I think that maybe if you buy nothing but prepared frozen foods, you could spend that much on 3 people. I would get sick of eating out of a box though, literally and figuratively.

My jaw dropped, too, when I saw what that family spent on food and decided to suggest this gazette article to them http://gazettextra.com/news/2008/apr/07/... and hope they might consider sharing the wealth (of food money) by participating in this local event. As a matter of fact, it's a worthwhile event for anyone to check out. Under the (miserable) weather? Starve a cold, feed a neighbor?

I agree melstew, thats what got my attention too. I spend about $100-$120 a week for a family of four - one adult, and three children. Any time I can get by with less than $100-120 I do!

as i was reading thru these,i thought what great ideas, but one bothered me ,what does one buy that they spend 300 dollars a week on groceries for 3 people. there are six of us and i only spend about 120 to 150 a week and i shop at sentry. and we never run out of anything.

Thanks for the tip, agedcheddar (supercook.com). I can't wait to try it. I'd have never dreamed there was such a thing, but I'm always left with odds & ends I bought that (I'm ashamed to admit) sometimes sit there forever, but still scour the kitchen trying to figure out what I can make for dinner.

I like that Christine takes stock of items she has on hand before she shops. I do the same. I have a list of my canned goods and freezer contents. I also go to www.supercook.com. You just make a list of items you have on hand & it's huge search engine scans internet recipe sites and gives you tons of recipes. I find this an invaluable resource as I like to try one new meal every week.

I agree with you, farmdude.

I have also learned that I can save a lot of money by going out and having a nice meal before shopping. If I hit woodman's with the munchies..look out.

I like woodmans for the selection, but mostly because they are going to bust the union. Go free market!!!

Thanks for all your guys comments. I make a weekly menu, and then the list from that. I thought I was the only person that did that. I also post it on the fridge so I'm not being asked a hundred times a day "what's for supper". Also, while I do a lot of shopping at Walmart, I do not buy meat there because it is never on sale. I also don't usually buy coffee because most of the time I can find it on sale at another store. Take a few minutes every week to look at the ads from local stores. Even with the price of gas, I'm still saving money by shopping at a few different stores, and getting items on sale.

Just shoot more geese and deer- it saves on the meat biil

People act as if none of the corn that goes into ethanol makes it into our food chain, when actually, it does. One of ethanol's byproducts is distillers grain that is fed to the livestock that we later consume.
The rising cost of food cannot be solely pinned on ethanol. Our food system is complex, and a number of different variables factor into what we pay at the grocery store. Droughts in other parts of the world have caused grain prices to spike. The weak U.S. dollar has made our commodities look like bargains to index traders, and the burgeoning middle class around the world (China, India) is increasing the demand for food. It makes one think that maybe we ought to preserve farmland on Janesville's northwest side, instead of developing it.

If you like fresh vegtables during the summer. Plant your own garden! It's great excerice and a great family activity. Don't have room? There is the community gardens next to the jail. You can also check out patio gardening You can also plant Beans and tomatoes in flower beds. I have gardened my whole life. Oh yeah my kids show garden produce at the Rock County Fair, Just like there mom did.

Hats off to Mrs.Zastrows My food bill is $ 300.00 a week for 3 people.I don't know how she feeds a family of 4 on $300.00 a month.I'll be taking a look at what I can live without on my next trip to the grocery store.

Not off topic, Irish_Mafia78. Exactly the point. Preserve farmland, support the local economy, eat local. What a great idea.

Ethanol is a terrible idea. Just the thought of using food as a fuel? Makes no sense at all and we are finding out how bad it is by the rising costs of food and just about every other product we buy.

And here goes one more comment forum going off topic...

ugh.

Balancepoint: the fair grounds are used more than once a year for all kinds of activities not only for 4-H but others as well. The fairgrounds is a smart investment; just because the fairgrounds moved out to that area doesn't mean the gardening area couldn't still be there.

Community supported agriculture. What a great way to use the farmland that the county already owns, instead of paving it over for 4-H to use one week per year.

gazette- roflmao--lol

I just wanted to share that besides the wonderful share program and our awesome food pantries in the area, there is a new bent and dent grocery store in beloit at 2571 park avenue! The prices there average half of what they do at the local grocery stores and I have found that if I shop there first to get all that I need of their selection, I then go to the larger grocery store for the rest of my list. They also take the quest card. With our economy the way it is, I am surprised that there are not more of these stores. Its an awesome way to shop, especially when I am cooking for a household of seven.

Share is a wonderful program. My family has purchased from share quite a few times and enjoyed their items. Being a small family, we may not use all of what is in one package...but that's what freezer bags are for. One tip I have: for both men and women...when it comes to shaving, shaving cream can be quite expensive. If you have a conditioner that you purchased and don't like how it works in your hair....use that as a shaving cream. You can also pick up very inexpensive conditioners at Dollar Bills, Dollar Tree, Dollar General, etc.

ALDI'S PEOPLE SHOP THERE AND SAVE MONEY

You get other benefits from just being able to buy food from Sam's Club. I am a PLUS member and with my membership they include a free health and medical discount program a Roadside Assistance program for about 35 bucks a year for everyone in my household so my daughter and my husband is included in that. Check printing I save as much as 70% on. I get a 100$ travel voucher every year as well but I haven't used that yet.

thekid...., do you use coupons when you have the muncies?

Bereal- I have one word to answer your question of why we do not use hydrogen to fuel our vehicles - Hindenburg. There are other reasons too, but I think that one is sufficient.

Maybe someone can tell me why we don't use hydrogen for fuel in vehicles and heat our homes. since 2/3rds of the earth is covered in water, it seems as though we have an ample supply.

id like to point out that hemp, a WEED, is a more than viable source for ethanol bio-mass. it will grow ANYWHERE WITHOUT CHEMICALS. grows year round in many climates. and the industrial hemp has so little THC that anyone who would be ignorant enough to try an smoke it, will only try it once:) open up your eyes to the possibility of a reality other than what youve been told. EDUCATE/MEDICATE/REGULATE

Instead of looking only at the price of food, everyone should also petition elected representatives to DEMAND a livable minimum wage! Higher wages don't necessarily have to in turn mean higher prices in the stores. Corporate profits have been simply obscene in recent years due, in part, to those CEOs who make over 450x the salary of their lowest level employee. That's a discrepancy over 10x higher than during the Dark Ages with feudal lords and peasants! Don't let them get away with it. Let your elected officials know this isn't good for your family nor good for the country.

Thank you for this website! I just ordered our meats and health items and I do believe that I save more than if I had gone to the grocery store. Another great place to go is to big lots and aldi's for the little things, they usually have better deals and some of the same food just different names.
Also for orgoanic items if you can't wait for a shipment is Trader Joe's.
Thank you again for this awesome information!
Jenn S

Nice, can't help but wonder if this was motivated by a tv show that was on over the weekend. I don't remember what it was called but it discussed coupons buying in season products and waiting for sales. The biggest difference was that is showcased Aldi's and not woodmans being the lowest cost food store.

http://www.localharvest.org/search-csa.j...
Not sure if this link will work, but go to www.localharvest.org and put in your zip code to find CSAs near you. I just signed up with 3 Sisters a couple weeks ago and they didn't have many shares left for this coming season.

Ethanol = Everyone Goes Broke

Sounds like the Gazette could have interviewed a few more people on ways to save! There are some great ideas here.

1) Stick to the OUTSIDE perimeter of the grocery store (avoid anything in a box or processed!) and do support your local farmers market
2) ALWAYS use coupons
3) Plan ahead but and by only what you'll USE yet...
4) ...Purchase enough to last until you make another grocery-shopping trip - in other words avoid those last minute, jump in the car trips to get one or two items.
5) Go vegetarian! Unlike the urban myth, it isn't boring, bland or protein-deficient.
6) Only buy from environmentally-conscious and ethical companies remembering there are some "hidden costs" that will hurt your bottom line just as much as those you pay up-front (i.e. the costs to employees and cities when you shop at mega-stores such as Walmart).

Go back to the basics to save money: Skip the processed foods and go from scratch yourself. This works for many items. For example, chili and soups, rice and potato dishes, popcorn, baked items, fresh vegetables and fruits vs. canned, etc. But the No. 1 way to save money when grocery shopping is ... LEAVE YOUR KIDS AT HOME (if possible). You will be better able to focus on finding the best deals and you won't be encouraged to buy items you don't need.

I thought of one more thing that might be helpful:

If you have a large family and go through lots of shampoo and conditioner, you can get gallon jugs of it at Sally Beauty supply. I watch for the buy one get one sales. I bought a gallon of shampoo and got a gallon of conditioner for free.

Don't forget about the Wonder and Gardner bread stores as well. They always have deals on bread and buns. And the more expensive bread at regular grocery stores are always cheaper at the bread store.

I would really like more information on the Three Sisters Farm mentioned in the article. I did a search for it online and came up with nothing. If anyone has any more info please let me know. Thanks

Some stores, like Sentry, offer $0.05 off your total for every plastic grocery sack you re-use and offer money-off coupons if you buy certain items or spend certain amounts. Little things like that can make a difference.

I'm also a believer in shopping at the stores with the best deals instead of sticking with one store. I've stretched my grocery budget quite a bit by using different stores. You can also trim your grocery bill by shopping at dollar stores for cleaning and paper products, soap, shampoo and other toiletries. You get a lot of the same brands as the grocery stores but pay a lot less. Picking up things like bread and milk at places like Kwik Trip can save you a few bucks, too. Milk in a bag is still good milk and you're paying a lot less than the same milk that comes in a plastic jug. You can get orange juice in a bag, too! You can get two loaves of bread for a little over a dollar there as well.

I'm all about finding deals and I can tell you that you can find quality items in places that people usually overlook.

No kidding....alternative fuel. is not helping anyone. The amount of fuel that is used to make this "alternative fuel" is just plain dumb. And the driving up the cost of food.

This is the price we pay for inefficient ethanol? Now we have to "eat on the cheap"? Use a service reserved for the needy? Continue to pay 60 cents tax for every gallon blended on top of the gas taxes already in place? I've got an idea: STOP THIS INSANE MADNESS NOW!!!