Trying to garden in South Texas is crazy too - so we rely on the Farmers' Markets. There are agricultural areas near us, and the produce that is not "standard" enough for the packers to ship across the country is picked up each day by produce stand holders and sold cheaply at market.
That often means we get giant stalks of celery or broccoli & huge heads of cauliflower & cabbage for $1-2. Plus sweet mangoes, tomatoes, greens, onions, peppers, carrots... The nearest butcher caters to our low-income, large family neighborhood (most of our county) so we buy bulk chicken, pork & beef. We split with our neighbors and eat like royalty for about $10/person per week. Oh, and don't forget fresh tortillas - nothing like the grocery store sells. My mouth is watering!
My friend calculated her solo grocery bill last winter was $150/month including food for her small dog. We spend that much in a week at home for 2 of us - without a dog.
Sue