How and why to buy food for your whole family for $300 a month.

First of all, buy bulk.
Buying bulk foods are not only significantly cheaper than regularly packaged food, but they are also more economic(they have less packaging).
Stick to non-name-brand foods.
It's okay, there's no shame in buying something thats fifty cents cheaper if it means buying something you haven't seen in a television ad.
You can even try doing the 'pepsi test' with different foods of different value, you won't taste that big of a difference, if any. Look at the ingredients of the 'heart healthy' quaker oats, compared to the off-brand oats. See?
Don't do super gourmet cooking more than once a month.
It's definitely encouraged to make your own food, and make it healthy too, but don't make fifty dollar meals every day of the week. Don't listen to Rachel Ray, she is insane, as well as filthy rich.
Keep meals basic.
My friend can make fantastic fried chicken with no more than four ingredients that are very cheap.
Buy healthy foods.
did you know that unhealthy foods(twinkles, chips, pop,etc.) actually add up to a much higher price than what you originally planned? This is because they are not needed, and you will usually stray from your delicately made shopping list to grab... Whatever happens to look good.
The people that design and make those giant groceries stores actually make them so that you have to walk past the things just listed above before you get to the milk, or eggs, or whatever you happen to really need.
Free range foods.
This one is up to you, and you should do a little research(and ethical decision making) for yourself: is free range food worth the extra money?
In my personal opinion, if you have enough money, "have at it." But if you are, say, a collage student with very little extra money, I would say "save that money for a rainy day, that chicken is already dead, you can't help it now."
Again, it's your food, and your choice.
Eating out.
Eating out is not a bad option in some circumstances. Imagine yourself as a twenty year-old living with a few buddys, at a low paying job, you work hard hours to come home not wanting to cook.
How about Chinese?
The average restaurant's food costs about five dollars(pretty cheap) per plate, that will cost $240 a month, plus another $80 for the stuff you will actually cook(about three or four days a week).
Comes out to.....
$320 a month for food for a family of three.
And what if you divide that money with your room mates?
$106 a month!
And what if you cook the whole time?
Way cheaper!
And has anybody ever tried this?
A Shout Out To Eating Garbage: Dumpster Diving
Thats all for now, please leave a comment.
Signing out:
The Weekly Cheek