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

zippychick

Boomdocker wrote: »

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=399846&highlight=Gingham%27s

Cabbage Galette ah chou - apologies it was Gingham Ribbon's recipe. In link above, read post 2, click on 'Galette as chou' listed in the dinner section for full recipe and method. Actually Gingham Ribbon as a few veggie family meal threads that are well worth a look.

You beat me to it!

Here is the complete vegetarian collection - and under "meal planners" in the first post, you can see links to Ginghams various meal planners. Hope that helps:D

Oh and , a whole thread about cabbage

shaz_mum_of__2

Phizzimum pleased you enjoyed the quiche

Mark the fish pie sounds lush and worth the extra few pence (which willl be recouped later in the week no doubt)

cabbage - bubble and squeak wins here every time but made into burger size shapes and served with eggs beans(with BBQ sauce added) and potato waffles and bacon if the budget stretches that far

our food budget doing well especially as yesterday i had a really bad migraine (i get sick with them too)and did no cooking and eldest ds bought a takeaway for everyone ..........i even got some leftovers saved for me which i had at lunchtime today . Prawn stir fry for tea here with lots of whoopsied veg and some 9p noodles out of the pantry the prawns were bought before xmas on BOGOF

The leg of lamb survises to another sunday(didn't get taken out the freezer as i was in bed)

shaz

Kazipoo

Bubble and squeak?? Or potato pats?? That is corned beef (if you want), mash, onions and cabbage all mashed together, make into pats (cakes), dab a little flour on them and fry slowly so they go nice and brown and crispy, serve with baked beans or spaghetti loops etc, or have them as a side dish.

Frugalista

I make this quite regularly - really filling and economical - makes at least 6 large portions. And I've no idea why it's called Cabbage Rolls .

Cabbage Rolls

1 lb lean minced beef
1-2 onions chopped
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup long grain rice
1 can tomato soup (condensed) (I only had Meditteranean Tomato)
1 can mushroom soup (condensed)
1 soup can water
3 cups cabbage, shredded

Shred cabbage and place in a large dish. (I used a large lasagne dish, and around ¾ Savoy cabbage).

Fry Meat and drain off fat. (I also added garlic, diced red pepper, mushrooms and mixed herbs)
Add onion, salt, pepper and rice, stir.

Add soups and water, mix well.
Pour meat and soup mixture over the top of the cabbage. DO NOT STIR!!!

Cover pan with aluminium foil, and bake in a preheated oven Gas 4, 180° C, 350° F for around 2 hours.

It is yummy and so simple to make.
Enjoy!!

ETA: I once made it using a jar of pasta sauce I found in the back of the cupboard - so I figure you the recipe works as long as you use the tomato based sauces in the right quantities. HTH.

exlibris

Thank you Mark for this thread and everyone else for your contributions.. I have just spent all afternoon copying relevant bits into word with notes of all the people who recommended what! This meant I didn't get the contributions from the food police!

To tackle the leftover problem I deliberately make more than needed for the meal of things like fish pie, shepherds pie, lasagne etc and put it into meal-sized dishes. This means that if I am not around OH can take out a dish and defrost and heat it up for a meal. I appreciate that there are only 2 of us and you have a family, so storage space in the freezer might be an issue.

With fish pie, I buy the cheapest white fish available at the time - usually Coley and add smoked. eg. a packet of smoked with a little trimmed off the large pieces -or a small piece if there is one will help flavour the dish. (Sorry this sounds garbled but I hope you understand)

Phizzimum - I like the idea of the smoked paprika will look out for it when next in Asda.

I don't think I will join your challenge - just steal you ideas!

Skintmama

White cabbage can be turned into a Gratin:

Steam cook, or boil a shredded washed cabbage for about 5 mins until softened but still with some firmness.

Drain thoroughly and stir in the hot pan to get rid of excess moisture.

Mix in 1/2 to 3/4 pint of quite thick bechamel sauce and 2oz cheddar cheese.

Put into an ovenproof dish and cover with breadcrumbs and dot with butter. (It can be frozen at this point)

Bake in a moderate oven 20-30mins. I expect it could be grilled but I have not tried this.

To cook from frozen would take about an hour.

Tip: White sauces to go with vegetables can be made by substituting some of the milk with the veg cooking water.

HTH

phizzimum

exlibris wrote: »

Phizzimum - I like the idea of the smoked paprika will look out for it when next in Asda.

can't take the credit - that was the idea of the mighty Weezl! but hello anyway! :hello:

PolishBigSpender

So, I've re-read the meals from the past week - and let's see. I've decided to post it all in one post, so it can be analysed properly.

Monday -

All but DS2 - Potato Layers in Cheesy Pea sauce : £0.40p potatoes (= 1kilo), £1.17p 200g cheese, Milk 10p, Peas 50p = £2.17 for 5 = 44p each (supper)

Tuesday

DD1, DD2, DS1 - Lidl Pizza 1/2 each (1/2 left over) 49.7p (more cheese)

Wednesday -
DS1 - Cheese & Jam sandwich + slice pizza from yesterday = 20+18 = 38p (more cheese)

Thursday -

DD1 : Cheese salad & Apple (as above) (more cheese)

Carbonara = 4 Eggs:40p Quarter block of cheese (Tesco Extra Mature 2 for £3): 37p, 500g Tesco Value Spaghetti 40p = £1.37 for 6 = 23p (even more cheese)

Saturday :

DD1, DD2, DS1, DS2 : HM Pizza + Sauce + Sweetcorn = 40p (for dough) 50p for tomota sauce + 33p sweetcorn + 50p cheeses = £1.73 = 43p each

This much cheese is not healthy - I haven't even analysed the rest of the meals, just looking for cheese - and when you add in things like "egg mayonaise" and "chips" - it becomes even more unhealthy.

I'm sorry, but these meals aren't nutritious or healthy - they're just cheap. If you think sacrificing health for cost is wise, then so be it - but I think it's grossly irresponsible to feed children such food.

Elliesmum

Cabbage and Spuds - the bubble and squeak ideas sound yummy, I love it with fried eggs - but each to his own

There is also Colcannon, the irish version of B&S, here is a link to HFW's version on the BBC website...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/colcannon_13802.shtml

I would take out the cream and use milk, to bring the price down a bit and use veggie oil not dripping etc. This would be lovely with some baked beans or steamed carrots and swede...

Oh yum - think I know what we are having for tea tomorrow!!!

EM xx

mark55man

mmm - bit selective PBS - typically only 1 meal a day with cheese, and I am using less than previously. I think you have convinced yourself for personal or professional reasons and nothing I do will convince you. Have you got something against cheese? - I bet you don't like Wallace and Gromit then

Following the early commentary I have upped the vegetables, and fruit is not shown (except in lunch boxes) as it the basis for snacks. I am trying to do more with vegetables, but to be honest its not the cheapness that means we use cheese - we just like it a lot. Must be the french upbringing I never had.

Grateful for your interest - I would be interested in some more detail on the bad things that will happen if I continue in this fashion. Vague allusions to potential things that are bad for you are not the kind of argument I find too convincing