I Spend $25 A Week On Groceries And You Can Too

You can’t eat healthy on a budget, they said; McDonald’s has a dollar menu, they said. Dear They, I do eat a healthy, plant-based diet on a strict budget, and I prefer to feel, well, not how McDonald's makes me feel. If I can spend $25 a week on groceries and feel good doing it, so can you. 

One thing stands true whether you’re in college or not, cutting back on your weekly grocery bill could make your financial situation much kinder. 

I spend about $25 a week to eat a wholesome diet, and you can too. So here it is, Smart Spenders, my weekly grocery list along with what I make for the week with these finds. Enjoy! 

Disclaimer: Spices, condiments and other long-lasting food items will not be purchased often, and therefore do not make the list. This is a weekly list of food items. I recommend setting aside a little extra cash for expenses you know you will have on a monthly or bimonthly basis. Also, I live alone and my budget reflects that, but with a couple adjustments this list could easily feed two.

Grocery List                   

Avocados 0.49x3= $1.47

Multi-colored Bell Peppers (3 pack) $1.79

Canned Diced Tomatoes 0.45x3= $1.35

1 lb Bag of Brown Rice $1.00

Container of Dry Oats $1.20

2 pack Brown Rice Spaghetti 1.70x2= $3.40

unsweetened almond milk $1.19

16 oz bag of dry chickpeas $2.00

5lb bag of potatoes $3.10

Dark leafy greens $3.49

7 Bananas $1.26

1 Bunch of Carrots $1.19

3 lb. bag of oranges $2.49

Grand Total: $24.93  

If you’re unfamiliar with ALDI, this grocery chain releases a weekly sales ad full of insanely great deals (I’m talking .49 cent avocados during this particular week), so you will want to make adjustments to the grocery list and meals as the weeks go by and the sales change. And for the non-east coasters, most of these items can be comparable to one of your local grocery stores. Do your research and watch for weekly sales, coupons, and check on a member card to see if the price drops are worth it. You do not have to have an ALDI to save big while shopping!

A Few Tricks Of The Poor (Wo)man's Trade

You don't think being an Expert Budget Shopper is a trade? Well, it should be.

1. Buy In Bulk

If you're lucky you have a grocery store that supplies a bulk section full of dry beans, oats, nuts and seeds. With bulk items you aren't paying a company to ration, place in pretty packaging and market a food to you, so you'll be saving big just by scooping out your own oats for a week of cheap and heart-healthy breakfasts. 

2. Skip Pre-Cut Vegetables and Fruits

Have you ever went to buy a fruit or veggie tray for a party, and YIKES - that is half your budget for a flimsy plastic tray of mediocre produce? No thank you! Suppliers know what they're doing; it's like they can sense that we will choose an extra night of Netflix and ordering-in over going shopping and slicing up our own snacks. You'll pay 3 and 4 times more for the convenience factor, when in reality it would take an extra 10 minute to wash and dice up some fruits and vegetables. 

3. Buy Frozen

This one is more of a you'll-thank-me-in-3-weeks scenario. The truth is, we're busy people, and sometimes (a lot of the time) we let our fresh produce go bad before we get around to making that recipe we just knew we'd make this week. Frozen foods will last much longer and you won't feel like you're throwing money out each week from letting foods go to waste. Major perk: frozen produce is harvested at its peak and retains the majority of its nutrition, unlike canned foods or even most fresh foods that have been sitting a few days in the produce section. You simply can't wrong your wallet by visiting the freezer section next time you shop.

4. Avoid The Snack Aisles 

I know this hard, I know that those Oreo's call to you, but you have to trust me on this one, this is the most effective way to run both your bathroom scale and your grocery bill up. Essentially the more whole foods that are in their recognizable form (think beans, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains), the cheaper your bill will be.

Okay, I Bought Your Measly List, Now What?

Breakfast: Oatmeal with fruit. Put those oats and bananas to good use and start your day with a wholesome breakfast.

Also, have some oranges with breakfast or throughout the day. They make a delicious snack and are packed with vitamins to help fight off illness

Lunch: Chickpea Salad or Mexican Fried Rice

Mash chickpeas, toss in diced bell peppers, mix in some avocado for a creamy texture, and season it with salt, pepper, onion powder and dill. Enjoy atop some dark leafy greens.

Mexican Fried Rice is simple enough to make: just rinse and soak your beans ahead of time and allow a few hours to cook your beans and rice. Once you have your beans and rice cooked up you can toss equal parts together with some diced tomatoes, seasonings, and serve with fresh avocado.

Dinner: Spaghetti With Marinara or Potato Soup.

Spaghetti with marinara (or in this case canned tomatoes spiced up with your favorite Italian seasonings from your pantry) is pretty self-explanatory. This makes a great dinner when you're in a pinch or just craving some carb-y Italian food.

For flavor-filled potato soup, don't be shy when seasoning; you want to flavor the water as much as possible since vegetable broth is a luxury that didn't make the carefully budgeted list. (Tip: if you buy your almond milk unflavored, you can make your soup deliciously creamy by making your broth half almond milk, half water.) Let your diced potatoes, carrots and spices come to a boil and simmer for up to one hour. With a 5 lb bag of potatoes, there should be plenty of leftovers!

Best of luck to you on your budget-friendly embarkment! I wish you nothing but amazing deals and enough spare change for that extra shot of espresso.