Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

JHG0 t1_jab8jnc wrote

Reply to comment by questionsbecause in What do you spend per month on groceries in DC? by questionsbecause

Yeah. Could be a bit off, but not more than $550 I’d say. We get takeout/go out 1-2 times/week, but that’s not in the grocery budget.

12

questionsbecause OP t1_jabb306 wrote

fair. We rarely get takeout which may inflate our grocery budget a bit.

2

scotch_please t1_jabblkl wrote

But are you guys buying a ton of pre-made frozen meals? Because those end up being around 2-5x the price of a serving of food made from scratch, and you get more food for the same money. If you do buy a lot, Trader Joe's freezer section is usually cheaper than the premium meals at other grocery stores.

If neither of you are realistically going to meal prep, look into buying a pressure or slow cooker. There are countless recipes that are just throwing stuff into those things and setting a timer.

8

questionsbecause OP t1_jabbvhx wrote

I was buying a lot of expensive frozen lunches in the past but switched this month to TJs frozen or leftovers. Helped but clearly need to do more.

2

scotch_please t1_jabcnps wrote

I recommend Budget Bytes for recipe planning, especially for pasta, sheet pan, and one pot meals that yield leftovers. A lot of the recipes are a little simple/bland but are easy to dress up with extra herbs/spices/sauce.

You can also look at what you're buying pre-made frozen or from restaurants and try making that at home.

10