The Monthly Grocery System That Saves Me Mone

​Let’s keep it short, like my grocery bill. The only reason I have a shopping budget as low as I do is because I don’t like to do it regularly. I set myself up at 8 a.m. one day during the first week of the month and get everything for the month. I then come back home to review my current inventory, portion meats, freeze items, and write dinners for the month. If I know the veggies will go bad and I don’t need them crisp because they’ll be used in a soup or baked dish, I freeze them too. If it’s on sale, I’ll stock up; if it’s too pricey, I won’t get it that month. This has also led me to rotate meats, so each month features a different protein-heavy cost. Lastly, buy in bulk at restaurants: $85 for five tri-tips—trim the fat for tallow, cut steaks for two, and portion chunks or slices; $24 for 20 lbs of thighs—bones for stock, whole or cubed; $15–$20 for a 5–8 lb pork loin.

People waste food because they buy it without a plan to use it. Pinterest, Cook’s, or The New York Times are great resources for people who aren’t used to cooking. For beginners, bulk-bin spices are your best value. When you like a recipe, reuse it multiple times a month. Lately, the Dijon Cream Pork with Crispy Gnocchi has been our favorite.

We use the extra money for an experience savings account. I may go over or under depending on how many times I entertain, but I will never hear the words, “We have nothing to eat.”

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