Food budgets vary widely, even for similar families living in the same city. As we’ve discussed in the past, one family of four might budget $800/month for food, while another budgets $300, and a third spends $520. Many people wonder how it’s possible to eat so inexpensively. Mallow’s recent post in the forums is typical:
I have no idea how you guys are living off of $120-$150 a month for food. Either the groceries around here (Davis, CA) are extremely expensive, or our eating out once or twice each week inflates our budget by 200%. My current food budget is $350 a month, and my girlfriend’s is the same. That’s $700 a month for two people. In August, I spent $199 on groceries and $161 on eating out.
I don’t buy any instant or frozen things. I’m a very healthy eater, and I almost never buy chicken or beef.
I am Asian, so I make a lot of meals with rice (which is dirt cheap). The most expensive thing that I buy per meal is salmon — I love salmon. But even that costs about $6 dollars per meal to feed two. Aside from that, I make a lot of pasta (various kinds) averaging about $3 a person as well, plus leftovers. Stir fried veggies, cheap veggie omelets, veggie soup (The soup costs about $18 to make, and lasts about four dinners for two. We are going to try to make it cheaper by not using stock and just adding water.), tofu dishes, salads, fried rice, cereal, sandwiches from deli meats and sliced bread, PB&J sandwiches, and a few new dishes a month.
Some of you spend about half what I do! How do you do it? Can you guys list the things you buy over the course of a month? I want to figure out what you guys are eating for a month to see what I’m doing differently.
When I last mentioned our food budget, we were spending $400/month on groceries and $200/month dining out. That’s $600/month for two people. In the past year, we’ve cut back to about $500/month, though our restaurant budget has increased slightly. (I’ve found a local restaurant that I love — Gino’s clams are amazing!)
We spend a lot on food, but that’s because we eat well. There’s a lot of room to cut back. We could certainly dine out less often, or go to less expensive restaurants. We already practice a few habits to help us keep our costs down:
- We use coupons for products we already buy.
- We minimize consumption of processed foods.
- We shop at produce stands for fresh fruits and vegetables.
- We buy beef in bulk once per year.
- We grow some of our own food.
To my mind, the latter is most important. We don’t have a huge garden, but it’s enough to save significant money. For example, the $30 apple tree that I planted three years ago is currently sagging under the weight of its crop. We’ll harvest at least 20 pounds of fruit from just that tree. Not everyone has space or time to grow their own food, but for us it’s a great way to save money and eat well.
How do you keep your food costs down? Where do you shop? Do you use coupons? Go to multiple stores? Wait for sales? Have you developed any shopping tricks?
(Note: In May, I mentioned the U.S. Government’s Recipes and Tips for Healthy, Thrifty Meals.)
GRS is committed to helping our readers save and achieve your financial goals.Savings interest rates may be low, but that’s all the more reason to shop for the best rate.Find the highest savings interest rate from Ally Bank, Capital One 360, Everbank, and more.
This article is about Ask the Readers, Food, Shopping
Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by American Express. Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of American Express, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express. This site may be compensated through American Express Affiliate Program.
Discover is a paid advertiser of this site. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the Discover online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards.
SEARCH FOR RECENT ARTICLES
Those of you reading my post above may be thinking thats unhealthy to eat fast food. It works for me and I think health is mostly based on exercise and much less about diet. Of course if you don’t exercise then diet becomes much more important.
Evidence that this is not a “recipe” for poor health:
My best 5K time is 16:34
Marathon 3:38 (26.2 miles in 3 hours 38 minutes)
Half-Ironman: 6:34 (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13 mile run in six hours thirty four minutes)
I’m not bragging just defending those who may think my approach is unhealthy.
loading....
One thing to avoid is ‘value-added basics’…for example, in the meat section, fresh chicken with a few spices and soy sauce on it that is sold as ‘chicken teriyaki’ for about 30-40 cents more. Or ‘Greek Souvlaki’ that is regular pork kebabs with a marinade. I used to work in the food industry; I can tell you that the 40 cent markup is almost pure profit. Learn what spices do to each basic food and you can save a bundle. A good grocery shopping tip is to ask yourself with everything, “Did this exist in a store 40 years ago?” . Chicken nuggets, premade hamburger patties, prepared lasagna, etc didn’t!!!
loading....
[...] Tips and tricks to save on food [...]
loading....
This has been very interesting. We have a family of 2 adults and have been trying to live on a food budget of $50/wk. Since I have had quite a bit in the freezer and pantry this has been no problem, but am getting to the point that the reserves are starting to run low. In the past it has always felt like a budget of $75/wk just suits us better. I like to cook and plan meals, but do not have access to great organic produce or meats. The vegetable market has much better prices than the grocery store (Publix). Living in SW FL makes our growing seasons a little different and our local produce can be a little more exotic, which is not all bad.
I appreciate all of the tips and ideas and agree that everyone must come to their own conclusion about what works for them. We find that when we cut back too much a rebellion starts and we slip into eating out and buying too much processed food. A balance needs to be kept between cost and satisfaction.
I have found that thinking of the budget on a monthly basis of $200/mn vs $50/wk does help in making the budget work better. I usually take the money out in cash and keep that for the purchases. When the rebellions come I resort to the bank card and no it’s not coming out of my wallet. I need it for expenses other than groceries.
The closest farmers market & Whole Foods store is over an hour away and seems very expensive. Occasionally I get there and take advantage of what I can.
loading....
[...] time investment is crucial if you find yourself having to scrimp and save to come up with money to invest. Make sure the rewards from your labor and thrift stay with [...]
loading....
My husband and I spend around $250 a month for groceries and eating out. I like to eat healthy, but due to budget restrictions that no longer includes most organic purchases.
Breakfast is typically bulk oatmeal (with soymilk and low-sugar jelly as sweetener for me, just fresh milk for my husband).
Lunch is salad greens (a mix of a head of romaine lettuce and raw turnip/collard/mustard greens) with blanched almonds. Sometimes we add cheese, raisins, or whatever we have on hand for a topping.
The dressing is a commercial dressing or a mix of olive oil and cider vinegar with herbs. The salad is accompanied by a piece of fresh fruit (banana, apple, or citrus) and a tortilla for the carbs.
For supper we rotate through boneless pork rib ends (indecently cheap here – $.99/lb on sale recently), chicken, free-range eggs, and beans (with ham hocks or in soup with veggies).
Sides include baked red potatoes, frozen vegetables, green salad if leftover from lunch supplies. For carbs, we rely on rice, pasta, and biscuits or muffins.
For snacks, we have fresh fruit or I make granola bars from the oatmeal, almonds, raisins or other dried fruit bought in bulk.
Beverages are milk, soymilk, fresh juice, and the occasional beer or coffee.
We used to buy at least the salad greens at the farmer’s market, but at $9-12/lb it was waaay too expensive. Plus, most farmer’s market booths say nothing about growing organic, anyway — you’re just buying local (which is not a bad thing).
We want to save up to buy half a cow and freeze the parts so we can get back to eating beef again (it’s just too pricey for the most part here, even the ground beef), but that won’t happen overnight.
I like the idea of canning and freezing the on-sale stuff for the winter months — may have to try that this year.
loading....
” Also, sussing out deals at “fancy” stores helps – Whole Foods peanut butter is HALF the price of what my “cheap” supermarket sells, and that’s *natural* pb, no chemicals or sugar. Mori-Nu tofu, $4 at my supermarket, is about $1.50 at Whole Foods. That’s three meals worth of protein right there. For all that it’s “Whole Paycheck” for produce and fancy foods, some staples are the cheapest there. ”
Very true. My aunt thinks I’m crazy because I’m a big fan of shopping at Trader Joe’s on my student budget. “It’s so expensive!” she says. Correction: some things are expensive, other things are dirt cheap, while also being much healthier than the “regular” versions. TJ’s milk is about $0.75+ cheaper than the supermarket milk, and it tastes better. Peanut butter is also cheaper, and has no added chemicals or oils and much less salt. “Health-nut” staples like whey powder (great way to make a frozen-fruit shake filling) is also much cheaper. Just stay away from the “gourmet” or packaged/pre-cut/prepared foods. Keeping a notebook with price comparisions in it really help out here. Most regular supermarkets consider anything healthy to mean “gourmet” and mark it up substantially. Stores like TJ’s or Whole Foods don’t do this (they actually seem to have an idea about what “gourmet” is: i.e. real balsamic vinegar which has been wood-aged, nice stuff, but not necessary for life is you’re trying to save money).
Also, some “whole foods” cooking methods can go a long way. Buy whole chicken, clean them, roast them, eat the meat, then boil the carcass for broths/soups/gravies. Learn how to get beef bones (ask for dog bones, they’re cheaper and just as nutritious) and ham hocks, and use them. These are great ways to add protein, minerals, and essential fats to any meal for cheap. Look up “nose to tail cooking”, sounds gross, but if you learn you like an “unpopular” cut of meat (like liver, or heart) you can get these for close to nothing from a butcher.
loading....
Well, first off, eating out is always more expensive- packing your lunch is probably the first thing to do, if you’re not already.
Secondly, some people are including non-food grocery store stuff like detergent and toiletries in their grocery budget, and some aren’t- it makes a big difference.
And I noticed you mentioned deli meats as something you buy. Well, we buy them because my husband insists on it- and they are the most expensive item in our cart, week after week.
Also, there’s the usual advice about buying produce in season, and locally- there’s times in Georgia where you’re just drowning in peaches, and I’ve got relatives in Florida who send out boxes of oranges every year because they’re just dirt cheap at certain times. January is not one of those times, unfortunately.
Then there’s the need to look at things that most of us take for granted- cereal, for instance, is fairly expensive. Oatmeal is more filling for less, and fried eggs, toast, and grits would also be a cheap, simple way to go.
Sarah’s advice about unpopular cuts of meat is excellent- beef heart is something that worked really well for my family.
And finally, there’s probably a culturally appropriate way to eat dirt cheap, one that would work for you. I was raised in the south, one of four kids in a household that couldn’t afford to spend a lot on groceries, so I know what works around here- beans (from bags of dried beans, not those nasty high sodium canned ones), rice, corn or spinach (store brand, frozen), and biscuits or bread (made from scratch). We got meat when it was on sale or (don’t laugh) when my brothers shot it or caught it.
Since you mentioned being fond of salmon, perhaps you could get it mailed to your house on a regular basis from some fishery? A regular subscription like that would probably help cut the price down.
loading....
I happen to eat a lot of processed food because its easier for me. I am 23yo female living with my boyfriend but we eat very seperate things. I am out of the house for 13 hours on an average day because of full-time work and then gymnastics for another 3-4 hours.
Many of you say that processed is more expensive, but when you only buy on sale with coupons, a meal can come out to be very cheap. frozen meals lately are between .80 and 1.50. cereali dont pay more than $2 a box which end up with 7 meals and snacks. soups i can get for $1 a can (thats a full meal) and then i throw in some vegetables, and fruit on the side. I think this is what works for me because of a lack of time and motivation to cook.
Clipping coupons and reading circulars are your friends! I feel like now that I clip coupons you can find brand names for cheaper than store names because store names do not go on sale and they do not have coupons. brand names do both and when you use both together you are getting a much better deal.
I would love to start cooking, and prepare a meal on sunaday for the rest of the week, but i am not really…experienced or motivated to cook.
loading....
OT: please spend a little more and buy original Italian foods, the ones which are certified. There’s nothing like the real thing, not mentioning that imitation foods damage our exports (and the image of our cuisine).
Parmesan for example is an American invention, Parmigiano Reggiano is the real name of the cheese. http://tinyurl.com/23g9tc
loading....
There is a store in the Washington area called Save-a-lot. I go there from time to time, but do not buy meat unless it’s a brand I know. You can buy wonderful stuff, like really cheap canned foods and great paper stuff.
I don’t know if it’s in other areas of the country, but it’s worth looking into if you live near one.
loading....
Our family of four eats on about $300 a month, or $75/week. We don’t eat miserly, we just shop for the best price for everything. I do not work, but homeschool our kids. My husband is in the Army. We ran into some credit problems a few years back and have been steadily crawling out of that since. We have made many budget cuts, but we mostly just decided we were going to spend our money wisely for every product we buy. One of the biggest money savers for us is going to the bread outlet store (since I refuse to make bread, it never turns out), the local farmers markets, and buying off-brand items instead of name-brand.
One little secret I use for not eating out is this: Everytime I am going to be out of the house with the kids for more than a couple hours, I throw some home-made cheese sticks and apple slices in a little lunch cooler with a cool-pac. That way, when you start getting hungry, you can have a quick snack and keep shopping! I sometimes bring a bottle of pre-mixed sugar free drink or just water to drink instead of buying soda.
loading....
I am trying to cut my food costs in a town that has a high cost of living. I agree with some of the comments, cutting out meat is probably the big way to save. I want to know where one can find chicken at .36 per pound??? I haven’t seen that kind of price in 20 years where I live! I have a teenage son who eats all the time. I prefer he not eat junk, which, where I live, is actually cheaper than eating well–fresh fruit and vegetables, etc. I do not always purchase organic or free range stuff, I do get cheap eggs from a friend who raises hens. If I could cut my food bill by 10% with a circular, I would feel lucky, but I’d still be spending way over what a lot of you say you spend for food. I use my bonus cards and seem to “save” but still seem to spend a lot. Do we eat a lot more than most(none of us are overweight, my son is skinny)? We also seldom eat out, I cook almost all meals from scratch. What exactly is bought for 80$ a month? This has me very curious.
loading....
How to save on food
1)Only buy food that you will definitely eat.
2)Save leftovers from huge meals in a container that can help you preserve food. Take them out and eat them for another meal a few days down the road.
3)Try out recipes that contain 3-5 regularly used ingredients only.
loading....
There is a downside to packing lunch that nobody mentions. Most people are poor cooks-they bring in leftovers and microwave them and it STINKS. People-please learn to cook well if you do this otherwise the office becomes unbearable for the rest of us.
loading....
Juice is not a waste of money if it is 100% juice. If so, it is very good for you, will give you energy and boost your immune system, just like fresh fruit.
loading....
I have managed to reduce a little on my food bill, but not significantly. I have resorted to shopping mostly at a store I’m not fond of because on a certain day I can get almost 10% discount because of my husband’s work and age (senior discount). I want to know where all these people live who get their meat from a butcher for less than at the store! Here, we have one butcher, an organic one. The meat is fantastic, and so are the prices–about 33-50% more than prices at regular supermarkets–but one knows the meat is hormone free, etc. Our prices for “local and organic” produce is higher than stuff in the stores, too. And sorry, I do not agree that a small amount of pasta and meatless sauce out of a jar is a nutritious dinner. I make my own sauce with meat and vegetables and it probably costs $15 to make and would serve maybe 6 portions. I tried Angelfood ministry and was sorely disappointed with the quality of the food, and after seeing what I got for the price I paid, did not feel I had received a good deal. I would like to know what people really pay per pound on items…and if I can do the math, for the same items, it might make for a clearer comparison. Meat here is about $3.50/lb for chicken pieces, lowest price for chicken whole, is .99/lb., on sale. This is the regular chicken with added water to the weight (Perdue type, store brand). Beef averages $5-7/lb., not including rib eyes or other high end cuts, which cost about $10/lb., burger meat that is not more than 15% fat is about 3.50/lb. Apples, conventionally grown in Chile or other cheap place is $1.50-2/lb, $3+/lb if organic and from the US. These are prices at Kroger’s or other chain grocery stores in our area. The local butcher charges way more. I know we eat a lot of meat, and my husband would prefer to eat a lot of fish, but that is extravagant ($25/lb for the kind he likes and he alone could eat nearly a pound, so I never buy it). Thanks for the help and prices from others in their areas.
loading....
$350 a month for food? Wow! I am in South Florida. Between my wife and I it is about 400 for the both of us.
loading....
It is so important to remember many factors in saving money on food.Location of an individual or family factors into the type of economy the live in locally and what types of stores they have to shop.
As an individual with chronic diseases to deal with in life,I have to consider many factors in planning meals and saving money.Buying chicken and lean meats at sale price,dividing them and putting them in the freezer helps.Keeping the pantry stocked with plenty of canned salmon,tuna,vegetables,fruits,whole grain rice,etc.makes my life easier in terms of conserving gas,time and energy in going to the grocery store.Many times I find quality fruits,ie DelMonte and vegetables on sale at Dollar Tree,Family Dollar,and Dollar General.They now sent out flyers so that helps in your food shopping plans.Using coupons is vital these days.They do help one in lowering a monthly budget if you plan ahead,download them from the computer or clip them from the paper.Put those coupons to work with your knowledge which grocery store gives you the best bang for your buck.Also,sometimes in dealing with my health issues I plan to go out to eat which is a nice treat and break.Sometimes a friend invites me over for a home cooked meal or a meal out which is a nice break.Using high quality frozen foods like Green Giant Vegetable Steamer Bags or Doles Frozen Fruits can help me have a break in food prep time.Also lean quisine has the best quality food,in my opinion of a “frozen dinner”.They offer coupons,my grocery store has sales on them almost weekly and it can be a break for me when dealing with pain and fatique issues with my health.I might supplement that with a salad,fresh fruit and good ole water and have a very healthy low calorie,low sodium,low fat meal.
loading....