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I guarantee that you are all going to be sick of my posts very soon. I have so many questions in my head and I'm not sure if I should dump them all into one post or if I should create a bunch of little ones with specific titles. Opinions?
As for this post, I'm trying to develop a realistic food budget. Here's the details:
2-3 nights Florence in a hotel, breakfast probably included
4 nights Tuscany countryside, no meals included as far as I know but property does have an organic garden I can use
3-4 nights in Rome, probably in a hotel but maybe in an apartment
2 nights Venice, in a hotel
7 nights in Paris, likely in an apartmental rental, maybe one or two nights in a hotel but only if it's cheaper
Understanding that different days I'll be eating in or out more, or cooking my own food (or taking a cooking class), I know the day to day number is going to vary BUT what is the general consensus on how much one spends a day on food?
I'm female, 5'2 and weigh about 120 pounds. I have a healthy appetite and will definitely be enjoying all Italy and Paris have to offer. I'm thinking mostly 2 star restaurants with maybe a few 3 stars thrown in.
All told would a budget of 40-50 Euro a day. Too high, too low? Any thoughts from past travel veterans?
Thank you for your comments ahead of time. 
Establishing a Realistic Food Budget
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when you say 2 or 3 star are you talkin Michelin or the restaurants of 2 to 3 star hotels. \\makes a big difference.
I would do this may.
assume eat out for all meals.
Breakfast about euro 8
Lunch either meal of the day euro 12 or upgrade to tourist and go in at euro 20
Evening meal cheap but chearful euro 20.
Coffees and coke say two sets euro 5
Now this assumes you have a small european woman's diet and there for evening meal would be starter and pudding or just main meal with good wines. If you eat like my experience of Americans then you may want starter, first course, main course and pudding could hit you at euro 30 before wine.
now you can knock of some costs. Eating in appartments will halve these costs and breakfasts included will help
Hm... I didn't really think too long or hard about my "star" ratings. I suppose I just mean that I'd like to eat in medium quality places most of the time, and a nicer quality place a few times.
As for my appetite, I tend not to supersize anything. I don't drink soda but I imagine I will be having one or two coffees a day. Other than though, I'm all about the water. Food wise, I think I'll eat small to normal portions depending upon how much walking I do throughout the day.
Thank you so far!
When you say 2* or 3* restaurants what do you mean?
If you mean Michelin starred restaurants - you will need to multiply your daily budget several times. (Expect basic lunches over $100 to start, with decent wines extra.)
Your budget will cover casuale cafes, sandwhich places, perhaps a good deal at an inexpensive tavola calda.
I get the impression from Smile's second post that her 2-3* is based on a total of 5* (not Michelin 2-3*). Much more doable, of course.
Two particular comments - if possible, carry a water bottle, so you don't have to buy bottled water in tourist locations. And when you want a cup of coffee, head down a side street (meaning it'll be less expensive, although not INexpensive, where "regular people" go, as oppposed to, say, an outdoor cafe on the Champs Elysee).
If you are eating in any restaurant with "stars" you will be spending a fortune, even a 1 star restaurant is very expensive.
It sounds like I actually eat similar to you, I don't eat that much, only about two meals a day and in moderate places. But I don't intentionally scrimp (which to me, just means I will buy wine, not the cheapest house always, and I will eat steak and spend 40 euro for dinner without worrying), and I will have several drinks throughout a day which add up (coffee, wine, beer, even mineral water costs in a cafe).
I probably spend around 60-70 euro a day.
Allow a few Euros a day for gelato.
Yes, SF is right. I wasn't really thinking of Michelin ratings when I composed my entry and threw in the stars. I should have been more specific. I was just thinking in general and based on a 5 star rating.
And yes, Christina, I like you don't really eat that much per sitting but I don't like to pinch pennies either. I like quality food but I don't need that much of it.
It sounds like the general consensus is that I'll be spending around 60-70 euro a day which is getting up there after 20 days...
I'm so excited!
Thanks everyone.
I think 60-70 Euros is reasonable for what you describe, but you could certainly choose to have some cheaper days in there, particularly with a 20-day trip. For example, maybe one day out of three you could stick to food you can buy from grocery stores or delis or cafeterias.
If your breakfast is included in a hotel or B&B or if you are staying in an apartment and fix breakfast in your apartment, then this will help your overall food budget. On days when you are in an apartment, you may want to eat dinner in as well. This helps your food budget considerably - and there is plenty of take out food either in the pastry shops or grocery stores. In fact, we enjoy eating in after so much dining out. Or sometimes, just wine, cheese & bread is enough after a long day of sightseeing. Especially if you have had a nice lunch somewhere. You can mix it up and conserve some days so that you can splurge on others. I think that 40-50E would be plenty if you don't eat 3 meals a day out for the 20 days.
Three years ago we traveled with 3 teenage boys to Italy & Paris.So we are not gourmets - and quantity is as important as quality. The food budget was a concern for us, but we found food to be affordable - if you aren't looking for restaurants with Star ratings.
We rented apartments, but didn't cook. We did buy snacks, fruit and bread and drinks at local grocery stores. Look for local cafes, pubs and tourist menus.
If your breakfast is typical Italian you will have cappuccino and cornet for breakfast which won't come to more than 2-3Euro. Same in Paris.
In Rome/Venice we were skeptical of "tourist menus" that ranged from 10-15 Euros' Most cafes offered 3 price ranges of Tourist menus - there was less selection on the 10Euro menu and more on the 15Euro one. All were 3 courses and included wine and everywhere we went they were excellent.
Pizza is everywhere and very good. Prices ranged from 4Euro-6Euro. They are all "personal" size and equate to a dinner. You can get them in what New Yorkers consider "pizzerias" - shops selling only pizza. And you can get pizza in pubs. You can easily eat well at local places for a lot less than 40-50Euro/day.