To spend 50 quid a week on fruit and veg

[Lalunya85]

Two adults and two kids under 3 in our house. It seems that 50 pounds is waaaay too much just for fruit and and veg and I wonder how much others spend?

I get a weekly veg box which is about 30 pounds. That sees us through the week but there isn't anything left over by the end of it. Except maybe the red cabbage.

Then I spend around 20 pounds on fruit at the local market once a week (regular, not a farmers market or anything like that). I buy around
12 apples (some for crumble),
6 pears,
10 Mandarines,
6 bananas
6 Oranges
6 plums
Maybe some grapes, a pineapple, or some other exotic fruit
I don't buy things that are overpriced and out of season (punnets of blueberries on December anyone?).

I then spend another probably 60 quid on all other groceries: some meat (we eat meat once a week), fresh fish every other week, pasta, rice, bread, dairy and eggs, baking ingredients, chocolate, breakfast cereal (unbranded) etc... I buy all of that at Morrisons (no Waitrose or ocado ever in his house). Don't buy ready meals or frozen stuff (like fish fingers or pizzas which would be expensive) and we always cook from scratch so no takeaways or restaurant meals ever.

How does all of that compare to others? It sounds ridiculously much to me!

Just to add some veg box smuggery -

My veg box is £12 (but I do have to pick it up from the farm myself). The last one had onions, potatoes, leeks, celeriac, peppers, tomatoes, beetroot, kale, parsley and carrots. It is better in the summer tbh but that's seasonal eating I suppose.

I spend an extra maybe £8-12 on fruit. I try to buy aldi's super six, plus bananas and whatever else we want. I will buy grapes but not berries out of season.

I wouldn't pay what you pay but you probably earn more than me so hey ho, at the end of the day no one's getting scurvy and we're keeping some local farmers in business

Lots of veg box people here. Does anyone have any good recipes for celeriac? And I have a surplus of leeks - any good ideas?

at Avacado🍦

cherry it's amazing - recipe by David Leibovitz. Needs more lime than the recipe suggests, however.

OP what meals do you eat? Just wondering as you eat so little meat/fish.

Grate the celeriac and make a mayo-y dressing and have celeriac slaw. I had it in Paris about 3 years ago. I usually roast it, I've not yet found a decent celeriac soup recipe

Celeriac makes good soup. I make a copy of this
www.waitrose.com/shop/DisplayProductFlyout?productId=135624 from the ingredients list using fresh celariac and celery with frozen onion, garlic, peas and spinach, a little tarragon and a veggie stock cube. I add a tablespoon of half crème fraîche before blending and a few drops of lemon juice to taste at the end.

Céleri rémoulade is yummy.

Just curious as to why the fish is only once a fortnight.

Thank you for the ice cream recipe.

It's important that those who can afford it do use their money to shop ethically. Not everyone can but it's great that you are OP.

That's it thanks cherry

I've never actually tried it. Was it very rich? I've always worried that once I'd finished grating my fingers to pieces on the mandolin I would find it sickly.

My DH thinks it's yummy. I've not gone mad.

hesterton ripen them first then stick them in the fridge.

You can make baked eggs ( half and hollow the avo and take a tiny slice out of the bottom so it doesn't roll around. Crack egg into avo and bake).

Guacamole obviously.

Slice a room temp one and stir through warm pasta with a wee bit oil and halved cherry tomatoes.

Add slices to bacon sandwiches.

Make your own sushi.

Push through a sieve and shake with ice, lime and tequila. (or whack in a blender)

I shop with Ocado and don't spend anywhere near as much for 6 people.

Is the veg box organic?

It does sound a lot but I remember spending nearly £25 on a weeks worth of salad stuff and fruit, just for my lunches!

**''Sounds loads to me! I was intrigued so just added up what I spent on veg and fruit last week and it was only £5!! That was for:
Celery
Carrots
Mushrooms
Courgette
Sweet potato
Bananas
Broccoli
Frozen peas

That would be enough veg for one day at our house though, not all week. And only includes one fruit. A broccoli, bag sweet potatoes, and courgettes would be all for one meal only here

Today breakfast alone for 4 people:
2 bananas
2 grapefruit
Bag spinach
Box mushrooms
Punnet tomatoes

Plus today:
X2 red peppers
sweet potatoes
Onions
One red cabbage
Broccoli
Potatoes
satsumas

( made a soup for lunch and a roast dinner)

We eat an awful lot of fruit and veg
This week so far have bought
Bananas
Tangerines
Raspberries
Physalis
Apples
Plums
Melon
Onions
Red onions
Sweet potatoes
Butternut squash
Aubergine
Pak choi
Mushrooms
Courgettes
Leeks
Broccoli
Carrots
Cauliflower
Swede
Celeriac
Parsnips
Cabbage
Tenderstem broccoli
Mangetout
Baby corn
Bean sprouts
Peppers
Tomatoes
Beetroot
Lettuce
Radish
Spring onions
Cucumber
Celery
I haven't added up how much - probably quite a bit it's only Wednesday and will probably need more before Sunday
There are only 2-3 depending on who is in to eat and we are not vegetarian!

andnow I try to buy sustainable fish and nice meat so we eat it rarely as can't afford more.

It sounds very expensive. Have you got a local aldi or lidl? You would more than halve your expenditure.

I'm wondering where the fruit market is you are going to, as those prices are obscene. I would pay a quarter of that at my local market.

we spend a similar amount on fruit/veg and shopping in general (2 adults and 2 DC albeit 6 and 9).

given that we don't eat out, don't drink or smoke I think it is ok.

When people say like a bunch of bananas as all fruit in a week that's like 7 bananas. Thats not even 2 each a week. Aren't you supposed to eat around 7 portions of veg and fruit a day? Ideally 5 veg and 2 fruit.

7 portions x7 days is 49 a week each. So almost 200 portions for a family of 4. You aren't getting that for £5 a week

To add, we are vegetarian, and eat a lot of fruit and veg. We spend nowhere near what you are spending. (Everything is bought at Aldi or the local market)

Buy loose from waitrose and buy bulk offer/seasonanal items from costco . I buy three times as much fruit/veg as you for £20/wk.

Example: 2kg clems £3, 7 bananas 64p, 7kg potatos £3 etc etc