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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

£800 pm on groceries for a family

518 replies

popsickle555 · 23/08/2025 17:13

recently had a conversation with my DM (lighthearted) but I explained our weekly shop is now around £200 for a family of 2 adults and two teenage children during summer school holidays. She said she thought me ‘overspending’.

Anyway here’s what we spend:

£150 ish weekly shop (has to be weekly during the holidays as they eat so much)
£50 on top up shops fruit and veg and occasional extras eg wash powder and such things. This also includes cat food (1 cat on cheap food).

this includes lunches for me and DH (wfh) and also packed lunch stuff for DC’s who have been on a drama camp.

AIBU to think it’s actually quite hard to eat reasonably well (I do cook most days and I am buying decent ish ingredients but also plenty of ‘basic’ range options) for less than this sort of price now for 4 full portion people eating 3 meals a day? We hardly ever eat out unless on holiday.

For reference my DM hardly eats a lot now she’s older and when she does it’s really simple and generally quite boring stuff eg omelette, jacket potato etc. My DH and DCs needs more protein than that as are all very active.

I just came away feeling like I’m wasting money but genuinely can’t see how I can do it for much less without really scrimping on ingredients and protein.

OP posts:
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5
Toooldtopretend · 23/08/2025 19:23

Sounds about right to me. Saw something on the news the other day that food prices are 40% higher than 5 years ago which is pretty shocking.

Flamingoknees · 23/08/2025 19:23

We spend £130 ish for 2 adults and a 14yo,per week. Not including frozen which DP buys seperately. We aren't extravagant, because DS has very limited diet.

PreciousTatas · 23/08/2025 19:23

Same here, between 800 to 1000 per month on grocery/household shops.

We only eat meat twice a week, the fish pushes the cost up a fair bit but I won't compromise on quality there.

I probably could get it down a bit actually going shopping instead of ordering online, but with the diesel needed to reach the shop and the time used up wandering around ever changing aisles never able to find the thing I'm actually after, then I consider it about equal in cost!

Edited to add that is for two adults and two very hungry preteen and teen dc.

EH1768 · 23/08/2025 19:24

is your mum spending less than £200 for herself for all groceries pm? Also when cooking for yourself alone you can decide exactly how much to buy which you then eat. The more people involved, the more variables there are 🙂

Amillionpebbles · 23/08/2025 19:24

Easily done without massive splashing out. I hardly go shopping anymore and each time I do, I’m astounded at the price jumps since the last time.

Mandylovescandy · 23/08/2025 19:28

My first thought was that it seemed a lot - we spend about £450 for 2 adults and 2 kids a month but I guess hungry teenagers eat way more plus DH will have a meal out a week after his hobby and a couple of lunches at work so that isn't included in the spend

godmum56 · 23/08/2025 19:28

I think really it depends. If you can afford to spend what you spend and are happy with your budget/diet then, while I wouldn't be rude, I am not sure why you are worried by your mother's opinion?

I know that sounds a bit entitled but I have been broke....so broke that when I burned an omelette, we had to eat it because it was that or nothing. If you have to budget then you do. If you want to save for something and that means budgetting, then you do. But otherwise I advise a smile and a change of subject.

ForNoisyCat · 23/08/2025 19:29

popsickle555 · 23/08/2025 17:13

recently had a conversation with my DM (lighthearted) but I explained our weekly shop is now around £200 for a family of 2 adults and two teenage children during summer school holidays. She said she thought me ‘overspending’.

Anyway here’s what we spend:

£150 ish weekly shop (has to be weekly during the holidays as they eat so much)
£50 on top up shops fruit and veg and occasional extras eg wash powder and such things. This also includes cat food (1 cat on cheap food).

this includes lunches for me and DH (wfh) and also packed lunch stuff for DC’s who have been on a drama camp.

AIBU to think it’s actually quite hard to eat reasonably well (I do cook most days and I am buying decent ish ingredients but also plenty of ‘basic’ range options) for less than this sort of price now for 4 full portion people eating 3 meals a day? We hardly ever eat out unless on holiday.

For reference my DM hardly eats a lot now she’s older and when she does it’s really simple and generally quite boring stuff eg omelette, jacket potato etc. My DH and DCs needs more protein than that as are all very active.

I just came away feeling like I’m wasting money but genuinely can’t see how I can do it for much less without really scrimping on ingredients and protein.

I cut back as much as possible but usually spend around £150-160 per week for 3 adults, two cats and a dog. Sometimes I need to spend another tenner. On z good week I can spend less than £150 but if everything is running low or I want new recipe ingredients I can spend £180 even more.

StMarie4me · 23/08/2025 19:29

We are 2 adults. We have no takeouts at all and my DD28 is ND and food is a huge issue for her. I try to eat healthily. Inc all for 2 cats, and household cleaning etc we spend £445 a month.

AxolotlEars · 23/08/2025 19:31

We don't spend that much and we are 5 adults and a teenager.

babyproblems · 23/08/2025 19:34

Two adults, one toddler, two dogs. We spend the same and probably a bit more including dog food!

Plus things like dishwasher tablets we buy elsewhere in bulk.. we do eat very healthily though which is a priority in our household so we’re prepared to spend on food but still, I don’t think I could spend much less tbh! It’s none of her business really Xo

TheodoraCrumpet · 23/08/2025 19:36

My DD at the other end of the age scale is very smug about her shopping coming in at the £50 a week mark, whereas mine was more like £200. Oddly enough, now that she's moved out, my shopping is around £50 a week cheaper. I'm still horrified at spending £150 on feeding 3 adults. At least two of us could do with eating a lot less, for a start, and if DH became less fussy there'd be more savings in that direction. I know it's possible to eat for less, and there are obvious cutbacks I could make. So demoralising to penny pinch about food, though. I do the bulk of it in Aldi as it is.

Misslizzie96 · 23/08/2025 19:38

Gosh yes it’s a huge cost. Two adults and two teenage DC here, we eat a good diet with home cooked meals and limited UPC and I’m about same for a weekly shop that includes most toiletries (except my skincare and shampoo) and cleaning products etc. don’t think any of us are overeating we’re all healthy weights (maybe myself and DH could lose a few pounds but nothing excessive!) I’ve been trying to get it down by batching meals and also clearing out the freezer and cupboards so no overshopping. Hoping running down the freezer will also help so I can buy more frozen veggies and berries which are a lot cheaper

I saw an influencer showing off her weekly M&S shop for a family of 5 the other day and what a load of nonsense, there is no way my DC would survive on so little food and hardly any fruit or veggies and do all the sports they do!

Contrarymary30 · 23/08/2025 19:38

I was thinking the same . It would not be possible unless you grew your own veg and hunted animals for meat ! Maybe the person will share their menu's for the week !

askmenow · 23/08/2025 19:40

Crazy isn't it...A couple of weeks ago, I was paying £2.85 for a dozen large free range eggs and today in Sainsburys they were £3.25.

I do wonder at the accuracy of the inflation statistics.
Mum used to buy in potatoes by the sackload from a farmer and just let us make our own baked potato recipes during the summer hols. With 5 kids at home, her kitchen never closed

ChampagneLassie · 23/08/2025 19:40

We spend £1000/month for 2 adults, 2 young DC. I but whatever I want and to attempt to economise. I reckon I could get it down but it would require more time and effort which would has other impacts so it is what it is m.

Purpleturtle45 · 23/08/2025 19:40

That's what we spend too on 2 adults and 3 kids and I don't think we buy anything fancy! We were just saying today how we spend almost as much on our food as our mortgage!

ACynicalDad · 23/08/2025 19:43

Ours is there or thereabouts, maybe 180, but kids are younger.

JudithOnHolidayAgain · 23/08/2025 19:44

I spend a lot less. £95 a week and that includes some alcohol, cleaning products and toiletries.

Me, DH, DD (20) DS (18).
We eat well, cook from scratch, that includes 3 meals a day as dc take a packed lunch and me and DH eat lunch at home. DC both eat a lot! Dd competes at a sport and eats a lot of protein. She snacks on nuts, fruit and yogurt.
I batch cook and we use a lot of pulses but also eat meat. In the winter DD will take soup / stews or pasta to uni for lunch but tends to take salads in summer.
I buy things that are in season, and also some frozen fruit and veg. If I see a good offer on something I stock up.....last week Asda had pork leg at a good price so I put some in the freezer.
We don't eat ready meals and I try and avoid UPF.

My mum and gran were great cooks and they taught me how to cook. My gran was a fantastic baker....but as someone who lived through war and rationing she also knew how to make frugal meals that were tasty and nutritious. Homemade faggots, thick soups, pies, bread, Welsh cakes, pancakes.
Her cooking was very plain but I still use some of her recipes today.

Lavenderflower · 23/08/2025 19:45

I don't think that is unreasonable if you eat meat most days. I don't spend that much but I don't eat every day. I try not to eat everyday.

JBJ · 23/08/2025 19:45

We’re just 2 adults (me and 19yo DS) plus a medium sized dog, whose food costs me about £50 for a sack every 3 months, and I struggle to spend less than £100 a week now for everything. Prices have gone up so much in the last few years.

SockFluffInTheBath · 23/08/2025 19:47

I spend about the same OP in M&S for 2 adults and DC18 & 19 (home for the holidays). That’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and cleaning stuff.

DrPrunesqualer · 23/08/2025 19:47

askmenow · 23/08/2025 19:40

Crazy isn't it...A couple of weeks ago, I was paying £2.85 for a dozen large free range eggs and today in Sainsburys they were £3.25.

I do wonder at the accuracy of the inflation statistics.
Mum used to buy in potatoes by the sackload from a farmer and just let us make our own baked potato recipes during the summer hols. With 5 kids at home, her kitchen never closed

£2.69 for 15 free range eggs Aldi and Lidl
if you’re near one

askmenow · 23/08/2025 19:48

And the rescue kitten we just took on, well I'd quite forgotten how much boy cats eat! Bog standard Purina cat food £4.99 for 8 x 85gm cans.
I've been topping him up with 500gm minced chicken @£2.45 a pack, lasting him a week. It's mad that fresh mince is getting cheaper than the canned stuff. No wonder the rescue centres are overflowing with animals.

Farmwifefarmlife · 23/08/2025 19:49

We are 2 adults 3 young DC & spend about the same! I cook / bake & grow a lot of our fruit and veg! I honestly don’t think you can do it for any less!