May is one of those months that arrives wearing its best clothes. Two bank holidays, school half term, warmer weather nudging you out of the door, and — in our house — a milestone birthday thrown into the mix for good measure. If April felt like a month where we quietly held the line on spending, May was the month we loosened the belt and leaned into the moments. And honestly? Not a single regret.
The question, as always, is how the numbers held up against our target of £150 per week for the main food shop — and whether the memories we made were worth every penny spent along the way.
How Did We Do on the Food Budget?
Let’s get straight into it, because that’s what we’re here for.
Our weekly shop figures for May were as follows:
- Week 19 (2nd May): £214.23
- Week 20 (9th May): £129.05
- Week 21 (16th May): £221.51
- Week 22 (23rd May): £173.67
Total main food shop: £738.46 Weekly average: £184.62
Yes, we went over our £150 weekly target — and in some weeks, quite significantly. But context is everything here. Week 19 caught the early Bank Holiday preparations, Week 21 was half term, and somewhere in the middle of all of that we were feeding extra family members, fuelling day trips, and making sure a soon-to-be teenager had a birthday worth remembering.
On top of the main shop, we spent £224.51 on treats and takeaways across the month — averaging £56.13 per week. That brings our total May food spend to £962.97.
Was it over budget? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely.
How Do We Compare to the UK Average?
The UK average household food spend sits at around £44 per person, per week. For a family of five like ours, that translates to roughly £220 per week, or £880 per month.
Our total for May — including treats and takeaways — came in at £962.97, which puts us £82.97 above the national average for a family our size.
Given two bank holidays, a school half term, out-of-town family visiting, and a 13th birthday celebration, I think that’s a result we can hold our heads high about. The national average doesn’t account for Viking-themed day trips to York, I can assure you.
Monthly Memories
Where do I even start with May?
The Bank Holiday weekend kicked things off in brilliant style with a family trip to York and a visit to the Jorvik Viking Centre. If you’ve never been, put it on the list — it’s a genuinely immersive experience, wandering through recreated Viking streets complete with sights, sounds, and smells that are, let’s say, authentically unforgettable. The family moaned about the smell in the best possible way, and that moment of collective disgust and laughter is already cemented as a proper family memory.
Half term brought us to the coast — beach walks, café stops, and ice cream in the sunshine. I didn’t burn. An absolute miracle and a personal triumph.
The real headline of the month, though? Our youngest son turned 13. A proper teenager now, which still doesn’t feel real when I think about how quickly the years have moved. But watching him grow into a polite, passionate, football-mad young man makes the whole thing feel less terrifying and a lot more wonderful. No Kevin moments on the morning of his birthday either — if you know, you know.
On the recipe front, May brought some brilliant new additions to the blog:
👉 You’ll find both in the recipe section of the blog.
What’s Coming in June
June is shaping up to be a great one for budget cooking content, with some cracking recipes already lined up:
- 🥔 Crispy Potato Salad
- 🌮 Beef Tortilla Kebabs
- 🍔 Big Mac Slaw
I’ll also be going back through some older posts — I’ve been publishing on this blog since 2015, which means there are recipes buried in the archive that deserve a proper refresh. Expect a few familiar faces given a modern upgrade.
If there’s a budget-friendly recipe you’d love to see me tackle, drop it in the comments below. And while you’re there — what’s your go-to low-cost family meal? I’d genuinely love to feature reader suggestions in a future post.
See you in June. 👋
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