Help! £40 to feed family for the month

cha97michelle

Can i just add a couple of my tips here - a bit late i know, but i'm only just trying them myself.

1) i re-discovered a bag of pearl barley when doing my food shopping. This was only 30p in Mr M compared to 86p for 500g bag of red lentils, and can be used in soups/stews/casseroles. The only negative is it needs cooking for longer, but i chucked some in a pork casserole i made in the SC, and it was really tasty.

2) I have been saving bits of the broccoli stems for ages as i had seen a recipe for broccol and ginger soup. I decided i would just chuck some of these in my soups that i make that i blend, and they didn't alter the taste in any negative way, provided some extra nutrients and thickness, were cheap as i would have previously thrown this bit away

3) I had a bag of frozen berries in the freezer, and i decided to start chucking a handful in with my morning porridge. Tasty.

I will be trying out a couple of the recipes i found here definitely, and very soon. I hope i have also helped someone.

Michelle, x

sophisticated.

otterspasm wrote: »

Freezing mash is great. You could also make roast potatoes and freeze them. They re-heat nicely.

This is a great idea, I always waste potatoes so I've got some roasts in the oven now thanks to reading this What is the best way to re-heat them after freezing? If oven, what temp how long etc? Thanks x

penny_less

Since reading on here you can freeze roast potatoes, I have been saving the odd ones every time i have made them for the last few weeks. At the weekend I had enough for us all, so reheated them in the oven at gm6 (200c) for about 1/2 hr (until I could see them 'sizzling'). They were perfect, no different to when I've made them fresh, and 'free'.

LydiaJ

My kids like pasta with tinned mackerel and tomato puree.

Use tinned mackerel in oil. Drain off some of the oil into the pasta pan to stop the pasta sticking, and leave the rest in with the fish. When the pasta is nearly cooked, heat the fish gently with tomato puree (the tubed kind keeps longer than jars) and herbs. Drain the pasta and mix it all together. Serve with salad or garlic bread or something.

Cornishpixie_2

I make DS2 a poor man's fish pie. Heat in a saucepan little oil garlic and onion, then add tinned pilchards, tinned tomatos. Add to casserole dish, sprinkle with cheese, top with crushed sp tortilla crisps. Can be served with pasta. Also I have discovered through trial and error how to make a chicken lasagne with left over chicken and veg. Coat top with a roux sauce with cheese added and plenty cheese sprinkled on top.Have made that today for tea with Lemon curd tart.:)

clairelouise100

Well I bought some pearl barley from tesco today to try, it was only 33p a bag, so will definitely give it a go x

gailey_2

Oh my god spent hours reading this thread im totally hooked.
Well done when I saw initially I dident think possible you are a true inspiration.
When you find out if you win post of the month.
Cant wait to see your dec/xmas meal plan as we are guilty of spending far too much on food in decemember as everyone is as have people round so do buffet/snacky things buy more treats like nuts,chocolate/pop and alchol.

Its funny lentils is mentioned as this last week been totally skint and been trying to live off limited food we have and in desperation last nite made red lentil chilli concarne which hubby hated!
Im wondering if I add small bit to mince would he notice? He loves his meat and not keen on qourn so hes always a challange.
Think I need to get blending to disguise stuff in soupd and sauces.
Also think I need slow cooker although hubby feels it be another useless appliance.

Right had to get creative thsi week with small sucess

some youngs frozen boil in bag fish fillets at bottom of freezer in parsey sauce cooked in micro added to baking dish and topped with creamy mash potato-definate winner.

Qourn suasages with driedv stunningreadymade yorkiesfrozen veg and bisto- another hit

Last nice lentil chilli-miss

10p morrisoons curry sauce with mcain frozen oven chips!

supernoodles with chopepd cherry tomatoes and pepper(bog off in motrrisiosn other week.

Tonight got freind round so defrosted 3seabass fillets last of fish in freezer were 7.99 for pack of 4 in aldis.
last nite made spicey tomato sauce with 2 tins tomatoeschilligarlic and onions .
Today plan to skin and fillet the seabas put on baking tray with spicey tomato sauce on top with grated chese bake and serve with potoes and frozen veg!

guess I could try rice with mixed frozen veg and stock

Am running out of ideas should have money friday!

However we are now dire! Got no pasta sauces just one tin of plum tomatoes left and tiny bit of bacon to make pasta.

one granery bread mix

gona try stuffing and lentil burgers as stuffing was on offer other week so got lots.

Determined to spend less as we set budget of 200 amonth for 2adults and toddler and keep overspending.
We buy lots of fresh and live like kings for 1st week then its dire.
If funny when people say they got nothing in house as when you search you can find loads if you creative.

Right having worked for 2 weel know supermarket chains including one well known frozen food retailer here are few secrets of trade.

Multibuys can sometimes be con as they double in price and often when come off offer they go half price or lower.
One well known frozen food retailer no longer reduces stuff anymore and so much is thrown away its really bad also their rounded up cheaper prices and less bogoffs actually comes in smaller amounts o you not really getting as much as you thinka nd core things like pepper salt,pasta sauce and pasta really pricey so just stock to frozen.multibuys.
Anotehr well know chain I have worked for have changed rediction policy so no longer bargain 75%off max of 25% which is rubbish when trying to manage waste budget.
Akso there is something called the national price index so therefore london and big inner city more pricey also remeber each supermarket has differnet price structures my last emplyer had 4 with garge and convineinace being pricer than larger store for exactly same product! Also different stores depending on suze may not be ranged for same products hence why some people cant find tesco curry sauceand dont fget tesco complex as you got
tesco express/garage
tesco metro
tesco superstore
tesco extrra all different range and different prices!

We personally like tesco but found we spent too much so switched to morrsions which hubby loves. we also try to go aldos once a month as prefer it to lidls.
We have sainsburys very close by whivh we love do like their basics range and found last 6months they got fab deals and useful recipie cards.
Also got somerfeild near by but pricey so avoid
hubby /daughter hates asda
I usually find co-op pricey but ok if you just shop deals and good reductions in my big one as not too popular
Does anyone think farm shops or butchers/greengrocers would save us more money?
We tried farmshop but thourght it was priocey also tried farmers market.
I guess im lucky living on big city spilt for choice but finding time my mam only has tesco metro /waitrose/farmfoods and icelands near her and whinges she dont get super deals like asdas/morrisions.

Im bit unlucky with reductions bit hit and miss a year ago hubby laughed at me for rumagging reduced and now hes first to look.
We stwiched to own brand and made many cutbacks
Think credit crunch has hit us all.

I nee dtips for cheap partyfayre preferably something that resembles m&s do love their 2 to dine for £10 offer as stretched mien lots by opting for whole chicken and bag of new potoes with nice wine and yummy dessert.
I guess we need to buy more frozen and grocery rather than just fresh.

I need more tupperware in my life from santa!

clairelouise100

I was only thinking yesterday that I now need more containers to put in the freezer. I bought a pack of 4 lidded containers in Instore yesterday for £1.99. My chilli which i padded out with lentils is defrosting at the moment. Hope the kids like it! x

smarties84

I am struggling aswell, thanks for tips.

Cornishpixie_2

Funny enough I've just defrosted some surplis lentil soup for tea tonight. Thought I'd give the kids that with HM potato cakes. Not as bad tonight as Hubby being fed at work. So we slum it on those shifts:rotfl: Hope U all have a good day:D