Sainsburys and Jamie Olivers Feed your Family for £5 Chat Thread

Angelina-M · 25 March 2008 at 2:33PM

I agree that a fiver is a lot to feed a family for just one meal. However I used to end up blowing the weeks food budget on a takeaway at the weekend so I've added my take away alternative. Not sure thats what Martin is looking for but it was my biggest expense before I made my own.

I've done homemade pizza and its adaptable because I've done it when my son has had his mates round or for a birthday party. I make a big thing of it with a small present for the best pizza design and the kids love the competition... even though they usually all do their initial in vegetables lol!

I would struggle to do a Sunday roast for a fiver because we only eat organic, however veg is cheap enough that it could be done on a tenner for four people.

Bexstars · 25 March 2008 at 2:43PM

I have been to sainsbury's this morning and picked up the recipie cards to have a nosey. I think these recipies can be made cheaper depending on where you shop, plus it adds in a full bag of frozen peas for the meatballs recipie at £1.62 where you wouldnt use all of the bag and does the same on the other recipies

PasturesNew · 25 March 2008 at 2:51PM

It's important to keep an eye on why Jamie is cooking for a family for £5.

Many people are already spending more than this because they're not watching their budget. maybe they can afford not to worry, or maybe they're spiralling into further debt and wondering where the money goes.

Jamie's job is to get people into Sainsbury's. And not to buy the cheap stuff. His job is to market a lifestyle. So the whole objective of Jamie/Sainsburys was a slick lifestyle-targetted ploy to get people through their door.

It's really got nothing to do with budgetting for those who have a keen eye on their budget and a grasp of getting value. It's just about shiny advertising with a cheeky chappie who is the Housewives' Choice.

thriftlady_2 · 25 March 2008 at 3:04PM

Sorry, I haven't read this thread properly (or the other one), but how big is this family supposed to be, and does it include teenage boys or toddlers ?

I don't like the assumption that everyone feeds a family from a supermarket -i bet Jamie Oliver doesn't.

party_of_five · 25 March 2008 at 3:21PM

I know its an increase for most people on this forum, but it would definitely be a big decrease for most people I know. And the idea of using fresh ingredients seems to have passed most of my friends by.

I know its not a fashionable view, and yes, I maybe one of those suckers who believe the advertising (well Ok, that has happened to me more than once!) but I think it is a great initiative. If people cared about what they ate, and kept to a budget, they are more likely to start looking at using fresh ingredients rather than convenience alternatives. Who knows where that might lead? Might be no room left for us on the forum

I honestly think that Jamie Oliver is great for drawing the focus back to good food, caring about what we put in our kids and all that stuff. If he gets rich off the back of it, then good for him.

studentgirl_2 · 25 March 2008 at 3:25PM

I think a fiver is about right for us per dinner, I dont think that i get it much below that. my boys will eat dinner at 5.30 and request seconds by 7.30. They cost me an arm and a leg,

Boomdocker · 26 March 2008 at 9:04AM

My take on this is that on balance we think its still expensive as we (Oser's in general) are used to making things from scratch/batch cooking etc. When I think back to my pre-os days I wouldn't have thought twice to getting a ready meal for a fiver for my tea on the way out of work. So this 'feed a family for a fiver' is a baby step in the right direction, a starting point to build on. Looking at the recipe card Sainsburys have suggested a mix of standard products mince/mushrooms and a basics option with the tinned toms. Again if someone has never tried basics its an introduction.

sideysid · 26 March 2008 at 3:00PM

mince £1.55
Loose onion 13p

Loose garlic bulb 35p

500g basics spaghetti 23p

2x400g tins of chopped tomatoes 88p

907g frozen garden peas £1.62
Items from your store cupboard: dried oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper. Total cost: £4.76

I always cook from scratch, so I think this is fair for spaghetti and meatballs and should serve 4 comfortably.

Savings could be made as mentioned before, by omitting peas and using basics chopped tomatoes instead.

You could probably get a basics spag bol sauce, and use frozen mince but the amount of added preservatives and additives, I feel you have to draw a line between budget while still eating healthily.

moanymoany · 26 March 2008 at 3:44PM

If the costings contain the price of a whole bag of peas when only a portion are used, then it is allowing a build up of food in the freezer and probably storecupboard as well.

I think it is going to be more sensible than Delias weird 'cheats' dishes. I can imagine lots of people making the dishes. Jamie is very appealing and I think he gets through to people.

I rarely spend this much on a meal. For example, this evening I am making Homity pie - without pastry - and a chickpea dish. I would estimate the cost at about £1.25.

lainz · 26 March 2008 at 6:45PM

I'm currently off work after an op and am becoming a connisour of daytime tv. Theres a new one started this week called Daily Cooks challenge. One of the challenges is to cook on a budget. On Monday it was £2 per portion and today it was £1.

It was laughable really what they produced (although both did come under budget considerably both times!), the chefs were John Burton Race and Gino D'Campo. To be honest both times the stuff Gino produced was much more filling and 'proper' food. Today for example with the £1 budget he did a canalloni (can't spell) bean paste on brushetta with an anchovie and olive topping, and John produced 'eggy' bread with apple and cinnamen on top (meal?) You do wonder what planet people are on!

Anyway this discussion is very good and as some people have mentioned £5 for a family of four for s#ome would be a reduction in budget. It always amazes me that everyone in my office is skint - but still manage to go to the shop and spend £3 or more on a sandwich and a drink.:eek: We have a toaster, kettle and microwave in our office and they are slowly coming round to my way of thinking!:rolleyes:

Anyway have to get my thinking cap on and price up my ideas

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Sainsburys and Jamie Olivers Feed your Family for £5 Chat Thread

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