Those with kids, how much is your monthly grocery bill while eating clean?
fitmek
Posts: 277 Member
You guys....I feel like something has to give! 
First off, I am new to clean eating and I'm not good at starting new commitments when it comes to food. I want to make it a lifestyle and want to make it stick. I eat pretty healthy, but my portions are terrible.
We have 2 kiddos, one is 20 months and one is 6 years old. The 20 month old eats everything under the sun and the 6 year old has been picky since age 4. I already buy organic, nitrate free hot dogs for him and nitrate free lunch meat. We don't do lunchables and I cringe when my parents take them for a happy meal occasionally. I also buy a lot of organic at home for all of us....esp dairy, meats and produce.
I'm spending like 600.00 a month in groceries and still eating out for lunch and sometimes breakfast because I feel like I just dont know how to be organized about all this. I know I need to meal prep, but it seems so daunting. Also, the few times I have planned ahead for dinners, the leftovers went to waste.
There needs to be a way, i can be sure I'm still following a "clean" diet, but still save a little at the store. Maybe i'm wrong...maybe $600 is about average for a family of four, buying about 60-70% organic?
Any help would be appreciated. What do those of you with families spend a month and how do you meal prep and are your kids picky, or will they eat about anything?
First off, I am new to clean eating and I'm not good at starting new commitments when it comes to food. I want to make it a lifestyle and want to make it stick. I eat pretty healthy, but my portions are terrible.
We have 2 kiddos, one is 20 months and one is 6 years old. The 20 month old eats everything under the sun and the 6 year old has been picky since age 4. I already buy organic, nitrate free hot dogs for him and nitrate free lunch meat. We don't do lunchables and I cringe when my parents take them for a happy meal occasionally. I also buy a lot of organic at home for all of us....esp dairy, meats and produce.
I'm spending like 600.00 a month in groceries and still eating out for lunch and sometimes breakfast because I feel like I just dont know how to be organized about all this. I know I need to meal prep, but it seems so daunting. Also, the few times I have planned ahead for dinners, the leftovers went to waste.
There needs to be a way, i can be sure I'm still following a "clean" diet, but still save a little at the store. Maybe i'm wrong...maybe $600 is about average for a family of four, buying about 60-70% organic?
Any help would be appreciated. What do those of you with families spend a month and how do you meal prep and are your kids picky, or will they eat about anything?
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Actually, for a family of 4, a food stamp allotment is $649 per month. If you're spending $600 and buying organic, I'd say you're doing great. Our budget for two adults and one teenage athlete is pretty similar to yours: $140 per week.
I'm still pretty new to clean eating myself, but I've been planning meals for a long time. The best way I've found to keep leftovers from going to waste is to package them in single-serving containers immediately. That way, they can be easily grabbed for lunches.0 -
MyLittl--wow, I had no idea that was the allotment! I figured I was overspending. I feel like I live at the grocery store some weeks. Granted, if I stopped eating out a few times a week, I would feel better about how that $$ was being spent though i'm sure.0
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Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) publishes a list each year, of the "clean 15" --produce that has lower residues of pesticides and insecticides. The idea is that you can save some bucks by buying those items conventional, and save your organic dollars for the foods that have the highest residues (including red apples and all kinds of salad greens). The Clean 15 list for this year is here: http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean_fifteen_list.php0
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I do (for the most part) shop the dirty dozen and clean 15 lists. I know raspberries are not mentioned, but I always buy them organic because our kids eat them out of the container sometimes before I can wash them. So, really, I dont save too much in that area. The items I spend the most on is dairy (organic milks and greek yogurts and cheese) and meat (grass fed beef, chicken, eggs, lunch meat, hot dogs etc.)0
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Save your money! Don't buy organic!! There is absolutely no health benefit to eating organic fruits and vegetables, and this is confirmed by testing. This is a good summary, and I urge you to pay attention to the potential downsides near the beginning ot the article. When you hear about big food recalls lately, they are all organic, and dangerous pathogens are the reason.
http://health.harvard.edu/blog/organic-food-no-more-nutritious-than-conventionally-grown-food-201209055264
I grow things. I studied horticulture in college and now volunteer with my state's Extension Master Gardener program. I'm not new at this. I also avoid organics like the plague. There is simply no reason to waste your money.
Now, that said, you will find hundreds of websites that tell you organics are healthier. Some of them are laughable. Some of them appear to be reliable. Always always always go with a study from a reputable university.
Frankly, I am far more concerned with pathogens from uncomposted manure than with pesticide residue. That's because I know about pesticide and herbicide safety and that they all break down in sunlight, wash off with rain and become inert in contact with soil. And they are much easier to wash off than the cold or flu viruses from other customers in the store, or e.coli from the manure fertilizers used in the fields. And if you're not sure what mycotoxins are, have a read about them. They can be horrendous and do real longterm neurological damage if you ingest them.0 -
p.s. I've mentioned this before, but the "Environmental Working Group" is not a very reliable site for reliable information on food safety. I am always very skeptical about websites with well-meaning names. ALWAYS.
NPR: Why You Shouldn't Panic About Pesticide in Produce
http://npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/06/19/155354070/why-you-shouldnt-panic-about-pesticide-in-produce0 -
Wow, thanks Tina! I will have to read this! Do you still purchase grass fed meats though? I'm willing to read up and research on produce, but I believe meats and dairy are something i'll never compromise on. It scares me for my kids! 0
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My grocery bill for 3 people is approximately $500/month. I don't buy organic. I buy store brands. However, I do need to start planning better because damn life is expensive!0
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Wow, thanks Tina! I will have to read this! Do you still purchase grass fed meats though? I'm willing to read up and research on produce, but I believe meats and dairy are something i'll never compromise on. It scares me for my kids!
Grass fed meats? I'm in Kansas. I don't think there's anything else for our cattle to eat! Honestly, I don't pay much attention to the meats because I know the meat department at my grocery store. They carry "big ag" meats, but most of what they sell is local and packaged on site. I don't buy Tyson, Hormel, etc.
As for dairy...I really have no idea. But it always galls me to see food producers hike up prices while marketing their "not-really-super healthy" foods to people who can't afford it. I have a bigger problem with growth hormones in livestock and poultry than I do with antibiotics though. Farmers need to keep their livestock healthy.
Whenever I read articles that say organic produce is more nutritious, I want to grab hold of the publisher and strangle him or her. It's just a pack of misinformation, and it actually keeps many people from eating healthier.0 -
I live in the UK so my amount will be in £s we are a family of five myself, hubs, 19 year old son and 10 year old twins we also often have additional mouths to feed in the form of my daughter friends and a puppy who eats a raw food diet so his food is in the equation as well. We spend minimum £600 a month but it's often more. I have tried everything to get the bill down but we like food and it's a necessity not a luxury.0
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Joy, we fed raw to two dogs for 12 years. Good for you! It does cost more, but it's the healthiest for them. We feed a good premium food now because we have two different dogs and their food prep and cost just wore me down.0
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vegan shopping for 4 adults. Cooking from scratch for 99% of meals.. Veggies from produce market approx $60/ week. Rice ,pasta, bread, beans, jalapenos, olives,and herb/ spices, non dairy milk, coffee maybe another $30 / week.
I haven't included my husbands wine in this....It's insane how healthy, delicious and cheap you can eat when you think about it. Everything I make is a double batch for another lunch or dinner. I actually cant make a normal sized meal anymore!0 -
tinascar2015 wrote: »Joy, we fed raw to two dogs for 12 years. Good for you! It does cost more, but it's the healthiest for them. We feed a good premium food now because we have two different dogs and their food prep and cost just wore me down.
The food prep does take a long time but once i got into the swing of it it is ok. We have just takenhim on a camping holiday and stuck to his diet. He is worth it. To begin with though I really struggled to know what to give him. The children are far more difficult to feed as they are so fussy.0 -
I have found keeping things simple saves me money and also reading about the "organic" marketing scheme of things have saved me money as well. If you are eating meat and veggies you are doing better than 90% of the population that lines up at the fast food joints during lunch. It is pretty sad in the states when you go to anywhere that has multiple options and you cannot find hardly anything that is healthy and the salads which are the least expensive to make is the most expensive thing on the menu, again a marketing ploy.0
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4 adults and 2 kids (3&5), I cook ALL our meals no exceptions. We spend $800-$1200/mo. We stay away from GMOs and round up ready corn. We are GF, DF and mostly grain free. We hunt deer and stock the freezer full but do get a good amount pork and chicken from the store.
Buying in bulk saves a lot of money by buying through Zaycon Foods, Bountiful Baskets & other "clubs". You can also special order bulk produce through most grocery stores. We buy all our Cashew Milk, apples, grapefruit and a handful of other stuff bulk via specialty order from our local grocer. Saves us an additional 20-30%.
We buy a lot of stuff local too and we tend to stay away from highly processed meats and foods.0 -
Family of 4 here. 1 and 5 (my one year old eats more then my five year old because of her heart condition and is still underweight.) i spend about 400 to 450 a month. Most the money goes to grass fed meat. Then veggies and fruit, then healthy snacks. I dont buy bread nor do we eat "cheap" meals. Through lots of shop testing i go to one place to buy meats and veggies and another for snacks. I dont shop "organic" i watch labels. I do not buy brand name organic because if you look at the labels they fill it with sugars and crap. I dont buy foods with high fructose corn syrup and i try my best to stay away from additives. It has taken a long time to find our favorites but once we did our food costs went down drastically. Its all about learning where to buy what you are looking for at the best price. It takes a while and lots of trips to new and different places. Once you find the good spots though shopping becomes a breeze.
Also start a garden. One of my favorites to grow is lettuce. It produces extremely high quantities and cuts your food bill like crazy if you eat a lot of salads. There are a lot of different types as well which can make it interesting. Tomatoes are another good one and you can get creative.0 -
4 adults and 2 kids (3&5), I cook ALL our meals no exceptions. We spend $800-$1200/mo. We stay away from GMOs and round up ready corn. We are GF, DF and mostly grain free. We hunt deer and stock the freezer full but do get a good amount pork and chicken from the store.
Buying in bulk saves a lot of money by buying through Zaycon Foods, Bountiful Baskets & other "clubs". You can also special order bulk produce through most grocery stores. We buy all our Cashew Milk, apples, grapefruit and a handful of other stuff bulk via specialty order from our local grocer. Saves us an additional 20-30%.
We buy a lot of stuff local too and we tend to stay away from highly processed meats and foods.
Wow that's so much a month to spend! I couldn't do that. I mean, I'll buy a lot of non GMO and organic/grass fed dairy and meat. I can see where buying good, grass fed, no steroids local meats can get very expensive! My friend gave me an amazing paleo crabcake recipe and just one little container of crab was $18. Ugh
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Our food bill has actually gone down because I don't buy processed foods anymore and I stay away from "specialty" foods too like the hotdogs, cereal, bread, ect. I pretty much just fill my cart with veggies, fruit and meat. I don't have access to grass fed beef, but I am hoping to buy a cow next year from a grass fed rancher. I do avoid Tyson and Hormel. I spend the little extra on free range brown eggs until I can find another local supplier. I get raw milk from a local provider and I get non GMO cashew milk. Those are my only splurges. I do most of my meal planning on Pintrest. Saves me time and money too!0
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The way I control the bill is by limiting our meat consumption! We buy organic/free-range meat, so we 1) Don't eat it every meal, and 2) When we do eat meat, it's a small part of a meal, not the main part.
I also found that I save a lot by pre-making morning shakes (thank you, Pinterest!). Rather than buying fresh produce for the shakes, I buy it frozen in bulk at Costco. I use quart-sized freezer bags and make individual portions (minus the liquid). That way it's cheaper, ready to go in the morning, and we can take a break from them if we get tired of it without wasting food!0 -
4 adults and 2 kids (3&5), I cook ALL our meals no exceptions. We spend $800-$1200/mo. We stay away from GMOs and round up ready corn. We are GF, DF and mostly grain free. We hunt deer and stock the freezer full but do get a good amount pork and chicken from the store.
Buying in bulk saves a lot of money by buying through Zaycon Foods, Bountiful Baskets & other "clubs". You can also special order bulk produce through most grocery stores. We buy all our Cashew Milk, apples, grapefruit and a handful of other stuff bulk via specialty order from our local grocer. Saves us an additional 20-30%.
We buy a lot of stuff local too and we tend to stay away from highly processed meats and foods.
Wow that's so much a month to spend! I couldn't do that. I mean, I'll buy a lot of non GMO and organic/grass fed dairy and meat. I can see where buying good, grass fed, no steroids local meats can get very expensive! My friend gave me an amazing paleo crabcake recipe and just one little container of crab was $18. Ugh
Is it really that much if we don't eat out at all? Up until last week when we grabbed some to go food from a restaurant, we literally hadn't eaten out in 3 years. If you consider the occasional eating out, coffee, bottled water, etc...that most folks buy on top of their monthly grocery bill, I bet a family of 6 with 4 adults would be at the same amount of money each month if not more.
I literally make everything for my family. I'm a stay at home mom who loves to cook 0 -
No - it's not! I have 3 adults in the house, and grocery budget is about $700. We make almost everything from scratch, pack our lunches every day, and rarely eat out.0 -
Thanks Michelle! I was hoping we weren't too out of line
- Kristen0 -
Kristen---eating out does get very expensive, no doubt! I have tried to cut back on it and *trying* to meal prep a little more. I didn't realize you were feeding 6 and not 4. That would def make a difference!
Oh and I wish I liked to cook! 0 -
Fitmek - try out crockpot cooking. Very little work and you get awesome meals! Google 365 crockpot, the lady documented a full year of making meals with her crock. That's how I first started cooking, from the grew my love of cooking/baking! 0
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We spend around $400 a month for a family of four. We don't eat meat at every meal and I don't buy organic. I buy most of my produce at Aldi- it is more than half the price of the regular grocery store. I meal plan and prep like crazy so that helps with cost too!0
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Hi all! Clean eating should allow you to buy less as eating organic or simply raw fruits and veggies will actually fill you up faster than eating processed foods. Because it is expensive you should try a CSA! They are a cost effective way to eat organic or close to. I talk more about this on my blog. You can find it at itsalifestylenotadiet.com
Happy eating! Callie0 -
Has anyone tried CSAs for meat?0
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Michelle52801429 wrote: »Has anyone tried CSAs for meat?
I buy my meats from local farms. While it's not a CSA, I hooked up with some great small farms at our local farmer's market. I have a relationship with them now after several years, have visited the farms and love the freshness and quality of the meat and humane treatment of the livestock. Pasture raised, hormone free.
I definitely recommend investing in a freezer of you don't already have one.
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Michelle52801429 wrote: »Has anyone tried CSAs for meat?
We have not done a meat CSA but we also bought a quarter of a steer a year ago from a grass fed, free range farm. We got all types of steak cuts and about 30 lbs of ground beef. It's hard to remember the specifics but I think it cost us a little over $400. We loved it and are just about through the meat one year later. It fed my husband and I and 2 young kiddos. It was so incredibly tasty, the ground beef had almost zero fat. And you get to skip the meat aisle at the grocery store. (Unless of course you are going for something other than beef.) I recommend!!rendress269 wrote: »Michelle52801429 wrote: »I definitely recommend investing in a freezer of you don't already have one.
Definitely need a freezer for this!0 -
Please forgive me...what's a CSA? Coop of some sort?0
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