? I’m all about my family eating healthy but organic is not a must. I wash all of our fresh fruits and vegetables in distilled white vinegar and water. I read an article years ago that stated if you do this you get all the “yucky” stuff off of your fruit and vegetables. Since then I’m sure another article has probably come out saying it doesn’t work. So many articles contradict each other. I tell my husband often, “We gotta die from something.” I would go crazy trying to do and not do, eat and not eat. It’s too much. My goal is for my family to have a healthy balanced meal. I reach that goal daily!

I Do the Majority of my Shopping at Aldi
So I’m not big on organic and I’m also not big on a name brand. Of course, there are some things that I HAVE to have a name brand for like my Late July Multigrain Tortilla Chips. Otherwise, I can care less. At Aldi, on a weekly basis, I spend $50-$60 for the majority of our food items. I’ll look at prices/sales at Walmart, Publix, and Winn Dixie for any fruit that Aldi didn’t have that we want for the week. I’ve come to realize that B1G1 isn’t always cheaper than just buying two at Aldi. Some people give Aldi a thumbs down but they get two thumbs up from me. PLUS they are building one that will be 5 mins from my house. I can’t wait for that!

Tips/Tricks
•I have a bread machine and I make our bread and pizza dough.
•I make pancakes and breakfast cookies at the beginning of the week for us to have.
•I buy a big pack of chicken. Use a little and freeze the rest for other weeks.
•Shop at a local farmer’s market (I’m looking for a good one near me)

So, that’s how I feed our family of 4 for $100 or less each week. Yes, sometimes I go over if we’re having visitors or if it’s a special occasion. If that happens the next week I have to be VERY creative with the money I have left for grocery OR I budget for times likes that at the beginning of the month and put a little extra in my grocery envelope. I usually budget that in because……I’m a planner!

I don’t know it all,  just trying to figure out the best way to feed my little family. So far, this has been working for us.

Are you a meal planner? How much do you spend on grocery weekly? What are some of your tricks?

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2 Comments

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Comments

  1. Hannah says

    February 12, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    I really love these tips!

    I meal planned and budgeted hard core when we were paying off Tom’s loans. I’ve been lenient since we paid it because I love, love, love food. I’d rather splurge on truffle oil than a new top. So if I see exotic food that I want to try, I do it. We still stick to a loose budget though. We got pretty good about sticking to $130-150 for our family of 5. Now that I cook dinner for my mom and brother often too, we definitely go over that in our household! I’m still trying to figure out how to budget for that!

    Reply
    • yolomommy says

      February 13, 2019 at 7:46 pm

      Thanks! I think I’ll be a little more lenient once we pay down some debt but for now, it’s BUDGET TIME. I’m the same way! lol I can’t tell you the last time I bought myself a clothing item. I’m still wearing my clothes from college. lol For you not budgeting and spending $130-150 a week you’re doing good! I’ve read where some people were spending almost $1,000 a month in grocery for a family of 5. You’ll figure it out! You’re pretty frugal! 😉

      Reply

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Hi! My name is Yolonda. Being a stay at home mom is the hardest and most rewarding job I've ever had. Regardless of my day I always say, Everything will be JUST fine! :-) Read More…

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Yolonda Webb
Fall Break was fun! Pictures never do justice to t Fall Break was fun! Pictures never do justice to the views here in Colorado. It’s beautiful here!

I didn’t get pics of everything b/c I was enjoying the moment. We hiked at Chatfield State Park (beautiful Fall colors) and Rocky Mountain National Park to see Lake Haiyaha (Gorgeous lake. Saw some BIG wildlife on the drive.) We did a bike ride through Waterton Canyon (12 miles total). We played disc golf. We relaxed at home. We enjoyed Fall Break!

Time to get back to our routine. Back to school.

We’ll have more adventures this weekend I’m sure! The benefits of living in Colorful Colorado. Always something fun to do!
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#colorado #coloradoliving #coloradolife #coloradolifestyle #fallbreak #family #familytime #rockymountainnationalpark #watertoncanyoncolorado #colorfulcolorado #lakehaiyaha
I made some ginger shots! Ginger root, lime, & pin I made some ginger shots! Ginger root, lime, & pineapple. I need to adjust my recipe. A little too much ginger root. 🥴 lol
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Please share your ginger shot recipes with me. 😊
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#gingershot #gingershotrecipe #immunity #immunityboost #immunitybooster #immunitysupport #alkaline #alkalinediet #immunebooster #immunehealth #immuneboost #immunesystem #gingershots
We enjoy going on family day trips. There are so m We enjoy going on family day trips. There are so many beautiful things to see in Colorful Colorado! 🗻Enjoying the state we live in!
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#colorado #colorfulcolorado #independencepass #familytime #familytrip #qualitytime #mylittlepeople
Hope you had a LOVELY day! 💙 I was surprised b Hope you had a LOVELY day! 💙

I was surprised by how my afternoon went. My husband surprised me & the kids with surprises that I would have done. I’m the one big on surprises. My husband, not so much. 

From surprise balloons & gifts in the vehicle when we were leaving school to balloons throughout the apartment and flowers along with a sweet card for the each of us. 💞

The kids were SOOOO excited & it made me smile. 🥰

🎶What a mighty good man!🎶
A fun walk home from school! . . . . . . . #colora A fun walk home from school!
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#colorado #snow #winter #beautifulcolorado #momlife #timeslowdown #schoolday #outdoors
Tomorrow’s dinner done! ✔️ Vegan chicken fr Tomorrow’s dinner done! ✔️

Vegan chicken fried rice.

Stay at home mom now elementary technology teacher. Yep, I’m a working girl. lol My first time back to work since my kids have been born. 9 years.

Going back to work has been an adjustment. We’ve found our new routine! I find that doing things at night or early in the morning is helping me stay sane. I want the house & all the things I did as a sahm to keep getting done. Not realistic. I lived & learned.

I get things done but some days after school, getting the kid’s homework done, cooking dinner, getting the kids to bed, I GO TO BED! I gotta take care of me so I can take care of them.

What are some of your tricks/habits that you do to keep your household running smoothly & your sanity? 😊
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#mom #wife #sahm #sahmnowteacher #momlife #wifelife #life #lifechanges #workingmom #workingmomlife #teacher #teacherlife #schoollife #backtowork #workingwomen #workinggirl #dinner #vegan #veganfood #veganmeals #getitdone #sanity #momtips #momtipsandtricks #workingmommy #workingmomproblems #workingmomhacks
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Yolonda Webb
Fall Break was fun! Pictures never do justice to t Fall Break was fun! Pictures never do justice to the views here in Colorado. It’s beautiful here!

I didn’t get pics of everything b/c I was enjoying the moment. We hiked at Chatfield State Park (beautiful Fall colors) and Rocky Mountain National Park to see Lake Haiyaha (Gorgeous lake. Saw some BIG wildlife on the drive.) We did a bike ride through Waterton Canyon (12 miles total). We played disc golf. We relaxed at home. We enjoyed Fall Break!

Time to get back to our routine. Back to school.

We’ll have more adventures this weekend I’m sure! The benefits of living in Colorful Colorado. Always something fun to do!
.
.
.
.
.
.
#colorado #coloradoliving #coloradolife #coloradolifestyle #fallbreak #family #familytime #rockymountainnationalpark #watertoncanyoncolorado #colorfulcolorado #lakehaiyaha
I made some ginger shots! Ginger root, lime, & pin I made some ginger shots! Ginger root, lime, & pineapple. I need to adjust my recipe. A little too much ginger root. 🥴 lol
.
.
.
.
.
Please share your ginger shot recipes with me. 😊
.
.
.
.
.
#gingershot #gingershotrecipe #immunity #immunityboost #immunitybooster #immunitysupport #alkaline #alkalinediet #immunebooster #immunehealth #immuneboost #immunesystem #gingershots
We enjoy going on family day trips. There are so m We enjoy going on family day trips. There are so many beautiful things to see in Colorful Colorado! 🗻Enjoying the state we live in!
.
.
.
.
.
.
#colorado #colorfulcolorado #independencepass #familytime #familytrip #qualitytime #mylittlepeople
Hope you had a LOVELY day! 💙 I was surprised b Hope you had a LOVELY day! 💙

I was surprised by how my afternoon went. My husband surprised me & the kids with surprises that I would have done. I’m the one big on surprises. My husband, not so much. 

From surprise balloons & gifts in the vehicle when we were leaving school to balloons throughout the apartment and flowers along with a sweet card for the each of us. 💞

The kids were SOOOO excited & it made me smile. 🥰

🎶What a mighty good man!🎶
A fun walk home from school! . . . . . . . #colora A fun walk home from school!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#colorado #snow #winter #beautifulcolorado #momlife #timeslowdown #schoolday #outdoors
Tomorrow’s dinner done! ✔️ Vegan chicken fr Tomorrow’s dinner done! ✔️

Vegan chicken fried rice.

Stay at home mom now elementary technology teacher. Yep, I’m a working girl. lol My first time back to work since my kids have been born. 9 years.

Going back to work has been an adjustment. We’ve found our new routine! I find that doing things at night or early in the morning is helping me stay sane. I want the house & all the things I did as a sahm to keep getting done. Not realistic. I lived & learned.

I get things done but some days after school, getting the kid’s homework done, cooking dinner, getting the kids to bed, I GO TO BED! I gotta take care of me so I can take care of them.

What are some of your tricks/habits that you do to keep your household running smoothly & your sanity? 😊
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#mom #wife #sahm #sahmnowteacher #momlife #wifelife #life #lifechanges #workingmom #workingmomlife #teacher #teacherlife #schoollife #backtowork #workingwomen #workinggirl #dinner #vegan #veganfood #veganmeals #getitdone #sanity #momtips #momtipsandtricks #workingmommy #workingmomproblems #workingmomhacks
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