Why it is okay to spend $200 a week on food

I have been enjoying the solitude of the morning and trying out different posts. I am on my second cup of coffee. It will all change once people wake up. It is Saturday, so we need to get to soccer and go food shopping. I have to color my hair. I feel like it goes from fine to dreadful over night!

Here's the reason for my title.  My original title was going to be "What is Wrong With Me?" I spent $156 at a local grocery store on Saturday with a $57 follow up trip the following Wednesday. This is the best priced store in the area.  My purchases included a lot of produce that the kids were willing to eat, lasagna ingredients, ground beef and chicken cutlets that were on sale and, deli turkey and cheese.

Menu

• Saturday- lasagna (and Sunday because I was out)
• Monday-chicken cutlets
• Tuesday-beef lettuce wraps
• Wednesday-homemade pizza
• Thursday-chicken and spinach ravioli
• Friday-chicken fried rice

The last two dinners used chicken from my freezer. I also made tons of lunches for the week.  On Wednesday I had to go back and spent another $57. Wednesday's trip included laundry detergent and dishwasher soap for good prices. It also included fruit and necessities like milk. I did not remember to buy bread, but we got by.  I also skipped the impulse purchases like hummus and pizza dough. I went home with my tired self and made it from scratch.
 
Is something wrong with me that we in a week we ate over $200 worth of food? Actually I think we are doing pretty well. Our portions could be smaller, and we could cut back a little on the snack food, but overall we are making good use of our money.  I think my new monthly grocery budget is going to be $800.00. I am in awe of those spending under $400 a month on groceries; they have my respect and admiration, but I don't see it working for us. One take out meal could cost $40. If you did that five nights in a row there is your $200. My $200 included breakfast, lunch, and seven dinners. I could serve soup two or three nights in a row, but there would be hecklers. Personally I love it, and I try to sneak it in, however, some people (other adult in house) don't consider it a meal. I actually made a butternut squash soup this week to celebrate fall, but it was all for me. I took it for lunch each day.  I could start serving beans, but there would be a revolt.

It is all about situation. Our situation is that we both work full-time, and the kids go to an after care program after school. In their lunch bags they need snacks for snack time, lunch and after school. That is a lot of food. Also, we both take lunch to work. Most days I am making four lunches with multiple snacks. The past few weeks have included too many Oreos. This weekend I plan to bake some snacks in lieu of purchasing them. Also, I am trying to mix up breakfast so the kids eat less cereal. If I could get them to love oatmeal that would be helpful.

This month I am going to track my spending and cooking and see if $800.00 is legitimate, spendy, or enough.