Food costs can eat up a great deal of money each month in our budgets. We want to be able to feed our families well and not have to worry about going over our budgets. In this example I am going to share ways that you can feed a family of 4 for $400 a month. This will help to give an idea of approximately how much you could spend per person a month on groceries.
The monthly cost of groceries for a family of 4 can vary for every family. Your grocery bill budget and what you purchase when shopping, can help you to determine your average cost of groceries.
Changing our outlook on a food budget
I used to not pay as much attention to food prices at the grocery store. I thought that you had to spend a lot of money to be able to get nutritious food. When I would meal plan, I did not stop to think about less expensive options that could be just as nutritious. When grocery shopping, I also gravitated towards brand names I was used to purchasing and new we liked rather than the store brand. Those things definitely caused our grocery bill to be higher at times than it is now. After researching ways to save money on groceries and meal planning, we are saving so much money now on our grocery bill.
How to feed a family of 4 for $400 a month

Tip 1: Make a rough draft grocery list
When making a grocery shopping list, ask your family what drink and food items they would like to have. An idea that you can do is to break your list into categories such as: produce, meats, dairy, snacks, etc. Your family could then fill in under the given categories some things they would like to have. Ask them to only add what they think they will truly eat and drink. Not just what sounds good. This will not only save money but also help to reduce food waste. Make sure to include yourself in doing this as well.
After you have made a rough draft, go through and make sure that you do not already have any of those items. For the items that you do not have, look to see if you have any coupons for them or if any of them have a sale price. With what is listed, what can be used as breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks? Write down those meals and snacks on another piece of paper.
Now go through the sale adds and see what you can fill in for the remaining meals and snacks that is on sale. As you write down each item, write next to them the grocery prices. If you are not sure, write down what you think they may be. This is a great way to help you stay within budget.
Tip 2: Make sure everything is covered.
We do not want to leave anything out. We want to make sure that each meal and snack are covered. This is when we are going to do our final check on our list. If anything is missed, make note of that on your list. For example, do you need another breakfast idea? Then write that down.
Tally up the prices that you have marked next to each item. Are you over budget? Skim through your items to see what you could maybe substitute for less expensive items. For example, is peanut butter on your list? Maybe opt for the store brand rather than the name brand.
If you are under budget and still in need of some items that is good. If you are over budget and still need items, see what you can switch up.
Tip 3: Skip the prepackaged snacks
One thing that can raise the prices on your grocery bill are prepackaged items. Some ideas to try instead would be to buy a large bag of potato chips and portion them out into baggies. This goes also for fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. Rather than buying pre sliced apples for example, purchase them whole and slice them yourself.
Another example is applesauce. I checked the prices at our local Kroger. For a package of six 4 ounce cups of Kroger applesauce it was $1.49. I don't think that sounds too bad. But then I checked a 48 ounce jar of Kroger applesauce that was $1.99. If I were to purchase the jar and divide it into 4 ounce containers, I would have twelve containers for about 17 cents each. Whereas the premade containers you would only get six and they would be about 25 cents each.

Tip 4: Shop the perimeter of the store.
When shopping the perimeter of the grocery store, you will find less prepackaged and more healthier foods. Think of the produce, fresh meat and dairy sections for example. There are times I know that even the prepackaged items may be the best deal, but here are some examples to help you save money when they may not be.
- In the produce department, opt for a head of lettuce rather than bagged salad.
- In the meat department, opt for a whole chicken rather than pre sliced pieces.
- In the dairy department, opt for a block of cheese rather than already shredded cheese.
Tip 5: Keep a running tally as you go
As you add things to your cart, be sure to make a tally of roughly how much you have spent as you go along. This will help you to make sure you are not going over budget. Also remember to mark items off your list as you add them to the cart. You don't want to wonder if maybe you still need to get something because you can't see it at the bottom of the cart. By checking them off of your shopping list, you will know you have them. Doing these things will help you to save money.
Tip 6: Check as you check out
As you are putting items onto the conveyer belt, double check to see if maybe there is anything you realize you don't need after all. If so, hand it to the cashier letting them know you no longer need it. Why buy something when you don't really need it? This is another way to help cut your grocery cost.
Tip 7: Save any money you may have left over.
After you have paid your bill, double check the total cost. Do you have additional money left over that you had budgeted for? You could put it into the bank and save it. You could also consider saving it for next week or even the rest of the month's grocery budget. Just in case you may want to stock up on a good sale on something you know your family enjoys. A good thing is then you will have some extra money to do so.
Conclusion
These are some tips that can help a family of 4 stay within a $400 monthly grocery budget. You can also find more tips on my post 8 Secrets to buying groceries when prices rise to help save money on groceries. You do not have to incorporate all the tips you possibly can all at once. A good starting point may be to start with one or two. Then as some time goes on, maybe incorporate more. You don't want to have to feel overwhelmed. With time, doing these things on a regular basis can help you to stay within your budget.
Do you have any creative ways to help save money when it comes to buying groceries? Or do you think there is an easiest way to save on your grocery bill? Please share with us in the comments. Thanks!
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