Food expenditure

salli9

What would you consider average spending for one adult, teenage son and daughter. Including lunches. I have to put this down on an "out goings" form, and I don't really keep an account. Do a big shop at beginning of the month, then it depends, who's here, if kids have mates over, if they are on school holidays. Usually take advantage of bargains, but we like a few treats.
Thanks

Dora_the_Explorer_5

Hope this helps: The average spend per head on food in older people's care homes is £2.43 a day, I can't remember the exact figures but hospitals and prisons spend per day is very similar and of course all these will be able to purchase ingredients more cheaply than you.
So it looks like you should be looking at a weekly minimum spend of £51.03 on food. I'm sure others will come along soon with their costs and there's lots of cheap recipes on the recipe thread.

salli9

For the first time I have shopped on line, I believe it should save me money, not "popping" into supermarket and buying random things. My order came to £100, some things will last us for the month/weeks others ie dog food, bread, cold meats, eggs, less time. My aim is not to shop for the week, usually, because supermarket 5mins away I go 3/4 times a week. Now keeping a note of money spent, shall do it for the month, see if I save money.

lynzpower

See from my sig me and OH are trying to do it for £20 a week just us, but including all packed lunches. Not doing brilliantly at the moment, but expect that we will improve over time, we were used to spending 70 a week just us- its just wasteful!

salli9

Good luck, I'd be interested to know what/how you are doing it.

Dora_the_Explorer_5

Salli, Black Saturn has posted on her thread Black Saturn's menu planner her recipes and food shopping which enables her to feed herself and two older children on a total of about 12 quid a week. You might pick up some useful shopping and recipe tips from it which might help you.

beanielou

There are figures used as guidelines by creditors re amounts allowed for food.
PM me if you want them

tr3mor

You'd be better of asking this question in OldStyle, lots of food planning and stuff over there, OH and I eat for aroun £25 a week.

across

i do online shopping every week and usually spend about £60 to £70 for everything for family of four (kids only aged 2 and 4) it includes food, toiletries and all cleaning stuff dont shop in week only for occasional extra loaf of bread or milk(get milk seperately of milkman for £6ish)hope this helps!

lynzpower

We, incidentally, are finding it really easy at the moment. OH has high cholestrol, so we cant buy much junk anyway, so thats good. We are eating like kings.

quick weekly meal planner goes like this as an idea
Breakfast everyday cereal ( shop own) skimmed milk, tea, value OJ.
Lunches ( i might make a soup or take a tin in, bread from granary sliced loaf, muller corner, crisps, penguin own make, OH has tuna mayo sandwiches or bogof posh ham/turkey slices)
Dinners
Slow cooked lean briaising steak casserole, mash or potatoes in with french baton (about 4.50) but loads for the freezer, leftovers for work lunches)
Pork loin steaks, v lean, pepper sauce ( packet usually...) brown rice, mushrooms, green beans carrots etc (£3.00)
I only buy turkey now, seldom chicken, way cheaper & much lower in fat, and do that with stirfry sauce some veg, noodles, beansrouts (currently trying to grow our own for green reasons, cheaper if it works!) ( about 1.50 all in)
Turkey curry chickpeas, peas, onions, peppers,any veg lying about really passata adn a bit of balti paste ( paste goes WAAY further than a tin and same price) Rice, maybe a poppadum or two (costs about 3.50 but plenty for the freezer)
OH does a spag bol with passata I have half his sauce & go for quorn mine ( £1)
tesco finest sausages & mash, peas, gravy (2.50)
Homemade pizza ( pizza base mix 27p,chopped toms 17p, few mushrooms, bit of frozen sweetcorn, maybe a bit of ham if we have it, tiny bit of hlaf fat cheese) (£1)

i only buy recycled paper, fairtrade tea and plenty of organic. And the odd bit of finest here and there. There are HUGE savings to be made further in my kitchen, but right now i dont think we need to as much. I will for example more to TVP mince when I shop for it next, way cheaper.

I dont allow waste, if its not eaten its frozen!