How much do you spend on food?

Options
1246

Replies

  • smcrimmon84
    smcrimmon84 Posts: 135 Member
    Options
    We are a family of 4 - myself, my husband, a 6 year old and 3 year old. I spend about $100/week. I do not buy organic, I buy a lot of store brand, we have 1-2 meatless meals per week, I do not coupon, I do not buy any drinks other than 1/2 gallon of milk a week.

    We all eat breakfast and dinner at home. We eat out maybe one dinner a week. Lunches for all but the 3 year old.
  • janjunie
    janjunie Posts: 1,200 Member
    Options
    This is an interesting thread. I'm on the west coast of Canada. We are a family of 5, but my youngest is 15 months old, so eats very little. For just groceries, not including takeout, cleaners or toiletries we spend about $450.00 a month. We eat semi organic (milk and most seasonal fruit and veg), buy frozen veg when fresh is out of season or insanely expensive. We buy 50% off food (usually dairy like cheese and yogurt) with expiry dates longer than 3/4 days and for a treat buy bakery items that are on clearance and eat them that day. The family are all omnivores, but aren't big meat eaters, we tend to eat fish and chicken and dh has lamb a couple times a month.

    We eat out 3-4 times a month and it's usually sushi or occasionally red robins (6 and 7 yr old in the family). We rarely coupon and mostly shop the sales.
  • KenziesFrenzies
    KenziesFrenzies Posts: 1,014 Member
    Options
    I spend $40-50 a week for breakfasts, lunches & dinners, just for myself. I shop at Sprouts or Homeland, and buy the produce that's on sale. :)
  • shaumom
    shaumom Posts: 1,003 Member
    edited January 2016
    Options
    Two people in my family have severe food allergies, and one has to be gluten free, as well. We spend an insane amount on food just because we have to buy certain brands to keep foods uncontaminated. And not 'pre-made' brands, but just the right brand of dried beans, or eggs, or even salt (they bleach salt to a white color with a chemical she reacts to!).

    So for the worst allergic person in the family, cooking everything from scratch (because she can't eat out or buy pre-made anything), if we buy at the store or order online, that's about $150 a week. For the next allergic, it's about 100 a week just for her. And the other two in the family can have foods that cost maybe 150 altogether.

    So for the month, for a family of four - it's more than our mortgage. Which is the reason that we've started gardening a lot the last few years and planted some fruit trees!
  • robot_potato
    robot_potato Posts: 1,535 Member
    Options
    Vancouver Island here, I spend about $600 month for a family of 5 (2 adults, 2 kids and a baby who doesn't eat solids yet). One kid has specific dietary needs and food aversions. I watch for sales and stock up on nonperishables. We also do a lot of big batch cooking and grow some fruits& veg ourselves.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
    edited January 2016
    Options
    It's just me and my husband, and we only spend $40-70 per week on groceries which includes some (not all) cleaning supplies, toilet paper, etc. I know that sounds crazy low but I really don't even feel like we're that super-frugal. There are almost never coupons on anything we buy. We each have our little extras too like premade veggie burgers, Perrier for me and protein bars he likes. We have breakfast & lunch at home every weekday and dinner 4-5 nights per week on that. Also, for lunches and dinners we don't do leftovers or repeats. Both of us are disgusted at the idea of prepping and reheating a week of meals and other "cost effective" ideas like that but I think we just have cheap taste!?

    My husband doesn't eat meat but we do buy some frozen seafood items from time to time. We eat a ton of (fresh and frozen) fruits and vegetables, lentils, beans, tofu, rice, etc. I am sure that helps keep our costs low but we're just really used to how we eat. I typically also bake one "treat" item and we DO portion that out through the work week. We buy some items in bulk and shop almost exclusively at Aldi, another discount supermarket, and a small ethnic/whole foods store (not a chain). Maybe part of it is living in a mid-sized city in the middle of the USA where the cost of living is crazy low? I'm sure that is a bit part of it.

    We DO eat out though -- not M-F, but on Saturdays & sometimes Sundays -- so we spend anywhere from $40-100 (occasionally more when traveling) per week on dining out. I realize that could be cut too but it's what we enjoy, and we take road trips and weekend trips almost every Sat. so it's just a part of our entertainment.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,493 Member
    Options
    seltzermint555 wrote: »
    It's just me and my husband, and we only spend $40-70 per week on groceries which includes some (not all) cleaning supplies, toilet paper, etc. I know that sounds crazy low but I really don't even feel like we're that super-frugal. There are almost never coupons on anything we buy. We each have our little extras too like premade veggie burgers, Perrier for me and protein bars he likes. We have breakfast & lunch at home every weekday and dinner 4-5 nights per week on that. Also, for lunches and dinners we don't do leftovers or repeats. Both of us are disgusted at the idea of prepping and reheating a week of meals and other "cost effective" ideas like that but I think we just have cheap taste!?

    My husband doesn't eat meat but we do buy some frozen seafood items from time to time. We eat a ton of (fresh and frozen) fruits and vegetables, lentils, beans, tofu, rice, etc. I am sure that helps keep our costs low but we're just really used to how we eat. I typically also bake one "treat" item and we DO portion that out through the work week. We buy some items in bulk and shop almost exclusively at Aldi, another discount supermarket, and a small ethnic/whole foods store (not a chain). Maybe part of it is living in a mid-sized city in the middle of the USA where the cost of living is crazy low? I'm sure that is a bit part of it.

    We DO eat out though -- not M-F, but on Saturdays & sometimes Sundays -- so we spend anywhere from $40-100 (occasionally more when traveling) per week on dining out. I realize that could be cut too but it's what we enjoy, and we take road trips and weekend trips almost every Sat. so it's just a part of our entertainment.

    Wow that is so low. What do you guys eat for your meals in an example week? Trying to get ideas of how people who spend so little eat.
  • angelamichelle_xo
    angelamichelle_xo Posts: 646 Member
    Options
    40 a week.
  • Lextmg86
    Lextmg86 Posts: 102 Member
    Options
    Were spending about $75/week for a family of 3 (me, wife and toddler). We have many cheap grocery stores near us thankfully (Price rite and Aldi's are the main ones we go to).
  • mean_and_lean
    mean_and_lean Posts: 164 Member
    Options
    Too much. Typically it's about $150-$200/week. And that's just for my husband and I.
  • DanyellMcGinnis
    DanyellMcGinnis Posts: 315 Member
    Options
    $150-200 a week for two adults. About half at Whole Foods (some stuff, especially bulk items and nuts, is actually cheaper there, the eggs are better quality, and it's the only place around here I can get beans in BPA-free cans). The other half at Publix (mostly produce). We take our lunches every day unless they are provided free by our offices (about 2x a month for me). We eat out once a week and we do not buy any meat, poultry, or fish (I am a vegetarian and my fiance eats very little meat).

    This does not include toiletries or household cleaning items -- cleaning items are generally bought at Target as needed and beauty products are a whole separate issue for me (I'm a beauty product junkie and I do some blogging). It also does not include pet food, which probably costs more per week than the human food due to my pets' medical conditions.
  • Meganthedogmom
    Meganthedogmom Posts: 1,639 Member
    Options
    I'm glad my boyfriend and I are not the only ones spending $150-$200 a week. I feel like less of a freak now. Last time I mentioned that in a thread, I felt like people were jumping down my throat for spending so much.
  • rubyweapon8503
    rubyweapon8503 Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    I spend about $75 a week on groceries for me and my husband. However, we also spend about $50-$70 on restaurants every weekend, and have dinner with family every other weekend.
  • jessicaeccles
    jessicaeccles Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    I spend $50-$70 about every week and a half. I try to eat most meals at home. Also I'm shopping just for myself and this does not include toiletries. I am also doing most of my shopping at super target (I'm a college student and the town I'm in doesn't have a trader joes or any nice grocery store).
    I do find that I will spend a little bit more $70-$100 if I am making some fancy new recipes that week. This week I made chicken enchiladas and spent about $80 because I had nothing for them. But if I am sticking to my usual list (36 eggs, veggies, fruits, and meats) it is about $50-$70.
  • serenitywsu
    serenitywsu Posts: 22 Member
    Options
    For me, as a college student I spend about $60 a month. I'm a vegetarian and before I moved into my college apartment I stocked up(soymilk, peanut butter, noodles). So mostly what I buy every month is veggies and bread and tofu. Im in WA.
  • jnmrie
    jnmrie Posts: 145 Member
    Options
    $80/week for my girlfriend and I, plus our two cats.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    Options
    I used to be somewhere in the $100 per week ballpark for just myself. I do shop at Whole Foods - it's about a mile away. I usually buy 365 brand stuff that's pretty close in price to regular grocery store stuff.

    Lately, I've been having fun experimenting with my new pressure cooker, so meals have shifted to fewer convenience foods, and less meat - more dishes using beans and lentils from dried which I've never cooked before, dishes with cheaper (i.e. tougher) cuts of meat, and vegetable dishes that would normally take hours on the stove or in a slow cooker. My food bill has plummeted even without changing stores.

    I'd suggest seeing if there are convenience foods you can drop.
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,521 Member
    Options
    About $150/week for a family of 4. I buy most of my groceries from BJs (wholesale club); it's cheaper for staples (milk, bread, eggs). I cook/make almost ALL of our meals (pack lunches for kids/husband). We usually only go out to eat once/twice a week.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    Options
    Also I popped back in to say we have almost zero food waste. I clean, cut & vacuum pack all veggies, freeze leftovers, make stock from bones, etc etc. About all that gets composted are the tail ends of a bundle of cilantro, or something that came damaged like one avo out of the bag from Costco.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
    Options
    Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »
    seltzermint555 wrote: »
    It's just me and my husband, and we only spend $40-70 per week on groceries which includes some (not all) cleaning supplies, toilet paper, etc. I know that sounds crazy low but I really don't even feel like we're that super-frugal. There are almost never coupons on anything we buy. We each have our little extras too like premade veggie burgers, Perrier for me and protein bars he likes. We have breakfast & lunch at home every weekday and dinner 4-5 nights per week on that. Also, for lunches and dinners we don't do leftovers or repeats. Both of us are disgusted at the idea of prepping and reheating a week of meals and other "cost effective" ideas like that but I think we just have cheap taste!?

    My husband doesn't eat meat but we do buy some frozen seafood items from time to time. We eat a ton of (fresh and frozen) fruits and vegetables, lentils, beans, tofu, rice, etc. I am sure that helps keep our costs low but we're just really used to how we eat. I typically also bake one "treat" item and we DO portion that out through the work week. We buy some items in bulk and shop almost exclusively at Aldi, another discount supermarket, and a small ethnic/whole foods store (not a chain). Maybe part of it is living in a mid-sized city in the middle of the USA where the cost of living is crazy low? I'm sure that is a bit part of it.

    We DO eat out though -- not M-F, but on Saturdays & sometimes Sundays -- so we spend anywhere from $40-100 (occasionally more when traveling) per week on dining out. I realize that could be cut too but it's what we enjoy, and we take road trips and weekend trips almost every Sat. so it's just a part of our entertainment.

    Wow that is so low. What do you guys eat for your meals in an example week? Trying to get ideas of how people who spend so little eat.

    Breakfasts (all with coffee)
    steel cut oats with dried cherries & pecans
    egg tacos with salsa, fresh pineapple
    cereal with almond milk
    avocado & egg on English muffin
    regular oatmeal with peanut butter & jam

    Lunches (all with water and/or hot tea)
    tuna melts, homemade cole slaw & pears
    pasta salad with chickpeas & peppers, 2 small ginger cookies
    lentils with tons of spices, shredded lettuce, cottage cheese, apples
    veggie burgers on toast, homemade sweet potato fries
    black beans, hummus, toast, celery & carrots, fresh pineapple

    Dinners (all with water)
    thin crust veggie pizza (all from scratch) & salad
    Sriracha mac n' cheese with lots of green onion, fresh pineapple
    tomato zucchini frittata with mozzarella
    crustless onion pie (from scratch) and apple-lemon oatmeal crumble
    BBQ-sauced seared tofu, salad, homemade cole slaw & corn
    black beans done "soupy", zucchini cornbread

    I also baked walnut shortbread, topped with strawberries and whipped topping, which we had for dessert 3 times and have one serving left for each of us.

Categories