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

jamanda

JackieO wrote: »

Hi anyone I haven't forwarded the recipes to let me know
JackieO xx

Received thank you. Will play with them when I get back from taking the dog to play snowballs in the fields. :eek:

sexykellylovespink

hi jackie i have just pm you x

Queen_of_NO_MATTER_WHAT

Hi there,

Well done so far on your challenge

Would it make it easier if you were to split your meals into £3 per meal (still 50p per person)? so for example if you were to buy a gamon hock (£1.49 from our local butcher), and cook in slow cooker and serve with veggies, say potatoes (usually on offer in lidl or aldi for 49p for 2.5kg), carrots (45p in lidl) and cabbage (29p lidl) you could serve the family a good home cooked meal for about £2.18 approx 37p per person assuming you don't use all the vegetables, you could then use the water from the gamon (and any scraps, plus some additional veggies) to make soup the next day for lunch or dinner with home made bread?

Also morrisons have offers on 500g of minced beef, £1.90, you could stretch that to 2 meals if you bulked out the meat with grated carrot/lentils/oats. If you could that would mean the minced beef would be 15p per person for each meal.

Maybe that's not how you want to calculate it, but I just find that £3 for a meal seems much more managable rather than 50p per person

thriftlady_2

3v3 wrote: »

Did you know you could have some fresh homegrown "greens" as soon as this weekend?

You could try "sprouting seeds", grown in an old jar (or, if you really enjoy them, you could by the three-tiered tray thingie).

They are fab: to your egg n mayo sandwiches; as a little 'salad' on the side of your plate when you have your macaroni cheese; toss in with your cheese salad veggies. You can add them to stir fries, omelettes, toss a few in soup (at the end), use them in deli wraps, toss into pasta sauces (again, at the end).

There is a nice long thread on the subject on this forum ... here it is: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=134746&highlight=sprouting+seeds

The initial outlay (if you go for the posh system) would take you over budget, but it would be an investment rather than a squander - well, if you like them Try the jar method first and see how you get on. Sprouting seeds are classified as a "super food" too

Sprouting your own seeds is a great idea for fresh vitamin-rich food in the winter:T We have a long thread all about it with more info.

Edit: sorry I can't have been paying attention:doh: I've linked to the same thread 3v3 has. It's well worth a read though. mung beans are my favourite sprouting bean.

mark55man

Queen_of_NO_MATTER_WHAT wrote: »

Hi there,

Well done so far on your challenge

Would it make it easier if you were to split your meals into £3 per meal (still 50p per person)? so for example if you were to buy a gamon hock (£1.49 from our local butcher), and cook in slow cooker and serve with veggies, say potatoes (usually on offer in lidl or aldi for 49p for 2.5kg), carrots (45p in lidl) and cabbage (29p lidl) you could serve the family a good home cooked meal for about £2.18 approx 37p per person assuming you don't use all the vegetables, you could then use the water from the gamon (and any scraps, plus some additional veggies) to make soup the next day for lunch or dinner with home made bread?

Also morrisons have offers on 500g of minced beef, £1.90, you could stretch that to 2 meals if you bulked out the meat with grated carrot/lentils/oats. If you could that would mean the minced beef would be 15p per person for each meal.

Maybe that's not how you want to calculate it, but I just find that £3 for a meal seems much more managable rather than 50p per person

Thanks Queenie (if I may be so bold)

In practice what you suggest is what I do when we are all having the same, but lunchboxes tend to be different, and supper if we are not all eating veggie.

I have plans for my Lidl Mince (£3.50 for a kilo) that involve freezing and padding over several days. This is where financial accounting becomes tricky - but will basically try and match up %age used against total cost for each meal.

Being snowed in will save money !!

Gerrard_8_lfc

The expression "live a little" comes to mind

mark55man

thriftlady wrote: »

Sprouting your own seeds is a great idea for fresh vitamin-rich food in the winter:T We have a long thread all about it with more info.

Thanks thriftlady. will investigate and purchase necessary. I am not so strapped I can't invest - its just with 6000 meals to do every 10p is £600, and this was big overspend area last year.

Churchmouse

3v3 wrote: »

Did you know you could have some fresh homegrown "greens" as soon as this weekend?

You could try "sprouting seeds", grown in an old jar (or, if you really enjoy them, you could by the three-tiered tray thingie).

They are fab: to your egg n mayo sandwiches; as a little 'salad' on the side of your plate when you have your macaroni cheese; toss in with your cheese salad veggies. You can add them to stir fries, omelettes, toss a few in soup (at the end), use them in deli wraps, toss into pasta sauces (again, at the end).

There is a nice long thread on the subject on this forum ... here it is: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=134746&highlight=sprouting+seeds

The initial outlay (if you go for the posh system) would take you over budget, but it would be an investment rather than a squander - well, if you like them Try the jar method first and see how you get on. Sprouting seeds are classified as a "super food" too

Oh well done 3v3 :T When I was in Waitrose yesterday and browsing the shelves where the seeds are kept I thought about the possibility of sprouting them ( have never got beyond thinking :rotfl:) Anyway your link to that thread has prompted me to have a go, so next time I'm in Waitrose I shall buy some. I will only be going the jar route initially, lets see if I have the sticking power . Now back to the thread

mark55man

So reporting back for Tuesday 5th January

Today's Summary - 17/18 meals 50p or under:
Summary Total - 85/90 = 94.4% (last post stats were wrong - maths error)

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 (6/6)
OP, DS2 - Lunch Box - Handful iceburg lettuce (1/8th) Lidl 80p = 10p, Apple 10p, Ham Sandwich = 3p bread (27p woopsied loaf), 20p Ham, 1 Carrot 5p = 48p
OH, DD2 - Egg Mayo Sandwich - 2eggs 32p (Lidl 6 medium free range for 99p) 2 slices bread 3p dash mayo 2p, crisps (walkers 11p bag from Lidl 21 for £2.21) Total 48p
DD1 - Egg Salad - Handful iceburg lettuce (1/8th) = 10p, Carrot 5p : Egg 16p, Apple 10p = 41p
DS1 : Egg Salad - Handful iceburg lettuce (1/8th) = 10p, Carrot 5p, Egg 16p, Apple 10p, Bread and butter (3p) = 44p
Supper: 50p or under (5/6)
OP & OH : 6 portions Chilli Con Carne & Rice - Mince £1.75 for 500g, 20p Lidl Kidney Beans, 33p Tesco Value Chopped tomatoes, 3 onions 15p (Lidl bag of 6 for 29p) = £2.43 + Rice - 2/6 of 2 cups Lidl Long Grain Rice 10p = £2.53 = 42p portion
OH 1 portion 42p OP 2 portions 84p (it was yummy :p)
DD1 DS1 DD2 DS2: Quorn Chicken a la king : Milk & Flour & Veggie Stock for sauce 15p, 1 pack quorn chicken pieces 300g £2, quarter pack peas 25p: 4/6 of 2 cups Lidl Long Grain Rice 20p = £2.60 for 6 portions (ie 2 left) = 43p portion
All kids 1 portion

camelot1001

Just reading this and it's great!! Good luck to you, you've given us all inspiration to be a little more careful. Cheers!!