Economy Gastronomy - new budget cookery programme; BBC

smartcat04

Just watching on iplayer. That chicken leg at the BBQ on the intro is pink!

beckstrous

I thought the programme last night was good. Nice family, willing to give it a go. My OH cooks something very similar to the beef, and it's lovely. We usually just freeze the leftovers. Never considered it with pasta, but might give that a try.

I really liked the look of the chicken recipe. I think we will have to try that one.

We're moving to a bigger house soon, and money will be a lot tighter. We are fortunate in that we have been fairly comfortable so far, but then our house is small and bursting at the seams so it's time to move up the ladder. I have tried to stick to a rough food budget but sometimes go over what I intend to spend if we want to cook something special etc. From now on I am going to be very strict, and when we've used up our money for the week we won't be buying anything else, unless it's what I consider to be essential (e.g. milk, fresh fruit).

We are aiming for £55 per week at the moment. I do know that some of you manage on far less than that and I admire you for it but I think OS is about not wasting things, and about sticking to *your* budget. For us that does include a veg box and only free range or organic chicken. We are lucky to be able to have those things but very frugal with them...we make use of every last bit of that chicken! The veg box helps you budget and meal plan anyway.

But as we are moving we have set ourselves a challenge - no more veg boxes until we are in the new house (early September hopefully) and use up the freezer and storecupboard as much as poss!

HariboJunkie

skiTTish wrote: »

Did anyone spot the use of ready roll pastry ?!?!?!!?:eek:

Yep... I swear by it. Using some tonight it fact for my sausage rolls.

Flipped27

Me and DH sat down to watch this last night thinking "Oh good, this will help us cut our food bills down and make good food for less.."

Ahem, nope. Don't think so. £330 this family of 5 were spending A WEEK on food?!

Clever them managed to get it down to "only" £210.

GAH!!! We are spending £85 but reguarly going over - what hope do we have?!

It was a complete joke....

ginvzt

There is a thread about this program already on Old Style Moneysaving board:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1844847

Flipped27

Ah thanks, i hadn't seen that....

MrsTinks

I'll move your thread over to the OS board for you

avinabacca

Gigervamp wrote: »

That really is quite disgusting.

Disgusting?

Literally? :rolleyes:

avinabacca

Thing is - the show's called Economy Gastronomy - not Allegra's "Let's-Buy-A-Big-Sack-Of-Value-Oats-On-Payday-And-Live-Off-That-For-The-Month" Recipe Showdown! I understand what people are saying about comparative levels of moneysaving attainment (and fair play to anyone who can cut back on the grocery budget and still make imaginative, nutritious meals), but surely if you've been accustomed to a five-figure annual grocery bill, it's utter nonsense to think that cutting back to bare, bare bones overnight is a sensible idea?

The principles of the show are sound - and it's refreshing to see a "reality" food show based on something other than conflict; Jamie Oliver's production company could learn a lot from this.........

Mind, I was interested to see the fishmonger's recommendation to buy mussels when they're at their best, during months with an "R" in them (show broadcast 12/08), and also chuckled some at the butcher's championing of less-popular cuts of beef such as flank and brisket - when everyone knows that in yer average supermarket (say, the one which begins in "A", where last night's family shopped), you're lucky to be offered the choice between "braising steak" and "stewing steak".

Does the supermarket in question even stock chuck-steak???

Gigervamp

avinabacca wrote: »

Disgusting?

Literally? :rolleyes:

Not sure what you're getting at.

Throwing 7k of food away is disgusting, horrendous, shameful, really, really bad. :rolleyes: