Mrs Mummypenny, aka Lynn Beattie, chats money and savings with Holly Hagan-Blyth and Charlie Hedges on the CBeebies Parenting Helpline podcast.

For starters, it helps to put food spending in the context of your overall budget. The average American spends 6.5 percent of his or her household budget on eating at home, and 11 percent if you ...

Family meal planning on a tight budget can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. With some organization and savvy shopping, you can make meals that are both good for you and easy on your ...

With a family of four, plus one more when my oldest daughter comes home on weekends, I stick to a weekly food budget of $200. There's a little wiggle room, but definitely nothing over $250.

Creating a food budget that works for you is all about finding the right balance. Eating at home versus dining out is a major decision that impacts your wallet. While dining out offers convenience ...

Plan family outings around activities, not food. With a weekly budget of $100, there's no room to dine out healthfully and still have quality meals and snacks at home.

Try setting a weekly food budget, withdrawing that amount in cash each week, and sticking to it. Try also to "stop buying too much at the grocery store"; the average American discards 20 percent ...

My weekly food budget is $200, but most of that is spent eating at restaurants, ordering takeout, and buying coffee — I typically spend just $32 a week on groceries.