Grocery spend

[ChristmasComing123]

Hi

I think this is to do with inflation and also fussy kids. But struggling to get food shop under 700/800 a month for a family of 4. Two adults and two children. I was using aldis then switched to asda, buying essentials range but struggling to get it down. This doesnt include kids school lunches which they get at school which I'm hoping to drop this month as also expensive. Buying no alcohol but does include cleaning materials and toiletries. Has anyone got any tips or strategies to reduce this down further? I think possibly kids are having too many snacks.

That's £175-£200 a week. For context I spend £50 a week (although shop every 10 days) for me, 3 teens 15-19. Two have afrid, one is on a free from diet. I also don't have a choice as single parent on disability benefits (I think you live to your means).
What helps me is basic cleaning supplies, and asking do I really need this or could it be cleaned with hot soapy water and elbow grease.
I meal plan every meal, snacks are once a day and consist of fruit and a biscuit, home made cakes or flapjacks, rice cake, popcorn, yoghurt, crackers, cheese, crisps etc. To reduce cost one night is always something on toast and one night is Jacket potato with chese and beans.
I cook from scratch, batch cook, add extra veg, beans etc and reduce meat to stretch meals.
I bulk buy, tea bags, pasta, rice etc.
For lunch I often have tinned tomatoes or egg on toast with fruit or Leftovers.
Breakfast is cereal, beans on toast, crumpets, toast, yoghurts or fruit. I buy things that I usually use when on offer and store them. I online shop as this helps with no impulse buying and budgeting. I use my freezer to make sure I never run out of essentials and therefore have to shop more often. I buy extras all year so that I have enough in school holidays.

I set myself a limit and stick to it. I roughly add up what I'm spending as I go along throughout the week and if I think I'm going to run out make adjustments, ie packet of biscuits less than a shop brought cake, swap fish meal for something with pasta/rice, veggies and tomatoes which is much cheaper. Buy everything possible shops own brand, take advantage and stock up on offers you know you'll use. Look for items like meat/fish on clearance. Buy fruit and veggies that work for you on offer, ie only buy apples when on offer etc. It all makes a difference. Shops own Shreddies are less than £1 and DH likes porridge here.

Some people spend a vast amount on food on here. We can manage on £50pw for three adults (tend to buy a lot of toiletries at work where on double discount when it comes around though). Don't go without meals or snacks.

The best tip I have for reducing food expenditure is meal planning. It was not easy and I found it quite time consuming initially but it really helped me reduce my food bill and it has now made my life much easier. It also means very little (if any) food gets wasted.

Thanks everyone. I think I'm going to check what have in cupboard and do a meal plan. Will switch to aldis again. I think I will need to reduce snacks too as I think kids would rather snack than eat dinner. They do like pasta which is a easy meal I suppose.

Meal planning and stretching things over 2 days will get that spend down, as will reducing snacks

By stretching the food I mean doing a chilli, but doing half mince, half lentils (green canned lentils, although soaking dry lentils would be cheaper). Then add more veg (peppers, carrots, onions) and kidney beans, so that it lasts 2 nights. Same with spag bol...half mince, half lentils and extra veg to pad it out over 2 nights.

Don't deviate from your meal plan at all.

4 adults here. Can't get the shopping below £140 a week, although that includes cleaning products, toiletries etc. We meal plan,buy own brand products etc but it's always around the same.

We are a full time working couple with a 4 year old and 8 year old and we manage the weeks shop on ASDA for £75 a week. This covers all breakfast for kids adult lunches and family dinners. I love cooking and cook from scratch in 20 mins each evening.

Can you post a shopping list for a weeks shop ?

I was using Asda but had an Ocado voucher and tried it. I was so shocked. I’ve used them for 6 shops now and my Asda shops were regularly £250 a week (2 adults and 3 dc at secondary) but with Ocado it’s £200-£210. The veg stays fresh longer and meat lasts so much longer than Asda so I can plan my meals around the dc clubs rather than Asda’s short use by dates.