I really love your point about keeping some of hubby’s snacks on hand. After all-if you are a SAHM/W, then they are the one bringing in the $$ (Note: I am not implying in any way that what we do doesn’t have value, just that it doesn’t bring in actual cash)

I try to make DH’s favorite cookie dough (MM chip) and then freeze it in balls so that when he wants a sweet evening snack, we can just bake 4 or 5 cookies. The kinder are not allowed to eat the dough out of the fridge. Actually, since we usually bake them after kinder bedtime, they usually forget that it is there. Also for Yankee Bill’s birthday, Christmas etc I usually give him a package of double stuff Oreos-something I don’t ever buy for the house, then they belong to just him and he doesn’t have to share them

For the kiddos, I try to remember to make up either Jello or pudding at the beginning of the week. By making it in little single serving plastic containers, it feels more like store “Junk food”, they can grab it out of the fridge themselves, and I can snap one up quick for inclusion in Princess’s lunchbox.

Another junk food tip for the kids-we keep all “party” gift bags of candy on the range hood (where they can’t reach it themselves) then after dinner every day they are allowed to have one piece as a dessert. It is amazing, we are almost never out of candy-just when they finally finish up the goody bag from a birthday, then it will be a holiday or something where they receive candy from their teacher, their friends, the neighbors or something.

Plan! When I go to the grocery store, I have my meals planned, and ideally, snacks and desserts, too. That way I have a list of everything I need to make out of my ingredients in order to feed us. It just helps me to have it all down on paper. I think it’s a great idea to have a cooking day the day after grocery day. The menu always feels more abundant when there’s ready-to-eat food around.

I try to keep cookie dough ready in the freezer. It is great for those nights when hubby wants a snack, but nothing in the cabinets and frig sounds good.

I also try to keep the snack drawer stocked. I take my treats, such a rice crispie treats or homemade cookies, and package in single servings. It is easy to grab for lunch or when on the go. It also cost much less then buying prepackaged snacks.

We pretty much have an ingredient only household, and sometimes my kids complain about it. My sister is big into processed and packaged foods, and her kids love coming over to my house for homemade treats.

“Don’t replace processed snacks with good intentions.”

I really need to work on that one. I love your ideas, and I love the ideas in the comments, too. I may print this out!

What a great and timely article! I do pretty well with knowing what to do to be frugal…and having really good intentions…and even *most* of the time following through on it…*but* I lose it occasionally at the point of people feeling deprived and then having an unplanned splurge. I am *really* working right now on the *cheerful* part of cheerful frugality!

We had a *really* yummy frugal dinner tonight! Planned leftover grilled chicken from the weekend, cut in strips and warmed in a bit of olive oil on the stove(worked really well…I *hate* the rubber chicken taste of microwaved leftover chicken breast!), bulk pasta from Sam’s Club bought as a *pantry buffer* a while back, two half loaves of french bread from the freezer, and a *use what you have* sauce that turned out great! Cream that needed to be used up from another recipe, mixed into a bit of a roux with garlic, salt and pepper, and a few dashes of parmesan cheese from the fridge. Yummmm…it was *really* good. My whole picky crew loved it! It feels so good to score a hit with a *use what you have creatively* meal!

Meredith…thanks so much for your much-needed inspiration in the area of cheerful frugality!

What do you do when your Aldi’s isn’t that good (i.e., not very good produce) or that they carry tons of processed foods which are high-fat, high-sodium? I’ve had good luck with the Wal-Mart SuperCenter (and I know that some people have issues with WM; I’m what is considered a “conflicted” shopper myself).

I do need to get back on the stick with planning meals, but right now I am buying basics (milk, bread, fresh veggies & fruit) and using up what I have here.

Good thoughts!

Meredith, I really enjoy reading what you write. I love how you really believe in being cheerful and it shows. I need to be better about making cookies and other snacks. My kids love muffins and I can sneak healthy stuff into them like whole grains and shredded zucchini.

[...] guest post by Merchant Ships at  Frugal Hacks provides lots of tips for remaining cheerful while maintaining a frugal grocery [...]

I thought our budget was a little on the ‘luxe’ side, but allergies force me to do most cooking at home *and* avoid most processed meats, veggies, canned or boxed mixed foods, and even many of the mixed spices in the store. I thought it was time to work on building a stock of prepped “fast food” instead of ingredients.

Today, the boys (two teens and DH) all wanted me to make yeast-raised waffles. The recipe makes twelve generous waffles, and I planned to double it and as soon as the waffles were cool enough to bag without steam clouding the plastic, they’d go in the freezer for the week’s breakfasts.

Uh. HUH.

I imagine there are porcine aviators orbiting the moon as we speak.

Twenty-four waffles. Two teenagers. One husband. Frankly, by the time they’d snacked down all but the last three waffles, I’d given up, so I ate the ‘last’ one myself. AND they ate lunch as normal.

What happens when “good intentions” and the budget disappear with two VERY growing boys? I’m not enthused.

I love that you remind us to be joyful. I have been lurking this site for some time. My problems are these:
1) we don’t have the coupons in Vegas that allow you to spend a certain amount and get a coupon for a $ off later very regularly.
2) The coupons that seem to be available here are for processed, artificial and packaged “food”.
3) We feel very led to eat whole grains, all natural, no preservatives or artificial flavors/colors and organic.
4) Living in Las Vegas, the “Farmers Market” is more of an expensive get together than actual local farmers with produce.
My question is this: Does anyone have good tips for those things?
I think I am very cheap, but seeing some people sepend less than $100/week is mind boggling to me.
I really would appreciate any tips.
Thanks,
Kelly