Our Budget:
We plan for around $900 / mo to sustain 2 Adults and 1 Infant/Toddler. We Average ~$550-$600 on Groceries and $300-$350 on eating out. Once we really started planning, tracking, and STICKING TO our Food Plan in 2019, we’ve been pretty consistent. We consume ~140K – 150K calories in any given month, so that’s ~$5 for every 1,000 calories.
We understand that your needs and budget are unique — so we’ve created (and will continue to develop) a variety of different recipes and meal plans. We are currently crafting up a yummy meal plan that supports those with dietary restrictions who are also on a SNAP budget, meaning eating for $4 a day or $125 per month. Read more below and stay tuned!
Ratio of Eating In vs. Dining Out:
Generally a meal (for two) costs us around $5. So when we’re eating out for $60 (which after tax/tip is pretty reasonable these days), that’s like 10 meals at home, or 3-4 days of budget wiped out in 1 meal. The bottom line: We have to eat 80% of our meals at home, otherwise it’s just not feasible to hit our budget. Eating out for every meal would cost a couple ~$4K a month or $40 / meal, or even more if you enjoy fine dining at $100+.
Cost per Meal “at Home”: $5
Cost per Meal “Eating Out”: $50
This Article on Forbes provides a great perspective on the true costs of eating out.
Our Monthly Grocery List:
For a full list with sources — i.e. the exact item, weblink, and where we buy it from, CLICK HERE:
Our Stores
(1) HEB, (2) Costco, (3) SamsClub
First off, HEB is just amazing! The quality, selection, and prices are consistently better than the alternatives–often by 20-30%. Sorry if you don’t live in Texas ;( … but there’s still hope. If we lived closer to Trader Joe’s that would be a good substitute, Kroger, and even Aldi are good alternatives that most people should have available.
What we get at HEB — Most of our Vegetables and Dairy – Sweet Potatoes, Keto Shake, KerryGold Butter, Milk, Cheese Sticks, Organic Broccoli, Normandy Blend, Almond Butter, Coconut Oil, Bananas, Cabbage, Spinach, etc.
What we get at Costco — Kalamata Olives and Wild Alaskan Salmon (Keta)
What we get at Sams club — Eggs (24 ct), Avocados, Almond Flour
*DISCLAIMER* — We’re just telling you what we personally found works for us. Everyone is unique and needs to decide what is right for them, based off their health, financial situation, and lifestyle choices.
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.