£50 left for food shopping till the end of the month help!!

loobylee

I did have a water filter but the kids & OH still moaned the water tasted foul - it really is horrid here so we went back on bottled water. I have tried cooking the same meal but the kids just leave half then spend the rest of the evening moaning about how hungry they are!

I really need to get a grip I spend far to much on food and a lot gets wasted.

I have milk, we don't really eat eggs, I have found some bread flour and yeast at the back of the cupboard so am going to have a go at making bread.

If I can do it for 2 weeks on £50 I will be amazed!!

s4mmy

If you can download the honey shreddies £1 moc then this makes the cereal free at Tesco.

loobylee

Ohh thanks - where would I find that??

redlady_1

I dont mean to be rude so please dont take it as such but if that is all you really have then bottled water is a luxury you cannot afford. Everyone is just going to have to accept that the food you put in front of them, is that or nothing. Be strong with them all.

slow cooking will sort out you having to cook when you come home as well as pasta and stir fry. You actually have alot of food already. Take the puff pastry and make a veggie strudle or veggie cornish pastie?

sophistica

Looks like you are going to need to do some real cooking to get by. I recommend working out how to use what you have in some recipes and making just one dinner each night that everyone will eat. The mince will make possibly 2 meals e.g. spaghetti bolognese (padded out with oats/red lentils) and a shepherds pie or chilli con carne with value red kidney beans. You could buy a chicken and get several meals from it...mine has just lasted for 9 meals as I am single (roast chicken, thai chicken curry, chicken pot pie, chicken soup and chicken and stuffing sandwiches. My other suggestions is to go to the supermarket at end of day and hoover up the reduced price items. It's amazing what you can get that way.

loobylee

That sounds good - what do you put in yours? I don't do a lot of veggie meals as my lot like their meat!

A friend has suggested boiling water up then putting it in bottles in the fridge when cool - she says once it is really cold in the fridge you can't taste the difference. I am going to try it and if no one notices I will keep to it and save myself £4.50 a week!

loobylee

Wow 9 meals from 1 chicken that's excellent!!!! a chicken lasts one meal here!

You're right I really do need to do some proper cooking trouble is with shift work it really is hard to get the motivation to cook

Everyone in my house must be gannets!!! I use 800g of mince in a spag bol and it does 1 meal - thats with nothing added though thinking of getting some oats and lentils to pad it out, I can't put veg in it as OH won't eat it!

Butterfly_Brain

Do you work 7 days a week?
I am afraid that your family need a kick up their backsides.
If DH is fussy and gets away with it then of course the kids will think that they can do the same. I bet if they leave half their dinner and then moan that they are hungry you comply by giving in and make something for them.You don't say how many children that you have and their ages.
Well that has got to stop if you want to get through the month.
I agree with valk_scot about the water filter, the water here is foul and we manage with a filter we just put jugs in the fridge, and that helps.
If you haven't time to go shopping then let DH do it and see how little the money stretches to.
Try batch cooking on your day off and so there's always a meal that can be heated in the oven with very little effort.
Sorry to be scathing but it will take everyone in the family to co-operate in order for you to get through until the end of the month.
I am off to look at your list and see what I can come up with.
Meanwhile here is a helpful site for you to look at
http://thirty-quid.blogspot.com/

loobylee

Thanks Butterfly Brian I appreciate your comments and you know what you're exactly right!!!

My kids are 12 and 7 and yeah I do give them other stuff if they complain!

I know it has to stop but I find it so hard to break the cycle.

No I don't work 7 days but on my days off I seem to be doing housework, looking after my mum and dad, paying bills, etc.

I need to sort out so much more than just my food budget

[Deleted User]

loobylee wrote: »

Ok
In the fridge:
bag of boiling potaotes
4 2 litre bottles of milk - cravendale cos it last longer and tastes better
800g cheddar cheese
1 ball mozzarella
1 cuecumber
3 pots philidelphia
small pack chicken slices
chocolate mousse

In the freezer:
2 packs pork chops
4 chicken breasts
1 pack mince
i pack potato waffles
1 pack puff pastry
Big box of fish fingers
peas
sweetcorn
broad beans

In the Cupboard:
Tinned tomatoes
Gravy
dolmio sauce
1 pack express rice
pack of pearl barley
lentils
olive oil
garlic

I have a slow cooker, microwave & bread maker but I only use the microwave, feeling very ashamed writing that down!

barley,lentils,chicken all you need for a great chicken broth,just add stock cube and dumplings(50p a box)...yum