This dreaded question leaves Moms feeling rushed, stressed,
overwhelmed, and anxious.
Most Moms are just trying to get through the day and SURVIVE,
let alone worry about “what’s for dinner”?!
It’s hard to even think about the answer to this question when our list of to do’s is forever long. We end up throwing something together from the fridge and call it “dinner”.
This system (which isn’t really a system) only works for so long before you become burnt out and your kids start getting tired of chicken nuggets and hot dogs.
Flying by the seed of your pants and just winging it weighs on you after a while.
I’m excited to share with you some solutions to help you feel less stressed
when it comes to meal planning, grocery shopping, and more!
Grocery Bills
First, let’s just talk about how much groceries cost!! It’s become quite ridiculous! Increasing grocery costs have become a major issue for families since the pandemic. We noticed our grocery bills increasing at the beginning of 2022. We were spending around $1200/month on groceries (for a family of 4) and prices were continuing to rise.
We were getting our weekly groceries delivered out of convenience since I was pregnant with my first (over 4 years) and sometimes from two different stores. Which in the long run was actually costing more because of delivery fees and tipping two different shoppers.
The costs just kept adding up. I had to find a way to cut back on costs!
A Little Research
Being a planner, I did some research. Ok, like not hardcore research, but I checked out some of my local Mom Facebook groups to see what they were doing about this grocery dilemma. Moms were spending anywhere from $500-$1500/month just on groceries!
I realized they are just as stressed out as I was!
“I cringe every time I think about grocery shopping!”
“I am feeling the stress of how much food has increased.”
Many moms aren’t even tracking money because of the feelings of stress and depression.
And some families even choose to eat out instead because it’s cheaper. (Don’t get me started on making healthy choices.)
There’s got to be a solution to this craziness! And I think I solved part of the problem…
5 Tips to Save Money on Groceries
1) You Have to Budget
I know “have to” is a little extreme, but I highly recommend keeping a budget. I know it stresses a lot of people out to see how much you’re really spending or over spending. However, you need to know how much, even if it stresses you out! If you don’t know, then how do you know how to save?
Budgeting and being more aware of what you’re actually spending is helpful.
Yes, prices are increasing. It’s happening everywhere. And guess what, we cannot control it at all!
Do what you have control over. Budget!
We love and still follow many of Dave Ramsey’s secrets to eliminating debt and saving money. We actually were debt free using his methods before we had kids and bought our first home.
Why do kids cost so much??
So, I have used all the things to track our spending and income- from spreadsheets to software. My favorite is still Mint.com. It’s easy to learn quickly, doesn’t take much time to categorize transactions, and it’s FREE. If you love numbers and want to build a spreadsheet- go for it! There’s actually an annual budget template on Google Sheets if you want to check that out.
2) Use Shopping Services
Shopping services like Instacart or Walmart/Target pick up are life savers!! Picking up our groceries has saved us SO much money compared to delivery (removes tip and extra fees). Instacart actually gives you a percent credit back when you use the pick up services.
If you can manage to go into stores on your own, great! Keep doing what works for you. However, I save a ton of TIME picking up groceries vs. going into the store.
We all need extra time, am I right??
With two little ones, it’s almost impossible for me to make it into stores and they typically want extra things that aren’t on the list. Speaking of lists…
3) Make a List
All of my planner Moms scream YES, Always!!
However, I know some Moms are completely overwhelmed by making lists.
It may even feel impossible!
It takes time when you first begin making grocery lists, but as you realize what you actually need it gets easier.
As Moms, you already know what your kids will and won’t eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My kids eat about the same thing everyday for lunch, so I know exactly what to get each week for them.
So, grab a pen and paper and just start by writing down one item you need.
It does get easier!
4) Meal Planning
When making your lists, meal plan! Think about the week or month ahead and decide what meals you are going to cook for dinner.
I used to plan our meals out on a weekly basis. However, I discovered that monthly dinner planning has worked really well and saved us money. Typically, most families eat the same meals throughout the month, so it’s totally doable.
5) Bulk Shopping
Is bulk shopping worth it?? YES! I know many Moms cringe at the idea of buying in bulk. But when you shop for the month it just makes sense and it’s actually saved us money in the long run. Costco or Sams? Totally your choice! We have shopped at both and prices are comparable. We love Sams Scan & Go feature though- skip the lines and save time!
We even bought an extra freezer for the garage to store meats and frozen foods. This was the best decision EVER.
We get all our meats, frozen items, and snacks/cereals/bread in bulk. It's also great to stock up on toilet paper and paper towels in bulk.
At the beginning of the month there’s a lot of prep between cutting, labeling, and freezing.
However, when it’s spaghetti night it’s super easy to grab the meat from the freezer and already know all the ingredients are in your pantry.
We still do grocery pickup each week, but we only buy fresh veggies/fruits, snacks, and other items we may need. It may even make sense for you to buy local from farmer’s markets or local homesteads.
Again, always do what works best and aligns with your values and diets.
The last week of the month, we typically make hodgepodge meals with what is left in the pantry/fridge/freezer and our last week of groceries is typically cheaper.
So, want to know how much we have cut back on our
grocery budget doing these 5 things??!
We now spend under $900/month on groceries, $300 in savings!!
I would love to hear how these 5 steps helped you!
Feel free to TAG @calmcottagecoaching on Instagram
& share your results/stories with me!
But How Do I Start??
Are you still feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start? I’m here to help! I’ve decided to make it even EASIER for you to go grocery shopping, plan your meals, and not stress so much over the dreaded question: “what’s for dinner??”.
Grab my FREE Monthly Dinner Planner, which includes:
7 daily dinner themes
10 simple, kid friendly meals with grocery list
Monthly calendar template
Don’t forget to follow Calm Cottage Coaching on Instagram,
so you don’t miss out on freebies, decluttering and mindset tips, and more!
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