What can you buy for 20 euros?
December 3, 2006 at 11:21 AM
by Ashleigh
Usually I pay little attention to the amount at the till - one of the advantages of paying by debit card. However, I do tally up every month and our monthly grocery shopping comes in at between 250 and 400 euros a month, depending on whether I'm 'stocking up' or just buying the basics. I stock up on things like washing powder and toilet cleaner when it's cheaper, but rarely stock up on food purchases. We prefer fresh food anyway.
That amount covers all the household expenses - cleaning stuff, toiletries, food, vegetables, etc. Everything that one can buy in a food or grocery establishment. Included in there are our rare meals out and any 'extra stuff' we might buy in the store on special offer. I try and limit that though.
So, what did I buy yesterday?
1 half loaf white bread - .55
1 half loaf brown bread - .75
1 bag penne - .92
half dozen eggs - .79 (I usually buy organic but seeing as they're double in price and this is an experiment I bought barn eggs)
1 jar bertolli pasta sauce - 2.29 (the most expensive item in my basket!)
1 andijvie finely sliced - 1.19
1 ground ginger - .99
750g chicken thighs - 4.00
500g minced beef - 2.01
bananas - 1.94
2 chocolate letters - 1.38
2 2 litre milk - 1.88
Well, enough for five meals, when combined with my vitatas.
Planned for this grocery haul:
- bread for lunch time sandwiches until Wednesday
- penne for macaroni and cheese with bacon
- pizza using half the bertolli sauce, home made dough and vegetables
- stamppot with the andijvie
- chicken thighs roasted with potatoes and cherry tomatoes (this was fantastic!)
- bolognese sauce made with the minced beef and the rest of the bertolli sauce - half for lasagne, half for freezing
Granted, I had the luxury of being able to shop in my usual shop. If I really had a low income and couldn't afford to feed my family I'd be shopping at the Lidl or another discount supermarket, where this basket would have come in around 12 euros instead of the 18 I paid. I'll also be shopping later in the week for milk, bread and other bits that we need whereas a low income family would have just spent their week's allowance.
Kelli's experiment really raises some thought provoking questions. For us, it's simple - a meal at McDonalds here in Holland for 4 people costs around 15 euros. Compare that to a week's grocery shopping and it's pretty easy to see what wins out.
I believe this is not the case in the US though. Looking at Kelli's shopping and seeing that a McDonalds burger is $2 - a single person might well be inclined to just eat out every day.
Also, look at my list above. The two items that were 'ready' or 'prepared' are two of the most expensive items in the basket - the bertolli sauce and the chopped andijvie. I've chopped my own andijvie and it's a miserable task, which is why I chose to buy pre-cut leaves.
The price difference is pretty steep - around 50 c for the andijvie unchopped versus 1.19 for it already prepared. The bertolli sauce is pretty good for you, no additives, lots of vegetables, etc. But consider that price versus a can of chopped plain tomatoes which you could add to and create the same sort of sauce and which comes in at around 50c for a decent brand.
These things cost time though, and I guess if you're on a low income time isn't a commodity which is easy to come by.
I'd love to know how a similar basket of food compares in your country.
Comments
Good shopping for you. I always try to keep the costs for grocery as low as possible as we were very low on money a few years ago and I still do it everytime the same, but I do make my own pastasauce as it is just very easy and doesn't cost that much time. We have bought the "Pastabijbel" for that and there simple but nice receipes in it.
that's a lot for 20 euros. dinner for four at Quick here runs us about 30 euros (no desserts)...
my mother was a big penny pincher in the grocery store and i wasn't so fond of the results. while I used coupons in the U.S. and did pay attention to weekly specials, i never truly economized on food as an adult because my unpleasant memories of always eating whatever was cheapest, not what tasted best.
Ash, I am so impressed with what you bought. I cannot believe those prices are in Euros. Jeez. Super expensive, but you do get more in Holland for certain.
I'm going to grow my own garden. No kidding. I've decided that's the way to go!
Your chicken thighs meal sounds like one we do, based on a Jamie Oliver recipe. Chicken thighs, a couple of handfuls of fresh cherry and plum tomatoes, fresh basil, couple of cloves of garlic and a generous dollop of extra virgin olive oil. Place all ingredients in a casserole dish and bake at 180 degrees C for 1.5 hours, taking the lid off for the last half hour to crisp the chicken skin. Delicious!
December 3, 2006 12:40 PM