What does your grocery bill look like for every week?
Posted by Interesting_Plum_805@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 330 comments
Posted by Interesting_Plum_805@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 330 comments
GSilky@reddit
Rectangle with some thermal burned lines of abbreviated products.
RonPalancik@reddit
I bought assorted jelly beans recently and the receipt said
JELLY BELLY ASS
I frequently buy butter, usually Land-o-Lakes brand. This comes out as
LOL BUTTER
Lol. Butter. Rotfmlao butter.
stefanica@reddit
This sort of thing amuses me like I'm 8 years old. Lol butter. 😂
RonPalancik@reddit
In my region one of the main grocery stores is called Giant. Their store-brand baby shampoo came out as
GIANT BABY
stefanica@reddit
That's awesome!
pinniped90@reddit
To maximize your value in terms of square inches per dollar, do all your grocery shopping at CVS.
Dio_Yuji@reddit
Sorry, all the CVS’s closed
bhoose19@reddit
They aren't closed, but there's no one working there and they keep the receipts in a locked case
OkPerformance2221@reddit
They only look closed, because the lights are off, the doors are open, dry leaves are blowing around inside, and stray dogs roam the aisles. But that's just the new business model.
DesertWanderlust@reddit
Thems some long receipts!
flydespereaux@reddit
I got shopping at CVS when I have to clean my outside windows.
PositiveChipmunk4684@reddit
✨Technically✨ thats the receipt not the bill
for_music_and_art@reddit
Thermal burned?
Usual_Zombie6765@reddit
They use special paper with heat sensitive ink. They apply heat to the paper where they want the ink to appear.
If you leave your receipt under your windshield on a hot summer day, it will activate the ink.
KatieAthehuman@reddit
So that's what happened to the random receipts I left in my car!
SJHillman@reddit
It's fun for kids to experiment with different ways to make it react too. The reactive range varies a bit by the specific thermal paper, but some will react relatively quickly at as low as 150F and more slowly as low as 100F for long exposures (others take closer to normal oven temperatures in the 300F+ range for quick reactions).
geneb0323@reddit
Receipts are generally printed on thermal paper. The printer uses heat, not ink.
Jasminefirefly@reddit
🤣🤣🤣
BrazilianButtCheeks@reddit
This 😂😂
MamaMidgePidge@reddit
About $200 per week for a family of 5.
ManufacturerSecret53@reddit
Probably $50-70. With three outings a week. Usually two lunches and a dinner. So prolly $100-120ish a week in total for food.
Southern MN.
Current one just bought a roaster chicken (8lbs), noodles, some sauces, cookies, produce, oranges, bananas, bread, water, potatoes. About $43. Got a pound of shrimp on sale as well.
Roast the chicken tonight and cook chicken shrimp Alfredo for two. Do jelly toast for breakfast most mornings with a fruit. Use carcass to make chicken broth overnight. Use broth and leftovers with noodles/potatoes for most meals. Sunday is usually slim pickings.
Repeat with beef/pork/chicken roasts at the beginning of each week.
MrGollyWobbles@reddit
About $150 a week for a family of 6 adults. Plus we eat out regularly.
brunetteblonde46@reddit
Wow. How do you do that?
Aint2Proud2Meg@reddit
This is about what I spend for 6 people, but we have a small child in the mix (though the older 3 are tall active teenagers).
I live in a LCOL metro (Kansas City, MO) and I have to make real effort to keep our cost that low. We don’t eat out hardly ever, and I’m a big gardener/preserver/ home cook.
If they are doing it in CA, they are going out to eat quite often. No shade intended at all, but that info is relevant, as is whether or not you include sundries/household supplies. (I do.)
MrGollyWobbles@reddit
By going to the grocery store and restaurants?
goldentriever@reddit
$150 in California will not feed a family of 6 for a week. Nope
psychologicallyblue@reddit
It might if you primarily eat rice and beans for every meal and only eat twice a day.
MrGollyWobbles@reddit
That’s $21 a day. It’s about right for us. One restaurant meal so that’s 2 meals a day. 2 of the people in our house are elderly so they usually dont eat a ton.
allonsy_badwolf@reddit
How are you feeding 6 people at a restaurant for under $21?
There’s not a single place near me that would feed 2 adults for that price.
Are you guys just eating like an order of French fries? A sandwich alone at a local deli is around $10.
Positive-Avocado-881@reddit
You’re not understanding what they’re saying. They mean $21 a day on the meals at home.
SJHillman@reddit
Your grocery bill gets cheap fast if you eat out a lot and don't count that as groceries.
Positive-Avocado-881@reddit
I’m not sure how else I can explain this. You’re like running right into the point with this comment but not understanding? 😅 this family pays a lot on food because they eat out a lot. On the meals they eat at home (twice a day) they spend $21 per meal.
rawbface@reddit
No dude, that's $21 PER WEEK PER PERSON. It's only $3 a day for each adult.
brunetteblonde46@reddit
$150 is very low for a week for 6 adults. Do you coupon?
MrGollyWobbles@reddit
We buy a lot of store brand food and shop at Winco for lower prices. Generally at least one meal a day at a restaurant.
StarSpangleBRangel@reddit
Not that hard as long you bring a coat with extra pockets.
Alarming-Chemistry27@reddit
Aldi,!
Mountain_Man_88@reddit
Probably by eating out frequently. $150 for groceries is plenty of you eat almost every dinner out. Basic breakfast and lunch stuff can be cheap. Milk and cereal, some bananas, couple loaves of bread for toast and sandwiches, cheese and lunch meat, chips. One or two dinners at home a week can be cheap too, especially if they're basic stuff like casseroles, spaghetti, tacos, grilled burgers etc.
brunetteblonde46@reddit
Makes sense. Thx!
rawbface@reddit
No way. That's impossible. That's only $3.57 per person per day. You would starve.
Ohhhhhhhh. Now it makes sense. Each of you is likely eating out at least one meal per day and your total weekly food bill is likely well over $1000...
Jswazy@reddit
Damn I spend that much for one person. I don't cheap out and I am rather wasteful tbh but wow for 6 people holy hell.
One-Warthog3063@reddit
I drop upwards of $150/week and I'm single and live alone.
You must be going out for meals at least once a day and aren't including that in the math.
MrGollyWobbles@reddit
Yeah $150 is just grocery store. Restaurants vary depending on where we go.
Pelican12Volatile@reddit
I spend like $350 a week. I’m reallllyyyy bad. A lot of it is eating out
Thick-Matter-2023@reddit
Average $250 week family of 5. Rotate between local grocery, Costco, and Aldi each month. Intentional about deals and do not drink soda.
justattodayyesterday@reddit
Family of 3. Two adults and 8 year old. It’s about $250week. Unless there is some protein on sale,I keep my pandemic freezer stocked. I shop at ethnic store, mid tier grocery chain and costco.
sebago1357@reddit
Probably around $1700 a month
Latter_Quail_7025@reddit
How many ppl please?
sebago1357@reddit
2
Latter_Quail_7025@reddit
I feel better now!!
NotAgain1871@reddit
Two of us spend about $100/week at the grocery store. I buy paper goods and coffee at Costco and usually have it delivered so that’s about $150 about every 8 weeks.
TikaPants@reddit
It depends. Two of us adults and I do all the shopping. I have a well stocked pantry, fridge and freezer but I love to cook. I probably spend $300 a week. I’ll stock up the freezer and fridge then coast a bit and dwindle it down. So sometimes more and sometimes less.sometimes I spend about $100 on a recipe. Sometimes I buy a shit load of food from Aldi.
kiminyme@reddit
About $175/month for three adults and two cats. But we don't eat much meat and I stopped buying junk food and soda many years ago.
Own-Gas8691@reddit
family of 3, averages to $200/wk
hvl1755@reddit
Around $200 every two weeks for my partner and I.
wifespissed@reddit
$400 biweekly. It was $340 every 2 weeks at the beginning of January.
OutrageousMoney4339@reddit
Family of 6, $200-$300 a week, depending on how meat heavy or paper goods heavy we need.
Impossible_Bear5263@reddit
Around $100/week as a man living by myself. I stay pretty fit so there’s a pretty large investment in fresh produce and protein.
NarrowAd4973@reddit
It's just me and two cats. There are some items I have to get every week, because they'll spoil or I can't buy enough to go longer. Before I took in my cats, it could be as low as $40. Now it's about $60 at the lowest, as their wet food is on the list of things I need to get every week.
Otherwise, I go every two to three weeks, and occasionally longer. Those weeks approach $200. Times when I go almost a month for whatever reason and have eaten almost everything in the house can easily reach $250.
lokeilou@reddit
I think this varies wildly depending on where in America you live. We are a family of 5- 2 adults, 3 kids ages 12, 15 & 17. We live in New York State but not in New York City (grocery prices in NYC are insane!) and we spend around $400 a week on groceries but that also includes laundry detergent, cleaning products, paper towels and toilet paper. My brother in law lives in San Francisco California and when he comes here to visit he remarks that our groceries are super cheap compared to San Fran. We also have relatives who visit from Ohio who feel like our groceries prices are super high compared to theirs in Ohio.
realhorrorsh0w@reddit
$50-60.
I live alone, I don't buy meat, soda, or brand name snacks. When I was on a tighter budget, I used to be able to get away with $30-35 at Aldi but I cooked almost everything from scratch.
Normal-Emotion9152@reddit
I spent $500 dollar this month, which is cheap for me since I am bodybuilding. So I spent $150 a week.
MPLS_Poppy@reddit
I prioritize local food so my grocery bill is more expensive than average. I’d say it’s $300-$400 for my family of four with my nieces and nephews as regular visitors. Kids eat a lot.
opheliainwaders@reddit
HCOL area with a family of 4, and I’d say $300/week is pretty standard for us.
InevitableRhubarb232@reddit
Per week? 😳
FancyCricket963@reddit
This makes me feel better about my grocery bill. All these $100/week posts really have me questioning what’s going on in my world.
We have a family of 5 (3 very active children and a 24-hour work schedule spouse) and are around $300/week in addition to a Costco run every 5-6 weeks, which is always $300-$400.
Inside_Ad9026@reddit
That $100 a week is for 2-3 people.
FancyCricket963@reddit
Which makes sense, I guess. I’m still having a bit of a hard time wrapping my head around it because I’m not sure my husband and I could get by on $100/week. Granted, we eat out as little as possible because, my goodness the prices are insane and tipping culture is wild, but maybe I’m overthinking this 🤷♀️ I am preparing my grocery list for next week and grocery shopping in general has always been my least favorite grown up task ever.
Inside_Ad9026@reddit
I just know what I spend and the number of people in my household. A lot of people said it was 2 adults. Also, in my household we go without if it runs out before the next grocery run. I spent $115 last week and I had to buy a couple of extra things. Some cleaning tools and sprays. I also buy almost everything generic. ( thanks HEB for being awesome!) and I buy in bulk and meal prep as much as I can.
iamgladtohearit@reddit
We are around 300 per week, two adults a teenager hard in puberty and a toddler. The toddler jacks things up quite a bit from all the darn produce haha.
AssassinWog@reddit
About 50-70 bucks in the Midwest, because I’m not cursed with America’s Pink Tax.
Davalus@reddit
About $250 a week, but that feeds 6 people, since my mother and my idiot brother live with us.
TheRealScutFarkus@reddit
When our 2 kids lived in the house 3 years ago it was around $300 to $350 per week here in New England. Now that it's just the two of us, we rarely go over $125.
paulrudds@reddit
It's nearly, if not over, a $100 dollars for me and my wife. Worst part is, we buy off brand.
ninjanikki91@reddit
My husband and I shop separately because we eat different, so there's 2 bills. Per week, I can spend about $50 on myself. And he will spend about $100-150 on him. He likes getting more bacon, steak and giant egg boxes though. I've also been making my own pasta recently so that saves me a good bit, because flour is cheap. Just stock up on some veggies, some fruit and cans of tomatoes and I'm good!
ConstantCampaign2984@reddit
Usually a massive amount in a single day, this is where we have a list of meals for the week, then daily small bills for the shit we forgot because my wife just enjoys dragging me through hell on the daily.
Capital_Strategy_371@reddit
It’s just me and I cook mostly from scratch so $60 a $70.
psychologicallyblue@reddit
Usually we spend about $200 per week for 2 of us. It can be a lot more if we're doing a big shop at Costco and buying months of paper towels, laundry detergent, and stuff like that. It can also be less if we're eating out a lot that week.
On average we eat out about 2-4 times per week and I did not factor that into grocery costs.
Here's a sample weekly shop for us with a menu (bear in mind that my kitchen is very well-stocked and we grow a lot of herbs):
Sourdough bread - $15 from good bakery Leeks Garlic Potatoes Butter (already have) Stock
Chicken Bell peppers Onions Fresno chilli's Sour cream Tomatoes Cilantro Tortillas
Beef - $25 for thin slices at Korean grocery store Asparagus (Rice already have) Eggs Green onions
Canned beans Carrots Celery Onion Kale Parmesan (already have) Chicken stock
Black cod Green beans Garlic Coconut milk Ginger (already have) Rice (already have)
Lunches -
Chickpeas Olive oil (already have) Tahini (already have) Garlic Pita bread Carrots Celery Cherry tomatoes Nuts Eggs
Canned sardines in olive oil Sliced bread (froze the leftover sourdough) Tomatoes Onions Olive oil (already have) Balsamic (already have)
sardines on toast with all the above
leftover bean soup from above - no need to buy anything extra
at some point, I just start inventing lunches based on what's in the fridge - usually salads or stir fries
Other: Spinach Kale Kefir Yoghurt Fruit - lots of it
Ancient-Highlight112@reddit
Make your own sourdough bread. It's not hard at all. $15 a loaf is highway robbery.
psychologicallyblue@reddit
Yeah, I've done it before but it's time-consuming and home baking doesn't beat truly amazing bakeries like Tartine.
They do have a recipe for their bread but this is a lot of work.
https://tartinebakery.com/stories/country-bread
Ancient-Highlight112@reddit
About $75/wk for 2 people, sometimes $100 depending on what we're out of, including paper products and cleaning supplies. I'm old and it's getting hard to chew so I eat a lot of soups (mostly Progresso or home-made). My son eats small steaks like rib eyes, NY Strips, almost every night with a salad and sometimes a baked potato. I might make spaghetti, which is enough for 2 meals each or some other dish we both can eat. When I eat a fairly large potato, I put cheddar cheese on it liberally, then sour cream, and that's my dinner along with cole slaw or salad if I'm really hungry. I'm not a meat eater except for birds and fish and my son and I eat differently from one another. Even if we don't eat the same, we don't eat expensive food except for his steaks and my eggs. I will switch off eggs w/grits with oatmeal maybe every 2 days. I have onset diabetes and am supposed to watch my carbs, but it can be difficult when you're trying to save money at the grocery store.
Usual_Scratch@reddit
We average $300 a week. Two adults, working from home, plus two grandkids that we feed three or four nights a week, plus one or two family dinners a month with four adults and four kids.
SquashDue502@reddit
I can usually get by with like $60 and maybe once a month I’ll do a larger trip to get like toilet paper and stuff as well that ends up around $80-$100.
PfedrikTheChawg@reddit
I let my freezer and pantry get too low, so right now, I spend about 150/200 a week. I go once a month and spend between $600 and $800. That's what I need for the month plus a little extra to put aside. Once I get stocked back up, I can probably cut that in half.
runninganddrinking@reddit
Looks like shit
Amockdfw89@reddit
Live alone Usually no more then 70-100 a week. When I was married we had lots of extra snacks, frozen foods, cereal etc. since sometimes we would be tired and would need quick things to eat.
Now that I’m single I cut a lot to that out because I dont eat it and I don’t mind eating leftovers a lot
Imaginary-List-4945@reddit
For two people its about $150 per week. That doesn’t include cleaning supplies, toiletries, or pet food and supplies, all of which I buy separately. We don’t eat meat, but do tend to buy things like fancy pickles/olives and condiments.
geri73@reddit
It really varies.
Latter_Quail_7025@reddit
I must spend too much based on what I am reading here. I spend 100-150 every week. Mainly produce for myself, and some lean beef for the dogs. Wine too for myself. Produce isn't cheap. 😞
Mountain_Man_88@reddit
Regular groceries might be $150 a week for my wife and I. That's food and whatever other household goods we need, like vitamins, toiletries, odds and ends for projects around the house, etc. Every couple weeks we'll go to Costco and get bulk stuff like paper goods and certain food stuffs. That often ends up as probably $150 by itself. So perhaps $750 a month.
rinaa11@reddit
Same here, husband and I plus two cats, it's typically 150-180 for us every week but we don't have room for bulk storage so no Costco for us till we buy a house (someday???)
tootallforshoes@reddit
I shoot for under $100 for two people in Boston
taoist_bear@reddit
2 adults in worcester about $100 a week. Maybe 150 on one or two weeks a month.
tootallforshoes@reddit
Exactly the same
Quenzayne@reddit
Wow, I was paying more than this for two people in Boston in 2005. How on Earth to you manage that?
Are there more chain stores and stuff now? Because where we lived (Brookline side of Kenmore Sq. just off of Beacon St.) there were only local/specialty markets that were crazy expensive.
tootallforshoes@reddit
Ya Johnnys Fresh Mart was a scam that’s for sure. It’s an H Mart now. I also lived in Autobahn Circle in the 2005ish era.
Now I do my shopping at Star Market and Trader Joe’s
Quenzayne@reddit
Johnny's Fresh Mart was outrageous but that's where we did most of our shopping. Amazing sandwiches though.
tootallforshoes@reddit
I was a college student back then and my parents got sick of hearing me complain about how groceries were wicked expensive. My mom came to shop with me one day and was blown away by the prices. Mildly vindicated
IntroductionFew1290@reddit
I think a turning point in my life was for a 2001, western New York…me: “I need that order for table twelve wicked fast, the printer was jammed” The guys in kitchen…procyto act out SNL skits
tootallforshoes@reddit
I’ve been with my husband 20 years and his whole family still chuckles when I say wicked
Swim6610@reddit
It's all about getting to a Market Basket. About $50-55/wk (1 person) is what I average as well.
Quenzayne@reddit
I don't remember there being a Market Basket anywhere close to me, unfortunately. Otherwise, I'd have totally taken advantage of that lol
danbyer@reddit
In JP around 2005 I realized I was spending $60+/day on food, coffee, and booze. Oof. It was fun, though.
JewelCove@reddit
I used to blow like 200-500 a week in bars and restaurants back then. Living expenses were cheap af, though.
_Roxxs_@reddit
2 to 300$ a week for 3 humans, 2 possums, a raccoon, 1 dog and a cat + a few stray cats
Junior_Lavishness_96@reddit
It was usually around 50, but ever since January it’s crept up to 90
Vurnd55@reddit
Around $150/wk for 2 people
foozballhead@reddit
Usually $70 per week is enough for just me but my adult kids pop in all week so there’s usually another $30 for group dinners, beverages, snacks.
Cleaning products/toiletries is a separate trip.
Dog food/treats are separate too.
foozballhead@reddit
I should specify- this is with zero eating out. All three meals each day with these groceries.
Cael_NaMaor@reddit
I don't grocery every week. I do however spend about $100 every weekend dining out.
Radiant8763@reddit
For my fiance and I, i try to keep it around 100 a week, sometimes more or less depending on sales and how much i stockpile. I like to stock up on meats when they are on sale and just work around that.
There are also specific stores i go to for specific items that i will buy in quantities so i dont have to make the trip as often.
I also switched coffee brands to a less expensive whole bean.
illhaveafrench75@reddit
I live alone and I’d say it’s usually around $70.
I go every week and one time a month it’s like $180 because I have to get household things in addition to groceries, like cleaning supplies, deodorant, tampons, mouthwash, toilet paper, etc.
shelwood46@reddit
Same, live alone, shop mostly weekly and I try to hit $70 including non-food stuff. Lately it sometimes bumps up to closer to $100 if I am buying extra proteins that week because of sales and stuff, I also stick close to seasonally for most produce. I order some household stuff online for monthly-or-so delivery (Costco isn't worth it for me, I don't have the storage space), toilet paper, coffee, toiletries, Amazon subscribe & save prices are usually lower than what I can find locally (I keep an eye on a few close grocery store weekly flyers).
illhaveafrench75@reddit
I feel the same way about Costco! I don’t have enough space. Plus, I don’t have enough money to drop $350 every other month at once just to save some money with the buying in bulk savings. It makes more financial sense to go the Costco route, but it’s just not feasible for me space/budget wise.
I feel like people who don’t (or never have) lived alone do not get the struggle lol. It’s hard in this economy to live on one income AND having to buy groceries / cook for one is so difficult. It’s hard to have a diet filled with variety.
When families or couples buy groceries, they can get 2/4x different types of foods as someone who cooks for one that they can enjoy throughout the week. They can eat 4 different proteins throughout the week, 8 different fruits instead of just 4, lots of different veggies when we can have 2-3.
It’s annoying that proteins and produce are packaged for 2-4 people. So that will last a couple / family one meal, but we gotta make 4 meals out of that same container of ground beef. Or a bag of grapes can feed a family in one day, we have to have grapes every damn day straight M-F. The next day they can have strawberries & we’re out here eating grapes again 😭😭
Honestly if you or anyone has advice about this I am all ears bc I haven’t figured out a way to have variety as I only cook for one
shelwood46@reddit
I wish I did but I just have gotten used to the "eating the same meal three nights in a row and then sticking everything left in the freezer". I did a big cook last night of shredded chicken, I'll be eating this every night and then freezing it in 4 oz portions on Sunday that will probably last me till Easter (I do find it's better to freeze meal components, not full meals, that way you can sort of switch it up).
illhaveafrench75@reddit
I am glad I am not alone in feeling this way lol. I might actually post about it on the living alone subreddit.
For your last sentence, can you elaborate that? I’ve never frozen anything other than meet. If you freeze a meal, are you freezing your veggies and rice and potatoes and pasta (or whatever)
shelwood46@reddit
Yes, some people do "meal prep" and basically make their own tv dinners with a meat, starch and veggie, you can buy divided containers to do that. I'm not sure how you'd figure out the reheating time, but I guess they do. Personally, yes, I frequently freeze cooked meat, usually in serving-sized portions in ziploc bags. Ditto certain vegetables -- I like fresh cooked broccoli I freeze better than the pre-frozen broccoli you can buy, and you can get asparagus in season cheap can cook and freeze. Scrambled-type eggs freeze well, you can do egg bites or muffin cup egg things. Also if I make pancakes or waffles, I make extra and freeze for later. You can freeze many fruits but I do the "eat till they're gone" thing you do :)
loganbull@reddit
Upgrade to a vacuum sealer and it will change your life!
Flat-Yellow5675@reddit
Similar but two people, our grocery bill is about 150 a week except when we go to Costco (once every 6-8 weeks).
We buy meat, snacks, and dry goods at Costco in bulk and spend $200-$300. (Also toilet paper, paper towels, lotion, vitamins, and some other household items)
We buy produce, dairy, bread, and other perishables from the regular grocery store every week.
RadioWolfSG@reddit
I live alone and shop every two weeks, and it's about $140. So same as this person.
I do have a Costco membership so I stock up on toiletries and similar items there (Soap, toilet paper, etc), so i only have to buy those things a few times a years since I go through them so slowly.
CanIBathYrGrandma@reddit
Around 1k/month for two people
MisterSpicy@reddit
Usually $0 - my work covers my expenses, including groceries and dining out 😎
InfidelZombie@reddit
Two adults, about $80 a week.
BeerJunky@reddit
Am I the only one that doesn't look at the total? I just ApplePay and move on.
CampfiresInConifers@reddit
It varies GREATLY with whether or not our child is home from university on break.
Groceries, including toiletries, pet food & litter, & random small household things like garbage bags, run $150/week without child at home, $200/week when they're home.
Midwest, rural.
kjb76@reddit
We spend between $250-400/week for two adults and a teen girl in the NYC Metro area. It varies because that can include groceries plus household items like toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning products, vitamins/supplements, and some personal care items.
Hubby and I both work from home and rarely eat lunches out so we keep a lot of food in the house for both of us to have breakfast and lunches plus I cook 3-5 dinners a week from scratch. I also keep a well stocked pantry and freezer and we always have a lot of fresh fruit and veggies on hand. We buy a mix of organic and conventional, depending on the food.
kalelopaka@reddit
Averages $65-$95, depending on what staples I need or if I want to make something special.
kgxv@reddit
I go every 2-3 weeks and it’s usually $200-$250
Thisisjuno1@reddit
I have justified the cost of GLP1 because I barely eat lol I went and got eggs (those are 13 here) and maybe spent 50 for this week.. I have a 16 year old daughter that works at a steakhouse so she eats there most nights
DryFoundation2323@reddit
For me and my two sons I spend about 5 to $600 a month.
Weary-Knowledge-7180@reddit
I try to keep it under $70 a week and that feeds my daughter & I. It doesn’t get much, maybe a bag and a half of groceries.
ContagisBlondnes@reddit
Hoooooooow is it so cheap for so many? I get that I'm in HCOL but I literally shop at 4-5 stores a week to maximize the sales, and our bill is probably around $180-200 for a family of four. We do not eat out at all, even fast food - maybe that's it? And everything is the off-brand, least expensive option. I generally save quite a bit by batch cooking easy cheap meals - like crock pot ramen night. And, of course, we don't waste food - so theres leftovers night every few days.
Taggart3629@reddit
It averages $40 per week per person, for human food. That amount does not include pet food, cat litter, toilet paper, laundry detergent, and other non-food items.
CtForrestEye@reddit
Usually about $90 per person. We eat well.
Beautiful_Mode8862@reddit
Family of 5 (46M, 45F, 15M, 14F, 12M) Rural KY, shop at Kroger Try to keep it at $600 or less per week
I have 2 boys that eat more than should be humanly possible, 2 of my kids pack lunch & a bunch of my kiddos friends hang out here all the time, so it's prob a bit above average, but not much. Especially because I'm pretty good about using digital coupons & utilizing sales.
stangAce20@reddit
$60 -$100 depending on how much stuff I need that week
qu33nof5pad35@reddit
I shop every two weeks, sometimes once a month. I’m single and live alone and spend anywhere from $40 to $80.
xtheboard@reddit
My food bill is different than my grocery store bill. I live by myself and probably spend around $100-$160 a week on food. $60 of which is groceries.
peachlozenge@reddit
$150-170 for two adults. Groceries are our largest weekly expense because healthy local food is important to us!!!! We sacrifice nights out for this though…
Over-Marionberry-686@reddit
So my husband and I do a Costco run probably once a month and it’s around 300 to 400. Then we do grocery shopping/local grocery store shopping weekly. That weekly shopping is generally around $140. We cook at home four nights a week one night a week we go out with friends and the other two nights are up in the air sometimes we cook at home sometimes we go out sometimes we have takeout.
Dapper_dreams87@reddit
Family of 4 in the Midwest. We do a big meat/bulk items in general haul at the start of the month. Generally ends up being $400. Every week after that is $100-$150/ week so $700-$850/month
MotherofJackals@reddit
Roughly $120 a week for 3 adults and a toddler. We eat out 1-2 times a month as well if we can afford it.
ParryLimeade@reddit
I aim for $120-140 for two people per week. But I often have a large order from Costco once a month or something
stitchingdeb@reddit
Rural western Oklahoma where the cost of living is relatively low. We buy 1/4 beef about twice a year, after buying the cow and paying for processing it’s about $5 per pound average (steaks, roasts, ground beef, etc.). We buy eggs locally from our Housecleaners, I usually pay her $5 per dozen. So on average for our family of two, it’s probably around $100 per week at the grocery store. Starting in May we’ll buy produce from a farm stand. We buy what we need from the grocery here and I try to source from others (grocery store is Walmart).
InevitableRhubarb232@reddit
Probably about $200/week for 3 people. It was hitting $1000 last year but we cut back on a lot of “luxury” / “I want it” items
Gaj85@reddit
I spend 100-150 per week. It just depends on what I want to cook throughout that particular time period.
NoGrapefruit1851@reddit
I spent $63 for two people and that will last about 2 weeks. I shop at Aldi and we also eat mainly vegan food with one or two days a week we eat vegetarian.
throwaway-notthrown@reddit
$70-120 a week for two people
potionator@reddit
About $170 a week for two adults, plus monthly Sam’s Club trips for dog food, paper goods, and cleaning supplies…that’s about $200. We eat out maybe once a week, but I do cook almost everything from scratch.
Swim6610@reddit
$45-60, larger on payday week and smaller on off week (one person)
immmmhungry@reddit
Average $85-$115/week for a family of 3. I cook all our meals, lots of whole foods which can make groceries cheaper in the long run just lots of planning ahead. Typically only meals out are 2-3 the kid picks for lunch at school and MAYBE a breakfast or a lunch out together on a weekend.
TalFidelis@reddit
$275-ish per week for my wife and I. We almost never eat out.
monkeyluvz@reddit
I live in Hawaii and to get the basics here and there, it's about $250 a week. Full on grocery bill is about $650 (but I do shop bulk to try and make that last as long as possible)
tasukiko@reddit
Around $120 per week for 2 people.
BrilliantGreenBean@reddit
Family of four adults, two in late 40s and two in early 20s. Usually I spend $200-250 per week. More if I'm stocking up on meat -- I try to buy a decent amount of what's on sale to last several weeks, but sometimes we seem to be getting low on a bunch at once.
The adult kids will pick up various things that they want for themselves as they see fit. I buy food for meals and a few snack-type items (pretzels, a bag of chips, a couple bottles of soda), but they like various things that they can purchase themselves. I don't know how much more they spend on that.
socceriife@reddit
Family of 4 with 2 extremely physically active teen girls. We spend $200-$300 a week. I try to cook 5 days a week and have leftovers for me and my husbands lunches. We always get a pizza one night a week and go out at least once if we are out of town for soccer which we usually are.
Low-Limit8066@reddit
$50-60/week for 2 people if we’re pinching pennies. $100/week if we’re not that worried about money. But, we only really have 1 meal a day, any lunches we have are dependent on leftovers from dinner. Breakfast only occasionally and tends to mostly consist of eggs and toast unless it’s a “big breakfast” with eggs, biscuit pancakes/french toast or rice, sausage or bacon
TooManyCarsandCats@reddit
$200-$600. Depending if we have to go the Sam’s Club too. 3 kids and a wife still at home.
Duckpuncher69@reddit
Approximately $150 a week for mostly vegetables and some chicken
grynch43@reddit
Family of 5. At least $500 a week.
Unlikely_Anything413@reddit
Somewhere around $180 weekly for two adults in upstate NY. We also eat rather healthy and very rarely eat out so that is essentially our total food cost.
rosesforthemonsters@reddit
I'm dropping $175-300/week at the grocery store for a family of four. The only meal I cook is dinner.
I live in Pennsylvania, we have some of the highest grocery prices in the country right now.
Aurora1717@reddit
I would say it's about 150 dollars a week, sometimes a little more sometimes a little less. On average I would say 650 to $700 a month. That includes me cooking 98% of our meals for breakfast lunch and dinner. It's also includes toiletries and household goods.
I focus on fresh ingredients and cooking from scratch. If I find a good sale on something I'll stock up if it will save me money in the long run. For example all by 10 lb of ground beef if it's on sale for $2.99 a pound.
Such_Chemistry3721@reddit
About $140/week for a family of 3. Kid eats free due to district-wide free lunch, so no lunch for her. We do tend to get a couple lunches or dinner out each week depending on what's going on.
rhural@reddit
$100/w -ish. Single human. Buy a lot of fresh veggies and fruits which I know brings up costs but health choice. On top of this, eat out with friends ~2x a week.
FleetwoodSacks@reddit
$180 if we’re getting meat and other stuff. Depending on where we shop this week, I will be surprised if we break $100. If we have to a Sam’s club run for like household goods once a month. We can break $300 that week. 4 adults. We shop at Winco or Kroger and a large Latin grocer. We shop at Kroger for gas points to lower how much is spent on gas
RoxyLA95@reddit
2 adults and a growing teen about $200 a week on groceries and ordering food.
Swimminginthestorm@reddit
$45/wk for myself and my cat. I am vegetarian, so it’s not that hard for me to save a little money.
Ellis4Life@reddit
Family of 5. About 250 a week.
Txjustice46@reddit
$175-200
LLM_54@reddit
I spend about $75-80 per week for about 17 meals total.
LineRex@reddit
We both struggle with eating leftovers and frozen food so we make everything fresh for every meal. We spend about $250 a week for two people. We're able to keep it low by shopping at last chance stores and buying a lot of managers specials. We're lucky to have a grocery store with very cheap bulk bins where every white powdery substance for some reason registers as unbleached flour.
gioraffe32@reddit
I live by myself. I don't shop for groceries every week, but I aim for every other week. I'm spending $200-250 each month. It's certainly more than it used to be even a few years ago, but it's not insane. I can afford it easily.
If I'd actually cook, instead of buying like mostly minimal-prep foods -- frozen pizzas and the like -- I could probably cut that down by like...$75/mo let's say. But again, I don't think what I'm spending currently in unreasonable. And it's not like I eat 3 meals a day anyway. I could probably shop once every three weeks, honestly. Which I sometimes do.
LovableButterfly@reddit
2 adults and 1 dog. We used to make it under $120 a week but with foods increases and inflation, it’s gone up to almost $180-220 a week. the grocery store nearby has higher prices than say Walmart or Target but it’s litterally just 1 street over and we like the connivence of it. We want to try Walmart again soon but the Walmart is over 15 minutes away and so is Target.
sneeds_feednseed@reddit
$50-$75 as a single male in Denver. I eat beans and rice most nights of the week for dinner but I have a snacking problem
_pamelab@reddit
Lately I spend about $150 every 3-4 weeks. I make a lot of simple batch meals that last for a few days, freeze a lot of things for later in the month, and eat out on occasion. I've been working my way through my frozen food and pantry to prep for a full kitchen purge, so it'll jump significantly once I get through it all and stock up on the basics again.
qwertyuiiop145@reddit
I go to the grocery store every 2 weeks and spend about $80-$120 so about $50 per week (I am single)
cats_and_tats84@reddit
Ranges from $90-125 per week for my husband and myself. We are CF.
cakebreaker2@reddit
We shop pretty frequently and always scout for deals. I'd say we're spending about $250 a week or so.
One-Warthog3063@reddit
I live alone, maybe $100-150/week, but I also don't try to be that frugal about it and I eat well.
lavacakeislife@reddit
Omg I was reading through these and was like I cannot be the only single human spending ~$500 a month.
One-Warthog3063@reddit
You are not alone. Food is one of the luxuries I allow myself but am otherwise frugal. The frugal part of my food is that I do the cooking most days out of a week, or I will get takeaway that I can eat on for a few days (pizza!). I have a ribeye once a week (sometimes twice). Sure it's only a 8 oz ribeye, but it fills me when combined with a salad, veggies, and perhaps a starch. I buy quality ingredients rather than the cheapest options at the market.
anclwar@reddit
I just spent $72.55, but it wasn't a "complete" trip. This was my "I'm at the big indoor market and can buy the special, expensive bread and cheese I like from the Amish" trip. Without all of that, I could have spent about $45 on everything we need for a week in the same place sans the expensive-ass cheese I bought.
Jolora24@reddit
3 people, about $200 per week but that includes an 18 year old man child that works out every days and goes to college.
Samson_J_Rivers@reddit
Idk anymore. My mom buys my food now since I drive the whole family since her legs and back don't work too well after surgery. I would get probably $70 because i eat at work a lot for free or on the cheap.
SilverB33@reddit
Depends, if it's on my own it can range from $20-$70 (small amount of items or I'm buying generic/cheaper brands) if I'm with someone it can go up to like $100-$200
HairFabulous5094@reddit
I spend probably 3-400/mo, food only, for my husband and I
DummyThiccDude@reddit
Usually, it is somewhere between $50-70 for just me, and i go shopping weekly.
I dont do a lot of cooking, so my bill isn't super high, but if i bulk buy some energy drinks, that's $20 added on, so it jumps up.
PlanktonPlane5789@reddit
I did a review of my budget for the first six months of 2022 and I had only gone to a restaurant for two meals, no takeout, and my average monthly grocery bill was $124.50. If I had to guess what I'm at now it's probably closer to $175.
So 2022: ~$30/week 2025: ~$40/week
trinite0@reddit
I don't necessarily buy groceries each week, but on average I'd say I spend around $40-$60 on groceries per week. Though more if there are special occasions I'm cooking for, or trips I'm buying extra snacks for, etc.
literallywhat66@reddit
Anywhere from $45-$80 depending on where I go.
Whole Foods is the closest to me but I’ll spend upwards of $75 on a conservative week of groceries.
Same with Stop & Shop somehow that seems like it’s always just as expensive as Whole Foods
Trader Joe’s is by far the most affordable. Wegmans is all right
towblerone@reddit
between me and my roommate, usually around $150-250 depending on what we decide to eat and if we need to restock household essentials or cat food
i’d love for it to be lower because we’re both living paycheck to paycheck but we work enough that it’s hard to do homemade rather than something frozen we can toss in the oven
Tchemgrrl@reddit
https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/Cost_Of_Food_Low_Moderate_Liberal_Food_Plans_January_2025.pdf
According to the US Department of Agriculture, these are average grocery costs for people in early 2025. My family seems to be between the “low” and “moderate” costs.
ColumbiaWahoo@reddit
A little over $100 as a single person. I do need to eat 3000-4000 calories a day just to break even though.
rosemaryscrazy@reddit
$70-80, occasionally $120 for my regular groceries, vegetables, milk, eggs , sides, snacks, fruit .
I guess I also have to include my monthly meat delivery. I get all my meat delivered from farms in the Midwest. $160 a mont.
Kittalia@reddit
About $100/week for two adults and a toddler. Keep it low by doing a lot from scratch (esp bread products and treats) and we are lucky that each set of grandparents has us over for dinner ~1x a week.
LoriReneeFye@reddit
A week? I haven't been to the grocery store in almost two months.
Last time I was there, I spent about $140.
I buy non-perishable food in bulk, like a case of 12 cans of refried beans, a 2-pound bag of shredded cheese, 20 flour tortillas, and a gallon of salsa.
I buy three boxes of spaghetti noodles, two jars of sauce, and a container of grated Parmesan cheese.
I buy 20 pounds of rice at a time (for $20), and a giant bag of "store brand" frozen peas.
I'll occasionally buy pork chops or bacon, but never chicken (blech) or beef. I enjoy a hamburger too, I just don't have any need to eat meat every day.
I last bought a dozen eggs at the end of January, which cost $6.19. I refuse to pay more than that for eggs, and the eggs I bought are gone so guess what? No eggs. It won't kill me to not have eggs.
Milk? Same deal. I bought a gallon at the end of January. Drank it, haven't been to the store since so I have no milk and I don't care.
It's just me, I eat simply.
I do "splurge" now and again on a container of ice cream, purchased at the nearest convenience store, but that store gives me fuel rewards and I NEVER pay full price for gasoline. (Best I ever did? 48 cents per gallon a few years ago.)
It BLOWS my mind to see people spending $400 a week on groceries, or even $100 a week.
It's just not necessary for us to be overstuffing our faces all the time.
Stop it.
interstatesntents@reddit
ice cream for fuel rewards....fellow UDF-er?
LoriReneeFye@reddit
I had to look that up.
I've never seen those stores where I live.
I go to Bell Stores, which used to be Campbell Oil. Started in Massillon, which is just west of where I live.
I wonder who had the idea first. Hm. I LOVE the rewards program, though. It completely changes the convenience store game. Stuff is not as expensive in those stores as people think -- IF you pay attention to the sales and rewards offers.
Well_ImTrying@reddit
Other people choose to buy minimally processed perishable food and/or live in higher cost of living areas.
LoriReneeFye@reddit
And they can do that. I'm just a Boomer who grew up when dinner became more instant, therefore more processed. I can eat healthy too, and I will do more of that in the summer and fall when local farmers markets are plentiful.
I just think most Americans overeat and spend too much money on food.
I was at JFK in March 2012, waiting to board a plane to Düsseldorf. Looking around at the people waiting with me, it was easy to see who the Americans were. And I wasn't small then either.
I've lived in high-cost areas, and there are great benefits to doing that. Best one was living in Santa Rosa, CA for five years. Ocean was 45 minutes away, Yosemite was \~4 hours away. AWESOME, plus I lived across the street from wine grapes in Sonoma County.
And paid through the nose for the privileges. (Plural.)
So I get it. I still don't think I get spending that much money on food, though.
It's good if you can eat healthier things, for sure. At this point, the chemicals are probably preserving me.
Heh.
It's all good. I'm here on Reddit because I gave up the other social media things but still want to write and engage with strangers.
Carry on.
Iniidae@reddit
Do you eat fresh produce at all?
flufflezot@reddit
For me and my husband, it's like $70. This definitely depends on where you live.
RedDeathStrikes@reddit
Live Alone?
$70-$150.
Maybe $200 if you are on some kind of special diet for health reasons.
For a family?
$300 for middle class people.
Maybe $200 if your household decides to be frugal and/or you don’t treat your kids to stuff.
Word2DWise@reddit
We don't really do full grocery shopping weekly; it's more bi weekly with fresh items and essentials on a weekly basis. With a family of 3, we budget $1300 per month toward groceries, and by that I mean actual food, not everything you buy at a grocery store.
jgoolz@reddit
About 150 a week for two adults who rarely eat out.
PrimaryAny6314@reddit
Way too much for 2 people
marksman81991@reddit
Two people $100-150, depends on where we shop. Usually Aldi
Parking_Champion_740@reddit
I’m going to say about $150/wk for 2 adults and a teen (one kid away at college). HCOL area but I buy very little meat besides chicken. I go to Costco about once every 2 months for household goods mostly and some staples
Important-Jackfruit9@reddit
We have two adults and a 16 year old at home, plus our older daughter home from school part time, and we eat at home almost all the time (restaurant maybe once a month). We spend about $1,400 a month in the suburb of a MCOL city.
aWesterner014@reddit
Family of four - two HS (american) football players It has been pretty consistently $800-$1000 a month for the past 4 years.
The weekly grocery store run costs between $175 and $225 with the monthly run to the butcher shop runs between $200-$250.
I was hoping with one going off to college this past year, the amount would have gone down a bit. That really hasn't been the case. I imagine after the second boy leaves for college we will see a pretty dramatic drop.
Shot-Artichoke-4106@reddit
It's usually somewhere between $100 and $200 per week.
Dolphopus@reddit
I buy for just me. I usually do nonperishables once a month in a bigger bulk haul, usually around $100. Then I do frozen veg weekly for like $15-25 and I do fresh meats daily/every other day.
I have ADHD so anything perishable is bought in smaller batches when I actually need them to limit my food waste. It takes more time but I’m ultimately spending less since my food isn’t rotting in my fridge so 🤷♀️
Pure-Guard-3633@reddit
It was 100$ a week for two retirees. It has increased to 200$ a week, buying the exact same products. Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, eggs, cheese, paper products as needed, spices or pasta as needed.
We store meat individually wrapped and frozen so that isn’t part of my weekly costs.
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
Looking back, in the last month, I have spent about $400 at Kroger. This is mostly groceries. On top of that I have been to Sam’s Club and purchased most of my meat and snack food there so that is probably another hundred or so, and includes toilet paper,, etc. The problem is my Sam’s trips tend to be farther apart, so it’s hard to know how much of that meat we ate within the month or how much was meat left over from a previous purchase. I buy large quantities and repackage into smaller meal size packaging and freeze. We do make other random purchases throughout the month, such as a package of hamburger buns that I forgot to buy or whatever. I really would’ve thought that I spend more but this is what my records are showing. It is my spouse and I and three teenagers. We probably eat out once or twice a week (not necessarily all of us), more in the middle of a sports season (which the beginning of this month was). I cook and I rarely buy expensive meats, but I don’t necessarily hold back if there’s an ingredient I’m interested in trying other than that. We do eat leftovers at least once a week. I hate throwing away food so we’ll have a day occasionally where I put all the leftovers out and everyone just eats whatever they want. Oddly, they kind of like these days.
Rhomya@reddit
Roughly about one $150-200 shopping trip a month, but I supplement it with about $20-$30 a week for things like fresh veggies, bread, etc.
GulfofMaineLobsters@reddit
I go about once a month and get everything all at once, except for things like Milk, and bread that won’t last. Averages out it’s close to $100 a week
dgmilo8085@reddit
About $130-$150
LuneJean@reddit
Just spent $86 for a weeks worth of groceries. Should be enough for two people for the whole week with a little of chicken leftover I can freeze for another meal.
SteakAndIron@reddit
About $150-200 for me, my wife, and our son. Add in a couple of food delivery or restaurant meals each week.
catiebug@reddit
At least $200/week for 2 adults, 2 kids. We eat out only once a week and pack all school and work lunches, which I think are variables that can change things a lot.
ophaus@reddit
Family of four, $300 or so a week.
Personal_Pain@reddit
I buy groceries for myself, generally about $75-$100
Ok-Abbreviations9936@reddit
I just left Costco for $750, but that is a once-a-month trip. Otherwise about $200 on other weeks at Kroger. So probably round it up to $1,400 for 2 adults and a very hungry toddler.
That said we rarely if ever eat out, so we are cooking a lot of meals. Combine that with my wife is WFH and needs food for breakfast and does leftovers at home for lunch.
$16,800 sounds like a lot, but we eat well and do splurge a bit on nicer cuts of meat.
brzantium@reddit
About $150 a week for two adults, a preschooler, and a dog.
Any-Concentrate-1922@reddit
I hate to say it, but I spend more than $100 a week just for me. That's including food and toiletries.
JournalistOk3096@reddit
Varies from week to week. We try to load up at the butcher so we might spend $250-$300 on a box that’ll last us a while and spend around $200-$250 per week in everything else. That’s in AK too.
g0thfrvit@reddit
$200-300 for a family of 4. It’s not the only time in the week we go to the store generally but in The Big Shop™️ it’s about that.
Docmantistobaggan@reddit
Spend about 250 a month on Costco, maybe more if I need dog food or diapers or protein powder.
~125-175 a week at the normal grocery store. 2 adults and a toddler
Infamous_Towel_5251@reddit
Average about $150-$200 per week for 2 people. This includes things like shampoo and conditioner, laundry soap, toilet paper, paper towels, etc. Also included is about $10 a week in parrot and tortoise fruits and vegetables that only they eat.
Cometguy7@reddit
Not sure if you limit it strictly to groceries, but on average it's been $400 per week in food and supplies for my family.
Sleepygirl57@reddit
A lot!
But we have 4 teens still at home. About $400 a month for Sam’s club. About $200 a week meijer which includes toiletries and any clothes I find on a good clearance sale. Like last week I bought 4 winter coats for $30 a piece for the teens which was 75% off.
We also buy a cow for the freezer every year that’s about $3,000. We tend to alternate that. One year it’s just half a cow for $1800. The next year full cow.
I do give my sister food a few times a year as they are poor as hell.
RLRoderick@reddit
Me, hubs, two teenagers. $400-$500
KevinTheCarver@reddit
~$100
BottleTemple@reddit
I shop more than once a week.
deerock18@reddit
About 200$ every five days for a family of four in eastern PA
GoBrowns69420@reddit
150-220$ two people and 5 dinners for the week. All depends on what drinks I buy and how much meat
Constant-Security525@reddit
I live in Central Europe. It's usually about the equivalent of $200 to $250 per week if any special items are not included. By special items, I mean gardening stuff and any other purchase that's not usual.
The bill gets very high when my husband makes a big order of wine and other alcoholic beverages. Also, he buys ridiculously large numbers of tissue boxes almost every week, which aren't cheap. It's sort of an obsessive-compulsive type thing.
danbyer@reddit
Wine and alcohol? Oops. I wasn’t counting that. My $150/wk just hit $200. I don’t drink a lot, I just drink well.
Constant-Security525@reddit
That's the way to do it!
professornb@reddit
Two of us - I go to Wally World (Walmart) and get not just food but household supplies and other things (grill pellets, OTC meds, sometimes clothes or shoes, hobby supplies, etc but no pet supplies) and spend about $200 every week or so. When we have fresh game or buy a quarter cow, it is less.
Prowindowlicker@reddit
I tend to shop bi monthly so it’s about $200 for the entire month plus or minus a few things
Rdtackle82@reddit
sounds like a trendy magazine
Prowindowlicker@reddit
Haha
dragonfayng@reddit
$90 a week but i eat a lot of fresh seafood myself when i can
$200 when im doing the monthly trip to restock home essentials and get pet supplies
JimBones31@reddit
My wife and I spend $200 at the grocery store and $100 at the farmers market every month. So with that, I guess we have a grocery budget per week of about $75
Ok-Equivalent8260@reddit
My son and I usually spend about $300 week on food and going out for dinner, I think. I don’t really track it.
choosegooser@reddit
I usually shop at every other week so about $150-200 for 2 people
watch1_ott1@reddit
$240 per week. Two adults, no children nor pets. And, we exclusively shop for groceries at Walmart.
LawfulnessMajor3517@reddit
$150 a week for me and my 3 children. We eat out once a week. In Louisiana (or at least in my parish) all kids get free lunches and breakfasts in school so that takes care of a lot of it.
88918240@reddit
$125-150 for 2 adults, 3 teens, and 2 kids. I genuinely don't know what we are doing to keep it so low.. we just shop crazy frugal and minimal. Even then , we have so much extra food in the pantry and fridge, every few weeks I refuse to buy any new food until the surplus is eaten.
Zealousideal_Ad_8736@reddit
Just my partner and I and generally is between 100 and $130 every week. We are very consistent in the things that we buy. Occasionally, we will pick up something at the butchers counter at the grocery store like a nice steak, but for the most part, it’s pretty consistent
Breezenotorioussun@reddit
Family of 4, Oklahoma, $250 a week is our “budget”
scootaloo732@reddit
I've had to limit it to a hard cap of $50/week and I'm not getting shit compared to say, five years ago. In other news, I'm losing a lot of weight. It's a wash.
InsertNovelAnswer@reddit
I don't know. I shop every 2 months.
Breaking it down 250/month, probably for a family of 4.
15 lb bag of rice $20
40 lbs of pasta $ 60 (around)
10 lbs of protein (split into .5 lb bags) $50
The little things like bread , lunch meat, milk are what kill my budget.
Medium-Complaint-677@reddit
My wife and I - no kids. Around $100 per week for groceries and maybe another $50 for dinner/drinks out.
I do the cooking and make nearly everything from scratch. We shop at Aldi for basics and the fancy organic market for fruits and veg and oddball things - also meat and fish if we're in a hurry. We make a Costco run once or twice a month for some large format grocery items - I like their salmon a lot. I'll also run to the butcher or fishmonger if I have time, feel like it, or need something special.
Ok-Parfait2413@reddit
Similar to the other singles and have Costco for frequently used items. I hate to shop but do have delivery.
FrauAmarylis@reddit
I recently moved to London and it’s the same as it was in Orange County, CA.
ami_unalive_yet@reddit
We budget $1,000/month for a family of 3, which includes household supplies, etc.
PossibleJazzlike2804@reddit
I spend about $30 per week.
montanalifterchick@reddit
$175-$200 but I live in a town of 6,000 approximately 2 hours from the nearest bigger town. We're not on the interstate either so that makes it harder to ship things here.
martlet1@reddit
Before Covid we spent around 175 or so a week for four people. Now it’s around 225 for the same items.
When the government pumps money into an economy it causes inflation.
cottoncandymandy@reddit
About a $100 to $140 each week for 2 people. That usually includes any household stuff that's needed as well. I've been really trying to get it cheaper, but it's hard even going to different stores for better prices.
AntisocialHikerDude@reddit
We budget $110/week, sometimes we dip into "misc" fun/fast food money a little. Family of 3.
External-Prize-7492@reddit
Family of 4 and a German Shepherd who gets ppl food.
I shop every week, so that’s about 300.00. Then once a month we hit Sam’s for TP, dish tabs, household goods, and to restock our freezers. That’s about 800.00. So 2000.00 a month.
We don’t eat out, and I replace everything in our pantry each month. I also have a teenage boy who is bottomless.
2 vegetarians 2 carnivores And a German shepherd who gets meat, organs, and vegetables.
HoyAIAG@reddit
180-250 for a family of three. My wife and son are picky so I have to prioritize their tastes over saving money.
thabonch@reddit
Too damn high.
Meilingcrusader@reddit
Probably $75-100 per week as a single person, it's a bit higher right now because I'm on a diet and diet food is more expensive. When I wasn't on a diet it was more like $50 a week. And when I was particularly watching my budget, more like $30-35. I've gotten pretty good at living on not much money, it's gonna be crazy when I actually have money one day and can just buy what I want to eat without worry
Maleficent-Sort5604@reddit
About $200/ week for 2 adults. We buy organic meat and eggs, lots of vegetables. Very little processed, boxed foods. We do shop bulk often as well and have a mild addiction to cape cod chips.
SJHillman@reddit
$200-$250/week for two adults and two elementary-aged kids. Every 4-6 months, I make a strong push to use up anything in the freezer or pantry that's been sitting around for a while, which can drop that month's bill by as much as $200. That does include non-food household goods bought at grocery stores, like paper towels, toilet paper, OTC medicine, etc, etc, which probably accounts for ~20-30% or so of the total spend. We very rarely eat out.
YB9017@reddit
We’ve gotten to about $140/week for a family of three. (One is a toddler). The way we do that is by making all our starches like pastas and bread. I also buy less meat. And the meat that I do buy, we multipurpose it. So chicken breast, I grind it up and get ground chicken. Pork tenderloin, same. I make a lot of meat balls with left over bread crumb fillers.
Also. We don’t purchase eggs because we have chickens. I bet this is what saves us 100s a month. lol
(Side note: it does not. Owning chickens is much more expensive.)
Odd-Help-4293@reddit
For just me, I spend about $40-50/week on food, and maybe $5-10 on household goods (soap, toilet paper, trash bags, etc). I don't eat a lot of pre-prepared frozen dinners or expensive snacks, which keeps the bill down.
kikicutthroat990@reddit
I don’t shop every week but every two weeks as that’s when my husband gets paid but for 5 people(3 adults 2 children) I spend about 200 on just food and that’s at just Aldi. If I factor in household items it’s about 350 with diapers and such, toilet paper, dog food, etc. I do receive wic so some things I don’t have to pay for like milk, cheese, bread, baby food, and fruit and vegetables
GuyRayne@reddit
$250-$350?
cathedralproject@reddit
I spend about $20 a day at the store. So around $140 a week. I tend to buy what I need that day and cook, not big into bulk shopping once a week. I live in NYC so walking a block to the store once or twice a day is no big deal.
WafflerTO@reddit
Consistently spending $250+/week on groceries for two adults. I've not really been making much attempt to budget. I could probably cut it to $200 with nominal effort.
SpookyBeck@reddit
At least 450 every 2 weeks. Me, husband and 2 teen boys. One of them has a gf that eats with us regularly.
DiligentTumbleweed96@reddit
Around 100 a week but we also go to Costco once a month and spend about 400. That's including things like TP, cleaning supplies, diapers and formula. Family of 4.
yahgmail@reddit
I buy groceries once a month. The bill varies.
calicoskiies@reddit
We shop every other week, so I think it’s about $400 for the month for my family of 4.
Apocalyptic0n3@reddit
About $100 in Phoenix for one person. I generally get a sandwich or burger once a week so that raises it to about $115 total for food and drink.
littleyellowbike@reddit
Two adults, one vegetarian/one raccoon in a dumpster, about $175-$250 per week depending on how many expensive staples like oils and nuts we need to buy.
B_teambjj@reddit
150 a week
GoodDecision@reddit
Just the two of us. Usually under $100
Usual_Zombie6765@reddit
Family of four, eat pretty healthy with a lot of protein. $300-500 a week. Probably average $450.
rawbface@reddit
About $250 a week, family of four.
rsvp_as_pending629@reddit
About $100 a week for my husband and me
God, I remember when we first bought our house back in 2018 we were able to get by with only spending $50 a week on groceries 😭
geneb0323@reddit
On average we spend about $200 to $250 per week for a family of 4. This includes things like paper towels, toilet paper, etc. We don't shop sales or clip coupons unless they are convenient and, within reason, don't really limit ourselves on what we buy (my wife has a pomegranate addiction, for example, so the bill goes up drastically when they are in season).
jessper17@reddit
There’s two of us and it usually runs about $150-$175ish, which factors in groceries and sundries at the regular grocery store weekly plus a Costco stock-up roughly monthly.
More-Sock-67@reddit
My wife and I used to be about $250 a week shopping at Wegmans. I got sick of that so I switched to Trader Joe’s and a local place. Now it’s $100-150 a week.
spunkypunk@reddit
About $100 a week for two adults. Maybe $150 if we need a couple higher ticket items that week.
Honeybee3674@reddit
Family of 6, with 4 young adults/teens. Food for a month is nearly as much as our Mortgage. I budget $500 a week and we go over constantly. This includes eating out and house supplies (cleaners, toothpaste, tp, napkins, etc ).
Everyone is busy, so we're not planning meals, it's basically a free for all and the kids take the debit card and grab groceries when we run out of things. At some point we will likely need to reign in the budget, but that will be a lot of work.
When the kids were younger and we lived on one income, we belonged to food co-ops, shopped at Costco, had regular family meals, hardly ever ate out, and spent a lot less (groceries also weren't as expensive).
notthegoatseguy@reddit
Two adult household:
We do a big shopping trip every 2-3 weeks which often approaches $200 but that includes stuff like her shampoo, etc.. or wine.
I do smaller trips 1-2 x a week that are probably close to $15-70 per trip.
nomadicstateofmind@reddit
Family of 3 (soon to be 4), with two pets. We pay about $150-$200/week. This includes everything - food, toiletries, pet food, etc.
hazelhaze1025@reddit
Anywhere from $100-$200 every 1 or 2 weeks. There's just 2 of us, we shop in bulk at Sams Club. It used to be once a week, but with rising costs of everything, we try to limit it to every 2 weeks and just eat what we have at home. We got a vacuum sealer for Christmas. So every couple weeks, we'll make a big meal that's freezable and vacuum seal the portions. This helps a lot as they last for months in the freezer. We also have a silicone mould with four large rectangle spaces to freeze things like soup into single serve portions. This has helped a lot especially when we don't feel like cooking and can just pull a meal out of the freezer
mis_no_mer@reddit
The weekly budget for my wife and I is $125.
yellowrose04@reddit
We go every two weeks and it’s about $500. Plus money on the kids lunch accounts, eating out. So a lot of money on food.
Quenzayne@reddit
Around $250-$300/week. Family of 4, central coast of Florida.
I work out though so I eat a lot of steak and chicken, which adds to it, plus my wife is from Chile so we eat a lot of salmon too, which is rather steep.
Proper-Reputation-42@reddit
Wow! I must be doing something wrong. All in we are around $1000 a month. We eat pretty well, I love to cook so I don’t go cheap on ingredients. We usually take previous nights leftovers for lunch.
steely_92@reddit
$150-$180 a week. Two adults, one teen, and one child.
We do get takeout once a week.
purpledrogon94@reddit
Depending on the week $100-200 for just my husband and I. Always seems like the staples run out the same week so one week might be more expensive than the last.
11b87@reddit
My wife and I...$150 every 2 weeks. We buy little meat, mostly fruit, some veggies and household items if needed...we raise chickens, I also put a good amount of venison, wild hog and fish in the freezer every year and we raise most of our vegetables.
phishmademedoit@reddit
I go to Aldi, Walmart, and other grocery stores daily. I also buy a lot of non grocery items along with groceries, so who knows. The other day, I spent 80 bucks at Walmart, but part of that was clothing for my kids and part of a baby shower gift. If I had to guess, we spend 200 a week on just food.
Guinnessron@reddit
My wife ND I ONLY. ITS $150-$200 weekly.
Bluemonogi@reddit
$200 weekly for 3 adults. This is all of our meals as we are not eating out.
JazzyJulie4life@reddit
Fast food
river-running@reddit
$30-50 for one person.
Kestrel_Iolani@reddit
Two adults, $150/week plus a monthly Costco run.
The_Real_Scrotus@reddit
I'd say it averages around $125/week plus a monthly trip to Costco that's around $250. Family of four.
SwordTaster@reddit
My husband refuses to shop weekly, we tend to prefer every other week at the most, monthly if we can stretch the freezer space with small top ups on fruit, dairy and eggs in between. I believe today's bill was $256 as it was a big shop day.
FLAREON_WRX@reddit
\~ $220 for 2 weeks. I live close to the Washington DC area. Heres a breakdown of what I get for more context (I also have this in picture form, I didnt realize we couldnt share images in the comments):
Sliced cheese 8oz- 3.49, eggs 12 count- 6.69, hummus 8oz x2- 5.78, yogurt 4.5oz x8- 15.12, sliced ham 9oz- 5.79, mozzarella cheese stick 12oz- 5.79, milk .5 gal- 3.29, red peppers x8- 16.40, baby spinach 6oz- 2.29, carrots 48oz- 3.29, apples (bagged, 8)- 9.19, Celery x2- 4.58, rice 16oz- 1.19, monster rehab x8- 19.98, couscous 4.7oz x2- 5.78, seaweed snacks x12- 9.19, popcorn (individually packed) x20- 14.98, bacon 16oz- 5.79, steak 4x- 66.68, chicken breast x3- 10.34, loaf of bread- 2.89.
Occasionally have to get something random like condiments or seasonings, this is just an average.
BrainFartTheFirst@reddit
I can get a week's worth of groceries for about $300 to 350 at Walmart.
Five people, four pets.
scaredofmyownshadow@reddit
I live alone and average $120 every ten days. I often buy in bulk and buy what’s on sale. I have a large dog and a cat, so I budget $50 per month for their expenses, but I don’t always need to spend that much.
budstone417@reddit
Depends on the week and how I'm eating. I just shop for me and usually eat light. If it's just a chicken thighs and veggies week probably 40 or 50 bucks. If I'm actually cooking it can go up to 150 or 200. A solid meal when you are out of everything can be 50 by itself, not to mention BBQ. That can be 25 to 50 just for protein.
Jswazy@reddit
I spend about 120 a week for a single person but I buy good stuff and I'm relatively wasteful.
Electrical_Feature12@reddit
$300. Lasts mostly a month and then we spend probably $100 for extras. So $400, 2 people. We work from home and make most meals at home, all day. Lotsa food.
chicagotim1@reddit
For a single guy about $25 assuming you already have your spice rack and not counting alcohol
Kingsolomanhere@reddit
Anemic
_Smedette_@reddit
Two adults and one kid: I have a Farm Box subscription, which delivers a big box of in-season vegetables and fruit + a dozen eggs every week for AUD$125 (USD$78). I supplement that with trips to a local market, usually twice/week, for other things that are needed (milk, bread, cheese, berries, meat, juice, yogurt, coffee beans, lunchbox snacks, dry beans and lentils). Total weekly bill is probably $200-$250/week (USD$125-$157). There are more expensive weeks when I need to re-stock large quantities of oils, rice, flour, and sugar, and household items like detergents, dishwasher tablets.
meganemistake@reddit
Depending on how much i have to replace in the given week, for one adult and one cat it ranges from $30-80 generally. Most weeks I spend around $50.
The cost at the lowest end means I'm good on different hygiene products, rice, waters, and treats, plus I'm buying no meat. The cost at the highest end means i have to buy all of that at once, or maybe an occasion or holiday specific list takes me higher.
No-Profession422@reddit
I go about every two weeks, between $100-150 or so. Just my wife and I.
eldritch-charms@reddit
$50-90 a week depending on how hungry I was when I was shopping, and how many discounts I accrue. Sometimes I can save anywhere from $80-100 with just mark downs, coupons and employee discounts (I work at a grocery store).
$40-60 a week for three people to eat out.
I usually plan my meals in advance so I know what to get. There's me and then half the week it's me + two teenagers.
fakesaucisse@reddit
Two adults in the broader Seattle area, and I shoot for $200 a week including alcohol and non-food stuff like cleaning products or TP or whatever I'm out of that month.
Food wise I buy mostly fresh produce and meat/fish, plus some shelf stable things like canned beans and pasta/rice. Once a month I buy a frozen pizza or some other prepared item like that but largely I try to make stuff from scratch.
Tomato_Motorola@reddit
Me and my partner (household of 2) spent about $200-$300 per month. We also eat out probably twice a week.
Salty_Dog2917@reddit
Around $200 for my wife and I.
JoeMorgue@reddit
We sort of do it in stages. We do a Costco run every few months and stock up on pantry essentials; baking goods, spices, dry noodles, rice, beans, canned goods.
So our weekly runs are usually just fresh stuff; breads (we're starting to freeze bread so that might move to the "stock up" stage), meats, fruits, veggies, and diary.
It's hard to break that down weekly but for the wife and I figure around a hundred bucks.
Snacks, sodas, and junk foods come out of our entertainment budget, not our food budget. Helps with both dieting and budget.
efflorae@reddit
-Spinach, lettuce, or another leafy vegetable
-See what produce is on sale and buy some of that; often mushrooms, diced onions, carrots, various fruits, etc
-Replace frozen veg or fruit if needed
-Bread, naan, tortillas, pita, etc, whatever grain-y food I need for the week
-If I need a staple replaced (milk, coconut milk, eggs, flour, sugar, spices, beans, rice, etc), grab that
-If I need a sauce or condiment replaced (soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, salad dressing, etc), grab that
-Tofu + if I have room in the budget or need it, meat & fish
-If needed, yogurt and applesauce
-If on sale and needed, juice or coffee creamer
-Various odds and ends if they are on sale
Usually ends up being $25-80, depending. For a month, it typically ends up being around $100-150. When I was an undergrad, my monthly budget was around $40-80. Lots of smoothies, tofu, rice & beans, and egg-based meals.
BrazilianButtCheeks@reddit
Three kids, my self and my mother staying with me has been about 200 or less every 2 weeks. But i also eat out a lot.. that bill is a WHOLE different number😅
srirachacoffee1945@reddit
About $160 a week for two adults and a baby, used to be about $90 before the baby, when i can afford to go grocery shopping, otherwise we just scrape together meals with whatever is lying around the house.
PremeTeamTX@reddit
About $300-400 for a house of 4, depending on what I'm cooking and what household things I need.