Monthly Food Expenses

[mdoverl]

Someone recently asked me how much I spend in food, decided to post the information here. I was an interesting exercise. I figured I would share my research here.

Monthly Food Expense
• Ramen Noodles $2.50 Box of 12
To cook Ramen, I get Hot water from the coffee machine at work usually or from a gas station
o 9 per week
o 0.21 cents per bag
o $1.89 per week
o $7.56 per month
• Canned Food $1.00 per can
I usually microwave the canned food at work, sometimes I'll go into the truck stop and ask if I can use their microwave, I try not to do this often.
o 9 per week
o $1.00 per can
o $9.00 per week
o $36.00 per month
• Little Cesar’s $5.00 per pizza
Best deal on the planet, but not the best pizza
o 1 per week
o $5.00 per pizza
o $5.00 per week
o $20.00 per month
• Fast Food $6.00 per meal
Usually this is just the dollar menu at McDonalds or other fast food places
o 4 per week
o $6.00 per meal
o $24.00 per week
o $96.00 per month
• Monthly Total
o $159.56

I'm thinking about getting a Coleman 1 or 2 stove burner so I can cook healthier food. Most likely I would be limited to this on the weekends when I'm at parks and out of the city.

My first week living in the Prius was pretty rough in regards to cash, I didn't have much money, and needed it for gas and food. About 20 dollars I think. I ate nothing but Ramen noodles and drove very little. I ate roughly 28 packages of Ramen Noodles which comes out to about $5.88 and the rest was used on gas.

I'm surprised that eating fast food 4 times a week cost so much money, I usually get the dollar menu and keep it under 6 dollars or less each time I go there.

 

[Bud Smiley]

Cool, thanks for sharing that. I've been giving my food budget a lot of thought lately and it's nice to see some real world figures. I'm going to be shooting for less than $300 per month (figure about $10/day) and I will be eliminating fast food entirely. I'd like to get it closer to $200. I'd be really interested in how your food budget evolves.

 

[John61CT]

Family of four, Never outside snacks or beverages, that's what would kill the budget. Only eat a meal out (cheap) once a month as a special treat, take turns choosing.

Rest is cooked mostly from scratch, some pre-prepared bits like breads, curry sauces, ice cream, but fruit & veg over 50% of our intake.

Try to do most shopping at Aldi's otherwise use a lot of promotions, coupons.

Total budget $130 per week, the meal out usually adds $50-70 (we like sushi best)

 

[mdoverl]

(we like sushi best)

I LOVE me some good Sushi, but I've only had sushi in Iowa (does that even count as having sushi? LOL)

 

[Wabbit]

Cheap meals(need cooking)

Ramen with 1 or 2 eggs added towards end of cook.

Box of Rice a Roni with 2 eggs mixed in at end of cook.

Oatmeal\raisans\brown sugar.

Egg sandwich.

Spaghetti with a can of spaghetti sauce.

Hot dogs or Bologna w\loaf of bread.

Other meals we do are abit more, approx $5-$6 a day for 4 plates. 2 for lunch and another 2(leftovers) for dinner. We spend about $200 a month for 2 people. Splurge a few times a month on burgers and all the fixings. Simple foods, but not a starvation diet by far.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I spend way too much on food, something i'm not proud of and it's just for myself. I'd guesstimate I spend about $600 a month. I do eat out a lot. One of my goals this year was to seriously reduce my food budget while still eating healthy. So far i've not been doing too good a job at it!

 

[minimotos95]

Thanks for sharing, How many meals are you getting out of each Little Cesar's pizza? I remember eating them in one sitting but I am a "bottomless pit".

I haven't had any problem cooking on the side of the road or in parking lots, I think as long as you set up and act confident in what you are doing nobody will bug you. Fast food adds up quick and for me at least I never feel nourished or sated after eating even a big pile of it.

I think my 3 month average is going to land somewhere around $65-70/mo March was $66.50, April will be $72.55(plus I ate out once: $2.00 for a donut and large coffee). Of course everything I buy other than canned tomatoes, French bread and flour tortillas all I buy is basically raw ingredients. My thought process and the numbers don't disagree with it is; just by cooking for yourself saves a substantial amount of money over the less healthy but easier foods.
I have started to really try making use of coupons and stuff. Kroger(City Market here in CO) stores apparently have a "Free Friday" coupon, I used one for the first time the other day, got a free box of "organic" mac&cheese. A free meal is good with me even if I am trying to avoid dairy.
I feel that cooking beans with the inverter, the $9.99 crock pot and my excess power has been really helping me save a ton of propane, sodium in my body and of course cash over canned beans too. But that takes 4 hours of babysitting the cooking operation.

 

[slynne]

Hmmmm. I probably could save money faster if I budgeted my money for food better.I spend a lot of money eating out because I am lazy and also a terrible cook. I have a fondness for ramen though and greenbeans straight out of the can. I don't even heat them up! I think that is at least one of my eating habits I can maintain on the road.

Crap, I guess I am going to get some experience with cooking if I start fulltiming and boondocking in the remote desert SW. Oh well, there is always ramen (I like to put eggs and nori in mine) and canned greenbeans

 

[slynne]

On a side note. Michigan has some of the best pizza anywhere but we decided to share our worst with the rest of the country (Little Caesar's and Domino's) That always cracks me up. Sorry.

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah that's a lot of fast food. I think you need a way to cook. for the price of the fast food you could eat a lot better. highdesertranger

 

[OutdoorFT]

I spend way too much on food,but Im not on a budget. Just an FYI, 7/11 has $5 pizza, sometimes soda deal's with it. I prefer it over LC. Pasta is cheap to buy and just as easy as ramen.

Bread is versatile for food. Esp with peanut butter.

 

[Stretch]

OP, Please tell me there are some fruits and vegetables somewhere in your diet. That sodium-packed list gave me high blood pressure by association.

 

[bullfrog]

When I was living in town helping at home the Subway had a buy one get one free coupon so for about $6 a day I could get 2 pretty healthy meals. The local paper ran the coupon one day a week but they just always handed it back and said it was good for the whole week!

 

[Zizzer_Zazzer_Zuz]

But that takes 4 hours of babysitting the cooking operation.

You might consider a small pressure cooker. I can cook dry beans from scratch in 10 minutes.

So far I am in love with mine. I got the 2 liter model but there is an even smaller 1.5L model.

https://www.amazon.com/HAWKIN-Class...70866&sr=1-2&keywords=hawkins+pressure+cooker

Black Beans and Rice
serves 1
total prep and cooking time ~30 minutes
heat some oil in pan
add -
whole chili pepper
5-10 pepper corns
bay leaf
when the peppercorns pop and the chili is aromatic add (about 2 minutes)
small onion diced
1/4 cup diced green pepper (optional)
saute until clear
add 1 clove garlic diced 
saute for 2-3 minutes
2 once piece of chorizo (optional, not required to cook before closing the lid and can even be frozen solid when you drop it in the pan)
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup rice
1 cup water

Cover with lid, attach weight, bring to temp
reduce heat to simmer
cook for 10 minutes
Allow cooker to rest until pressure is reduced about 10 minutes
*IMPORTANT* never add any salt to uncooked beans until they are fully cooked. Salt will slow the softening of the beans.

Most beans do better if they are allowed to soak overnight but this is not required. Most recipes call for the beans to be boiled for ten minutes then soaked over night. I have found that allowing the beans to soak in clean cool water for a few hours will often get them to sprout/split and that seems to be plenty.
+++++++++
10 minute beans
1 cup dry beans
1 1/2 cup water
combine in pressure cooker
bring to pressure on high
cook on low for 10 minutes
Allow pressure to diminish before opening lid

 

[Zizzer_Zazzer_Zuz]

I LOVE me some good Sushi, but I've only had sushi in Iowa (does that even count as having sushi? LOL)

Iowa City and Des Moines have pretty good Sushi from what I'm told. Seems they fly it in from both coasts. Out in the sticks I couldn't tell you.

 

[Zizzer_Zazzer_Zuz]

A suggestion for Ramen eaters

Put 1 egg in 3 cups water and bring to a boil
turn off heat and let sit for 10 minutes
remove egg with slotted spoon
return that same water to boil
add ramen cook as directed usually 3 minutes
while ramen cooks peel egg and cut in half
serve with sliced scallions, cooked spinach, nori, hot sauce, tamarind paste, etc etc
=========
Suggestions for fried rice
- use left over chilled cooked rice
- Look for "Harbour Sausage" (Lap Xuang) in Asian markets. Steam with the rice when you cook it, about a half a sausage diced adds lots of flavor per serving
- frozen mixed veggies
- Look for Maggi brand soy sauce, often just labeled Seasoning. You may never go back to kikkoman. Also, the $30 per liter soy sauce is TOTALY worth the money, I shit you not!

 

[Txjaybird]

I have eaten more fast food in the last 6mo than I ever did working in fast food busineses.  I have learned that I can save money by filling out the survey on my McDonalds receit, get a code and it's BOGO on premium sandwiches and salads.​

So $1 for sausage & bisquit, then I like the bacon club sandwiches with xtra grilled onions.......bacon and meat on the bun all else on the side.  Q gets the bacon with her dog food.  We get sau/bis and 2 sandwiches for a total of about $6.  Sometimes I get a double patty hambuger BOGO.  Queenie gets 1 patty, I get meat and bun with "salad" on the side. So counting the first item we get 3 meals for $6.  ​

Arbys 3 sliders, 1 fry, $1 drink at "happy hour" =$5, the meat from 1 goes to Q then I split the meat from the other 2 on the bun from hers , we end up with still 3 sliders.  ​

Tues is 8pc mixed at Popeyes for $6 = 3 meals for Q and I.​

$6 footlong at Subway =2 meals with salads, I always get my veggies on the side.​

I do cook cook, Q refuses.........even when I mention/threaten Chihuahua Chalupas she still refuses!​

Jewellann​

 

[Wabbit]

OP, Please tell me there are some fruits and vegetables somewhere in your diet. That sodium-packed list gave me high blood pressure by association.

Article I saw today. Freakin' scientists with their g'dam science! Lol.

"Higher sodium intake associated with lower blood pressure. You read that right."
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/biotech/sd-me-salt-diet-20170425-story.html

 

[sushidog]

Iowa City and Des Moines have pretty good Sushi from what I'm told. Seems they fly it in from both coasts. Out in the sticks I couldn't tell you.

Sushi can be made relatively cheaply. Remember sushi is basically vinegared rice, which is quite inexpensive to make. If you stick with veggies, such as cucumber, avocado, asparagus and such for fillings and use imitation crab stick (actually made from healthy fish) you can stretch your food dollar quite far. If you don't have any toasted seaweed (nori) you can make nigirizushi (pressed rice balls with the ingredient of your choice pressed on top, or bozushi, basically a log of rice with sushi ingredients on top and sometimes in the middle. Then there is the often overlooked chirashizushi, basically a bowl of sushi rice (gomoku chirashi has 5 vegetable ingredients mixed in) or has them artfully arranged on top. Frozen tuna is relatively easy to find for a healthy protein source full of omega 3's for your heart and since only a small amount is used - usually just a few ounces, it stretches a long way. If you don't care for the taste or texture of healthy toasted laver (the sea vegetable that wraps rolls) soy paper, rice paper and even a crepe like thin omelete can be substituted depending on your preferences. Japanese pickles go well with sushi, keep well and are relatively inexpensive as only a few are eaten as they serve as a condiment, not a course. Salmon makes a great sushi topping too, but it must be either commercially frozen or cured to be eaten raw. Heck I've even eaten wiener sushi (maybe that's why I'm called sushidog) when down on my luck and I've had a sushi craving. The Hawaiians even eat spam sushi. Just go easy on the soy sauce as it's very salty (I often use tamari instead) though it does complement the limited amino acids in rice. 

Chip

 

[Zizzer_Zazzer_Zuz]

^
Dude, you and I need to go camping together. Ill bring the kimchi and saki you bring the fish!

Haven't mastered the vinagered rice yet but my Thai sticky rice is spot on.

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