What do you spend on food for a week?

[menageriemama]

Anywhere from $80- $250, but it depends on what season it is (garden, hunting, foraging,fishing etc) and how kitchen crazy I am feeling

 

[steffpeck]

Quote:
Will you explain more on this?? Thanks!!

Steff

 

[redoak]

We go shopping about once a month and spend about $300 for the two of us. This includes dog and cat food. Lately we buy alot less prepared stuff (cookies, breads) and just make our own.

 

[johnElarue]

Family of 5, 3 children under 10 = $175
Food here is incredibly expensive, gotta eat smaller meals, seriously. With meat being the flavoring for a meal, not the main portion. Easier said than done, though.

Quote:
Agreed, even here where rice is $40 for 22lbs it goes a long way, we cook about 3 cups per day.

If you can't get used to rice, potatoes are easy to grow and cheap, if I can grow em , anyone can.

 

[BettyR]

Quote:
Will you explain more on this?? Thanks!!

Steff

Check out these sites...they can tell you a lot more than I can.

http://www.carolinacountry.com/cgardens/thismonth/march06guide/straw.html

http://www.co.clay.mn.us/Depts/Extensio/ExAPHydr.htm

http://www.hvtd.com/?q=node/565

Edited to add:

Don't let the straw thing throw you...some people use straw other people use hay; either will work. I used hay because it is what I could get.

 

[VT Chick-lit]

DH and I spend about $70 a week on food, paper products, toiltries and the 2 cats. We have 4 chickens (only 3 laying) whose feed is not included in this amount. The $70 also includes alot of items that I am stashing away for the rainy day that I see in the near future (the economy). I had a garden this summer that helped out a little. Most of the garden items though, were grown to help feed us this winter. We have good luck with root veggies and tomatoes, some of which I canned.

I use coupons religously. The coupons in the Sunday paper are the only reason that I buy the paper. I shop at markets the double and tripple coupon. I use the weekly circulars to detirmine my plan of attack. My goal is to save, between sale and coupon savings, 30-50% off my total bill. I am not tied to any particular brand, which helps. I do not shop only the parimeter of the store lilke some people because there are times when I can get "luxury" type items (cookies, cake mixes, crackers etc) for free or almost free. I check the meat and dairy department for packages of meat, cheese and milk that have discount stickers (close to code). Since they have not expired and I intend to freeze them anyway, I can save big. If I can also use a manufacturer coupon as well, I can sometimmes get them for free. Cats eat what ever food I have a coupon for and the same goes for the litter. This leaves me with money left over to add to my stash of food. All the items I have in my stash are things we would eat anyway. I just add extra of these items when I can get a good deal because of coupons and sales. I also am not too proud to shop at places that take overstocks and close outs. I got a deal on aluminum foil at one of those places two years ago that I am still using today and I just paid $1.49 for 5 lb of sugar (I bought 4 bags). I also car pool with my mother so that we both save on gas since we live at least 30 miles away from the closest supermarket.

Edited for chubby finger typos

 

[warcard]

Quote:
Why, oh why, can't I find fresh roadkill!

It is sooo much easier than standing/sitting in the woods all day freezing and trying to hold "it" in (I'm female so I don't have the cool dangly thing, I actually have to expose my full lower half to the cold, cold world

).

Otherwise. I'm trying to get us down to less than $100 a week for 2 people (less than $50 would be my dream!). No more eating out unless it is absolutely necessary (ie road trip, shopping all day - cost more in gas to get home and eat then go back out, etc.) and we are trying to cook from scratch more, or at least buy prepackaged store brand. We've been lazy, and my family and his weren't the best at cooking, but we just can't afford it anymore!

We are also participating in the Angel Food Ministries program, http://www.angelfoodministries.com/ , it isn't charity, you don't need to be on foodstamps, you don't need to belong to the group (normally) that is the distributor in your area, it is a group that helps you get bulk savings on your food without you yourself having to store the bulk. Good food, not name brands, but not junk.

 

[BettyR]

DH and DS have been sitting out on the back patio lately with pellet guns shooting squirrels because there are so many of them they are becoming a real nuisance. I’ve been cleaning them and sticking them in the freezer to make gumbo with…hey free food! My youngest daughter thinks I’m nuts.

Well last night she called to tell me that her DH just shot a possum and wanted to know if I wanted it. Of course she’s making fun of me…I told her no! Then I got to thinking later…I bet there are recipes on the net for cooking possum….and sure enough… http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/628/Baked-Possum84305.shtml

I should have gone and gotten it and served it the next time she and her DH came to dinner.

 

[warcard]

Squirrels won't come near my yard...I have terriers.

We did cook up a rabbit they got, but I refuse to cook the rats.

 

[lizard7]

I have cut out all sodas and junk food from my grocery items. Waist lines slimmed down and feel much more energetic. Try it for just one week, one month, see how it goes. You will discover healthier options.