13 Tips to Save Money on Food (2024)

FAQs

13 Tips to Save Money on Food? ›

Affordable and nutritious meal ideas for a $150 monthly budget include dishes like vegetable stir-fry with rice, bean and vegetable soups, pasta with homemade tomato sauce, and oatmeal with fruit for breakfast. These meals are cost-effective and can be made in large batches to provide multiple servings.

Affordable and nutritious meal ideas for a $150 monthly budget include dishes like vegetable stir-fry with rice, bean and vegetable soups, pasta with homemade tomato sauce, and oatmeal with fruit for breakfast. These meals are cost-effective and can be made in large batches to provide multiple servings.

Decide what you'll eat for a week, or even a month, and plan meals based around low-cost staple foods like oats and eggs for breakfast; tuna, peanut butter, cheese and nonfat plain yogurt for lunch; and inexpensive cuts of meat like chicken thighs or flank steak and dried beans and grains like brown rice that you can ...

It involves picking six vegetables, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces or spreads, and one fun item. Not only can it streamline your grocery shopping trip, but it can also help you shop with purpose so that you use your time more efficiently.

The average American household spends an average of $475.25 a month on groceries, according to the most recently available dataset from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2022. That's a total of $5,703 spent on groceries in a year.

New census data shows the average American household is spending about $270 a week on groceries, or more than $1000 a month. And in Florida, it's even more expensive, with people here spending $290 a week or $331 with kids.

Living on $1,000 per month is a challenge. From the high costs of housing, transportation and food, plus trying to keep your bills to a minimum, it would be difficult for anyone living alone to make this work. But with some creativity, roommates and strategy, you might be able to pull it off.

How much does a 2 person household spend on groceries? ›

According to the most recent data released from the Household Pulse Survey, American households spend an average of $270 on groceries a week. Broken down by household size: One person - $156.02. Two people - $220.82.

Average Grocery Costs in Fall 2023

According to a recent GOBankingRates article, average grocery costs range from $250 to $550 per person, per month.

It's well below what the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends in its weekly grocery shopping spending guidelines for a household of two adults. The USDA's budget recommends spending at least $129.30 per week for two adults to meet daily nutritional needs.

For those who want a quick and easy answer: It's generally cheaper to cook food at home than eat out. The reason so many people can get stuck on the question is the human psychology variable. People don't always spend wisely, and it isn't as if prices are always the same at a supermarket or a fast food restaurant.

Regardless, the prices don't lie. Aldi is considerably cheaper than Walmart in almost every instance (or they were about the same).

Avoid convenience foods: Pre-packaged convenience foods like frozen meals or individually wrapped snacks tend to be more expensive. Opt for fresh ingredients and prepare your meals from scratch whenever possible. Reduce food waste: Be mindful of food waste by properly storing and using leftovers.

Freeze, pickle, dehydrate, can, or make jam/jelly from surplus fruits and vegetables - especially abundant seasonal produce. Don't leave perishable food at room temperature for more than two hours. Refrigerate or freeze any leftovers in clear, labeled containers with dates.