6000 meals under 50p in 2010; feeding your family on a low budget

vandanfc

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=336033

Have a look here - 1st post is original recipe, then followed by other people's variations.

purpleivy

Nancy888 wrote: »

Well the kids and I discuss at the evening meal how many of our 5 a day we have had and don't really pay any attention to the size of the portion - its the number and variety that count and, being very competitive I don't like losing so if they can jokingly count the strawberries in their *flavoured* yoghurt I can claim the grapes...!!

Did you know that in the states it's the 9 or 10 a day to get them back on the wagon with their obesity figures!!! :eek:

It's interesting that you mention the 9 a day. I had heard that it was what we should be eating, but that the powers that be thought there would be absolutely no chance of attaining this, so they settled for the 5 a day as a compromise.

...and everyone knows that chocolate is made from Beans. So I guess I can have one portion towards my five-a-day. How big is a portion again...?:rotfl:

I'm contemplating what my food budget should be for this year. Can't decide whether to go with the same as last year or the £25 per adult route. Hmmmm

evie451

Sorry Nancy, its the recipe at the beginning of the cheapest healthy meals ever thread....

you will need
bag of potatoes
1/2 tins of chopped tomatoes
8oz of cheese
2 onions
oil

chop the potatoes and onions into fairly thin slices then begin layering in an ovenproof dish as follows

layer of pots then onion with tomatoes on top then cheese repeat as often as you need to to fill the dish.....

finish with a layer of potatoes and cheese on top sprinkle with salt and drizzle some olive oil cover then bung in the oven!

mine is usually in for about an hour then i take off the foil/lid and let it brown a bit on top.....

there are loads of variations and its a good one to use up pots tonight i have bunged in half of a packet of bacon so its a sort of bacon hot pot...

if you want to read the original version which is longer then look at the thread pink winged/penny put on the beginning of this one entitled cheapest healthy meal ever!

HappyMJ

purpleivy wrote: »

...and everyone knows that chocolate is made from Beans. So I guess I can have one portion towards my five-a-day. How big is a portion again...?:rotfl:

As chocolate is mostly milk and sugar I'd have to say a 250g block should do it.

katieclampet

Very interesting thread, and good luck with your challenge. I always think it is more important to eat a healthy diet, than be obssessed with particular foods. I usually manage to eat 5 fruit or veg a day, (although I do sometimes count Pizza as 1 serving!:rotfl:)

katiex

yummyhoney

good luck mark,,i'll be watching with interest,,nearly afraid to post here at the mo:(((

valk_scot

Re: the Veg Portion debate. Yes it's supposed to be five different veg per day, mixed colours, portion size that of the individual's fist. However there's almost always a qualifier or two in the literature to say that it can be averaged out over several days, normally a week, so if you want to eat five portions of carrots on Monday, five of peas on Tuesday etc etc then you'll still be doing just fine. Also if you do only eat two types of veg and one of fruit ever, five portions per day of these is still very good. (Even if they are all the same colour.) The recommendations are for best practice, not an either/or situation. Bottom line is to eat some rather than none, when it comes to fruit and veg!

And yes, most US states say seven to nine portions of fruit and veg per day.

Gigervamp

purpleivy wrote: »

It's interesting that you mention the 9 a day. I had heard that it was what we should be eating, but that the powers that be thought there would be absolutely no chance of attaining this, so they settled for the 5 a day as a compromise.

And I'm sure I read somewhere, that in France, it's 7 a day.

I subscribe to the *a bit of everything* rule, over a week, rather than a day. Although I do tend to eat cheese most days. Full fat cheddar mostly.
Does chutney count as one of the veg?

Anyway, i'll be following this thread with interest. I agree with some of the points made by PBS although not with the presentation of them. And the posts by people who help those with debts about what is considered to be a decent amount to spend on food are very helpful.

Mark and Nikki, I wish you all the best.

mark55man

misscousinitt wrote: »

Just came across this thread today and can I say WELL DONE to the OP for setting the challenge.

It is a pity that alot of this thread has been tarnished by nasties.

It is possible to eat healthily for very little money; especially if you have your own chickens and you grow your own. Have people lost sight that the target is not 100% of meals to be under 50p; but 90%!! And ultimately the goal is to keep within the Grocery Budget....

I applaud people who set these challenges and the resulting threads usually throw up some great ideas that people can incorporate into their lives and make a difference to their budget.

And as far as being healthy can I just say this...everything in moderation...everyone deserves a treat from time to time. As my Nan used to say, "A little bit of what you fancy does you good", and she lived to 91!!!!

I look forward to following this thread. Good Luck with your journey.

;-)

I should just say that I have no external suppliers of food - eg eggs or produce from the garden. I am going to try and do better in the garden, but that won't kick in until spring at the earliest.

I appreciate your support, but on reflection I am actually grateful for the force of Polishbigspender's argument (if not the tone!!), and you should see more emphasis on this going forward - eg fruit juice in the morning, fruit for pudding if the main course is short in vegetables. lunchboxes have always been mostly healthy.

This will of course make it more difficult to make 50p - but my main focus is to help control cost by having a challenging target. this will be done by watching the costs on necessary spends (3 meals a day) and reducing unnecesary spends (eg chocolate and snacks)

back soon, with my numbers for the day - need to check costs on or two items as they were from storecupboard

mark55man

So reporting back for Monday 4th January

Today's Summary - 17/18 meals 50p or under:
Summary Total - 88/92 = 95.7% = 5912 50p meals to go

Breakfast: 6 lots of cereals + milk + glass fruit juice (Lidl OJ 100% fruit @ 60p/litre) or Lidl Clear Apple Juice (80p per litre). All under 50p (6/6)
Lunch: 50p or under (5/6)
OP - Fruit &Salad - Handful iceburg lettuce (1/8th) Lidl 80p = 10p, Banana 70p bunch of 6 = 12p, 2 slices white bread 10p, apple Lidl 10p = 42p
OH - Egg Mayo Sandwich - 2eggs 32p (Lidl 6 medium free range for 99p) 2 slices bread 10p dash mayo 2p Total 44p
DD1 - Cheese Salad - Handful iceburg lettuce (1/8th) = 10p, Handful Cherry tomotoes (Lidl £1 for 20 or so) = 25p - : cube of cheese 50g - 25p. total 60p
DS1 : Cheese Salad - Handful iceburg lettuce (1/8th) = 10p, cube of cheese 50g - 25p Apple 10p . total 45p
DD2 : Fruit - Banana 12p, Apple 10p, Clementine (Waitrose 13 for £1.40) = 11p Pack of Wotsits (Lidl 10 for 99p) 10p = 43p
DS2 : Noodles - Value Noodles with half tin sweetcorn = 28p
Supper: 50p or under (6/6)
Macaroni Cheese - 500g Pasta 50p, 200g grated cheese £1, 6 Apples - 60p = Total £2.10 - average 35p