Using meal plans

homersimpson_3

Advice on forum bascially says plan what you're going to eat and buy only what you need.
1) Do you find you stick to the plan or are flexible ? (e.g. say plan says salad on Tuesday do you have salad that day even if you don't want it and fancy something else)
2) Do you find you are able to make more meals out of the things you have bought even though you have planned- or does this mean here something wrong with planning?
3) What % of bill is spent on top up shopping?
4) Do you find you eat the nice foods and for last few days eat the less nice ones etc?

Poggie123

I try to make a realistic plan based upon what we're doing during the week. The idea being that if we are back late in the evening, I've planned something quick for tea, or there's something in the slow cooker to stop us from ordering a takeaway purely cos we're tired and starving.

We don't stick rigidly to the plan, it usually changes when we get back from shopping because I swap things round depending upon the best before dates on the meat anyway. There's always the option to stick the meat in the freezer and have something from the cupboard like pasta and sauce.

We probably spend an extra £5 per week on milk on top of the £50 budget because DD drinks loads but apart from that it's just one shop a week.

I don't find that we have nicer food at the start of the week than at the end because I only plan meals that we all like to begin with. If I didn't we'd be back to spending a fortune on takeaways!!!

HTH!

mrs_mug_2

I've found that by when I'm flexible I over spend, so no, I rarely swap the days around
Yes, I can usually make food go further or have extra food. Better that way than having too little though
I budget for top up shopping. We use 4 pints of milk a day, so I buy this every other day (fridge not big enough to buy it less frequently) and buy more bread through the week. That is usually it and it is paid for from the £40 a week I allow
We eat the same level of food all through the month, that is the beauty of planning

skystar

1) Don't stick rigidly to the meal plan. I just make sure I have everything in for all meals for the following week
2) Sorry don't really understand the question. Havn't been feeling well today so please excuse me for being thick
3) Don't do top-up shopping. Go shopping once a week and make sure I have everything needed.
4) We always eat nice food

homersimpson_3

2) Sorry don't really understand the question. Havn't been feeling well today so please excuse me for being thick

it may be me- perharps i haven't explained it well enough- this month i planned what meals i was going to cook and just went out and bought the things i thought i would need for those meals. for some reason i am able to live for about another week with those things. so either my planning is wrong or i'm just good at making a little go along way. mrs mug (see posting above) says he/she is able to do the same.