How much do you spend on food?
 

As noted in today's "The Villages Daily Sun", Popmenu recently reported that the average consumer spends $350 per week on food ($115 on restaurants + $235 on groceries). That's the equivalent of $35,000/year, or close to $100/day per couple. My food expenses are about 1/3 of that, and more in line with other results I found online.

I challenged Popmenu on the results of their survey -- waiting to hear back. Meanwhile, how much do spend?

Yeah, that doesn’t seem right. If that person eats out twice per week then both restaurants and groceries cost them $50 per day. If they eat out only once then groceries cost only $40 per day. Either way that seems like too much for groceries, certainly more than we spend.

We’re not the typical consumer, we eat out more, yet we didn’t spend $35K for food last year.

I spend about $150 on food per person, per week. But I don’t like to eat out much except to socialize, I prefer my own cooking.

Our monthly food budget is $1000. Generally $600 for groceries and $400 for dining out. That's about $250/week. That does not include alcohol. There's another $400/month budgeted for that ;-)

Hope that helps.

I track this on a spreadsheet (bc of course I do, LOL). Last winter in TV, we spent, on avg, $600/month on groceries (2 people). It was higher in Dec/Jan and then lower each month thru the end of May. Prices were definitely dropping a bit as we didn't change our buying or eating habits.

We eat out maybe 2 or 3 times a month when in FL, at mid-priced restaurants, rarely spending more than $75 including tax and tip. But to be fair, if we ate those meals at home, they would have cost 1/4 of that. Groceries is a much better indicator than restaurant bills. YMMV

We use AI to generate our meal plans for the week, keeping it healthy, quick, and under $100/week at the grocery store, and actual meal assembly quick.

Here’s an example using perplexity: Just a moment...

You’ll see it has some issues with assembly times, so you’d have to go over it ahead of time.

Grok and Gemini can do it too. We’ve had lots of success with those, grok seems to be the best of the three.

I eat cheap and light. This is the content in the Daily Sun?

Must be shopping at Publix? :1rotfl::1rotfl: We don’t eat out very often, spend about $350. month on food and maybe $150 eating out? We are not heavy eaters though. I sure could cut that number by maybe 20%?

I could see big different in family of 4 or more, just 2 of us. Makes us wonder how younger population makes it, especially lower income working class.

For 2025, the average household income in the U.S. is approximately $67,500, while the median household income is around $63,180.

That is before taxes, insurance, rent or mortgage, clothing, utilities, car payments, vacations, etc.

I doubt if anyone in the bottom half spends more than 50% of their income on food.

In 2023, the average U.S. household spent approximately $9,985 per year on food, including both groceries (food at home) and dining out (food away from home). This is according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

I think this is a link to an article about the Popmenu survey.

https://x.com/restauranttrend/status...CCMVhiR6UgEl0w

Some people criticize AI but this is a weekly budget that AI did in 10 seconds. Most of the items are from Aldi or Walmart so if you shop Publix or if you only eat prime steak it will be a little bit higher. But not 3.5 times higher!

Sample Grocery List for The Villages, FL ($100/week)
**Produce ($26)**
- Bananas (5 lbs): $2.95 ($0.59/lb, ALDI)
- Apples (3 lbs): $4.50 ($1.50/lb, Walmart)
- Carrots (2 lbs): $1.78 ($0.89/lb, ALDI)
- Potatoes (5 lbs): $3.45 ($0.69/lb, Walmart)
- Spinach (1 lb, fresh): $2.20 (ALDI)
- Onions (2 lbs): $2.00 ($1.00/lb, Walmart)
- Tomatoes (2 lbs): $2.80 ($1.40/lb, slightly above national average)
- Bell peppers (2): $2.10 ($1.05 each, ALDI)
- Frozen mixed vegetables (2 lbs): $3.20 ($1.60/lb, Walmart)
- Avocados (2): $2.00 ($1.00 each, ALDI seasonal)

Proteins (~$32)
- Chicken breast (3 lbs, boneless): $9.90 ($3.30/lb, Walmart, reflecting 2024 meat price hikes)
- Ground beef (1 lb, 80/20): $5.00 (up 5.4% from 2024, Walmart)
- Eggs (1 dozen, large): $3.00 (reflecting 57.6% projected increase for 2025)
- Canned tuna (4 cans, 5 oz each): $4.40 ($1.10/can, ALDI store brand)
- Black beans (2 cans, 15 oz each): $1.80 ($0.90/can, ALDI)
- Peanut butter (16 oz jar): $2.70 (ALDI store brand)
- Greek yogurt (32 oz tub, plain): $4.00 (Walmart store brand)

Grains & Pantry (~$23)
- Rice (2 lbs, white): $2.20 ($1.10/lb, ALDI)
- Pasta (2 lbs, spaghetti): $2.00 ($1.00/lb, ALDI)
- Bread (1 loaf, whole wheat): $2.50 (Walmart)
- Tortillas (10-count, flour): $2.00 (ALDI)
- Oats (18 oz, rolled): $2.70 (ALDI)
- Canned tomatoes (2 cans, 15 oz each): $2.20 ($1.10/can, ALDI)
- Olive oil (16 oz bottle): $5.50 (ALDI, reflecting import cost increases)
- Spaghetti sauce (24 oz jar): $2.10 (ALDI store brand)
- Flour (2 lbs, all-purpose): $1.80 (up 36% since 2020, Walmart)

Dairy (~$10)
- Milk (1 gallon, 2%): $3.70 (Walmart, stable pricing)
- Cheddar cheese (8 oz block): $2.60 (ALDI store brand)
- Butter (1 lb): $4.00 (Walmart)

Snacks & Misc (~$9)
- Popcorn kernels (1 lb): $1.50 (ALDI)
- Crackers (16 oz box): $2.80 (Walmart store brand)
- Applesauce (24 oz jar): $2.20 (ALDI)
- Coffee (12 oz ground): $2.50 (ALDI, lower-end price due to import cost concerns)

Total Estimated Cost: $100.23

Grocery (Fresh Market, TraderJoe’s, WholeFoods, Costco) $5,824 yearly (Publix cat food)

Out of bubble dining $1, 896 yearly

We don’t purchase processed foods. We do participate in a community garden that donates 50% to food bank, 50% to group. $96

Our protein consumption (beef/pork/chicken)is farm raised, grass fed, free range. Total 225 lbs per year, raised, Eggs come from local egg farm. $1,925. Yearly

Total $9,741.

Definitely healthier and less. DS must be shopping in the bubble Publix.

At this point of our lives, we are willing to spend the money for food that we enjoy. We enjoy wine with our dinner. While we buy better coffee/tea for home, we don’t go to the Starbucks of the world. When we dine out we prefer the nicer restaurants. With all of that, we spend about a third of the Popmenu number. My guess is this number is based on NYC or similar cities.

My husband and I were amazed at what you came up with and what AI outputted to your request. We are going to teach my daughter how to do this for her family.
Thank you.

Although I never paid much attention I would guess no more than $20/day on groceries to prepare meals at home. In my dotage I eat mostly simple, healthy meals prepared with fresh veggies, legumes, fresh fruit, chicken, fish and far less red meat than I used to consume when younger. I cannot remember the last time I drank a soft drink and I don't miss them. I do enjoy eating out with friends and a glass or two of Bordeaux now and then which probably runs another $400/mo. Life is too short to drink cheap wine.