To how much you spend on food each week, including eating out?

[Butterflyeffect567]

A relative of mine recently called in whilst I putting shopping away, and the conversation got onto the cost of food. She couldn't get over how much we spend per week on the food shop (approx £110 per week). She spends about £40. However, she refused to acknowledge the fact that she only has one of her children half the week as he's with his father the rest of the time and she gets takeaway or meals out at least 5 times a week. Her eldest also gets free school meals.

We could probably narrow it down, however that £110 includes formula for my youngest and nappies for both children. We shop mostly in Lidl or Aldi but go to Tesco etc for other bits and includes:
Formula and nappies as stated
All breakfasts, lunches and dinners (we rarely eat out, DP takes lunch to work 5 days a week and so on).
My son (3) has ASD so can be fussy with food/snacks, despite numerous attempts at homemade snacks etc.
Lots of fresh vegetables, fruit, salad etc
Lots of cheese (we all love cheese!)
Few treats thrown in
Organic eggs and dairy
Meat from local high quality butcher

We eat Normally, as in spaghetti Bolognese, chilli & rice, fajitas, pasta and sauce. Most stuff is homemade except for certain things for DS. Meat approx 4 nights a week, plus odd bit of ham from butcher for lunches. Takeaway is handful of times a year. Yes, we could cut down but we eat well and enjoy our food, plus we can afford it.

Relative spends about £30-40 a week as I mentioned then McDonalds, Chinese takeaway, breakfast out, etc several times a week so probably spends more than us in general but wouldn't have it 😂
The recent threads on MN have also got me thinking. So how much do you spend on everything (normal food shop, lunch/coffees out, takeaway, etc) on average each week?

@thecats - that sounds really sensible!

About £150 a week for me, dh and ds. We can spend anything between another £50 - £100 on eating out.

That doesn't include pet supplies.

Probably £100-150 a week for two adults. We don't try and budget though and I eat out a lot

£140 per week we’re a family of 5 sometimes 6 if my sons girlfriend stays over. So that’s me and DH, a 20 year old and GF, and 2 teenagers. Also 3 pets.

£70ish a week. 2 adults 1 DC and a cat.
This includes everything food, cleaning etc. We have a take away once a week and often i end up feeding other DC’s who end up at my house.
Up until a last year I was doing it for £55 but the price of everything seems to be creeping up.

£100 per week for me & 2 kids (10 & 8) plus probably another £20-30 on a takeaway or coffee shop lunch.

Delivered shop is usually between £60-80, top ups around £25, booze around £30, coffees and snacks £20ish. Usually eat out about once a fortnight and that is usually £100-120. We could probably get it down a bit if needed.

Food & toiletries, and any cleaning products that are needed about £150 a week

£40 a week on wine

DH buys lunch a few times a week at work, £15 a time
I take the dc out for lunch with my mum friends etc 2-3 times a week £20-40 a time depending where we go

Me & dh go for a meal out child free once a month, can cost ££ or £££ depends where we go and who with.

Take away once a month, not a lot of options in our village for take away but we do have a womderful Indian. £50 a time as I guess per dish it’s more expensive that your average take away.

Could we budget, yes. Do we want to, No. We can afford it and food is something to be enjoyed

I really don’t know how I keep it so low, we have good dinners - sometimes people pop in and join us.

I grew up in the kind of poverty you see on tv campaigns. I buy what I want but I don’t overspend on anything. I don’t buy cans of fizzy drinks or premade sauces, we have meat most nights and I don’t buy the cheapest. Have dinners like goulash or sausage casserole where it can be bulked up if someone pops in. Don’t buy alcohol at all, maybe that’s the difference?

£150 per week main shop (family of 5 inc a teenage and a 'tween), plus £20 top up. Meals out adds abt another £200 per month. I budget around £1k per month, but we usually go over.

Family of 4 with 3year old and 1 year old too, regular shop is about £30-40 per week but then we buy a few bits in bulk every couple of months, including spices, grains, lentils, frozen fruit/veg, non dairy milk, coffee beans etc. Also buy environmentally friendly cleaning products online that come in plastic-free packaging (concentrated and diluted down at home) plus plastic free toiletries online. If that is added in and averaged out, would probably come to £50-70 each week. Baby is breastfed and we use reusable nappies so don't have those costs fortunately.

We are a vegetarian household so no meat costs, but remainder of cooking very similar to yours. Practically all meals cooked at home, eat out once or twice a month max, coffees also at home.

You are spot on that anyone eating out to that extent will be spending far more on food and drink overall. If they can afford it and its what they enjoy, then why not but we prefer to spend money in other places

I'm always amazed by the low numbers people give on these threads. For two adults, vegetarian, all our food... we're looking at £200 probably, per week. Not much booze, eat out maybe once a fortnight plus a few lunches. Eek.

£200-250

2 adults, a toddler, and a baby.

Just me and probably £50-60 per week inc cleaning products. £20 of that is for 5 evening meals which are made for me ready to eat then £30-40 supermarket which is work lunch, breakfasts, snacks, cleaning stuff etc

I allow £600 a month for food including eating out, entertaining and all cat food, litter, cleaning products , wine. I live alone. This weekend I had friends over for dinner on Saturday, had curry out for a friends birthday on Friday and lunch out on Sunday so whilst it seems a big budget it does get spent.