Ok, I have to admit... It was a pretty daunting idea at first.  Shop once a month?  That would mean more work!  But, I had a surprise coming..  Shopping once every month instead of every week is less work!

Numbers tell the true story:

Instead of going to the store once a week - (52 times a year), we are now going once every four weeks - (12 times a year).

In addition, we also are cutting our grocery bill and saving time--what a bonus!.  It's a wonderful feeling when you leave the store, knowing  that you won't have to worry about it for another three weeks, leaving lots of free time to go and do something else!

Check with your local health food store for bulk discounts.  Our local health food store offers a 10% discount when you purchase in bulk. So, the week before, I contact the head manager and give him a list of what I would like order.  I usually buy cases of canned goods, 25-50 lbs of rice, oats, flour, dried beans, etc.

 By buying staples in bulk, and making some items from scratch (like flour tortillas, ketchup, salsa, etc.) we are able to cut our the bill even more.

 Also, since we grow almost all our herbs--thyme, sage, parsley, chives, and oregano, there is no need to buy any seasonings.  

I visit our local restaurant supply store for items such as spices and cleaning products/supplies.

In addition, we grow practically all our fresh produce needs and we eat what is in season.  If it isn't growing outside our backdoor, then we don't have it.  Eating with the seasons helps us to longingly anticipate the first ear of sweet, melt-in-your-mouth corn on the cob, freshly cooked yummy green beans with butter, spicy pumpkin pie, or the first juicy slice of sun-ripened tomatoes.

Luckily, we are good friends with the produce guys at one local health food store; as we occasionally are able to buy boxes of overly ripe fruits for a few bucks.  This helps us supplement our diet with things we wouldn't normally get: like bananas, apples, pears, etc.

Living in Southern California allows us to grow our garden year-round. When the "seasons" change, so do our meals: from nature's shelves we make our meals. Eating with the natural cycle of the seasons is truly an enjoyable and satisfying experience.  

So far we have cut our grocery bills in half from last year (Last year's grocery bills were approximately $160 a week and are now about $80).  To shop for a large family for a month requires planning, but it pays off!  We avoid buying prepared, processed foods,  and we try cook from scratch as much as possible, using the basic ingredients.

Below I've listed items that I purchase for our family of five either every month or so.  The shopping list is easy... We just calculate how much we use per week and buy more of one item. Though, with the hens laying now, we can cut back our egg purchases, therefore saving us a little bit more money... every little bit helps!

Back to top