Your weekly grocery bill... how much?

[Uwilalalalalala]

Okay I'm always trying to economise at the grocery store. But, the best I seem to be able to do is around £150 per week. We have three adults and two kids (18 months and 3 1/2 yrs) in the house. I shop at Tesco, and I don't buy overpriced kiddies foods (like disney yogurts or Thomas pasta, etc.) I don't buy already prepared food (unless it is for me to take to work for lunch because it is cheaper than buying lunch at work).

If you live in greater London, how much do you spend on groceries? Am I going wrong somewhere?

For all you lot buying nappies at the supermarket - there is a cheaper way. I buy nappies, wipes, follow on formula etc etc at boots, I have a parenting club thing that gives me 1500 points if I spend £75. When they have a triple points weekend (you get those on top) I get down there and spend my £75, all the points work out at getting 30% back and I'm spending them all at the moment on ELC toys which are included in the 3 for 2 xmas offer!

Or you could use washables and then you only have to buy them once.

Yes you are absolutely correct- I do use mainly washables so only need to do that boots trip when they have a triple points weekend. Was just trying to pass on my scrooge tip to parents who buy lots of nappies!

There are very cheap cleaning agents at Lidl!

I spend about £80 a week for 5 of us.
Also used 24 terry nappies for 3 children so saved whatever 6 years of disposables cost.

We do about £60-70 a week. 20 on fruit/veg, 20 at butchers/farmers market and 20 in supermarket. Sure I could feed us all for 50 or less if just went to Asda/ Tesco's but prefer not to give more money to supermarkets than we have to . If we are having people round will usually go shopping separately around 20 including booze

Usually about £120 for 2 adults & 2 children, but they go to my mum's 3 evenings a week as she picks them up when I'm working.

Plus wine, of course - that probably doubles it!

I spend £70 a week for me, dh and 3 year old dd.I only buy organic meat and veg, no ready meals,sweet stuff or pop.I write a list and menu plan but my dd has all her meals at nursery three days a week when I work and my dh works evenings so we only eat together twice a week and on the other evenings it me on my own with a snack or I will cook a meal for me and dd and invite dad over. All in all I only cook four days a week really.

I pay so much as the organic stuff is more expensive and generally I find that the healthier you try and be, the more expensive it is.

Hi, I'm carrying out some research for a personal project and your input to the following questions would be really appreciated. Many thanks in advance!

What's your favourite food store?

Do you ever shop at Iceland?
If yes, why?
If no, why?

What would make you stop/start shopping at Iceland?

What do you think about the Iceland ads with Kerry Katona?

Which supermarket do you think caters best for families with children?
Why?

What's your favourite food store? Marks and Spencer though I shop at ASDA

Do you ever shop at Iceland?
No.It just looks like a load of frozen,processed crap

What would make you stop/start shopping at Iceland?
Nothing, I generally dont buy frozen food (ice cream,lollies,sometimes veg for a quick tea)and dont buy ready meals

What do you think about the Iceland ads with Kerry Katona?
She just reinforces my idea of Iceland.Chav mums and turkey twizzlers 'as long as its convenient and cheap (and I dont have to make it) then whack on a plate'

Which supermarket do you think caters best for families with children? ASDA
Why? They do mini packs fruit and veg for little ones and sell a good range of organic food which is well priced

I dooo shop at iceland but only about once a month if walking past and know that I am out of milk at home. Thats all I buy there. Don't buy frozen food as we don't have a freezer, we buy all fresh. (helped by the fact my freezer packed in a couple of years ago and whilst saving up for new one I realised it is easy to do without one). Nothing currently would make me shop there for other than milk as ditto chocolate peanut it looks like frozen ready meals for people who like to eat frozen ready meals. Ditto the chav comment (sorry kerry) but then look at what Kerry ate on I'm a celebrity... I don't know what you mean about best supermarket to cater for children, we just go to asda cos we can get fresh food at good prices, I call that catering for children. If you mean which supermarket do I think does the most food aimed at children, well mine don't food marketed at children, they have the same as us.
No sorry not even the free delivery would have me shopping at iceland, in fact I just realised that I quite often stagger past it on the way home from the fruit and veg market!

Have just done an online Ocado shop and it was £115! but about £25 of that was stuff for some friends coming for lunch on Sat - am doing chicken thighs and chorizo sausage with rice and the free range chicken thighs alone came to £18. (4 adults and 4 kids will be eating them). That also included 4 bottles of wine and a chocolate torte. Am pushing the boat out this week! Normally my online weekly shop (Tesco normally, occasioanlly Ocado) will be around £75 and I'll spend another £20 or so in the butchers and greengrocers. Like someone said earlier up the thread, I refuse to buy crap meat that's been pumped up with water from animals that have been raised in tortuous surroundings. And most of the week I do memu plan and most things are cooked from scratch including soup and (sometimes) bread.

I have found very little difference in price between places like Tesco and Asda unless you go for the cheap own line stuff, most of which is plastic white bread and the like, which I don't buy anyway. I would rather go without other things than compromise my standards with food. If that makes me sound like a pompous ass then so be it.

Whoops forgot the survey...

What's your favourite food store? Waitrose

Do you ever shop at Iceland?
If yes, why?
If no, why?
No, never really think about it as I don't buy a lot of prepacked or frozen stuff. Do sometimes in the summer when I'm stocking up on ice lollies etc.

What would make you stop/start shopping at Iceland?
Can't think of anything - see previous answer.

What do you think about the Iceland ads with Kerry Katona?
Rubbish - if that slapper is their target market I wouldn't want to be considered part of it.

Which supermarket do you think caters best for families with children? None/any of them
Why? The food isn't an issue but it's better shopping somewhere with good trollies and clean loos/baby changing facilities.

What's your favourite food store? Waitrose, but I normally go to Sainsburys

Do you ever shop at Iceland? No, the very thought makes me shudder

What would make you stop/start shopping at Iceland? I wouldn't

What do you think about the Iceland ads with Kerry Katona? Its awful, partly responsible for the way I feel about shopping there

Which supermarket do you think caters best for families with children? Locally to me, Sainsburys as they are the ones with 2 seater trollies for my DTs AND I can get the trolley into the family toilet when one of them decides she needs a wee mid shop

£140 with Ocado or Waitrose.

2 adults, 3 children and 1 Great Dane (but don't get me started on the animal feed bills).

We eat mostly organic and there is usually about £20 alcohol included. And we often have guests.

I probably spend another £20 to £30 at the farmers market, local bakers & milkman.

What's your favourite food store? Waitrose and my local small shops/farms.

Do you ever shop at Iceland?
No.

What would make you stop/start shopping at Iceland?
Being bought out by Waitrose and having their entire stock changed?

What do you think about the Iceland ads with Kerry Katona?
Haven't seen them.

Which supermarket do you think caters best for families with children?
Lots of friends like Tesco/Asda for clothes etc.

Hi there, this is my first post on mums net. Just back from doing my weekly shop and spent £42.40. Was making a concerted effort to save money tho. This included nappies. So I thought not too bad. BTW 70% cocoa chocolate and extra virgin olive oil in Lidl is very good quality and taste and much cheaper than Tesco.

What's your favourite food store?
For price, Asda (and it's nearest to me)
For quality of food, Waitrose (I aspire to doing my weekly shop there )

Do you ever shop at Iceland?
If yes, why?
If no, why?
No, as there isn't one near me so I have no idea what it is like.

What would make you stop/start shopping at Iceland?
If they had one near me I'd maybe visit it to see what it was like.

What do you think about the Iceland ads with Kerry Katona?
They are naff, naff, naff. Are you telling me she's just a regular 'mum'? If I had more money I wouldn't need to look at cheapness and even though I'm on a budget, I'd not be buying all that crap she's piling in her trolley.

Which supermarket do you think caters best for families with children?
Why?

Asda I suppose as the organic stuff is reasonably priced, their own brand stuff (nappies, wipes, food etc) is good and the toys and kids clothes are good and cheap!

Meant to add, hello nickichicki, welll done for taking the plunge

Message withdrawn

Sorry to say, can never get it much below £100. That's for two adults and two teenage DSs with hollow legs. Also tend to shop for milk, bread, veg etc, in between weekly shops.

Note further back in thread someone recommending saving money by not buying flowers....noooo, don't stop buying flowers....

If of thy goods thou art bereft
And of thy store
Two loaves alone to thee are left
Sell one
And with the dole
Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul.

Bewtween £30 - £50 in asda per week fr 2 adults and 1 toddler about £200 per month don't drink so won't buy it, if dh wants beer he has to go get it.

Do a cupboard top up about every 3 or 4 months which is about £100 online with tesco, do use some own brand eg tin tomatoes as only use in sauces.

This includes all treats they come out of weekly budget.

i menu plan and cook from scratch most days.

Batch cook thing like spag bog, stews, so i have dinners in the freezer.

i spend about £50pw although we do top up with some bits at Costco (massive lumps of cheese washing powder etc)
My favourite bargain hunting paradise is Lidl - the shop itself isnt inspiring - but they sell their own brands from Germany and the quality is really good . Last week they had fruit and veg half price (so punnet cherry toms 39p) - i added up that i bought enough meat etc for 10 dinners and my whole bill including toothpaste etc was £45. Their shower gel and liquid soap etc are bargains as well.
You just have to get there in the morning to be in a chance of getting good fruit and veg etc as they dont stock up all day i believe.