What do you spend per week on food shopping??

[nicand2]

Just wanted to get a rough idea, we seem to be spending a huge amount and I've just spent an hour working out our basic grocery costs without treats and it seems way over the top. I do have 2 children in nappies (1 special needs) and a husband who works from home so extra coffee milk etc...I can only put it down to the rising costs of food!.. baked beans anyone?

Wisteria - am e-mailing you too. Can I please have a copy of the budget spreadsheet. I have been thinking about doing this, and it would be great to have a starter for 10.

Thanks

I spend £120 per week for four of us. But we are doing the zone diet at the moment and I will only buy organic meat so the shopping is costing £30 more than it used to(I'm saving at least that much in being able to wear my clothes again). I don't buy any ready meals, or anything in a packet really as I am a total food snob.

This week's veg box is
potatoes UK
carrots UK
onions NL
aubergines ES
broccoli IT
courgettes IT
kale UK
leeks UK
mushrooms UK
parsnips UK
squash NL
swede UK
FREE jerusalem artichokes UK £14.95

Fruit box is
mango PE
apples AR
oranges IT
pears AR
bananas DO £8.35

They try to source as much as poss from as near as poss but struggle with fruit in the winter months so have to source it from abroad (ethically).

Thanks wisteria. God that is a huuuuge amount for the money!
Who is the company? If Its local to me, I am going to start it up too.

Postcode search for delivery in your area here

It's part of Riverford, which I believe is pretty much all over England.

Wisteria - does the amount include delivery?

Thank you!
They don't do northwest where I am but when they get enough people enquire from here, they will start up..off to fill in the form. Thanks again for all the info

this thread has made me feel a bit better- I've been trying to get our shopping bills shaved down a bit, but it's just not happening!! We are 3 adults (I cook for my dad every night), 2 dc's and baby (who thankfully only needs boobs!)and I spend
about £100/wk online tesco (this includes nappies/ toilet roll/ wine)
about £30/wk in butchers
about £10-15/ wk at the fishmongers

I do think food has gone up in price. We used to get a fruit/veg box delivered, but the kids aren't very good at eating fruit, unless it's apples or grapes, and lots was going to waste, so I stopped it. I like them to eat fish at least once a week, but it is not cheap! And I do like to buy decent meat- although I do often buy cheaper cuts. I meal plan religiously and throw very little away. I also grow some of my own stuff, although I didn't do too well this year!!

It seems a lot, but I don't buy clothes for myself, or spend money on make-up (hahaha- what's that?) or magazines or anything. But venturing out with the kids I usually end up paying for them to have a ride on the roundabout, or buy them a magazine! I am looking at all your tips- think I will need to talk DH into having a "veggie" day, but not sure if he will be able to handle it!! Thanks guys!

I pay £23.52 a week which includes the card charge of 22p, so delivery is included.

Riverford don't deliver in my area, but I clicked on the switch box and it took me to River Swale (York) who deliver.

I always shop online - Tesco or Sainsbury's. We go through a huge amount of fruit and veg. My shopping bill ranges from £100 to £130 per week. This includes meat, sometimes wine (although we do tend to buy a few bottles at once when on offer but this could be every few weeks), household stuff. I don't buy processed food and make lots of meals from scratch.

We do grow a lot of our own stuff in the summer ie. salad leaves, toms, courgettes, peppers, chillis, stawbs, raspberries and blackberries.

Will speak to DH tonight as it might be worth a try doing online once a month for non-perishables which means only one delivery charge. A fruit and veg box every week and using the farmers market which we have the 1st and 3rd Saturday in the month.

Bellavita - I thnk it's all moreorless the same people - I have friends who use River Swale and cost/ quality is comparable.

You sound similar to me in the approach you use for food - I do sometimes skip boxes in the summer when I have a good crop at home, although you can also order one offs, for instance a bag of potatoes or carrots as a top up for your own produce.

If you give it a go, I hope it works as well for you as it has for us - you do occasionally get items that the family may not be keen on so I tend to use them in things where they're not so noticeable (fruit smoothies and soups etc).

I posted the same question years ago and got slated. Not going there again!!!

Wisteria - love the cakes on your profile.

Can I just ask do you live in a house made by the builders Wimpey?

Your kitchen looks very, very similar to mine!

LOL - no, it was built in 1980 by a little local builder.

I'm so envious of some of you. I plan meals, cook from scratch everynight and I just CANNOT get the food bill down from £70-£80 per week. That's for me, DH and DD (3.7).
I do make DH's lunch every day, though, to take to work and so this is for all meals for us, for the week.

Spaceman - I am envious of you - I wish my bills were like yours

I also get one of the Riverford boxes and I have had to swap for a mixed fruit/veg box, as we cannot eat all the veg - the amounts are very generous and I did not want to be throwing things into the compost. I have tried other box schemes and they are not as good value for money. Plus it comes from a place that is very close, which I like.

spaceman....tell us what you bought this week and maybe we can help you cut it down.

I do not spend what you spend each week but we eat well and I do clean!!

spaceman?

Sorry Collision for delay.

I don't think I buy anything out of the usual. This week I've bought enough for the following meals.

Steak and potatoe wedges, roasted veg
Enchilladas, with creme freche
Trout, new potatoes, green beans
Roast chicken plus trimmings (this week not even free range!)
Cold chicken, salad and pots.
Bacon, veg and pesto pasta.

Plus load of fruit and bread as I make DH's lunch daily as well as three cartons of fruit juice, 6 pints of organic milk (for DD), squash, 3x toothbrushes, crisps and flour and a few other bits and bobs like margarine and eggs, which shouldn't amount to much.

Also, no booze as 7 months pg, no nappies as DD finished with those ages ago, and I only buy Tesco own brand of stuff; even Tesco economy tinned toms, and I buy toilettries elsewhere! Maybe I'll have to tell the DH to stop eating so much (or is it me?)

Send me your shopping list!!!!!

I love this thread, i have no idea how much I spend on food as I shop on an as and when basis, I do a big shop for most of the food but then do weekly shops, hubby gets all veg free from work so we don't have to fork out for that.

I'm v. interested in the fruit boxes though.

Wisteria, I have emailed you about your spreadsheet, I hope its no trouble xx

Mmm, I love other people's shopping lists! [saddo]

I would send you my shopping list but I have managed to do without shopping this week so I will wait til I next go shopping.

I have been using up what is in the freezer and DH was out tonight so I got away with having scrambled eggs on toast.

Tomorrow I am going to the butcher and will get a FR chicken which will be roasted for tomorrow eve, made into a pie on Sunday, chicken salad on Monday and stock for soup on Tuesday.

Lamb curry on Saturday.

Yeah, I do that chicken thing when I boil the bones and make soup. Usually I buy free range, but one meal and a seven quider is gone! I got an ordinary one this week for the first time in ages but it looks a lot plumper and only costs £4.

You are good having scrambled eggs on toast. If I was in on my own I'd still have a big meal!

I spoke to DH last night and he pointed out that I had bought organic milk, fairtrade bananas, free range eggs and two loaves of granary hovis bread so I suppose I could get normal and save there; though I won't buy barn eggs. Even when I was a student I bought free range eggs: Beer, cigarettes and free range eggs.

You have bought things that I wouldnt buy such as organic milk etc

I did go shopping in the end as Ds asked if he could have fish for dinner and I was near the end of lots of things. I was going to wait til Monday but thought I would get it out of the way.

I went to the butcher and spent £12. I got a dozen FR eggs, a 5.5lb chicken and 4 wild boar sausages.

With the chicken I will roast it on Sunday, make a pie on Monday, salad on Tuesday and soup on Wednesday. That works out at £2 per meal for 4 of us. Pretty good. FR are always better as the cheap chickens are pumped up with water.

I shopped at Morrisons this week as it is a lot cheaper and I spent £38 for the week.

This week.....

sliced chicken breast for sandwiches £1.48
After 8 icecream £1
Fresh tuna £4.16
Seabass £1.79
Yoghurts frubes x 2 £1.92
Fish fingers 0.98
Fruit flakes (on offer buy 5 get 5 free) £1.90
Bread 0.99
Sugar 0.65
Cookies x 2 0.60p
Hellmans mayo £1.54
Virani Gram Flour £1.19
Red lentils 0.68
Foil,cling film, sandwich bags ££2
Apple juice cartons ££1.86
Baked beans 0.62
Milk 10pints £3
Broccoli 62p
Tomatoes £1.77
Lemon 21p
limes x 2 30p
oranges 99p
rocket 99p
cucumber 68p
spinach 99p
strawberries 35p
bananas 79p
pears £2
Carrots, celery and mushrooms £2.30

We are having lamb curry on Saturday which is in the freezer and DH will make the extra bits like poppadums and onion bhajis and chapatis in the afternoon.

Approx 120 a week but thats for everything. all the food and toiletries washing powder and dog food as well. 2 adults 4 dcs and a labrador. Not too bad i guess. I buy a pack of nappies every now and again if we are going out but usually dd is in totsbots. i chop and freeze most of the (freezable) veg when i buy it so theres not wasted.