What We Typically Spend on Groceries Each Month (Family of 4)
On average, our family spends about $1,330 a month on groceries (22% of our overall budget), which falls right in between the moderate-cost and liberal food plan amounts that the USDA publishes.
Could we spend less? Absolutely. Could we spend more? Definitely. But this number feels like our sweet spot. It supports how we like to eat without feeling restrictive.
What’s Included
Our “grocery” category is a little broader than just food. It covers:
Supplements
Pet supplies
Cleaning supplies
Diapers/wipes: we recently said goodbye to night time diapers so these will no longer take up space in our grocery bill
Cooking supplies: if we need any new pots/pans, cooking utensils, etc. I’ll include them in our grocery bill (it’s not a regular expense)
Basically, anything we can pick up at a typical grocery store
So if you’re comparing, keep in mind this number might look higher than a food-only budget.
How We Eat
We keep things fairly simple and repetitive. We don’t eat out or do takeout often, maybe once or twice a month, so most of our meals are made at home.
Breakfast (adults): Eggs or egg whites, pinto beans, cottage cheese, veggies, and a slice of good bread.
Breakfast (kids): Cereal, yogurt, egg sandwiches, pancakes (batch cooked), banana muffins (batch cooked), or an omelet if there’s time.
Lunch (me): Chicken with veggies in a wrap or bowl, sometimes soup, plus something crunchy like pita chips.
Lunch (Mike): Oatmeal loaded with fruit and nuts.
Lunch (kids): PB&Js, cheese sandwiches, mac n’ cheese, cheese/crackers, apples/peanut butter, hummus, or other snacky kid favorites. H has a limited palate, but we always try to get broccoli or sweet potatoes on her plate. E’s school provides free lunches and she’ll often opt to get lunch at school instead of a packed lunch.
Dinner: Usually a protein (chicken, salmon, ground turkey) with veggies and sometimes rice. Some of our regulars include tacos with ground turkey, salmon cakes, pizza, big salads with chicken. E eats what we eat most of the time, while H sticks to her small rotation of favorites.
Snacks: Smoothies, popcorn, greek yogurt, whatever the latest thing we’ve picked up at Costco
Drinks
We’re a water-heavy household. I’m big on sparkling seltzer. The kids stick to water or apple juice. Neither of us adults are regular coffee drinkers. I don't drink it at all (does nothing for me) and Mike’s stomach can’t handle it so he only drinks it occasionally. We drink alcohol socially, but we cut out the “just us” beer or cocktails at home. We’re a year into our 40s and the aftermath of drinking has hit us both hard, it’s just not worth it anymore! All that to say… we spend money on seltzer, apple juice, and filters for our drinking water.
Where We Shop
Costco (our main spot)
Kroger
Aldi or Trader Joe’s occasionally for variety
Why We Spend What We Do
We could absolutely cut back if we wanted to, but food is something we enjoy, and it’s where we’re happy to put our money. We buy organic meat and produce as much as possible (especially when it’s foods we eat a lot of), which raises our costs a bit. We also host friends and family for meals at least once a month. Overall, for the amount we eat and the quality of food we eat, I think our grocery spending is pretty good!
