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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask what your weekly shop consists of?

84 replies

WANTMYHATBACK · 28/09/2022 23:06

And how much it costs?

OP posts:
WANTMYHATBACK · 29/09/2022 08:38

BarbaraofSeville · 29/09/2022 08:37

This is what I mean by frozen garlic:

www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/265761689

But unless you have a World Foods section in your Tesco, might not be available in Ireland?

Oh, I’ve never seen that! It looks great.

OP posts:
PatienceOfEngels · 29/09/2022 08:40

Our food bill is between €80 and €100 per week (2 adults, 2 primary aged kids, no pets).

We tend to batch cook and our cupboards/freezer are well stocked so what we buy weekly is not always the same. We try to minimise ultra-processed foods so make our own pizza, lasagne, don't use packet mixes or jarred sauces (only on table condiments). I usually have a back-up pack of fish fingers or breaded chicken in the freezer. Our freezer is filled with batch cooked bolognaise, soup, pulled pork, meatballs

Weekly:
3x wholemeal bread
pack raisin roll/cake things for the kids (10 in a pack, they have one with their sandwiches for packed lunch)
3x 2 litres of milk
fruit: bag of apples, bunch bananas, occasionally soft fruit such as strawberries/blueberries in summer or something like pears/peaches when in season.
fresh veg: broccoli, carrots, green beans, peppers, maybe courgettes, leeks and mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes
Pack of ham for sandwiches
Block of cheese
1x mozzarella
1 pack grated cheese
2 x packs of eggs (10 each)
Some kind of meat/fish - this might be a kilo of mince or chicken, a tin of ham, salami, bacon, sausages, frozen white fish or salmon. Sometimes this'll be more than one if we're batch cooking, but sometimes it'll be nothing if the freezer is well-stocked.
Restock tins in cupboard: weekly usually 4-5 tins of tomatoes, lentils, beans, condensed soup, tinned sweetcorn (depending on what we've used - more if I've batch cooked bolognaise or curry)
2 bottles squash
Multi-pack of 2 litre bottles sparkling water
DH buys himself a frozen pizza for his day off.

2 weekly
Restock potatoes (5kg bag), onions and garlic, bag rice, pasta (spaghetti, lasagne leaves, macaroni). Depends on what we've used.
liter tub Greek yogurt
Tub spreadable butter.
Flour
Coffee (we don't really drink tea)
pack of biscuits
maybe some crisps/peanuts
part-baked bread
frozen peas/spinach if we're out
jar of something sweet if we've run out (peanut butter, jam, honey etc)

Monthly
Toilet roll
Sauces (ketchup, garlic etc)
Toiletries like shampoo, deodorant hand soap, and cleaning products like washing-up liquid - we tend to buy in bulk so don't even buy these things monthly.
Herbs and spices restock - the only things we get through quickly are smoked paprika, italian herbs, stock cubes (and yeast)
Bottle of wine or pack of beer if we fancy it. Neither of us drinks much and I tend to buy a box of what I like and stash it away but not a regular drinker atm.

Things that last ages:
olive oil
most herbs and spices
things like worcestershire sauce, brown sauce

BiddyPop · 29/09/2022 08:51

The cost varies from week to week. Depending on offers, yellow stickers that are useful to us, what we've run out of that needs replacing (just hand soap or both washing capsules and dishwasher capsules at once...), what the plans are that week and how much convenience we need v cooking from scratch is possible, whether teen Dd is with me, ...

Feeding 2 officially but 3 in reality for dinner midweek, all 3 officially at weekends, 2 proper breakfasts and 1 coffee drinker, lunches for 1 for 5 days and for 2-3 on weekends, cleaning things, alcohol, health food snacks for school locker, occasional biscuit...

But the cost is definitely rising so cutting luxuries to try and stay within the budget.

TheSummerPalace · 29/09/2022 09:23

I am trying to stick to £80 a week for two of us, two cats and the hedgehogs; I am also trying to run down the freezer - as goodness knows how old some stuff is:

Meat - sirloin steak, low fat mince, a chicken
Fish - frozen jumbo king prawns, salmon, smoked salmon
Veg - carrots, tenderstem broccoli, mushrooms, onions, broccoli, runner beans, courgettes
Salad - lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, spring onions, 3 x peppers
Fruit - strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, melon (we top these up)
Chilled - low fat Cheddar cheese, butter
Bread - rye and wholemeal sliced bread x 2; rye bread if we can get it, bagels
Eggs
Milk - 8 pints semi skimmed, Benecol yoghurts
Carbs - wholemeal pasta, brown basmati rice, wholemeal noodles
Pulses - green lentils, brown lentils, pearl barley, cannellini beans, red kidney bean (not all of them every week)
Tins - tomatoes, baked beans, sardines, red salmon, tuna, sweetcorn, fruit, coconut milk
Drinks - tea, coffee, cranberry juice
Washing up liquid, bin liners, soap
Cat food, kitten food (hedgehog)

There are other things, we don’t need every week like:

Flour, soy sauce, Mirin, oyster sauce, cashew nuts, Brazil nuts, herbs and spices, Fajita kits, Marmite, marmalade, honey, ginger, garlic, sauerkraut, kefir, Parmesan, paella rice, sugar, low fat cheese triangles, detergent, oat based cereals, porridge oats, cat litter and olive oil.

DH has cardio vascular disease, so we try to stick to lean meat, whole grains and plenty of meat and veg, with some fish. I use 1/4 lentils with 3/4 mince/stewing meat. I like cooking Asian food especially. We grow some herbs, we use a lot.

DH has bought stacks of cleaning products, so we won’t need any more for years! We rarely drink alcohol, so we only have it for Christmas or cheap stuff for cooking like red wine, port, brandy…

TheSummerPalace · 29/09/2022 09:25

I forgot potatoes!

Givemeallthegin8 · 29/09/2022 09:26

@WANTMYHATBACK yes school lunches are a big expense I find! Especially with allergies in school and healthy eating policy .
They also need healthy snacks for after school activities - I used to give a banana / brioche but they weren’t being eaten so now I buy mini packs breadsticks / cereal bars which ups the price !

ive recently switched to dunnes and I find it a bit cheaper with the vouchers , also I now buy something like frozen chicken ( birds eye type thing ) to save money instead of buying all the meat in the butchers .

berksandbeyond · 29/09/2022 09:29

Semi skimmed milk, cathedral city, goats cheese, yoghurts, fresh orange juice, smoothies, butter

Burgers, chicken fillets, smoked basa, sea bass, steaks, breaded chicken

Wholemeal bread, wraps, crumpets, pain au chocolat, chocolate crepes

Potatoes, broccoli, bagged salad, cucumber x 2, tomatoes, jacket potatoes, pears, apples, satsumas, strawberries, grapes

Tinned peas, dried pasta, gnocchi

Frozen chicken goujons, potato waffles

Crisps, nuts, cream crackers, kids snacks (mini party rings/ mini animal biscuits)

We don't have to buy every item every week but those are our 'basics', about £70-80 in Lidl.

We buy cleaning products, toiletries and everything for the cat separately

mrsm43s · 29/09/2022 09:30

I spend about £80 per week on a family of 2 adults and 2 teenagers.

Children have school lunches included in school fees, so I don't need to consider that.

I meal plan and buy for 7 evening meals. I try to keep a balance between expensive (steak/salmon/prawns) and cheaper (vege/egg based/pasta heavy) meals. I choose seasonal veg where possible. All our meals are homemade good, healthy meals with 3+ portions of veg. Currently I'm using the Lollipop app for meal planning, but previously I used Pinterest.

For lunches DH and I have either leftover portions of dinner meals (or something rustled up from left over components), or we'll have soup (usually homemade from extra veg) or salad (in the summer) or something (egg/tinned toms/mushrooms/baked beans/cheese etc) on toast, plus a bit of fruit.

For breakfasts we have toast/cereal/porridge or fruit. Also have yoghurts and croissants/pan au chocolate etc.

Snacks (for the children mostly) are biscuits, fruit, yoghurts, toast.

My "buy every week" things are:
Bread - 1 loaf (often top up during the week)
Cereal - 1 or 2 boxes
Fruit - selection of fruit. General staples are bananas, grapes and apples, other items depend upon what is in season.
Yoghurts - 2 x 6 pack own brand
1 pack own brand custard creams, 1 pack own brand bourbons (cheap filler for teenagers to snack on)
Milk - 2 x 4pints
Pack of croissants or pan au chocolate.
Squash

Then ingredients I've identified I need on the meal plan.

Then I add anything that's on the shopping list that's running out. This week so far it's fabric conditioner, peanut butter, kitchen roll, teabags but more will be added to that as the week goes on. Usually there's about 6-8 items on the list that need topping up.

All in all, it tends to average out around the £80 mark. We're not particularly short of money tbh, but this level of shopping and planning means that we minimise food waste and use everything up.

berksandbeyond · 29/09/2022 09:31

We do top ups for bread, milk and fruit and veg through the week.

Eeksteek · 29/09/2022 10:50

@WANTMYHATBACK its definitely a limit not a target. And manage is the right word. It’s very least I think anyone could live on, and not be considered seriously deprived (some people may consider such little meat deprived, especially without replacing it, as such) I know there’s a fair bit of ‘treat’ food in there (for fussy DD’s lunches), but it’s offset by not including some basics like oil, eggs, sugar and flour, and the fact that she would live on beans on toast if I let her! And it’s a balance between living and surviving. I used to make more of her treats, but it wouldn’t be cheaper, especially with the price of butter and using the oven now (I only use the oven on Fridays for pizza, when I make cookies, bread rolls and baked potatoes as well) and Sundays for a roast (roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, roast parsnips and green veg and gravy) when I make a dessert and roast veg for in the week too. I can see me needing to make a choice between dessert and Friday treats soon, butter is so expensive. And there used to be strawberries and blueberries too. And cream for rice and bread and butter puddings.

WANTMYHATBACK · 29/09/2022 12:05

Eeksteek · 29/09/2022 10:50

@WANTMYHATBACK its definitely a limit not a target. And manage is the right word. It’s very least I think anyone could live on, and not be considered seriously deprived (some people may consider such little meat deprived, especially without replacing it, as such) I know there’s a fair bit of ‘treat’ food in there (for fussy DD’s lunches), but it’s offset by not including some basics like oil, eggs, sugar and flour, and the fact that she would live on beans on toast if I let her! And it’s a balance between living and surviving. I used to make more of her treats, but it wouldn’t be cheaper, especially with the price of butter and using the oven now (I only use the oven on Fridays for pizza, when I make cookies, bread rolls and baked potatoes as well) and Sundays for a roast (roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, roast parsnips and green veg and gravy) when I make a dessert and roast veg for in the week too. I can see me needing to make a choice between dessert and Friday treats soon, butter is so expensive. And there used to be strawberries and blueberries too. And cream for rice and bread and butter puddings.

I’m sorry @Eeksteek that sounds really hard. Would you consider going to a food bank for some help?

OP posts:
Autumnleavesandmoods · 29/09/2022 12:07

To sum up...average cost, monthly, depending 2 or 3 or let say 4 people max. per household then, ranges from 350 up to 800 pounds per month?!
Is that correct?

RewildingAmbridge · 29/09/2022 12:13

Fruit, veg, bread, maybe crumpets/wraps /bagels, some fish/meat, tinned staples lentils , kidney beans chickpeas, tomatoes, rice, pasta etc , oats, cereal, soft drinks/fruit juice, tea, coffee, laundry stuff, cleaning products, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, other random things last week firelighters, tomorrow I need to get tin foil, a few weeks ago pants for DS. Used to have a milk man but cancelled recently due to cost, so 6-8 pints of milk.
We spend £6-700 a month two adults and a 3 year old

Eeksteek · 29/09/2022 12:33

WANTMYHATBACK · 29/09/2022 12:05

I’m sorry @Eeksteek that sounds really hard. Would you consider going to a food bank for some help?

@WANTMYHATBACK It’s effectively a choice. I have options. (They are not good options, and they’re not quick options, but they are options). So I don’t qualify for anything. I don’t have an issue with that, but it makes me uncomfortable with going to a food bank. Anyway, DD wouldn’t eat anything from it. I have shielded her almost completely from the effects of my poor income so far, so she’s still picky!)

Knittynanna · 29/09/2022 14:52

Week one (payday) £150 ish filling cupboards, freezer, all our toiletries, nappies, wipes, cleaning supplies etc. For the month

Week two £70 ish Mostly just food

Week three £40 ish mostly just food

Week four £30 ish just food

It's becoming an increasing struggle, been much more than that in weeks 2,3 and 4 this month for the first time

CaptainBarbosa · 03/10/2022 22:51

Milk, bread and butter
Cereal
Stuff for DS packed lunches
7 evening meals.
Cat food and dog food.

Average cost £55pw

Once a month I go to B and M bargains and pick up washing up liquid, washing powder and fabric conditioner, unstoppable scent beads things (my guilty pleasure, love the smell of them) bleach, kitchen surface spray, and a refil for the plug in air freshener.

Average cost £15.

I only eat one evening meal a day, I just live off coffee and the odd digestive biscuit during the day. Mainly because I'm just too busy in work. I also don't drink regularly or purchase alcohol regularly.

Meals are well kids meals to be honest as DS is 8, curry and rice, pasta dishes, fish fingers or chicken nuggets with chips and beans, a pie or toad in the hole for Sunday lunch with frozen veg and roasted tinned potatoes (they are the only potatoes DS will eat) omelettes, quiche and salad, tacos, jacket potato, pizza Friday. Winter is coming in so some stews/soups and casseroles will come on to the menu now also.

AloysiusBear · 03/10/2022 23:33

I usually buy:
Apples/pears/plums/strawberries (varies depending on season, prefer to buy British).
Carrots
Potatoes
Parsnips
Green dwarf beans/sugar snaps
Broccoli
Kale/spinach
Onions
Mushrooms
Frozen peas
Cucumber
Red pepper x 3
Beetroot
Cherry tomatoes

Milk x 8pts
Eggs
6 kids yoghurts
1 pack charcuterie
1 block cheddar
1 tub spreadable butter

Beef mince 500g
Pork mince 500g
Large whole chicken
1 pack taste difference sausages
Fish fingers
Small prawns

Loaf of bread
1 pack 6 croissants
2x tinned tomatoes
Cat food for 2 cats
Bag cat litter

Then there are store cupboard things im topping up on rotatiom:
Oats
Red lentils
Tinned beans
Flours
Sugar
Sultanas/raisins
Nuts
Oil
Salt
Peanut butter
Pasta
Rice
Couscous
Noodles
Herbs & spices

I spend about £120 a week but that includes pullups, cleaning products, loo rolls, sanitary stuff, bath/shower/teeth stuff.

E12355 · 04/10/2022 00:11

I do my weekly shop online with Tesco and stick to £65 a week for a family of 3 (2 adults, 1 school age child).

So I buy enough for 5 meals (we might have a takeaway or eat at parents house once a week) meat such as beef mince (usually x2), free range chicken breasts, steak and so on.. also a couple of onions, garlic, a few carrots (not in a bag - just enough for what I need), broccoli, swede.

As well as whatever tins I need for that week, tuna, beans, chopped tomatoes.

Kale for the rabbits! Cherry tomatoes, cucumber, sweet pointed peppers, strawberries, bananas, oranges.

Milk, cereal, bread, yoghurts, ham, cheese, butter, crisps, some snacks for the little one like those Barney teddy bears.

Cleaning products and toiler roll as and when I need.

We do allow £10-20 a week for extra milk, bread and other stuff if needed. Alcohol is separate, I’m currently pregnant so not drinking but my husband will buy a crate of beer (of 12 or 18 bottles) once a week.

E12355 · 04/10/2022 00:23

Forgot to mention-
Orange juice, 2l Ribena, Kitchen Roll.

Toiletries such as shower gel, tooth paste are as and when required like the cleaning products, and laundry detergent.

I almost always stick to the £65 but there is the extra £10-20 a week for extra bread, milk etc. and cat food is another I forgot to mention!

Swg · 04/10/2022 00:26

I don't have one.

I struggle with certain things (neuro divergence is suspected) and one of them is too much choice. Going into the toilet roll aisle causes a small brain crash as I try to compare every single brand and price - last time I was there thirty minutes, frantically googling on my phone and still failed to buy toilet roll. Its a problem.

So things like toilet roll, kitchen roll, dishwasher tablets are bought in bulk when there's a good deal on and then forgotten about for a few months. Likewise I visit aldi once every three months or so, buy a bunch of fabric conditioner and washing liquid then assume the magic cupboard provides. There's a fairly well stocked larder in the garage which gets topped up as required. Milk comes from the milkman so I can't go all impulse purchase while in there. Occasionally I need to visit the corner shop for bread and eggs - we use a lot of eggs.

I get a morrisons delivery every two or three weeks - if you can wait between deliveries they panic and send you a voucher. That's meat, bread, eggs, cream, cheese and snack stuff like crisps and the kids chocolate pancakes and waffles. Between times the local fruit and veg place does really big boxes for between £10-20.

In general I find once I step in a shop I always spend money so the goal is to do so as little as possible. An added advantage is being fine when snowed in and being able to pull sticky toffee pudding out of nowhere on a whim because I just want one and have the ingredients.

IWishIWasABaller · 04/10/2022 00:35

6 people (3 adults , 2 teens one child) usually 150-180 euro but can be more sometimes. No alcohol. Usually dinners for everyone for 5/6 nights. We eat meat/chicken every night.Fish once a week. I often cook three different dinners a night due to different tastes. Buy lots of fruit , also cereal milk juice snacky bits. Lots of different breakfast options like brioche, croissants ,mini pancakes etc . Box washing powder , dog food , different breads ,cold meat also loo rolls baby wipes loo wipes. Yogurts loads of different types, cheese ,few tins tuna and anchovies. Veg both salad and frozen . Pasta too

I bulk buy toothpaste/shower gel/shampoo/ handsoap/barsoap on Amazon

Crosswithlifeatm · 04/10/2022 14:36

If you have a bit of garden grow some veg.I have a small space but have tomatoes,green beans,courgettes and lots of parsley still growing and some already frozen.
I will soon plant garlic which keeps me going for a year,I'm a heavy user and spinach.
Its easy and cheap and you discover some veg your kids won't eat cooked they like raw!
If you have a larger garden you can make serious savings

MintJulia · 04/10/2022 17:14

Crosswithlifeatm · 04/10/2022 14:36

If you have a bit of garden grow some veg.I have a small space but have tomatoes,green beans,courgettes and lots of parsley still growing and some already frozen.
I will soon plant garlic which keeps me going for a year,I'm a heavy user and spinach.
Its easy and cheap and you discover some veg your kids won't eat cooked they like raw!
If you have a larger garden you can make serious savings

This definitely. I grow tomatoes, peppers, chillies, French beans, courgettes and cucumbers in pots. Plus herbs - thyme, bay, sage, parsley. You don't need shop bought compost.

£10 on plants from the local WI in April means I don't buy any of these veg from June to October. They are just finishing now.

Bigoldhag · 04/10/2022 19:20

I don’t buy all the same things every week but this week was about £52 and was:

400g chicken (lots in freezer)
2 packs of cheap ham
1pint milk
4 protein yoghurts
fridge raiders
ready mashed potato sleeve
brocolli
carrots
jacket potatoes
parsnips
butternut squash
butterhead lettuce
baby cukes
red pepper
6 eggs (expensive ones, and it alternates between 6/12 pack)
wet dog food (enough for 2-3 weeks)
ice cream bars
frozen spinach
1kg petit pois
frozen sausages
crunchie multipack
fudge stick multipack
rice krisipie squares
brioche rolls
mini sweet bags of haribos
3 x microwave rice pouches (i cant cook rice for toffee)
tuna x4 (multi buy, usually eat 1-2 a week)
stock cubes
stirfry sauces x2
dog treats
1 bottle of fruit sparkly water

other weeks would have less sweet things, and more of crisps, toiletries/household stuff, more bread products, turkey bacon, mince/quorn, condiments, cereal or fruit, but i had enough of those and the rotation helps keep bills even.

Crosswithlifeatm · 04/10/2022 22:06

Things like butternut are great,buy them when you see them cheap as they keep for ages .Pumpkins are coming up soon.If you carve any use the innards to make simple ,delicious soup.You can often find the being sold cheaply after Halloween and they keep for a while too.
If you have a freezer consider buying while chicken and jointing them yourself(takes 5 mins after a few goes),cheaper than buying seperate breast/thighs etc.I save wings in a seperate bag ready for summer BBQs.You don't have to be too tidy as you can then boil the carcass for soup(or freeze and do when you have a couple)as the meat adds to a hearty soup.
You can chuck wilting lettuce shredded into soup.
However much you spend if you are throwing any food away you need to rethink .

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