Help! £40 to feed family for the month

thriftmonster

Congratulations mbaz - I've been reading along - and you've done so well - you deserve your treats. And value bourbons are delish (and dairy free - hurrah!)

lilmisskitkat

well done Mbaz! Have enjoyed this thread so much, you're a real inspiration Makes me feel at how much ive let things slip recently But this thread has given me a much-needed kick up the backside and i'm going to do better!

congrats hun! :beer:

Kate xxx

Welshwoofs

Well done Mbaz :T - you've done fantastically, you've inspired me to try this for October. I'm just constructing a tally of my storecupboards when I've finished work tonight!

I really recommend Delia Smith's 'Frugal Food'. If you go to http://www.greenmetropolis.com/ you can pick up a second hand copy for £3.75 including postage.

patchwork_cat

Don't buy the books - go to your library.You may be able to check if they have it on line. I did this with the Wagamama cookbook, because I wasn't sure I would use it and am glad I did as I only thought 2 of the recipes would enter my repertoire. If you find you like it you can always buy it then.

I used to collect cookery books, but most of them I don't get more than a couple of recipes out of. Does anyone else find that they eat the same things again and again. Sometimes I lack inspiration and get into a rut and have to work out at my menu plan to make internesting again though!

donnajt

I agree - I have both Delia's Frugal Cookery and the Jocasta Innes books (much cheaper off ebay or amazon btw), there are only a couple of recipes from each book that i use.

I would be more than happy to forward recipes from them if anybody was interested (have posted a couple of "lentil" ones on this post already

last night mum gave me a recipe for jambalya - it was gorgeous however, next time I would add extra rice and cut down on the "extras" as it would prove expensive if I included everything - also it's the kind of dish you can throw anything into, here's the recipe

Ham and Sausage Jambayla

3tbls veg oil (you could use any)
2 onions, chopped
1 green and 1 red pepper sliced (i used Mr T frozen)
6oz long grain rice (I will probably use 10oz next time)
1 chicken or ham stock cube - 1 pint hot water (value cube)
pinch of tumeric powder (not even sure this is necessary)
2/3 cooked chicken breasts or 4 cooked sausages (chop into small bits = i used 2 leftover breasts)
4oz cooked ham (i used 2x pepperoni and 1/2 pack of chorizo)
3oz peeled prawns (optional - i added but won't bother next time)
Tin toms (would probably add extra tin next time if rice is increased)
salt and black pepper

1. Heat oil, fry onions, peppers and rice for 5 mins
2. Add stock and tumeric and bring to boil, cover and simmer for 15 mins (you may need to add extra water)
3. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook for 45 mins or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender (again you may need to add drop more water)
Serve - lovely jubbly!

Popped into Mr T last night and picked up bag of apples for 22p, Mr T Finest Sandwiches x2 66p, nectaries 20p - lovely!

Guapa1

I'm a bit like that patchwork. What I try to do is every fortnight I try a new recipe.

maman

I tried this site fantastic prices but it won't let me buy anything. Says the book I want is in stock but only lets me 'add to wish list'. Where am I going wrong?

maman

I really recommend Delia Smith's 'Frugal Food'. If you go to http://www.greenmetropolis.com/ you can pick up a second hand copy for £3.75 including postage.

Welshwoofs, this looks great but it wouldn't give me a basket (bit like Aldi!) just a wish list. The book I wanted was in stock. What am I doing wrong?

donnajt

Delia's Frugal Recipes - I might be wrong but I think you can purchase the ebook version of this cheaply from delia's website

Fern_Merkin

I think that this thread has inspired so many people that they've all gone out and bought the recommended books. I got The Jocasta Innes 1 and when I was perusing amazon there were a few for <£3 posted. When I looked immediately after they were starting at £5 posted. Either we've all got em or the buyers got savvy

Have loved this thread, came to it late but have read every post. Big love to you mbaz, you're a star and an inspiration!