A Question For You on This 1st Day of February

Hi.

We're friends, right?

And friends should be open with each other.

Right?  

And friends shouldn't keep secrets.  And friends should be sympathetic and helpful.

Right?

And friends should be there for one another and be supportive and uplift.

RIGHT?

So, I've got a question and I'd love for you, MY FRIENDS (known or otherwise), to please answer.  So that nobody is embarrassed or gets befuddled or rosy in the cheeks, I'll whisper it softly.

So come close.

How much do you spend a week on groceries?

There.  I asked.  Am I too nervy to pose such a personal question?  I hope not because I really do need help in this area.

Every month I type out our monthly budget.  And every month, I mean EVERY month, I absolutely and positively do not stick to it.  We have set expenses that never or rarely fluctuate - cable, phone, city, piano, violin, house, gym membership, utilities and the like.  But the miscellaneous and grocery budget throw us off kilter every single month.  Without fail.

So I started to analyze my grocery expenses.  What I realized was that our grocery budget hasn't changed for the past 4 years.  As in -  4 years ago when Kennedy was 9, Taiden was 6, Brittan was 4 and Shaw was still jumping on clouds and playing a harp.  Those were the days when we lived on leftovers because our family didn't finish up a cooked meal in one sitting.  The kids were smaller, ate less, and we had no need to purchase paper pants for little bums. At that time my budget was $150.00 per week. I guess I've been holding out hope that I could still make that amount work even as my kids have matured and grown into healthier appetites.

I HAVE FAILED MISERABLY.

We no longer do leftovers.  My kids eat enough that if there is any food left after dinner, it carries over to lunch for Shaw and I the next day.  (But this is rare.)  My kids are ravenous after school and eat a healthy snack to hold them over until dinnertime.  So, on any given day - come 3:40 p.m. - and 3 yogurts are gone.  Or 3 bananas.  Or 3 glasses of juice.  Or 3 small bowls of cereal. Add into that Shaw's continuous toddler grazing throughout the day.  Egads! I can't imagine what will happen when they're all teenagers.

So, what am I doing wrong?  Or am I doing anything wrong at all?  I know my budget needs to be increased but by how much?  What is a reasonable dollar amount for a family of 6? 

Keep in mind that I am somebody who likes to cook and uses fresh ingredients when possible. Right now in my kitchen, I have fresh butternut squash (2nd week in a row!), brussels sprouts, green beans and asparagus for upcoming meals. I have fresh strawberries, avocados, blueberries, blackberries, apples, oranges, pears, and bananas for breakfasts and lunches and snacks.  In addition, I have lettuce, yellow and orange bell peppers, onions, potatoes, green onions and carrots - these are things I usually have on hand. Buying fresh ingredients is not always the cheapest way to cook.  But it's the only way I like to cook.  I'm not one to buy frozen foods and feed my family meals out of a box.  I try and cook healthy, well-balanced meals that require minimal processed goods.  

And FYI, I tried the coupon thing, but most of the coupons are for unhealthy foods and cereals so I stopped doing that.  Even if I can get a bag of cookies for only $0.25, it's still a bag of cookies.  I don't want my cupboards stocked with that stuff because my kids will obsess about it and I will sneak into it.  Why can't they do coupons for things like broccoli and cauliflower?  

So, drum roll please.

What does your grocery budget look like? 

Remember, we're all friends here.  No judging.  No snickering or evil cackling.

{And bonus points will be given to those who tell me I need to stop buying butternut squash from Costco because my budget can't support such healthy habits.}