Grocery Bills - Those who eat healthy would you share

[mooooom]

3 teenagers. It's about $40pp weekly. We buy very little processed food, but don't buy organic. That is including cleaning supplies, but we don't spend much on those. We buy a lot of frozen fruit (berries) and try to buy in season produce, but that doesn't get you very far in a place that has a 4 month growing season, so that part doesn't go well.

[StephanieZ]

$20/person per week. Yes, I coupon.

[Lovedtodeath]

$20/person per week. Yes, I coupon.

Okay, I am really trying to learn here. Where/how do you get the coupons? What do you use them for? Do you go to lots of stores and spend time researching sales? Do you have double and triple coupon specials at your stores?

[Diana B]

I get about $330/month food stamps and feed 3-4 people on that. ($330 is what they give us for only 2 of us though!) I say 3-4 because my living situation is interesting and we often have an extra person in the house.

 

I buy very little prepackaged stuff, but because I have the food stamps, I have a tendency to splurge on stuff every now and then. I would say I probably also spend $30/month cash on places that don't take food stamps (but its a better price than buying @ a place that does).

 

We do use a lot of coupons. I mostly use coupons for treats that I can get super cheap! (Granola bars, crackers, etc) I occasionally am able to get a good deal on things like milk, yogurt, or juice by using coupons.

 

I buy a lot of fruits and veggies during the summer, frozen in the winter. I try to buy seasonal as much as possible. My biggest expense is meat - I am making a very conscience effort to buy only pastured, grass-fed beef & chicken.

[Mom2J112903]

We do take a large chunk (about $1K) from our income tax refund and stock the deep freeze and other non-perishable items. We buy 1/2 hog from our local butcher as well.

 

We buy frozen concentrate orange juice, do not buy milk nor did we buy a subsitute when J was dairy free. Ok, minus the vanilla almond milk we will get ourselves in the winter to make hot chocolate with-yummy!!!!

 

I did get some "extras" today, J has decided that he loves seafood and has been wanting to try *everything*. So, my child's newest loves-lobster and crab. Yes my son, this is a treat, Momma isn't made of money.

[Daisy]

I spend $500 a month to feed a family of 4. This includes any eating out we do (not often. The occasional pizza or In and Out burger).

 

I buy organic produce, organic grains, and raw dairy from our local farmer's co-op, grow a garden, and buy the rest of veggies at Trader Joe's. I do buy occasional items at my locally owned grocery store or local butcher.

[Karen in CO]

Looking back at my spending report for the last three months - we spend about $50 per person per week but that includes everything I buy at Target - I can't seperate it. The ony meat we eat is buffalo, grass-fed beef, wild caught salmon and wild-caught shrimp. I buy as much of our veggies and fruit organic as possible. We eat meatless at least twice a week. I have a small garden that produces all the basil we can eat plus a salad almost everyday. My eggs come from my backyard hens. We buy either organic milk or goat milk so that is a big expense. I started making my own granola - yum - so that was a big savings until you add in the yogurt to go on it :) . Last month we had 8 people in the house instead of the usual 4, but my average held-up - it was staggering, but apparently I am consistent.

 

This year, I'm getting a freezer and a 1/4 buffalo plus hopefully some elk and deer. That should help with the expenses.

[Luckymama]

5 people (two teens), living in suburbia with incredible grocery store competition and double coupons (most fully double up to $.99, so a $.75 coupon=$1.50 savings).

 

I spend $400/month on groceries, so that works out to $16 per person per week. I shop at four different grocery stores, a natural foods coop, and Costco (for coffee beans and dairy products mainly). We buy some organic but commercial meats. Sale prices are good: boneless chicken breast for $1.69/lb, bone-in pieces for $.49/lb, boneless pork loin for $1.49/lb (once or twice a year for $.99/lb---I buy 20+lb then), whole roaster-type chickens for $.69/lb. We don't eat much beef, just some roasts ($.99/lb) in the winter and a few London broils ($1.49/lb boneless cut) for the grill.

 

Dd15 has multiple food allergies (soy, bunch o' fruits) and intolerances (MSG, fresh yeast, provolone cheese). My idea of processed food is to buy taco shells! I make and bake almost everything we eat. I can no longer bake bread or pizza crust because the yeast in homemade products causes a 3 day headache :( I buy non-HFCS, non-soy whole grain bread at the Pepperidge Farms outlet nearby. For a treat, I get bagels once in a while.

 

I coupon like it's a job. I use www.HotCouponWorld.com (individual forums for any store you could every imagine) and several other sites.

 

For you Dave Ramsey types, there is a couponing forum on llnoe.com.

[jld]

I haven't read the other responses, and it's been a long time since I've lived in America, but I always spent more than anyone I knew on food. And I wondered if I really spent more, or if other people were really keeping track of what they spent. Or what they were eating, and how much.

 

For a produce-heavy vegetarian diet five years ago in the Midwest, I probably spent about $1500 a month for a family of then 6 people. With meals out included, it was probably closer to $2k. I guess that's shocking, but I'm pretty sure that's what it was.

 

Later (2008) I switched to a more discount store from the organic, whole foods store I was doing most of my shopping at years earlier, and the bill was down to around a $1000/month plus meals out. I did my main shopping at the discount store once a week or every other week, plus picked up produce at farm stands, plus bought health items at the local health store, and sometimes just stopped at the local grocery for various items. I remember regularly running in just for fruit and having it be around $30. It just all adds up.

 

When we were living in France (2006-2007), I bought most of my produce at the organic stand in the market, plus bought staples at the bio store, plus bought some stuff at Carrefour once a week or so, plus ran into the local Monoprix for various desires, and of course went to the local bakery several times a week. My dd told me recently that she used to always think I spent too much money on food, especially fresh produce, but now she is glad I did. She noticed that her grandmother rarely has fresh fruit around, and certainly not organic, and she really missed it the last time she stayed with her. To her fresh fruit is a normal thing to eat daily, and I'm glad of that. That's what I want normal to mean to my kids.

 

In France we didn't eat out very often because it was so expensive. Man, I used to really get bugged with dh over that, as he had put the ax on eating out right away when we moved there. I really love eating out, too.

 

Here in India I buy fresh vegetables about once a week and fresh fruit every other day or even daily. I buy readymade sauces which we put over rice or baked potatoes. I recently started buying cheese again, which the kids like over pasta or with bread (from the bakery). Sometimes the cleaning lady will make sambhar for us. We also eat out, yesterday at Subway and the gelato place for lunch, and last night at the local restaurant for dinner. I'm sure I save money on food here in India, but I haven't totaled it up lately. I'm sure I still spend more than some people in America, as we just really like fresh produce, which I'm convinced is a big part of the bill. I'm hopeless that way. I just really like fresh food.

 

Okay, I'm pretty hopeless in general when it comes to food. I love food, I love eating out, and I guess I've always spent more than I ever needed to on it. Shame on me!

[Lara in Colo]

Not to pick on you, how do you know how much you spend if you are stocking up? I mean, do you spend more on the weeks that you stock up? Same question for those who buy some things in bulk. Are those budgeted in or are you guessing? I would love to slash our bill some more, but I don't see it happening...

 

 

I partially guessed the amount. I usually spend around 90-100 a week.

 

Sometimes its 25 or 40 or 60, usually its 100.00 some times its 110 or 130 or maybe 150.0 (very rarely-like the 25.00 weeks)

 

So I sort of took the mean. (or is that the median?) anyways, like a PP said, stocking up (after some time) is just a way of life. I have enough toothpaste for a year (and fem hyg, deodorant, shaving cream, shamopoo) I do not worry about that (unless its a really good deal) That weekly money can be spent on other deals --Like hamburger or whatever.

After about 6 months, you get a feel for the rotation of the sales and know how much to stock up on at the given time.

 

Much like school supply sales.

 

Lara

[Carrie12345]

Yes, I agree. If you keep a well stocked pantry, that at some point had to involve a pecuniary outlay. Do you factor that in as well?

 

Stockpiling rarely bumps my budget up because it's done one item (or a couple small items) at a time (and at its cheapest possible price). When you cycle like that, you're not buying all of the *other* stockpile items for X number of weeks, which frees up the money for *that* week's items.

[OrganicAnn]

I budget $100 per week which is for 3 people and rarely need that much, but because I shop sales and coupons sometimes I spend more and sometimes less. I would guess it averages about $85 per week (that includes non-grocery items).

 

I buy organic produce almost all the time. In the summer we buy from the farmer's market and have a big garden. We buy local eggs usually at the farmers market. We eat meat only about once or two a week at most. Sometimes I bake bread and sometimes we buy it. Crackers and chips are the most common processes item we buy.

[Mom0012]

I don't think I have ever seen meat that cheap.

 

Ground beef, ground turkey, pork and chicken are regularly on sale in my area (Northern Virginia) for that price.

 

Lisa

[eternalknot]

We are a family of three (1 adult, 2 kids) but my eldest eats adult-sized portions so it's like shopping for 2 adults and 1 kid. I don't formally budget, but the past few grocery bills ran $125-150 for a weeks' worth of food. I don't buy cleaning supplies, hygiene products, gadgets or supplements with my groceries; it's all food.

 

Our diet is primary fruit, vegetables, grains, and legumes - we don't eat meat and we rarely consume dairy (milk, eggs, yogurt, cheese). I buy a 6-pack of eggs and stick of butter every 3-4 months when the kids get the itch to bake, but those aren't things I buy regularly. I don't buy or make bread very often because we don't like sandwiches - maybe 2 loaves a year in the fall/winter during soup season.

 

I rarely buy packaged foods/meals. The exceptions are: Fig Newmans for my son and Irish quick-cooking oatmeal packets for my daughter, and frozen organic waffles for both. Those are regular purchases, but I only buy one of each monthly (not weekly). Once every 4-5 months I'll buy a box of Annie's Cheddar Bunnies, but that's usually tied into my turn to bring snacks to park day. I do buy 3-4 cans of coconut milk each week.

 

I buy nuts, nut butters, spices, rice, pasta, beans, and flours in bulk about 75% of the time. I don't buy juices or sodas because we drink only water and hot tea (I buy my tea leaf in bulk online). We go through massive amounts of fruits and vegetables each day, and those are where my biggest expenses are. I live in a moderate cost-of-living area, and grocery shop at two stores: Whole Foods and my town's farmers' market.

[jewellsmommy]

We are a family of 3. I spend, on average, $50-$75 a week. I shop a lot at Harris Teeter because they double coupons and have buy 1 get 2free and buy 2 get 3 free sales all the time. I also shop Trader Joes. I avoid HFCS like the plague. I buy some organic, but not everything. We buy regular meat. Although, when I buy packaged meat, I get nitrite/nitrate free. I grind my own grain and make most of our baked products. I avoid as much processed food as possible. Other times I pick the best of the choices, if that makes sense. We do have a small garden and I wish we could buy more organic and free range than what we do, but I do the best with what we have :001_smile:.

[i.love.lucy]

I know I can find good sales on meats if I look at the sales circulars and am willing to go to different stores, but then I have the challenge of no extra freezer. I have very little space in my freezer and it's making me crazy.

 

But my real question is how to I save money on produce? My local farmers market is practically twice as expensive as the grocery store because it's supposedly all organic. I want to buy all organic but honestly I just can't afford it. I have a Sprouts in my area, as well as Whole Foods (I never go there!) and Costco. I don't have a Costco membership...should I get one? Would I save enough on food to justify the membership cost?

 

I keep hearing people say "we only eat local produce and no prepackaged stuff", and I am trying to do the same, but the items on my shopping list that cost us the most are produce and dairy! I have no idea how to save money on those things!:bigear:

[Lara in Colo]

I know I can find good sales on meats if I look at the sales circulars and am willing to go to different stores, but then I have the challenge of no extra freezer. I have very little space in my freezer and it's making me crazy.

 

But my real question is how to I save money on produce? My local farmers market is practically twice as expensive as the grocery store because it's supposedly all organic. I want to buy all organic but honestly I just can't afford it. I have a Sprouts in my area, as well as Whole Foods (I never go there!) and Costco. I don't have a Costco membership...should I get one? Would I save enough on food to justify the membership cost?

 

I keep hearing people say "we only eat local produce and no prepackaged stuff", and I am trying to do the same, but the items on my shopping list that cost us the most are produce and dairy! I have no idea how to save money on those things!:bigear:

 

 

 

I love love love Sprouts!!!! I also have a Costco membership and I personally do not find it all that great. Most of the stuff is so big that you end up wasting a lot of it. Plus everything is about 10.00. Yes they are huge, but you can't buy that many things before you are broke. We have a membership for the business and I have DH pick up the occasional stuff for me, but I actually find that I save more money combining a coupon with a sale. Some stuff is reallt good deal, just know ahead of time what you would normally pay per pound and figure which is cheaper. I would recommend you share a membership with someone. (they buy it, you pay half and go together).

[KS_]

 

But my real question is how to I save money on produce? My local farmers market is practically twice as expensive as the grocery store because it's supposedly all organic. I want to buy all organic but honestly I just can't afford it. I have a Sprouts in my area, as well as Whole Foods (I never go there!) and Costco. I don't have a Costco membership...should I get one? Would I save enough on food to justify the membership cost?

 

I keep hearing people say "we only eat local produce and no prepackaged stuff", and I am trying to do the same, but the items on my shopping list that cost us the most are produce and dairy! I have no idea how to save money on those things!:bigear:

 

I just joined Bountiful Baskets, which is a produce coop that spans Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Texas, Arizona, Nevada & Washington. They have an organic option every other week, and I think that will help save us money on produce. You might check into seeing if there's a coop in your area (I heard about this by word of mouth) if you're not in one of those states.