Food budget - what do YOU consider reasoable

[wvugurl26]

I'd guess my food bill is somewhere around $400-500/month. I do shop sales and try to keep things stocked that we use but yeah its probably high for two adults.

Breakfast for dinner sounds like a quick meal but I'm allergic to egg whites. It doesn't happen in my house. We tried making waffles one night but the brand new out of the box waffle maker was defective.

If I'm actually in a good pattern and cooking most nights I don't worry too much about it. If I'm cooking dinner mostly from scratch we aren't eating out.

[cronewitch]

Two people but we both buy food randomly. I am super cheap most of the time so spending $60 a week seems excessive but then I might spend on just meat another day so maybe $60 five times a month. I don't buy organic because I think it is weird and the opposite would be inorganic and break your teeth.

I think if you are poor you can feed a family poor people food for less than 100 a week. If you aren't poor you can spend $400 a week. I grew up on poor people food so like it. To eat like poor people cheaply you base meals on carbs and veggies with meat as a garnish or special treat unless you kill a deer or butcher rabbits or something. I tend to buy lots of inorganic chicken and have lots of dry beans. I stock up on inorganic turkeys at Thanksgiving and we get fish by catching them. I love beans and veggies so usually have a pot of bean soup going sometimes with boneless skinless breast of chicken. I eat whatever fruit is on sale for desert. Snacks like crackers or chips are rare treats because I am watching my sodium and fat so I look at the price per ounce and usually talk myself out of them.

There are lots of ways of eating cheap but if you can afford high quality and want it then food is a reasonable thing to buy as long as you control waste. Eating out is expensive and generally less healthy so I try not to more than 3-4 times a year.

[Peace Of Mind]

I won't even try to guess since we spend more than an average family of 5 and there is just 2 of us.  But we feed 6 cats so I'm sure that it's because of them that our bill is so high.       I stopped looking at how bad it's gotten years ago.  The good news is I know the quality brand of cat food to buy in our retirement if we screw up before then.  It has real salmon, fish and chicken in it.  I just hope we can afford it then! 

[whoisjohngalt]

OK, reading all replies, will answer in a bit.

thank you guys!!

[swamp]

Dec 16, 2013 12:43:32 GMT -5 milee said:

Some ideas for decreasing the amount spent without changing the quality:

1)  At least one night per week should be a "bean" night. Not only are dried beans incredibly nutritious (very high nutrient density compared to calories), they're dirt cheap in the bulk bins - even the organic ones. Combine them with a grain and you have a complete protein. Our favorites are black beans and rice, red beans and rice, Lablabi (Tunisian chickpea stew), black bean tostadas, huevos rancheros with beans and any soup made with navy or great northern beans.

Serving beans for dinner at my house will get me killed.

[milee]

Dec 16, 2013 15:54:24 GMT -5 swamp said:

Dec 16, 2013 12:43:32 GMT -5 milee said:

Some ideas for decreasing the amount spent without changing the quality:

1)  At least one night per week should be a "bean" night. Not only are dried beans incredibly nutritious (very high nutrient density compared to calories), they're dirt cheap in the bulk bins - even the organic ones. Combine them with a grain and you have a complete protein. Our favorites are black beans and rice, red beans and rice, Lablabi (Tunisian chickpea stew), black bean tostadas, huevos rancheros with beans and any soup made with navy or great northern beans.

Serving beans for dinner at my house will get me killed.

Only the first time or two.  Then they get resigned to the idea.  After a few months, they start figuring out their favorites and asking for them.  Kinda like how you get them to eat Kale.  It doesn't happen randomly.

[Deleted]

Dec 16, 2013 16:00:25 GMT -5 milee said:

Dec 16, 2013 15:54:24 GMT -5 swamp said:

Serving beans for dinner at my house will get me killed.

Only the first time or two.  Then they get resigned to the idea.  After a few months, they start figuring out their favorites and asking for them.  Kinda like how you get them to eat Kale.  It doesn't happen randomly.

I hate beans so they do not get served in my house.  I have served kale and it was eaten by DS1.

[swamp]

I make bean stuff for me. DD will eat it. DS and DH will not.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

After a few months, they start figuring out their favorites and asking for them

It took you only a few months?  Lucky.    I've been trying meatless meals for at least a year now (probably more) and just finally had DH tell me he likes one and wants me to make it again.  He likes a corn cake & black bean recipe out of one of my new cookbooks.

I work around him by adding beans/rice/vegetables to whatever I'm cooking to stretch the meat out.  Like if I make a stir fry there are way more vegetables than meat.  I am using less meat so I'm happy and DH sees meat so he's happy.

[sarcasticgirl]

Dec 16, 2013 16:08:31 GMT -5 swamp said:

I make bean stuff for me. DD will eat it. DS and DH will not.

I love beans... but DH won't eat them unless they are in chili or in a dish at a restaurant. He'll have beans in his burrito when we're dining out... but won't add them to tacos or burritos at home. 

I grew up having things like 10 bean soup and the ever popular pinto beans with leftover ham from the holidays and corn bread. DH won't touch these things. He's such a pain.

[shanendoah]

Eating out is part of my budget, too, but I would separate eating out from grocery food for just a month or two so that you know which direction the dollars are going in. That makes it easier to figure out where to trim the budget if you want to.

Things that have helped us keep the budget in control (when we were actually paying attention):
Shopping the pantry while meal planning (we plan meals around what we have, or at least know what we need to buy for the meals we want to make)
At least one dinner per week with no meat
Cook two nights worth of food at a time (we are fine with leftovers, and especially when we were trying not to eat out, this made dinner at home quicker and easier than going out)
Maintain the staples for simple meals your family loves- rice and cream of mushroom, pasta and tomato sauce, etc. (On nights when you don't feel like making what you planned, something simple that's always a hit with the family can be the lifesaver)
Limit the grocery shopping to once per week

[Gardening Grandma]

I agree with laterbloomer - you need to separate your food and eating out. I’d go one step further and separate food alone from non food. Once you do that, you may find that actual food isn’t “crazy” but other things are.

How much do you actually spend on food?

We spend about $600/mo for 2 people. That is just food (household, wine, pet food etc are separate line items). I could probably trim that to $500/mo if I had to. You are feeding 5 people, so I think a reasonable amount would be anywhere from $600 - $1000/mo (for food alone - not eating out). Depending on lots of variables (I’m not at all familiar with New England).

I budget eating out under “Entertainment” because that’s what it is to us. Take out or fast food might be a different category for a busy family.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Dec 16, 2013 14:56:29 GMT -5 @southernsusana said:

Milee, is Whole Paycheck your nickname for Whole Foods or is there actually a grocery store with that name?

I think menu planning is the key.  If I just go to the grocery store to buy some "food," I way overspend. 

Yes, Whole Paycheck and Whole Checkbook are common nicknames for Whole Foods.  

[milee]

Dec 16, 2013 16:05:43 GMT -5 @anne81 said:

kale, butternut, and pine nut kimchi. Surprisingly tasty, especially when fresh.

milkimchi.com/butternut-squash-kimchi-with-kale-and-pine-nuts/

OMG, that looks awesome! I'll try that. The owner of the Asian food store near me (small, hole in the wall with all sorts of fantastic things printed in languages I can't read) makes homemade foods, including kimchi.  My favorite is her cucumber kimchi.  It's spicy enough to make my lips tingle, yet cool and a little sweet from the cucumber chunks.  Yum.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Two adults and two teenage boys with hollow legs and insatiable appetites living in a VHCOLA.  

Due to life-threatening food allergies, we do not buy or eat cheaper proteins such as eggs, tree nuts, or soy (tofu, TSP, etc.).

Most of our protein comes from chicken and beef washed down with copious amounts of skim milk.  I buy all meat on sale in bulk and keep a large upright and smaller chest freezer full or close to full.

We eat lots of fresh, organic produce and lots of whole wheat carbs (breads, pasta, etc.) that I also try to buy on sale.  I grow some veggies in the summer, but because they are so fresh and taste so good they don't make it to the freezer.  

Everyone eats breakfast and dinner at home and brings homemade lunches to work or school.  (As regards the size of the kids' lunches, they put construction workers to shame.)  

We are also snackers--Goldfish, peanut butter and crackers, pretzels, granola bars, pita chips and hummus, tortilla chips and salsa, toast, popcorn, homemade cookies, homemade muffins, homemade cakes/cupcakes, cheese and crackers, etc.  All are purchased on sale in bulk.

I only buy soda, potato chips, Oreos, etc. as a rare treat (or, in the case of soda, to settle upset stomaches).

We waste very little, if anything.  I batch cook, we eat leftovers, and I use planned-overs in new meals.

In the past month, I spent $1235 on groceries (not household items) but that also includes a full Thanksgiving dinner for 16.  So, I guestimate that most months I am north of $1,000 month on groceries only.  

I shop at Whole Foods, Stop and Shop, Market Basket, and BJs.  

Eating out is a different budget item.  Most months it's about $70-100 for the month.  But, birthday months can push it up to $250+ because the birthday person gets taken to a restaurant of their choice.  

IIRC, I believe that I am still in the ball park for the USDA monthly food budget for a family of 4 in a VHCOLA.  

[Chocolate Lover]

I spend roughly $130 to  $160 a week for food and HBAs for 5. I buy whatever, I can't afford to worry about organic. I say around $20 a week is HBAs, more or less. I've been trying to control the waste and get it lower but I've been sucking at that recently.

[Deleted]

Dec 16, 2013 16:29:05 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Dec 16, 2013 14:56:29 GMT -5 @southernsusana said:

Milee, is Whole Paycheck your nickname for Whole Foods or is there actually a grocery store with that name?

I think menu planning is the key.  If I just go to the grocery store to buy some "food," I way overspend. 

Yes, Whole Paycheck and Whole Checkbook are common nicknames for Whole Foods.  

I've never been to Whole Foods, and now I never will.    Thanks for taking one thing off my bucket list.

[Formerly SK]

I just checked and we averaged just under $800/mo for a family of four (grocery store food only) in 2013.  It is what it is.  DH and I like meat, we like having people over for dinner, I like my apples (eat 3/day), and we like our fresh produce.  I get meat at Costco because I trust the quality.  Getting meat from a farm around here is more expensive so we stopped doing that.  Ditto farmers markets (unless I'm there for another reason).  Also, I have dairy/gluten/egg intolerances so many of the "cheaper" meals are out.  We don't do organic, but we don't do too much processed stuff either.

I try to value health over price.  For example, I just bought a bunch of canned kidney beans and the choices were full sodium generic at .69 or low sodium brand name for .99.  I bought the latter.  Yeah yeah, I could make them myself to be even cheaper and healthier but I can't do everything.  I just try to balance it all as best I can.

We eat out maybe 1-2 times a month.  DH and kids pack lunches.

[kittensaver]

Buying in bulk, buying in season, shopping sales/coupons/loss leaders, cooking in quantity/freezing in portions and a No Waste Policy (as close to No Waste as humanly possible) are the real keys to saving money on food. JMHO

[cktc]

I think you just have to find the way to eat and shop that works best for you. I don’t have the energy for sales and coupon shopping, or the self discipline for shopping in bulk. So my new practice is moderation. I know what I want to spend on meat, fruits and veggies, dairy, and grains and I just buy what meets the individual budgets, asking myself how I will feel about the item once I get it home, and whether or not I can reasonably finish it in a week.

You have a lot of options at the store, which can be overwhelming and color your preferences, but you only have as many options at home as you choose. So I bring home foods in small enough portions and with few options so they will remain appealing and be consumed in a timely fashion. Bananas next to cherries are going to rot. Bananas alone will be happily consumed. Also if I am honest about my eating habits, it doesn’t matter what the unit price is, I prefer smaller portions. The lightest package of fresh chicken breasts is going to be more appealing than the bulk one that I would freeze and then begrudgingly consume two weeks later when I am tired of chicken.

I also keep in mind that the store isn’t going anywhere, and they keep a fresh inventory. I don’t have to pick the best of everything, and I don’t need 10 options a day for breakfast. It’s better to buy bagels one week and sourdough bread the next than to bring them both home at the same time, resent the bread and have to decide everyday which you want as they race to go stale.

Of course this is just what works for me. Some people are fantastic cooks and great menu planners and can preserve things and keep variety so their food is always fun and exciting. That isn’t me, and trying to be that way will not save me money. Just be honest with yourself about your preferences and habits.

[drivingaround]

2 adults, no kids and we spend the monthly averages below. We eat every single meal from home cooked food as have no problems eating leftovers or bringing lunch. The meals out/take-out are from vacations, special occasions or night out with friends. We live in a VHCOL where, as example, two burgers and no alcohol is $35 with tax & tip! Just crazy expensive so we don’t eat out a lot. DW saves the Sam’s receipts and breaks-out the categories. 

We keep the cost down by not buying junk food or drinks, which Lena said is not an issue for her.  I'm amazed, when prepping for a party, how much soda and juice adds up!  We eat a mix of meat and vegetarian meals, each eat two fruits and five vegetables a day, stick to buying produce in season and when that's not possible buy frozen.  I detest canned vegetables except possibly corn which we rarely eat.  I can't think of much else as we don't use coupons, we meal plan around the ads and use items in the pantry.  We buy organic meat and eggs plus produce off the dirty dozen list.  Only a couple of things we buy weekly regardless of price: apples, bananas, avocados & yogurt.  

 
$350 on food items only (grocery stores, Sam’s)
$50 on household items/cleaning/HBA (Wal-mart, Target)
$125 on meals out/take-out
 

[whoisjohngalt]

OK, to answer some questions

1.  Can we afford it?  Probably.  Would I rather spend that money on something else that is not pooped out 12 hrs later.  Probably

2.  Garden - I tried having some tomatoes and cucumbers and carrots this year - they were the most expensive produce you'd ever find.  I think I ended up paying $100/tomato.  I might do small garden for the kids since we'll be learning certain things, but not to lower my grocery budget

3.  I do an annual budget and we already broke $12K for this year and I still have 2-3 shoppings left to do

4.  Do I buy seasonal and organic?  Well, in New England there is no "seasonal" for about 7 months, so I guess not?  I hardly ever buy organic produce during winter bc it's is crazy expensive.  Like I said I can't pay $5 for a small container of raspberries that will be gone before I even unload the car.  To "me" that's just too much.  Also, I don't buy produce from Mexico and most berries are from Mexico this time of year.  So, we mostly do apples, bananas, oranges, etc during winter

6.  I am OK with frozen veggies, I think frozen fruit is gross, sorry

7. I am hoping to buy half a cow for next year, may be.  I don't know if that will help greatly, but for some reason I've always wanted to do that

8.  Yes, I do throw some food away.  How much?  Depends on who you ask

9.  Am I unhappy with how much I am spending?  Yes, I think I am.....

-

[steph08]

We spend about $400/month for 2 adults and that is food, eating out, and household goods. It does not include dog food for the 3 beasts.

We could cut back, especially on the eating out (probably 2-3 times/week, not including DH's lunches). I am perfectly happy to sit at home every night and eat fish and rice. DH, however, would prefer pizza every night of the week, and take-out pizza, not that you have to bake yourself.

We also like junk (ice cream, pretzels, PopTarts) but it lasts a while. 

We also rarely buy meat because we hunt and mainly eat venison for steaks, burgers, tacos, etc.

[973beachbum]

Dec 16, 2013 12:20:53 GMT -5 @beerwench said:

My food budget is actually my household budget. I end up picking up food, pet food, cleaning supplies and even health & beauty supplies when I shop. I spend @ $600 month on all of it, but I don't care about organics or name brands. 

I do use coupons and sales to get the non food parts down as close to nothing as I can though.  Other than that I haven't figured out a way to eat the money yet, so I pay the $100ish a week the food costs.  

I don't put eating out in our household budget so anything spent eating out comes out of our fun money.

[whoisjohngalt]

Dec 16, 2013 12:20:53 GMT -5 @beerwench said:

My food budget is actually my household budget. I end up picking up food, pet food, cleaning supplies and even health & beauty supplies when I shop. I spend @ $600 month on all of it, but I don't care about organics or name brands. 

wow, that is LOW.  How do you do that?

[Cookies Galore]

It's just the two of us so our grocery budget is around $350 a month. I have $80 a week as our budget but there are some weeks where we spend over $90 and some where we only spend $60. It all balances out in the end. We eat mostly vegetarian - I eat fish once a week and hubs gets whatever meat product he's feeling in a given week for one meal. Fall and winter are my favorite dinner seasons. I'm making the hell out of veggie chili, butternut squash soup, quinoa and kale dishes, lentils, etc. Last night I made an awesome black bean soup with jalapeno cream.
Alcohol is part of my personal weekly spending budget and eating out is entertainment.

[Deleted]

We've averaged $529 per month so far this year, for two adults.  That's groceries, eating out, travel meals, tea, the works.

We do shop at Whole Foods primarily.  We just like their produce better, it seems to keep a lot longer than stuff from Braums or Walmart, especially the onions.  Weirdly enough, I notice different ingredients on the exact same item at different stores too.  My favorite bbq sauce is sold at both WF and WMT.  The WF labels say that it's sweetened with brown sugar, while the WMT label says the sauce is sweetened with corn syrup.  I haven't tried them both to see if there's a difference in flavor though.  I just fell in love with the WF stuff and snag a jar about once a year. 

[Deleted]

Dec 17, 2013 14:28:28 GMT -5 whoisjohngalt said:

Dec 16, 2013 12:20:53 GMT -5 @beerwench said:

My food budget is actually my household budget. I end up picking up food, pet food, cleaning supplies and even health & beauty supplies when I shop. I spend @ $600 month on all of it, but I don't care about organics or name brands. 

wow, that is LOW.  How do you do that?

Aldi. Store brands. Suave. 10/$10 deals are your friend!

ETA: and WalMart! Can't forget Wally!! 

We don't go out to eat very much. We have a freezer so we stock up on meat when it's dirt cheap. We eat a LOT of chicken! 

I forgot to add the stuff that DH picks up on his way home from work because that's not included in my spending. So we can add another $100. So it's more like $700/month. 

[whoisjohngalt]

Actually, cleaning products and paper products - I don't spend that much on it.  Must be cause I don't clean that much

It's food $$$ that are just crazy high

[Chocolate Lover]

Dec 18, 2013 12:08:21 GMT -5 whoisjohngalt said:

Actually, cleaning products and paper products - I don't spend that much on it.  Must be cause I don't clean that much

It's food $$$ that are just crazy high

Lol! I don't do much spending on those items either, but the shampoo/conditioner/deodorant/shaving supplies are killing me. I use coupons when I can find them but I don't have them every time I'm out of something.