Cook for Good Regular Shopping List, Spring
This shopping list will provide for a thrifty, healthy, and delicious diet for a family of four. This list was created with price in mind to help keep you on your food budget. The sizes that go with the prices given are shown, but of course get the best deal you can. For example, the14.5-ounce cans of diced tomatoes were better buy this month than the 28-ounce cans that I usually buy. Where it seemed helpful, I included the total quantity to help you figure out the best buy, such as getting one 10-pound bag of flour instead of two 5-pound bags. Compare this list to the green shopping list, which has all the same items with one exception: replacing the bottled lemon juice with fresh lemons, but shows the sizes and prices available for regular products.
The example prices are from April 2009. Current prices are about the same: the average Cook for Good thrifty meal cost $1.16 in April 2009 and $1.15 in March 2010.
How to use this list
Shop from this list to make all the meals shown on the menu plan for a month. Or use it as a starting point for your own menu plan and a price check for products at the store.
| ingredients |
section |
quantity |
buying size |
price each |
price total |
notes |
| flour, all-purpose |
baking |
2 |
five-pound bags |
$1.79 |
$3.58 |
|
| flour, white whole-wheat |
baking |
2 |
five-pound bags |
$4.99 |
$9.98 |
get regular whole-wheat flour if you can't find white whole-wheat flour |
| walnuts |
baking |
2 |
pounds |
$6.24 |
$12.48 |
|
| wheat germ |
cereal |
2 |
1-pound bags |
$2.49 |
$4.98 |
|
| butter |
dairy |
2 |
pounds |
$2.50 |
$5.00 |
|
| cheese, cheddar |
dairy |
3 |
8-ounce bags |
$2.50 |
$7.50 |
|
| cheese, mozzarella |
dairy |
48 |
ounces |
see note |
$12.99 |
2 pounds for $7.99 plus 2 8-ounce bags for $2.50 each |
| cheese, parmesan |
dairy |
4 |
6-ounce bags |
$2.00 |
$8.00 |
|
| eggs |
dairy |
2 |
dozen |
$1.79 |
$3.58 |
|
| milk, fresh 2% |
dairy |
3 |
gallons |
$2.99 |
$8.97 |
|
| milk, whole |
dairy |
1 |
1/2 gallon |
$1.67 |
$1.67 |
|
| whipping cream |
dairy |
2 |
8-ounce cartons |
$1.59 |
$3.18 |
|
| yogurt for starter |
dairy |
3 |
6-ounce containers |
$0.60 |
$1.80 |
|
| raisins |
fruit |
3 |
24-ounce boxes |
$3.74 |
$11.22 |
|
| beans, black |
grains |
2 |
pounds |
$1.17 |
$2.34 |
|
| beans, black-eyed peas |
grains |
1 |
pound |
$1.12 |
$1.12 |
|
| beans, chickpea |
grains |
2 |
pounds |
$1.99 |
$3.98 |
|
| beans, kidney |
grains |
2 |
pounds |
$1.53 |
$3.06 |
|
| beans, pinto |
grains |
1 |
2-pound bag |
$2.29 |
$2.29 |
|
| beans, split peas or lentils |
grains |
2 |
pounds |
$0.90 |
$1.80 |
|
| couscous |
grains |
2 |
10-ounce packages |
$1.91 |
$3.82 |
|
| rice |
grains |
1 |
5-pound bag |
$3.77 |
$3.77 |
|
| large flour burritos |
grocery |
3 |
packages (8 burritos) |
$3.00 |
$9.00 |
10-inch burritos |
| honey |
grocery |
1 |
24-ounce jar |
$5.29 |
$5.29 |
|
| hot sauce |
grocery |
1 |
12.3-ounce jar |
$0.99 |
$0.99 |
|
| peanut butter |
grocery |
2 |
80-ounce twin-pack |
$9.99 |
$19.98 |
4 40-ounce jars total |
| bottled lemon juice |
grocery |
1 |
15-ounce jar |
$1.99 |
$1.99 |
|
| rotini, high protein |
grocery |
9 |
16-ounce boxes |
$1.72 |
$15.48 |
|
| tomatoes, crushed |
grocery |
12 |
28-ounce cans |
$2.09 |
$25.08 |
|
| tomatoes, diced |
grocery |
21 |
14.5-ounce cans |
$0.99 |
$20.79 |
or 11 28-ounce cans |
| vinegar |
grocery |
1 |
16-ounce jar |
$1.23 |
$1.23 |
|
| soy sauce |
international |
1 |
10-ounce jar |
$1.49 |
$1.49 |
|
| tahini |
international |
1 |
15-ounce can |
$6.49 |
$6.49 |
|
| oil, corn |
oil |
1 |
32-ounce bottle |
$2.35 |
$2.35 |
|
| oil, olive |
oil |
2 |
17-ounce bottles |
$2.99 |
$5.98 |
|
| asparagus |
produce |
4 |
pounds |
$3.99 |
$15.96 |
|
| bananas |
produce |
36 |
pounds |
$0.57 |
$20.52 |
|
| broccoli |
produce |
6 |
pounds |
$1.46 |
$8.76 |
|
| green cabbage |
produce |
1 |
pound |
$0.49 |
$0.49 |
|
| carrots |
produce |
2 |
5-pound bags |
$3.49 |
$6.98 |
|
| strawberries |
produce |
7 |
quarts |
$3.00 |
$21.00 |
|
| garlic |
produce |
8 |
heads |
$0.69 |
$5.52 |
|
| chard or mustard greens |
produce |
1 |
pound |
$1.39 |
$1.39 |
|
| kale |
produce |
1 |
pound |
$0.99 |
$0.99 |
|
| lettuce |
produce |
2 |
pounds |
$1.79 |
$3.58 |
|
| onions |
produce |
8 |
pounds |
$0.79 |
$6.32 |
|
| spring onions |
produce |
7 |
bunches |
$0.69 |
$4.83 |
|
| oranges |
produce |
4 |
8-pound bags |
$5.99 |
$23.96 |
|
| parsley |
produce |
3 |
bunch (1/4-pound) |
$0.89 |
$2.67 |
|
| green peppers |
produce |
13 |
peppers |
$1.29 |
$16.77 |
|
| all-purpose potatoes |
produce |
1 |
5-pound bag |
$2.99 |
$2.99 |
|
| new potatoes |
produce |
4 |
pounds |
$0.99 |
$3.96 |
|
| sweet potatoes |
produce |
2 |
pounds |
$0.99 |
$1.98 |
|
| sugar-snap peas |
produce |
4 |
quarts |
$5.00 |
$20.00 |
|
| bay leaves |
spices |
1 |
0.12-ounce jar |
$2.77 |
$2.77 |
|
| chipotle pepper |
spices |
1 |
2 ounces |
$5.69 |
$5.69 |
|
| cinnamon |
spices |
1 |
2 ounces |
$1.49 |
$1.49 |
|
| cumin |
spices |
1 |
7 ounces |
$2.99 |
$2.99 |
|
| red cayenne pepper |
spices |
1 |
ounce |
$2.86 |
$2.86 |
|
| salt |
spices |
1 |
28-ounce package |
$0.47 |
$0.47 |
|
| vanilla |
spices |
1 |
8 ounces |
$1.49 |
$1.49 |
|
| tea |
tea & coffee |
3 |
24-bag boxes |
$1.50 |
$4.50 |
|
