HELP - Shopping £335p/m 2 adults 1 5yr old

greenbee

zippychick wrote: »

[STRIKE]but I am really exhaustedly tired today and[/STRIKE]

anything to do with this new man you've mentioned

SandraScarlett

Just having a read through this thread. All the tips given are brilliant, especially not trying to do everything at once!

I keep a cheap note pad in the kitchen (the type with rings at the top) and jot down whenever I've opened, or used, the "last" of anything.

This will help you to build your shopping list, and if you can plan, say, meals for a week, and work out the ingredients you need, you're well on your way.

By all means have one Impulse Buy a week - a little of what you fancy does you good!

If you have enough time, a really filling and low-calorie meal is a stir fry. I use chicken (cut into bite-size pieces and fried in a little bit of hot oil first, just to brown it) then add vegetables (I use cabbage, leeks, peppers, courgettes, and carrot ribbons, using a vegetable peeler) and I keep stirring all this, then finally I add bean sprouts.

A little bit of light soy sauce stirred in the mix (which I cook in a wok), and a dollop of Total Fat Free Greek Yoghurt results in a cheap, filling and creamy stir fry, which incidentally, the grandchildren love.

And if you have an attack of the munchies in the evening ............

Open a small tin of sweetcorn, without added salt or sugar, drain it, then add a teaspoon of the yoghurt and half a teaspoon of extra extra low mayonnaise.

I eat this with a child's fork, just a little bit at a time, and I chew and chew! It takes me ages to eat, and takes away those hunger pangs!!

Good Luck, and I hope this helps. :beer:

xx

zippychick

greenbee wrote: »

anything to do with this new man you've mentioned

I wish it was that exciting I couldn't sleep until after 5am and had to get up at 830 to get my Mum Boyzone tickets I tried to nap this afternoon and was woken twice :mad: This weekend, he shall be responsible for my tiredness :D

Egg fried rice is my latest filling recipe. I use precooked and chilled rice . I tailor it to what ever i have. Last night i fried some chopped onion and carrot and pepper and cooked chicken in chilli jam and chopped chillis (sweet chilli sauce would do , or oil with chilli, or just oil), chuck in the rice and fry for a few mins, i make a well in the middle and dump in a mixed up egg. scoosh it round with a fork until it starts to set, then mix in the rest of the rice , throw on some soy sauce and i have it with vinegar cause im a weirdo

Some people pre cook the egg as an omelette and cut into strips and add back in at the end - depends how you prefer it but i like the slightly sticky coating of the egg when it's almost set but not quite!

You don't need meat in it, or you can use it if you like. I used 50g of defrosted cooked chicken i had left from a dinner and it went really far into a HUGE portion. Also put in what veg you like. Last night i forgot the standard frozen peas and sweetcorn

esmf73

This thread will be very interesting to read if the kids ever give me the chance! Only thing I'd say is check your portion sizes - sure you are but just sometimes worth a check.

kirsty822001

I have been using printable forms to help me plan my month, from meal planning to inventorys of larder/freezer and also a 'price book' form i use to note my food spends.
There are other sites and I am sure someone who is able will give you the link to those but I use
http://organizedhome.com/household-notebook
then click on 'printable planner pages' (in green on the column on the right)and there 1/2 way down is a huge list of printable forms,you can view them before you print them and I LOVE a list so I am in my element here !!! It has really really helped me and easy to use. :-)

OrkneyStar

Just to say £335pcm is not THAT much. I tried loads of the OS tips on here, half of them were actually a waste of money imho! Food is expensive, not everyone can trawl the shops late at night for reduced things, or shop online. My best tip is to meal plan, make a list and stick to it!
All the best. x

muddlemess

Thanks for being so helpful, my computer charger keeps going off so haven't been on very much, I will return when my new on arrives...and reply to you all individually.

Thanks :j:j:j:j

muddlemess

artybear wrote: »

HI muddlemess

You have come to the right place, the Old stylers have got some brilliant ideas to keep food budgets down.

Maybe a quick look at THIS will help?

I'm sure other more clever O/Stylers will be along soon.

xxxx

Thanks for your quick reply - Makes great reading and what a lot of good ideas, not sure I could be quite so diciplined! Has anyone stuck to it? :T

artybear

muddlemess wrote: »

Thanks for your quick reply - Makes great reading and what a lot of good ideas, not sure I could be quite so diciplined! Has anyone stuck to it? :T

I have!!! (with the odd treat or two)

It was really yummy once you get into the swing of batch cooking quite easy. My bread never went quite right but my OH made some and his was lovely so he is now official bread maker

I think the best thing to do is use it but add some of your favourite treats in too, I still added wine/steak now and again.

I hope it helps:A
xx

muddlemess

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Artybear beat me to it, I was just about to post the link!

Muddlemess, check out the Grocery Challenge thread as well. I think it all depends on how much time you have and how determined you might be but I'd advise you to take things slowly and not try and cut your budget in half overnight or anything like that. Drop down a brand, check your supermarket for cut-price bargains and consider batch-cooking on the weekends if you work full-time.

Keeping all of your receipts and making a note of every penny spent on housekeeping for a couple of weeks might show where you're wasting money or could get better value from what you do spend. The best way I know of cutting down without feeling any pain is to stop being a brand-queen and give supermarket own-brands a shot. Most of the products are the same, just in different packaging.

Thanks, I have just cleaned out my food cupboard and made a list of all the food in there, made some lentil and bean chilli and flap jack, going to try and use up some of what I have, the things I never seem to use, don't know why...
Have also started to keep receipts for shopping! I must admit I'm really dubious about buying food that is too cheap, I want to give my dd the best start and although she has school meals I want to make sure she has a healthy balanced diet, all that said I do use own brands for most things (after carefully checking the labels) but don't think I could use basics. :A