[lrjohnson]

What types of food are you buying? If something is high cost, even buying the least expensive version can make a dent. For example, some fresh fruit in season (mango), most fresh fruit out of season (strawberries), a lot of meat, chicken, and fish, convenience food, some vegetables (asparagus), soda. If you buy some of these items, I would evaluate whether you needed them as often. If you do, fine-you need to buy what you need to buy. But, if you can go meatless a night or two, or used some ground beef in a casserole instead of steak, go for it. Try bananas and oranges instead of grapes. Instead of a Crock Pot Meal pack, try one from scratch. Eat bulk rice instead of Minute rice, carrots instead of asparagus, tap water instead of soda. Frozen juice concentrate instead of Juice packs or cartons. Of these these are very specific examples but the idea is, don't even buy it at low cost if you don't need it, or if there is a substitute.. You may of course already be doing this.

My grocery bill averaged $100 (for my half) last year, or $23 a week. But, we ate out about twice a week. This does not include shampoo, toilet paper, etc. When I first planned my minimum wage challenge, I aimed for a grocery bill of no more than $290 a month for 2 people, or, $34 a week per person, to compensate for eating more at home/kless out. However, I think Il'll be able to do better than that; I think I'll actually be more around $240 a month, or $28 a person a week, without any sense of deprivation.

Good luck in your efforts!