Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Try an Inflation Experiment With Me?

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I’m wondering if you’d try an inflation experiment with me?

As many grocery prices have risen – some of them drastically – I was hoping you’d try an inflation experiment with me so we can learn more together about how to save the most as we work to feed our families well.

First, have you seen this floating around social media?

This person took a screen shot of a Walmart purchase from January, 2020 which cost a total of $70.29. Then, she put all of those items back into her cart – and look at her total in 2024! Yikes, it went from $70.29 in 2020 to $165.42 in 2024. That’s a 135.6% increase!!

 

 

No wonder people are so discouraged. The increase in these food costs is outrageous!

Is this accurate for all groceries everywhere?

We can only see a small photo snippet of the items this person purchased – chips and cereal. So I don’t know what else was in her order that costs so much more now than it did four years ago.

After seeing the above Facebook post, I was intrigued and decided to look into my past Walmart purchases to see if my findings were the same as what the above poster had found.

The earliest Walmart pickup order I can find in my purchase history is July 2021. I know some prices had already increased by then. So I did further research to learn that the biggest hike in grocery prices happened in 2022, so I feel like my findings are still accurate.

Here’s my July 2021 screen shot:

Brace yourself.

Are you ready to see what happened when I clicked “Reorder All” on my July 2021 order, today in July 2024?

I held my breath and then THIS:

July 2024

 

My cart went from $264 in 2021 DOWN to $235 in 2024.

One part of this result is that two items weren’t available (64 items were in my 2021 order and only 62 items in my 2024 order).

Half of the contents in my cart were fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables – extra encouraging that those healthy item prices are the same, lower, or barely higher. Other items included bagels, coffee creamer, buns, cheese, yogurt, meat, taco shells – basic household items/ingredients to put together meals.

My experiment continued…

I wondered if it was a fluke or if I’d just gotten lucky and picked an order that “just so happened” to go down instead of up. So I went back to other 2021 orders and did the same thing.

Every time, same result: My 2024 prices went down just a bit.

For one order that was almost entirely fresh and frozen fruits and veggies my order went up from $112 in 2021 to $114 in 2024 – so just a slight $2.00 increase in three years….

Why are my results so different?

I believe the difference might be in what food we are choosing to purchase. Across the board, there seem to be price increases in just about everything. But maybe fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables and basic cooking ingredients haven’t shifted as much. That’s what I’m gleaning as I continue to compare my Walmart pick-up orders.

But I want to hear from YOU! I feel like my results don’t give a big enough picture of what’s going on for everyone everywhere. Especially since my experiment began in 2021 (though again, it seems that the biggest price increases began in 2022).

Try an Inflation Experiment With Me?

If you have been enjoying pick up orders from any grocery store since 2020 or 2021, would you take a look at your Purchase History and try adding all the items from older orders into a new order to compare the cost?

Then take a look at the items you bought to see which products have increased the most?

I found that this experiment hasn’t taken much time – but it has been very helpful as I continue to make grocery purchasing decisions so that I can save the most money possible during this time of inflation.

TIP: When I was looking at my previous purchases, I was able to simply click on the “Reorder All” button and every item from my old cart automatically went into my new cart so that I could quickly compare prices from 2021 to 2024.

Let’s help each other save more money!

I’m hoping that if many of us conduct this experiment, we can all get a better picture of how we can most wisely shop for groceries. Hopefully we’ll learn:

  • What product prices have increased the most?
  • What products should we avoid in order to save more money?
  • What items haven’t been as drastically affected by inflation?
  • Are there shopping habits I can change so that I can save more money?
  • Which products give us the most bang for our buck?

Together, friends, we’re going to get through this inflation frustration! Thank you for being willing to try this experiment with me. :)

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Is Inflation Hype…Inflated?

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Hear me out, and be gentle with your responses. We’re all in this together for the good of all! Today I ask the question: Is inflation hype…inflated?

Inflation is real.

In no way do I want to downplay what is 100% real. Inflation is real. All of us are feeling it in a variety of ways.

But I keep seeing inflation information that is stated as fact. —> And much of it isn’t fact for our family.

I feel like this is saying something because of our family size. Trust me when I say that we buy a lot at the store. From food to shoes – it takes a lot of shopping and purchasing to care for a family this large.

This has me questioning: Are all of the “facts” we read actually facts? Or is some of the information provided about inflation actually inflated? Or biased? Or “fact-ish” but not absolute in all contexts?

Should we all panic, or can we take a deep breath and know that we will all be ok?

Pssst. Here’s the truth about the cost of ground beef in my experience.

Is Inflation Hype…Inflated?

The price of certain foods has gone up considerably – IN SOME GROCERY STORES. Are the online price comparisons I’m seeing an accurate comparison from store to store and proverbial apple to apple?

For example:

If I were to look at the price of a gallon of milk at Aldi in 2020 and compare it to the price of milk at a higher priced grocery store in 2024, I might come up with something like this:

That’s one of the many charts and memes I’ve seen floating around that are always followed by comments like:

  • “I know, it’s outrageous!”
  • “These prices are killing us!”
  • “I blame _____ (pick a president)”

Here’s why I question these “facts.”

I’m calling all of these to our attention today because the truth is, most of the prices on that chart aren’t my prices. My chart would look more like this.

Also? Last month, April 2024, I bought gallons of whole milk at Aldi for $2.62. That’s cheaper than the above chart’s 2020 price. In addition, the price of eggs has been alllllll over the place during the past few years, which has nothing to do with inflation and something to do with bird flu or some such tragedy.

Admission: Some of what I’m saying isn’t fair.

I, Laura, live in Lincoln, NE. We have running vehicles and multiple grocery stores in my city. This means that I have all the access to any store I want and the ability to easily get there. (I use the word “easily” loosely – considering the fact that I have somewhere around 37 kids and going anywhere is an extreme sporting event).

But what I’m admitting here is that because I have access to Costco, Sam’s, Aldi, and multiple other stores, I truly can find and enjoy much better prices compared to someone who say, lives in a tiny town, far from bulk grocers, and only has access to a higher priced, locally owned grocer. Or compared to someone who doesn’t own a car and can only walk to the nearest store for necessities. The majority of us, though, I believe do have access to options that truly can keep our food and clothing costs down. 

Unfortunately, I don’t think the Awful Inflation Memes and Scary Chart people are talking about the minority. They are making inflation out to be the worst of the worst for everyone everywhere and I’m here to say:

Hey. Wait a minute.

Are you sure you’ve done thorough research? Are your “facts” thoroughly checked? Would you like to go shopping with me and see how I can save much more money on groceries than you claim that I can? Please do! Go with me! Hold the baby and help me lug my two full carts while you’re at it.

Here’s some of my research:

This. Many of you chimed in on this.

I didn’t want to speak only into my context and say, “Meh. Sure some prices are higher, but not all of them. I’m fine. You’re fine. Stop worrying.” So I asked you what your experiences have been. Most of you agreed that while some prices on certain items have increased, many of you are still finding reasonably priced groceries, therefore feeding our families well is still very doable.

I also looked back at past receipts and compared them to my 2024 receipts. Guess what? My chart looks very different compared to the chart I shared above. Look at this. While some of my staple purchases have increased in price, many of them have stayed the same. A few have even gone down.

I’m not panicking. It truly is going to be ok, friends.

How do you feel about this meme?

Is this “Interesting fact…” truly a fact?

WOW. Does it? If so, that is perhaps a reason to panic. Especially because we are not a family of 4. We are a family of (Laura stops a long, long time to do the math)…

10? 16? 13?

In total, we are a family of 16 with only 10 of us living at our residence. BUT, we also have three housemates so there are actually 13 people living in our house and sharing our food. Plus we always have guests. You see now why I had a hard time landing on a number.

But for fairness sake, let’s just go with the number 10 for current the family numbers living in our home.

If, according to the above Meme “Fact” it costs a family of 4 $11,000 more to buy basic necessities than it did just 18 months ago, then it must cost my family of 10 (Laura stops to do more math)…..

$27,500.

More per year? For all of us to eat and wear shoes?

Stop it. No it doesn’t.

Here’s what is fact for our family:

  1. Some grocery prices have increased. Some have not.
  2. 13 people (6 adults, 7 kids) live in our house and eat our food.
  3. I have only had to increase our grocery budget by $200/month since 2017 when there were only 6 people living in our home. That’s a increased total of only $2,400/year. Here’s how I’m doing with our grocery budget so far this year.
  4. We eat well rounded, high quality meals that include fruit, vegetables, whole grains, meat, and dairy.
  5. Restaurant prices and processed food prices at the store seem to have gone up quite a bit. We avoid these to save money.
  6. Shoes, underwear, and socks cost more than they used to. We have a lot of shoe, underwear, and sock wearing people in this house. Our costs for these items have increased, but definitely not by $1,000’s of dollars.
  7. We have two kids in diapers (down from five kids in diapers, so woohoo for that!). Diapers and wipes are not costing us thousands more per year than they used to.
  8. We buy yearly family memberships to places like the Lincoln Zoo and Children’s Museum. The costs for these have gone up – by only 20 total dollars for the entire year. This increase is minimal.
  9. We enrolled Keith in soccer this spring. This was our first time to do that since moving to Lincoln so I don’t have past fees to compare prices. But it only cost $48, which breaks down to $6/game.

Again, I know we can’t all compare costs across America as costs of living vary. I also know that as our kids get older, our expenses will increase. But that will be because they eat more, do more, and care more about their clothes – not solely because of inflation. :)

Sample grocery cart for our family, just to prove that yes, I know a thing or two about buying food:

What might help us all be free from inflation stress:

1. Shop around. Maybe find a new favorite store or two.

There are certain grocery stores that I do not frequent because their prices ARE actually outrageous. (It’s worth noting that these stores were more expensive, compared to my favorite, lower priced stores all along, not just through and because of this inflation streak.)

If these higher-priced stores were where I did the majority of my shopping, I, too, would be worried and upset. But instead, I have found the lowest priced, best quality options that work for our family.

2. Find sales.

They still exist!!

I’m continually encouraged by the food mark-downs I regularly find that offer us great prices on high quality staples. Grocery stores offer loss-leader prices that help us stock up on groceries at truly good prices. Clothing still goes on clearance at the end of every season. Name-brand shoes (if you need high quality) can be found at outlet malls for great prices, and in my experience last longer than “cheaper” shoes at Walmart or Target.

Maybe we have to work harder now to find good sale prices. But many of us are working pretty hard to complain about inflation, so perhaps we could instead use that energy to score some deals! ;)

Underwear and socks I found on clearance for our four littlest kids, May 2024 —>

Our favorite free range chicken thighs marked down to just $1.98/pound, May 2024 —>

3. Hand me downs (and thrift store clothes) are your friend.

I am amazed at the clothing that is available for free or cheap – all around us. Many churches offer free clothing to the community, and not just for people who struggle to make ends meet. In my experience –  there’s usually enough to go around and then some. I am shocked at how many people have loads of clothes that they want to get rid of.

Thrift stores still offer “$0.99 days” and “fill a bag for $5” days. It’s so much fun how many times I have  complimented someone’s great shirt or dress only to hear, “I picked it up for $3 when I was thrifting!” or “I got it at the Clothing Giveaway!” or “I found it on clearance at the sidewalk sale!” You guys rock.

4. Eat at home more instead of at restaurants.

I promise I’m not trying to be a buzz kill with this one. Or sound like a broken record. But if I’ve seen inflation hit something hard, it is definitely take-out and restaurant prices. It’s not the restaurant’s fault. They have to pay higher wages to be competitive in keeping employees and some of their food costs have gone up as well. That all gets passed down to the consumer.

Here are some ways our family eats out without eating out. And here’s a little cost break down I did for foods like Pizza, Chicken Nuggets, and Hamburgers that I make at home for much less than the cost of restaurants. Great coffee? I did some math here too.

Inflation is real, but you are amazing.

My encouragement today is to look around you to embrace what is true. Don’t believe the scary memes that tell you that we are all going to go broke.

You have resources, you are smart, and doggonit, Rotisserie Chickens are still just $4.98. We might have to make adjustments as we settle into some newly inflated prices that are here to stay. But we are resilient. We can make modifications and we can thrive because of them!

Weigh in on this. When you look at actual facts based on your experiences, do you see that some of the inflation hype is inflated?

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Help Me with Grocery Cost Comparisons?

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I’m hoping you’ll take time to help me with grocery cost comparisons?

When I wrote this post to share about grocery costs that I’ve discovered that have NOT increased, some of your comments got me to thinking: What does inflation look like across the U.S.? Obviously I only know how it is affecting us here in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Will You Help Me with Grocery Cost Comparisons?

I know for sure that what I experience may not be what you are experiencing. So if you don’t mind taking some time to answer a few questions, I think we would all benefit. My goal is to always be helpful. I think I can be more helpful if I know more about how your grocery stores are behaving. :)

So to start with…

Those of you who shop at Costco and Sam’s:

  • Can you get Chicken Legs for $0.98/pound like I can?
  • Do they still offer Rotisserie Chickens for $4.99 where you live?
  • Is your 1-pound package of Organic Spinach and Spring Mix $5.00 or less?
  • Can you find Organic Hamburger Meat for $4.98/pound like we have here?
  • Are the (in season) fresh fruits and vegetables relatively similar in price compared to what they used to be? I’ve found that berry prices have increased quite a bit. :( But apples, bananas, oranges, pears, and grapes (in season) are hanging in there at prices that don’t make me flinch.

At Walmart:

I mentioned here that I still see pasta for $0.98 for a 1-pound package. I see off-brands at other stores for this price too. Is this price the same from state to state? What have you found where you live?

I double checked my information and took this photo at Walmart last week:

I snapped this one too, showing that the Whole Wheat Pasta (what we prefer) is also a really good price at just $1.43 for a pound:

I’ve definitely seen prices jump quite a bit on many food items at Walmart, which makes me shop elsewhere for most of what we need. But there are some of these basic items (like pasta) that has stayed low in cost.

At every grocery store:

  • Have you noticed that the price of processed/frozen prepared foods is OUTRAGEOUS? This has been my biggest jaw drop while shopping.
  • Are your store’s weekly sales and loss leaders decent? Some of the ads I see make me cringe – like “THAT’s your sale price? Ouch!” But I also see prices that draw me in and make me feel like if I really pay attention, I can stock up on basics when they are sale at very reasonable prices.

An example: Last week one reader, Julie, let me know that our Nebraska/Iowa chain, Super Saver, was having a Mega Meat Sale and suggested that I check it out. I’d never been there before, but the meat prices they advertised were AMAZING and well worth the trip! ($1.18/pound for pork roast?! $1.58/pound for pork loin?! Yes please.)

Meanwhile, almost everything else I saw there was pretty high in price compared to what I pay at Costco, Sam’s, and Aldi. But the Super Saver loss leaders got me in the door and I saved a lot of money taking advantage of their extreme sale prices. I need to pay attention to their sale flyer in the future!

Store Markdowns:

Are you able to snag some mark-downs that make you happy? I’m still finding GREAT markdown items at all the stores I go to: Aldi, Sam’s, and Walmart (with some fun clearance items at Costco). Specifically, I always check the meat at these stores to see what might be marked down.

Chicken Breast for just $1.76/pound after mark down —>

Overall:

  • Have you found that if you avoid high priced processed/prepared food and stick with basic, whole food, homemade meals – your budget isn’t taking too hard of a hit?
  • Have you tried shopping around and trying new stores to see if something else works better for you now compared to what used to work for you before inflation hit us so hard?

I appreciate any questions you might take the time to answer so that we all might learn something new that works in our area. I’m very curious what you’ve found that works and what prices you’ve found that haven’t increased during the past few years.

While grocery prices have increased in some ways, we can still save and feed our families well!

Free Worshop!

This is great timing as I just came across a FREE Crush Inflation Challenge offered by Tiffany at Don’t Waste the Crumbs. She’s so practical and everything she shares is very doable. Sign up for this free challenge here.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Grocery Prices I’ve Found that Have NOT Increased

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Let me tell you about the grocery prices I’ve found that have NOT increased!

Everyone is complaining about inflation and the rising cost of groceries. I get it. I don’t like it when prices go up.

I’m a BIG grocery shopper for our Big Family. With so many people that I get to feed every day, and while striving to stay within a wise budget, I am very focused on what is reasonable to buy and how to manage costs of all the food we need. And well…

This is really exciting!!

Yes, I’ve noticed a rise in some prices. But guess what else?

  • Not everything has increased. Keep reading to learn what I found out.
  • Weekly sale prices and loss leaders are still very, very good.
  • There are still great grocery markdowns if you take a few minutes to look for them. And best yet…
  • Some prices are actually lower than they used to be.

I just spent some time looking at my online accounts, comparing my Costco and Sam’s purchases from early 2022 until now, early 2024. Friends, please don’t believe all the hype and fear we’re hearing about how grocery prices have increased exponentially. While it is true for some products, it simply isn’t true across the board. Or across the grocery store aisles as the case may be. :)

Are grocery prices as bad as everyone says that they are?

Not based on my receipt comparisons from February 2022 to February 2024. Below you’ll see everything that hasn’t gone up and even some prices that have gone down! Take a look here at some staple foods I buy that I noticed that have gone up in price. But then take notice of the actual amount that they have increased.

  • 3-pound bag of organic petite Baby Carrots was $3.98 and is now $4.86. (That’s an increase of $0.88, but do you know how many baby carrots are in a 3-pound package? It’s a lot of carrots.)
  • 3-pound package of Tortellini was $9.48 and after inflation is now $9.78. (Up only $0.30?? To feed my entire family? Ok.)
  • 2-Pack of Mayonnaise was $5.58 and is now $6.11. (That’s an increase of $0.27/jar.)
  • 2-pound package of Sliced Colby Jack Cheese was $6.88. Two years and inflation later, it’s $7.24. (That’s less than a penny per slice more than I paid in 2022.)

Would you call these increases “exponential??” I don’t.

And now for the really fun discoveries I made while looking at old and new receipts!!

Grocery Prices I’ve Found that Have NOT Increased

  • Organic Grass Fed Hamburger Meat at Sam’s was and still is $4.98/pound. (This is the price I’ve paid for years, not just since 2022.)
  • Regular Hamburger Meat still regularly goes on sale for $2.98/pound at various grocery stores. All meat goes on sale at a variety of times throughout the year. Watch the ads and stock up on prices we’re used to.
  • Chicken Legs at Costco and Sam’s used to be and still are only $0.98/pound.
  • Organic Spring Mix and Spinach at all stores where I shop are still less than $5.00, just like they used to be. (I just bought some at Sam’s for $4.12 and Walmart usually has them for $4.98.)
  • Banana’s price-per-pound has actually gone down a few cents from 2022 to 2024.
  • Costco and Sam’s still offer their amazing Rotisserie Chickens for just $4.98 each.
  • Sam’s 5-pound bag of shredded cheese was $13.68 in January 2022. February, 2024 it is $12.68. That is a dollar LESS.
  • Also a dollar less is my favorite frozen fruit mixture from Sam’s. It was $11.98 and is now $10.98.
  • Just about every store I’ve seen still has store-brand pasta at $0.98 for a 1-pound package.
  • Gold Potatoes were at Costco and Sam’s for just $0.52/pound – not a sale price.

This isn’t everything, but these are many basics I shop for regularly. Isn’t this encouraging?!

I realize that my prices may not be your prices. But I am guessing that if you compare your receipts from two years ago and today, you will find what I found. Some small increases, some actual decreases, and some prices that have stayed the same.

Be encouraged!

My goal for today is to share that we really can keep feeding our families well within a very reasonable budget.

Share with us here what you’ve experienced where you live and where you shop. :)

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Costco or Walmart: Which Has Better Prices?

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I love both Costco and Walmart (and Sam’s and Aldi, haha!) – but since Walmart is more convenient for me locally, I’ve been breaking down some specifics to see which has better prices!

This questioning all started in December when we brought another new baby home from the hospital. As a result of having a sweet newborn, I wasn’t able to make my typical monthly Costco run in January. Instead, I did all of our grocery shopping that month with Walmart Pick-Up. It made me wonder:

Since Walmart has its own store brand that is much cheaper than name brands, is Walmart cheaper overall compared to Costco? We know Costco has high-quality foods and offers great bulk deals. But are they the best deals?

I spent some time doing the math because I really want to do everything I can to save as much money as possible since our big family goes through so much food every month. Here’s what I discovered in March 2023…

Costco or Walmart: Which Has Better Prices?

Of course, I didn’t break down every single item, and beyond that, each store has features that the other doesn’t. Therefore, no matter what I will still need to shop at both. But here are some of the obvious prices I could compare to see what makes the most sense as I shop for my big family.

Chicken Legs at Walmart: $1.42/pound
Chicken Legs at Costco: $0.98/pound

48-ounces Daisy Sour Cream at Walmart: $6.28
Daisy Sour Cream at Costco: $5.29

Great Value Graham Crackers at Walmart: $1.98
Nabisco Honey Made Graham Crackers at Costco: $2.20 per box within a 4-count case

Great Value Salted Butter at Walmart $3.88 per pound within a 2-pound package
Kirkland Salted Butter at Costco: $3.07 per pound within a 4-pound package

Great Value Nitrite-Free Turkey Lunchmeat: $7.96/pound
Hillshire Farm Nitrite-Free Turkey Lunchmeat at Costco: $7.49/pound

Great Value Frozen Pepperoni Pizza: $3.98
Kirkland Frozen Pepperoni Pizza: $3.62/pizza in a 4-count box (and in my opinion, these taste so much better!)

Walmart Rotisserie Chicken: $6.98
Costco Rotisserie Chicken: $4.98

1-Pound Organic Spring Mix at Walmart: $4.98
1-Pound Organic Spring Mix at Costco: $5.49

Walmart NON-Organic Pears: $1.65/pound
Costco Organic Pears: $1.60/pound

Walmart Cantaloupe: $3.12
Costco Cantaloupe: $2.75

Walmart OFF-BRAND Rotel: $0.88
Costco Rotel: $0.87 (each can in a case of 8)

Walmart NON-Organic Fruit and Veggies Applesauce Squeezies $11.36/2-12 packs
Costco (Kirkland) ORGANIC Fruit and Veggies Applesauce Squeezies $11.99/24 count

Walmart Brand Shredded Cheese: $17.68/5 pounds
Costco Brand Shredded Cheese: $15.99/5 pounds

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At this point, after diving in and running numbers of so many of the items I usually get at Costco, and comparing them to the prices I find at Walmart, I stopped doing the math. Why?

Because almost across the board, Costco prices are better. And/or the price is very comparable but the quality is better at Costco (organic options at Costco for the same or close to the same price as non-organic options at Walmart).

Will I still shop at Walmart? Absolutely. I have to because I can only make it to Costco once per month at the most and I always need to supplement other grocery items throughout the month until I can make it again – especially when it comes to fresh produce!

And overall, while Costco prices are better, Walmart still has very good prices. For me, though, shopping in bulk at Costco allows me to do not only saves money but also time and energy since I can buy cases and big bags all at once!

What’s your grocery shopping preference? Have you found a local store to feature better prices than others?

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How to Beat Inflation at the Grocery Store

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I’m here to offer some encouragement today. While prices are going up, we can still beat inflation at the grocery store.

As you know, my grocery budget for our Big Family is large. We need to spend $1,200/month to feed all of us, and with prices on the rise, I’ve wondered if I could keep it that “low.”

Currently, we feed four adults and six kids – three meals every day. At $1200/month, the breakdown equals $4/day per person for all meals and snacks. I feel great about this! But I’ve been contemplating if I’d need to bump my budget up to keep up with rising prices.

I may need to, but for now, I’m challenging myself to see if I can focus on more low-cost meals to keep from having to spend more. This personal challenge led me to put this 30 Days of Dollar Dinners packet together, and I’m really encouraged. As it turns out, we really can keep food costs low, even now.

We can buy one big pork roast and make it stretch into 5 different meal!
Join our free 30 Days of Dollar Dinners series so I can show you how!

Let’s talk about meat and cheese.

As I’ve been shopping, I’ve found that meat and cheese tend to be grocery budget killers. So I’ve changed a few things about how I shop and cook.

I’m adding less than half the cheese I used to add to dishes, and they still taste just as good. And as it turns out, I’m able to still feed us a lot of meat – I’m simply choosing cheaper meat options:

  • We’re eating less beef overall, as I’ve found that it’s much pricier than chicken or pork.
  • We’re eating more chicken legs, chicken thighs, and pork roasts.
  • If I need it for a recipe, I’m using more ground turkey instead of ground beef.

No one is complaining. No one has even noticed, actually. Our meals have been delicious and some have cost us less than I was spending before inflation. True story!

NOTE: This decision I’ve made to cut meat costs has meant that I am compromising on buying all grass-fed, free-range meats. God is bigger and I’m choosing to trust him in this decision even though I know that more sustainable meats are better for our bodies. The meat I’m buying is still a healthy, real food choice, and I’m saving hundreds of dollars each month this way. :)

I’m also trying to make time to make more of our food from scratch again. This is still a bit of a challenge with so many littles to care for right now. But I’ve been able to bake more than I used to, so this is wonderful for breakfasts and snacks. (See this great list for 111 Baking Recipes.)

Our 4-year-old likes to help me bake while his three younger sisters are napping.

30 Days of Dollar Dinners

I hope you’ve already signed up to follow along with our 30 Days of Dollar Dinners series. I’ll be posting inexpensive meal ideas and recipes here during the next few weeks. Meanwhile, get all these free resources! We’ve come up with 30 dinners we can make for $1/person (sometimes less!) And we’ve put it all – along with a grocery list and other money-saving resources – into this free printable packet.

Are we stuck with chicken legs and meatless meals forever now?

Goodness no. We can still buy and eat whatever we want. But the 30 Days of Dollar Dinners recipes and ideas packet gives us thirty meal ideas that cost $1/person. We can use this as a forever reference any time we want to find ways to cut back at the grocery store. And we can be encouraged that there are 30 great meals we can make that won’t break the bank. It’s fun and encouraging to know this!

What ways have you found to cut back on spending at the grocery store?

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Why Did I Spend $8 on a Watermelon??

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

I spent $8 on a watermelon, and I learned a thing or two. I figured it’s worth a conversation here.

Grocery prices are scaring everyone right now. I keep finding myself with the desire to stay calm and positive in the midst of the inflation storm and encourage others that there’s hope at the grocery store. I really do think we are all going to be ok! One day at a time, right? No need to panic. We can still be so thankful that we have plenty to eat. And there are still plenty of ways to save!

So about that watermelon…

Is it worth it to spend $8 on a Watermelon??

A few weeks ago, I was shocked that the watermelon at Sam’s cost $8! “No way,” I thought. “I’m waiting until they go down to at least $5!”

But then I wondered: Is that a thing anymore? Will watermelon ever be $5 again?

As I got closer to the melons I was talking myself out of needing/wanting it. I just didn’t feel I could justify it, even though it’s fruit, and therefore good for us. But then I saw how big these watermelons were (huge!!!). So I decided to go ahead and “splurge” on the $8 melon.

I spy a great big watermelon —>
(And corndogs, which makes you wonder why I overthought my watermelon splurge.)

The next day at home when I cut it all up to make it easy to serve at mealtime and snacks, here’s what I got…

Two 9×13 dishes plus a huge bowlful. It was an incredible amount of watermelon!!! Much to our delight, it was also super sweet and crisp. We ate on that watermelon for a week and a half.

The following week, I bought another watermelon at our local store “on sale for $4.” Guess what? It was less than half the size of my $8 melon. Hmmm…

I learned that I don’t have to always say no to a produce purchase just because its price looks higher than what I typically might want to pay. I need to consider:

  • how many meals and/or snacks we can get out of my purchase
  • how it will help me get good food into my kids
  • how it will provide easy side dishes or snacks that I can grab and put on high chairs and plates

That $8 watermelon provided for our family about 6 meals or snacks worth of provision. (We feed 10+ every day.) Since I spent a few minutes getting it cut and ready to serve, it also provided a really easy-to-grab side dish or snack option for us, which is especially helpful for me right now.

When the price feels high

It’s a good idea to consider:

  1. Fruits and vegetables are one of the best forms of nourishment we can put into our bodies. We need to buy them and eat them on the regular.
  2. What is the cost break-down per pound for the item? My $8 watermelon ended up being only about $0.40/pound. That’s cheaper than bananas. Who knew?!
  3. At the end of the day, I found that I’m actually only spending $1/day per family member to feed us a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Even when I buy more expensive fruits and veggies like organic greens and fresh berries.

Apparently, I can’t stop talking about how affordable fruits and vegetables are compared to most foods. I mean, what else can I fill and nourish my kids’ bellies with for $0.33/meal??

Long live the $8 (which is really only $0.40/pound) watermelon. Thank you for putting up with me. :)

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Big Family Food: Have Grocery Prices Gone Up at Sam’s?

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There’s so much talk about high grocery costs! So have grocery prices gone up at Sam’s also?

I had just made a run to our local grocery store – the one I try to support if at all possible. But they aren’t a chain so their prices are often higher than most other stores. Their sales are good though, and I like to support them since they are local, so I go there when I can. (Read here to get some great tips and recipes to help keep food costs down!)

One particular day recently though, I came home so discouraged. It seemed that everything everyone had been saying about grocery prices going up was very true. Everything I needed at the store that day seemed to have doubled in price. Ouch, that can really add up. And because we go through so much food at our house, I just couldn’t justify putting many “convenience foods” (Like bagels, hashbrowns, frozen fruit, yogurt…) into my cart.

I stuck to the very basics, came home with very few groceries, and tried to think creatively about how I could stay within our grocery budget while still recognizing that my cooking/baking time is very, very limited.

(Ha, “came home with very few groceries” was still a cart full. I had planned to get much more for our family that day, that’s all.) ;)

A few days later, I was able to head out of town to Sam’s to try to really stock up on items we needed. I took our 6-year-old with me for a much-needed one-on-one outing. She was BEAMING the entire time we were out! (And chatting. And chatting, and chatting. I’m learning that girls are different than boys, ha!)

Have Grocery Prices Gone Up at Sam’s?

My fear was that Sam’s grocery prices were going to be just as hiked up as they had been at our small grocery store.

I was getting low on just about all of our staples, plus I always need fresh produce. So I decided not to hold back while shopping that day. I was hoping to get enough food to last us at least two weeks. Maybe?? But I was also hoping to avoid going broke.

The only carts available that day were the flats, which I knew I would need. But I also don’t like how difficult it is to get everything onto a flat without stuff falling out. So I took the advice left by JJ on this post, and I grabbed boxes at the front of the store. Instead of just putting items onto the flat, I loaded them into the big boxes that sat on the flat. Worked like a charm!!!

After check out, the boxes filled the back of our Transit, but they sure did stack up nicely!

Then, of course, unloading it and putting it all away once we got home was the fun challenge.

What I got:

  • Big bag of apples
  • Big bag of pears
  • Big bag of nectarines
  • Bananas
  • 1 container of mixed greens
  • 2 containers of spinach
  • Container of blueberries
  • Container of strawberries
  • Container of kiwi
  • Asparagus
  • Big bag of petite baby carrots
  • 2 large bags of Fritos
  • 2 large bags of tortilla chips
  • Case of peaches
  • Case of mandarine oranges
  • Case of Rotel
  • Case of refried beans
  • Box of beef hotdogs
  • Box of orange chicken
  • Box of cheese curds
  • Bag of chicken nuggets
  • Pack of lime juice bottles
  • Coffee creamer
  • 1/2 & 1/2
  • Big bag of tator tots
  • Turkey lunch meat
  • Ham lunch meat
  • White queso
  • Sliced colby jack cheese
  • Shredded colby jack cheese
  • Box of avocado mash cups
  • Double bag of plain bagels
  • 2 large bags of frozen fruit
  • A few clothing items we needed

Total for food: $367

I was AMAZED and grateful that I got so much food for less than $400!

While grocery prices have gone up here and there, I didn’t find that the prices at Sam’s were shocking by any means.

Are Sam’s and Costco still going to save us money?

Absolutely.

Yes, prices have gone up somewhat because that’s what’s happening right now. But the savings I experienced at Sam’s that day was significant compared to what I’d found at a regular grocery store. Plus, overall prices were still extremely reasonable at Sam’s.

Next time I go to Costco I’ll do a similar comparison to see if the savings are still there. :)

What have you experienced with grocery prices where you shop? Are they going up?

P.S. Read this post to get great tips and recipes for help in keeping food costs down!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Easy Recipes and Tips to Help Keep Food Costs Down

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

With grocery prices going up, we can still keep food costs down. Here’s how!

For my own sake and for yours, I decided to do some digging. I wanted to put together a thorough list of recipes and meal/snack ideas to help us all keep our food costs down.

First, do not despair

Media wants us to panic. I feel that we really have no need to worry! Sure, grocery prices are up and may still climb. But we can make this work!

Next, some ways to save big bucks:

Here are some of my initial ideas for saving some money on groceries. None of these will likely work for everyone, but maybe you can find one or two that work for you.

  1. Garden if you can. Or purchase from a gardening friend.
  2. Raise your own meat and eggs if you can. This is a no-go for most of us, but perhaps you know some local farmers you can buy from.
  3. Take advantage of any and all offers of free or inexpensive food you might have available to you. We often have friends with extra garden produce to give away. We also have friends with fruit trees and they tell us to come “have at it!”
  4. Make food from scratch if you can. See lots of great and easy recipe ideas below!
  5. Avoid processed food if you can. Packaged convenience foods can really deplete our grocery budgets. Consider other easy-to-make meals (recipes below).
  6. Buy and eat “in season” produce. The prices of fresh fruits and vegetables are still very reasonable and one of the best ways to get nourishment! Don’t buy into the lie that fruits and veggies are too expensive.
  7. Frozen fruits and vegetables are very reasonable in cost! Take advantage of this as a way to keep buying and eating healthy foods.
  8. Don’t let food go to waste. If produce is going bad, freeze it to use in broth (veggies) or smoothies (fruit). Save leftovers and be creative in how you use them up.
  9. Take advantage of “loss leaders” at grocery stores. Our local stores are still offering great sale-priced items to get us into the stores, and I bet yours are too! Take advantage of these and stock up when you find a great sale.
  10. Look for items that have been marked down. I almost always check the meat section at our grocery stores to see what might be close to expiring and therefore marked down. I save a lot of money this way and have freezer space to keep the meat good until we need it.

Easy Recipes to Help Keep Food Costs Down

I’ve noticed that the cost of prepared baked goods has gone up. Instead of buying them, I’ve been making inexpensive recipes like this for my family:

Muffins

Easy-to-Make Breakfast Breads and Bars

Cereal prices seem much higher than normal, so consider these fun ideas:

Homemade Cereal – Easier than you think!

Inexpensive Meal Ideas:

Meals you can make instead of buy:

These meals are not necessarily the cheapest to make compared to those listed above. But these are less expensive to make from scratch compared to buying them premade or compared to eating out.

Grocery Shopping Tips:

If you’re looking to save money, here are some foods you want to stock up on and some foods you might want to avoid.

Buy This:

  • Fruit that is in season and/or on sale
  • Chicken legs
  • Whole chicken
  • Boneless chicken thighs or breasts
  • Ground turkey or chicken
  • Ingredients for homemade baking: flour, sugar, honey, spices, oil, baking powder, salt
  • Oats
  • Rice
  • Potatoes
  • Pasta
  • Pasta sauce

Avoid This:

  • Fruit that is out of season
  • Ground beef (buy this when it’s on sale to use sparingly as it is significantly more than ground turkey)
  • Cheese and cream cheese (we eat a lot of cheese, but I’ve been trying to use it less in our meals overall to save a few bucks)
  • Premade baked goods (with the exception of bread and buns which are still reasonably priced)
  • Frozen meals

What are your go-to meals that are money savers?

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