Super Thrifty Meals Stretch Budgets

I've written a similar post before, however I want to talk about his once again.  We have had and still have a very minimal grocery budget to work with each month.  My goal with that budget is to buy the healthiest and best quality food I can afford.  We keep a minimal grocery budget in order to afford the other things we need and want in our life as well as to build my savings and prepare for retirement.  Groceries are an area with the greatest flexibility to allow me to do these things.

 

This pork chop was one of two in a markdown package I picked up for $1.25
The stir fry package on markdown for $1.49

 

This yielded four good sized servings for a very minimal cost

We eat remarkably well, we have a full pantry, a well stocked chest freezer in our garage and a prepper pantry for emergencies.  I meal plan based on items we already have on hand, I use a pantry list to make sure we always have what we need on hand, I utilize a pull and replace method when I make my grocery lists, I download digital coupons and use rewards offered by my supermarkets, I use paper coupons too.  I am also, in large part, an opportunistic shopper.

 

This meal was super thrifty using a half loaf of Frenchbread we got for free playing
a store came, leftover pepperoni slices, cheese and olives I had in the refrigerator and
adding a $.27 can of tomato sauce seasoned with herbs & spices we already had on hand

Whenever I am shopping I seek out sales, loss leaders and I will go through the stores in search of markdowns and clearance items.  Most of our meat and produce actually comes from the markdown bins at our grocery stores.  Most of what I buy is almost always on sale and if offered in the weekly sales flyer as a loss leader I will stock up on that item so I pay rock bottom prices.  This allows me to acquire much more food than I would normally be able to buy each month.  If I need something that is not on sale I will purchase it at the store I know carries it at the lowest price.

 

The other half loaf of free Frenchbread was used to make French toast, 4 servings
Our chicken eggs and a little cream was used along with some homemade pancake syrup

I bought the sausage for only $2 using a digital coupon offered to me by the grocery store

We are careful about food waste, use up what we have in the fridge before it spoils, eat our leftovers and rotate items in the pantry and freezer so it doesn't expire or freezer burn.  Our kitchen scraps go to the chickens.  I cook mostly from scratch, meal prep and batch cook, dehydrate and can foods whenever I come across bulk deals, and try to keep it really simple.  I think we all can agree that the closer you keep your food to its original form the healthier and more nutritious it is.

 

Sliced leftover steak on top of mixed greens I picked up for $.79 on markdown
Do you know how much they charge for this dish in a restaurant?  A lot!

Markdown veggies & a bottle of salad dressing I got for FREE using a coupon offered by the store

Please share some of the ways you keep your grocery spending within budget.  How do you stretch your food to get more mileage?  Favorite budget recipes?  Do meal plan or prep?