Is it possible to feed a family of 4 on £5 a day?

paybacktime2008

I have just bought....6 chicken breasts, 4 pork chops, 4 leeks, bag of potato wedges, 6 almond cakes, 2 pints of milk, sugarsnap peas and babycorn, bread, plums and freezer bags for £7.07...so excited (sad eh!?) Could of got loads more but no room in freezer. Other day got 4 chicken breasts for 97p and stewpack of veg for 20p Thats made up in the freezer as chicken casserole. All whoopsies from Somerfield. I tend to pop in there now as it is struggling since the opening of new supermarkets and always has LOADS of whoopsies. Have you got a supermarket near you that you know is struggling? Often the best place to look for silly price reductions.

valk_scot

Don't think of it as £5 per meal or whatever. Think of it as £10 per day, or £70 per week, or £250 per month or whatever you are aiming for. I find it's easiest to think weekly. Does your budget have to cover things like laundry, toiletries and cleaning products too?

Then write a list of what basics you absolutely HAVE to buy per week or month, like milk, bread, tea bags etc etc. If you need to cover toiletries etc have a seperate budget for that. Keep food as food only. Then work out how much you have left to cover three meals per day plus snacks for you all.

Then write a menu plan. It's easiest to write out a couple of lists of what your family likes/dislikes, plus all your favourite dishes. It helps to see what fits where. For instance s has been said a decent sized roast chicken on Sunday will stretch to a second meal lile stir-fry or curry on Monday, sandwiches on Tuesday and soup for several days.

From the menu plan, you write a shopping list and stick to it. The nly exceptions here are when you spot a dirt cheap bargain or whoopsie. It's worth having a little extra money that's not within the budget to cover these, then you pay yourself backat the start of the next week.

I finds it's easiest to keep a housekeeping purse and work in cash. I budget £300 per month for four of us (2 adults, one 8 year old and a growing 13 year old lad) and we eat very well on that. The kids get a combination of packed lunches and school dinners, OH has packed lunches, I eat at home during the day. Cereal and toast type breakfasts during the week, cooked breakfasts at weekends, cooked dinner with soup or pudding every night. I cook a lot from scratch, though not always, bulk buy, batch cook and do a lot of my own baking. It takes more organisation and forethought but it's perfectly doable and once you get into the swing of things it's actually easier than muddling along from day to day with random shopping. And cheaper!

Butterfly_Brain

It is definitely doable.
I have had to for years; the best advice that I can give is to meal plan and write a shopping list and keep to it, look out for whoopsies, try to find a shopping club near you - I go to a freezer one about 5 miles away but it saves me so much money.
Find a friendly butcher / greengrocer they will advise on the best cheap options and you can buy exactly the quantity that you need.

nb Have you checked out the economy gastronomy thread?