Step 3. List the staples you need each month.
Staples are foods that help you avoid having a bare cupboard, and are not going to go bad. These might include peanut butter, flour, corn meal, sugar, dry milk, dry or canned beans, tuna, rice, macaroni, spices, and salt.
Estimate how much you need to spend on staples, and subtract that amount from your monthly food budget. In the example below, Sharon's monthly food budget is $300. Her staples will cost her about $140 each month, leaving her with $160.
Read on for Step 4.
