Mandy Klentz @plandy.mandy on Instagram
Young IRL mom who is a master at meal plans and saving money on groceries.
No matter WHO plans and prepares the meals at your house, whether you’re a SAHM or you also work outside your home and try to cram grocery shopping, meal plans and all the rest into the double-income schedule— this is a topic that is one of the biggest stressors and burdens of family life.
How do you feed your family –-(and the little darlings just KEEP wanting to eat!) day in and day out, & keep a budget without constantly caving and eating out or doing DoorDash, etc.?
Bonnie & Renee…. POV
Bonnie: Didn’t mind cooking, but didn’t love having to come up with something every night. Don’t love trips to grocery store. Start with good intentions and then nosedive when schedule forces a pivot …
Renee: reduce stress of having to figure it out every day around 3 pm. Great at cooking, planning, etc. Taught classes about budget meals for a time.
Mandy Klentz: Tell us about Mandy. (Mom of 3, wife of police officer, living in Kansas City, Missouri…)
Did you grow up in a big family? Mom staying at home cooking? Were your parents chefs? Do you teach economics? Did you/do you love to cook? What’s your background?
What you offer…
How long have you been doing this? (Have you done it or were you doing it when your children were toddlers? Did you make your own baby food, e.g.,)
What’s your weekly average at the grocery store?
When you first started challenging yourself, you were spending roughly $250/wk on groceries. You’d come home and report to your husband that it was impossible to reduce it any more than that. And yet….
Are you an advocate of “growing your own” as a way to help out with food costs?” There’s a bit of a movement toward self-sustainability…Do you do any of that or incorporate any of that? (I’m a beekeeper and have chickens and a small garden. MOST years, we’re losing money on the honey & eggs and vegetables we get.)
What’s included in your “grocery bill?” Most people are also buying toiletries, laundry detergent, diapers, etc…in the same trip.
When it comes to meals and trying to get a handle on what can be a huge portion of a family budget, you talk a lot about SYSTEMS. What do you mean?
Meal Plan
Food Rotation
Decreasing Impulse Buys
Meal Prep
Coupons??
What are some common “blocks” families have to implement these systems?
You live in Missouri, in the US. That’s the Midwest. What if a listener is in New York or California or Hawaii? THEN it’s impossible, right?
You have 3 kids… what if I have 5 or 6? Some are babies (that maybe use formula,..)
You have elementary-aged children. What if I have 3 teenaged boys? They can eat their weight in a single afternoon.
What if I have a “picky eater?”
What if someone in my family has food allergies/sensitivities? GF, dairy free, …. (GF staples are usually more expensive; flour for example)
Does this only work if one person (usually mom) is in charge of the program? (2 grocery shoppers buying vastly difft things for difft reasons….)
Compare to Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, Home Chef, EatClean ….. (Blue apron 5 meals for 4 ppl = $112)
Are you eating weird food? Like, only the food on the “slightly damaged” shelf or cans with missing labels, etc.?
Is it cheaper to eat in season?
Farmer’s Markets?
Do I have to have a Costco or Sam’s or BJs membership?
Do I have to cook 3 meals/day??
Are you packing kids’ lunches for school?
WE TRIED SOME
Bonnie: Teriyaki Chicken over Pineapple Rice (from Crock It Like It’s Hot) & Chicken Fajita Bake/Creamy Corn Salad (from Sizzle & Save) is on the menu for this evening.
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