by Judy Lin

Created on: April 28, 2008   Last Updated: December 14, 2009

I wasn't going to write anything about this, since our grocery bills are rather low as a general rule and I don't really do anything special to keep them low. I usually spend a little over fifty euros a week on groceries, a little more if the cats need kitty litter, we need more baking staples such as flour and sugar, or we run out of olive oil. Otherwise, there are times when I'm almost embarrassed to check out, as I'll have spent a paltry 12 euros on a shopping basket groaning with food for the next three days (we don't have a car, so there's no point in buying more than a basket's worth since there'd be no way to get it home).

How we do it:

1) Eat real food. Keep in mind, every step removed from the plant or animal is another step you'll end up paying for. So I buy mostly fresh produce, chicken for the cats, and baking staples. Sure, a package of cookies costs all of 2 euros. But a sack of flour costs 50 cents, and makes 4 batches of homemade cookies-and that doesn't include the preservatives, flavorings, or coloring agents that aren't good for you to begin with. Most of the meals I make are simple soup-and-bread, veggie-and pasta combinations, or variations on curry and chili. They have the added advantage of freezing down well, meaning that I'll usually make the full recipe (4-6 servings) and freeze the remainder-and not have to cook as much the next week.

2) Along those lines: plan out a week's menu and then go shopping for it all at once. In my case, I go shopping twice a week, since as I mentioned above, it's hard to get a week's worth of food onto a bike (and make it home alive). Because Charles's schedule is erratic at best, I don't always have to make lunch or dinner, so even if cabbage is on sale (as it was today), I might not buy it if I don't think I'll use it before it spoils (as it was, I had a cabbage dish coming up).

2a) When menu planning, eat fresh first. For instance, say I'll be making a stir-fry, pea soup (a delicious summery meal, by the way), and spaghetti this week. I'll schedule the stir-fry for the day I go shopping, since it requires fresh ingredients; the pea soup next, since the ingredients don't spoil as easily; and the spaghetti last, since neither dried pasta nor canned tomatoes spoil easily.

2b) Make a list. Make a list of the ingredients you'll need for the dishes, and a list of the basics you're running low on, and pick them all up at once. Keep coupons for things you'll want nearby.

2c) Plan your route. On Saturdays, there's

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