From $28 to $25 a week: How sauces, Aldi, and freezing bulk meat closed the gap (and killed the Thursday slump)

Hey, so the $28 to $25 gap is actually pretty easy to close once you figure out where the money is going.

A few things that made a real difference for me:

Aldi is genuinely worth trying if you have one nearby. Their chicken thighs, eggs, and frozen vegetables are consistently cheaper than most other stores, and the quality is fine. Costco makes more sense once you have freezer space and a bit of upfront cash, because the perpound price on chicken is hard to beat, but you're spending $25 on protein alone that first trip.

On buying in bulk and freezing yourself: yes, do this. Buy the family pack, divide it into portions the same day, freeze what you won't use in two days. It's less glamorous than it sounds but it works.

The Thursday problem is real and it usually comes down to sauces. Plain chicken thighs and rice gets old fast, but the same chicken with a different sauce feels like a completely different meal. Soy sauce and garlic, salsa, hot sauce and butter, a spoonful of peanut butter thinned with soy sauce and lime. Those condiments cost almost nothing per serving and they're the difference between eating your prep and abandoning it by midweek.

Also, dried beans over canned if you're willing to soak them overnight. The cost difference is significant and they stretch further.

Your actual target is doable. You're close already.