Food budget thread

JAS_OH1 said:
That's disgusting to think about. Like when I stopped in to use the loo at a convenience store and noticed that they stored their hot dog buns, paper napkins, food "boats", etc. in the restroom. Yuck.
Click to expand...
We churned butter in the bathroom when I was a kid!
 
Windigo said:
She didn't mention a bottomless pit, she has said she has a 1000 euros for the year. She might use that to replenish her stock.
Click to expand...
You missed my point completely and missed the use of the phrase "bottomless pit". She said €1,000 a year without any €€€€ for stuff from her pantry/store cupboard staples. And she said she had built it to over the years and that she used it extensively but she isn't taking it into account in her budget. In 12 months time for instance, if things are still bad, she'll have higher prices and no staples/pantry to fall back on to, so will need to buy those items.

Windigo said:
I'm not saying it's realistic, I'm not saying it's accurate, I only mentioned her because she inspired me to talk about our budget. I don't recall making a post breaking her story down or using it as an example. I just wanted to start a thread on how people here manage their budgets.
Click to expand...
That's fine, I'm just saying that we're not comparing like for like. Her article looks great initially. How to live cheaply for a short period of time off what you have in your house only buying fresh produce when needed would be a better title, more accurately reflecting what she's doing.

Windigo said:
So yeah, I do think people should include their pantry staples in their budget. But nobody here said they shouldn't. Maybe she has a seperate budget for pantry items, I don't know I haven't looked into it. I was just interested in a discussion about our budgets on the forum, not about that lady and how she does things.
Click to expand...

medtran49 said:
Comes from far away.

I keep getting oops error messages on posts in this thread for some reason, also in the budget thread.
Click to expand...
This word and any variation of it is the problem. The system doesn't like it (again) following an update and quoting it by reply is even worse! Such it out for the word choice instead.

Screenshot_20230405_161843_Chrome.jpg


caseydog said:
I just tried to reply to your farmer's market post, and got the "oops" message.

CD
Click to expand...
See above.

TastyReuben said:
Speaking of pantries, I’ve lived in…11 houses and apartments in my life and have never had a proper pantry - always just the usual kitchen cabinets for storage of everyday dishes and pantry items alike.
Click to expand...
Only 11 houses? That's not many. I'd lived in that number by the time I was 11! Stability was not my mother's best attribute! The longest I have ever lived in one house is also (just over) 11 years. Some have had dedicated pantries from days before refrigeration with huge old slate slabs and only a tiny window (one had s dedicated candle holder). Some were at the back of the house dug into the ground to stay cold (again before electricity). Others were a small room or large cupboard with a normal door, no lights etc.

Where I am now, we don't have a pantry. It doesn't mean I don't have store cupboard staples, I just have to store them elsewhere. Right now I have 3 locations (or maybe 4) in 2 rooms. There is the big ceiling to floor cupboard in the kitchen (This backs onto the chimney so gets hot in winter!) That's stuff I use frequently. Then there is a set of Ikea shelving in the mudroom which gets very hot in the afternoon. Nothing I can do about that. And then there is a "farmers DIY cupboard" (built by the farmer) where he got a piece of wood and put it at 45° across the far corner of the mud room. Both walls get exceptionally hot, the room gets hotter and well, you just have to use things before they melt in the summer or freeze in the winter. The room is totally unheated/no a/c, but it is good for changing out of wet muddy clothes and footwear before you walk into the house and things do dry in there 3 seasons a year.
Stuff does get up and walk out of there of its own accord though and I have to keep the air drying crystals in that cupboard to keep toilet paper, tissues and egg cartons from growing mildew or worse. At least rats and mice can't gain access to it yet.
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
Only 11 houses? That's not many. I'd lived in that number by the time I was 11! Stability was not my mother's best attribute! The longest I have ever lived in one house is also (just over) 11 years. Some have had dedicated pantries from days before refrigeration with huge old slate slabs and only a tiny window (one had s dedicated candle holder). Some were at the back of the house dug into the ground to stay cold (again before electricity). Others were a small room or large cupboard with a normal door, no lights etc.

Where I am now, we don't have a pantry. It doesn't mean I don't have store cupboard staples, I just have to store them elsewhere. Right now I have 3 locations (or maybe 4) in 2 rooms. There is the big ceiling to floor cupboard in the kitchen (This backs onto the chimney so gets hot in winter!) That's stuff I use frequently. Then there is a set of Ikea shelving in the mudroom which gets very hot in the afternoon. Nothing I can do about that. And then there is a "farmers DIY cupboard" (built by the farmer) where he got a piece of wood and put it at 45° across the far corner of the mud room. Both walls get exceptionally hot, the room gets hotter and well, you just have to use things before they melt in the summer or freeze in the winter. The room is totally unheated/no a/c, but it is good for changing out of wet muddy clothes and footwear before you walk into the house and things do dry in there 3 seasons a year.
Stuff does get up and walk out of there of its own accord though and I have to keep the air drying crystals in that cupboard to keep toilet paper, tissues and egg cartons from growing mildew or worse. At least rats and mice can't gain access to it yet.
Click to expand...
I'm 32 and this is my 13th house. It should be the house I live in for life, but come to think of it, 13 is not a good number :laugh:

My parents had two homes that had pantries, one of them was an apartment, the other was a semi-detached house. I don't think I'll ever have enough money to afford a new house, but one of my dreams is having a house with a pantry. And I would it keep it super tidy and organized, because I love organizing things. My dream home would have a pantry, a balcony, a library and a walk-in closet.
 
I lived in four houses in four cities growing up, and have owned three homes. I lived in a handful of apartments from age 18 to 25. I bought my first house when I was 25. I've been in my current home for 22 years. I like it, and it is paid off, so I have no desire to move.

This house has a walk-in pantry. I have plenty of room for pantry items and spices.

Pantry001.jpg

Pantry002.jpg

CD
 
I'm at my 13th home too, but at 60+ years old guess that's not too bad considering 5 of them were by 15 years old. My parents went from a small older home to a bit bigger older home, then built a new, again slightly bigger home, then built a much bigger 3 level home, after that to a bit smaller 1 level home because the 3 level was too much for my mother to handle and work full time.
 
caseydog said:
This.^^^^^ I rarely pay full retail price for meats. Kroger and Walmart mark down meats that are a day or two away from the sell by date. I've gotten some killer deals on perfectly good meats that I vacuum seal and freeze.

View attachment 98247

CD
Click to expand...
Here’s what I got today following that advice:

E42E1A7E-AE61-49FE-8521-6D0C70277C65.jpeg
65927315-3AB3-4538-B06B-CC8B113840FC.jpeg


That’s what we have at Christmas, and it goes on sale then, and still costs $70US, so when I saw that, I grabbed it.

Probably use it for our anniversary supper next month.
 
caseydog said:
This house has a walk-in pantry. I have plenty of room for pantry items and spices.
Click to expand...
Yes! THAT is a proper pantry!
My son´s (in Putney, SW London) is about double this size, so fitting things in there is a juggling act. The fridge has got 3 shelves, and the freezer, 3 small drawers.
Cupboard.jpg
 
JAS_OH1 said:
Meijer's certifIed Angus prime rib roasts are on sale this week for $7.99 lb.
Click to expand...
Sadly, midweek trips to Meijer are a no-go for me - too far away. Midweek, it’s Kroger or ALDI (or Walmart, which I rarely go to). That’s what we have in town.
 
TastyReuben said:
Sadly, midweek trips to Meijer are a no-go for me - too far away. Midweek, it’s Kroger or ALDI (or Walmart, which I rarely go to). That’s what we have in town.
Click to expand...
Gotcha. We only recently got 3 Meijer stores in our area and the closest is 16 miles (the other 2 are 18-20 miles), so I only go if I need to be in the area for a work project or something else. When they have a meat sale like this, however, I will pick up work projects nearby a Meijer to offset fuel. I have 2 Aldi stores within 10 miles and several other grocery stores that are regional chains within 5 miles, plus 2 farmers markets nearby to keep the basic weekly items stocked.

We have no Kroger stores within 40 miles or so.

Interestingly, most stores here run sales from Wed to Tues but Meijer is Sun to Sat.
 
JAS_OH1 said:
Interestingly, most stores here run sales from Wed to Tues
Click to expand...
That’s when Kroger run theirs.

On weekends, I drive all over to go to different grocery stores, but more and more, I go to the Eastgate area (Batavia, OH) because they have Jungle Jim’s (international market), Meijer, Kroger, ALDI, and Sam’s Club all within a sight of one another.
 
TastyReuben said:
That’s when Kroger run theirs.

On weekends, I drive all over to go to different grocery stores, but more and more, I go to the Eastgate area (Batavia, OH) because they have Jungle Jim’s (international market), Meijer, Kroger, ALDI, and Sam’s Club all within a sight of one another.
Click to expand...
I love jungle Jim's especially! I wish we had one up here.

I have a Sam's membership (paid for by a company I do work for) but I rarely shop there. Usually I will pick something up for us if I'm there for a work project. Last time I was there I bought my husband a 3-jar multipack of big beautiful olives that were a really good deal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom