Average Grocery Costs for Family

[Anonymous]

I stumbled across this USDA chart: https://www.cnpp.usda.gov/sites/default/files/CostofFoodJan2018.pdf

Normally, I am for some reason ashamed that I spend more on groceries for the family then what we did on renting a 2 bedroom apartment in 2010. Seeing the chart, for some reason, makes me feel like I am not an extravagant spender. I have tried Aldi, Costco, mor frozen veggies, compared prices etc. Monthly groceries for the family are so expensive. Any thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Food is expensive. Quality food is more expensive. Cheap snacks aren’t filling but are addictive so you’ll buy more, and they become expensive.

I can keep the costs down a bit if I really try hard to meal plan and comparison shop. However, I don’t drive, so shopping all over town is beyond inconvenient. I’ve mostly given up and accepted that it’s just going to be expensive.

[Anonymous]

My groceries cost more than my rent. I am not the best meal planner but we aren’t eating super expensive organic/grass fed stuff either.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the responses. It's comforting to know that I am not alone in this. The struggle is real.

[Anonymous]

What are you currently spending on groceries and where would you like to be? Post a budget and people might have more specific suggestions. Here are some general suggestions.

1. Have a budget and stick to it.

2. Have a general menu planned for the week. Know what you're going buy so you don't end up buying random things.

3. Be aware of the sales for meat in your local markets. Stock up on those.

4. Buy fruits and vegetables in season.

5. Don't waste money on pre-cut/pre-washed/pre-made stuff.

6. Some meats/vegetables/fruits tend to be more expensive than others. It's okay to eat simpler everyday and save the more expensive stuff for special occasions.

7. Cut down on snacks.

[Anonymous]

Fresh food is just expensive. Fruits and vegetables even in season add up. We are an adult, 10, and 7. I can get away with 1/2 chicken or a lb of salmon. But the vegetables—it’s usually a head of cauliflower and broccoli plus something else like carrots. Add in fruit for dessert. My produce bill is close to $100/week for the 3 of us.

Yes I could eliminate some produce. But it’s really hard to say no more to a kid that’s asking for more broccoli.

[Anonymous]

We buy in season/sale priced fruit. Ie: we don't buy berries year round. If nothing is on sale we buy the more durable affordable stuff like apples, bananas, clementines, green grapes, etc.

Other than lettuce, tomato, cucumber and peppers, we buy most veggies frozen. Its a lot more affordable that way and we are just going to steam them anyway.

Also, I'm assuming the chart you posted assumes all meals are eating at home/packed with food from home. Lets face, it most people aren't doing that. So while my groceries are usually $150/week for 4 people, everyone in the family buys lunch out a few times a week (kids at school) and we also eat out or get take out dinner 1-2x a week.

[Anonymous]

When I started shopping mostly at Aldi I cut my grocery bill by nearly 1/2. They have a limited selection but you start getting used to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are you currently spending on groceries and where would you like to be? Post a budget and people might have more specific suggestions. Here are some general suggestions.

1. Have a budget and stick to it.

2. Have a general menu planned for the week. Know what you're going buy so you don't end up buying random things.

3. Be aware of the sales for meat in your local markets. Stock up on those.

4. Buy fruits and vegetables in season.

5. Don't waste money on pre-cut/pre-washed/pre-made stuff.

6. Some meats/vegetables/fruits tend to be more expensive than others. It's okay to eat simpler everyday and save the more expensive stuff for special occasions.

7. Cut down on snacks.

This is GOLD. I just never thought I would end up spending $900 a month on food for 2 adults and 3 kids.

I buy beans in bulk online for bean soup, and chickpeas, which I eat daily, but the spouse and 2 kids are done. I get broccoli cauliflower carrot mix frozen oven roast that and the kids like it, frozen chicken tenders, hotdogs, chicken breasts, steak twice a month, salmon or some other fish a few times a month, mostly it is chicken. But I buy nuts which are expensive, cheese sticks, cereal is expensive and not super healthy, but the kids wolf it down and feed themselves. Premade crescent roll dough, for the kids to make pigs in a blanket, Take and bake pizza twice a month, 6 gallons of milk a month, fresh apples, grapes, carrots, lettuce cucumber. Animal crackers, goldfish crackers, granola bars, occasionally dried fruit. Pasta, lots of pre-shredded or pre-sliced cheese and bread. I will try to by blocks of cheese and shred it in the food processor, but then I get tired. $10 a week on tortilla chips (lots of nachos). Lots of plain yogurt ad bulk honey. tortillas, Oatmeal, peanut butter, jelly, chicken thighs for soups and curries, frozen caroot and green bean mix to add to soups. Sandwich meat. 2 dosen eggs a month, Bulk flour for pancakes and other baked stuff.

We tried the website https://www.budgetbytes.com/ for inspiration, but have not been consistent. And have not stayed with a meal plan beyond a week before giving up and going to default meal of chicken, noodles, and frozen veggies.

[Anonymous]

I had my first baby when I was in college so I was on SNAP. I guess I just learned from there how to budget and coupon because for our family of 4 (granted, one is under a year old), I spend ~$300 a month?

Being poor has its benefits. Modest HHI too.

[Anonymous]

+1 for Aldi. Yes, the selection is limited but I can live with that.

To reduce costs and mid week trips to the supermarket:

- Buy frozen vegetables and whatever fresh fruits the supermarket has on sale.

- Try to keep an inventory of what's in the fridge.

- I cook some things daily and some things (rice, stews) a few times a week.

- Switch it up - sometimes we have breakfast for dinner. I use basic eggs and pancakes (relatively cheap grocery items).

- I keep it simple - Dinner is usually no more than 4 items.

- I try to empty almost all the stuff in the fridge before making a major supermarket run.

- Reduce your child's snack attacks! It will save you a small fortune and they won't starve to death.
I spend no more than $300 a month for a family of 3 (2 growing boys).

[Anonymous]

I have 4 adults eaters in the family (2 adults, 2 ravenous older teens). I just started tracking grocery spending.

January I spent $960. So far in Feb it has been $750. This is in addition to about $150 worth of fast food/takeout.

[Anonymous]

We are a family of 2 adults and 2 preschoolers and we spend between $800-$1000 a month on groceries. I’ve come to peace with it- that’s all breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for the month and it’s really healthy food.

I’ve lived on a very limited income where all I ate was plain noodles. I could cut costs but it would mean eating less healthfully so I have not.

[Anonymous]

I don't get it. I rarely spend more than $150 at the store per week, and it's for a family of four (kids 9 and 11). We pack their lunches, I mostly buy organic, don't particularly compare prices, use coupons or plan meals around flyers. We always have plenty of fruit/veg, and I even buy flowers every week. This does not include times when we entertain so have to buy more food/alcohol, etc. It also does not include the quarterly Costco trip for paper goods, coffee, cheese and meat. We shop at Harris Teeter and occasionally Giant. What on earth are you all buying?

[Anonymous]

We have 2 adults, one teen, and a 12 yr old. We spend around $500. My kids eat at school if they're hungry, so I don't pack lunch, we rarely eat out (maybe once every two months), and none of us are big eaters. The only time I've had a high grocery bill was when I had three teenage boys. Thankfully they all moved out and started buying their own food when they turned 18. It's expensive to feed teenage boys. I have a strange taste in food, and I'm happy snacking on a bowl of cabbage with vinegar, or munching on freeze-dried strawberries.