What is your weekly food budget?

[mrsmom]

MissyC I sent you a PM.
Kim

 

[Disneycrazymom]

It does help to make a list and stick to it! Thanks for the reminder, I used to do that but have gotten lazy about it lately. Another thing that helps is to only go to the store ONCE in a week, no matter what you forget. It seems like I go in for 1 item and come out with 20. Not having to take the kiddos helps too.

 

[Gette88]

Originally posted by Disneycrazymom
There are 4 of us and I average about $150 per week. We usually eat out 1 or 2 meals so it would be more if I planned for those too. It does seem like prices have gone up lately.

Me too, exactly.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Its at least $150. We ate out about twice a week and this week I have to cook a meal for a church family in a car accident and I have to cook lunch sun. for a pastoral candidate covered dish. Also they have just stopped doubling $1.00 coupons, now its only up to 99 cents. That is missed for sure. I usually go to wal mart for alot of the cleaning supplies and health and beauty stuff. The meat and dairy prices have soared here in metro ny.

 

[JayCT]

We must spend between $150 and $200 for our family of 4 plus dog. I do not think that is bad. I remember taking my mother food shopping 30 years ago and she spent $100. She cooked a lot more than we do (big Sunday dinners for the family), but still that was 30 years ago. Jay

 

[Lynn CC]

$200 for the 3 of us. I buy mostly organic foods and lots of Atkins shakes for me, and individual drinks for DH and DS to take to work and school. It's those drinks that add up.
I think groceries are expensive here on the Cape

 

[Kermit]

I give myself $100 cash each week for all groceries and household goods. That includes basics like deoderant, toilet paper, etc., plus very high quality (and expensive) prenatal vitamins.

I could do it for a lot less, but we eat lots of organic stuff. I pay $7/pound for ground meat! Everything that's purchased specifically for Jacob (15 months), like whole milk yogurt, applesauce, etc., is always organic. I used to spend less, but I decided that investing in good food now will pay off in the long run. Open heart surgery would cost a lot more than the $2.50 I pay for a dozen eggs with extra Vitamin E...

 

[AnnaS]

Every week without fail anywhere from $150 to $200. Never less, but once in a while more (the stops to Costco a few times a year). We are a family of five, two teenage sons and one pre-teen daughter.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

Originally posted by Lynn CC
I buy mostly organic foods

I try to buy organic whenever possible. I probably spend $30.00 per week in organic milk alone!

 

[AirForceRocks]

I probably spend $30.00 per week in organic milk alone!

So long as it comes from a live cow, it's organic enough for me.

 

[JetMom]

I do a major grocery shop twice a month and spend about $250 each time.

Add about $25 on the off weeks for things like milk, bread, fruit, etc.

I guess I spend abour $550 - $600 a month for 5 of us. That includes household products and personal care products.

 

[Aimeedyan]

We're cheap and poor. I can make $80 worth of groceries stretch a couple of weeks. We have good prices here at our local chain, and I'm a coupon clipping, generic buying, list making shopper. =)

There are just two of us =) We have gotten into eating out alot more often, but even that is cheap... $6 for us both at Taco Bell and such.

 

[TDC Nala]

$30/week for food. No kids, no pets. I don't eat out and I take lunch to work.

 

[frannn]

This does not include trips to Costco once per month (but I don't buy too much there), dog food, eating out twice a week or toiletries. So once you total everything, it probably is closer to 200/wk.

 

[Dixielady908]

Yikes...dont even get me going on this subject. There is three of us at home...dont ask but I spend anywhere from 130. to 190. a week. Dont ask what the heck I buy. No expensive meats, hardly any type of snack food...drives me nuts. My DH thinks I'm crazy because I am always complaing about how much money I spend....

Denise

 

[Divamomto3]

There are 5 of us...2 adults, 3 boys. I spend about $200 a week.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

About 6 or 7 years ago, I decided I was spending to much time in the grocery store so I decided to shop just once a month. I thought about what we would eat for a week and just bought four times as much. At that time I shopped at Bigg's--low prices, but not a bulk store like Sam's. We called this "family shopping" and loaded up two carts for three people for a total of about $200-$250 per month. We have gotten to the point that if an item is on sale, we will buy it by the case, so month to month our needs vary depending upon what we have on hand. Of course I need to supplement each week with fresh dairy and produce that I can get from a produce stand near work. We now make a monthly trip to Sams in addition to Bigg's and spend about $250-$300 between the two places. I can also get dairy and produce at Sams so fewer trips to UDF and the produce stand. DH prefers that we get our meat from our trusted butcher, but we don't eat much meat anyway.

 

[jimmiej]

About $160/week for four of us.

 

[pygmymom]

The budget for our family of 5 is $350 a month. Most months I am at or below that. It includes all paper products, but not eating out (a couple of times a month) or any little candy treats my DH has to have.

I clip coupons and shop between 4 stores, all close since I live in a metro area. If one of those stores has good coupon specials, I'll group my milk purchases to help get the $20 required for that coupon (ex. 1 lb. bag pre cut baby carrots for 8 cents). I plan a menu for the week, take a list (and not my husband) and stick to it. If one of my "staples" is a good price, I'll stock up. In a recipe that calls for 1 lb of meat, I'll try to cut it down. My cooking is simple, since I'm not very talented, but it's meals my family enjoys.

When I was working FT, we ate out and grabbed fast and convenience foods frequently. That adds up to a lot of money. Keeping the grocery bill down requires some time--and I enjoy it, it's almost like a puzzle with rewarding results.

 

[geniegirl]

I shop twice a month and budget $150.00 per trip and that includes 2 adults, and 2 cats. I dont get laundry stuff at the same store so that is not factored in. I doe stop mid-trips and pick up a loaf of bread or milk if needed.