Yes, they are spending more on groceries because of less eating at restaurants. Yes, the total net spending on food is likely to be less.
Also, the total net calorie/sugar/fat intake is often less because restaurant food is often higher in calories/sugar/fat. This can result in weight loss unless exercise/activity also goes down.
@1214mom and @ucbalumnus - Thanks for the clarification. I understand now. We’re in the same boat, with DS and his SO sheltering in place in our home, our grocery spending has gone up, but our combined food spending for the four of us is WAY down.
Too late to edit above, but getting back to the original topic…
More:
Hand washing
Hand washing
Hand washing
Less:
Touching face
I never realized how much I touch my face until now. Old habits die hard, but I’m working on it.
More: watching TV ( went from only watching Jeopardy to adding 1 episode of another show/ night)
Calling friends.
Cleaning
Walking with H
Dishes
Less: Driving and commuting
Going out to dinner ( not at all now)
MORE:
Work (nonprofit needs have increased due to situation)
Paperwork for DH’s business that is temporarily closed
Time with kids who are now sheltering here
Meals with whole family (minus misophonia D who cannot eat in same room)
Time with dogs
Learning and setting up technology (Webex, cloud storage etc)
Cleaning surfaces
LESS:
Cleaning of the rest of the house (I can only bug the kids so much . . .)
(none) Visits to my parents
Social interaction
Eating out
Wondering if S will be home to eat the dinner I cooked or go out with friends (spoiler: he’s ALWAYS home)
Time here on CC - I miss having time to read threads. Do y’all just leave this tab open on your computer all day? I can never catch up
More:
Work (what I accomplished in 3-4 hours at the office is taking me longer at home)
Driving (DD is getting in her required practice hours.)
$ on Groceries (I am not shopping around or looking for the best price.)
College Confidential (I can check in on my phone while files are uploading/downloading or the internet & networks are being slow)
Less:
Exercize (skating rink is closed)
Crafting (no space… 
family’s work & schooling spread out on every surface)
More:
video calls
calls with relatives who live out of the area
bridge
mahjong
cleaning (but not enough)
healthy eating (restaurant meals always result in more calories/fat, larger portions, etc. for me)
reading
time on my computer
success with intermittent fasting (easier to stay within a 7ish hour window)
Less:
exercise (struggling with this)
eating
eating out (having delivery tonight for only the second time in a month)
driving
buying of anything other than groceries (since I’m wearing PJs or exercise clothing 100% of the time, and my closets are full, buying clothing just doesn’t appeal right now)
planning (trips, errands, to dos in general)
errands (to the dry cleaner, cobbler, local shops, etc.)
More:
Time with hubby
Walks
Cooking
Ice cream
Family dinners
Calling my mom
Texting the family
Financial worry
Screen time
Late, late nights (bed 1 am & later)
Reading light fiction
Less:
Work
TV news
Exercise (less motivation)
Scrolling through real estate listings
Reading the TRAVEL section
Early mornings
Reading challenging/serious material
Socializing
Weekend getaways
Baking (flour harder to find)
More:
$$$ spent on food. We usually eat out a LOT and now that is off the table. Still getting Friday night takeout from local restaurant. Also D home from college. Gluten free, vegan and the pickiest most expensive eater in the house. Translating into large grocery bills.
Walking as a family (this makes me happy)
Finding new Netflix shows that the 4 of us can agree to watch
Calling/texting all of my TX girlfriends
Online shopping (I’m keeping Amazon, Nordstrom, Costco in business!)
Less:
Spending time with friends
Driving
Leaving the house
anything related to beauty (nails, hair, wax,facials) see that thread
Volunteering (this makes me sad)
@sherpa - We are spending wayyyyy more on groceries. Not only is D home, but H usually travels 50% of the time and then his company reimburses him for all his meals. I’m usually home alone 3-4 days/week. It’s a big change to having 3 people here 24/7.
MORE:
Work (Virus-related legal work for an essential retailer)- no boundaries between day and night
Walking the dogs with my husband
Church services (online- daughter is a priest)
Calling old friends- especially “older” old friends
Social media - always do a lot, but increased LinkedIn to encourage co-workers around the country
Wine
LESS:
Exercise (injured runner so trying to rehab and recover)
Restaurant meals- like, none!
Driving- my truck has barely moved
Snacking- better regulating myself at home as opposed to work
Makeup and jewelry- sort of miss it all, sort of don’t
Attention to what I wear- Joggers or running shorts are the new business casual
More:
House cleaning. Paid our housekeeper though 1st week of May. Will reassess her coming then.
Cooking. Only doing one takeout a week from local businesses. D picks it up when she brings our weekly groceries .
Less:
Driving. Since H is recovering from surgery and not driving we have a car that hadn’t been driven for more than a month. Glad I took it out for a drive yesterday as it seemed a bit pained to start up.
Grocery shopping. I haven’t been in a building outside my home for well over two weeks.
Exercise. No excuses. No motivation.
We are spending more on groceries and not eating out less- we never really ate out in the first place. My daughter and her special diet are usually at school. My husband usually only eats one meal a day because he doesn’t eat at work at all. We usually buy sales and shop daily. Now I’m feeding all four of us three meals a day with two special diets thrown in and paying for for stuff because wegmans charges more for each item in curbside pickup, but no way I’m shopping in the store… and then there is also no more sales. Our food spending is through the roof.
Also, way more hand washing. Probably more than is even necessary.