How much do you spend on groceries per month?

[kandb]

We are a family of 5. Live in Northern NJ. We don't deprive ourselves of what we want and I tend to stock up on a lot of food, especially when it is on sale. We don't spend much money going out to dinner (maybe a pizza or Chinese take out once in a while). I would estimate that we spend around $800/month on food per month, maybe a little less. Is this figure way out of line? I always buy stuff that is on sale but I work full time and go out every day for lunch (probably $6/day average, so around $120, just for me), everyone else brown bags it. Is this the norm for a family of 5? Just wondering.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Family of 3, in a low cost of living area, we spend about $1000 a month at the grocery store (does include household items and dog food), and probably another $200 on takout/fast food/restaraunts.

I buy a lot of bagged salads and frozen soups (roughly $50/week worth) for quick lunches, so that is a lot of our cost. And seafood, like wild caught salmon and tuna steaks, is another big part of our grocery cost.

 

[Kellydelly]

We probably spend around $300 a week on food, that would include grocery trips and take out/fast food. It also includes the food for kids' school lunches. We are a family of six.

 

[Klayfish]

Family of 5 in Atlanta. Probably around $800-$900/month....though DS13 seems to eat $500 of it....growing boy.

 

[bdcp]

DH and I in NoVA about $180/week plus a $150 Costco run every 5 weeks or so. We also eat out at least twice on the weekend and lunch once during the week while at work. I buy organic meat and some organic fruit. I just basically buy what I want.

 

[larissawbb]

$1200 a month for a household of four in New England. We brown bag everyday and deliver/share lunch and dinner with three senior neighbors that live on their own.

 

[MSPeeler]

Family of 5, Tennessee, about $100 a week but kids eat lunch free at school. During the summer it's a little but more.
Add probably $50/week for eating out (DH lunches at work or after church)

I guess we don't eat much...

 

[DLgal]

We're at about $1200/month, family of four, high COL area. This includes Target, Costco and Supermarket trips (includes groceries and household stuff). It does not include $50/month for one son's school lunches or any eating out.

 

[jen7233]

Family of four, Midwest. In January I spent about $500 in groceries, $220 in restaurants, and about $200 in lunches for kids that I payed ahead for a portion of the remainder of the school year.

 

[MillauFr]

We budget $2,000 a month for groceries and $1,000 a month for dining out. Family of 4 in Seattle. Half of our grocery budget is spent on wine.

 

[Hook326]

Family of 4, Midwest, we spend $500-600 a month on groceries. We take our lunch to work everyday and the district we are in has free lunches for all students so kids usually eat hot lunch. We usually spend $30-50 eating out each weekend. My boys are only 8 & 10 though, I feel like the food bills are going to skyrocket in the coming years

 

[suevee]

$1100 for family of 3 adults, 2 kids in Maryland near DC. Would be more but shop at military commissary and by and Costco. Does not include eating out or ordering in. Does include non grocery items such as cleaners, hygiene, pet food and papergoods. Some months a little less. And occasional bottle of good whiskey.

 

[McKelly]

Family of 4 in Midwest. I would say about $800.00 a month and that includes subs or pizza out every Friday. Probably 900.00 if I include dog food and toiletries.

 

[ml sumner]

Family of three and we spend around 200 per week at the grocery store. This does include toiletry items and dog food, I shop at Walmart so I'm a One Stop Shop girl. We may spend 40 to $50 on the weekend eating out

 

[sarah4770]

Family of 2, we spend about $350 a month and about $100 a month for takeout.

 

[TwoMisfits]

We are a family of 5. Live in Northern NJ. We don't deprive ourselves of what we want and I tend to stock up on a lot of food, especially when it is on sale. We don't spend much money going out to dinner (maybe a pizza or Chinese take out once in a while). I would estimate that we spend around $800/month on food per month, maybe a little less. Is this figure way out of line? I always buy stuff that is on sale but I work full time and go out every day for lunch (probably $6/day average, so around $120, just for me), everyone else brown bags it. Is this the norm for a family of 5? Just wondering.

It sounds like you're doing just fine...if you're concerned about finding a corner to cut, you could probably save a little cutting your lunches out in half...but it doesn't seem necessary for now if you are happy with your finances b/c your food budget is definitely in the reasonable category for your location and family size...

 

[kathy884]

We are a family of three adults (63, 57, and 22). We spend between $175 and $200 a week at the grocery store (shop once a week), so somewhere between $700 and $800 a month this does not include eating out. It does include things like toilet paper, plastic bags, paper towels, dog food we buy at the grocery store too including occasional stamps, paper clips, shampoo also. I eat lunch at work at our cafeteria that isn't counted here, DS 22 gets free lunch at work, and DH brown bags it three days a week and goes out two (monies for lunches aren't part of this budget). We live in St. Louis county (close in suburb of St. Louis -- decent sized Midwest city area). We do not shop at the cheapest grocery store, but go to the one closest to our house, as we think the produce looks best there of the places nearby (pick store by best looking produce that is convenient). We buy what we want (especially for fruits and veggie), but do seem to have some price sensitivity (with beef so expensive mostly eat chicken with the occasional pork ribs or port steaks).

Dinners for DH and I are in except for Saturday night which is a tradition to go out. DS goes out more - modest places mostly, but social activity with friend / significant other.

 

[goodeats]

Family of 4 in Southern CA - average $1K a month. We eat most meals at home and eat pretty healthfully. I find if I keep the cost down one month that it will be higher the next month.

 

[tvguy]

Family of 3 adults. $500- 600 a month. That's all food and household items like TP, laundry soap etc.
But, as I have posted before, we do our meal planning at the store based on what is on sale. That is slightly offset by the vegetarian foods we buy for DD. Those vegetable protein items from Quorn, Tofurky and Boca burger products are more expensive than the meat products they mimic.

 

[MamaBelle4]

About $150-200/week at the grocery store. I save up by watching meat sales and stocking up based on what is in sale. Also shop at discount grocery stores like "Grocery Outlet" and "Aldis". Family of 7.