May 2015 Healthy Food Budget: $499.54
Groceries: $458.12 (meat: $47.14) (canning: $5.98)
Dining Out: $41.42 (8.29% of total food)
Yes, my spending was a little crazy this month. I didn’t stick quite as closely to lists and menu plans as I should have. But in my defense, the last half of the month can boast no take-out meals! I ate so darned healthy this month, it was wonderful!
I did go a little wacky when I saw Whole Foods had fresh organic blueberries and strawberries for sale. At $5 each, I went back several times for them, at least $35 right there. Plus lots of cherries, a watermelon, and I’m into blender smoothies again, so frozen fruit and greens were on my radar too.
I also picked up some “seconds” strawberries from Wilson Farm and canned five half-pints of jam. I will not be having a true garden this year. Maybe just a couple of containers, but I will hopefully still be canning.
The month’s spending total would have been even higher if I counted the extra stuff I bought for our Memorial Weekend mini-vacation. I was so proud that I kept eating my own healthy food, while others around me ate chips, ice cream, muffins, cupcakes, etc.
I also didn’t count my “me” lunch at Panera Bread the other day. I started a new expense category for that.
I can’t complain. My energy is up, and I feel better overall, happier even. So it’s worth it to spend more for my health!
Where I Spent My Grocery Dollars This Month
Groceries May, 2015
Whole Foods 125.50
Market Basket 107.43
Trader Joe’s 88.22
Salem NH Farmers Market 57.10
Amazon.com 26.44
Wilson Farm 23.05
North Reading Winter Market 11.40
Penzeys Spices 8.44
Peet’s Coffee & Tea 6.95
Alpine Butcher 3.59
Total $458.12
About My Healthy Budget
My healthy budget goal is to eat seasonal (local if possible,) home-cooked meals while sticking to a $400-$450 monthly budget for all food including groceries, dining out, entertaining, vitamins/supplements, and gardening.
There’s two of us eating (mostly) 3 meals per day. DH occasionally eats take-out lunch at work, & that $ comes out of his personal cash stash.