Help! £40 to feed family for the month

Tashja

Asda do some curry sauces for 5p and they are yummy - like chip shop sauce.

T xx

CoD_2

mbaz wrote: »

I love lentil soup too. How do you make it?

9oz red lentils, 1 tin tomatoes, carrots chopped, onion chopped, stock (from cube) or just water. cook lentils and veg, blend, season.

you can also add some curry powder for curried lentil soup

patchwork_cat

My first thought was - you can't do it! Having read other posts if you like pulses then that is the way to go. Weezle's threa would be a good stopping off point - lots of Dahls. Try dried chickpeas soaked as per packet - would prob make nice burgers (I use tinned for these, but don't know why dried and soaked wouldn't work)

Bacon and lentil soup is nice, not sure of extra cost, but cooking bacon is reasonable and could just add a bit for some added flavour.

CoD_2

tesco curry sauce is 4p a tin, every little helps lol

we had it last week, it was nice.

rice n peas is cheap, i cook rice in some stock, or just water, add defrosted peas, any leftover meat cubed small, any leftover cheese, again cubed, add any cooked leftover veg (carrots, courgettes, onions) cubed again! stir and serve after seasoning.

mbaz

Just typed shopping list into Tesco.com and it looks good!!

Tesco Value Long Grain Rice 1kg £0.79 going to need more rice for all my bulked out sauces etc
2 x Tesco Value Spaghetti 500g £0.46ditto
Tesco Sage & Onion Stuffing Mix 170g £0.58
Tesco Value Whole Chicken 1.30kg £2.79
thought can do a sunday lunch and use leftovers in curry or with rice
2 x Tesco Value Chopped Tomatoes 400g £0.42
Tesco Value Toilet Tissue 4pk 800 Sheet £0.38<
Tesco Strong Brown Bread Flour 1.5kg £0.89
have got yeast and butter
2 x Tesco Whole Milk 3.408ltr/6 Pints £4.24 going to freeze one and this will hopefully last us
2 x Tesco Value Baked Beans In Tomt/Sauce 420g £0.40
Tesco Value Dark Red Kidney Beans 400g £0.14
Tesco Value Oats 1kg £0.59
2 x Onions Loose Class 2 £0.36
Miscellaneous Granulated Sugar2kg Parcels £1.61
Colmans Traditional Chicken Casserole Mix 40g £0.47
Tesco Value Pasta Sauce 440g £0.25<
Tesco Value Red Leicester Medium £2.93 for sarnies/lasagne etc
Tesco Wholefoodsred Split Lentils 1kg £1.52

Total £18.81!!!!

You are stars!!!! Any suggestions for cutbacks/replacements?

ps. not going to buy online obviously!! will go to my local store tomorrow

mbaz

Will treat myself to a few 4p sauces with the change!!!

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

how about soups? I did a nice pea soup the other day which was made up of dried peas, onion, water, herbs, filled us all up and dead cheap! You can pick up the old fashioned packet of peas in asda for pence.

Cheap pasta like smartprice is ok, 20p for spaghetti would do a meal for 4, tin tomatoes herbs s&p oil for the sauce reduced down and a bit of grated cheese on top is nice.

Tins of sardines are very good for you and cheap, I buy smartprice corned beef and can't see any difference to any other brand.

Salmon heads/tails from the fishmongers are cheap and full of fish if you are prepared to cook it down and spend time getting the bones and skin off, would make a nice fish pie.

Hope this helps, let us know how you get on

mbaz

Meal planner (until 25th Sept - OH's payday!!)

1st - carbonara (just found a jar in back of cupboard)
2nd Lasagne (with added lentils )
3rd Bolognaise
4th Veggie burgers with homemade chips
5th defrost a curry
6th lentil soup
7th chicken dinner
8th chicken casserole with yorkshires (leftovers)
9th Defrost a curry
10th lasagne (hoping to bulk out sauce enough with lentils to s-t-r-e-t-c-h to two)
11th chicken and rice
12th shepherds pie (make 2 and freeze 1)
13th veggie sausages and mash
14th Beans on toast (gotta crop up somewhere)!!
15th chicken curry with 4p sauce
16th chicken casserole (hopefully made enough on 8th to s-t-r-e-t-c-h )
17th pasta with cheese and tomatoe sauce
18th shepherds pie from 12th
19th risotto
20th Homemade soup
21th Beans on toast (end of month fave there again!)
22th Egg and chips
23th Veggie rice
24th - Go to take away in middle of night when OH's salary goes in!! :rotfl:

:T wish me luck will keep you posted!)

CoD_2

i'd buy stock cubes instead of the casserole mix, do you drink semi skimmed? you could dilute the whole milk to make it go further. could you make stuffing? leftover breadcrumbs, some chopped onions, any herbs,

the value white cheese is 40p cheaper a kg, but the red leicester might be stronger, cartons of UHT milk are 3p cheaper a litre, if you buy the boxes of 6, UHT skimmed cartons are 13p cheaper a litre. obv that would be skimmed and it would be cheaper to buy full fat if you're watering it down.

not sure what sugar is for but strangely sugar cubes are cheaper per kg. 72p a kg instead of 82p.

try and get some root veg if you can, and see if the chicken can be from the whoopsied aisle. i'd also recommend stripping it quickly after the meal, or hiding it while you eat as i find family disappearing into the kitchen and picking at the leftovers:rotfl: not good when they're destined for other things.

erm flour for baking? (not bread)

CoD_2

lol at 24th entry