I am frugal. I obviously shop with coupons. But news flash. . . I don’t ONLY eat FREE food! I felt compelled to do a post about the shopping trips that aren’t sensational, but rather, sensible.
You usually only see photos of my shopping trips when I save bundles of money or get items for FREE – because that’s what you’re interested in, right? But I also could see how this might be discouraging. You may have watched Extreme Couponing and you’re thinking to yourself, “What am I doing wrong? I’m paying for my groceries?” You aren’t doing anything wrong and what you don’t see are the shopping trips where the super couponer is buying the basics, without coupons.
When I posted last month about the USDA’s estimates for monthly grocery budgets, we had a lot of people discuss how much they spend on their groceries each month. We personally budget $250 for our monthly groceries (for two adults, a three-year-old and a nursing 8-month old) – sometimes it’s a little more, sometimes it’s a little less, but that’s our average. The majority of what I spend my budget on is produce, dairy and other items that I can’t get with coupons. $250 is just food (not toiletries or other necessities) and I would guess that more than 50% of my budget goes toward produce. I shop at the co-op about twice a month and it looks something like this, give or take $10.
So far this month, I’ve been tracking our purchases and taking photos of our groceries and some of our meals (a rather personal thing I’m finding) so that at the end of the month, you can see what $250 bought us and what kinds of meals we ate. I’ll talk more about that when I post about it sometime in early May.
But back to my shopping trip today. I paid $51 for everything pictured above and I didn’t use any coupons. It’s not the cheapest produce you’ll find, but it’s all organic, locally grown and from my local Olympia Co-op. I LOVE my local co-op and I’m actually working on a tutorial for how to shop the co-op (coming sometime hopefully this week). The prices I paid were for the most part less than I’d pay at the big-box grocery store, even for non-organic items.
Here is what I purchased:
- Eggs – three dozen @ $2.19 a dozen = $6.57
Although not organic, they are locally grown (about 10 miles from my house), free range and vegetarian fed. - Organic carrots – 4.29 lbs @ $0.99 cents a pound = $4.20
- Organic Braeburn apples – 5.27 lbs @ $0.98 cents a pound = $5.16
- Organic green beans – 1.60 lbs @ $2.98 a pound = $4.77
- Organic celery – 2.39 lbs @ $1.79 a pound = $4.28
- Organic crimini mushrooms – .67 lbs @ $3.59 a pound = $2.41
- Organic cilantro bunch – $0.98 cents each
- Organic raisins (bulk) – 1.01 lb @ $1.89 a pound = $1.91
- Organic quinoa (bulk) – 2.35 lb @ $3.52 a pound = $8.27
- Organic shredded parmesan (bulk) – 0.45 lb @ $8.09 a pound = $3.64
- Cascade Fresh yogurt – $3.48
- Organic taco seasoning (bulk) – 0.31 lb @ $12.96 a pound = $4.02
- Organic oregano (bulk) -0.10 lb @ $13.49 a pound = $1.35
You might be looking at my list and gasping at some of the prices I paid. But you know, grocery shopping and food choices are a personal thing. I won’t judge others for the items they purchase. I just felt compelled to share that as a die-hard couponer, I don’t only eat sugary cereal, boxed/processed foods, frozen meals, etc.Ā When I can, I obviously shop with coupons. But I don’t ONLY shop with coupons. I try really hard to find the best bargains, but I still spend money at the grocery store.
Now I’m not saying I run out to the store and buy whatever I want, irregardless of price. But I am saying that couponing allows me to get things like pasta, cereal, dairy, etc. for the lowest prices (and hopefully FREE) so that I can free up more of my finite grocery budget to spend on the things that matter to me – like organic veggies or other favorite splurges.
So don’t feel discouraged when you see coupon shoppers talking about their super savings. Most of them spend money on the things that are important to them, it’s just not as fun to talk about!
Stay tuned for my tutorial on co-op shopping and watch in early May for my post on how we spent our budget this month!
p.s. The quinoa was a splurge for me. I’ve eaten it before (YUM) but I’ve actually never made it before. I want to try out some quinoa salads and I’d love your recipe ideas!
Jordyn L says
May I ask where you purchased or got your reusable produce (mesh-looking) bags? Thank you.
Heather says
I bought them from Abe’s Market, which actually has FREE shipping this weekend! http://www.abesmarket.com/natural-products/home-and-garden/housewares/reusable-bags/reusable-produce-bags-3-bags-each-pack-two-pack.html
They aren’t the cheapest, but I had a groupon/daily deal-type voucher that got me half-off. I think they keep the produce better than the plastic ones because they breathe. š
Debbs Seattle says
Where do you get those awesome little produce bags? What are they made of?
And as someone who has eaten quinoa for years,I encourage everyone to try it along with all the other “unusual” grains you can find at your co-op. Many are high fiber, high protein delicious little treasures sure to spice up the boring family menus we all get caught up in. Many are easily sub’d where you would use pasta or rice, including your summer potuck bbq cold salads!
Celia Husmann says
Here’s a link to how it works…http://www.olympialocalfoods.com/Content.aspx?content=buyer_faqs
A lot of our customers have blogged and us, I can send you their blog post if you want????
Celia Husmann says
*about us NOT and us
Heather says
That would be great! Thanks Celia!
LH says
Love this recipe for quinoa chili: http://feedyourfamily.blogspot.com/2008/06/quinoa-chili.html
I live in Olympia and went to the co-op a week ago and was discouraged by their prices. I am definitely interested in your upcoming post on shopping there!
Celia Husmann says
Quinoa is a staple in our house! We eat it at least 2 times per week! š MUCH cheaper at Costco, just be sure and rinse it well before cooking or it will be bitter.
Celia Husmann says
AND since it isn’t grown locally anyways, the stuff you are getting at the Co Op is most likely the same brand @ Costco. Also, the produce @ the Co Op is not all local. Based off your grocery trip the only local items would be the eggs and maybe the apples came from Rainier Organics in Eastern WA. They use OGC which is one of the wholesalers we use for some items. They are also VERY difficult for farms to work with, unfortunately… š BEG them to start carrying more local produce!!!
Heather says
Thanks for the insight on the co-op. I’ll look into that. And I plan to mention Olympia Local Foods when I do my post on shopping co-op style, so I need to get some info from you about the basics (how people can sign up, etc.) Maybe shoot me an e-mail with the details, I’m working on my co-op post for sometime this week.
Heather says
Hey Celia! Good to see you here. Thanks for the tip on Costco, I will check it out. I think I’m hooked on quinoa.
Patrice says
Barbara Kingsolver would be proud of you. I know I am…
Jessica says
A.) I’m looking forward to your Co-op post. Do you shop at the Eastside or Westside?
B.) If you like your quinoa, Costco has an $8 bag of organic quinoa that last us months. A yummy Latin inspired way that we make it is this:
Brown onion, garlic and quinoa. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer to cook (15minutes?). When it’s done add fresh chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice.
This is a delicious addition to tacos, black beans really any “mexican” meal you eat š
Thanks again!
Jennifer says
I appreciate this post. We coupon to save on toiletries and personal hygiene products, as well as boxed staples and condiments. Doing this leaves room for buying raw milk from a friendly farmer at our church. Toiletries suck up a big portion of our grocery/household budget and getting them at 50-100% off is worth any and all effort I make scanning ads and clipping coupons.
We have packaged gravies and seasonings, too, although we prefer to make them on our own. Sometimes, it’s nice to have something in a pinch!
Rachel says
This is great! I have been thinking about couponing but felt that a lot of the food people get for cheap/free is total garbage anyway. I try not to fill my cupboards with tons of processed and pre-packaged food, so this post was encouraging. The co-op appears to have some pretty good prices. Thanks!!
Stephanie says
Thanks for your post. I have been couponing for about 6 months and while I love the many coupon bloggers, it can be discouraging to see their $2 purchases. I do incorporate some frozen/canned food into my family’s meals, but it is the meat, produce, and whole milk yogurt (2 kids under 2) that eats up a huge portion of our food budget. Anyway, here is a link to a phenomenal quinoa salad from a blogger in my town, I hope you get a chance to try her recipe. http://www.digthischickmt.com/2010/06/hump-day-nuggets-catch-you-later.html
Paula Perez says
I also did not try couponing for years because I thought you could only get processed/junk foods. I have learned a lot from coupon bloggers in the last few months and now save several hundred dollars a month. Most household items and toiletries can be found for nearly free, and there are occasional coupons for produce/dairy/meat. By planning my shopping and keeping a budget, I can afford the healthy whole grains and produce we want, as well as gluten- and dairy-free items I need to get that are not on sale.
Debby says
I have found for my household, combining couponing and e-mealz.com has drasticly reduced my grocery bill and we have very little “spoiled veggies”. We have two school aged children. So other than the usual breakfast/lunch fare, our dinners are focal. I was banging my head at 3pm searching for what to make. E-mealz costs $15 for 3 months. You pick the store you usually go to and various nutrional options (including a points system = WW) It prints off a grocery list and off you go. After about 2 months, you can figure out what your stock up items are and they include recipes for the seasonal fresh veggies. By the end of the week, we need to go shopping. My family loves the variety and my kitchen is cleaner. I only prepare what it needed. Not hunting and pecking. I print out two copies and place one in a binder and star them, based on my family preference.
Brooke says
Great post Heather. One of the main reasons I love couponing is so that you can buy some more expensive things that are important to you and your family.
Quinoa is a regular in my house and totally worth the price. Extremely healthy and easier to cook than rice… well, I think it’s easier to cook. My rice is never the same twice… seems very finicky!
Karrie says
Love this post Heather. A lot of times on blogs you see just the deals with coupons purchase posts – and not all the other stuff we all must buy. I spend a large majority of my food budget on the produce, meat and dairy, but its because of couponing for everything else that I am able to keep my budget for $250 for a family of 6.
Thanks for the great post!
michelle says
Thanks for posting! This makes me feel better. =)
Angela says
THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I am a “new” couponer and I have felt so frustrated when I shop, wanting to buy things we need but feeling like a failure because I didn’t know how to get them for super cheap/free. I also like how you let us know there is a learning curve. I am two months in and just did my first super great shopping trip ( to me that means 53% saved) I was really excited! Thank you for doing what you do. Really THANK YOU!
-Angela
Jocelyn says
Great post! We just made this springtime farrotto recipe http://edibleportland.com/content/2010/03/springtime-farro-risotto/ and substituted in quinoa for the farroto. It’s heavier than a salad, but it was delicious, and you could pretty much put in any kind of vegetable that showing up in the market! We used broccolini and frozen peas, and I’m looking forward to eating it again with produce from our farmer’s market!
Heather says
Thanks for the recipe Jocelyn – looks delish!
So my co-op has a FREE store, everything is, well, FREE. I always look when I’m there and I found two bags of beautiful dark brown wool for you. I think it needs to be spun into yarn? Not exactly sure. So next time I see you, I’ll have to give it to you!
Mandi says
I haven’t tried making a salad with quinoa yet but I substitute chicken broth for water when I cook it and then just use it as a rice substitute. It’s great with mushrooms. š
Courtney says
I’m so glad you posted this! It helps to see the whole picture of shopping frugally and being aware of how to get the best deals, not just free processed food! =)
Kari M says
I shop at our local co-op quite often and love the bulk section! We also have a great option of buying right at some of our local farms too, which I will take anyday over the grocery store for those in season items. I’m excited to hear more!
Heather says
Where do you live? What is your local co-op?
Beth says
You buy taco seasoning? I thought that this was a “thrifty” blog? You can make your own taco seasoning cheaply. Just thought I’d pass that along =)
Heather says
I know, I can make my own. But my spice cabinet is a disaster and until I get it organized, it’s just easier for me to buy it. I’d love your recipe though!
p.s. I make a lot of my own products – bread, baby food, salad dressings, pizza dough, etc. So I don’t feel bad for buying items like this as a convenience – and I’d much rather buy it at the co-op instead of buying the packets from the grocery store, which have all kinds of icky stuff in them.
Monica says
Really – who are we to analyze what one thinks is thrifty vs. another – aren’t we all just trying to do our best…sometimes we but things for convenience as well!
Jennifer says
Great post! Thanks for sharing how you can eat healthy and still stay on a reasonable budget.
Erin @ Coupon Newbie says
Great post. I love seeing the real food shopping trips.
Best quinoa recipe…Quinoa and Black Beans. Made it last night, in fact.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/quinoa-and-black-beans/detail.aspx
Heather says
I think I have all these ingredients on hand. Might have to make this tonight! Thank you.
Monica says
Nice Heather! This is helpful…the co-op prices that is! You are human like the rest of us and we love you for all you do!
So for a great Quinoa salad…just made it yesterday.
Super Salad
Prepare 1 cup quinoa, then chill for an hour.
stir in 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar,
1/3 cup pistachios
1/3 cup dried cranberries (you could sub your organic apples here or organic raisins the craisins did make it pretty.)
1 1/2 packed cups arugula
add salt to taste.
I used about a 1/4 cup arugula and the rest spinach I felt that arugula alone was goign to be strong for me and I love spinach.
makes four 1-cup servings. 293 calories – (good calories)
Heather says
This sounds delicious. Where do you recommend buying pistachios?
Tracey S says
Thank you for this post. I resisted couponing for a long time because I rarely buy anything that has coupons- very few frozen, canned or packaged things. But now I see how you can get toiletries for way cheaper and how there are a few areas where I can save so I can buy organic the rest of the time.
Thanks.
Cindy says
Thank you for posting this! My husband is starting to get interested in me using more coupons, but produce is over 50% of our budget too. Would love to hear more about how to shop at co-ops and any good co-ops in the Portland area that anyone knows about, please let me know! And thanks for letting us know that toiletries and such isn’t part of your $250/month.
Jocelyn says
I haven’t explored many of the co-ops in Portland so I can’t compare, but I live near the Alberta Co-op at Alberta and NE 15th, which has always been friendly and charming.
daisygal says
Thanks for ur post b/c I am a die hard couponer 2 and at one point I found myself not buying food if I had no coupon and then I realized I was missing out on so many levels from my meal pleasures to even nutrients. So now I do try to shop local for groceries and buy the meats n veggies/fruits, etc.. that I like… I guess the extra $ we save on coupons we can use to splurge on eating tasty food…we so deserve this š
aminita says
Quiona – cooked 3 cups
1 large Roasted Butternut Squash – till still a bit firm so that you can slice big pieces and toss on the BBQ to cook the rest of the way and get nice grill marks. Cube it once finished.
Corn (optional and cut straight from the cob)
Sun-dried Tomato’s in olive oil mix – not the dried one’s.
Feta
Cucumber
Cherry Tomato’s
Black Kalamata Olives
Fresh Basil
Balsamic Vinegar/Olive Oil with some salt and pepper.
Even better if you add some pesto to the vinaigrette before putting on the salad, gives the dressing a delish flavor. Toss all together and then add to cooked quinoa. I don’t know measurements because I always just throw it together. So numbers are super approximate.
Thanks for the reality check too! I needed to see this to remember it’s not just be actually paying money out there. haha!
aminita says
I meant to write “it’s not just ME actually paying money out there.”
Heather says
Oooh, this sounds amazing. And I bet it looks beautiful too. Thanks for the recipe.
Aminita says
You are welcome. I’m excited to read your how to shop coops post. I just checked out our Ashland one today. Does yours have the coop deals coupon books?
Ashley says
Thank you for posting this!! As a new couponer, I find myself thinking “but what do I do about all my other groceries?” seeing the reality of a seasoned couponers monthly shopping is a huge help! I can’t wait for your upcoming posts, I’ve never shopped at the co-op before because I’ve always been a little scared of it!
rachel says
Great job erin. We love going to olympia farmers market. Its grown so big last few years. Lots of organic plus local
Brenda says
I hope you get a lot of quinoa recipes, my sis-in-law were just talking this weekend and I want to make something as I’ve never had it before!!
Erin says
Awesome that you posted this! I was watching Extreme couponing and thinking how it limited their choices. But if you save so much with coupons, you can buy better quality produce, right? And props for supporting local!
Jessica says
What is the Olympia Co Op? How does that work? My sister in law/brother live in Centralia and I think they would love something like that.
Heather says
You can get more info on the Olympia Co-op here: http://www.olympiafood.coop/. I plan to do a “how to shop co-ops” post sometime in the near future. So stay tuned. I LOVE my co-op.
Anonymous says
Be aware of the Co Op’s boycott on Israel and all Israeli products. I was a long time member and they went behind our backs to protest Israel. It made national news and NO other Co Op has gone with the decision. There are many other places to shop for local and organic food.
Full Circle Farm
Olympia Local Foods
Terra Organics
Farmers Market
nicole says
I think this is awesome!