[POLL] How much do you spend on food per month?

spaboleo
spaboleo Posts: 172
edited September 24 in Food and Nutrition
Hi folks,

I think this topic is a great reason to think about what our food-addiction costs us in a pure monetary way.
If we, for once, forget about harm we cause to our bodies and souls, because of feeling guilty. :smile:

And it could be a great chance to compare prices world-wide. :wink:

As for me I usually pay all my grocerie shoppings with my credit card, which makes it easy to track down if I just take a look at last months banks statement. :wink:


Because of that I would like you to stick to the following pattern:
- Money spent on food per month (with currency!!),
- including all eating out and cooking
- diveded down to one person if you live in a mutli-person household
- Country you are living in


So for me it is:
monthly: 120€ (~165 US$)
daily: 4€ (~5.5 US$)
single-household
Germany

Thanks :smile:


Great idea grouch201...added the daily costs, too.

Replies

  • grouch201
    grouch201 Posts: 404 Member
    I am in the US. February was one in which I didn't eat out at all, so this is all home cooking money right here: I actually figured this out earlier today: In February, I spent $258.22 on food, which averages out to $9.22 / day.
  • shreddingit
    shreddingit Posts: 1,133 Member
    For me and hubby not counting kids is about $400+...with kids about $600 :noway: .
    im a loser hubby is a gainer...:wink:
    Organic is $$ but well worth it...
  • soniams
    soniams Posts: 95 Member
    I live in the US (California). I cook almost all of my meals, though I do eat out once a week usually for breakfast.
    My montly grocery and dining expenses for February was $404. This is a little higher than normal because I did my biannual Costco trip to stock up on food items. In January I spent $313. This is for a single person.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    I average $300 per month for myself and my fiance...my shopping list includes fresh meat, fresh veggies, fresh fruits, low fat dairy products, and a minimal amount of whole grains such as whole wheat tortillas or whole wheat pasta.

    To be completely honest, I used to spend nearly twice that much way back when we used to buy all the processed garbage in boxes, bags, and cans.

    People say eating healthy costs more, but my experience has been the opposite.
  • spaboleo
    spaboleo Posts: 172
    Wow, wouldn't have believed that Germany is that cheap :huh:
    I don't cut back on anything, too.
    And eat tons of fresh vegetables and fruits and 2 times a week fresh meat.

    Ok I'm fasting 2 complete days of the week (Eat-Stop-Eat), but even if I include that in the calculation I wouldn't reach $300...

    I find such things very interesting and I'm hoping for more comments to come. Thanks so far :smile:
  • oEmmyo
    oEmmyo Posts: 21
    My husband and I used to blow $400 a month on food... and it was never anything healthy. Now we have cut down to $75 a week..so we are saving about $100 a month.
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
    300 us dollars a month for a family of 3. not including baby foods for the 6 month old. We rarely eat out, because i can make it better at home = )
  • tanniew78
    tanniew78 Posts: 602 Member
    US
    Family of 3- About 100-150 a month.
  • crazylil1
    crazylil1 Posts: 20
    For myself, my 2 year old daughter my Boyfriend and his 2 year old son, I spend about 250$ every 2 weeks or so, but i have some dry foods and canned items left over at home.
    my list usually includes
    cheese,yogurt,milk, those spreadable cow cheeses lol,eggs carrots,peppers,brocolli,califlower,apples,grapes,kiwis,oranges,frozen fruit,lettus,potatoes,hamburger,chicken,steaks,rice,soups,tomatoes,noodles, sauces frozen veggies, bread sandwhich meats, cucumber golsfish (yum), yogurt quaker bars, cookies, french fries (baked not fried) fruit cups, frozen yougurt popsicles. Ect. So i do think we eat very healthy i put veggies in every meal but breaky, usually i add fruit to oatmeal, or cereal.


    I live in canada =)
  • MrsChasteen
    MrsChasteen Posts: 48 Member
    I live in Louisiana and I can only shop at Walmart and Brookshires. Mostly my husband and I spend $400 dollars a month on groceries....I eat at least three servings of fresh produce everyday and some kind of meat at night. We never or rarely eat out. My groceries consist of tons bottled waters, organic milk, cereal, cheese,whole wheat bread and noodles, luncheon meat from deli, fresh hamburger, chicken, and pork. Frozen shrimp, fish, scallops. A few times a month I run up to the Brookshires deli and buy fresh fish. We usually buy mostly frozen vegetable and all fresh fruits. I am happy with our purchases...That $400 dollars covers all groceries including shampoo, dish liquid, cleaning supplies, the occasion piece of decor or such. I am happy with our groceries and I feel we have plenty of indulgences. If we want a particular brand or food we buy it, but it is not like we eat lobster everyday. I think that our grocery bill would be higher if we bought more pre-prepared foods.
  • MrsChasteen
    MrsChasteen Posts: 48 Member
    Oh and for the person who said food in Europe is cheap they are wrong. My family lives and Germany and we talk usually 2-4 times a week. I visit often and they spend a ton on groceries. When I was visiting it was an average over $1000 a month for four people. They used to live in the states and they spend less here. I must mention that they by all fresh food from a butcher, baker, and small grocery store. It all depends on what a person wants to spend.
  • spaboleo
    spaboleo Posts: 172
    Yes, that was me :smile: And im comparison food in Germany is really cheap.
    You can get nearly everything for a reasonable price at all time of the year. (I explicity don't want any discussion about how unecological such behaviour is...)

    I personally prefer seasonal food and yes I get my meat from the local's butcher and so on...
    it is still cheap :wink:


    more to come please...
  • Levedi
    Levedi Posts: 290 Member
    I'm spending about US $300 a month on food for just me and that includes lattes (and cat food, but that's pretty cheap.) That's actually down from a good bit more because I am cooking at home more and using coupons. I live in the LA area, where a brick of not too special cheese can cost over $5.00 at the cheapest local grocery.

    With all the news about economic crisis I was expecting Germany to be a lot more expensive. Either your economy is doing a lot better than the news makes out or you are a very frugal shopper.
  • Levedi
    Levedi Posts: 290 Member
    Perhaps I should add that 4 years ago I lived in Ohio where I could get by with $30/week of groceries, plus the cost of eating out once a week or so with a friend. I really miss that.
  • gjspiller
    gjspiller Posts: 115 Member
    I average $300 per month for myself and my fiance...my shopping list includes fresh meat, fresh veggies, fresh fruits, low fat dairy products, and a minimal amount of whole grains such as whole wheat tortillas or whole wheat pasta.

    To be completely honest, I used to spend nearly twice that much way back when we used to buy all the processed garbage in boxes, bags, and cans.

    People say eating healthy costs more, but my experience has been the opposite.

    I agree! I'm starting to really buckle down on food spending, and eating in more, and buying real food, and it does cost way less than processed/fast food.
  • spaboleo
    spaboleo Posts: 172
    [...]
    With all the news about economic crisis I was expecting Germany to be a lot more expensive. Either your economy is doing a lot better than the news makes out or you are a very frugal shopper.

    Never heard of that Germanys economic is that down...
    During the crisis it was...but that applied worldwide :smile:

    I don't buy the cheapest products available. I spred my shopping over various grocery stores and local retailers to buy what fits my taste. But everything with reason :smile:
    Milk products like yoghurt, quark, well milk :wink: are really cheap in Germany. I think it is too cheap. Large grocery chains fight their price war on the back of the farmers.
    Most of the "more exotic" Food that doesn't grow in Germany is grown in Spain, Italy or Portugal, which minimizes the transport distance and with that the price.

    Overall Germany is a real stinginess-wonderland...for me it goes to far if the quality suffers. :smile:


    I really thought that it was more expensive in the US!
  • ukgirly01
    ukgirly01 Posts: 523 Member
    2 person household we spend approx £250 a month not including eating out around once a week and the fact that I get free lunches at work.
  • nickyevans
    nickyevans Posts: 216 Member
    We live in the UK and rarely eat out I spend around £135 a week on groceries for me, hubby and we have his kids 2-3 nights a week. This includes wine and stuff for packed lunches.
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