weeks shopping list-help please

greenpixey

I hope that all you lovely ladies (and men perhaps ) could help me in getting my shopping list/budget ok. As I previously mentioned here I am used to buying ready meals and can't cook very well. I'm also Swedish with a welsh husband so I'm not used to British cooking (which he prefers). And on top of it all we are seriously in debt so I'm trying to cut down on our expenses. This weekly shopping came to £ 18.31 (I had quite a few ingredience at home thanks to the cupboard challenge)
Here is our weekly menu. Breakfast is always the same. Toast & Cereal.
My meals are not on here. Embarassed to say I'm 3stone overweight after having kids so I'm trying to follow slimming world menu on a tight budget. Breakfast is weetabix, Lunch is 2 ryvita with cheese and dinner is (a no syn 3 bean mix) 1tin of beans, 1 tin of kidney beans, 1 tin of chickpeas & 1 tin of crushed tomatoes (last me for 4 days) And yes, that is every day.:o
Also I make sandwiches for my husband to take to work

This weeks menu:
Saturday
Lunch Kids: Ravioli
Tea Kids & Husband: Shepard’s pie
Dinner Husband: Sausage stroganoff
Sunday
Lunch Kids: Sausage Stroganoff (left overs)
Tea Kids & Husband: meat & veg Casserole
Dinner Husband: Burgers, Egg, Chips & Beans
Monday
Lunch Kids: Burgers & Mash, gravy
Tea Kids: Potato, meat & Onion hotpot
Dinner Husband: Potato, meat & Onion hotpot
Tuesday
Lunch Kids: Sausage & Mash
Tea Kids: Lasagna
Dinner Husband: Lasagna
Wednesday
Lunch Kids: Pasta in sauce & Burgers
Tea Kids: Chicken nuggets & chips
Dinner Husband: Sausage, Egg, Onion rings & fried potatoes
Thursday
Lunch Kids: Cheesy Red Rice (recipe from this site)
Tea Kids: homemade pizza
Dinner Husband: Chicken burgers & Salad
Friday
Lunch Kids: Pasta Bolognese
Tea Kids: ?????? dont know yet
Dinner Husband: Pasta Bolognese

Frozen beef burgers £3.00 for 24
Asda ham 10 slices £ 0.78
Cheese £2.75
Casserole meat 500g£ 2.75
Cream fraiche £0,64
Fresh cream £0.27
Milk 4pt £1.11
6 eggs £0.54
Chopped tomatoes x2 £0.30
Kidney beans x2 £0.26
2 Carrots £0.19
3 Mushroom £0.29
1 Parsnip £0.24
1 Swede £0.42
Ryvita £0.49
1kg potatoes £0.98
3x hovis white bread £2.00
Yogurt x 6 £0.43
Cat food £0.87

moggins

I think you've done pretty well if you are that intent on keeping your costs down, but if you want a bit more variety then have a good look through the recipe index and you will find some fantastic easy and cheap recipes.

Penny-Pincher!!

Hiya

Will the children not eat the same as you or your husband? Its seems a shame that you are cooking 3 different meals each evening. If you could all eat the same it would cut on costs dramatically and be easier for you;)

3 stone isnt too bad hun. Your food intake seems very minimal-are you getting all the correct nutrients? Your husbands diet does seem high in fat with hardly any vegetables and I cant see any veggies for the kids-is this correct? Is there any fruit? Kids love jelly and you could hide fruit in there if needed, or maybe juice?

We do a meal plan each week, but I refuse to cook different meals. I do however sometimes cook the next days meal in the oven if theres space to cut on electric:o DD used to be pretty fussy, but now she does eat whats shes given as she does without otherwise...maybe Im just cruel:rotfl: The only thing she really doesnt like is stew, but I normally pick some meat out of it and make seperate mash anyway and she has a few carrots or peas with it and the gravy from the stew same really but not all in one spoon IYKWIM.

You could try making burgers with minced beef, if you have made meatballs before then you'll be a proffesional;)

PP
xx

greenpixey

We only eat together as a family at the weekend when my husband is home from work. Otherwise we all eat seperately.
The kids do get fruit and veg. i can see I left it out now on my first post.
Between breakfast and lunch they usually get rasin and/or apples and in the evening bananas. They love veg which I got frozen (mixed veg and peas) so they do get their share.
I can do lovely meatballs or burgers but I cant beat the prize of the frozen ones 24 for the price of 3.00. I do make homemade once every now and then.
Can anyone suggest items to buy that I can make more than one meal off. Like potatoes- mash, fried, roasted, boiled etc.
I noticed on this board that if I buy a chicken for the sunday roast I can use the leftovers the day after for curry for example, are there any more suggestions as such you can give me. I know that next week my cupboard will be pretty bare so my shopping will be more expensive.
When it comes to my husband he is underweight and has been for the 8 years we have been together. I have to force feed him or he forgets to eat so his food is always a bit more fattening. His whole family is the same, skinny, he can also eat like a horse for month without puting weight on, he is a bit of hard work he is...

I have had a look at the index and there are lots of recepies to choose from. However I wouldn't know if they are easy or cheap untill I tried them out. At the moment (for the last two weeks) I have been following Black saturns recepies and advise. I just feel we need a bit more variety so any advice is welcome.

moggins

Take a good look at this thread, it might help?

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=212256&highlight=piratess

zombiecazz

how about soup?

greenpixey

moggins wrote:

Take a good look at this thread, it might help?

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=212256&highlight=piratess

Thanks, I forgotten about this thread. I remember Piratess posting it and we are in a simular situation. I'm gonna have a read through again.

zombiecazz wrote:

how about soup?

Soup works with the kids in the winter but husband wont touch it unless its a starter. I got loads of tins of soup in the cupboard that doesn't get eaten at the moment so I have started using some of the recepies her where you mix it with pasta, grated cheese on top and in the oven for a bit etc... My kids likes it, so at least they come to some use.

ms_london

I have to say that the 3 bean salad sounds yummy!! Dont be embarrassed to admit you're overweight. You've had kids. I havent had kids, am 25, and have been asked if I'm pregnant on more than one ocassion (but that still hasnt shamed me into hitting the gym :rolleyes: ).

When we were kids, the whole family ate the same meal - why do your kids have different food? Are they fussy eaters? It must make more work for you?

Think I might try the salad for tea - not sure if I could eat it every day, so well done you!!

Your shopping budget is also excellent for a family - I spent half of that on just me!!

Keep up the excellent work hun.

xx

greenpixey

I wish we could all sit and eat together as a family. However my husband is in work all day. The kids have their lunch at 11.30 I have some sandwiches at 12.00 when they are in bed (I'm lucky they still like to have a nap at lunchtime and the oldest is 3 now) Then they usually have their Tea at 4.30

Then they go to bed between 6.00-7.00. I have my dinner at 7.00 and then I cook for my husband around 8.00. I am however trying to find meals where I can just reheat leftovers for either husband or the kids. It would save me time in the kitchen.

If you want to try the bean mix this is the best way to do it
1 tin of baked beans
1 tin of chickpeas (drained)
1 tin of kidneybeans (drained)
1 tin of crushed tomatoes.
Put all in a saucepan (I like to add a clove of garlic) heat it up for 5-10 min.
Add a splash of soy sauce. Dish it up and eat (makes 3-4 portions)

ms_london

greenpixey wrote:

I wish we could all sit and eat together as a family. However my husband is in work all day. The kids have their lunch at 11.30 I have some sandwiches at 12.00 when they are in bed (I'm lucky they still like to have a nap at lunchtime and the oldest is 3 now) Then they usually have their Tea at 4.30

Then they go to bed between 6.00-7.00. I have my dinner at 7.00 and then I cook for my husband around 8.00. I am however trying to find meals where I can just reheat leftovers for either husband or the kids. It would save me time in the kitchen.

If you want to try the bean mix this is the best way to do it
1 tin of baked beans
1 tin of chickpeas (drained)
1 tin of kidneybeans (drained)
1 tin of crushed tomatoes.
Put all in a saucepan (I like to add a clove of garlic) heat it up for 5-10 min.
Add a splash of soy sauce. Dish it up and eat (makes 3-4 portions)

Thanks for the recipe - I think I will try that this weekend. Its making my mouth water which is odd as its healthy :rotfl: !! It does sound like you're trying to accommodate everyone & are doing a good job. I'll shut up

zombiecazz

Just a suggestion....how about you and the kids having sandwiches together. The kids seem to be having hot lunches most days, which must be a bit of a bind. They could be having healthy filling sandwiches that even if you couldn't eat together you could make at the same time, thus saving you time.
Do you eat fish?