How this calculator works
A weekly grocery figure is the easiest number to collect, because most people shop on a weekly rhythm, but budgets are usually monthly. The calculator multiplies the weekly spend by 52 and divides by 12, which gives an average month rather than one with five shopping trips. Dividing by the number of people shows the per-person cost, and dividing by three meals a day for seven days gives the cost of a meal made at home. Adding takeout and comparing the total with take-home income shows the share of the household budget that food takes, which is the figure that is comparable between households of different incomes.
Formula
groceries per month = weekly spend x 52 / 12. per year = weekly x 52. per person per month = monthly / people. per meal = weekly / (people x 21). share of income = (groceries + takeout per month) / monthly take-home income.
Worked example
A household of two adults spending $250 a week on groceries and $50 a week on takeout spends $1,083.33 a month on groceries and $216.67 on takeout, or $15,600 a year on food. That is $541.67 per person per month for groceries, about $5.95 per meal made at home, and 20 percent of a $6,500 monthly take-home income.
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Frequently asked questions
Is 20 percent of income a normal food budget?
There is no single right figure; lower income households spend a larger share on food, and the share falls as income rises. Comparing your own percentage from month to month is more useful than comparing it with a national average.
Should takeout count as groceries?
Keep the two separate. They behave differently: grocery prices respond to planning and store choice, while takeout responds to time and habit. The calculator reports both and a combined total.
How do I count a month with five shopping weeks?
Use the average monthly figure of weekly spend times 52 divided by 12. It is the honest figure for a year, even though an individual month may be higher or lower.
Does the per-meal figure include meals eaten out?
No. It divides the grocery spend by three meals a day for each person, so it is the cost of food prepared at home. Meals bought out are in the takeout line.