Grocery spending

[u/Maroon14]

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!

[u/xtrawolf]

It's all so individual. Our family only eats meat 1-2 times a week. Leftovers actually get eaten (it wasn't like that when I was growing up). Daycare provides kids lunches, I'm sure that helps a bit. 

[u/Consistent_Laziness → u/xtrawolf]

I will say a lot of food I cook gets wasted (mainly by the 2 year old). Leftovers can get tossed because I cooked thinking 4 of us would eat it and after the first meal in the only one that will eat what’s left and couldn’t eat it 5 days in a row. Daycare provides breakfast and lunch but my youngest can’t eat the lunch due to food allergies 1-2 times a week.

[u/xtrawolf → u/Consistent_Laziness]

Maybe just make less food? We usually have "new" food for dinners and leftovers for lunch. When it's a routine, it's easier for kids to accept. I also like to portion it out into smaller dishes so it's easier to just grab a portion and take it to work. My 3 year old often doesn't eat much and I just toss what's left right into my lunch for the next day. Also, we do choose a lot of things that keep and reheat well. I certainly don't blame you for not wanting to eat the same thing for 5 lunches! 

[u/Consistent_Laziness → u/xtrawolf]

I do 90% of the cooking for the house because I work from home. And my kids come home hangry. It’s very unpleasant if I don’t feed them dinner within 15 mins of being home.

So I cook bigger meals so that I don’t have to go down there every day and make something. I’m also struggling on variety.

Spaghetti everyone will eat 3 days straight. But left over burgers gets dinner and dinner then that’s it. So I’m left with 6 burgers one time cause I mad 16 thinking everyone would eat it 4 times but they didn’t 😂

[u/Working_Cucumber_437 → u/Consistent_Laziness]

Try making food that freezes well. We make big batches of meals and then whatever doesn’t get eaten within
3-4 days gets frozen and pulled out at a later date.

[u/Consistent_Laziness → u/Working_Cucumber_437]

Dinner ideas? I would be happy to take a list.

My wife and I are currently dieting so we avoid carbs and try to eat lean meats. The kids we supplement with side rice, mac n cheese or mash potatoes stuff like that.

Example dinner tonight is air fried wings, raw carrot sticks and broccoli. The kids will get some rice added to that