How much do you spend on food shopping? Would you share your shopping list?

[Notsure2023]

We (Me, DH, DS who is 1 and dairy free) spend around £120-£140 per week.

We’ve always had to go to Tesco for DF things and tried shopping at Aldi for the rest. The bill is around £120 p/w. If we do a full shop in Tesco it’s £140 p/w. This will include nappies, toiletries, a bottle of wine, crate of beer.

we try to eat healthy with lots of fruit, veg, fresh meat and fish. But it’s just getting too expensive to maintain 😞

how much do you spend? Would you mind sharing your shopping list?

thank you x

Around £100 for 3 adults, no dietary restrictions (but dsd buys her own breakfast, lunch and treats)

Usually

500g mince
A chicken or pork shoulder
Bag potatoes
Carrots
A cabbage
Broccoli
Pack of good sausages
Onions
Condiments and sauces periodically
Bread
Butter
4 pints milk
Chopped tomatoes
Pasta
Coleslaw
Salad
Herbs, oils etc to restock as needed
Cheese
Pickle (once a month)
Chicken thighs
Peppers
Wraps
Pesto
Cereal fortnightly
Coffee fortnightly
Fruit

Not fixed as I rotate meals around but this comes to around £70 so once we buy bleach, loo rolls, shampoo, ibroprofen etc it's usually an £80 shop, we top up during the week sometimes and just might buy wine.

Mine will vary in university holidays and if the girls have their boyfriends staying, we can balloon to a household of 8!

£200-£250 a week. Two adults, 3 children. We are not economising though, this is what we spend money on. We have over £50 of fruit and veg a week..

Me, DH, 3yo & 1yo £75 per week including nappies for 1 yo

We have a delivery pass from Sainsbury's so have delivery Tues/ Wed each week

Frozen veg
Fresh fruit, brocoli, carrot, potato and salad bits most week
Well stocked tin cupboards
Frozen mince
Fresh chicken

We spend less than £100 typically buy

Berries
Satsumas
Big oranges
Apples
Pears
2 cartons Greek yoghurt
Cougette
Aubergine
Tomatoes
Spinach
Chick peas
Squash
Baking potatoes
Feta
Mozarella
Rice
Chicken
Tofu
Fish
Chorizo
Fresh pasta
Garlic
Spices
Bread
Nut butter
Kids yoghurt
Wraps

4yo* (nearly 5) thought I'd corrected the typo.

He does have free school dinners since being in reception at school and they get school dinners for free until year 2 I believe so that's obviously not included in the 75.

Sometimes we go over but will spend less next week.

Sanitary products and toiletries will be included in the 75 too but period pants have significantly reduced the needs for that. I get Sainsbury's own brand non bio wash powder and conditioner. Sainsbury's shampoo and conditioner.

The things we definitely buy each week include
Milk - 6 pints x2
Grapes
Blueberries
Apples
Banana x 4
Fromage frais
Greek yog
Coffee beans
Frozen onion
Carrots
Broccoli
Frozen mince
Bread
Bagels
Dairylea
Quiche
Wraps
Cucumber
Various Frozen veg

Every other week
Potatos
Cereals
Cheddar cheese
Orange squash
Ham
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Frozen fish
Steak

Monthly
Wash powder
Clothes conditioner
Dishwasher tablets
Blackcurrant / orange Squash
Pasta
Rice

£80 a week for myself and nearly 17yo dd.

That's for everything though, all meals, lunches, snacks etc.

I wondered whether it’s not so much what you buy (though blueberries are bloody expensive, for example) but which brands etc you buy? When I priced up some of these lists in my head it came to a lot less than the posters said it cost. But eg we always buy the basic/value/wonky veg, so cucumber, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, cabbage etc would be under £1 each/per packet. But all can cost way more if organic etc. Own brand cereal is also often under £1 a box, while fancy branded ones can be £4 or more. Chicken can be from about £3 to £20. And all that adds up -
£1-2 difference on each item over a whole shop.

If you want to cut down, looking at your list I would ditch blueberries for some seasonal fruit, chop my own onions, downgrade dairylea and any other brands to supermarket own. Also that’s a lot of milk…. And I think you are missing stuff out as it doesn’t add up to enough meals that I can see…

This was mine five days ago from Sainsbury's; it only cost about £35 which I was pleasantly surprised by, & I still have enough left for meals tomorrow (quiche dinner; veg soup lunch). It's for 2 and I buy good quality bread separately usually via toogood2go then freeze it & got some tinned sardines, salad & clotted cream for porridge from M&S (£8 I think). And I stocked up on tofu with a Waitrose offer (£3.20 for 2 packs).

With the Sainsbury's shop below I've made pot roast chicken with lots of veg, chicken fricassee with mushrooms and rice, meatballs & mash with onion gravy for 2 days because it was so nice and mixed peppers pasta. Also chicken & ham sandwiches & omelettes both with salad for lunch.

Whole chicken (£3.50 on offer; normally I'd have bought more expensive free range)
Small pack of mince
small pack of Spanish ham
free-range eggs
1 pint of milk
2 packets of butter
reduced cheese & onion quiche
1 sweet potato
Bag of onions
mushrooms
celery
Bag of wonky peppers
Bag of maris piper potatoes
Sweetheart cabbage
Bag of wonky carrots
3 red onions
2 tins plum tomatoes
Bag of apples
Three oranges
bananas
Long grain rice
2 reduced vanilla slices
tin of white beans
oats for porridge

I shop every 8 days online at tesco.
Menu plan every meal, batch cook and bulk buy. 1 adult, 3 teens. 1 is gluten free, 2 have afrid. I spend £40-£45 a time.
Veg is mostly frozen.
Mince beef.
Frozen chicken breast is currently cheaper than ghe boneless thighs in tesco so check which are cheapest.
If I buy a gammon joint I will slice and freeze the cooked meat so a joint will cover 3 meals.
Fruit.
Bread.
Pasta/rice in the largest size they do.
Pasatta.
Herbs and spices.
Cheese buy on offer and grate and freeze in portions.
Eggs.
beans.
Salad.
Cereal.
I'll say buy one large item per week to spread cost. We eat a lot of chicken pasta, spaghetti bol, chilli, beans/egg on toast, sandwich with salad and fruit.
Free from foods put the price up so I tend to bulk buy and freeze them when on offer.
It's hard almost a military operation always looking for offers etc but it's a necessity as I'm on disability benefits.

£50 a week for myself, husband and toddler. We have a list of things we buy every week that total around £25 and the rest of the items are things that we don't need every week (cleaning products, toilet rolls etc) and any missing ingredients for that week's menu.

2 adults - around £75 every two weeks. We are very frugal with that we buy and use every ounce of what we have and make sure our cupboards are more or less empty before we shop again. I understand majority of people aren't like us. We just try to save as much as possible. We love a good deal too!

We spend about £250 a week for two adults, two teens, a toddler with a small shop in included for elderly mum (about £30 of this). A lot of the cost comes from dietary requirements- lacto and gluten intolerances and autism related food restrictions. DS 2 will only eat steak, sausage or a burger with limited veg options for lunch and dinner. DS 1 will also eat chicken nuggets and pizza but is pretty much it … lots of meat which stacks our bulk up. Our biggest monthly expense is food 😫

Around £200 a week
4 Adults usually 5 adults at least once a week.
3 working from home, so lunches included as well.
All cleaning products, some toiletries & pet food included.
Before the pandemic the same amount of food was never more than £170

We are around £1000 a month all in Including school dinners, milkman, butcher etc..also includes majority of toiletries and cleaning stuff. And yes I'm desperately trying to cut it down but usually cook 2-3 different meals a night due to dietary requirements. For context there's 6 of us so a large family!

Anyway....
Usual list...

Milk from milkman 4 pints a day. Plus loaf of bread.

Cereal we usually have porridge, shredded wheat, Weetabix and Cheerios on offer.

Bread items.. normal bread from milkman but buy bagels, hot cross buns, tortilla wraps

Dairy we get through so much cheese. Usually have parmesan, brie, mozarella and cheddar in the fridge

Packed lunch stuff like sausage rolls, yogurts, crisps, flapjacks, ham, chicken.

Snacks like cereal bars, long life croissants, scotch pancakes, yogurts.

Eggs normally a dozen a week.

Pasta spaghetti rice and noodles.

Tins like kidney beans, sweetcorn.

Lunch stuff for me as I'm home all day so bits like sachets of rice, oatcakes, hummus.

Fruit and veg we usually buy blueberries, bananas, tangerines and apples on a weekly basis. Plus brocolli, carrots, peppers and mushrooms, avocado.

Frozen usually chicken nuggets, fish fingers, chips waffles.

Meat we usually go through a couple of packs of mince a week, sausages, 2-3 packs of chicken,.pack of bacon. Plus a joint on a weekend usually.

Think that's a typical week, sounds alot reading back!

I'm just shocked at the weekly amounts people are spending. 3 of us (Inc DD 11) and usually spend £200 on 1 big shop Asda per month + £15 -£20 per week Lidl top up however at the weekend our usual shop cost £350 so significant increase. DD is pescatarian so no meat but we eat lots of fish. Will try and shop more frugally next momth to get closer to the £250 mark for the monthly big shop.

I try to keep ours under £300 per month, this includes all food, toiletries and household things like loo roll, wash powder, cleaning products. 2 adults, 2 teen daughters and we have 2 cats. DH does eat most meals at work as he gets them free so just his days off and treats for him. We dont drink unless it's a special occasion so that keeps costs down.

I'm gluten free and dairy free due to intolerances, dd2 is vegetarian so our diet is mostly vegan. I tend to stick to naturally free from foods like rice/potato in meals. Then treats I make flapjack, jelly or rocky road as the free from options are really expensive. I buy gf bread if i see it reduced.

Typical meals here
Jacket potato
Dahl
Chilli & rice
Shepherd's pie
Homemade pizza
Curry
Pasta and sauce
Bolognase (I usually serve with rice instead of gf pasta for me)
Lasagne
Stir fry
Vegetable soup
Veggie sausages, mash and beans
Fry up
Savoury flapjack with new potatoes.
Couscous salad
Tacos
Fajitas

Sometimes we have tinned soup or beans/spaghetti hoops on toast as a quick filling meal!

We buy loo roll, washing detergent, fabric softener, kitchen towel rolls, dishwasher tablets, bleach and tissues from Costco as it's much cheaper buying in bulk. Two adults, four children ranging from 15 to 5yo.

Shop at various supermarkets, usually Aldi or Lidl though. Usually spend around £100 a week, sometimes more. Buy economy range for things like fresh orange and apple juices, often same for fruits and vegetables. Happy with wonky carrots for example and economy pasta.

Horrifically about £280 per week

3 adults, 2 teenagers.

Not including takeaways.

Disgraceful.

£100-130, it really depends on what we need aka I bought shampoos for everyone, nappies extra this week, so more expensive.

2 adults, 4 year old & 1 year old (soon to be 2)

I bought those items in the shop as I forgot but here is the online list:

0.342kg Sainsbury's Sweet Potatoes Loose £0.34
0.538kg Sainsbury's Fairtrade Bananas Loose £0.42
0.512kg Sainsbury's Onions Loose £0.40
1.128kg Sainsbury's British Carrots Loose £0.56
2 Sainsbury's Tomato Puree, Double Concentrate 200g £1.00
1 Sainsbury's Houmous 200g £1.35
1 Sainsbury's British Free Range Eggs Large x12 £2.55
1 Sainsbury's Spinach & Ricotta Tortelloni 300g £2.00
3 De Cecco Penne Rigate 500g £3.90
1 De Cecco Linguine 500g £1.30
1 Sainsbury's Blueberries 150g £1.39
1 Princes Tuna Chunks in Spring Water 4x145g £4.00
1 Sainsbury's British Fresh Small Whole Chicken 1.35kg £3.50
1 Sainsbury?s Medium Ripe & Ready Avocados x2 £1.60
1 Sainsbury's Wholegrain Malties Cereal 750g £0.90
1 Sainsbury's British or Irish 5% Fat Beef Mince 500g £3.20
1 Birds Eye Cod Fish Fingers x10 280g £3.00
1 Sainsbury's Vittoria Cherry Vine Tomatoes, Taste the Difference 250g £2.25
2 Sainsbury's Whole Cucumber £1.50
1 Heinz No Added Sugar Baked Beans in a Rich Tomato Sauce 4 x 415g £4.00
1 Harbour Smokehouse Salmon 100g £2.75
2 Sainsbury's Red Pepper £1.00

1 Organix Farm Animal Biscuits Toddler Snacks 12 months+ 100g £2.00
1 Sainsbury's Closed Cup White Mushrooms 300g £0.94
1 Organix Apple & Date Fruit Bars Toddler Snacks Multipack 12 months+
6x17g £2.50
1 Sainsbury's Sweetcorn 3x198g (157g*) £1.50
1 Sainsbury's Conference Pears, Ripe & Ready x4 £1.00
1 Sainsbury's Celery £0.57
1 Sainsbury's Red Kidney Beans in Water 400g (240g*) £0.70
1 Sainsbury's British Baking Potatoes x4 £0.62
1 Sainsbury's Kiwi Fruit x6 £1.05
2 Sainsbury's Garlic £0.46
1 Sainsbury's Hot Cross Buns x6 £1.10
1 Birds Eye Chicken Dippers x22 403g £3.50
1 McCain Crispy French Fries 1.4kg £4.00
1 Birds Eye Potato Waffles x10 567g £2.00
1 Walkers Wotsits Really Cheesy Multipack Crisps Snacks 6x16.5g £1.95
1 Sainsbury's Plain Tortilla Wraps x8 496g £1.15
1 Heinz Spaghetti Hoops In Tomato Sauce 400g £1.00
1 Sainsbury's Easy Peelers, Taste the Difference 600g £2.00
1 Sainsbury's Vegetable Oil 1L £1.75
1 Sainsbury's White Seedless Grapes 500g £1.50
1 Organix Mini Organic Raisin Snack Boxes Toddler Snacks Multipack 12
months+ 12x14g £2.80
1 Sainsbury's British Maris Piper Potatoes 2.5kg £1.59
1 Cathedral City Mature Cheddar Cheese 350g £3.00
1 Sainsbury's British Fresh Chicken Breast Fillets Skinless & Boneless
640g £4.18
6 Hubbard?s Foodstore Chopped Tomatoes 400g £1.92
1 Organix Raspberry & Apple Oaty Bar Toddler Snack Cereal Bar 12
months+ 30g £2.50
1 Sainsbury's White Pittas x6

This was £92. + bought bread, then the shampoo (husband needs medicated shampoo) which was an additional £28 ish.

Around £150/ £160 a week for 4. And often £30 top up shop. DDs are no longer dairy free but they only drink oatley milk and go through a carton a day. They also have a love of berries and soft fruit. The youngest eats a packet of pine nuts a week.

Weekly:

Apples
Grapes
Pears
Mushrooms
Cucumber
Greek yog
Glass jar yogs
Strawberries
Eggs
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Avocado
Peppers
Pots (baking and sweet)
Wotsits
Pittas
Small loaf of bread
Pack of ham
Cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, Edam, Red Leicester)
Fresh pasta
Fresh herbs
Lemons
Bananas
Biscuits for biscuit tin
Fresh fruit juice
Big bottles of water
Bag of frozen chicken breasts
Mince
Good sausages
Baby wipes
Nappies
Fresh salmon

(Comes to about £80)

Then once a month:
Replace cupboard herbs
Ketchup
Mayo
Alcohol
Squash
Freezer stuff (fish fingers etc)
Olive oil
Cereal
Toiletries
Toothbrush heads
Tampons / pads
Shampoo & conditioner
Cleaning products
Dishwasher and washing machine tabs
Tins / jars
Jams
Butter

The second lot we'd combine with one of the weekly shops. So normally it's about £80 a week but one shop normally at the end of the month with everything above is normally about £145.

2 adults and a 2 year old.

We are two adults, two DC (one primary aged but have to pay for school lunch, one toddler), and one cat. I try to keep our monthly spend on groceries (which is food, nappies, cat food and cleaning products but not toiletries or alcohol, or takeaways) to £500 per month. Last month’s was £600 but it felt like a long month and included two weekends with house guests and a toddler birthday party.

We eat more carbs and less protein than we should, which is partly related to how much time we have for meal prep (not a lot) and DCs’ preferences. I try to stick to seasonal fruit/veg and don’t always buy free range chicken - the stuff in Sainsburys is simply too expensive to justify if it’s free range though fillets, etc.

What pushes our bill up are snacks - we eat more crisps than we should, plus things like cereal bars. In the summer, ice creams and fizzy drinks noticeably push up the shop. And things like individual yogurts (DC1 is fussy, possibly autism related).

I try to shop in Aldi some weeks but for various reasons we’re making heavy use of our Sainsburys delivery pass at the moment. The prices have really gone up in the last six weeks or so - sometimes the prices for certain items go up each week. It’s quite frightening.

One shop a month at Tesco where I get little change out of £200. We eat a lot of meat, but go for offers so if the organic gold-plates chicken is 50p more then I’ll get that.

Top up with milk/bread/snacks as needed.

Catch our own fish.

In the process of getting chickens as we get through a lot of eggs.

I wfh so can be here for deliveries so bulk-buy bog roll/pet food/cleaning stuff whenever I see a deal.

Always have a few months food in stock as it’s not always easy to get stuff where I live.

A crate of beer and a bottle of wine a week will add a fair amount to your bill. Surely around £25?

We buy the odd 6 bottles when they're on offer for 25% off and they last us a while.