How Much Do You Spend On Food?

[Funka Genocide]

So its recently been brought to my attention that I'm some sort of freak of nature when it comes to my food budget, which is to say that I don't really have a budget and pretty much just eat whatever I want regardless of cost, in fact most of the time I couldn't even tell you how much the meal I just ate cost since I didn't bother to pay attention when I paid for it.

I estimate that I spend between $150 and $200 a week on food, this is primarily because I eat out whenever I feel like it and subsist mainly on "fast food" of varying sorts. Premade sandwiches, chinese food, burgers, that sort of stuff.

Of course this is terribly unhealthy and totally fiscally irresponsible, but in the interest of research I'd like to get some honest estimates from everyone on how much they spend on food per week/month and what sort of food they eat for that money.

[Krylo]

I have no idea.

I am probably almost as bad as you.

[Funka Genocide]

I have no idea.

I am probably almost as bad as you.

This pretty much constitutes deep intropsection on my part. I probably wouldn't have ever noticed I was totally abnormal if my girlfriend didn't constantly point out how incompetent I am with money.

[Krylo]

I mean, I'm not terrible with money, I can save and what not and cut expenses...

But man, fast food is like my weakness. Hardees all the fuckin' time, and ordering pizza when I don't wanna go out, and subway whenever I go to Wal-Mart 'cause there's one in our Wal-Mart and they make amazing tuna subs.

[Yrcrazypa]

Yeah, I'm good with my finances for the most part, except for food. I order food way too much, mostly out of laziness. It isn't like I don't know how to cook, it's just I don't always feel like going all the way to the store, then getting food, then preparing it, and then cooking it, just to eat something.

It would probably save me a few hundred a month if I did, though.

[Tev]

My roomate and I spend about $125 in food every two weeks or so. I estimate that between shopping trips I spend about another $30-50 a week in eating out if my girlfriend is over on any given weekend.

[EVILNess]

My food budget is 100 a month with another 50 on top of that in case I want a burger or a steak or something.

[Funka Genocide]

100 a month? Dude seriously, are you like actually a ghost and just typing that to fuck with the living?

[Tev]

100 a month? Dude seriously, are you like actually a ghost and just typing that to fuck with the living?It's not hard. Peanut butter, jelly, and bread are cheap. Water is free and milk or juice is less than $3.00 a gallon.

[Funka Genocide]

Ok but let me ask you this, if you made like, lets just say, $4500 a month, would you still spend the same amount?

I don't think I could actually eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to be honest, let alone survive off of them for a month.

[Tev]

If I made four and a half grand a month and was only supporting myself.....fuck I'd be at a different steak joint every night.

But since I don't make that much money and just spent the last two weeks subsisting on PB&J, I'm pretty sure it can be done.

[Hanuman]

10-100/week, thanks to my natural charm.

[katiuska]

I estimate that I spend between $150 and $200 a week on food, this is primarily because I eat out whenever I feel like it and subsist mainly on "fast food" of varying sorts. Premade sandwiches, chinese food, burgers, that sort of stuff.

Man, and I thought I was being extravagant when I was eating out on $10 a day.

Prior to that, I was doing a lot of not eating, so I'm currently trying to find a middle ground. It actually hasn't been any less expensive shopping so far, but I did get a lot of easy-to-make stuff, so maybe (hopefully) I can cut it down down.

[pochercoaster]

Dammit, I was going to make this thread! Funka beat me to it!

I used to spend only $100 a month when I was close to a No Frills that had decent produce. Now that I moved closer to a terrible No Frills I have to shop at Wal Mart, which is more expensive, but still pretty cheap.

It's not necessarily abnormal to spend a lot of money on food when you have the means, it's just not smart. If it doesn't appeal to your financial responsibility it should appeal to your health. Sometimes I spend $8 on big meal salads but it's not as much of a waste if it's actually good for you, IMO. I still know that I'm basically paying for some employee to pick his nose and put salad in a plastic container when I could do it myself for a lot cheaper, though.

It's also good to like, stick to a budget if you plan on buying a house or an even bigger TV or a BMW. Or go on vacation. Or go to school to get your engineering degree. Or pay for your wife's education. If you don't want to do that then yeah you can go crazy with food.

During a good month I'll spend $150, on a bad month I'll spend closer to $250. I don't really buy anything of poor quality except for frozen orange juice and frozen spinach and brussel sprouts. I buy chicken fresh and sometimes I'll allow myself to buy lox or shrimp. Lately I eat mostly home made soups and stews for lunch and dinner, with rice or english muffins. For breakfast it's eggs or oatmeal/museli with almonds and fruit.

I only buy fresh produce that last a long time... apples, carrots, celery etc. so I always eat it before it goes bad. Most produce except for fruit is pretty cheap, at least around here. Still, when I was in Vegas a week ago the produce at Wal Mart seemed pretty reasonably priced, which is odd considering it's in the middle of a desert.

Edit: NPF, we are now employing you to solve any points of contention that arise in our relationship. Also, we're not giving you any compensation. Enjoy.

[Yrcrazypa]

I don't want a BMW, or a bigger TV, and I get free college. Do I need to stick to a budget?

[Nikose Tyris]

before I was on this diet, my roommates and I were managing on $50/mnth for a food budget. Careful planning and coupons helped a lot.

Now I'm on $120/mnth to eat healthier.

[Fifthfiend]

I don't think I could actually eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to be honest, let alone survive off of them for a month.

What the fuck is this PB&J-hating bullshit I'm seeing in this thread.

[Funka Genocide]

Ugh PB&J only reminds me of my neglected childhood, if I really need a good dose of high fructose corn syrup I'll have a coke kthnx.

[Krylo]

PB&Honey is better, anyway... but a PB&Raspberry Jam does hit the spot sometimes, with a nice glass of milk.

And Oreos.

[Funka Genocide]

Only the finest handmade fruit preserves and nutella are fit to grace my raisin focaccia breads!

But anyways I think what I'm really trying to discern is the "correct" amount of money an adult human being would need to sustain themselves in America. Considering taste and nutritional value as the primary concerns and budget as the secondary concern, with convenience coming in third.

Like, you don't really see studies about this kind of stuff, or I don't at least. I bet there are some though... maybe I should have just googled it instead of asking NPF.

[Magus]

During college I probably ate out at least once a day, but I still never spent more than 20 bucks a week on fast food. Now, granted, I had access to some of my parents leftovers (like I'd go visit them once in a while and take a bunch of stuff home in a cooler), but there were days where I ate nothing but a single sub, which would cost 5 dollars or whatever, or maybe some really bad fast food (Burger King, for example).

I will tell you now that had I been entirely dependent on eating at home, like if I hadn't been able to eat out or had had the time to go home and eat there, I probably wouldn't have spent even 20 dollars, since a dozen eggs would last me a week (1.50 or something like that), a gallon of milk (3.75 I think?), and probably like, chicken or something, which doesn't cost much per pound, and maybe like some deli sliced ham that was on sale for sandwiches (not very much per pound if you pay attention to prices, maybe 1.25 a pound or something). Bottle of fruit juice and some canned fruit doesn't cost very much, either. There is usually some kind of fresh fruit on sale, like grapes or bananas. Plain white bread isn't expensive but you can usually get some nice day old bread that is whole-grain or whatever if you look at your supermarket. Cereal. Yogurt.

I'd say the only thing lacking was vegetables, I probably shoulda bought some celery or carrot sticks or something but I figured I was getting a decent amount on the subs to not die or whatever.

But yeah even if you eat out I think you can probably manage to only consume 25 bucks a week or whatever if you eat subs or something filling like that.

EDIT: Note I had no college meal plan before one of you is like "OH YOU PROBABLY TOTALLY PIGGED OUT AT THE CAFETERIA OR WHATEVER". I actually only ate there once in a while because the price kept going up. However, it was a pretty nice deal if you pigged out and that was all you ate that day.

[Azisien]

I probably spend about $200 a month but I drink absolutely insane amounts of milk.

[Fifthfiend]

Ugh PB&J only reminds me of my neglected childhood, if I really need a good dose of high fructose corn syrup I'll have a coke kthnx.

Your childhood was probably shitty because you didn't eat enough PB&J, you should start making up for that now.

EDIT: High fructose what the fuck is wrong with you, go buy some decent all-natural jam you grown-ass job-having disposable-income-spending motherfucker.

[Funka Genocide]

EDIT: High fructose what the fuck is wrong with you, go buy some decent all-natural jam you grown-ass job-having disposable-income-spending motherfucker.

I believe we call this checkmate. XD

[Geminex]

Y'know what else is pretty good on peanut butter? Cheese. You need the right cheese, mind you, and not too much peanut butter, but some gouda or emmantal tastes really delicious.

Not that you'd know anything about that, what with all that cheddar you eat.

[Funka Genocide]

I prefer to refer to it as "stacking bread."

I'm kind of coming to the conclusion that, like most expenses, appropriateness is dictated by scale.

Like how much does Tom Cruise spend on food? I bet its a lot even though he is so very tiny.

[Fifthfiend]

Like how much does Tom Cruise spend on food?

Whatever the Thetan-Lords of Xenu tell him.

I believe we call this checkmate. XD

When it comes to delicious all-natural jams there is no contest, because everybody wins.

[Funka Genocide]

If that's the case I bet its even more than I suspected. Those Thetan-Lords sure to charge a lot for their polygraphs.

[Fifthfiend]

I feel like they would insist upon an extremely stringent diet of riboflavin powder and, um... algae.

Not because they really care what you eat. Just to make you do it.

[DarkDrgon]

between me, my sister, and my brother in law, we spend 250 a month on food

[Seil]

I live at home with me folks, so I dun have a budget.

That being said, I generally eat anywhere between $100 to $175 in a given month, even though I'm trying to cut down because 'M doin' the exercise thing. I generally have tea and toast for breakfast, a protein shake for lunch (which are actually much better than you think, depending on where you go. I like the Chocolate Banana and Berry Blast monstrosities at me local coffee shops), and stir fry for dinner.