Keeping in mind that we are relatively gluttonous foodies who have a bunch of food intolerances and are health conscious:
I spend A LOT. I have some cheap meals like this but overall there aren't many things we can do for dinner anymore for less than at least $15, and they just eat so much for all meals/snacks. My kids stagger people with what they consume. Breakfast is like, an entire box of cereal and jug of (non-dairy) milk and a whole canteloupe, or a whole package of bacon with a dozen eggs and stacks of pancakes.
Anyway, I spend about $400 approximately every two weeks at BJ's (wholesale store), and about an additional $150 or so at little stores for filling in gaps throughout the month. A good $1000 per month is like...nothing. If I stop "being careful" (going to regular grocery stores more often, getting too many expensive things) it hits $12-1500 easily. <-- That's the regular "budget".
Grant tends to spend $100 on groceries any weekend he's cooking because he never wants to cook from what we have and always plans some elaborate meal and then goes and buys everything for it at Winn Dixie.
What really kills us is that we only send lunch with Grant approximately half the time, and he needs snacks while he's out fairly often that we don't always plan for (keeping in mind that he spends about 4 hours OR SO per day commuting right now...) So that's something we're spending like $30 a week on EASY. And if we fail to plan dinner or have things ready and are already getting home so late even just once or twice a month and spring for takeout or restaurant, FORGET IT. $25 at Pollo Tropical or Sweet Tomatoes (with coupons) is bearable but any other restaurant or chinese takeout or whatever is at least $50. If we want to go buy supplies to grill hot dogs in the Everglades for dinner or have a picnic lunch at the park, either ends up being almost $50. For awhile I was spending $20 a week at Starbucks without even realizing it (I totally quit Starbucks awhile back). If Grant and I go have a date out somewhere we're guaranteed to spend $50, especially if you factor in gas. So all told we're doing $300 on this kind of overage food stuff every month, almost at minimum :/
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Date: 2012-04-12 03:39 am (UTC)I spend A LOT. I have some cheap meals like this but overall there aren't many things we can do for dinner anymore for less than at least $15, and they just eat so much for all meals/snacks. My kids stagger people with what they consume. Breakfast is like, an entire box of cereal and jug of (non-dairy) milk and a whole canteloupe, or a whole package of bacon with a dozen eggs and stacks of pancakes.
Anyway, I spend about $400 approximately every two weeks at BJ's (wholesale store), and about an additional $150 or so at little stores for filling in gaps throughout the month. A good $1000 per month is like...nothing. If I stop "being careful" (going to regular grocery stores more often, getting too many expensive things) it hits $12-1500 easily. <-- That's the regular "budget".
Grant tends to spend $100 on groceries any weekend he's cooking because he never wants to cook from what we have and always plans some elaborate meal and then goes and buys everything for it at Winn Dixie.
What really kills us is that we only send lunch with Grant approximately half the time, and he needs snacks while he's out fairly often that we don't always plan for (keeping in mind that he spends about 4 hours OR SO per day commuting right now...) So that's something we're spending like $30 a week on EASY. And if we fail to plan dinner or have things ready and are already getting home so late even just once or twice a month and spring for takeout or restaurant, FORGET IT. $25 at Pollo Tropical or Sweet Tomatoes (with coupons) is bearable but any other restaurant or chinese takeout or whatever is at least $50. If we want to go buy supplies to grill hot dogs in the Everglades for dinner or have a picnic lunch at the park, either ends up being almost $50. For awhile I was spending $20 a week at Starbucks without even realizing it (I totally quit Starbucks awhile back). If Grant and I go have a date out somewhere we're guaranteed to spend $50, especially if you factor in gas. So all told we're doing $300 on this kind of overage food stuff every month, almost at minimum :/