Groceries, Budgets and Dinners

I cook dinner every night. If my husband, who is usually sitting in his office directly above the kitchen doesn't smell something cooking by 5:30 each night, he gradually comes down the steps, grabs a Maria cookie (imagine vanilla wafer...only better) and feels me out. He's always careful not to ask, "So what's for supper?" .... if I'm in a bad mood. (Did I say that out loud? I'm never in a bad mood...) But by snacking on a cookie, and letting his eyes pass over all the counter tops, he's letting me know that he's hungry. In my house, husbands don't prepare themselves dinner. Mine has been known to heat up leftovers for himself, or even whip up a mean salami roll, but this doesn't happen often. I believe it's my job to prepare meals for my family. Not just any meal either, but one that's partially healthy. That includes a meat, some veggies and a starch. I prefer to have a homemade dessert on hand at all times, but this doesn't always happen. Since I have zero willpower and I've been dieting, the desserts have been coming less frequently. But I believe a homemade dessert is healthier (can I say that..'dessert' and 'healthy' in the same sentence) than store bought cookies, packaged cakes and goodies.


I have a weekly menu I follow loosely. I don't like rules, so I don't impose them on myself if I can help it. I make a menu, shop once a week for all the ingredients and then I know I have what I need to make 7 meals. Sometimes I change up the days, depending on my mood or time that I have in the kitchen. Occasionally, I'm surprised with a dinner out, but this is not counted on or taken for granted that it will happen 'x' amount of times each week. It may happen once or twice a month, at most.

Our family of 7 can't eat out for less that 25 Euros, and this would be a light meal, not a heavy one. (That coverts to $32.00) So the chances of my kids yelling, "I'm still hungry!" would be great.

I buy groceries for less than 110 Euros each week. I have this much in my purse, and I can not go over it. Sales tax is already calculated into the grocery price, so it's easy to keep up with what I'm spending as I put each item in my buggy. If bread is 89 cents. At the register I pay 89 cents.




Price are still climbing here in Portugal. What are they like where you are? My grocery budget just isn't bringing quite as much food home as it use to be. After I spend 2 hours at the grocery stores ( I go to two...the cheaper one first and then a more expensive one for the items I can't get at the cheaper one) I unload the groceries and put them in the pantry. Michael comes to inspect and says, "It doesn't look like we have any food!"

I tell ya what, this can be frustrating.

I've not heard too much about inflation in America lately.....have some of the food prices gone back down? Is it easier/cheaper for your family to eat out? Have you had to increase your grocery budget in the last few months?

Does anyone feel my pain?!