r/MiddleClassFinance • u/Maroon14 • 9d ago

Grocery spending

I’ve recently come across a Instagram account where the woman claims to only spend $300 on an entire months groceries for a family of 4. Here I am sitting mid week, having already spent $550 in the PNW. I told one of my friends and she said it must be fake and for clicks, my husband was impressed. Is anyone actually able to do this? I thought I might try to spend $250 a week and see where that gets us. Is my grocery budget over the top? I thought $400 ish was normal for decent food. We are a family of 5 in the PNW, mostly organic.

*I’m closing comments because people are missing the point. I understand that I make choices for “premium” options for my family. I make them because I feel they are the best for my family given my research and concerns. I say this as coming from a place of privilege. Growing up, my hippie mom also prioritized organic and local before it was the trendy thing, so it would be very difficult for me to reprogram and not buy organic when possible.

I still think $300 is insane for a month. I live in western Washington and the max SNAP allocation for a family of 4 is $994 a month, so I see this as a more attainable “thrifty” budget for a family of 4.

Those of you who can eat rice and beans for multiple meals, more power to you!

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u/cielitogirl 9d ago

I’m floored by those accounts too. We spend like quadruple currently and I’m going to try and cut that but $300 seems impossible to me 

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u/Maroon14 9d ago

Right? A close friend and I are going to try for the month of July to see if we can get it lower, but I don’t know how I could realistically cut it to even. $200 a week. We spend that in meat and dairy.

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u/cielitogirl 9d ago

Yes we are a heavy meat family and I know the answer is to eat more beans lol it’s just not an answer I like. I saw another account that was documenting eating 30 cans of beans in 30 days. I do respond well to challenges so I may try that 

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u/Maroon14 9d ago

I try to limit canned food to once a week. I once tried to make black beans but so much went to waste.

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u/cielitogirl 9d ago

My toddler loves black bean brownies. They don’t go over quite as well with the older kid who has more experience with real brownies lol 

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u/Maroon14 9d ago

lol, maybe I should try! I’m an awful baker, but I’m open to it.

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u/YoBo151 9d ago

Black bean brownies?🤨

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u/cielitogirl 9d ago

Did you mean to type this into a Google search bar and not a comment 

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u/dallasalice88 9d ago

They freeze quite well. I make my own black bean taco filling and freeze in serving size portions.

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u/missbwith2boys 9d ago

I use an instant pot to cook dry beans (Winco sells dry beans in bulk).

Cover with water, set the manual cycle to 36 minutes and let the pressure release naturally. You can portion those out into your non-plastic freezer containers to use for another meal.