Ah food. We need it to live, yet most of us consume way more than we actually need to survive. It eats up a significant portion of our take home pay and our spare time.
There are so many choices when it comes to how a household eats, one of which, is how much to spend on groceries.
Now, I'm of the opinion that having a refrigerator full of healthy, filling food is a great way to avoid costly dinners out with friends, so I tend to want to spend a little more than the average person on groceries. Does that mean my grocery bill breaks the bank?
Heck no! I budget $400 per month between my husband and myself, and that more than takes care of our cravings every month. We eat very well, for a pretty reasonable cost.
So, how much should you spend on groceries?
Focus on the food
In order to determine what your grocery budget truly should be each month, it's important to take a look at what you're actually spending on food.
Most grocery stores have become one stop shops for tons of other stuff like pet food and cleaning supplies. The next time you make a trip to the store, take a look at your receipt, how much did you really spend on actual food? It's probably less than you thought.
Focus on the REAL food
In the same vain, a grocery budget should be reserved for stuff that is actually, truly, food.
Indulgences like pop, chips, and other unhealthy treats aren't really food. They don't provide nutritional value and are typically consumed as snacks, not as part of a diet (or at least they shouldn't be!), as such, it might be helpful to put those types of food into a second, “snacks” category.
Reduce food waste
Although you might be dropping $200 or more at the grocery store every time you check out, how much of that is going into your belly, and how much is going into the garbage can in the form of food waste?
I used to spend a lot more on groceries than I do today, and a significant portion of that was because I wasn't organized well enough to not let food spoil. You can easily reduce your grocery bill and get a better sense of what you truly spend on groceries by simply making sure less food is wasted.
My husband and I are very happy with our $400 a month food budget. This doesn't include eating out, or snacks, or pet food. Sure, it's not the lowest budget in the world, but it gives us plenty of room to eat really well and have healthy, full meals every day.
We weren't always this way. We used to spend a lot more than $400 per month on groceries, and we weren't really eating that much better! Once we accounted for the stuff that really shouldn't go into the grocery budget, and the food waste, our grocery budget shrunk significantly and we were able to get a true sense of how much we were spending every month on actually feeding ourselves.
So what should you be spending every month on groceries?
Try out a few of these tips to get a sense of exactly what your food budget should really be.
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eemusings says
September 19, 2013 at 2:10 amAhh, nice to see a food budget that isn’t, like, $100 a month!
Food is priiiiicey in NZ so we spend at least $500 a month on groceries. Food is our top priority so while travelling sometimes it accounts for up to half of our daily spending.
moneystepper says
September 19, 2013 at 2:17 amReducing food waste is so important. For the UK, I have found the two following stats:
1) Weekly family food bill tops £77 a week as food prices in Britain soar to twice the EU average (September 2012)
2) 17.5% of all purchased food in the UK is thrown away
This means that the average person in the UK is taking £700 in cash, and just throwing it directly in the trash!!
Charles@Gettingarichlife says
September 19, 2013 at 2:35 amI shop at Costco to save money but always end up buying too much food. The worst is the multi pack of meats I buy that expire before I eat it. Costco does have the best snacks, which is another of my budget leaks.
The Norwegian Girl says
September 19, 2013 at 2:45 amWe probably spend about $400 too. We have freezer, where we can store a lot of food too, which saves us quite a lot of money. Whenever I´m cooking a dish, I usually double the recipe, and freeze half of it. It saves me money, but it also works as a quick dinner another night:-)
Sara says
September 19, 2013 at 4:41 amLove this post!! I’m so curious to see what other people spend on groceries. Do you think where you live effects the cost of your groceries? I feel like NYC and surrounding boroughs can be more expensive than other areas.
I spend $650 a month for three of us (not including baby who has separate budget for formula and diapers) and it includes cleaning supplies and toiletries.
I can usually get under this budget if I meal plan for the week. On weeks I don’t meal plan we end up wasting a lot more food.
Nicole @ Treasure Tromp says
September 19, 2013 at 5:42 amI use to spend a lot of groceries but we’re trying to spend about $30-40 per week for two people. Some weeks are a little more (when buying staples like pasta, rice, quinoa) and some are less.
DC @ Young Adult Money says
September 19, 2013 at 5:50 amReducing food waste is key. I HATE throwing away food (and so does my wife) so you really have to manage what you have on hand so that you don’t let your fruits and veggies go bad. The good news is that if you are motivated to reduce food waste you usually are motivated to eat all your fruits and veggies, which in turn obviously makes your diet just a little bit healthier.
Taynia | The Fiscal Flamingo says
September 19, 2013 at 6:03 amWe spend $500 a month on groceries, dining out and milk for a family of 4. Yes! Milk has its own budget. It was formula but now my son is old enough that we replaced formula with milk. We really could (and should) whittle the cost down but I prefer eating out. So we pay a little more.
Lisa @ Cents To Save says
September 19, 2013 at 6:11 amWe have been monitoring our grocery spending closely. I am trying like heck to keep it under 600.00 which sounds like a lot. It was higher…. and that is embarrassing in itself.
Jon @ MoneySmartGuides says
September 19, 2013 at 6:49 amI buy groceries for myself and my fiance. A typical month has me spending around $300 or $75/week. We usually cook on Sundays two meals for the week. That lets us have dinner made for the week and for me to take some meals to work for lunch. We rarely buy any “junk” food. When we do, it’s considered a treat and must be on sale. Tying your weekly meal planning to sales is big too. Same with buying store brand foods vs. name brand food.
Alicia @ Financial Diffraction says
September 19, 2013 at 7:03 amFor our food budget we get $300 per month, but having recently moved to a more rural, isolated town, we are seeing increases in staples. The cats have a separate line in the budget for litter and their food, etc so those things aren’t intermingled in the grocery category for us.
Our biggest thing is we used to be huge food wasters – I am pretty ashamed of it honestly, especially with me being raised that nothing gets thrown out, and my fiance being raised in a very low-income family… food wasn’t something to waste. But we did it because we thought the epitome of having enough food for a week or two was a fridge stuffed to the brim. It resulted in A LOT of waste. Now our fridge looks a little emptier, but we are never hungry, and we might waste 5% tops due to veggie spoiling – so much better!
kelly @stayingonbudget says
September 19, 2013 at 7:04 amIt’s about $400 in my house as well since I started paying attention. I just joined CostCo–so this month is going to be a little out of control but then the following months should be way less than $400. At least that is the plan.
Laurie @thefrugalfarmer says
September 19, 2013 at 7:06 amGreat post, Jordann. We spend, for hubby, myself and the four kids, roughly $450 a month. By utilizing the tips you’ve shared, we’ve cut our grocery budget in half from what we spent last year.
Michelle says
September 19, 2013 at 7:09 amOur goal right now is to spend around $400 (possibly even less!) on groceries. We have been doing pretty well lately!
MonicaOnMoney says
September 19, 2013 at 7:35 amHi Michelle! This is an important topic because it can be so easy to overspend on groceries and justify spending an extra $20 on more food.
I agree with having a refridgerator full of fresh fruits and vegetables and other healthy food. I find that it really cuts down on my temptations to eat out since I KNOW I have something quick, easy, and healthy at home. We also budget $400 per month for groceries and go shopping weekly for food. It ends up being more than enough and we eat really well.
We usually even end up with an extra $20-$30 per month and use that to go out to our favorite sushi restaurant at the end of the month.
Holly@ClubThrifty says
September 19, 2013 at 7:48 amOur budget includes $500 per month for food but we sometimes go over. It just depends!
EL @ MoneyWatch101 says
September 19, 2013 at 7:53 amYEs I agree, food is a big budget buster. I see all the time a family of two having a food budget of 800 dollars plus, that is just crazy.
Mark Ross says
September 19, 2013 at 8:05 amOur family usually spend $250 per month on groceries. We are able to save money on our groceries by making a list and really focusing on REAL food, just what you mentioned there.
Matt Becker says
September 19, 2013 at 8:07 amI don’t really think there’s a “should” amount. We have a groceries/household budget that includes all food and includes things like paper towels and other household needs. For all of those things, our budget is around $550 per month.
Kyle @ Debt Free Diaries says
September 19, 2013 at 8:12 amLeslie and I aim for about $140 per month between the two of us. We are both looking forward to the day when we can have a $400-500/month grocery budget!
Heather says
September 19, 2013 at 8:32 amI spend about $350 in the winter and $400 in the summer – my cost of produce goes up because I shop at farmer’s markets. I know everyone says a way to cut down on costs is to shop at farmer’s markets, but that’s not the case in my city where they cater to the organic loving yuppie crowd. But, I am fine with spending a bit more on veggies and fruit that are good quality and locally grown. I don’t really buy wholesale into organic (that industry as become a real industry itself), but you can’t tell me that a tomato grown here doesn’t taste better than the tennis balls they truck in from California. I hate going back to the grocery store crap after summer winds down.
That is just for me – and I never eat processed food, always meal plan and cook for myself. I was surprised at how high it was for a while, and when I think about having a partner to cook for too – who eats twice as much as I do – what on earth is our grocery budget going to be?! It kind of scares me 😉
I read a lot on PF blogs about people trying to drastically cut the amount they spend on groceries. I get it – it’s one area that you do have control over and can make a dent in your budget. But, for me, good, healthy whole food is a priority, so I am willing to pay for it. I love eating what I cook and I think in the long run you get some savings by hopefully not having to deal with health problems that can come later, in part because of an unhealthy diet.
Stefanie @ The Broke and Beautiful Life says
September 19, 2013 at 8:36 amI HATE when I fail to plan properly and food goes to waste. It makes me angry with myself!
DTN says
September 19, 2013 at 8:53 amYou won’t believe this, but I budget 1200/month for our family of 4 (plus dog and cat).
This amount accounts for items like cleaners and animal food and eating out.
I had thought we were only spending about 800-900 but after doing some analysis I discovered it is closer to the 1200 – 1400 dollar mark…
I think I will start breaking things down a bit more granularly and see what I actually spend on food and what I spend on other stuff I currently include in my grocery category… Seperating the eating out and animal food is much easier to do.
Andy | Income by Example says
September 19, 2013 at 8:57 amI stick to a $250/month food budget which doesn’t include eating out. It works pretty well for me, I stick to the cheaper grocery stores, only buy on sale whenever possible and forego expensive ingredients. Don’t buy more than you eat and focus on food as fuel. With just a few key ingredients you can make it taste good enough, and get your pleasure from somewhere else! Haha!
Bridget says
September 19, 2013 at 8:57 amI think I spend $250-$300/mo on food. Grocery budgeting is something I’ve never really been able to get the hang of =\
Little House says
September 19, 2013 at 9:00 amFor two people, we also spend about $400 on groceries. Most of that is “real” food. We eat at home as much as possible allowing ourselves to eat out a couple times a week, but not indulge. However, we still end up with some food waste and I hate that! It’s usually the leftovers that don’t get eaten. Let me just say, it’s difficult cooking for just two people!
Martin says
September 19, 2013 at 10:26 amIn July I spent $560.88 on food. To be fair, I train hard and often buy food for my youngest brother who is now bigger than me. Yeah it sucks, but I love to eat.
Alexa says
September 19, 2013 at 11:19 amI don’t spend much on food but between me and my two preschool aged kids we don’t eat a lot either. We have been eating pretty healthy lately though due to all of the fresh garden veggies. We are definitely far from completely healthy eaters but it’s something I’ve been working on.
canadianbudgetbinder says
September 19, 2013 at 11:33 amWhat someone should be spending each month depends on many factors. It depends firstly on their budget, their health needs and what food really means to them. I think some people put too much emphasis on the fact that some people can spend less and eat very healthy and think that it’s not possible when it is, we are proof of that. Cutting out the crap is the easiest way and eating clean helps keep us all healthy. Most times we don’t need half the amount of food we put in our bodies. Do we eat too much? Most likely and that also contributes to a higher grocery budget which I wrote about earlier this year. There are so many variables when it comes to the grocery budget that it really depends on the person. Cheers!
Buttercup says
September 19, 2013 at 12:01 pmThe BF and my grocery budget it also $400. This does include things like TP, cleaning supplies, laundry stuff, and toiletries though for us though. We also buy a lot of fresh veggies….and even some snacks (gasp!). I think we eat pretty well for the amount we spend and I definitely thing reducing waste is a big part of why our budget is so low.
Lisa E. @ Lisa Vs. The Loans says
September 19, 2013 at 12:17 pmThankfully, since I still live at home, my mom takes care of the grocery bill. I’m lucky, I know!
CF says
September 19, 2013 at 12:25 pmFood waste is a big pet peeve of mine. I hate seeing perfectly good fruits and veggies go to waste, especially when we work with a pretty lean budget! I try to freeze things to use later, if I can’t use them up right away and I also like make soups and baking, which is a great way to use up ripe produce.
Mrs Pop says
September 19, 2013 at 1:19 pmWe’re averaging about the same as you guys, and trying to focus more on real food. Have you read Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food? Highly recommend it!
C. the Romanian says
September 19, 2013 at 1:21 pmWe usually spend around $250 – $300 per month for two people on groceries, but prices in Romania are generally cheaper. Also, we rarely eat out so this sum is generally enough to actually feed us for an entire month. And we still throw away so much food that I feel ashamed: just today we threw away an unopened bottle of milk because I wanted to “save” some money and I bought a few at a nice discount. Every time I throw away food I try to think about all those poor souls that have nothing to put on their plates and I am disgusted with myself. Still… food spoils and I am not an expert at buying exactly what we need and nothing more (at least not yet).
Emily @ evolvingPF says
September 19, 2013 at 2:02 pmOur budget is $400 for groceries and $60 for eating out (not including travel) for two adults. We are sometimes over, sometimes under on the groceries and nearly always under on eating out. This budget category was a battleground for me last winter but the new strategies I tried didn’t help reduce it. My husband eats the SAD and I eat more similar to Paleo/Primal, so we buy medium food quality but fairly low on the processing. We are pretty vigilant about not wasting food since starting our CSA three years ago.
Pauline says
September 19, 2013 at 2:51 pmWe spend about $200 for two, making most things for scratch and trying not to waste. We eat a lot of meat and expensive products though so it balances out.
Meghan says
September 19, 2013 at 6:28 pmI am trying to get my budget down to $200 for food ($250 with household stuff added at most). My New Year’s resolution last ear was to stop throwing food away. It hasn’t been perfect but things have gone really well! I used to spend so much more and ended up throwing a lot away. I also eat at home quite a bit more and am learning to be more strategic with purchases and meal creation. 🙂
E.M. says
September 19, 2013 at 8:32 pmI usually like to stay between $200-$250 for my boyfriend and I. That usually includes household items as well, though, so I think it can be good to separate that from the actual food costs. We have been trying to get better at meal planning and figuring out what meals we really enjoy so that we aren’t buying things that sit and go to waste.
Michelle says
September 19, 2013 at 10:05 pmI spend between $200-$300 a month depending on whether or not I go our for a fancy dinner. I also bring my lunches and basically never eat fast food. I am a big believer in eating good quality food and make a point of going to Whole Foods or to Farmers’ Markets to balance out the groceries that I get from regular grocery stores. I really love food.
Julien @cashsnail says
September 20, 2013 at 2:13 am400$ for groceries is very nice… We are spending between 500€ & 600€ (700-800$) for 2 and a baby. But it include cleaning and laundry product and a little healthcare costs
But we don’t buy snacks and we eat out once per month (it’s usually too annoying to find a babysitter :))
KK @ Student Debt Survivor says
September 20, 2013 at 10:19 pmI haven’t done a formal food budget in quite a while (it was probably scare me if I did). I know we’re spending too much on takeout and going out to eat and it’s something I’m trying to get back in check. We both love to eat and our waistlines recently show that.
Jennifer H. says
September 21, 2013 at 9:03 amWe spend about $160 per month for 2 adults in the Atlanta Georgia area. We have a separate budget for the cat.
Michael says
September 30, 2013 at 8:35 amWhen I go to the store, pet supplies (food and litter) are the 2 main things that eat up my budget. I account for them in my planning, but since I get paid semi-monthly, each trip to the store is for restock as well. Even after I’ve put everythign away I feel like I didn’t buy any real food.
James Maxwell says
October 2, 2013 at 12:10 amFor a “home alone” person like me, I keep on budgeting food with $100-$150 a month. I hope that would count reasonable. I have to let go some of my gadgets, because food matters to me the most.