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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

weekly food budget for a family of three

37 replies

hgkl37bb · 17/05/2022 10:26

Realised we are probably spending far too much on food at the moment and would love to gage how everyone else is doing with it. Food prices have gone up so if you have a family of two adults and a child, what do you spend on your average weekly supermarket shop - food plus shampoos etc etc.

OP posts:
Icecreamandapplepie · 17/05/2022 15:19

We spend around £160 for a family of 5, no pets

I don't know how others get it much lower and still eat fresh food with snacks, toiletries, cleaning stuff etc

hgkl37bb · 17/05/2022 19:15

Thanks everyone clearly a lot really manage to keep their food budgets under control. Lots of food for thought

OP posts:
BeforeGodAndAllTheFish · 17/05/2022 21:09

Giraffapuses · 17/05/2022 14:06

2 adults £600 includes takeaways, cleaning etc and cat food.

£600 a WEEK for 2 adults and some pets?

I'm going to be really nosey and ask for an average meal plan for your week please because how can it be £600?!?

hgkl37bb · 17/05/2022 23:15

BeforeGodAndAllTheFish · 17/05/2022 21:09

£600 a WEEK for 2 adults and some pets?

I'm going to be really nosey and ask for an average meal plan for your week please because how can it be £600?!?

Same, I would also love to know what you get for 600 per week

OP posts:
Alwayscheerful · 17/05/2022 23:24

Giraffapuses · 17/05/2022 14:06

2 adults £600 includes takeaways, cleaning etc and cat food.

Is £600 per month?

BarbaraofSeville · 18/05/2022 03:16

hgkl37bb · 17/05/2022 11:14

So between 100-120 is fine, right? Just doing the sums and a spreadsheet for DH

It's probably slightly above average for a family of 3 but it depends why you're asking.

What others spend and how much you do don't necessarily compare because everyone has different budgets, requirements and priorities. People also spend different amounts on takeaways or lunches so this needs to be part of the consideration, also what shops you have access to.

If you can use Aldi, Lidl or Asda, or can buy your cleaning and toiletries in a bargain shop, you'll get away with spending less than if your only options are Waitrose, Sainsbury's and Tesco.

If you can easily afford it, aren't wasting food and just need an amount to demonstrate to DH that groceries cost money, it's fine.

If you're on a low income and need to free up money for increased utility bills, to be able to save for other irregular expenses or waste a lot of what you buy, then you probably could knock a little off the budget.

If the reason you're asking is because your DH thinks you spend too much, there's two options.

You either make savings by cutting out things he likes but you and DC are less bothered about, often lots of meat or snacks.

Or you put him in charge of meal planning, food shopping and keeping the house stocked with essentials such as toilet paper and laundry detergent.

Giraffapuses · 18/05/2022 09:14

A month! A month! Lol sorry.

hgkl37bb · 18/05/2022 12:09

Giraffapuses · 18/05/2022 09:14

A month! A month! Lol sorry.

ok, cos there I was thinking that it's caviar every night at yours ;-) ;-)

OP posts:
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 18/05/2022 12:11

I'm almost disappointed that the £600 was monthly, I was looking forward to salivating over a meal plan of steak, salmon, quails eggs etc.

Hugasauras · 18/05/2022 12:14

We are about £100-£120 for two adults and 3yo. We could probably get it down by around £20 fairly easily if we wanted, especially at the moment as we spend so much on fruit during summer!

DSGR · 18/05/2022 12:16

We’re £220-£250 per week, 2 adults, 3 kids so I think £120 sounds reasonable

DockOTheBay · 18/05/2022 12:20

£60-90 per week for two adults and two small children. DD5 has a fairly small appetite and gets lunches at school, DD2 eats hardly anything!
I get a lot of our meat heavily reduced in the co-op going out of date, so that saves us a lot, and I buy other things like dishwasher tablets and loo roll in bulk, so it works out much cheaper in the long run.

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