How much money do you spend at the grocery store in a week?

Not too many years ago $200.00 spent a week on groceries seemed ample for us.  When you do the math, it's $800.00 a month, which sounds like a lot.  Lately though, it's not cutting it.

Instead of feeling badly about consistently going over our $200.00 budget, I'm considering increasing it.

When I think back to my childhood, I wonder if I can or should make do with our current budget though.  I remember, in our family of EIGHT, my Mom saying, "we've spent $800.00 on groceries at Dinelles this month, that is too much!"  She and Dad had a large, beautiful garden and we would eat fresh produce from spring until fall.  We only have the space for a small raised bed garden in the city.

I am not picky, but rather particular about my food.  I like natural, unprocessed foods.  The less salted and sweetened and changed, the better.  One does pay more for these items in many cases.  For instance, wonder bread (aka marshmallow bread)versus ACE bakery bread (which has no additives or preservatives) The latter is probably at least twice as much. 

I won't buy anything with artificial flavouring added to food or high fructose corn syrup (which is evil) and of course would buy the real deal and make my own strawberry sauce for example. 

The grocery store budget for us includes diapers, shampoo, food storage, a trip to Costco, and all the rest of the normal food purchases.

Does eating the best food have to cost more?
Do you have any ways of eating better for less? 

Here are some things I am already doing:

We make our own yogurt with Organic cow's milk.  Which is economical when you compare the costs of buying four litres of organic yogurt in tubs.

I rarely buy packaged foods.

We have 1-2 suppers a week that are vegetarian.

I make homemade soups, granola and do all my own baking (rarely bread though)

We pick wild blueberries and freeze them for the year.


Healthy and easy on the pocketbook- it's rice and beans for supper tonight!