How to survive on what’s in the store cupboard (plus a little money)

sKiTz-0

The reason I asked is because I saw a couple of recipes like this one mentioned on a super quick google search last night http://www.homepride.co.uk/recipes/italian/IT008/?recipe=IT008

tessie_bear

id cook the pasta first...thats what i do...the sausage bake sounds nice

sKiTz-0

Thanks guys, will cook the pasta then chuck it in the oven on a low-ish heat for a while. My friend has a super fan oven that you have to knock everything down for, time and temperature wise, otherwise it all comes out burnt to a crisp!!

I'll let you know how tasty it is

sKiTz-0

Hi all, another quick update for anybody interested?

The pasta bake went well, a little dry maybe (could have also done with some chillies for a bit of a kick) but otherwise very tasty and very very filling.

I have my girlfriend coming round for tea tonight, so I popped into Asda on the way home from work to buy some turkey breast/mince to make the kung po. I was thinking it would be around £2 if i could manage to get it that cheap.

I was looking in the fridge (in the whoopsie section first) and they had some of the mini chicken breast fillets, whoopsied from £2 to £1.05, so I picked those up. Next to it, there were 2 delicious looking peppered grillsteaks (Mine & my friends favourites!!) Also whoopsied down to £1.05. So because I'd saved £1 on what I was originally intending spending on the turkey AND I'd managed to get chicken instead, which I slightly prefer, I thought I'd treat myself and get the steaks too. I couldn't pass them up at that price! So they have gone into the freezer to be used for tea either Friday or next week with some frozen curly fries I found.

Lunches are going well, I had one cheese and ketchup sandwich today, and one ham and pickle sandwich. I'm slicing the cheese thinly and being stingy with the ham, and it's looking like I may have enough to last me the whole 2 weeks!!!

That means I have enough food for evening meals until the 15th, and apart from buying a loaf and some choccy biscuits at weekend (around £1.20 i guesstimate) I don't need to buy anything else. I'm going to have done the whole thing for £15 at this rate! That's £7.50 a week, and that's WITH cooking for my friend and my OH 2/3 nights out of the week!! I'm very impressed with myself.

HH62

I've realised I've messed up my budget and forgotten :eek::o to include my house insurance which is due next week. I've shopped around and got it for less but it's still £195 that I hadn't budgeted for.

Feeding one person only (thank goodness), not crazy about strong tomato sauces on pasta, otherwise all suggestions welcome.

I've got £20 that I can spend on food for at least two weeks, maybe even three weeks, and my freezer/pantry seem quite well stocked to me. I'm low on fresh veg and dairy and I see that £20 disappearing fast when I go to buy them unless I plan properly..here's my inventory.

Please help with suggestions to put some meals together.

Fridge
Sour cream
Mayo
Mustard - Dijon and Wholegrain
Milk-plenty
Butter - not much.

Freezer

Broccoli-not much, maybe 2 servings
Cauli
Sweetcorn
Bacon
3 packs of 6 quorn sausages
stewing beef 500g
Parmesan cheese
Grated cheddar
Turkey breast
2 x chicken breasts
6 x HM Chilli portions

Pantry
Olive and veg oil
Tinned toms - loads
Tinned kidney beans - loads
2 x tin butter beans
2 x tin mushrooms
Cocoa
Pasta
Rice
Lentils - green and red
Quinoa
Creamed coconut
2 x tin salmon
4x tin tuna
2 x jar pesto
tomato pur!e
3 x small tins baked beans
Tea-plenty
Coffee-plenty

Rainmaker_uk

Tuna and sweetcorn pasta should sort a few lunches!

If you get some eggs from a farm shop (cheaper) you could make some omelettes with cheese etc

If you pick up some cheap pittas (50p) you could make chicken or turkey pittas with ketchup or chilli

You could use the bacon to wrap the chicken which you have filled with cheese - bake and yum yum!

Bronnie

I think you've got lots there to make up lovely meals!

Chicken breast, pan-fried with mushrooms, wholegrain mustard and a splash of cream, served with steamed rice and broccoli would do it for me!

I would really be fancying some fruit and salad stuff, that's about all, but apart from bread, I'd hang fire spending anything straight away and make yourself make do with what's there. I always find that's the only way I really "use-up".

There's nothing sweet in your cupboards??:D

artybear

Hi have a look at Weezl's Cheap Family Recipes, the website feeds a family of four for a month for £100, so hopefully it will give you inspiration.

Heres the link http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/

Habibiboo

You could use some of the broccoli,cauli, sweetcorn from your freezer with lentils and your kidney / butter beans and make yourself a nice wholesome veg casserole? If you buy a few spuds you could mash tatties on the top or eat alongside a jacket?

adelight

You've got plenty for some good meals! Just need to top up on fruit, veg and milk.
quorn sausage + lentil + potato casserole
beef + mushroom + tomatoe stew
pasta w/pesto+tin toms
chilli w/ rice/jackets
bacon, peas & lentils w/pesto (DELICIOUS!)

Check out bramble1's thread on £50 a month