How much do you spend on "food" each month?

[maelia8]

@shadowclaw and @Octoberstormxx I guess at some point you have to give up and realize you're not going to change someone's eating habits, even for their own health, unless they want to change

 

I did scare the crap out of my boyfriend the other day by pointing out to him that he's 26, his metabolism is starting to slow down, and if he doesn't want an epic beer belly, it's time to stop getting McFlurries every day of the road trip and cut down on the processed foods and red meat. I honestly think his unhealthy eating habits are more related to laziness/inability to cook than anything else (as he happily eats all of the healthy food that I cook) and that if we were living together and I was doing the cooking, his diet would rapidly improve. 

 

It's funny, but this is actually the only "serious" thing where we have a divergence (no problems with sleeping patterns, politics, religion, or morals, just diet/vegetarianism). Since I've actually never had the luck to date another vegetarian, I'm used to this, but I wonder what will happen if I marry a meat-eater. I'd really like to raise my kids veg and let them later decide if they want to eat meat for themselves, but who knows if that will be possible if dad is a diehard meat-eater. My parents were both vegetarians too, so I've never seen this dynamic in action. Anybody have experience with this?

[TakeruK]

@shadowclaw and @Octoberstormxx I guess at some point you have to give up and realize you're not going to change someone's eating habits, even for their own health, unless they want to change

 

I did scare the crap out of my boyfriend the other day by pointing out to him that he's 26, his metabolism is starting to slow down, and if he doesn't want an epic beer belly, it's time to stop getting McFlurries every day of the road trip and cut down on the processed foods and red meat. I honestly think his unhealthy eating habits are more related to laziness/inability to cook than anything else (as he happily eats all of the healthy food that I cook) and that if we were living together and I was doing the cooking, his diet would rapidly improve. 

 

It's funny, but this is actually the only "serious" thing where we have a divergence (no problems with sleeping patterns, politics, religion, or morals, just diet/vegetarianism). Since I've actually never had the luck to date another vegetarian, I'm used to this, but I wonder what will happen if I marry a meat-eater. I'd really like to raise my kids veg and let them later decide if they want to eat meat for themselves, but who knows if that will be possible if dad is a diehard meat-eater. My parents were both vegetarians too, so I've never seen this dynamic in action. Anybody have experience with this?

 

Now you're starting to scare me too!!  

 

I am a meat eater (but not exclusively meat) and I am really adventurous with food. My wife is not a vegetarian but she just doesn't like the taste of red meat (she will eat some ground beef in burger or taco/burrito form, sometimes eat chicken and likes fish/seafood). 

 

Cooking is my role and our arrangement is that I rarely cook meat at home (maybe 1 or 2 times per week). We find other sources of protein and although I get slightly more "say" in meal planning since I'm doing the cooking, we definitely work together to make sure our meals are something we would both like! I satisfy my "red meat" desires when we go out or I get free food at school. Also, we save a ton of money on groceries by buying less meat, and I definitely think it's healthier to eat much less meat now that I did when I was younger. So I feel like this is a win-win arrangement that everyone is happy with. Since it sounds like you are the main cook, maybe this will work out too?

 

As for children, we are not there yet but we both think that we won't raise our children to be pro- or anti-vegetarian. We plan to expose our children to a lot of varied food choices so that hopefully they will develop a wide palette. Then, when they are older, they can make decisions for themselves what they like. Most vegetarians I know that have only eaten as a vegetarian from childhood tell me that they cannot stomach meat and will get really sick after eating meat. Other vegetarians tell me that not eating meat limited their exposure to certain spices and flavourings traditionally used on meat dishes so that they are less adventurous/used to different foods (especially from different cultures that have more meat dishes). I don't know if this is just the people I know or if many vegetarian eaters feel this way. I talked to people who decided to be vegetarian later in life as well as those who were raised vegetarian. I grew up in a very vegetarian/vegan part of Canada where it's more common to be a 20-something vegetarian than a 20-something meat eater, so I think I did meet a variety of people, but who knows. 

 

Since my wife and I do not have any moral convictions for or against eating meat, we would want to give our children exposure to as many different foods as possible, so that they are not limited by biology (i.e. getting sick after eating meat) later on in life when they do decide what they want to eat. But if vegetarianism is a central part of one or both parents' core values, then I can understand why this approach would not be appealing. But just giving my thoughts. 

[shadowclaw]

 

The irony is that there are many, many, dishes and food items that are vegetarian or vegan that most meat and potatoes types would not even second guess.  Mac and cheese immediately comes to mind.  I mean, does your husband expect the noodles to made of steak?  Yet, tell them that the dish is vegetarian/vegan and they all of a sudden won't like it.

 

It's funny you should say that, because I usually get angry looks if I try to give him plain mac and cheese. Typically, I have to add tuna or bacon to it for him to be happy (and the tuna only makes him a little bit happy, because fish isn't real meat). If I make my mom's recipe instead of using a box, he's satisfied with it having no meat because it's a cheese explosion. It uses a giant block of Velveeta, which I'm not sure is actually real cheese.

It's funny, but this is actually the only "serious" thing where we have a divergence (no problems with sleeping patterns, politics, religion, or morals, just diet/vegetarianism). Since I've actually never had the luck to date another vegetarian, I'm used to this, but I wonder what will happen if I marry a meat-eater. I'd really like to raise my kids veg and let them later decide if they want to eat meat for themselves, but who knows if that will be possible if dad is a diehard meat-eater. My parents were both vegetarians too, so I've never seen this dynamic in action. Anybody have experience with this?

I used to work with a girl who was almost a vegan. I say almost because she regularly ate garlic bread made with butter and gummy bears, and her mother-in-law told me that she routinely makes desserts for family dinners and tells her it's made with soy milk when really it's made with regular old milk. Which is really mean, but the girl didn't actually have any ethical objections to meat and dairy. She just believed she had an allergy to milk.

Anyway, her husband is a meat eater and they have two kids. She chose to raise them vegan and so far there haven't been any issues with Dad eating meat. However, they're only 5, so it's unclear if there will be issues when they get older.

[ss2player]

 

It's funny you should say that, because I usually get angry looks if I try to give him plain mac and cheese. Typically, I have to add tuna or bacon to it for him to be happy (and the tuna only makes him a little bit happy, because fish isn't real meat).

 

I think we can conclude he DEFINITELY is Ron Swanson.

 

[FinallyAccepted]

I've only ever purchased it from Whole Foods, so not cheap, but I've found seitan to be a good meat substitute, and my husband and I are big fans of meat. I've heard you can make it yourself. If that's true, it could be a good, inexpensive vegan protein.

[rising_star]

This whole conversation is super interesting. I'm not a vegetarian but I also don't really buy or eat meat much, especially not at home. I made the decision last year to only buy meat that's organic or fish that's sustainably harvested in the wild. I also decided to use farmer's markets/CSAs whenever possible for vegetables. Then, I moved to a place where the grocery stores don't sell any organic meat, which definitely constrains my meat purchases. The upside is that there's tons of farmers so I get awesome fresh produce (including hydroponic lettuce and tomatoes all winter long!) I have to drive ~45 minutes to buy organic beef, chicken, bison, or whatever, which I've done once since I moved here and most of it is still in the fridge. It's definitely better for the environment and also probably better for my health. That said, I eat a lot of beans (black beans and kidney beans in particular), am getting more into lentils, and go through periodic quinoa binges. Oh, and a lot of eggs. I eat an egg in some form for breakfast every morning. I purchase those from local farmers, though they aren't certified organic. I figure buying from a farm ~10 miles away is better than buying organic from across the country.

 

The dating question isn't one I've had to tackle with my new diet. If it did come up, I'd definitely explain it to them as well as my reasons (environmental primarily). I imagine that I couldn't get in a serious relationship with a heavy meat-eater at this point since I don't love cooking it and don't care to spend money on that when I could spend it on craft beer instead. (*highfives GeoDUDE!*)

[busybeinganxious]

As I stated earlier in this thread I've been pescetarian for almost 25 years.  I am the only person in my family (both immediate and extended) that does not eat what is referred to in my house as "meat with legs."

 

 I have five children, ranging in age from 18 to 12.  All of my kids eat meat at this point. Their Dad eats meat, as does their Stepdad.  I see vegetarianism as a personal choice, and it was, and still is, very important to me that my children make their own choices, and that they know I'm OK with those choices, even if they don't coincide with mine.  If some of them turn out to be vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian or some other flavor of meat abstainer that's fine with me.  I'm also OK if they are carnivores of the first order.  

 

They've all asked why I don't eat meat more than once, and I've answered their questions as best as I can.  When I was 14 and this all started it was fairly political.  As I've aged, I just find the idea of consuming another being distasteful. They got different versions of this very abbreviated explanation as they've aged, as almost all explanations of life change as children age. 

 

Regarding dating: Um.  Well. Assuming I was still on the market...I don't require a gentleman to agree with my beliefs, I do require that he respect them.  That's the root of all good relationships though isn't it?  I do cook meat for my family when it's on the menu and it's my turn, but my husband cooks vegetarian when it's on the menu and it's his turn.  The kids eat what's served regardless of meatiness or lack thereof.

[maelia8]

These are some really great and thought-provoking responses, thanks folks!

 

I guess the reason why I'd prefer to raise my children veg and then let them decide to add meat later if they want is that a lot of people I know would like to be vegetarian (for ethical or health reasons) but have trouble giving up meat because they were raised eating it and love the taste. It seems to be a lot harder to give up meat than to add it in (for most people). I'd like my kids to be old enough to understand what exactly they are eating and where it comes from before they decide whether or not they want to eat it. I also have no clue how to cook meat (thanks to my veg parents), so if I end up with a partner or spouse who eats it, they will have to cook it for themselves if they want it at home.

 

In my family, my sister, who is also now in her 20s, started eating meat at social events/while camping when she was about 15 and made that choice on her own, without prompting either way. As far as I know, she suffered no adverse effects from starting consumption at a later age. She now eats fish and chicken and, strangely, bacon, but no other red meat. For me, like @busybeinganxious, the idea of consuming meat at this point is distasteful, and I have no desire to start (especially since I'm healthy without it and going without is much, much cheaper). 

 

Now that I think of it, it would probably be a problem to be in a relationship with a partner who really loves to cook and also really loves meat. We'd have to cook separately every meal Luckily, I've been the primary cook in most relationships so far, and nobody has complained about my vegetarian cooking

[FacelessMage]

I typically spend anywhere from $30 to $50 a week on groceries, and around $10 on eating out. I have dietary restrictions because of illness (I can only eat like 5 types of vegetables without getting very sick), so I'm pretty limited in what I can eat, so I usually just end up eating the same thing for breakfast, lunch, and snacks, with some variety in dinner (usually either chicken, fish, or pasta). I shop sales, so I usually end up saving quite a bit. 

[MidwesternAloha]

My husband and I spend about $400/month on food alone.  At least a third of that can be attributed to dining out, everything else, I cook/meal prep.

[FoggyAnhinga]

I remember spending one month in the previous year without eating out at all, which was VERY hard to do, I'm not going to lie (not even a single visits to any bars or Starbucks, etc), and it's staggering to see how much you can save per month on food! However, as most of you know, eating out is inevitable these days even when you don't want to go, because as a grad student your major advisor or your postdoc may invite you for lunch, which you can't really refuse (especially when your advisor is trying to introduce you to another professor to discuss collaborative work, etc), or if you are meeting a friend from outside the town (sure, you can ask him/her to meet with you in a parking lot just to chat if you feel super stingy, but I don't know if anyone does that lol). 

[TakeruK]

I remember spending one month in the previous year without eating out at all, which was VERY hard to do, I'm not going to lie (not even a single visits to any bars or Starbucks, etc), and it's staggering to see how much you can save per month on food! However, as most of you know, eating out is inevitable these days even when you don't want to go, because as a grad student your major advisor or your postdoc may invite you for lunch, which you can't really refuse (especially when your advisor is trying to introduce you to another professor to discuss collaborative work, etc), or if you are meeting a friend from outside the town (sure, you can ask him/her to meet with you in a parking lot just to chat if you feel super stingy, but I don't know if anyone does that lol). 

 

In my experience, at almost every collaborative/work lunch meeting like you describe, the professor (or department, if they are a visitor from a department seminar program) pays!

[FoggyAnhinga]

In my experience, at almost every collaborative/work lunch meeting like you describe, the professor (or department, if they are a visitor from a department seminar program) pays!

Sometimes, but certainly not all, based on my experience. It depends on faculty - some professors are more stingy about this than others.

[juiceboxrampage]

I spend $50 a month on food. I live in a co-op, so we bulk order and share our staples (flour, rice, lentils, etc.), which keeps the cost super low. We get all of our produce and specialty stuff from dumpster diving, which is obviously free. We'll go two or three times a week. Since stores in my area compost everything, they just have compost bins full of produce. Most places will throw stuff out if it has small cosmetic blemishes (like a little bruise on an apple) and Walmart just throws out tons of PERFECT food for seemingly no reason. We're not digging through trash -- you just open up a compost bin and it's full of fresh fruits and veggies that you can just throw in a bag and take home. We also get bags of bagels from bagel places, those prepackaged meals/snacks from Starbucks, and other random "expired" goodies like cheeses and drinks from grocery stores.

[Pitangus]

I spend about $150 per month on food, both groceries and eating out. I buy whatever I want, and eat out 3 - 4 times per week, but it doesn't cost that much in total because I eat less than most people. I eat one meal a day (usually in the afternoon), with snack-sized portions in the evening (if I eat out for lunch I'm full for quite awhile). I don't have breakfast because I don't drink coffee and rarely eat before 11AM.

I've been teased in the past for not eating much and instead being seen eating candy or something (I'm usually not around other people when I'm eating an actual meal unless I'm going out to eat with people). It doesn't bother me though because I don't do it intentionally, and I don't worry about what I spend on food.

[lizardclan]

Ok, I'm not in grad school yet, so I know things will change, but I just looked at my expenses for January 2015.

 

$153.44 for eating out.  That's also $4.95/day, or $34.65/week.

 

$110.70 at the grocery store.  That's also $3.57/day, or $25.00/week

 

Can anyone help me set some goals, or are my expenses reasonable?  I do live in a high rent district.

 

Thanks!

-lizardclan

[VulpesZerda]

Ok, I'm not in grad school yet, so I know things will change, but I just looked at my expenses for January 2015.

$153.44 for eating out. That's also $4.95/day, or $34.65/week.

$110.70 at the grocery store. That's also $3.57/day, or $25.00/week

Can anyone help me set some goals, or are my expenses reasonable? I do live in a high rent district.

Thanks!

-lizardclan

Do you use Mint? It's a great budgeting app/website. Your groceries seem fine to me but I personally don't spend as much on eating out. It's personal preference but my budget is about $60 per month (restaurants and coffee shops - I rarely eat fast food and don't drink alcohol). I'm not in grad school either but one thing that started saving me tons was always, always bringing lunch to work or driving home to make/eat it there, since I live close.

[Amayan]

I started counting macros and calories on MyFitnessPal when I didn't have enough money for food.  I dropped my daily allowance from 2000 calories to 1600 to make things cheaper.  I input all of my food data myself, but rewrite the fiber macro into pennies per gram so I know at the end of the day exactly how much my meals cost.  It's a time sink in the beginning, but it's helped me not suffer at the end of a payperiod.

 

At the Sams club near my home, I can get 5lbs of bananas for $1.50 and quinoa very cheaply.  A year membership for college students is $40 but they give you a $15 gift card with it.  Meat, eggs, and cheese are expensive but beans and peanut butter are easier on the wallet when you need protein.  I usually get most of my protein from hemp powder mixed into milk with honey and it's really filling.

[VulpesZerda]

On 2/20/2015 at 8:07 PM, Amayan said:

I started counting macros and calories on MyFitnessPal when I didn't have enough money for food.  I dropped my daily allowance from 2000 calories to 1600 to make things cheaper.  I input all of my food data myself, but rewrite the fiber macro into pennies per gram so I know at the end of the day exactly how much my meals cost.  It's a time sink in the beginning, but it's helped me not suffer at the end of a payperiod.

 

At the Sams club near my home, I can get 5lbs of bananas for $1.50 and quinoa very cheaply.  A year membership for college students is $40 but they give you a $15 gift card with it.  Meat, eggs, and cheese are expensive but beans and peanut butter are easier on the wallet when you need protein.  I usually get most of my protein from hemp powder mixed into milk with honey and it's really filling.

I use MyFitnessPal too! I dropped weight like crazy. But I didn't think to use it to budget the monetary expense of my food... That's genius.

[zupgiusto]

I use MyFitnessPal too! I dropped weight like crazy. But I didn't think to use it to budget the monetary expense of my food... That's genius.

 

Seconded. Amayan, you are a genius. May you be accepted to anywhere your heart desires.

 

I've been loyal to LoseIt since highschool but this is another compelling case to switch to MyFitnessPal. Do you mind sharing how you made the changes to track costs? Or did you find this in a tutorial somewhere?

 

Edited to be on-topic: when I was living on my own in Montreal, I budgeted 50/week for food and ate out basically never. I don't think I ever actually spent 50 in a week on food, it would be more in the 30-40 range. I used the rest to go out or buy treats or whatever. I was much younger, didn't know how to be smart about groceries, and also terrible at budgeting. So. 

Edited February 21, 2015 by zupgiusto

[Mr. Impatiently Waiting]

Somewhere around $500-$600, but that is because there is a family to feed. 

[Amayan]

Thank you very much - I'm on pins and needles hoping to get accepted by one of my schools.

 

I get all my information from http://ndb.nal.usda.gov because they'll calculate 100 grams for me and I can just copy in the info I want.  They seem much more accurate than food labels in terms of calories, and it is better to mix ingredients myself than trust something like Arctic Zero http://www.today.com/id/48596412/ns/today-today_news/t/rossen-reports-can-you-believe-diet-frozen-dessert-labels/  to truthfully tell me what I'm eating.

 

But as far as money is concerned, I've saved money by realizing things such as this lady: http://happymoneysaver.com/ripped-walmart-packaged-chicken/

 

So on MyFitnessPal, if I buy a dozen eggs for $4, and I know that makes each egg cost .33 cents, and I further know that each egg is usually 50 grams, then I can log in that 100 grams of egg costs me .66 cents.  So a 3 egg omelet costs about a dollar, and is a smarter choice than my beloved but expensive nemesis http://siggisdairy.com/products/detail/skyr/blueberry/13/#sthash.WhUfT45S.w6ePiAMW.dpbs  which is godly delicious but costs $4 all by itself.

 

Logging each item is a pain at first, but you only have to do it once, and most people tend to eat the same meals on a regular basis.  For the phone app of MyFitnessPal, it will remind me automatically when I put in something like "pasta 112 grams" that I normally have that with "sauce 124 grams" and "parmesan 28 grams" and allow me to add it automatically in a second.  The app is not perfect, but definitely nifty being free and all.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Amayan

[hejduk]

$450/month. I eat plenty clean, organic as much as possible or when necessary (use the Dirty Dozen app to find food you don't need to purchase organic) and a flexitarian diet. But I also have a spouse...