Trying to reduce my grocery bill, any advice please

sitcom321

tigerfeet2006 wrote: »

If you do the chicken in the SC then the meat will fall off the bones, saving you a job

would it not be a bit greasy if done like this fussy OH doesnt like greasy!!!

sitcom321

Average weekly shop and meal planner

meals for the week
Lamb hotpot
Pork stew
Spag bol
Salmon
Finny haddock
Pork chops
Chicken curry

shopping for the week plus the meat above
Vegetables
Baby potatoess
Big potatoess
Carrots
Onions
Mushrooms
Leeks
Parsnips
Sweet potato
Red/green peppers

Fruit
7 large oranges
Pack of tangerines
2 bunches of bananas

Cupboard foods - weekly
Tinned chopped toms
Tinned plum toms
Beans
Peas
Sweetcorn
Pasta
Crisps
Biscuits
Tinned salmon

Cupboard foods ad hoc
Tea
Coffee
Sugar
Pepper
Salt
Gravy grans
Stock cubes

Fridge foods - weekly
Milk
Butter
Squash
Ham/turkey
Pack of frozen mixed fruit
Onken vanilla yoghurt
Tomatoes
Eggs

Fridge foods ad hoc
Cheese
Sandwich fillers
Bacon
Sausage



Misc foods - weekly
Fizzy drinks
Beer
Wine
Chocolate
Bread

YORKSHIRELASS

I am interested to know why you want to reduce your grocery bill and if your OH really understands this. If you have only got £350 a month to spend on food for example then you have to make this work and I think its going to be really tough doing it on your own. Your OH needs to understand that he is not living in a 5 star hotel!

Mealplanning is good to reduce waste. Think about buying value products for staples like pasta, potatoes etc and trying cheaper brands where ever you can. Alternate expensive meals, like some really nice fish with cheaper meals like chilli. Serve bread with meals, naan, pitta, bread rolls, garlic bread, all helps to fill you up. Think about making a pudding occasionally and then having a simpler main meal. We do soup and pudding nights in the winter.

There are loads of helpful tips on here. I would get your OH to read this and see how you feel! Good luck.

Karen_of_Sussex

YORKSHIRELASS wrote: »

I am interested to know why you want to reduce your grocery bill and if your OH really understands this. If you have only got £350 a month to spend on food for example then you have to make this work and I think its going to be really tough doing it on your own. Your OH needs to understand that he is not living in a 5 star hotel!

Mealplanning is good to reduce waste. Think about buying value products for staples like pasta, potatoes etc and trying cheaper brands where ever you can. Alternate expensive meals, like some really nice fish with cheaper meals like chilli. Serve bread with meals, naan, pitta, bread rolls, garlic bread, all helps to fill you up. Think about making a pudding occasionally and then having a simpler main meal. We do soup and pudding nights in the winter.

There are loads of helpful tips on here. I would get your OH to read this and see how you feel! Good luck.

Would agree with this. Your OH sounds a little spoilt. Personally I would say if he doesn't like what you cook then tough...he either a) cooks dinner himself, or b) supplies the extra money needed.

sitcom321

I want to reduce it because I just think it seems a lot of money to be spending for 3 of us, he is spoilt yes i agree as he doesnt want to eat unhealthy, he would probably give extra cash if i asked him so I could buy good quality cuts of meat etc but i want to make healthy meals if possible without breaking the bank. I have had some really good tips off everyone and realistically it looks like i wont be able to cut it by £100 a month but I will still try to cut it down. I am going to really be strict with what i buy this week and if I plan well I am hoping to make some savings.

thanks for all your comments and help x

CH27

sitcom321 wrote: »

would it not be a bit greasy if done like this fussy OH doesnt like greasy!!!

I would give your weekly budget for food to your OH & make him go & buy all the food & prepare it all for one week.
Give him no access to your stock cupboards or freezer contents.

cutestkids

Sorry to say this but your OH is behaving like a spoilt child, he needs a reality check £450 a month on food for 2 adults and 1 child is a lot.
Do all meals in your house have to work around his fussy needs if so let him do the food shopping and the cooking and see how long he lasts.

maman

I would argue very strongly that cutting back on money won't make your meals unhealthy. Your obvious place to save that won't compromise your meal plan in any way is to stop waste. You'll need to be much more careful in your estimate of how much you need for the week. The biggest problem seems to be leaves and cucumber, everything else can be used up. Peppers can be frozen for casseroles, tomatoes are fine cooked etc. Perhaps you need to plan a side salad into a meal midweek to make sure the salad stuff gets used.

lolly_896

Just to say the OP doesnt want to cut it too £100 per month she would like to cut it by £100 so taking it too £350 - This is achievable imo

What brands are you using, try dropping a brand on your tinned food. We always have Value Beans and Tomatoes - unless Asda is doing the 50p Napolina Cherry Toms which i love and try and get lots when reduced.

Can you have a Veggy night - Omlette, Salad and Chips, Jacket Potatoe, Quiche etc.

Frozen Food - Can you use frozen prawns (Not sure what you would do with them?) Curry's we always have frozen chicken breasts.

Fruit and Veg is always much cheaper in Aldis and Lidls they do a 50p variety every week.

Instead of usual lunch can you have left overs so chilli, spag bols etc. If not what about Soup and Crusty cob.

I wish you all the best

Blackpool_Saver

lolly_896 wrote: »

Just to say the OP doesnt want to cut it too £100 per month she would like to cut it by £100 so taking it too £350 - This is achievable imo

Yes, I was wondering when anyone else would read the post properly !!