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

mark55man

Sunnygirl, MusyhPeas - yep - it would be quite cheap to make yorkies - OH and I share the cooking - she is miles better, just a bit under the weather so far this year - she can do yorkshires - flour egg and milk - prob 15p. £3 would be impossible with a traditional roast - but the part boned breasts looked really good and I split them in half (wouldn't have previously)

financially_gaga - have been buying cheap veg from Lidl mainly + a few BOGOF's - with the weather haven't really looked into buying in bulk (will have to wait until our extension is finished before we have room to really do that). where in the SW are these magical shops - I could probably make it to Bristol every now and again but much further would be hard

Mushypeas - the thread that JillD linked to about piadina (?) is for a tortilla/chipati type bread. was a few pages ago bit not too many

Nodwah - ingenious - will keep on the lookout for a grill/sandwich maker, but just for now trying to keep decluttered

financially_gaga

MushyPeas wrote: »

Hiya financially_gaga, wow what good deals on food. Can I ask, do you freeze any onions or potatoes and if so, how? Also do you have any fab quick recipes for chapattis, naans etc.? I'm going to have to find myself a local Indian shop I think, thanks for the tips :T

Glad to help - i don't freeze them, just keep them in the garage where it's cool and dry. I usually freeze after cooking though as i batch cook at the weekends and they turn out fine when defrosted as meals.

Chappattis are very easy - for 2 of us (about 6 chappatti's x 2 days so 12 in all) i take 2 mugs of flour, add 2 tablespoons of oil and knead into a soft dough with hot water. I put half in the fridge for the next day. Make into ping pong ball size balls and roll out using extra flour. I use a frying pan to cook but use no oil, just dry cook. Needs about 30secs on each side x 2.

I make these whilst my 'main' meal will be cooking in oven/on hob so you get both parts of the meal done ay once!

HTH :T

maysmummy

Hi

just to confirm what FGG said- I buy potatoes, onions and carrots in sacks. They save fortune(£4 pots, £3 onions and £2 carrots) and there's always something in.

I buy them from farm shops and store them in my garage. I also share them with my Mum so that they aren't stored for too long. I rebuy about every 6-8 weeks.

Kazipoo

Have to echo that, I have just started buying veggies in bulk and its working out much cheaper. Even buying the small sack from Morrisons is cheaper than buying a bag at a time!

Today am cooking corned beef hash again, doing extra and a bit of pastry so I can do a corned beef and potato pie, for the freezer, and also doing extra in order to make corned beef and potato pats for his nibs, which will also go in the freezer for another time!

Having fun following this thread, but just a quick suggestion mark88man, I know you wanted and have been working out your percentage per person, per meal, but perhaps you should also work it out per amount spent? I only say this because I see with many meals you are quite a bit under, but then on others you go a little over, and I recall that you wanted to reduce the amount you spend and that is why you came up with the limit per meal.... you may find that you are 100% on target cost wise as opposed to cost per person per meal.

jollymummy

Lynzpower - thanks for the great chicken nuggets recipe
Kazipoo - you've given me an urge for corned beef and potato pie now sounds yummy !!

rachbc

lynzpower wrote: »

hm CHICKEN NUGGETS are easy as pie ( easier even!)

You need
chicken breast
oil
egg
flour
breadcrumbs.


Make breadcrumbs by whizzing few slices of stale bread in a blender
cut chicken to nugget shapes
first roll the chicken pieces in flour
then dip them all in beaten egg
then roll in the breadcrumbs
heat oil in shallow fry pan
drop the chicken nuggets in ( couple at a time) you want the oil the same depth as the nugget

Depending on how long you fry for, based on how big the nuggets are, the bigger, the longer obviously. Cut open, it the first one is whie throughout- thats right. Ours are about 4 mins. We then put them on a grill tray on a low oven to let some of the oil drip out.

We also do Breast burgers like this ( so much nicer than packet) and goujons etc. Turkey steaks are also good for this.

Juicier, tastier and cheaper with thigh meat

Savvy_sewing

Only read till end of page one at moment. Used to follow Wheezl, but now have no choice, as now DS has gone to work, no longer get any benefits for him, and still arguing to get help for DGD who I am caring for at the moment.

I use Bernadine Laurances, Benefit book. Had it for so many years that its losing its cover.
Infact I used her Meatloaf recipe the other week, and it fed 6 of us for a meal. I havent got the exact costings on me, although I did work out that I made 27 meals out of £10.12 worth of stock. That included all the addatives,like garlic, tomato puree, etc etc. I made meatloaf, 6 mince and beef pies, 4 portions of spaghetti bolognese, 2 chilli, and 2 cottage pie, and 2 large quiches/served 4 each, and an individual quiche.
I shall try to catch up with all of the thread, and get some inspiration, as I have only got about 50p a head to feed us on to.

MushyPeas

Thanks for all the tips. I'd love to buy vegetables in bulk, but I live in a flat with no garage I suggested sharing veg with my mum but she lives 50 mile round trip away so it didn't seem like a good idea! I think I'll just have to buy in bulk and then have a cookathon

flossyblog

This is a great quick dish. The initial outlay is a bit more than 3.00.

Thai green curry (my version) for 2 people

1 fillet of chicken
very small onion, about 2 tablespoons
2 cloves garlic
assorted veg, I use frozen green beans, cauliflower, peas, pepper about 2 cups
thai green curry paste -1 teaspoon
coconut cream the solid block kind - third of a block
fish sauce - cheap in chinese supermarket - 2 teaspoons


fry some onion and garlic in vegetable oil until soft,
add 1 teaspoon of curry paste cook for 1 minute.
Add vegetables stir and fry for a few mins,
then add a third of creamed coconut block and stir, cook for a minute and add some water about a cupful, add more if it is too thick
stir in a 2 teaspoons of fish sauce.
add chicken and cook on very low heat for 10 mins

serve with rice.

I had a look at tesco for price guide, however if you live near a chinese supermarket the paste and fish sauce is cheaper
the thai green curry paste is 1.00 for a jar
fish sauce is 1.70
creamed coconut 28p

Shonagh

I am loving this thread, unfortunately havent got much to contribute, Im terrible at keeping to a budget (i am contantly in debt and overdrawn). Im determined to make a change though and so far the information I have found on here has been excellent.
Thanks Guys