How much do you spend on groceries a month?

[Anonymous]

I’m just curious how much other families of four (two adults and two kids under 2) are spending on groceries each month? I’m trying to save money but also want to try to give my kids a lot of organic foods, at least for the next couple years, which means I end up at Whole Foods a lot.
I guess I’m just asking to make myself feel better that we’re all in the same boat, although any innovative cost saving ideas are welcome too!

[Anonymous]

Family of 3. Our child is 2.5.

We spend about $175/wk, so I guess that ends up being about $758 per month. We eat out 1-2xs a week as well.

No cost savings ideas here. I love to cook, so I end up getting special ingredients that add up often.

Oh yea, I might add, that this shopping includes NO MEAT. I purchase my chicken, pork, and beef in bulk. My beef lasts around 12-18 mos, my chicken I purchase 4 times a year, and my hog lasts about 12 months. All of that meat adds probably another 2K or so to my annual costs.

[Anonymous]

I spend about $800 but it includes stuff like laundry soap, cleaning, etc.

[zumbamama]

About $400-$500. Last week I bought everything generic and I saved maybe $20. But someone told me about this Angel Food Ministry where you can order a bunch of food for super, super cheap and then you go pick it up. I am ordering $130 worth of food and it should last us all month. Maybe then I can go buy some jeans.

[Anonymous]

About $1000 for a family of four.

[Anonymous]

One adult, two small kids. I'm trying really hard to spend $400 per month but it's more like $600.

[Anonymous]

For a family of five, I spend $400 per month. About three or four times a year, I spend an additional $200 to stock my pantry and freezer.

[Anonymous]

Whole Foods - 4 billion $$ a month
Safeway - $200 a month
Costco - $50 a month

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For a family of five, I spend $400 per month. About three or four times a year, I spend an additional $200 to stock my pantry and freezer.

that's awesome, how do you keep it so low?

[Anonymous]

Where do you buy meat in bulk?

[Anonymous]

I shop at WH way too often.so it's about $800-1000 per month for 2 adults and a 2.5 yr old. I need to cut it down too...

[Anonymous]

My husband and I currently spend about $800-1000/mo for just the two of us adults. We buy fresh organic produce and organic meat (whole foods + wegman's)... and that makes it nearly impossible to cut the food bill. I don't expect that our child, when he starts eating grown up food with us, to really increase that cost. In fact, it'll probably help lower our eating out bill.

I've done a lot of "thinking" about this issue, trying to bring our food bill down. But, because I work, I haven't found the time/energy/desire to "plan ahead" with grocery shopping and meals. So we end up operating on the fly, which means we miss out on any deals that are to be had. Feel better OP, grocery shopping is expensive and feeding your child healthy foods is a good and important use of your money!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where do you buy meat in bulk?

Polyface farm http://www.polyfacefarms.com/

I have also gotten beef from Over the Grass farm, but they are much more expensive than Polyface, but I much prefer the butcher they use.

Also, if grass fed beef is important to you, it is important to understand that Over the Grass is Grass Finished, but Polyface is 100% grass fed. Grass finished is tastier IMO, but grass fed is not only more sustainable, but much more healthy.

Here is Over the Grass's website (which is horrible BTW, but they are farmers not web designers) http://www.overthegrassfarm.com/index.html

[Anonymous]

Family of 7, we spend about $1000. I do the majority of shopping at Costco and then supplement at Trader Joe's and Giant. We do eat a lot of fruit so I don't think I can get it any cheaper.

[Anonymous]

I spend 650/mo at the grocery store for a family of 3 (Harris Teeter). But I bet I spend 20% more on misellaneous food/cvs purchases elsewhere, so that comes to $780/mo.