New food budget ??

I love me a budget.

But I'm lost for what my new lifestyle will cost me?

I'm not concerned about being able to afford it, I'm just trying to make a budget that's gonna work.

I have to save up for a lot of high ticket things in the next 2-4 years.

I'm single so I just have to worry about my own food.

Anyone able to share w me what they roughly spend weekly? Bi weekly? On food post op?

Im 2 1/2 months out.  I eat pretty much the same thing every day....protein shake for breakfast (mixed with water) caffeine free coffee..take it with me to work. I make big pots of chili and freeze into 100ml containers and usually take one for lunch or I take 1 cabbage roll (or fill the container with leftovers from the night before ie...half my fish filet)  For dinner I have chicken breast, or steak or fish ( i eat 3 or 4 ounces - i do 4 then given some to the dogs).  Depending on the size I cut into 2 or 3 pieces....lunch the next day and possibly dinner the next night.  I use alot of crystal light products for my water (ive been buying them stateside cheaper and different brands like walmart us value brand)  For snacks I have no sugar added delmonte fruit cup (30 cal) light baby bel, cheese strings and some turkey sausage (similiar to jerky type thing 45 cal in the states)

Thats it...i dont eat milk, bread, eggs, butter (i do use olive oil to cook)  It took me a while to come to this type menu....but it also took me a while to get into a steady weight loss which Im in now. Im eating about 800 cal a day 70 g protein, low fat, low sugar and 30 minute dog walk and usually an hour at the gym.  In the last few weeks Ive dropped 2 sizes.

I grocery shop when I run out of stuff for lunch and its time to redo the chili and or cabbage rolls (i buy then italien style at reids dairy)  Make a list so you dont buy stuff you wont eat.  Good luck it may take a bit to get used, I usually spend average probably $35 per week on food stuff.

In the first year especially I ate about 1/4 the amount of food I used to eat.  When my wife and I went out for supper she would order whatever she wanted re protein and I would just carve off about a third of it and that would do me.  No breads to speak of, a small potato every blue moon.  Cheese is probably the most expensive item I ate, followed closely by dense proteins like chicken, steak, fish, etc.  Breakfast is almost always oatmeal, cream of wheat, or SkinnyB cereal w soy milk and plain greek yogurt.  Carbs just seem to have a way of creeping into out diet so never planned for them, they just happened (a slice of tomato here, a pita bread there).

Are you taking any supplements now?  The cost of my supplements now is about half what I used to spend on supplements and pain killers.  If you take none now, that should definitely be figured in, you have the list from the NUT class I assume, its easy to price them out for a budget.  

Good luck! 

Look at how much food you eat now. Consider that after you will be eating one cup at a time. Only you know what type of foods you like to eat. Just remember it will be protein then veg or fruit. Some carb if you want. An acorn squash for my husband and I can last 4 or 5 meals. what you save in food you will be spending in vitamins. Consider how many you will have to take and price that out.

Good luck

I have been doing some thinking about this.

I m thinking Im gonna be saving a good chunk of money.

I wont be having mid night binges or ordering Pizza and wings etc.

Unfortunately I had been eating out  a lot because of laziness, unmotivated and been wasteful with my groceries for a while.

I do take vitamins and minerals now. My pain killers are prescribed and covered under my medical plan.

So the lack of takeaway, pop and treats and wasted groceries,  replaced with smaller meals, protein shakes.

I do find this a difficult question since it really depends what you buy (of course)

But as a rule - my food items are a bit more expensive ( more fish etc..) - but I eat much smaller portions. 

But - I do find that take out - going out for dinner and buying prepared meals is WAY more expensive. When I looked at my grocery bill from before it was more the "i;m tired - I feel lazy ... I want a prepared meal in the freezer). Those were the expensive items. 

When you cook from scratch - even with pricer items - I still come out ahead

So I do tend to "splurge" and items I did not buy before as a treat. (smoked salmon when it is on sale etc..) 

You will need to add the vit - protein - etc... but that is easy to do. 

Best of luck. 

I don't have take out food costs... I market shop for what I need for a few days so I don't throw out a lot of food.

I have noticed a savings, as well my recycling and trash is less because I don't have pop cans and other trash with too much food gone to waste.