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

mark55man

Thanks for that Fire Fox

Reporting back for Sun 31st January

Been busy today - disassembled 2 beds and assembled 1 new one - so DD2 is on the floor tonight - just ran out of energy.

Today's Summary - 18/18 meals 50p or under
Summary Total - 507/552 = 91.8% = Target 91.3%

Breakfast: 50p or under (6/6) (OJ/AJ's all round)
OP,OH - Just Right (1/2 price Sainsbury's) mmm my favorite - but even at 50% still more expensive
DD1 - sleeping in (teenagers - bless!!)
DS1 - sleepover
DD1 - Cereal
DS2 - Toast

Lunch: 50p or under (6/6)
OP,OH : HM Lentil (1/2 pack 45p) & Carrot (10p) Soup (+ onion 10p) + bacon scraps for flavour = 65p for 3 portions - 1 left for tomorrow
DD1 - Poorly
DD2 - Scrambled Egg
DS1 - still away
DS2 : 2 Bacon (34) & 2 eggs (12) = 46p


Supper: 50p or under (6/6)
OP, OH, DD1, DD2, DS1, DS2 : Piadine 10p (see link above) + Cheese (50p = 125g) + Grated Carrot (10p) + (2 pork loins £1.10 ) + Quorn Chicken Pieces (£1) + onion 10p = £2.90 - 48p each

nopot2pin

mark88man wrote: »

All the "heated debates" have been had and "lessons have been learned", and now we're just getting on with it, and isn't that the secret to MSE - we're in for the long haul and don't spoil it all in a mad moment

Aye... You're right Mark... the long haul secret of MSE is just to get on with it

Weezl... loving the choc buttons idea ....
And on that note.... the Asda smart price chocolate is actually quite good, as is the Tesco value range - working out at 28p and 27p, respectively. EDIT - its a 100g bar
Both do a cracking job when making rice crispie cakes - own brand crispies of course!!
Maybe they could be part of a snacking budget - giving a chocolate hit, but bulking it out slightly;))
The plain choc is better than the milk choc IMHO:cool:
But I am a plain chocoholic :rotfl:

mark55man

mark88man wrote: »

news flash - just trying piadine from earlier in the thread - everyone is looking forward to it - link is at:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=319790&highlight=piadines

doing it with quorn chicken pieces £1 a bag and one of the Lidl pork fillets so should be good. will serve with chopped tomato sauce and sweetcorn on the cob (69p for 4 woopsied from Mr S)

Meant to say - was very nice - first one a bit too thick and so tasted doughy. Made the mistake of rolling then cooking them one at a time, so pan got a bit burny, also the dough was too wet so needed flour to roll, which then burnt a bit in the pan, but not on the bread. Next time will make them first and then cook them one after the other.

very cheap way to have bread - will do that again

Tregemred

I have used Tescos value range chocolate to make brownies with no complaints.

mark55man

Reporting back for Mon 1st February

Back at work today, at home more bricks gravel and blocks have arrived so looking forward to what this month brings - especially as we have our annual trip to Cornwall with friends. will still try and be good as we are self catering

Today's Summary - 18/18 meals 50p or under
Summary Total - 525/570 = 92.1% = Target 91.3%

Breakfast: 50p or under (6/6)

Lunch: 50p or under (6/6)
OP : 1/2 Lidl Pork Loin + Bread + apple = 40p
OH : Oatcakes and fruit = 35p
DD1: LO Chicken quorn and HM Bread & Grated carrot & Apple = 39p
DS1: Cheese (Sainsbury's Gouda 10 slices for £1 = 10p ) & Carrot on HM Bread, Apple = 25p
DD2: HM Pizza (in Food Tech) = 0p
DS2: 1/2 Lidl Pork Loin + Bread + apple + crisps = 50p

Supper: 50p or under (6/6)
OP: HM Lentil soup (from Sunday) and bread
OH, DD1, DD2, DS1: Baked Potato (10p each), Beans (29p Lidl) 1/2 tub Coleslaw (50p tub Asda) + cheese (sprinkle on top) 50p = 1.44 for 4 = 36p
DS2 - Chicken Noodles & Peas with soy+Oyster sauce

Mrs_Weasley

Hi Mark and family :wave:

Phew!! Spent last night and nearly all of today reading your thread!!! (no housework done :whistle:)

I would like to congratulate you on your *foolishness* i'm loving it!



Weekend (when i've finished work) will be spent going back thru your thread copying recipes :eek: then next week cooking some of them :j

Keep up the good work :T

Mrs w xxx

finnigan

Hi Mark, I'm thinking its safe here now lol!

I also cook for 8 each night so I'm in the same boat really. My one saving grace is that I now enforce the rule of 'one family, one meal' aka if you don't like it its tough, theres nothing else.
Fortunatly I have been able find a good middle ground (ie healthy) with all our different medical problems and dietry needs.
Problem is we are all meat eaters which means I couldn't join you in the challenge money wise, but I'm with you in spirit and principal.

Finn

mark55man

chocalate - mmm - some good ideas there - will have to get the rice crispies out - Lidl milk choc at 49p is quite good, somerfield was a bit cardboard may have to experiment

hi mrs weasley - sorry to keep you from your housework

hi finnigan - wish we could get them all to eat the same, but we are getting better at that middle ground - but usually its 4-5 the same with one dissenter - at worst 1-2 the same with 4 dissenters - but that tends to be quick and easy stuff

Mrs_Weasley

hi mrs weasley - sorry to keep you from your housework


Oooo i'm sure it will wait:rotfl:

On the frugal front I made spag bog sauce today with 1kg of mince i managed to make 9 weeks worth :eek: for 4 peeps so that is 36 portions :rotfl: haven't costed it but it contained Mr S basics~ onions, peppers~grated carrots~3 tins toms (my food cupboard is full of orande and white packets and tins) and some pepper to season. What i was thinking though is putting other basics veg in like courgettes frozen (basics) cauliflower etc it bulks it out and your getting those infamous 5 a day

HT

mrs w

mark55man

Reporting back for Tue 2nd February

Work from home today as was going to London, but that fell through (hurray). OH got flu & was sick so TLC needed at home

Today's Summary - 16/18 meals 50p or under
Summary Total - 541/588 = 92.0% = Target 91.3%

Breakfast: 50p or under (6/6)

Lunch: 50p or under (5/6)
OP : Ham & Cheese sandwich
OH : Cereal
DD1, DS1: sainsbury's gouda slicesx2 = 20p + Bread & carrot & apple
DS2: Ham sandwich (30) & Apple (25p) & Wotsits (25p) - didn't get out shopping yesterday so had to top up at Mr T - annoying a bit mroe organisation and this woul be easily <50p
DD1 - Bread & Butter sandwich, apple (too fussy for any fillings I could offer so left the middle bit out)

Supper: 50p or under (5/6) - Chicken a la king
£1 quorn chicken pieces, 2 thighs = 66p 500g rice 80p + peas 30p, (sauce = blob marge, & flour & stock = 20p = £2.96


(Only 5/6 as DS2 likes to munch on a chiken leg so he had seconds!!)