What does it cost to eat?

[Dirtyhip]

I broke it down.  This is probably a little high, because some home items likely slipped through on this cost breakdown.  It's close though.

In the last year we have eaten $7752 worth of food. 

So about 10.62 per person, daily.  85% was spent at grocery.  7% on things like energy food, Amazon food, olive oil ranches, etc.  9% on restaurants.

It shows that you can eat very well and keep the costs down.  

Don't ask me what our shopping budget and costs are.  

[Razors Edge ★]

Just now, Dirtyhip said:

I broke it down.  This is probably a little high, because some home items likely slipped through on this cost breakdown.  It's close though.

In the last year we have eaten $7752 worth of food. 

So about 10.62 per person, daily.  85% was spent at grocery.  7% on things like energy food, Amazon food, olive oil ranches, etc.  9% on restaurants.

It shows that you can eat very well and keep the costs down.  

Don't ask me what our shopping budget and costs are.  

Yeah - we're probably way higher than that, but also way lazier?  We're likely similar in our percentage for restaurants, though.  We do spend a lot on meal delivery stuff - Blue Apron, Hello Fresh - or CSA delivery - like Misfits veggies - so several thousand a year there (maybe $4k?).  But that then reduces our in-store costs.  Coffee adds up! Probably $500+ in beans alone, and then 1/2 & 1/2 to go with it.  Add in all sorts of random stuff and food eats up a huge chunk of our daily budget.

[Longjohn ★]

My bank keeps track of what I spend on food. I don’t know how they determine that. Some stores that are not grocery stores sell food and vise-versa. I don’t pay attention to it.

[Ralphie ★]

Wow, if you are that high ours has to be way higher. 

[Razors Edge ★]

2 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

My bank keeps track of what I spend on food. I don’t know how they determine that. Some stores that are not grocery stores sell food and vise-versa. I don’t pay attention to it.

Yeah - the credit card companies will send you a year end statement trying to break it down into categories, but Costco would blow up any of those categorizations.  I buy food and computers there. I by booze and socks there.  I get shampoo and aluminum foil there.  No way they could sort that easily.

[Dirtyhip]

28 minutes ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

Wow, if you are that high ours has to be way higher. 

You think 10 bucks a day is expensive for a person to spend on food?  

That is 3 meals for 10.  

I make my own bread, milk, soap, and most of what we eat is not prepared at all.  

[Razors Edge ★]

Just now, Dirtyhip said:

You think 10 bucks a day is expensive for a person to spend on food?  

Heck NO!  If it really is $10/day, then you are doing a great job on keeping the costs down. I think folks just get shocked when they see $7k and realize that's a nice lump sum.  But really, your number is half that amount, so even smaller.  I know families that can spend close to $1k a week on food!  But if that's divided by 6 or more, that's a lot but not insane.

[bikeman564™]

Funny you mention this. Sometimes I wonder if its cheaper to eat out Depend on what your eating. Although I can get a few dinners when I cook at home, which makes it some things more cheaper at home. Damn, I'm getting old

[Razors Edge ★]

2 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said:

Funny you mention this. Sometimes I wonder if its cheaper to eat out Depend on what your eating. Although I can get a few dinners when I cook at home, which makes it some things more cheaper at home. Damn, I'm getting old

Man, when I was a broke and in my 20s, Taco Bell or other fast food was WAY cheaper and easier to eat than trying to cook at home.  Tons of 99cent and less stuff (mid 1990s) so I would survive on that. 

But that's no way to live & eat long-term.

[bikeman564™]

1 minute ago, Razors Edge said:

Man, when I was a broke and in my 20s, Taco Bell or other fast food was WAY cheaper and easier to eat than trying to cook at home.  Tons of 99cent and less stuff (mid 1990s) so I would survive on that. 

But that's no way to live & eat long-term.

no kidding, but the few times I get a craving for fast food, which is rare. The prices are not cheap.

[Ralphie ★]

18 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

You think 10 bucks a day is expensive for a person to spend on food?  

That is 3 meals for 10.  

I make my own bread, milk, soap, and most of what we eat is not prepared at all.  

No, I do not!  My point was if you who eats cheaply spends that much, we must spend a lot more.

[Razors Edge ★]

6 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said:

no kidding, but the few times I get a craving for fast food, which is rare. The prices are not cheap.

When I was broke, I had to choose from the cheap section.  The "steak" burrito a TB could have been $3 or $4 each, but the bean & cheese would be like $0.79/ea, so I could get 4 or 5 of them!  Fun fun fun!

[bikeman564™]

Just now, Razors Edge said:

When I was broke, I had to choose from the cheap section.  The "steak" burrito a TB could have been $3 or $4 each, but the bean & cheese would be like $0.79/ea, so I could get 4 or 5 of them!  Fun fun fun!

Couple weeks ago I went Arby's for lunch. Beef n cheddar, & a fry. It was around $7.50 that's a lot for what it is IMO.

There's a local mexican place we sometimes get lunch from, on Tuesday they have 10 tacos for $10   so a few of us will split that. Much better than TB too.

 

 

[Razors Edge ★]

4 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said:

Couple weeks ago I went Arby's for lunch. Beef n cheddar, & a fry. It was around $7.50 that's a lot for what it is IMO.

There's a local mexican place we sometimes get lunch from, on Tuesday they have 10 tacos for $10   so a few of us will split that. Much better than TB too.

 

 

Arbys USED to be all about the 5 for $5, and I would be about getting all five and eating all five with a side of the curly fries!  I miss Arbys   Not one really nearby anymore.  And TB used to sell six packs of tacos for cheap too. 

[bikeman564™]

1 minute ago, Razors Edge said:

Arbys USED to be all about the 5 for $5, and I would be about getting all five and eating all five with a side of the curly fries!  I miss Arbys   Not one really nearby anymore.  And TB used to sell six packs of tacos for cheap too. 

Duing lent, they sell 2 fish samiches for I think $6, maybe $5. Anywho, a guy at work will buy them. One for each of us. That's a tasty deal for $3.

[Ralphie ★]

Until very recently, a year or so ago, I was able to eat satisfyingly enough at Wendy's for $2.16.  Junior cheeseburger, Junior fries, cup of water, and even the Junior Frosty free for a year with the keychain tag which is unbelievably cheap, a buck or two donation to Dave's Kids.  The one clerk used to call me Junior.

 

[MoseySusan]

I spend around $300 per week on foods for three of us. Including alcohol and restaurants. 

[ChrisL]

11 minutes ago, roadsue said:

I spend around $300 per week on foods for three of us. Including alcohol and restaurants. 

We are pretty similar.  We have looked at ways of reducing the food bill but it always seems to be around the same.

[MoseySusan]

30 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

We are pretty similar.  We have looked at ways of reducing the food bill but it always seems to be around the same.

Ours went up when we started buying organic, pasture raised, and grass fed. Our alcohol costs have always been toward the high end. 

[MickinMD ★]

You've done excellent, DH.  My daily avg. has been $8.65 for groceries and anothe $3.90 for snacks and beverages. I've spend $0 on restaurants since February.  I'm beginning to get hungry for Chinese, a good commercial pizza, and steamed crabs - all of which can be done as carry out, and I'll soon be back.

[Prophet Zacharia]

12 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

buy food and computers there. I by booze and socks there.  I get shampoo and aluminum foil there. 

 N00b haz a funny diet.

[Dirtyhip]

15 hours ago, MickinMD said:

You've done excellent, DH.  My daily avg. has been $8.65 for groceries and another $3.90 for snacks and beverages. I've spend $0 on restaurants since February.  I'm beginning to get hungry for Chinese, a good commercial pizza, and steamed crabs - all of which can be done as carry out, and I'll soon be back.

I don't break it down into types of foods.  This could be olive oil to chocolate and maybe even a small amount of house and garden. 

Remember, I create a lot of things at home.  Dish soap, laundry soap, lotion.  These items would be in the grocery bill.

[Dirtyhip]

My grocery bill has no alcohol.  Our alcohol bill is about $100 per year.  

[shootingstar]

21 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

My grocery bill has no alcohol.  Our alcohol bill is about $100 per year.  

Alcohol bill for us annually probably is around that or $150.00. We end up buying bottles and some don't even get broken into until 2 yrs. later.  We don't drink beer..at all. Not even in restaurants. We have probably 2-3 bottles at each home city location at any time.  So we buy when we travel or see something interesting. We don't necessarily wait until the occasion,, to buy.

[shootingstar]

I'm pretty certain we spend way more if we add on snacks from cafes and restaurant meals. 

I'm not going to get upset nor regretful:  we don't even own/use a car.  This year we're not travelling anywhere.  There's no point making life even more difficult when there are travel restrictions.

[shootingstar]

On 7/10/2020 at 8:39 AM, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

Until very recently, a year or so ago, I was able to eat satisfyingly enough at Wendy's for $2.16.  Junior cheeseburger, Junior fries, cup of water, and even the Junior Frosty free for a year with the keychain tag which is unbelievably cheap, a buck or two donation to Dave's Kids.  The one clerk used to call me Junior.

 

I'm happy with a toasted bagel from my favourite bagel-making place that offers 8 different types of wood-fired bagels and choice flavoured light cream cheese (instead of horrible, fatty clunkish version) for $3.85.  

Then I had homemade beet-tomato soup.  There are ways to make home meals enjoyable during this time without killing the bank account.

[Square Wheels]

I feel very fortunate to be able to afford whatever we want.  We rarely look at the prices of things, we focus more on the quality.

[Airehead]

I have no idea what we spend but I bet Mr Aire would produce a pie chart if asked. Quality is key for us and I make most everything from scratch.