Help! £40 to feed family for the month

skintandsad

Another of my fave recipes was my mums red rice.

Soften onion, carrot, peppers in a little oil.
Add rice - gently cook till translucent.
Add garlic if liked.
Stir in tin of cheap chopped tomatoes, and some tomato puree if you have some, or a blob of ketchup.
Fill tomato tin with water and stir in (you may need more water than one tin, depends how much rice you have).
Add a chicken stock cube if you have one, if not, add salt, and a little sugar to counteract tartness of tomatoes.

When water all absorbed, check that rice is cooked through (if not add a little more water), eat - yum :T

janb5

debbiemc wrote: »

Hi :wave:

!

Just wanted to second the earlier poster's comments concerning Tesco own brand nappies - the purple pack - they are really good and I use them all the time. Haven't tried the Value ones I'm afraid. If you wanted to be on the safe side a generous dollop of Sudocrem at each nappy change should ease the transition to cheaper nappies, especially if your little one has a sensitive bottom!

HTH.

Hi Janb5 here again. I am a HV and personally think that Vaseline is tons better than Sudocreme which doesnt absorb very well and is quite` clarty`!( Good old Northern word!) Also so much cheaper!

patchwork_cat

Janb5 was going to say vaseline or own brand - noticed tub in Wilko for 49p. We found petroleum jelly the best, too, but you can't beat the smell of Sudocreme!!

mbaz

I wish I could post photos on here...I have a brilliant one of my son and some sudacrem that would act as a great poster warning parents never to leave their children alone with the stuff!!!

mbaz

My kids have only just gone to bed! Please can I have an extension on my homework??!!

My hubbie has arvo off tomorrow so I absolutely promise to do my meal plan and shopping list...right now I am good for nothing except a bath and bed..._pale_ (<<<<that was the closest smiley I could find for "bloomin' knackered")


1st - carbonara (just found a jar in back of cupboard)
2nd Lasagne (with added lentils )
3rd chicken and rice
4th jacket spuds with smartprice beans
5th defrost a curry
6th lasagne
7th omlette
8th chicken dinner
9th casserole in giant yorkshire
10th canelloni
11th Beans on toast
12th Jacket spud
13th ate for free!!!
14th Egg and chips
15th curry (bulked out with lentils!)
16th veggie sausages and chips
17th left-over-bulked-out-curry
18th 4p curry sauce and chips yummy!
19th chicken risotto
20th beans on toast
21th Egg n chips
22th Gruel pie
23th Shezza's pasta sauce
24th - Chicken risotto

popularfurball

I can only a hundreth what everyone else has said - this is inspiring!! Being a student bum, I try and feed OH as well as possible, but keeping costs low. I don't find that the Tesco drops stuff that much in price - knocking beween 10-50p off items, and morrisons only seems to have surplus kidney pies going cheap (can't stand!!!)... However, I think I am going to try "proper" home cooking now - I do cook every night, but often use jars etc... Thanks!!! Keep it up - Its brilliant!!!!

frugalswan

mbaz, you're brilliant. I've really enjoyed reading this thread. Well done! I'll be following the rest of it now so I can see how you get on.

leeleesavesalot

Just to say well done! You are an inspiration.... Also thanks to all the posts with suggestions for cheap meals. I'm on a mission to spend less on the weekly shop but hate mince so that rules out a lot of the usuals (spag bol, lasagne, shepherds pie etc) but i'll try my best! Good luck with the last few days and i'll be voting for you as well :beer:

popularfurball

frugalswan wrote: »

mbaz, you're brilliant. I've really enjoyed reading this thread. Well done! I'll be following the rest of it now so I can see how you get on.

Moi aussi!!!:T

KiKi

I haven't posted in here, but I have been following the thread, and just wanted to say a HUGE well done, I am just so so impressed with the way you've stayed cheerful and managed to feed your family on what you had. It is seriously inspirational.

Out of interest mbaz - and forgive me if I missed this elsewhere in the thread! - how much have you spent so far? Do you think you can do it in under £20?

Well done!

KiKi