Instacart Grocery Delivery

[dogememe]

I have a problem - I spend waaaayyy too much money on eating out, mostly on lousy fast food that is neither delicious nor healthy nor cost effective.

I decided that I'm going to cook more myself. Well, I actually have decided that about half a dozen times in the last year or so and it never ends up happening because I HATE GROCERY SHOPPING. So I don't have the ingredients I need to cook anything. So I just eat out.

I signed up for a free trial of Instacart Express so I get free delivery. I'm trying to decide if I should let it renew in 6 days (it's $99/year) or cancel it.

$99/year works out to $8.25 a month. I do tip the driver, let's say that's $5 each time and so if I order every two weeks that's about $20/month for Instacart. But, the potential for savings is huge. I spend like $500-700/month on fast food usually. Yes, that's crazy, I know. Very much not the BITOG way to waste that much money on junk food!

I just ordered from Safeway and spent about $90 to get a ton of food. Next time I should order from Costco since I had a membership (which I intend to renew anyway, may as well make use of it)... I'd say 1/4 of my Safeway order was basics that will last me for months. And one microwave meal that I needed right away because I'm stuck at work til 1AM which brought the cost up... And I ordered some meat that was not cheap. So really I could get the price of the groceries themselves down quite a bit with some practice and planning.

Anyone else tried Instacart? Did you find it worth it? Has it helped you cook more at home and get better food for less money? Or did you hate it?

 

[dishdude]

Sounds like a pretty good deal. We're lucky to have a Whole Foods and Trader Joe's next to the gym so we just walk over there after and pick up what we need. If it moves you towards fresh foods and helps you avoid fast food and processed junk it's well worth it.

 

[CharBaby]

For you it's a start, way to go!

I rarely eat fast food as I feel poisoned & polluted when I do.

However, I don't want someone else picking out my food for me. I'd rather go grocery shopping myself as I quite enjoy it and I am fussy about the products that I select. I like shopping with my wife. She goes in one section while I go in another. I like when the grocery stores have employees handing out food samples for tasting. I'll also get a cup of coffee(Trader Joe's or Wegman's) or read a magazine as well as pick out the things that I like to cook at home.

There are tasks we have to do in life that we're not crazy about doing. I once hated shopping as well. Now, I look at it differently. I pick & plan my day. Get dressed, go out grocery shopping. I greet the employees with a smile as they greet me. Often run into people that I know and even meet with friends afterwords. Maybe have lunch(not fast food) or coffee.

Don't look at shopping as a chore, look at it as an outing, even for a couple of hours

 

[dogememe]

Originally Posted by dishdude
Sounds like a pretty good deal. We're lucky to have a Whole Foods and Trader Joe's next to the gym so we just walk over there after and pick up what we need. If it moves you towards fresh foods and helps you avoid fast food and processed junk it's well worth it.

Trader Joes is cool - it's less bad to shop there than like Safeway or something! There is one right by the bank I use. I find Whole Foods too expensive, though it seems Amazon is working on that - I heard they are lowering their prices a little.

 

[NYSteve]

You should absolutely sign up. Any progress is better than none. What are the chances of reverting back to eating out if you dont sign up for instacart?

You are at the HARDEST part of your food journey. I was similar to you and have lost 35lbs in the last year (eating was part of it, getting a trainer and working a lot in the gym was most of it!). The biggest challenge you face is to decouple what you eat with pleasure. Doesn't mean you have to be miserable eating but not every meal has to be 'the best thing ever' or what you are craving.

Get consistent. If instacart enables you be consistent to eat at home and spend less, no brainer. do it!

 

[Kira]

Gotta agree with NYSteve.

Getting started on cooking and eating well is the hardest part. As you eat known good food the fast food alternatives will become easy to eschew.

If your kitchen is under-equipped try looking at thrift stores for any pots 'n pans you need. No need to score the highest quality restaurant grade gear until you know what you're doing.

Remember to look at recipes before you go shopping or ordering.

In my experience any food delivery service would be worth more in a location where food is less available. Food deserts certainly exist in some city and rural neighborhoods here and in lots of small towns everywhere. You can change to less expensive food acquisition when you see fit.

Be open to making food in slightly larger-than-needed batches. It's easier to do because large pots of, say tomato/spaghetti sauce, are forgiving. Store food in glass jars in your fridge.
Beef stew, chili and meat sauces for pasta dishes are my big favorites. Remember, you can use whatever tomato based sauce you make in lasagna too.

Get a peeler for carrots and buy 'em by the 2 lb. bag. Get a steamer. I have an extra I'll give you if need be. If vegetables aren't readily available select 20 oz. bags of frozen ones.

Get over any of that "It ain't as good as Mom's" nonsense. You'll improve.

Also, when you cook yourself you're more likely to eat on a schedule....and yes, that includes eating when you're actually hungry NOT simply giving in to a sugar craving.

Forego all promotional coupons for free fries / sandwich upgrades / free coffee / etc. at any fast food place.

Also, don't forget the broiler for fish. Cod is forgiving. Lay it on a pan and place sliced green bell peppers and tomatoes on / around it. Don't insulate the fish from the broiler's flame. Also, roll the cut peppers and tomatoes in a bit of olive oil in a bowl beforehand.

Sign up for "allrecipes.com" Their recipes are basic and will get you started.
There are other online recipe sites but many are fancier. Start basically...you will catch on to tweaking recipes soon enough.

Also, save good recipes. You needn't accumulate 20,000 recipes....just your own.

If you don't do as I say you'll die the horrible death of a wallowing pig...prone on the sidewalk on a hot Summer's day...ever shallowing breaths with a Big Mac in your hand....

...the last thing you'll see is the contempt on the faces of the ambulance corpsmen as they try to evade the task of dragging your disgusting body away......NOT pretty.

Eat well. It pays.

 

[dogememe]

Originally Posted by Kira
Gotta agree with NYSteve.

Getting started on cooking and eating well is the hardest part. As you eat known good food the fast food alternatives will become easy to eschew.

If your kitchen is under-equipped try looking at thrift stores for any pots 'n pans you need. No need to score the highest quality restaurant grade gear until you know what you're doing.

Remember to look at recipes before you go shopping or ordering.

In my experience any food delivery service would be worth more in a location where food is less available. Food deserts certainly exist in some city and rural neighborhoods here and in lots of small towns everywhere. You can change to less expensive food acquisition when you see fit.

Be open to making food in slightly larger-than-needed batches. It's easier to do because large pots of, say tomato/spaghetti sauce, are forgiving. Store food in glass jars in your fridge.
Beef stew, chili and meat sauces for pasta dishes are my big favorites. Remember, you can use whatever tomato based sauce you make in lasagna too.

Get a peeler for carrots and buy 'em by the 2 lb. bag. Get a steamer. I have an extra I'll give you if need be. If vegetables aren't readily available select 20 oz. bags of frozen ones.

Get over any of that "It ain't as good as Mom's" nonsense. You'll improve.

Also, when you cook yourself you're more likely to eat on a schedule....and yes, that includes eating when you're actually hungry NOT simply giving in to a sugar craving.

Forego all promotional coupons for free fries / sandwich upgrades / free coffee / etc. at any fast food place.

Also, don't forget the broiler for fish. Cod is forgiving. Lay it on a pan and place sliced green bell peppers and tomatoes on / around it. Don't insulate the fish from the broiler's flame. Also, roll the cut peppers and tomatoes in a bit of olive oil in a bowl beforehand.

Sign up for "allrecipes.com" Their recipes are basic and will get you started.
There are other online recipe sites but many are fancier. Start basically...you will catch on to tweaking recipes soon enough.

Also, save good recipes. You needn't accumulate 20,000 recipes....just your own.

If you don't do as I say you'll die the horrible death of a wallowing pig...prone on the sidewalk on a hot Summer's day...ever shallowing breaths with a Big Mac in your hand....

...the last thing you'll see is the contempt on the faces of the ambulance corpsmen as they try to evade the task of dragging your disgusting body away......NOT pretty.

Eat well. It pays.


Thank you! Last night I made a really delicious burger and baked potatoes. It was a great meal, a lot more satisfied than a burger&fries at McD's, tasted better, and cost soooo much less. And it was actually really easy! I just followed some directions online.

 

[NYSteve]

Awesome job man! You will also learn what kind of cook or chef you are. Kira is a chef for sure.

I'm more of a line cook (dont use my oven, just stove top). My meals are ridiculously easy - cottage cheese and fruit, costco chicken and veggie and some guac, usually eggs for dinner or will grill a couple pounds of lean red meat for the week.

consistentcy is so important. eat when you should not when you are hungry. Proteins and fats are your friends now, not carbs. You will also have times when you are dying and hungry. eat the minimal you need to get to your next meal - cheese, nuts, greek yogurt or if desperate some beef jerky. try to stay away from 'protein bars' or candy as they will not help.

you will go through some massive sugar cravings. you will feel your entire body being hungry (and you will realize it is not your stomach either, you're prob full) - wanting sugar. again minimal amount you need. might be a snack pack of m&ms.

Last piece of advise, don't rush it and embrace the suck/fail. There will be days where you want to do and change everything, keep it simple and dont change a bunch of stuff. you have to focus on one thing at a time. right now it is cooking for yourself. dont even worry what you are making. making better stuff is later. eventually you will make healthy stuff. then you can go focus on whatever your other goals are.

There are also days you will regress and get something terrible. EMBRACE THIS!! So important to do better tomorrow than you did today but don't let today be your ongoing failure. You got this!!