Learning to save...

JulieGeorgiana

wannabee_in_credit wrote: »

I'm not sure what the rules are about packed lunches at her school but I will talk to her. My worry is always that she's so fussy with her food. But I should be able to find some things that she likes (she loves basic biscuits and value juice etc).

You mention this a lot. I have found that fussy children will eat when they are hungry, so you shouldn't worry so much because it makes it worse.

Pack a lunchbox and if she is hungry she will eat. DS never eats his fruit... when he got home he tried to raid the biscuits... instead I told him he had to eat the fruit BEFORE getting any other food... now he eats it all because it means he gets a biscuit when he gets home if he's hungry!

I found when DS was fussier it was because I gave him what he wanted... now he eats what he gets or he goes hungry (yes I understand this is not something many people are willing to do) BUT a child needs 8 tbsp of food in a 48 hour period... and will eat when they are hungry. If he didn't want to eat, he didn't have to, but got nothing else... if he was hungry he got it back 'cold' and nothing else was on offer. Now he eats pretty much anything (but sprouts!). He does tell me if there is something he isn't keen on and I will take it into consideration.

But my DH was 26 when I met him and his mum had also catered to him (ie. only peas for veg, no tomatoes... so she made him seperate meals, no mushrooms etc etc) and I refused to cater (yes I know he was an adult) but you know over 2 years he tried loads of new things and will eat most anything now... and LOVES Mushrooms, and tells me he loves the veriety of food I make him.

Obviously this is just what I did, but I HAD to save money and pay off my debts and having a DS who is a fussy eater just didn't help. You have to do what is right for you.

wannabee_in_credit

JulieGeorgiana wrote: »

You mention this a lot. I have found that fussy children will eat when they are hungry, so you shouldn't worry so much because it makes it worse.

I think I'm a little over sensitive about it. My sister was bulimic as a teenager and my dd's behaviour reminds me a little of how she used to be. I can't understand why she's so fussy because ds will eat literally anything. I've tried doing that before but obviously my willpower has waned as I'm not doing it at the moment.
We do need to save though, and it's just tough love isn't it? I shall steel myself for the week ahead and see how we go.

the_cat

With regard to the fussy eating, do you think she is maybe picking up on your anxieties? Does she eat whatever is on offer in the form of school meals?

If not, I agree tough love is the only way. Short term it might get worse but it's the only way to sort it out longer term. I used to allow my kids a list of 10 things which they could say they hated which I promised not to give them. They could put a newly hated food on the list but it was always exchanged for one coming off (evil mum that I am, I made sure whatever this was got featured very soon after) Once they realised that those few foods that they genuinely despised weren't going to be forced on them (but importantly I wasn't going to put up with any nonsense), they got more adventurous ............ they are now teenagers and strip the house bare of anything remotely edible annoyingly often!

wannabee_in_credit

the_cat wrote: »

Does she eat whatever is on offer in the form of school meals?

Every day she tells me she has either chicken, pasta, beans, or ham sandwiches, followed by an apple and cheese and crackers. Another parent has mentioned to me that she has been known to hide food and throw it on the floor to avoid eating it.
Suppose if I put her onto packed lunch at least I'd know what she had on offer for the day.
But I will go for the tough love - might steal your list idea. Thanks.:D

Linda32

Hi again,

I can't really help with fussy children as I'm not a Mother so havn't a clue.

This is what has helped me, make a list of evening meals with the food that you have already got.
Then list each day and the meals you are going to have.
Batch cooking is the key here, which you obviously are aware of.

Anyway, from this you then get your shopping list, and its essential that you stick to it.
Unless, you happen to find something on offer to suit better, but don't buy both the offer and what you needed as well.

Just to give an idea, we have got bolognases defrosting at the moment for tea tomorrow, which I shall add spagetti to. The bol was made as a batch cook from 500g of mince

tori.k

You sound like a younger version of me..just as time poor as cash poor

I aspire to the kiss rules (Keep It Simple Stupid)...works for me
I made a list of the cheap simple meals that my family would eat and i mean simple 20 min jobs like jacket spuds and egg and chips that type of thing i have a list of about 10 basic meals and 3 times a week we eat of that list, next list is meals that take a little more time but can be batched cooked like stew & lasagna i always at mimimum double these meals so the weeks im short on time its just a reheat out the freezer we eat from this list 3 times a week, Sunday is always a roast during the colder months the left over meat is used for pack up or dinner another night, any left over veg gets made into soup or used towards another meal so i now have hardly any waste my freezer is my biggest friend.
Breakfast is simple I wont pay over £2 for a big box of cereal so it like it or lump it..there always toast
I spend around £125 a month for 5 of us (not much meat as most of us are veggies)

I keep my shopping simple make a list and stick to it unless it's a ridiculous price like 5p or already on my list i dont buy reduced stuff, as i found i often wasn't using it so paying out 50p for a pot of yogurt that i forgot to use and binned was 50p i could have used for a loaf of bread. also It gets me in and out the shop quick rather then having to scan every shelf.
Im a big fan of the short dated sites..like approved foods..sadly the deals haven't been that great of late but it still worth keeping an eye on. also look at what your eating? we eat quite carb heavy meals so this time of year i buy a 25kg bag of spuds for a £5 this last's us a month rather then a £2 bag at the supermarket that would last a week.

Most of all have fun with it try and see it as a challenge to get the best deal for you money put a pot aside for your loose change then treat yourselves at some point..even if it's just a bag of chips so you don't have to cook, its easy to let it get on top of you when it's a long term thing, but i promise you one day you look back and smile and wonder how you ever managed it but you did
Best wishes

JulieGeorgiana

I do agree that with fussy eaters it can help giving them a choice (ie. they need to eat fruit, so offer 2 or 3 kinds of fruit) I let DS choose the flavour of his cartons, and when yogurts are on offer I give him a choice of those I can afford, I let him choose what I am going to bake for the lunch boxes too, He can choose between Jam and Lemon Curd in his sandwiches. The truth is I am deciding on what he is going to have... but he feels like he's empowered because he get's to choose the individual components the week before.

Eating disorders are all about control, but are very worrying. This is why I do not have a clear plate policy at home... if DS doesn't want to eat he doesn't have to... BUT I won't allow him to eat the potatoes and leave the veg, so if he's not hungry he eats his veg then stops!

As to lists, cooking and shopping... I do a menu plan every week... see this thread >>> Menu Plan WB 12th December 2011

DS helps make it, he doesn't like everything which is on it (ie. this week he's not keen on Beef Stew, but he wanted pizza... so we compromised... and he chose what kind of pasta bake we're having from two options)

I have a list of 'quick meals' and 'bulk meals' and depending on the weekly schedule I have DS (or DH) choose off the relevent list. We live on meals which last two days... I cook most mondays and tuesdays and have Leftovers on Wednesday and Thursday (as we have after school clubs). This takes about 10 minutes a week now.

... from there I write my shopping list (I have a standard one with items I buy every/most weeks and add and delete what I need, by checking cupboards/freezer) I then type it into MySupermarket.co.uk and check the costs at my local supermarket (plus it tells me if buying bigger packs will save money etc) and write where I am going to buy my items (I do a split shop, but if you shop in one place this could still save money). This takes 20 minutes once you get used to it.

... Then I go to the supermarket shopping... my list will be in the order that the shop is layed out... and I don't check out 'special offers' because if something I NEEDED was on offer MySupermarket would have told me... so it's just extra money to spend. If I think it's a great offer, I look at the end date and as they normally last over a week I will consider it for next week! So I stick to my list.

I rarely go £1 over my shopping budget in a week! I make decisions at home using MySupermarket as to what I will purchase and what I won't to keep me in budget.

Although, being pregnant does mean we are going over budget more and more... but we are cutting down in other places and scraping by quite well considering!

Foods which save money are bulking out mince with tons of frozen veg/lentils, chicken portions (5 for £2... 2 will easily do a 6 portion stew/curry)... frozen veg is definitly a food bulker!

Pizza is cheap (we make our own dough. However, Basic Baguettes work really well if you don't)

Pasta bakes are quick and easy and use up leftovers.

Pies are great for filling with leftover stews!

I make my own curries (make a base and freeze) and I make a 2kg chicken make 4 curries, each feeds 6 people... I just bulk out with veg (24 portions for £5-£6 of Chicken). Sometimes I will use a Basic curry (17p) and put it in the slowcooker with tinned tomatoes, that feeds 6 too!

I bought a Breadmachine... I calculated that my DS wholewheat bread costs the equivalent of 47p for a 800g loaf (electricity and ingredients included) which is cheaper then value/basic AND healthier... and the BM makes rolls (4p each) and pizza dough (32p a thick base, 16p a thin base). It takes less then 3 minutes to set up a loaf in the morning!

hilstep2000

Martin has a good philosophy. Do you NEED it? Can you AFFORD it?
Have you checked if it's cheaper anywhere else? If not, don't buy it!

I use this all the time, and most of the time I don't buy it!:rotfl:

Also, have you got a slow cooker? If not, ask someone for one for Xmas, get one on Freecycle or in a charity shop. You can use really cheap cuts of meat, and lots of veg. Make everything the night before when you have time, and just leave it on till you get home.

Buy large chickens, and use everything! Roast one day, stir fry or pasta the next, mix bits with mayonaisse for sandwiches, ten boil up the skin and bones with an onion, a few carrots and some mixed herbs for about an hour. Strain off, and you have wonderful chicken stock to use for gravies or soup base. It freezes too, so you can always have some available.

Good luck to you tackling your debts. People on here will always help!:T

hermum

Can you find the time to do cooking with your daughter, it's amazing what kids will eat when they've made it themselves.
I'd definitely invest in a breadmaker, so much cheaper than shop bought, tastier & more filling.
Also a slow cooker is a brilliant thing to have, £9 in Tesco.
Try cheaper cuts of meat chicken thighs instead of breasts, if you don't do whole chickens. Although a large chicken would do meals for almost a week, if you do a big pan of broth or macaroni with the carcass stock, a pie, pasta bake & a curry, after having a roast, that could be 5 evening meals from just 1 chicken.
Some of the basic meats especially sainsburys is fine, I tried their mince the other week in a lasagne & was pleasantly surprised. Their stewing lamb is quite good.
Pork hocks are cheap & will do a couple of evenings meals.
Jacket pots & beans
beans on toast with an egg..
If you like liver that's a really cheap meal.
I buy basic frozen veg, whizzed up in stock it makes a good soup especially with beans added & a slice of cheese on toast, is a good hearty meal for very little cost or time.
If you can bulk out your meals with veg, beans, pulses, oats, then you don't actually notice that you don't have so much meat on your plate.
I love pastry, so will often turn left over casserole or stew into a pie with a pastry crust, suet pastry is quick, stir half the weight of suet into flour, mix in water & roll or pat into shape & stick on top of something. Or bake it in a lump & serve the same as a yorkshire pud. Any left over can be spread with jam & served with custard as a pud.

wannabee_in_credit

Thanks everyone for your fantastic advice.
For the first time in months I'm quite looking forward to the challenge of the grocery shopping. I've dug out a book I had from years ago called 'How to feed your family on a budget....' which I will also use for inspiration.
DD and I have had a chat about this list of 10 things and she's keen to go for that. I have a slow cooker, and took my breadmaker into work months ago, but might just claim it back and do some more breadmaking at home.
I'll keep reporting back.