how low can my food budget go??

LilacPixie

I need some (lots) of help from the residents of this board.

I am on a mission to reduce my food budget to as low as humanly possible without starving but while keeping healthy and having a balanced diet. This is a necessity thing rather than a want so here goes.

We are a family of 4, 2 adults, kids aged 3 and almost 2. Kids will eat pretty much anything within reason. favorites are chicken, fish, sausages and sliced gammon/ham.

Both me and OH are meat eaters and OH would like meat daily. OH needs a cold packed lunch daily as he drives a fuel tanker, but I tend to just take soups as I work in an office with a microwave in the rest room.

Time is against us, OH mostly does evening meal but he can't cook so we need to rely on things I can bulk cook at weekends and OH heat up at tea time.

I have been shopping around, 2 x 2litre milk in farm foods for £1.50 lasts us 4-5 days unless its a weekend when we use 2 litre a day. They also do bread 2 for £1 so been buying that too.

I have been bulk cooking bolognese and splitting inhalf, some for frezer and some for lasagne tobefrozen and chili con carne sauce. Been doing a big pot of slowcooker curry using turkey thigh meat, Sunday OH prefers a roast so been choosing whatever joint is on offer in local butcher on a Saturday and been making a pizza on saturday evening in place of a takeaway. I have then been using condensed soups as a sauce for filled pasta and thats pretty much the weeks meals done.

I am still spending around £300 a month and its driving me mad. I feel its snack type things like biscuits that money is spent on. The kids love snacking on things but its either fruit or oatcakes mid morning and mid afternoon

I have been buying cleaning products when on special ( washing powder etc) and stardrops toilet rolls and kitchen rolls and have not needed to buy any since early april. I got a nappy glitch in boots so well stocked in that way.

Realistically I think i should be able to spend less than £300 a month considering not buying any of the above things.

What does everyone else think?

doire_2

You have probbaly already done the following but just incase you haven't.

Buy shops own brands. Tins of carrots, peas etc can be bought for around 15pence. Shop in the evening as items could be reduce. Make your own cleaning products using vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice etc.

Enter the items you normally buy into mysupermarket.com. If the website finds a cheaper alternative it will flag the item up and tell you how much you can save.


Also go to http://www.madaboutbargains.co.uk/offers/Off-Your-Trolley.htm and check out the supermarkets latest special offers

LilacPixie

OOOO nice site Doire, not seen that one before.

Pink.

Hi LilacPixie

Everyone's needs/wants are different so it's hard to put a figure on what is a reasonable amount to spend on groceries, but this thread should give you an idea of what others spend on their grocery shopping: Grocery Shopping budget threads I'll add your thread to that one later.

It might also be worth joining in with the May 2010 Grocery Challenge thread. You can set a reduced amount that you feel comfortable with and if you manage that then try to reduce it a little the following month. Everyone sets themselves a personal grocery budget and try to encourage and support each other throughout the month to stick to their own budget. What you include in your budget is entirely up to you. The thread for March will begin on Sunday.

For lots of tips and ideas on cutting back your grocery bill have a look at Martin's article on Supermarket Shopping and we also have a board where grocery offers are posted regularly: Food Shopping & Groceries Also the Discount Codes 'n Vouchers board has vouchers and codes that should help with online shopping.

Meal planning is a good way of managing your grocery spending. It takes a bit of getting used to but once you do it's a great way to save money by making sure you don't buy unnecessary things. Perhaps try it for one week to see how you get on by making a list of what you have at home and trying to build your meals around that. To get some help with mealplanning have a look in The Complete Menu Plans Collection.

For cheaper meal ideas have a look here: Cheap recipe threads

I'm sorry to have bombarded you with so many links but if you take the time to read through them it should help you to cut back. Good luck with reducing your bill.

Pink

LilacPixie

Pink - you always manage to find the threads I am looking for. Now if only I could find twinks hobnobs.

Pink.

Here you go Homemade hobnobs?

Pink

BitterAndTwisted

You could do worse than checking out the "Cheap Family Recipes" site. Built and designed by one of our illustrious MSE posters, I believe.

http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/

mummyslittleboy

One recipe my ex used to cook weekly (only because it is so easy) is sausage casserole

2 x Tins beans
8 sausages
teaspoon mixed herbs
Rice

cook sausages cut up into small pieces put beans in saucepan add herbs and sausages cook rice serve beans and sausages on a bed of rice even kids love it and its quick and easy to do.

Goodluck on getting the budget down havent worked out what I spend yet have kept all my receipts for a month now going to work it out tonight and probably be horrified then will start making cut backs.

huston_kw

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

You could do worse than checking out the "Cheap Family Recipes" site. Built and designed by one of our illustrious MSE posters, I believe.

http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/

Just booked marked this I will read it tonight and do the meal plan around what I have in, which is too much:rotfl:although I keep shopping:o

rachbc

ok a couple of things - you say you bulk cook a spag bol - how much meat are you allowing per person - do you add veg to add flavour, vitamins and bulk up the size - I'd allow 75-100g per adult and much less for little ones - I use 250 g for 2 adults, 12 yo and 3 yo and we sometimes get a left over lunch out of it too, other use far less I'm sure!

if you are cooking a joint can monday be leftover night - even if its only a tiny end it can go in a freid rice/ jambalaya type dish.

For hubbys lunch buying a joint of bacon/ gammon and cooking and slicing it yourself will be loads cheaper than sliced ham, same with a piece of roasting beef.

Buying ready made filled pasta is quite pricey - could you bulk cook tomato or white sauce that hubby could add veg/ ham/ bacon/ tuna etc too to make into a pasta bake or pasta and sauce supper

I've stopped buying biccies and make them, though not everyweek!

startingagain_2

have subscribed to your thread:) am currently on a storecupboard challenge myself...use up everything I have in stock before I buy anything else other than milk, bread (well, flour anyway!!), fresh fruit and veg and dog stuff!!:D I have £50 to last until payday in mid june, then I will add £100 to my kitty and see how long it lasts!!:T Have a feeling that I may end up with some strange concoctions but willing to give it a go!!

Look forward to watching your progress....:D