What is your weekly food budget?

We are trying to do some major cut backs - and I see people on here saying they spend so little on groceries - My mom insists that you can definitely do all the shopping for well under $100 a week and still eat healthy 3 meals a day - she is including supplies too like paper towels, toilet paper, etc. I find we can do $100 but I am running low or out by day 5 or 6.

What is your weekly food budget? Esp if you are 2 adults and 2 children (3 and 1). Does that include 3 meals a day? Does that include trips for bulk items at a place such as costco or BJs?

Also what are you making for that price - mostly PJ sandwiches? processed things like Mac and cheese - or fresh things like chicken and veggies, fruits?

It would be great if someone could share maybe their weekly lists or their menus.

Re: What is your weekly food budget?

I spend approx $50-$75 a week. It is only DH and I but I will offer what I do to save...

I check the sales. I usually shop at Shop Rite and Trader Joes.

Weekly, I purchase milk, OJ, coldcuts, meats, and other items like bread, canned goods, yogurt, frozen stuff, fruits, veggies and various sale items.

I save by buying cereal in Trader Joes. Cereal everywhere else is pricey. I also save by buying some frozen veggies as opposed to fresh. IE, asparagus is $2.99 a pound usually. AT trader joes, I buy a pound frozen for $1.99. Instead of buying chopped lettuce all ready for you, I buy the 3 pack of romaine. I also use coupons as needed. And stocking up on sale items such as meat or soda. I NEVER pay full price.

I do buy some stuff at BJ's but that's once in a while. Hamburgers and hotdogs, condiments because they are cheap for the amount you get and they last a LONG time.

Most of the stuff I cook is homemade and fresh. However, the only processed stuff I buy is Mac and Cheese. But it's from Trader Joes, organic and a bit cheaper than Kraft.

Daily, I make a meat dish along with a veggie side and salad.

Message edited 8/8/2010 10:31:45 AM.

Re: What is your weekly food budget?

We spend about 200 every other week (sometimes longer) and pick up milk and a very few items (usually bananas) between that - 2 adults 2 kids


I think I'm lucky b/c DS #1 would eat carrots, cucumbers, celery, broccoli, pretzels and dip every day for lunch.

#2 is a string cheese, yogurt and banana lunch.

#2 will go back to day care in september and lunch and snacks are included there in the tuition (that helped a lot! although I pay for it one way or another)


We don't eat a lot of meat (there are always nuts to snack on though), so I think that helps. But we do grill steak once a week, so for $5 or so, we have dinner that night and then I make leftovers with it the next day. Onions and eggplant are my favorite (and cheap) grill options.

I love the $.99 pizza dough (thanks kara!) from trader Joes. I make great pizzas with spinach and broccoli and pesto with it and also I'll do stuffed bread with it. that's a great left over to bring to lunch too! I can also put meat in DH's side.

DH isn't a salad person, but when I put bacon, hardboiled eggs and maybe some cut up turkey, he'll eat 2 plates. (this is my lunch for work)

breakfasts are easy around here - #1 loves cereal, including rice crispies (or krispie rice) which is reasonable he'll eat it with an apple on the side (apples are a good fall back for us). #2 loves toast (we get the double fiber arnold bread on sale and freeze it). a cereal bar too.

we do fall back on the trader joes breaded Chicken and french fries, eggs (breakfast burritos, frittatas etc) and occasionally hot dogs, mac n cheese (DS insists that there is broccoli in it! I don't argue), tortalini from costco.

I do buy TP from costco (DH likes the kirkland one), but I usually feel there are better deals on paper towels at the stores. I also get juiceboxes (for lunchbox), nutrigrain bars, ready made bacon and butter at costco.

milk I buy at dairy barn - 4 half gallons for $6.25

snacks for the kids are usually ice pops. I try to buy the Edy's fruit bars on sale or at costco, but I also have the flavo-ice ones too. although they find watermelon to be a treat too.

Re: What is your weekly food budget?

Honestly we spend about 200 every 2 months at BJ's for meat/snacks etc. Then spend around 40-50 bucks a week for stuff like deli meat/produce...

ETA: Just DH and I who both work retail so it's not like we're cooking full meals every night...

Message edited 8/8/2010 11:57:20 AM.

Re: What is your weekly food budget?

We spend more like $200 a week or more. IMO you can't eat healthy cheap. We buy organic and it's not cheap but it's what I want to feed my family.

Re: What is your weekly food budget?

I spend about $100 a week on groceries as well. I only shop the flyers and buy in bulk and stock up and put a lot of meat in the freezer.

Re: What is your weekly food budget?

See I'm not buying any soda or processed foods (except for say 1 jar of sauce) and some peanut butter. I'm just buying a little meat (just enough to barely get thru the week (we run out usually day 5 or 6) and just enough veggies and some fruits to make it thru the week. We don't eat steak - maybe like once a month or even less.

The girls eat an egg and some fruit or cheerios and fruit for breakfast.

We have cream cheese or PB&J sandwich with carrots and other left over veggies from the night before and fruit for lunch.

Dinner is something like chicken with string beans or broccoli and steamed carrots for the girls - we do the same just prepare it differently for DH and I for dinner.

Snacks - apples and cheerios and sometimes a cheese stick.

But things like Milk, veggies and fruits seem to cost so much.

Re: What is your weekly food budget?

I tend to buy the meat that has the $1.00-$2.00 off stickers on it from Stop & Shop.

I make lots of rice, potatoes and pasta to fill us up.

At least one or two nites a week is no meat dishes.

I make homemade pizza once a week with a salad and pasta on another night to save money.

I've been shopping at the farmer's markets each weekend but they are not cheap (just like buying fresh veggies at the super market is not cheap).

Certain things are cheaper at Target, like ground meat.

I probably spend between $50.00-$100.00 a week but could probably make do on less. I tend to go out of habit, or get things I have a craving for like fresh bread and cheeses.

Re: What is your weekly food budget?

Wow - I am interested in this too - under $100? I don't think I could do it. We spend about $200/wk - sometimes more but, not much less. I will say, we probably spend quite a bit more just b/c I buy a lot of organic/natural and we have limited options near here for that so I do most of my shopping at whole foods.

Message edited 8/8/2010 6:54:59 PM.

Re: What is your weekly food budget?

$100 for 2 people

Re: What is your weekly food budget?

usually i spend about $300 a month in groceries.. not including the little purchases like more milk or bread in between

since we have a on the way, we are trying to cut down and only spend $200 a month & of course when the baby comes, include diapers/wipes to that budget

so far so good.. this is month #2 on the $100 every other week budget & i've been able to do it... just gotta shop sales

Re: What is your weekly food budget?

There are only two of us, and I cook maybe 2-3 nights a week. Other nights are throw together meals or take out or eat out.

We shop every two weeks and spend about $170 or so.

I get toilet paper, paper towels and garbage bags..etc.. at Costco, once every 6-8 weeks and that's usually around $80.

I buy natural/organic meats mostly. I find produce at Fairway is cheaper than any of the other supermarkets and it's ripe and ready to eat.

I take breakfast every day and lunch about every other day. DH doesn't take breakfast or lunch usually but every now and then I get him to do it.

Re: What is your weekly food budget?

I only shop sales and it's about $60-$70 a week for DH and I. I stock up on the freezer steamer veggies (Shoprite had them for $1 a bag two weeks ago) and buy meat in bulk when it's on sale and freeze it. I only buy in-season fresh fruit and veggies and only on sale. I know where there are better buys. I will go to different stores. I only buy cereal and lean cuisines/smart ones at Target and Walmart because they are A LOT cheaper there.