Whats normal to spend on food each week?

[bobolove]

We spend almost $300 a week on food at home and at least $100 a week eating out. Not including paper products or personal products. Looking to get down and wondering if its already cosidered low?

 

[adventure_woman]

How many people are in the family?

We have DH, myself, DD5 and DD1 and we spend about $125/wk including toiletries/paper products etc. Probably about $20 eating out/wk.

I do budget shop - go to Aldi's to get milk/bananas/etc. Bread store for bread. Coupons when I can, etc.

 

[Priorityonecb]

We are a family of three. I spend on average $100 a week in groceries/paper products/pet food etc. I joined the Eat At Home Thread which really helped keep me on track eating home most nights. We now eat out a few times a month, instead of a few times a week!

 

[bobolove]

We are a family of 2 adults and 5 kids. I've never done the coupon thing because its seems like brands we don't eat. Do you just switch brands when the coupons come out?

 

[scrapquitler]

Family of 4 (DD15, DS8) I spend about $200 per week on groceries, probably $30-40 eating out.

 

[raisindiskids]

We are a family of 2 adults 5 kids also and we don't spend close to that. Our weekly grocery bill comes in around 160 most weeks and that includes paper goods too. We usually eat out every other week and that runs us about 60 if we get chinese take out. I have started to use coupons for certain things but try to just follow sales.

 

[vicki_c]

For our family of 4, in the DC area also, we spend about $700/month (includes all toiletries, cleaning products in addition to food) and I think that's a lot. We probably average another $200/mo eating out most months and I wish that was lower.

I really think your spending is quite high - I hope you're eating lots of yummy foods!

 

[momto2inKC]

Family of 4, we spend about $125-200 a week on groceries. We only eat out 1 time a week which runs us about $30.

 

[McKelly]

I budget $175.00 a week and normally can stick to that. This includes food and toiletries. I initially start the week with a $150.00 budget and then mid-week the other $25.00 is for a milk, fresh veg/fruit and bread run. I have to shop the sales to keep it at that though, meaning whatever meat is on sale at the butcher is what we are eating that week. We are a family of four, kids are 11 and 13. We rarely eat out, so that is for seven days.

 

[21yankees]

I have a family of 5 (2 adults and 3 elementary school age kids). Our budget for food, paper products, cleaners, dog food, etc is $125 a week. I coupon (I follow a lot of coupon bloggers) and stock up when I can on non-perishable items.

 

[Pigeon]

Food cost vary hugely in different areas, so what one person spends may have no relevance to you at all.

We spend about $140/week at the grocery store for two older kids and two adults. That includes paper products, toiltries, cleaning products and the occasional box of kitty litter. We eat out maybe twice a month.

I have no brand loyalty at all and house brands are fine, which is key to keeping cost down. I always read the flier and plan what I'll buy around that. I buy whatever is on sale and./or is cheapest. I stock up on loss leaders. I'll use a coupon if it makes the items cheaper than the house brand, which typically is only when the item is on sale, as the house brands are almost always cheaper than even a sale brand item.

I occasionally shop at Aldi, which I like very much for lots of things, but is a bit of a trip for me.

 

[kimberlym322]

I wish I has 300.00 a week to spend on food each week! For me, my sister and her 2 teenage sons we spend about 400.00 a month at the store for everything. Depending if we eat out in a week 100.00 each time. And about 25.00 a week on drinks/milk (not this month got FREE milk-the best kind)/bread. However we do A LOT of couponing...we have not bought TP or paper towles/tissues in a year and still have a closet full of them.

We are a family of 2 adults and 5 kids. I've never done the coupon thing because its seems like brands we don't eat. Do you just switch brands when the coupons come out?

Yes we switch brands depending on coupons. There are somethings that we don't switch like soda, canned tuna, and mac & cheese. Everything else is what ever coupon there is and it is on sale that is what we get. Like this last week smart balance milk was on sale and we had coupons, never tryed it but it was free so that is what we got. I tryed it and the fat free milk in that is better then the store fat free milk...so I have what equals 3 gallions of milk that I got for free. I would say if there is a coupon for something and it is on sale-that you get it cheap or free-buy it and try it, if you dont like it you know not to buy that brand of product the next time. Same way with cleaning stuff...buy what you have a coupon for and that is on sale. Stock up if you can...we have not bought dishwasher soap in over a year because we hit it on sale last year. Dish soap most of the time you can get 2/1.00. Toothpast is the same way most of the time with a sale and a coupon you can get it for free. The list is endless.

Good Luck!

 

[Pigeon]

I mean to add that whether or not couponing is worth it can depend on the policies of your local grocery stores. My friend who lives two hours away makes out like a bandit with coupons because her stores double. Ours do not.

 

[Kitikat]

Our budget for food $100 bi-weekly & $20 for personals for me, Dh, DD20, DS18 (when he's home on leave) Ds14, and Dd 10. I have been coupon (not hardcore) for about 2 yrs. We eat out on bdays

 

[DisneyMamaof3girls]

We are a family of 5 including 3 elementary school age girls. I average $150-175/week for groceries, paper goods, pet food, hh cleaners, etc. We spend about $60 on eating out each week. This is one weeknight dinner such as pizza or subway and a sit down lunch after church. My older two girls do eat at school almost everyday, so I spend an additional $18.50 for 10 lunches in a week. My youngest dd takes her lunch. All three take a healthy snack to school each day. We try to do a couple of meat free dinners each week to help with the budget. Breakfast for dinner is another budget friendly option that my girls love.

 

[pyrxtc]

family with 2 adults and 3 kids here. I spend between $150 and $200 each week for everything.

 

[Southernmiss]

Family of 6 3 teen boys and an active 10 yr old dd averaged $808 monthly last year for groceries and Walmart incidentas (Tp, tissues, etc.) DH and I bring lunch oldest DS comes home for lunch others buy at school.

We rarely eat out and if we do it's Sonic 1/2 price night or very budget Wendy's $ meals --we save eating out for vacations!

 

[jacksmom]

We spend approx $180. a week for everything including paper products, beauty supplies, pet food, laundry deter. etc. And, Dh and I eat all meals b,l, and d on this budget! Ds buys lunch at school! I use coupons, but we eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies!

 

[apnep]

We spend almost $300 a week on food at home and at least $100 a week eating out. Not including paper products or personal products. Looking to get down and wondering if its already cosidered low?

Wow. We are a family of 5 and I spend about $130 a week and that inlcude paper products/toiletries/cleaning supplies.

How many people are in your family?

ETA: OK I went back and read the posts, I see you have 7. Also, my kids are 14, 10, 8 and 85 (my 18 year old cat ). We don't eat out a lot. Occasional stops at fast food if we are in a bind so about $25-30 if we do.

 

[mom4graceandlogan]

I actually don't think your current spending is high considering the number of kids in the family. Remember you are posting on a budget board with people watching their $ and that have been using a budget. I admire all the super low weeky totals. I was spending about $900.00 a month on groceries for our family of 5. That includes some organic meat and dairy and fruit. that includes making lunches for 10,8 and 2 year old and snacks. I was kind of watching what I spent but not using coupons. I just challenged myself to spend $525.00 this month on groceries. We are buying a house and need to cut back. Not sure if I will make it or not.

If you want to shave money off your grocery budget, these boards are great. This month I have bought enough chicken breast on sale at 1.99 a pound and ground beef on sale at 2.69 a pound at whole foods to make at least 15 dinners. I am menu planning. Making a designated leftover night(creatively called second chance buffet by someone on the board) and making a meatless and breakfast night to save $. Meatless will be black bean soup in crockpot. Breakfast for dinner will also be meatless this week may be cereal and fruit, or eggs biscuits and fruit. It takes time to map out the menu but feels great when you actually know what's for dinner. For me trying not to waste and throw out food and buying meat on sale and planning menus around that are my best money savers. I don't coupon but have little brand loyalty and buy whatever is on sale or buy one get one free. Check out the eat at home thread if you are struggling for menu ideas and there is a great old crockpot meals thread that I would think would be great for your family to ensure eating at home.

As far as eating out, it cost $50 for our family of 5 to eat cheap mexican or pizza. I admire anyone who is eating out for $30.00 that is not fast food. Chick fil A drive thru costs us $26.00. And we are light eaters. When I cook I use one pound of meat for all of us and usally have leftovers. We are trying to stay under $80.00 a weeks for eating out most months. That is for 5 of us, two eating off kids meals. That is one fast food meal and one sit down that is cheap(for us).