Help me out here. I am doing a very informal poll amongst those of us who do the shopping, or most of it, for the family. How much do you spend per person per week just on food. Please say if you are kosher, vegetarian etc. How many meat meals per week do you serve? What is the age spread of the people in your house? If you have teenagers – how do you manage to keep them fed? Do boys eat more than girls? What is your cheapest meal to make, but that satisfies all the people in your house? Do the kids eat school lunches, or do they pack a lunch? Is there anything else you want to add – any tips and tricks?
Edited to Add – please pop over to fill out the Jewish Economics Survey, and check out the posts on SerandEz about the economic future of the Jewish Community.
In the Pink 
On average I spend about 250$/week on groceries. We are kosher and omnivorous. Large portion of the food bill goes to meat/chcken 🙂
People normally take lunches – boys eat more than girls. I have one of each and both are teenagers – late teens and my daughter is fast approaching 20.
Every so often we do a meat order and can spend $400+ on just meat – though this is usually steaks and specialty cuts.
My son’s lunch is usually 2 sandwiches, at least 4 pieces of fruit and whatver else I decide to throw in. Today ot was chocolate chip cookies.
My wife usually gets a yougurt/cottage for mid morning snack, leftover whatever and a piece of fruit for mid-afternoon snack.
My daughter is harder and it is usually a collection of odd bits fruit, snack bars (granola), cheese, instant soup, etc.
hth
we spend about $150 a week for two people ages 26 and 27. I don’t think I eat any more or less than my husband. Not kosher, not vegetarian. That equals to about 14 dinners 10 lunches (i usually eat lunch at my job and just buy something, but B eats at home every day) and maybe 3-4 breakfasts (We’re not really breakfast people) + snacks. We have meat at almost every dinner, and B eats meat for almost every lunch too.
The cheapest meal is hard to say…maybe bean burritos (black beans, brown rice, cheese, hot sauce, wrap. Maybe bbq chicken legs + rice. Our homemade pizza is pretty cheap, and we each put our own toppings on our part of the pizza so everyone likes it…
The Jewish Economic Survey over at serandez.blogspot.com would also like to know peoples numbers. thanks for all your help
Don’t have the current numbers handy but will answer other questions.
Kosher, 3-4 meat meals/week.
What is the age spread of the people in your house? 5-19, 19yo mostly in yeshiva and 13yo gets one meat meal at school.
If you have teenagers – how do you manage to keep them fed? With difficulty.
Do boys eat more than girls? YES
What is your cheapest meal to make, but that satisfies all the people in your house? Spaghetti with vegetarian tomato spicy sauce. But not even beans there. No animal protein is really cheap including cheese, chicken is cheaper here than there. They all like homemade pizza. 19yo is picky eater. Stir-fried vegetables are good, simple potato casserole with tomato sauce and soft white cheese. Spaghetti and chili with ground turkey. Vegetable
Do the kids eat school lunches, or do they pack a lunch? One gets lunch at school.
Is there anything else you want to add – any tips and tricks? I’m posting a recipe for homemade tortillas tomorrow. More tips in my next comment.
How to feed a large family as cheaply as possible:
Stretch animal protein with vegetables, beans and whole grains: Think chili, chumus, meatloaf, rich soups.
Calculate which items pay the most to make yourself, like challah. Then learn how to do it efficiently
Serve oatmeal, tortillas, waffles for breakfast and avoid boxed cereals like the plague.
Don’t buy snack food or soft drinks, drink only water. If you must, buy a limited quantity and make it a special treat.
To save time, batch cook, but this is hard with a houseful of teens. I prefer to rotate different cooked foods.
Make kids clean up after themselves, do chores, and have them work with you in the kitchen. Soon they’ll learn to make their favorites.
Look at what you buy and see if, healthwise, you are getting value for your money. Sometimes the more expensive item is worth the price, as in whole wehat flour.. Other times you are paying good money for food that is really harmful, like cornflakes.
How to feed a large family as cheaply as possible:
Stretch animal protein with vegetables, beans and whole grains: Think chili, chumus, meatloaf, rich soups.
Calculate which items pay the most to make yourself, like challah. Then learn how to do it efficiently
Serve oatmeal, tortillas, waffles for breakfast and avoid boxed cereals like the plague.
Don’t buy snack food or soft drinks, drink only water. If you must, buy a limited quantity and make it a special treat.
To save time, batch cook, but this is hard with a houseful of teens. I prefer to rotate different cooked foods.
Make kids clean up after themselves, do chores, and have them work with you in the kitchen. Soon they’ll learn to make their favorites.
Look at what you buy and see if, healthwise, you are getting value for your money. Sometimes the more expensive item is worth the price, as in whole wehat flour.. Other times you are paying good money for food that is really harmful, like cornflakes.
Oops…forgot to say great post! Looking forward to your next one.