Planning for the April Sustainable Food Budget Challenge

My husband and I differ in our eating habits and there’s no way I could talk him into the Sustainable Food Budget Challenge in April eating what I eat. His comment was, “sure, I’ll go in on the budget part and keep it under $176.00 for the month; but I’m going to do it by shopping where I shop now – Walmart and Giant stores (an East coast food chain that gets a bunch of their product from overseas).” That’s not the point hubby, but whatever you want – that’s fine. (You learn after a couple years not to argue with them!) So I’m on my own. The Eat Local Challenge in October was a last minute decision – actually it was about 4 days into October when I decided to try it, so there was little planning or preparation that went into that one, but I learned immensely from it. This challenge, however, is vastly different and I've got enough time to plan the budget, the menus, the shopping list(s), the nutritional value, and of course keeping it all sustainable and/or organic. Since I live in cold country (Central PA), there’s not a whole lot going on on the local scene, so most of my budget is organic with a spattering of local foods. I started by putting the most expensive, and can’t-live-without foods at the top of the list, and filled in from there. I’m hoping some of the backyard produce will start sprouting in April and I can use those things also (counting on it toward the end of April). The local farmers may start having early vegetables too by the end of April - so I'll make the list of fresh vegetables as I go (keeping track of the $$). My plan is to not use anything from the freezer, and only things in the cupboard that last months (spices, baking powders/sodas, oil). Here’s the preliminary food list so far - it comes out to about $140, leaving $30 for the fresh stuff. I think I can do it.

Organics and/or Local:
Coffee – 4x7.50 each = $30.00
Instant Oatmeal
Whole Oats
Quinoa
Baby Limas
Kidneys
Black Beans
Lentils
Local Maple Syrup
Local Honey
Local Apples
Local Applesauce
Loan organic spelt flour
Local free-range eggs
Organic Soymilk
Tofu
Organic fresh onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, broccoli
Ketchup
Canned Tomatoes, paste
Soynut Butter
Margarine (non GMO)
Spelt Flour
Dried Fruit Bars
Popcorn

From the garden (end of April)
Rhubarb
Asparagus
Dandelion
Spinach

And hubby? He has Diet coke at the top of his list, and Laura's package beef from the Giant. Well, I'm not sure what he has in mind, but I know it'll include the diet coke and burgers I love him, but he has a way to go to eating a little better (I DID rub off a little - very little!).