Help reducing my shopping bill

Pink. · 25 March 2011 at 7:15PM

quintwins wrote: »

not really meat free then :rotfl::rotfl:

Hi quintwins,

I'm not quite sure what you're getting at here, but I don't think that I said a seafood pizza was meat free

. It's not vegetarian though, is that what you mean?

Personally I would consider a seafood pizza to be meat free (obviously assuming it didn't have any ingredients containing meat).

Pink

Ilona · 25 March 2011 at 7:43PM

Hi. Some good suggestions from Raspberry Swirl there. The key to reducing your food shopping bill is not to expect to stick rigidly to what you always buy. Flexibility is the answer. Be prepared to change your diet, substitute cheaper things for expensive where they are just as good nutritionally.

Looking at your list, drop the Cheerios for Value bran flakes at 78p for 750rgms, they are as good as Kellogs. Fancy cereals are a waste of money. Grapes are a rip off at the moment, bananas are great. Fresh tomatoes are expensive and taste of nothing, only buy English when they are in season. Try tinned tomatoes. Sorry I can't help you with the meat, pity you can't drop that altogether and save yourself a fortune. You need to get all the other people in the family on your side, explain to them that they have to be prepared to make changes, to help you reduce your bill.

I shop at 7 or 8pm and get all the reduced items, bread for 20p, etc. You may remember me from the channel 4 programme Hunt for Britains Tightest Person, I was filmed for three hours in Tesco. You can still see it on the web site.
Good luck. Ilona

zarazara · 25 March 2011 at 7:46PM

I try to buy seasonal fruit and veg its tastes better and is usually cheaper when its in season. Also reduced stuff but be careful! its not necessarily good value just because its reduced,often expensive stuff is reduced and its still expensive when compared to other things. Try to freeze and use up left overs,cooking from scratch is a grat monet saver,especialy cakes buiscuits and bread. Try having beans on tast instead of cereal for brekfast a couple of days a week or poached eggs. try growing your own fruit and veg,more of a long term plan but very enjoyable and rewarding i find.

quintwins · 25 March 2011 at 8:13PM

Pink-winged wrote: »

Hi quintwins,

I'm not quite sure what you're getting at here, but I don't think that I said a seafood pizza was meat free . It's not vegetarian though, is that what you mean?

Personally I would consider a seafood pizza to be meat free (obviously assuming it didn't have any ingredients containing meat).

Pink

no it was op she said

I am happy to do a meat free day but the OH won't have it (unless it's seafood pizza which i do make)

i suppose it is meat free depending on what you class as meat to me fish is meat, we have very few meat free days more liek reduced meat days like pizza and quiche with ham, or pasta with bacon ect

as for fruit and veg i find the farm shop is best, mine always has offers on, usually 10 apples for £1 and 20 small oranges for £2, carrots for £1 it's hit and miss tho to learn wheres best, i don't buy bananas or onions from there as i find they don't keep aslong, but there 20kg bag of spuds lasts s 2 weeks and rarely has a single sprout

skyvicky123 · 25 March 2011 at 8:58PM

Hi all - have just got in from tesco to find lots of lovely posts. Thanks everybody for taking the time to reply.

I have finally worked out what time my tesco does their final reductions (they used to do it at about 6pm but not it's gone 8pm! - Ilona if only I had spoken to you first!) HOORAY tho as I got all my fruit and veg seriously reduced which has saved a fortune as well as stocking up on lots of 20p loafs (find at 20p they work out cheaper then my HM bread as I can't slice mine v.well!

All in all I got all on my list as well as lots of bread plus pack of wipes, sneaky pack of val rich tea for £32.00 which I am pleased with.

I do shop aldi etc when I have a min but I know if I can pick up the yellow stickers it's still cheaper at tesco for me.

Now to get the dinner on...what a day!

BTW my seafood pizza is topped with a few little frozen prawns, tuna and anchovy paste (OH doesn't like the bones in the real ones!) Plus paste keeps a while in fridge. I hate seafood so do one little one for OH and a cheesey one for me.

Wish I could get him to cut his meat but he is a string bean and says he NEEDS it! I do bulk stuff out with loads of veg all in one pot which sometimes fools him!

babychick · 25 March 2011 at 9:53PM

have you tried bulking out your bolognese with lentils or porridge oats? there's lots of threads and other useful info here on OS about bulking out meat dishes, so you need less meat to make a filling meal.;)