Eating Well V's Eating Cheaply??

Toonie

It's just me and my boyfriend and we are trying to get our food bills down, but not so that it means we miss out on things we enjoy. So, rather than getting fish and chips from the chip shop, we'll buy battered fish and make chips and it costs us no more than £3 (including peas and sweetcorn) rather than the £12 it would cost from the chip shop.

I will buy things as a standby, like fish fingers, but they are used rarely. I prefer to think ahead and plan a meal like pasta, which in the summer will have cucumber, cherry tomatoes and sweetcorn, plus grilled bacon, or in winter a thick tomato sauce, with extra veggies and sausages or bacon. Summer or winter, this again costs no more than £1.50 for the two of us.

I think the balance can be struck well between cheap and healthy, as long as you are aware of what you are eating and any hidden "extras" like salt and sugar. To me, cheap often means healthy as well. I prefer to chop some carrots, onion, swede and peppers and then roast them all and make some soup, add lentils and stock, which lasts ages then buy a tin of soup with lots of added salt that costs the same as my veggies and doesn't last.

One thing I would like to add from reading through the thread

*Maya* wrote: »

What's wrong with watering down milk? ...I water down the whole milk to stretch it out and replicate semi skimmed.

Semi skimmed milk is not made by adding extra water, it is made by skimming the fat. When watering down milk to give to children you are also reducing the calcium in their milk (and other nutrients), which is fine if they are getting other sauces of calcium, like cheese or yoghurt.

OrkneyStar

Toonie wrote: »

One thing I would like to add from reading through the thread
Semi skimmed milk is not made by adding extra water, it is made by skimming the fat. When watering down milk to give to children you are also reducing the calcium in their milk (and other nutrients), which is fine if they are getting other sauces of calcium, like cheese or yoghurt.

Good other points Toonie (esp the soup one- so true!), but regarding the milk, I am not sure that many people give the watered down milk to children (certainly not those under 3 anyway!), or at least I hope not. I think it is mainly adults for putting in tea etc.
Personally I would never do that as its a false value to me, but each to their own!

SarahShattered

Blimey!!!!! Now I know why I so rarely venture away from the lovely cuddly flylady thread!!!

At risk of being shot down in flames....

When I was trawing through the threads looking for inspiration for cheap healthy meals for the family I found some fantastic ideas but also some truly hair raising things that people eat/ate :eek: Now each to their own, but I wouldn't regularly eat tinned hot dogs and tinned tomatoes served with noodles. But the person who posted that meal idea was saving for her house deposit at the time.

I guess I'm saying that there are always individual reasons for what we eat, when and why.

But while I don't want to speak for the OP, perhaps she meant that there are some people who aren't very nutritionally aware, and do eat fairly unwisely, but feel pretty good because it's cheap?? Maybe? perhaps?

ceridwen

Its okay Sarahshattered - 'Tis safe territory by and large on O.S. Board (unlike some of the other Boards on this Forum).

This thread is a very rare example of "strife on board". 'Tis the exception that proves the rule as they say - and this doesnt usually happen on Old Style.

SarahShattered

Thanks Ceri :rotfl: :rotfl: I know what you mean. Sometimes it does make me giggle a little in between sharp intakes of breath

Julimk

My budget is down to £120 a month, which is £25 – 30 a week for 2 (DD is nearly 10, so adult meals really), depending on how long the month is. And we are still eating meat or fish for every dinner (we did discuss veggie options but neither of us was that keen).

Because of my circumstances it suits to batch cook & freeze & as I don’t want to start cooking when I get home after a long day in the office I try & make these as complete dinners as possible, so I haven’t got to start cooking veggies as well & at most need some rice, pasta or potato.

Have made JO’s fish lasagne, which has mackerel, trout & cod in it, and onions, celery, carrots & tomatoes. JO’s MOF chilli is good too, as it has onion, celery, carrots, red pepper, 2 cans toms, 1 can kidney beans & 1 can chickpeas added to the mince – so makes loads without padding with oats or lentils.

I love good food, but I can cook decent meals completely from scratch (DD, bless her, has suggested I should apply to Masterchef – I’m good but not that good!) But not everyone can. I’m sure that everyone is doing the best they can within their means & capabilities.

squirrelchops

Hi all,

have been reading this thread over the last 2 days and is very interesting!

I must admit I want to lower my food bills but not at the expense of quality. However I find it really odd that I can go to Tesco and spend more than at Waitrose! I think it is because at Waitrose I am more conscious of it being dearer so shop carefully whereas Tesco has a lot more offers that encourage you to buy more.

I tend to mix and match cheap and dearer products. Fro example i buy better quality meat but value chopped tomatoes...to me tomato is tomato. When i make chilli, spag bol, casseroles for example I add lots of veg and pulses to stretch the meat out.

I did have lots of stuff in the freezer but have been getting throuhg this recently as very busy at work but also so I can eat it up and then get cooking on new batches of food!!!

mouseymousey99

My food budget is pretty large, although we are just 2 and a herd of cats. I love reading the board, and I've picked up all sorts of tips. Like Julimk and everyone we love good food (and cooking). Thing is I could cut it down - but, as we are 2 at home all day (every day) life would then get a bit greyer. As has been said when a budget comes in the first thing that is often hit is food shopping. I read that some Brits are buying out of date Pot Noodle - oh please gawd nooooo. Its balance and what suits one person may not suit another?

Penny-Pincher!!

Could you give us some examples of mealplans you think arent very good?

I cant see personally how you are buying that much chicken/protein and all other food for just £50pw. Do you buy the really value chicken for that?

Can you give us a typical days food and costing from your mealplan? I would be very interested to see it if you dont mind.

Thanks PP
xx

got-it-spend-it

Wow, there are some thought provoking views on here. The protein debate seems to be one that rears it's head every now and then, but I think as everyone has already said, it really depends on your lifestyle.

I think it is very hard to judge the quality of anyone's diet just by looking at a mealplan. The recipes I use to make things like chilli, lasagne, curries etc are very different to the recipes that would be used in a pub meal (for example) or a ready meal, or indeed traditional meat based ones that many people use. My meals from scratch are meat-free and chock-full of veggies with the protein coming from a mixture of pulses and quorn. Consequently the meals are lower in saturated fat and animal proteins than the 'traditional' version would be. Likewise I make my own pates for lunches, but these are virtually fat free (mostly pulse based) so are more healthy than the word pate suggests.

Just my tuppeneth worth- I love looking at the weekly meal plans [STRIKE]steal[/STRIKE] enjoy the ideas of others.