How much do you spend on food per month?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So is Aldi really that much cheaper? How are the meat and produce quality? Do they carry organic meat?

Aldi has tons of organics. I don't know about the meat but they have stuff like nitrite-free lunch meats and hot dogs, lots of organic fruits and vegetables, chips and snacks.

I go every two weeks and spend about $90 per visit for a family of three. We eat very healthy and pack our lunches every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About $100 a week, 2 tweens and 2 adults. I cook 95% of our meals so eating out is minimal. We eat a lot of produce which is one of the biggest costs each week.

You feed four people on $5,200 a year?? How??

Here is an example of tonight's dinner:

I had a package of chicken legs (thighs/legs attached) that came with 4 pieces in it from Aldi. It was $3.50 for the package. I used two pieces for dinner on Thursday and froze the other two. I defrosted them and two are for tonight's dinner. I put them in a large pot (like a paella pot) in the oven with 3 cut up carrots, 3 celery ribs cut up, 3 sweet potatoes cut up, 3 white potatoes cut up, garlic and a carton of bone broth from aldi that was $1 (discount) + water. The bolded veggies were in sold like $.99 for carrots, $1.29 for celery, etc. I got a bread (bagette) there that had a sticker on it for $1 off and it was originally $.1.69. Dinner of warm bagette. When it finishes, I'll take the skin off, take the chicken off the bone and we'll have soup with bread for dinner. There will be plenty left over and this will be my son's school lunch for Monday and Tuesday.

I'm actually what most people would consider wealthy, but I don't just go into a grocery store and buy whatever I feel like buying. I try to steer towards items that are on sale, even discounted so long as still fresh. Grapes are on sale this week? You're eating grapes. You like raspberries at $3.99 a carton...you'll have to wait on that. I have plenty of money for the "raspberries" in life that aren't on sale, but I HAVE that plenty of money because I've alway watched what I spent. I'll go to Aldi when possible. So, yes, I have been watching my receipts for awhile and it is absolutely around $100 a week.

That is NOT enough chicken for two adults and 2 tweens. Stop it!

+1

Previous poster, please admit that you all must be starving if this is truly what you do.

Are all of you underweight? That meal would be an appetizer to my DH. You can’t possibly be getting enough calories in that soup for dinner.

They are probably just normal weight. People don't know what normal weight looks like anymore....

[Anonymous]

We usually drop $120/week on groceries (family of 3). We usually spend about another $900/mo. on restaurants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About $100 a week, 2 tweens and 2 adults. I cook 95% of our meals so eating out is minimal. We eat a lot of produce which is one of the biggest costs each week.

You feed four people on $5,200 a year?? How??

Here is an example of tonight's dinner:

I had a package of chicken legs (thighs/legs attached) that came with 4 pieces in it from Aldi. It was $3.50 for the package. I used two pieces for dinner on Thursday and froze the other two. I defrosted them and two are for tonight's dinner. I put them in a large pot (like a paella pot) in the oven with 3 cut up carrots, 3 celery ribs cut up, 3 sweet potatoes cut up, 3 white potatoes cut up, garlic and a carton of bone broth from aldi that was $1 (discount) + water. The bolded veggies were in sold like $.99 for carrots, $1.29 for celery, etc. I got a bread (bagette) there that had a sticker on it for $1 off and it was originally $.1.69. Dinner of warm bagette. When it finishes, I'll take the skin off, take the chicken off the bone and we'll have soup with bread for dinner. There will be plenty left over and this will be my son's school lunch for Monday and Tuesday.

I'm actually what most people would consider wealthy, but I don't just go into a grocery store and buy whatever I feel like buying. I try to steer towards items that are on sale, even discounted so long as still fresh. Grapes are on sale this week? You're eating grapes. You like raspberries at $3.99 a carton...you'll have to wait on that. I have plenty of money for the "raspberries" in life that aren't on sale, but I HAVE that plenty of money because I've alway watched what I spent. I'll go to Aldi when possible. So, yes, I have been watching my receipts for awhile and it is absolutely around $100 a week.

That is NOT enough chicken for two adults and 2 tweens. Stop it!

+1

Previous poster, please admit that you all must be starving if this is truly what you do.

Are all of you underweight? That meal would be an appetizer to my DH. You can’t possibly be getting enough calories in that soup for dinner.

They are probably just normal weight. People don't know what normal weight looks like anymore....

This is true. Her dinner actually sounds really good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About $100 a week, 2 tweens and 2 adults. I cook 95% of our meals so eating out is minimal. We eat a lot of produce which is one of the biggest costs each week.

You feed four people on $5,200 a year?? How??

Here is an example of tonight's dinner:

I had a package of chicken legs (thighs/legs attached) that came with 4 pieces in it from Aldi. It was $3.50 for the package. I used two pieces for dinner on Thursday and froze the other two. I defrosted them and two are for tonight's dinner. I put them in a large pot (like a paella pot) in the oven with 3 cut up carrots, 3 celery ribs cut up, 3 sweet potatoes cut up, 3 white potatoes cut up, garlic and a carton of bone broth from aldi that was $1 (discount) + water. The bolded veggies were in sold like $.99 for carrots, $1.29 for celery, etc. I got a bread (bagette) there that had a sticker on it for $1 off and it was originally $.1.69. Dinner of warm bagette. When it finishes, I'll take the skin off, take the chicken off the bone and we'll have soup with bread for dinner. There will be plenty left over and this will be my son's school lunch for Monday and Tuesday.

I'm actually what most people would consider wealthy, but I don't just go into a grocery store and buy whatever I feel like buying. I try to steer towards items that are on sale, even discounted so long as still fresh. Grapes are on sale this week? You're eating grapes. You like raspberries at $3.99 a carton...you'll have to wait on that. I have plenty of money for the "raspberries" in life that aren't on sale, but I HAVE that plenty of money because I've alway watched what I spent. I'll go to Aldi when possible. So, yes, I have been watching my receipts for awhile and it is absolutely around $100 a week.

That is NOT enough chicken for two adults and 2 tweens. Stop it!

+1

Previous poster, please admit that you all must be starving if this is truly what you do.

Are all of you underweight? That meal would be an appetizer to my DH. You can’t possibly be getting enough calories in that soup for dinner.

They are probably just normal weight. People don't know what normal weight looks like anymore....

This is true. Her dinner actually sounds really good.

NP, but I would bet this is the same poster who always chimes in on these threads with insanely low food budgets and when you dig deeper, they eat really small portions. Like, one serving of Aldi cornflakes for a teenager for breakfast or something absurd. I can't fathom that soup would provide a full meal AND leftovers.

[Anonymous]

Probably around $900/month.

Family of 3 technically, our newborn breastfeeds

$600 groceries
$100 work lunches
$200 eating out/delivery

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About $100 a week, 2 tweens and 2 adults. I cook 95% of our meals so eating out is minimal. We eat a lot of produce which is one of the biggest costs each week.

You feed four people on $5,200 a year?? How??

Here is an example of tonight's dinner:

I had a package of chicken legs (thighs/legs attached) that came with 4 pieces in it from Aldi. It was $3.50 for the package. I used two pieces for dinner on Thursday and froze the other two. I defrosted them and two are for tonight's dinner. I put them in a large pot (like a paella pot) in the oven with 3 cut up carrots, 3 celery ribs cut up, 3 sweet potatoes cut up, 3 white potatoes cut up, garlic and a carton of bone broth from aldi that was $1 (discount) + water. The bolded veggies were in sold like $.99 for carrots, $1.29 for celery, etc. I got a bread (bagette) there that had a sticker on it for $1 off and it was originally $.1.69. Dinner of warm bagette. When it finishes, I'll take the skin off, take the chicken off the bone and we'll have soup with bread for dinner. There will be plenty left over and this will be my son's school lunch for Monday and Tuesday.

I'm actually what most people would consider wealthy, but I don't just go into a grocery store and buy whatever I feel like buying. I try to steer towards items that are on sale, even discounted so long as still fresh. Grapes are on sale this week? You're eating grapes. You like raspberries at $3.99 a carton...you'll have to wait on that. I have plenty of money for the "raspberries" in life that aren't on sale, but I HAVE that plenty of money because I've alway watched what I spent. I'll go to Aldi when possible. So, yes, I have been watching my receipts for awhile and it is absolutely around $100 a week.

That is NOT enough chicken for two adults and 2 tweens. Stop it!

+1

Previous poster, please admit that you all must be starving if this is truly what you do.

Are all of you underweight? That meal would be an appetizer to my DH. You can’t possibly be getting enough calories in that soup for dinner.

They are probably just normal weight. People don't know what normal weight looks like anymore....

This is true. Her dinner actually sounds really good.[/

A small amount of meat/fish in a dish with grains or sweet potatoes plus assorted other veggies is pretty typical for Mediterranean cooking and is what we do (I was taught to cook by my Italian grandparents) with fruit/nuts/cheese/olives/peppers etc. as the assorted extra nibbles around for snack/dessert. Just under $600/month family of four that includes two athletic teens (1 boy, 1 girl). We don't shop at Aldi but we buy bulk at Costco every 2 weeks and then to HMart and the like for the week's veggies/fruit. I have one credit card I use for groceries so I know this average is accurate. Assorted food allergies/intolerances mean we rarely eat out (maybe 1 or 2x month total). I don't particularly do this for frugality, just don't like to grocery shop much and in general tried to avoid any prepared foods (even store/factory baked bread, breakfast cereals etc). But most of our fish/meat tends to be frozen (though I try to go with the organic variety as much as possible from Costco) --something I miss from growing up where we had a butcher and a fishmonger just down the street. But though my grandparents would roll over in their (recent) graves, I have to admit I think the extra virgin olive oil at Costco is really good!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About $100 a week, 2 tweens and 2 adults. I cook 95% of our meals so eating out is minimal. We eat a lot of produce which is one of the biggest costs each week.

You feed four people on $5,200 a year?? How??

Here is an example of tonight's dinner:

I had a package of chicken legs (thighs/legs attached) that came with 4 pieces in it from Aldi. It was $3.50 for the package. I used two pieces for dinner on Thursday and froze the other two. I defrosted them and two are for tonight's dinner. I put them in a large pot (like a paella pot) in the oven with 3 cut up carrots, 3 celery ribs cut up, 3 sweet potatoes cut up, 3 white potatoes cut up, garlic and a carton of bone broth from aldi that was $1 (discount) + water. The bolded veggies were in sold like $.99 for carrots, $1.29 for celery, etc. I got a bread (bagette) there that had a sticker on it for $1 off and it was originally $.1.69. Dinner of warm bagette. When it finishes, I'll take the skin off, take the chicken off the bone and we'll have soup with bread for dinner. There will be plenty left over and this will be my son's school lunch for Monday and Tuesday.

I'm actually what most people would consider wealthy, but I don't just go into a grocery store and buy whatever I feel like buying. I try to steer towards items that are on sale, even discounted so long as still fresh. Grapes are on sale this week? You're eating grapes. You like raspberries at $3.99 a carton...you'll have to wait on that. I have plenty of money for the "raspberries" in life that aren't on sale, but I HAVE that plenty of money because I've alway watched what I spent. I'll go to Aldi when possible. So, yes, I have been watching my receipts for awhile and it is absolutely around $100 a week.

That is NOT enough chicken for two adults and 2 tweens. Stop it!

+1

Previous poster, please admit that you all must be starving if this is truly what you do.

Are all of you underweight? That meal would be an appetizer to my DH. You can’t possibly be getting enough calories in that soup for dinner.

They are probably just normal weight. People don't know what normal weight looks like anymore....

This is true. Her dinner actually sounds really good.

NP, but I would bet this is the same poster who always chimes in on these threads with insanely low food budgets and when you dig deeper, they eat really small portions. Like, one serving of Aldi cornflakes for a teenager for breakfast or something absurd. I can't fathom that soup would provide a full meal AND leftovers.

What is wrong with a bowl of cereal for breakfast? It's impossible to get my daughter to eat much for breakfast but she eats a ton at dinner.

I have no idea why people are pushing big portions on others when the US is in the midst of an obesity epidemic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About $100 a week, 2 tweens and 2 adults. I cook 95% of our meals so eating out is minimal. We eat a lot of produce which is one of the biggest costs each week.

You feed four people on $5,200 a year?? How??

Here is an example of tonight's dinner:

I had a package of chicken legs (thighs/legs attached) that came with 4 pieces in it from Aldi. It was $3.50 for the package. I used two pieces for dinner on Thursday and froze the other two. I defrosted them and two are for tonight's dinner. I put them in a large pot (like a paella pot) in the oven with 3 cut up carrots, 3 celery ribs cut up, 3 sweet potatoes cut up, 3 white potatoes cut up, garlic and a carton of bone broth from aldi that was $1 (discount) + water. The bolded veggies were in sold like $.99 for carrots, $1.29 for celery, etc. I got a bread (bagette) there that had a sticker on it for $1 off and it was originally $.1.69. Dinner of warm bagette. When it finishes, I'll take the skin off, take the chicken off the bone and we'll have soup with bread for dinner. There will be plenty left over and this will be my son's school lunch for Monday and Tuesday.

I'm actually what most people would consider wealthy, but I don't just go into a grocery store and buy whatever I feel like buying. I try to steer towards items that are on sale, even discounted so long as still fresh. Grapes are on sale this week? You're eating grapes. You like raspberries at $3.99 a carton...you'll have to wait on that. I have plenty of money for the "raspberries" in life that aren't on sale, but I HAVE that plenty of money because I've alway watched what I spent. I'll go to Aldi when possible. So, yes, I have been watching my receipts for awhile and it is absolutely around $100 a week.

That is NOT enough chicken for two adults and 2 tweens. Stop it!

+1

Previous poster, please admit that you all must be starving if this is truly what you do.

Are all of you underweight? That meal would be an appetizer to my DH. You can’t possibly be getting enough calories in that soup for dinner.

They are probably just normal weight. People don't know what normal weight looks like anymore....

This is true. Her dinner actually sounds really good.

NP, but I would bet this is the same poster who always chimes in on these threads with insanely low food budgets and when you dig deeper, they eat really small portions. Like, one serving of Aldi cornflakes for a teenager for breakfast or something absurd. I can't fathom that soup would provide a full meal AND leftovers.

What is wrong with a bowl of cereal for breakfast? It's impossible to get my daughter to eat much for breakfast but she eats a ton at dinner.

I have no idea why people are pushing big portions on others when the US is in the midst of an obesity epidemic.

Absolutely nothing, but it's an unrealistically small breakfast for most teenage boys. You know that's true. I mean, the whole family could be tiny people who are sedentary and thus have extremely low daily calorie requirements. But most active people with decent muscle mass and/or growing kids are going to eat more than 200 calories for breakfast--and if they have that small a breakfast, they're going to eat more during the day. You said it yourself: a small breakfast and a ton at dinner. In this budget, all the meals are tiny, and that's not typical, even for people of average weight. It's not rocket science.

[Anonymous]

I’m the recipe poster. I’m NOT the same one that mentioned breakfast. My kids are heavily into sports, including some that have 2 hours of practice before 6:30 am! Our breakfasts on those days are something like an egg sandwich. Good Bread with $1 off at Aldi, 2-3 eggs, cheese, butter on bread (one side). It will then be supplemented with something else if still hungry: fruit, piece of cheese, yogurt, etc. on non sports days, it is a variety of diff things depending on the preference: oatmeal, cereal (generic), milk, yogurt and fruit, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About $100 a week, 2 tweens and 2 adults. I cook 95% of our meals so eating out is minimal. We eat a lot of produce which is one of the biggest costs each week.

You feed four people on $5,200 a year?? How??

Here is an example of tonight's dinner:

I had a package of chicken legs (thighs/legs attached) that came with 4 pieces in it from Aldi. It was $3.50 for the package. I used two pieces for dinner on Thursday and froze the other two. I defrosted them and two are for tonight's dinner. I put them in a large pot (like a paella pot) in the oven with 3 cut up carrots, 3 celery ribs cut up, 3 sweet potatoes cut up, 3 white potatoes cut up, garlic and a carton of bone broth from aldi that was $1 (discount) + water. The bolded veggies were in sold like $.99 for carrots, $1.29 for celery, etc. I got a bread (bagette) there that had a sticker on it for $1 off and it was originally $.1.69. Dinner of warm bagette. When it finishes, I'll take the skin off, take the chicken off the bone and we'll have soup with bread for dinner. There will be plenty left over and this will be my son's school lunch for Monday and Tuesday.

I'm actually what most people would consider wealthy, but I don't just go into a grocery store and buy whatever I feel like buying. I try to steer towards items that are on sale, even discounted so long as still fresh. Grapes are on sale this week? You're eating grapes. You like raspberries at $3.99 a carton...you'll have to wait on that. I have plenty of money for the "raspberries" in life that aren't on sale, but I HAVE that plenty of money because I've alway watched what I spent. I'll go to Aldi when possible. So, yes, I have been watching my receipts for awhile and it is absolutely around $100 a week.

That is NOT enough chicken for two adults and 2 tweens. Stop it!

+1

Previous poster, please admit that you all must be starving if this is truly what you do.

Are all of you underweight? That meal would be an appetizer to my DH. You can’t possibly be getting enough calories in that soup for dinner.

They are probably just normal weight. People don't know what normal weight looks like anymore....

This is true. Her dinner actually sounds really good.

NP, but I would bet this is the same poster who always chimes in on these threads with insanely low food budgets and when you dig deeper, they eat really small portions. Like, one serving of Aldi cornflakes for a teenager for breakfast or something absurd. I can't fathom that soup would provide a full meal AND leftovers.

What is wrong with a bowl of cereal for breakfast? It's impossible to get my daughter to eat much for breakfast but she eats a ton at dinner.

I have no idea why people are pushing big portions on others when the US is in the midst of an obesity epidemic.

Absolutely nothing, but it's an unrealistically small breakfast for most teenage boys. You know that's true. I mean, the whole family could be tiny people who are sedentary and thus have extremely low daily calorie requirements. But most active people with decent muscle mass and/or growing kids are going to eat more than 200 calories for breakfast--and if they have that small a breakfast, they're going to eat more during the day. You said it yourself: a small breakfast and a ton at dinner. In this budget, all the meals are tiny, and that's not typical, even for people of average weight. It's not rocket science.

I'm not sure how you know how all their meals are tiny? The stew recipe sounds fine to me.

I don't have teenage boys but I grew up with a brother and I don't think he ate constantly. Maybe we're just skinnier than the norm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m the recipe poster. I’m NOT the same one that mentioned breakfast. My kids are heavily into sports, including some that have 2 hours of practice before 6:30 am! Our breakfasts on those days are something like an egg sandwich. Good Bread with $1 off at Aldi, 2-3 eggs, cheese, butter on bread (one side). It will then be supplemented with something else if still hungry: fruit, piece of cheese, yogurt, etc. on non sports days, it is a variety of diff things depending on the preference: oatmeal, cereal (generic), milk, yogurt and fruit, etc.

People who are athletes are the exception - most Americans get way too many calories and not enough exercise

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m the recipe poster. I’m NOT the same one that mentioned breakfast. My kids are heavily into sports, including some that have 2 hours of practice before 6:30 am! Our breakfasts on those days are something like an egg sandwich. Good Bread with $1 off at Aldi, 2-3 eggs, cheese, butter on bread (one side). It will then be supplemented with something else if still hungry: fruit, piece of cheese, yogurt, etc. on non sports days, it is a variety of diff things depending on the preference: oatmeal, cereal (generic), milk, yogurt and fruit, etc.

My son is an athlete and he needs 3500 calories a day to gain weight properly. But he is more active than just his sports practices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m the recipe poster. I’m NOT the same one that mentioned breakfast. My kids are heavily into sports, including some that have 2 hours of practice before 6:30 am! Our breakfasts on those days are something like an egg sandwich. Good Bread with $1 off at Aldi, 2-3 eggs, cheese, butter on bread (one side). It will then be supplemented with something else if still hungry: fruit, piece of cheese, yogurt, etc. on non sports days, it is a variety of diff things depending on the preference: oatmeal, cereal (generic), milk, yogurt and fruit, etc.

My son is an athlete and he needs 3500 calories a day to gain weight properly. But he is more active than just his sports practices.

For What sport is he trying to “gain weight properly?” That seems pretty random. Most - not all, before someone jumps all over me. - athletic tweens and teens are eating when hungry or for fuel but not to gain weight. Is he a linebacker?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m the recipe poster. I’m NOT the same one that mentioned breakfast. My kids are heavily into sports, including some that have 2 hours of practice before 6:30 am! Our breakfasts on those days are something like an egg sandwich. Good Bread with $1 off at Aldi, 2-3 eggs, cheese, butter on bread (one side). It will then be supplemented with something else if still hungry: fruit, piece of cheese, yogurt, etc. on non sports days, it is a variety of diff things depending on the preference: oatmeal, cereal (generic), milk, yogurt and fruit, etc.

My son is an athlete and he needs 3500 calories a day to gain weight properly. But he is more active than just his sports practices.

. But your son isn’t more active by 6 am on non sport days. He eats the same right after a huge workout as he does without the workout? This is talking about breakfast. Sure, my kids are active with activities most days but they definitely eat more and are hungrier on training days. Your child eats as much as when it isn’t a full training day?