Saving money eating Paleo

First, I need to start off by saying HOLY SCHNIKEYS! I eat a lot... or at least spend a lot of money on food. I imagine that will be going down the next couple of months, but using the last 4 months grocery and dining out numbers, you would think I was feeding an army! Anyhow, it's not about TOTAL, it's about the difference. Pre-Paleo and Paleo. I went from buying cheap beef and chicken to mostly sticking to grass fed and free range. Overall, I'm buying more meat as well since that and veggies have taken the place of grains and sugar.

So anyhow, don't mind the numbers so much - just the change :) I am not the couponer or willing to go from to 4 different stores on grocery shopping day to get the best deal, so I imagine someone out there could do it for cheaper.

Please note, this is for 60 days!

Pre-Paleo:
Groceries = $956
Dining Out = $621

Paleo:
Groceries: $1097
Dining Out: $320

As you can see, the grocery amount didn't budge much - only an average increase of about $70 a month. But you can also tell I don't eat out as much. Vanilla latte trips are slim and none (not for lack of a want, but when I get them now they just aren't the same - it's like I don't LIKE them anymore.. wha?!) and I'd rather cook my own meat and veggies dish at home because I do a much better job than most restaurants. It's like they can't get creative without throwing sugar and noodles in the mix.

Perhaps Paleo will start showing up on menus soon? I can only hope!

Goodbye November

You've been good to me.

Approximately $600 saved and a new-found appreciation for the home-cooked over the store-bought.

It wasn't difficult at all.

The cravings have subsided and the closet has become a little more full.

Although I already have eating out plans made for this week, I can guarantee my eating out will be much less frequent.

What shall the challenge be for December?

Five days a week of working out? Can I do it??

Here's to "getting in shape" being my non-New Year resolution! :)

Almost to the finish line... but every end is a new beginning!

This month has flown by and like I said before, it hasn't been all that difficult. Probably the hardest part of not eating in is the fact that sometimes in a group of people who might all go out to grab a bite to eat, I am the one suggesting we make dinner at home. Or, I am just not participating in group activities that involve eating out. The former isn't much of an issue because I am helping other's save money and enjoy what is often better tasting food, but the latter could kill my social life :)

Last night I looked back at May-October's dining out and grocery spending and averaged a month's worth of spending. Earlier in the month I calculated savings based on a weekly spending average, but since I am almost done I could resort to the full month's worth. We're talking almost $900 in food a month. In fact, in the month's of August-October I spent MORE than $900 a month in food.

Including my grocery store trip bright and early this morning (the crowd is certainly a bit different at 9am at Winco), in the month of November I will have spent a total of $285 on food and only $18 of that was bought "out" but for other people.

Do you understand what that means people??? $600 back in my pocket instead of in my stomach or contributing to some restaurant chain's bottom line.

SIX HUNRED DOLLARS.

Craziness. That's $7200/year. I know it's not realistic to never eat out again, but I could easily save $5000 a year (uhh, new floors in my house... can ya hear me?!) by being more picky about when and where I eat out. Fo sho. 

And now for a little shout out time: 

• Thank you to all those who listened to me talk about this all the time. My hopes was to inspire you to do the same. Dinner party anyone?
• Thank you to those who bought me food the few times I did eat out - in fact, there were only two: 
• Craig: Thank you so much! I know money is tight for you but I also know you wanted to see me succeed at this and I appreciate you helping with my sushi and pho cravings :)
• Michelle: Eggnog latte? Yes m'am! You warmed my belly on a very cold, but fun morning!
• Much appreciation to the Winco lady who helped me split my bill the other day when I was both buying groceries for myself and my adoptive family for the holidays. You didn't look thrilled, but you did it anyway.
• And finally, thanks to me and this little challenge, and H&M, I got some new clothes that I otherwise could not afford. Does this jacket not scream cute??

Three more days people! However, most likely (and hopefully) a lifetime change!

Not eating out and not missing out

These weeks are really flying by.. And I honestly thought not eating out would be more of a struggle.

I imagine if I were feeding more than myself it might be a bit more difficult. This week I was so behind the game that I didn't really menu plan until mid-week and that wouldn't really fly if I had a family. I can subsist on PB&J and making something odd out of random leftovers... But there is only so much.

Because I got paid, I didn't have to pinch pennies at the grocery store. Between that and not having a clear shopping list or meal plan for the week, I spent a little bit more than I have been on groceries. My total grocery purchase for the week was $71.80 - almost a $120 savings from my weekly average in the past. Which brings my total savings for this month to.......

$375

Now before you think I am becoming rich or something, please remember I still have some Hawaiian excursions on my credit card that this will be going towards :) 

On to week 4!

Week One - DONE!

It's the end of week one of my personal challenge to not eat out and I am happy to say it was a complete success on every level!

Confession: I did purchase things to eat TWICE, but hear me out on this one, please.

The first time was the very first day of my challenge. I packed my lunch bag full so I wouldn't be tempted to buy anything if I fell into the "starving" category. However, I forgot about breakfast. I rarely eat breakfast before I get to work, so that posed a problem. Do I try to get by on just an apple, do I bum food off someone else, or do I cut myself some slack and go buy something?

Considering breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I didn't feel like being a bum that day, I decided I would purchase something from the cafeteria at work. My choice had to be healthy, filling and cheap. A huge cup of oatmeal fit the bill = $2. I may have broke my rule the first day, but I chalked it up to a rookie mistake.

The second purchase was for a day with my niece. Her birthday was approaching and I thought I would take her to my favorite cupcake place, Icing on the Cupcake, for a special treat = $2.75.

Miss Emma and her cupcake. Happy 6th birthday! 

Combine that with the $51.35 I spent at Winco for the week, the total spent on food was $56.10. If my math skills serve me right, that means I saved over ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS from my weekly average (nevermind I just re-worked the numbers and I probably saved closer to $130!).

WOW.

Do you realize that could translate to at least $5200 a year saved?

Not only that, but it has been nice for a change to plan at least 4 meals for the week and go shopping for all those ingredients. I'm typically the sort of person who plans meal by meal and can end up making several trips to the store in one week.

Time saved. Gas saved.

And yes. I've been eating a lot healthier. I've realized that there are times I am not really that hungry, but if I had the opportunity for a vanilla latte, breakfast burrito from work or a taco salad from my favorite hole in the wall, I would have eaten it anyway. But when you aren't that hungry, leftovers just don't sound appealing.

Calories saved.

I may have even lost a pound or two - even without purposefully cooking low-calorie or low-fat. My new love of grilled sharp cheddar cheese and gruyere sandwiches definitely are not either *smile*

Money, time, gas and calories saved. Sound appealing? I challenge you to try this as well - even if just for a week!

(p.s. Thank you co-worker Craig for sharing half of your breakfast burrito with me Saturday morning! It was divine.... and FREE!)

Menu Planning and Grocery Shopping

Money has been tight lately. Yes, I know I've said that before - I just needed to say it again. Mortgage/house insurance/property taxes were due yesterday, so I have about $180 to get me through until November 11th.

My aim during this personal "eating in" challenge is to pick four recipes a week to make and then survive on leftovers and sandwiches the rest of the time. Last night I poured through some recipes I copied from a co-workers book: America's Test Kitchen "The Best Simple Recipes". Now if you aren't familiar with America's Test Kitchen, you should be. I've never made any of their recipes and had it come out bad. They test out each recipe until they find just the right ingredients to use, just the right way to cook it, etc. I also opened up a book I found on the bargain rack at a bookstore that seriously has like a million recipes in it: bon appetit "fast easy fresh".

Since Monday was already gone, I settled on 3 recipes (if I need a fourth, I have some frozen chili I made awhile ago):

Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas with Grilled Onions

Cajun-style blackened Tilapia

Skillet Sausage and Peppers

Off to the grocery store, shopping list in hand. My goal was $50 so I would still have $50 for next week as well as one tank of gas and a little leftover for necessities.

Let's just say Winco saved the day. My tilapia recipe was really suppose to be halibut, but I probably saved at least $4/lb by making the switch. I threw back my Honeycrisp apples that were $2/lb in favor of the 3lb bag of Fuji's (my favorite) for $3. And thankfully Winco sells a bag of natural frozen chicken breasts (as natural as frozen ones can be, I suppose) for only $5.

Cash register total?

$51.35

Job well done.

Tonight's menu was tilapia (recipe below) since I felt the fish should be the first to go out of the refrigerator. I think I might even dub Tuesday's "To the Sea Tuesday!" I mean, Meatless Monday has its day, why not all the little things flappin' around in the ocean?

Here it is - complete with still-slightly-crunchy brocolli..... YUM!

Spicy and very, very good. I think next time I would cut back on the salt a tad though. I don't think I even missed the fact that it wasn't halibut.

Frugal AND yummy? Sign me up!

--------------------------
Cajun-style blackened Halibut

1 tsp salt
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
(4) 6-ounce halibut (or tilapia) fillets
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
4tsp butter (optional, I didn't use)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix first 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Place fish fillets on rimmed baking sheet. Brush both sides with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle top of each fillet with spice mixture.

Heat heavy large skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat until very hot. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil; swirl to coat. Place fish fillets, seasoned side down, in skillet. Cook until very brown on bottom, 1 minute. Return fillets, brown side up, to baking sheet. Place in oven and bake until just opaque in center, about 8 minutes. Transfer fish to plates. Top each fish fillet with optional 1 teaspoon of butter.