January Grocery Budget

Total Grocery Budget = $400.00
Total Spent = $389.24
Total Savings = $10.76

This was our first month with a cash-only food budget. I'm so proud of us for coming in under budget. Admittedly, we began with a good stock of high quality, grass-fed, free-range meat in our freezer (two chateaubriands in one month!). And our CSA share keeps us well-stocked with root vegetables all winter long.

Each week, I try to make soup, use the crockpot, and make one vegetarian meal. I also try to freeze something weekly in order to build up my freezer stockpile. My husband and my father-in-law both fish whenever they can and have created quite an inventory of catch-of-the-days for our freezer.

I buy mostly organic and/or locally grown food. I hardly ever use pre-made mixes or just-add-water foods or frozen entrees. I use a lot of good seasonings. I bake from scratch and I try to bake something every week. I love whatever fresh fruit is in season.

My 2009 Word is H E A L T H. Keeping a grocery budget is essential to our financial health and using high quality foods is essential to our physical health. It feels like we're on the right track.