Finding Our Rhythm in April
April felt like a month where things started to settle into place.
After the stop-start nature of the first few months of the year, this was our chance to get back into a more consistent routine focusing on keeping our weekly food shop close to that £150 target, while still enjoying the meals we love as a family.
With food prices continuing to creep up, it’s becoming more important than ever to stay aware of what we’re spending. Not in a restrictive way, but in a way that helps us stay in control without losing the enjoyment of cooking and eating together.
And that’s exactly what April was about balance, awareness, and making it work in real life.
How Did We Do on Our April Food Budget?
April was, overall, a really strong month.
While not every week came in under £150, the weekly average did, and more importantly, it never felt like we were cutting back. As a family, we still enjoyed a wide variety of meals and plenty of home-cooked favourites.
I was particularly pleased with our “Guilty Foods” spending this month. It stayed controlled and intentional with the odd sunny afternoon drink at the pub, which felt well-earned and well within reason.
Family Moments, New Flavours and Good Times
April was full of variety, great food, and simple family moments.
We cooked plenty of favourites but also introduced a few new dishes and upgraded some regular meals. New recipes added to the blog included:
👉 You can find all of these in the recipe section of the blog.
April Weekly Food Spend
Our shopping follows payday and is done weekly on Saturdays, including toiletries.
- Week 15 (4th): £157.34
- Week 16 (11th): £89.98
- Week 17 (18th): £171.56
- Week 18 (25th): £160.79
👉 Total April food shop: £579.67
👉 Weekly average: £144.92
For full transparency, we also spent £126.87 on treats and takeaways, averaging £31.72 per week.
While this pushes us slightly over our ideal overall target, most of this spend came during social and family moments which, for me, is exactly what budgeting is there to support.
How Do We Compare to the UK Average?
The average UK household spends around £44 per person per week on food. For a family of five, that’s roughly £220 per week or £880 per month.
Our total April spends, including treats and takeaways, came to £706.54.
So, while we didn’t hit every personal target, we still came in well below the UK average, which is encouraging especially with rising food costs.
Monthly Memories
April may have felt quieter on the surface with the end of the Easter holidays and a return to school routines, but it was still full of meaningful moments.
It was also a busy month with work, including plenty of time spent travelling to clients. But if there’s one constant, it’s this:
Sitting down together in the evening, sharing a meal, catching up on the kids’ day, and enjoying real conversation.
Those small, consistent moments matter the most.
Because budgeting isn’t about cutting back it’s about making room for what matters.
What’s Coming in May
May is shaping up to be another month of simple, flavour-packed, budget-friendly meals, including:
- Vietnamese crispy rolls
- Sticky BBQ chicken drumsticks
- Big Mac slaw
- Beef tortilla kebabs
If there’s a budget-friendly recipe you’d love me to try, let me know in the comments.
And before you go what’s your favourite low-cost family meal? I’d love to feature reader suggestions in a future post.
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