Menu Plan Grocery List doesn't Add Up

By far the most frequently asked question received from those who are just joining GroceryBudget101 and tuning in is, "I don't get it, how did you come up with that menu with the groceries listed? What about the . . . " - Well my friend, I'll tell you Exactly how . . .

First of all, we do NOT purchase all of the groceries in one week. If we did, we'd be spending the same amount the average American family of four spends per month, currently $1,000 or more.

As you start to follow the menu plans each week, you'll see that we purchase items based on their sales cycles.

Another notable difference is that we don't list meats in every weekly menu as a grocery expense. That is because meat is not purchased every week, it's purchased based on sales cycles and need. View this weekly menu which is a "Meat Restocking Week" for additional details.

"Eggs" will never appear in our list of purchased groceries. This is because we raise our own hens for fresh eggs and as such we use them generously in our menu plans. The number of eggs collected daily ranges from 12-36 eggs depending on the season and weather. Since we can't possibly eat that many eggs we frequently give them away, trade for other items such as fresh honey, fruits, berries, and sometimes even chicken feed. The girls eat any veggie & fruit scraps that we have left over and are allowed to roam during the day as they wish.

Over the past 15 years we've planted several different types of trees including Macintosh Apples, Peaches, Pomegranate, Kiwi Fruit Trees, 3 different types of Cherry Trees and Fig trees. In addition, wild Persimmons grow abundantly around us, as do pears. While these trees are still fairly small we are able to enjoy some fruit from them.

To get a better idea of how this all comes together, we recommend reading our "2012 Year in Review".

For more help on the budget and an in depth view of where/how to cut grocery expenses and understand sales cycles to get spending under control, check out our eBook, "The 2012 Family Guide to Groceries under $250 a Month".

If you have additional Questions, See also:

• $50 Weekly Menu Frequently Asked Questions
• $50 Menu Plan, FAQ, Round #2
• $50 menu Plan Help Across the USA

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