DESPERATELY need cheap meal ideas

wordsfan

food bills getting outta hand!! theres only me and 8 yr old daughter and i DO cook and don't eat out and rarely get takeaways (twice or less a month, naturally they're going!!) but food bill regularly £50 a week! and thats at asda (no other supermarkets here) only place in my budget left to cut back on is food! (don't drink, don't smoke, don't have a social life)

I'm vegetarian, daughter isn't but eats vegetarian at home. she gets free school meals as i am disabled and not working. I need ideas for main evening meal as apart from everything else we seem to keep having the same thing!! casseroles/stews, pasta, stir frys/curry's. would also like tips on making own sauces for these and other meals and advice on what can and can't be frozen.

Thanks in anticipation of the great ideas i know i'll get.

WF

squeaky

A few threads to browse to start you off. All over in the Old Style board...

Easy, cheap Vegetarian recipes?

feed 2 for £10 a week Pesco-vegetarian

Gingham's Vegetarian Meal Planner

Gingham's vegetarian meal planner - SUMMER

And then meal planning may help...

Monthly Meal Planner

And a whole bunch of shopping tips along with plenty of support...

May 2009 Grocery Challenge

penny_pinch

You might find it helpful to use mysupermarket.com to check and compare brand,prices/deals/and special offers which you can see at a glance.This works very well with meal planning.It might also help to do a "dummy shop"online with this site so you can see where you can make savings.I have found this helpful for avoiding "impulse buys" and sticking to a list.

claire21

use coupons as cash at Tesco to help your money go further.

Have a look at the discount/voucher forum and see the "sticky" at the top of the page - printable coupons. There is probably £25 of coupons there if you havent downloaded them already. Some you can print twice so there is another £15 roughtly.

Again use the Old style board.

PS Buy the Sun every day this week for £5 off a £30 spend at Morrisions but can be used at Tesco and use with the printable vouchers.

MickMun

claire21 wrote: »

use coupons as cash at Tesco to help your money go further.

Have a look at the discount/voucher forum and see the "sticky" at the top of the page - printable coupons. There is probably £25 of coupons there if you havent downloaded them already. Some you can print twice so there is another £15 roughtly.

Again use the Old style board.

PS Buy the Sun every day this week for £5 off a £30 spend at Morrisions but can be used at Tesco and use with the printable vouchers.

Just a shame theres no Tesco or Morrisons as mentioned by the OP

claire21

MickMun wrote: »

Just a shame theres no Tesco or Morrisons as mentioned by the OP

Doh! I missed that bit.

minxeme

I tried using morrison voucher last nite at tesco-spent £50-other coupons worked but morrisons wouldnt scan

babs2008

Sainsbury's are doing buy one get one free on Cauldron falafel (£1.99).

They are lovely in either wraps or pitta with sour cream and salad on the side. Fairly filling too and good for summer tea times.

MickMun

babs2008 wrote: »

Sainsbury's are doing buy one get one free on Cauldron falafel (£1.99).

They are lovely in either wraps or pitta with sour cream and salad on the side. Fairly filling too and good for summer tea times.

Just a shame theres no sainsburys as mentioned by the OP

babs2008

MickMun wrote: »

Just a shame theres no sainsburys as mentioned by the OP

I missed that too

There are plenty of falafel recipies around, so it'd maybe be worth a try at home made.

vicshippers

My partner and I can live a week on £30 easily by getting plenty of cheap pasta/pasta sauces, rice or noodles packs when they're on special offer (or just getting the asda price value type ones). Beef these up with some quorn products when they're on special offer (excuse the pun re beef).

We also get the value bread and have beans on toast a lot, as well as jacket potatoes with just beans and butter (cheese is too much £ )