Grocery shopping

[hall0731]

Ok. Has anyone else's grocery allotment had to be increased? I am spending about 150 a week on a family of 4. We try to eat healthy and buy the healthy metas,veggies, and a lot of fruit. I am almost at a point to have to increase it more. Is anyone else having to do this?

 

[MagicalMeg]

I had to increase my grocery budget this month (from $200 to $300). We'll see if I have extra. This is due to 1) rising food costs & 2) DS is 15 months & eating way more food than a few month ago.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Yes. Food has really gone up.

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[MinnieLovesMickey12]

I spend $150 a week on 3 of us. Dh is gone for a month at a time then comes home for 2 weeks. So for 2 weeks every 6 weeks I am feeding 4.

I am vegetarian/Pescatarian so I spend more on produce and dairy than most ppl probably do.

I also spend about $150 a month on frozen Talapia at Sam's in addition to my actual groceries.

 

[worm761]

We spend around $200 a week. We are a family of 5. It is me, DH, DS17, DD3, and my father. I will note here that my dad will pick up milk or eggs or whatever if he sees we are low or out. So there might be another $20 to $50 a month in there.
I will also say that I use very few processed foods. I cook mostly from scratch including snack foods. Though DD would not eat my fish crackers. LOL We rarely eat out. And this budget covers 3 meals a day plus snacks for all of us.

I keep it like this by meat at the butcher. He is reasonably priced for meat (and sometimes cheaper!) and all the meat is unenhanced (no mystery additions like "sodium solution"), no hormones, and antiobiotic free. He sells chicken breast for 3.99 a pound where the grocery store sells the chicken breast with mystery ingredients, hormones, and antiobiotics for 4.59 a pound. He also sells in bulk and "butcher boxes" making the meat even cheaper.
I also shop at my local farmers market when I can. The veggies are in season and a lot cheaper. Green bell peppers are .50 ea. Cucumbers the same. Vine ripened tomatoes are 1.49 a pound.
Plus by shopping at both of these places I am supporting a local family business.

 

[SEA333]

I'd say I spend about $100/week on groceries, and we spend about $50-$75/week eating out for the 5 of us - Me, DH, DS13, DD9, and DS7 1/2. We eat in at least 5-6 nights a week, with protein, veggie, and either a salad, extra veggie, and sometimes potato or rice. I pack the kids' lunches every day, and they get a sandwich or salad, veggie, fruit, another veggie or fruit (for the wonderful snack break that every American school child needs to have now), and either another veggie/fruit, yogurt, string cheese, fish crackers, or granola bar or something similar. Breakfast is either whole wheat cinnamon bread, frozen waffles (probably the most "junk" food they eat, and they are almost always the whole wheat version), cereal, or yogurt and toast. My kids are not really very big breakfast people.

On the weekends, we don't usually eat until about 10-11am, and then skip lunch and eat dinner.

Once a week, we will usually order chinese, pizza, or Subway. We are soooo boring LOL Every few weeks or so, we will go out to eat, and that is where we will spend $40-50 at Noodles and Co or somewhere. DH spends about $20/week on lunches, and I spend about $7-10/week on coffee (usually $1 coffee at McD on the way to work!)

Now that we are in football season and it is still really hot in Illinois, our meals tend to be either really irregular (like eggs or cereal for dinner), or we eat out more. All three kids play football/cheerlead, and DH coaches DS13's team. It's a 6/day-week commitment. They don't usually get home until after 8pm.

I budget about $600 total on food costs per month. Depending on how much we end up eating out, I can usually spend a lot less.

 

[momto2inKC]

I usually spend about $130 on my big weekly trip. Then I go one or 2 times during the week for more milk, fresh fruit/veggies and whatever else we've ran out of. Those usually add another $50 a week.
I have noticed groceries have really gone up around here.

 

[tvguy]

No, actually our grocery bill has gone down.
Normal is $150 a week, yesterday it was $82, week before $143, week before that $98, and week before that $136.

But a lot of produce is in season right now, so prices are down, Fuji apples were 99 cents a pound, peaches $1.99 a pound, and Foster Farms Boneless Skinless chicken breasts were on sale for $3 a pound less than normal.

Okay, we HAVE been dying for some salmon fillets, and they have dropped from $12.99 a pound to $8.99 a pound, but our price point is usually $4.99 a pound, so we have a ways to go there. And I have been hearing that on the east coast lobster is going for under $4 a pound right off the boat, wish that was the case here.

 

[java]

I joined an organic CSA this year that has been awesome! It averages to $16 a week. That has totally saved my grocery budget. We are a family of 6 and I was tryi g to keep it under $100 a week. Lately it's been closer to $125 plus the $16. (college son leaves today so that will go down significantly)

 

[poohfriend77]

I'm ashamed to admit this on the budget board, but we don't watch grocery budgets very closely. I shop at a variety of places, and throw in toiletries, cleaning supplies, some clothing, a new book, paper towels, etc. so I'm not really sure how much I spend on just groceries.

We did start eating a lot better in early summer (DH got a bit of a wake up call from Dr, so we are trying to avoid problems). So I stopped buying most frozen dinners and junk food, and we cut way back on eating out. I'm getting tons of fresh fruits and veggies instead, and buying mostly chicken breasts ($1.99/lb) instead of more expensive beef. I think it's lowered our overall spending during these summer months, but I'm bracing for a jump once cheap produce is not as readily available.

 

[worm761]

I'm ashamed to admit this on the budget board, but we don't watch grocery budgets very closely. I shop at a variety of places, and throw in toiletries, cleaning supplies, some clothing, a new book, paper towels, etc. so I'm not really sure how much I spend on just groceries.

Most of my household needs are included in my grocery budget including dog food for two dogs (one of which is a giant breed). DH is not so much of a budgeter. He has a budget/spreadsheet that works for him. We have tried to use an actual budget before but it did not work for us.

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

How do you budget for food? Don't you just buy what you need? Or are you walking around the store w a calculator? Or do you get to check out and the bill is 170 but you budgeted for 150 so you tell them to take 20 worth of food away?????

 

[Southernmiss]

How do you budget for food? Don't you just buy what you need? Or are you walking around the store w a calculator? Or do you get to check out and the bill is 170 but you budgeted for 150 so you tell them to take 20 worth of food away?????

I have a certain amt each month that I expect to spend based on the average spent over the last several months. I keep track in quicken. Most months I come close to the amt allotted, but I have noticed that as my kids are all teens or almost teens, I do go over the allotted amt more often because they do eat a lot-and some months they all seem to be going through a growth spurt and eat more.

There was a time when I could coupon and watch sales, but coupons are not so great any more and I buy healthier foods and not as many of the prepackaged foods that usually go one sale.

I have never been so strict with a 'budget' to say 'sorry we are only eating corn because it was on sale and payday isn't till next week'. Or put things back because I spent $170 instead of $150.


Food is an area that I believe I need to buy decent quality to avoid health problems down the road so if that means going over budget then so be it.

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

I have a certain amt each month that I expect to spend based on the average spent over the last several months. I keep track in quicken. Most months I come close to the amt allotted, but I have noticed that as my kids are all teens or almost teens, I do go over the allotted amt more often because they do eat a lot-and some months they all seem to be going through a growth spurt and eat more.

There was a time when I could coupon and watch sales, but coupons are not so great any more and I buy healthier foods and not as many of the prepackaged foods that usually go one sale.

I have never been so strict with a 'budget' to say 'sorry we are only eating corn because it was on sale and payday isn't till next week'. Or put things back because I spent $170 instead of $150.


Food is an area that I believe I need to buy decent quality to avoid health problems down the road so if that means going over budget then so be it.

That makes sense, I wonder if others are more strict because people are always mentioning they budget x for the week or x for the month.

 

[leebee]

I have been hearing that on the east coast lobster is going for under $4 a pound right off the boat, wish that was the case here.

Yup! Sorry to tell you, but last weekend I bought chix (1-1.25 pound lobsters) for $2.99 a pound, and lobster meat is about $22 a pound, directly from the lobstermen. On the other hand, eggs are about $2.79 a dozen (in the grocery store), milk is $4 a gallon, and "cheap" Country Kitchen whole grain white bread is $4 for a long loaf, which I think is a LOT for staples!

 

[usnuzuloose]

No, actually our grocery bill has gone down.
Normal is $150 a week, yesterday it was $82, week before $143, week before that $98, and week before that $136.

But a lot of produce is in season right now, so prices are down, Fuji apples were 99 cents a pound, peaches $1.99 a pound, and Foster Farms Boneless Skinless chicken breasts were on sale for $3 a pound less than normal.

Okay, we HAVE been dying for some salmon fillets, and they have dropped from $12.99 a pound to $8.99 a pound, but our price point is usually $4.99 a pound, so we have a ways to go there. And I have been hearing that on the east coast lobster is going for under $4 a pound right off the boat, wish that was the case here.

I also love to go out to Denio's and get the fruits and veggies. When I do I usually save a little more at the grocery store. We have cut back on using potatoes. They are so costly.

 

[mrsksmithvt]

Food is an area that I believe I need to buy decent quality to avoid health problems down the road so if that means going over budget then so be it.[/QUOTE]

This is so true. Nutrition is the key to quality of health, remember this when you grocery shop and those that are less fortunate than you. In the United States our senior population is living longer and must make sacrifices each day when buying healthy and affordable food. Each day a senior must think about how they will buy medicine, pay for gas, heating oil, and other items to make their homes handicap accessible as they age. I know everyone thinks of children who go hungry but don't forget the hidden face of hunger the senior population.

Thank you for supporting local farmers markets and your local farmers. Does anyone can or freeze when prices are low during the summer months to save money during winter when produce is so expensive?

 

[kymom99]

Food is an area that I believe I need to buy decent quality to avoid health problems down the road so if that means going over budget then so be it.

This is so true. Nutrition is the key to quality of health, remember this when you grocery shop and those that are less fortunate than you. In the United States our senior population is living longer and must make sacrifices each day when buying healthy and affordable food. Each day a senior must think about how they will buy medicine, pay for gas, heating oil, and other items to make their homes handicap accessible as they age. I know everyone thinks of children who go hungry but don't forget the hidden face of hunger the senior population.

Thank you for supporting local farmers markets and your local farmers. Does anyone can or freeze when prices are low during the summer months to save money during winter when produce is so expensive?[/QUOTE]

We have our own garden and this year we made tons of pickles and tomato based things such as salsa, pasta sauce, and pizza sauce. We also canned and froze green beans.

 

[Happyjen27]

I used to keep a strict budget for my groceries. It helped me eat out of the pantry more when we were getting toward our monthly target.

Then I had a health scare and went completely organic (I have always been organic for meat, and otherwise eating whole foods even with the strict budget).

Imagine my surprise when the bills didn't skyrocket! Yes, do pay a big more in groceries now, but, it's not the huge impact I thought. Regular ketchup was 1.49, the organic is only $1 more. Regular bananas are only a dollar more.

So I would say I'm paying more now, certainly. However, I'm not tracking or strict anymore. I just buy whole, healthy foods and let the money sort itself out in other ways (like cutbacks on clothing or home reno).

 

[Ruthie5671]

For myself and DH, I keep to a budget of $50-60 per week. On top of that, I usually do a monthly trip to Dollar General for those types of things and a monthly trip to Save-A-Lot for meat shopping. I try to make dinners that will give us leftovers and my crock pot is my friend. However, we don't always have meat for dinner. Sometimes a sandwich or a bowl of cereal is just what there is time (and effort) for.

I am that person that walks around the store with my calculator and coupon notebook to make sure I'm getting the most bang for my buck. And if we're only halfway thru the store and I'm hitting my budget, I will put things back.