Cutting down my groceries!

looktothefuture

Hi everyone... I've been checking out OS board for a while now and I have slowly cut down my shopping - I used to do a full shop once a month but then didn't defrost something and popped into the shop on the way home for a quick dinner! So I was going through money like water!

I now do a weekly shop based on my meal plan and it's working! :j

Now, I've been used to being paid weekly, however I've just got a permanent position and will be paid monthly from now on... I'm just not used to this! It feels really weird not having that cash there in my account on a friday morning so I need some help! I've been averaging £40-£50 a week on groceries for 2 adults and 1 child (From Friday to Monday) and the occasional visit on a weekend from OH eldest son for a few months and think I can now do a monthly meal plan for when I get paid at the end of Feb! My groceries also include the cat food and litter, cleaning products and toiletries... so I reckon I'm doing pretty well!

I've kept my meal plans from the last 8 weeks and will be going through it to make my monthly plan but where do I start? I've also got to have either quick meals for the evenings or SC recipes as I work up London and only get in after 8pm and that's pushing it for 30 minute meals! My OH can't cook, won't cook and burns water (I know, he's tried making me a few meals! ) so can't ask him to start off the cooking! I've also tried bulk cooking but my freezer has limited space once I have all the shopping in it - help would be greatly appreciated!

BitterAndTwisted

If freezer-space really is the only issue I would have a look on Freecycle and see if you can acquire another one, or a larger replacement for the one you do have. If you get home so late in the evenings I can't see another solution if you really, really have to stay out of the shops.

mummyjane

I would stick with slow cooker meals during the week. You can get lots of inspiration from the forums on MSE so could have plenty of variety.

suzybloo

Definately second the slow cooker suggestion, also instead of freezing Monday/Tuesday meals can you keep them in your fridge if you cook them on a Sunday, and keep the freezer space for later in the week. A pressure cooker is also another good purchase for fast cooking - veg can be done in ten mins. Soups can be done in twenty. When I am really organised on a sunday I prep soup ingredients, vaccum pack them and by a Thursday just have to throw the whole lot in the pressure cooker, and within twenty mins a good wholesome batch of HM soup.

apple_mint

You do have a long day!

A few thoughts.

1) OH might not be able to cook but I bet he'll be good at prepping things if you give him a list. For example peeling potatoes, sorting the veg, chopping onions etc. My OH started doing this and has gradually reached the stage of having a meal ready when I get in. I have to provide instructions etc. but it's a great help. Having things ready to go will help. I've enough room in the freezer to batch cook and freeze the meat or fish portions of meals and he only has to reheat these. I ring him as I set off home and he then puts everything on to cook.

2) Think about things that can be cooked one day and then revitalised into different meals over the next couple of days. Cooked meals will keep for a couple of days in the fridge, which might help you over the first part of the week. This is the sort of thing they did with Economy Gastronomy e.g. a base mince and onion meal was portioned into three and on day 2 could be spaghetti bolognese and on day 3 chilli with rice.

3) We always have our Sunday meal in the evening and sometimes, as I'm in the kitchen anyway, I cook two different meals at once. The main meal may be in the oven and at the same time I'll cook something on the stove top. I cook my potatoes and veg in a stove top steamer and always cook at least two meals worth of potatoes so that I have some left over to put into the fridge for using the next day. The second meal and the extra potatoes means that I almost have a complete meal ready for the Monday night.

4) My OH loves good home-made food and doesn't mind if we have the same thing two days running in the interests of economy ... and also if it means he doesn't have to cook it himself because it's already there

I'm sure there will be some great ideas for this.

looktothefuture

Thanks everyone!

I loved my pressure cooker I had from my gran but I gave it back to my grampa when gramma passed away - he needed it more than I did! It might be an idea to get one from Robert Dyas! I'll check it out!

My day is incredibly long! I'm on the train at 7:40 and walk in the house around 20:00! I have my breakfast enroute - normally a yoghurt, fruit and a tea in my flask, lunches are all home made sandwiches, a bag of crisps, a small treat and a yoghurt with a drink or left overs from the night before, and dinners - well that's my big problem!

I am going to try batch cooking I think - I'll have to rearrange my freezer a bit to make things fit in but I might just be able to do it!

jackieglasgow

Instead of changing habits which have been working well for you, why not just reorganise your finances? You could withdraw your food shopping money from the bank and keep it in the house, and just use the amount weekly that you normally would. If you don't trust yourself to do this, why not buy a supermarket gift card for your monthly amount, and keep it in your purse, which you can use each week when you do your shop and on an ad hoc basis too for the odd pint of milk etc (only works if you mainly use the one shop though).

looktothefuture

Ah Jackie - that's a great idea!!!!!!!! I know what I will be spending monthly so it's just a case of withdrawing it and keeping it by until the weekend shop! I already do that for my stepson's school dinners money, and a few other things so it won't be any different! I'm pretty good at not touching that because it's already allocated to things and if I spend it, i'll be short at the end of the week!

*** off to find that little money tin i put aside for a christmas present for someone - i need it more! ****

jackieglasgow

I don't have them very often but when I do they are simple but brilliant :rotfl:

gillian62

I love my pressure cooker as you can even cook a pork casserole in about 30 mins! Just add gravy granules afterwards to thicken the liquid. A thick lentil soup only takes 20 mins, so it is a great time saver.

suzybloo

Argos have a cookworks 3.5l slow cooker on at £6.49 at the moment if you need one. Excellent buy - never seen them priced that low for a long time.