買餸$400一個星期, 煮共六餐晚餐 (2公婆 + 1工人 + 1個小朋友), everyday煲湯,2-3碟餸. Already enough la. (sometime she needs to cook lunch for us also, like this few days are my daughter's exam, i take my leave to study with her and we eat lunch at home)
Like your maid, my maid loves to walk to Mongkok market too. The reason is the same as yours.
If 3 dishes for dinner without boiling soup, average $60 should be enough. If we want to boill soup,we need to spend about $100 for that day. However, we usually buy some more food for breakfast and lunch.
I buy vegetable at wet market after work for next day's dinner. And I buy meat etc at supermarket once/twice per week. I ask my 工人 to supermarket only when something is out of stock.
I carry shopping bag with me every working day. I feel I am a 工人!