Weekly and Yearly Budget

Everyone has a budget....or you should.  However most people don't realize that your grocery budget should be priority.  Here is a little sample of what I do.....

My weekly budget is between $100-$150 for food(minus meat that I buy in bulk) Most every meal and snack/ treat is made or eaten at home.  We eat 99% organic,  RARELY eat out(that is a HUGE wallet buster and it never sits well with us either).
I do purchase some organic convenience foods, but they are not the majority of my food(crackers, organic corn chips, salsa, organic suckers and the occasional box of organic cereal)
Weekly break down:  $21.42 a day(you can’t hardly eat out for a family for that amount of money-even fast food would be more expensive)  $5.36 a person per day, and $1.78 per meal(plus 2-3 snacks).   You tell me where you can get high quality food, for less than $2 a person per meal?

I allow myself $50 extra dollars or so for: bulk items, special, baking goods, and toilet paper etc.  My budget includes local handmade soap from the farmers market and items for making my own shampoo, conditioner, laundry and dish washer soap, bathroom cleaner, linen spray, deodorant, essential oils for diffusing etc.....Usually just once a month I need to spend a little more to make homemade goods.  I do buy all of my meat in bulk up front from local farmers and keep it in the deep freezer.  Price per pound is much cheaper that buying single cuts. Plus you get the added bonus of a much higher quality product and knowing your farmer(I save up all year to do this)!

1/4-steer $500-$600 for about 100 pounds of meat that is about $6 per pound of grass finished beef(cut to your liking:ground, steak, roast, filet, ribeye, etc......that is LESS that you can get ‘organic’ beef from the grocery store) 

1/2 hog $380.  I got about 60 pounds of meat, skin, fat and organs. $6.33/pound for bacon, ham, ground pork, chops, sausage, ribs......again all cut, smoked and packaged to your liking. I make pastured lard out of fat/skin, feed organs to dogs and cats and we enjoy the rest.

1/2 lamb $200.  About 30-40 pounds of meat(much smaller animal) $5 per pound.  Lamb chops, roast, shank, ground lamb, ribs, fat.   I used fat to make tallow for lotion and frying.  I have never seen lamb at the store for less than $12 a pound!!!

I also get about 10-12 whole chickens and a whole turkey.(I usually trade/barter for these by helping to harvest on the farm or doing farm work in exchange for food.....)

You obviously need a deep freezer to buy in bulk....it will save you so much money in the long run.  Plus you can freeze, homemade broth, pre-made soups and meals, seasonal veggies and fruits for out of season use like berries, corn, broccoli, peas, okra, tomatoes.

I spend about $60-$80 at our local farmers market on milk, cream and kefir(sometimes it is easier to buy than make!) organic coffee, eggs when my chickens are not laying as many as we are eating, seasonal fruits and veggies.  Honey when needed, soaps and anything else I might need.  I supplement with convenience foods and bulk item from local health food store, buy dried herbs and spices in bulk and get our out of season few things that are a must(bananas, apples, organic sugar, butter, nut butter etc)

I also try to pick as many local seasonal fruits as possible and freeze(blueberries are so much cheaper per pound when you pick yourself)! I also try not to waste ANYTHING....I will freeze and try to re-use later.  If I forget, it doesn’t get wasted, but goes to chickens!!!

So where do I get my meat?  Here are some great local farmers in my area:

Mark Casson at Green Acres Farm - 850/327-3083

Roger Elliot at Green Cedars Farm -  www.greencedarsfarm.com
850-698-0107

Dennis and Allison at Serenity Farm -  http://www.serenityfarmsflorida.com/

I am getting my beef from Hastings farms this year - Randall Hastings
251-937-8728

Stewart farms- Carl Stewart- organic produce and GMO free pork
251-751-9038

If you need to find quality farmers near your location...go to localharvest.org to find a farmer near you or check out eatwild.com or eatwellguide.org.

There are many ways to find and eat healthy on a budget.....Anyone can do it, you just have to start!

I hope this helps you see that if you break it down per pound and per person, you can eat healthy real food on a budget!

Real Food, Real Life, Real Simple