How much for a weeks food?

Wraithlady

I would say, with two of us, it averages about £70-£80 a fortnight, so roughly £20 per week per head and that's at a Big 4 supermarket and we don't feel we're being miserly. But we do have an extremely well stocked larder and freezer, we don't do ready meals (dairy intolerance) and I am reasonably enthusiastic about cooking.
The best advice I can give is - if she doesn't already have one - get a small slow-cooker. I've seen them in Wilko for about £10-£15 and you can take cheap cuts like shin or neck of lamb and turn them into tasty meals for less than the cost of running a light bulb. Also freezer space ( same proviso) - a small chest freezer is really useful for portioning out meals and keeping a supply of bread.

FluffityBunny

We're a family of 3 and our average weekly food shop is £60 a week, so a single person should be able to do this for no more that £25/£30 a week. Batch cook and freeze in single portions (curry/bolognese/soups/stews). If you have a slow cooker then go for the cheaper cuts of meat.

System

Tend to think how much each meal I am having cost me e.g I could have a burger from a pack for 50-60p so tend to base what I get on this value system (also massively puts me off eat out foods).

Fire_Fox

mojoman wrote: »

I know you good people on this site will be able to help me.My friend has recently been widowed and unfortunately has rather less money than when her husband was alive.She doesn't want to give up her various interests and pastimes so is thinking of ways to save money.obviously she still has to pay council tax,gas,electricity,insurance etc.

Sorry to read of your friend's loss.

Gas and electric bills can be significantly reduced by changing habits. Understanding that the much of the spend is on heating the air (tumble dryer) and heating water (bathing/ central heating) not lighting, TV and small electricals.

So air dry laundry, have shorter shower/ shallower bath, insulate window areas and loft better, use an electric blanket on the bed and heated throw on the sofa (use very little energy).

mojoman wrote: »

She's hoping savings can be made on food.How much do you all spend on food every week? She doesn't eat much meat ,so that seems to me to be a good start.Could you let us know what you think?

Weekly spend without knowing more about the household (for one, or regular guests?), whether eating for health is an issue, the flavours they enjoy (traditional British or Asian/ Middle Eastern?), how happy they are cook from scratch (bread, cereals, sauces), where they are able to shop (real life or online? Big Four, discounters, market stalls?) even their ethics is pretty much meaningless.

As Farway said, the regulars on the Old Style Cooking for One thread are an eclectic bunch, and a broad range of food budgets. Your friend would be very welcome to join us.

Your friend would be best recording all the food she buys and all the meals and snacks she eats for a fortnight or a month, then seeking advice on easy swaps and making savings. This works best if the food diary and spending diary are very detailed.

Hopefully instead of land animal meat, your friend is eating plenty of fish and other seafood, eggs, seeds and nuts? Some of the cheapest fish and seafood is from freezer shops and discounters, as well as canned fish.

Similarly frozen fruit and vegetables can be cheaper than fresh, not least because there is little waste. Supermarkets and discounters have staple vegetables - roots, alliums - cheap at key times of year (Xmas and other bank holidays), take advantage then prep and freeze.

Certain wholegrains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds are cheapest in bulk from the World Foods aisle of the supermarket or from Asian or Arabic grocers.

HTH!

Pollycat

SweetPotatoPie wrote: »

I shop for me and my teenage daughter. Mine is 90.00 a week. ��

That sounds very high to me, although it obviously depends on what you're buying.

If you want to/need to cut that figure down, I'd have a look at some of the other threads on here.

PasturesNew

Some, above, are saying "£30 is doable" - I'd say "Yes, it is, if you love lobster". £30 is a LOT really....

It is possible to scrape by on fairly simple, but filling, foods, for £10/week. £20/week means you have more choice of food and can buy "a branded pack". £30/week would be a budget for somebody buying in piles of ready meals.

I think the thing to do is not set a budget as such, but start with writing down the cost of every meal and total it per day. Also value any waste. Only then can somebody start to appreciate the cost of what they're buying/using/eating/wasting and adjust their shopping and recipes accordingly.

Using fewer ingredients and limiting variety is one key to cutting the cost of food. There are often 2-3 ingredients that are simply "chefs showing off" and not actually needed to make the meal.

PasturesNew

Farway wrote: »

As stated, bit piece of string, but maybe pop into Cooking For One board, a very eclectic bunch of us there and very varied meals

Yes, I loiter there.... yesterday I had a cucumber/egg sandwich, cheese/beans on toast ... and some chocolate
Today I have sausage rolls and another cucumber/egg sandwich ... and some sweeties.

Between me and my beans on toast - and others with their unpronounceable modern foodstuffs, there's something for everybody on the Cooking for 1 (CFO) thread.

dan958

PasturesNew wrote: »

Some, above, are saying "£30 is doable" - I'd say "Yes, it is, if you love lobster". £30 is a LOT really....

My £30 a week was not accurate, as that also includes things like cleaning products, washing powder etc. Even then, £30 is a higher estimate than normal. Sometimes I reach that, when I'm stocking up on cleaning supplies or stocking up on my bulk items. I probably should separate the costs, but it works for me.

Cooking is also something I enjoy doing, so I would rather put a little bit more money into it as a 'hobby'. I could probably surive easily on a fraction of the budget, but won't enjoy my meals as much, or the cooking process.

suki1964

Our average for 3 adults, £30 a week

I have to do average as some weeks if I see bargains in the meat or fish department, and I have freezer space, I stock up, then some weeks I spend as little as £15

We do eat a lot of meat, I try for at least one meat free meal and one "free meal" a week. A free meal is using up all those single sausages or burgers that I tuck into the freezer when I buy a pack. Or all the odd bits of curry/ Bolognese/stew that have also been tucked into the freezer. Small portions that aren't big enough to make a meal but when you have saved 4 or 5, theres plenty for three

We do have steak now and then, just not huge ones, me and mum actually share one as neither of us like big plates of food where as Mr S would eat enough for two if allowed

Im also a fan of adding lentils to mince dishes, not just to pad the mince out, but to make it healthier. I also pad a chicken curry with chick peas and spinach if I can't sneak a veggie curry past them

I could spend more on food but tbh what on? When I go into a supermarket I miss out most of the aisles as the so called food in them doesn't appeal - we don't like ready meals/processed foods. We don't buy more then one 6 pack of crisps or pack of bars like clubs that Mr S takes in his pack up. So its fruit and veg/dairy/meat and fish/bread and the odd jar of pickles, tinned tomatoes , stock cubes, herbs and spices and cleaning materials

shirlgirl2004

I'd say £3 a day including cleaning products, toiletries etc would be feasible to give a reasonable choice of food without feeling deprived.