February Food Budget Challenge Update: Did We Save Money on Food?

We saved a lot more than this in February.

In a recent post, we challenged ourselves to spend $100 or less on food for the entire month of February. In an effort to meet our goal, we shopped at the cheap grocery store, bought food on sale or with multiple coupons using these tips for saving money, and concocted interesting recipes at home that would use ingredients we already had on hand.

Unfortunately, we didn’t make it. It pains me to report that we went slightly over budget for a monthly total of $106.03, not including the fancy ingredients (name-brand Oreos! Cool Whip!) that I bought to make Shannon’s birthday cake. I considered that a culinary gift rather than nutritional sustenance.

Based on our experience, I’ve discovered a few tips for saving money when it comes to family budget planning for food.

• Start the month with a budgeting worksheet. Figure out how much money you have to spend on food and divide it by four so you have your weekly budget.

• Take an inventory of your kitchen and make a list of the ingredients you already have on hand. This will prevent you from buying too much of one item, and not having enough money for other necessities.

• At the beginning of the month, peruse the store circulars and stock up on basics like rice, dry legumes, pasta, dried fruit, frozen vegetables and other non-perishable items. Then, the money you have left over can be spent on fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the month. With this method of family budget planning no food will spoil and go to waste.

• Always buy from the cheap grocery stores! By definition, you’ll save money on food. Don’t forget your coupons.

One thing is certain: it is possible for a New Yorker to save money on food – and eat a healthy, balanced diet – for only $53 a month. Now, try the challenge yourselves! How low can you go?