To have food shop guilt

[littleblackdress04]

Our monthly food shop for a family of 4 is about £200ish a month- I cook 90% from scratch, take food into work & kids have packed lunches 3 days a week/ school dinners the rest. We rarely eat out as a family - maybe a couple of times a year,

I mostly shop in Lidl during the month but do an Asda shop once a month to get stuff I can’t get in Lidl- nice tins of mixed beans etc. I am also a vegan & can’t get soya yoghurt etc in lidl.

I went to Sainsbury’s today & bought a load of nice vegan stuff as a treat- oatly milk, nice vegan butter, some lovely veg sausages that I can’t get elsewhere but felt REALLY guilty about being there- as if I was wasting my money when I could be getting stuff at Lidl.

Does anyone else get food guilt? I feel a constant pressure to budget, cook from scratch etc but sometimes I want a treat! I am aware that I could cut my food budget even more - it just amazed me how guilty I felt for ‘splashing out’ in Sainsbury’s

Aibu- does anyone else get this? I know I am lucky that I am not on a really tight budget- I get that- but I was surprised at my reaction to spending money on food. As it goes I spent £50 in Sainsbury’s on some nice bits but it somehow feels extravagant 😬

Can you afford it? What’s the problem if you can?

Why do you think you’re thinking this?

£200 a month for a family of four sounds like a very tight budget to me, OP 😮

@dozer I don’t know and I think that’s what struck me- guilt for spending money on food - I don’t know where it’s come from. I want my kids to be healthy but I feel like it’s being extravagant to buy expensive stuff when I ‘could’ be buying cheap stuff

Unless money is a significant issue for you and you are going to have struggle paying for your essentials this month because of the Sainsburys trip, then YABU and a bit hard on yourself.

Nope I never feel guilty.. I buy what food I want. Spent £40 in hotel chocolate the other day as I wanted it

@MrsJBaptiste is it? What’s the norm? There are so many programmes about overspending on food - maybe that’s where it comes from

Perhaps you have gone too far down the budgeting / meal planning rabbit hole!

If money is an issue for your family perhaps that could be a factor. Do you think similarly about other budget items?

No I don’t have this, its just food. Unless you have extremely limited finances just buy and eat what you want. Life is too short to be agonising over food shopping or being a martyr to budgeting.

There’s 2 of us (plus unweaned baby) and we spend £150+ a week. I don’t feel guilty!

I never feel guilty about spending money on food. Anything that makes my life easier or nicer is welcome.

I mean- we aren’t loaded but we aren’t on the breadline either

Can you afford it? What’s the problem if you can?

It can be really hard to get out of the frugal mindset. I've never had much money but now my children are grown up and the mortgage is paid off I can afford the occasional treat.

Id been so used to buying value foods that it came as a bit of a (nice) shock that I can now splash out onTetley tea for example

Enjoy your treats OP.

Do you live near a Company Store and know any active or retired NHS/Fire Service/Police people who could take you? I manage to do a massive shop in there for £30ish a week and get most of my shopping for a family of 6.

There’s only 3 of us and we spend double that, Aldi shopper also. Some of it is wine though!
It’s not guilt but I do resent it if I do a full shop at Sainsbury’s as everything is so much more expensive.

www.companyshopgroup.co.uk/our-locations/company-shops

@0blio yes, for example I would never buy Kellogg’s cereal and always buy Asda own brand etc. It’s hard to get out of that way of thinking

£200 per month for 4 is a very tight budget op.

Do you feel like this about other spending op? Clothes etc?

£200 a month for a family of four with an Asda shop chucked in? I'd say that was bloody great!

I spend a lot more than OP. 2 teenage boys who eat a lot. I can easily spend £100 per week. I shop at Aldi and Sainsbury's.

I get what you mean, I hate spending money on food because once it's eaten it's gone. I'd much rather put the money towards a holiday or day out.
That being said I do always make sure we all have a healthy balanced diet and treats from time to time.

We recently did a full expenses audit as we are trying to pay off debts and discovered we spend mad amounts on shopping. Not the planned for shopoping at Aldi, but the little bits of nipping to the shops here and there.

It was about 3-4 times your spend OP.

That is when you start to feel guilty! it sounds like you have a frugal lifestyle and make good and delicious meals. I would do what you are doing and enjoy the occasional treat. To be too tight when it is not warranted is not amotionally healthy!

Yes £50 for family of four is a tight budget. Don't know how you manage it. If it isn't putting you in financial difficulties then you definitely shouldn't feel guilty for going over that.

Is it because these 'special bits' are mainly for you?

It sounds like a pretty tight food budget to me. We’re a family of 5 and I budget £500 a month. Probably spend a bit more some months. I don’t have any guilt around what I spend on food, the only time I feel guilty is if something goes to waste.